New-York tribune., 1891-08-31
NEW-YORK TO NANTUCKET
THE ROUTE ILLUMINATED BY THE LAM
BENT FANCY OF JOHN PAUL. ~

despito the commentions OF commentators to the
contrary makes Hamlet say that he knows q
hawk from handsaw when the winds sou'-south-
east-just as Sydney Resented or any other
GREAT dramatist Of the day would make his princi-
nal tragic character tell that he knew Ii from
O bulls foot, no matter how the wind blew.
Ex-President Cleveland, having lately discov-
cred this bay, has warm summer home on 1t.
Had he lit here in an earlier century it would
probably have come down to us alliteratively as
Cleveland's Cove. Apropos Of the Century, Gill
der, too, lives and loves here-loyes ex-President
Cleveland. And apropos of alliteration, why
wouldn't ticket headed Grover and Glider" be
the thing? People might say that Grover gilded
his Vice, but that would be nothing. Puns
break no bones, though those who live in glass
houses should not throw them around mlscei-
laueously. elders done so much TO support the
poets by publishing them that TO woman, as well
as to man, they'd support him. That would
carry the ticket sure, no matter what Grover got.
Johnson-second in the Century-from his active
efforts in behalf Of the Copyright bill and bis in
terest in the Yosemite, might be made Superin-
tendent of the Poor and of Public Parks; while
Buel--wel Buel for divers reasons, not wholly un-
connected with water, might be made Secretary
of the Navy
After leaving Buzzard's Bay the next important
Hole. "Holl" I'll not call it under any circum-
stances-nor would any one else that had once
attempted to get through it in catboat with a
fair wind, blowing six knots an hour, and a con-
trary current running eight, which is its usual
ebb gait If Hole be too Objectionable, why not
designate 1t initally as II? Most men who have
tried to get through would know what was meant,
and would also understand the proverb expressing
the little chance that a cat has there without
claws
In passing through this Hole the steamboat has
rocks on both sides of her and but twenty feet OF
clearance. The captain standing at q small steam
steering Wheel steers the boat through almost
literally with his little finger. But at the
other and big hand-steerng wheel, which it
takes four men TO man, the quarter
master is stationed, and beside nm
and just behind the captain stands q man with
an axe. This is not to knock either of them In
the head if a good seaman goes wrong, but to
knock the chocks away from the big hand-wheel
if the steam apparatus fails to respond. A second
or two beyond control in that narrow pass and
the Gayhead, no longer gay would lie with dole
full stern high guled on the rocks!
The next important point is Naushon, an island
famous as the summer home of the Forbes family,
of Boston, and sometimes, but mistakenly, taken
for Eastern terminus of the Chicago, BurIng-
ton and Quincy. The end, however, of that road
is not here. nor yet, though while passing the
island with the prophecies of pessimists in your
mind, you may wonder whether not it is about
passing o dividend But tits not well TO be
bear OH an island that is stocked only with deer,
those domesticated ones, and foreign but we'll
bred bulls.
For truth, Naushon is q principality that
potentate-marll again the allteration-might be
1or nn1flt
arabic, that would delight an Arab; fountains,
goldfish and castles, to say nothing Of clans, fit
for a queen. In the little bay lie memorable
yachts that have been cup-winners and are still
mug-hunters. Thistles on the shore are Offset by
Volunteers in the water. For the convenience Of
guests steam launches ply between island and
mainland. But while the invited are thus pro-
voked to come, the uninvited are warned off by
pug dogs and fishermen in high boots
Naushon is summer home SO ideal that IL
did not own and occupy Graveliy Island tat the
western extremity of Nantucket, I'D make bid
for it. And if not director in the 'Seonset Rail
road I'd like to be one In the Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy. For it is to the directors of rail-
roads, and not to the stockholders, that islands
and these things come. Standing on Sconset
beach and looking east, the naked eye-which of
course would not be permitted Asbury Park
any estate, real or fcttious-appertanng to stock
holders 1t sees but brokers-that is to say,
breakers; empty shells, unfragrant carcasscs and
the dry and bleaching bones of memorable wrecks.
Naushons and such come but to him who waits
and carefully minds his g. B. &.Q.'sl
Few passenger by sea Sound have any idea
of the that is taken OF them even in voyage
seemingly so insignifcantly safe as that from New
Bedford to Nantucket. But some one is on tho
watch all the while, and the captain quits not the
plothouse. log is kept in which the time Of
arrival at and departure from each landing, and
that of passing the principal buoys, is carefully
noted. The course is daily changed, varying u
point to point and half, according to the set
of tie currents as told in q book published by
some old salt of the Vineyard-if not of the earth
who has for years made this part of the Sound
his special study.
Indeed, taking into account all the trouble that
he has and the short time between meals, I'm not
now certain that I'd take the place of Captain
Barlow, of the Gayhead, for half the pay he
gets However, will freely confess that when
this young man was brought on from New York
and put in command of the newest and
best boat of the ne-steam-steering gear and a
epittoon in the pilot house-over the heads of men
more than twice as old as he and, of course, more
than twice as competent to command, and some
others of the old shippers Of the island kicked
lie had never struck whale perhaps never seen
one; probably wouldn't know sulphur-bottom
from a haircloth sofa a sperm-whae from q meet
ing-house; hadn't even harpoon tattooed on mis-
right arm. Now. from the time that steamboats,
were first put on between Nantucket and the main
land. it has been the custom TO establish an old
whaling captain in command. Some Peleg or Oba-
diah Hezekiah has stood in the plot-house
and squinted through long spyglass at everything
that could be seen, and some things that couldn't
steering with hand-wheel, while rather regret
ting that it wasn't an oar, sterning all or laying
her on, throwing the main sinokestack aback or
bracing up sharp the starboard ilue. just as the
exigences of Sound navigation demanded. The
nrasent daY may not be cnld but ,ua old Arntic