The record-union., 1898-03-04
CHILD OF THE SEA.
The Governments Marine Observer
ON an Isolated Promontorv.

Miss Lillian Small a pretty nineteen
year-old girl, is the youngest marine
observer in the Government employ.
Her home is on the outer or ocean side
of Cape Cod that great arm of land
stretching away seaward from the
mainland of Massachusetts, Her low
rooted New England cottage stands on
great clay promontory overlooking
the Atlantic and only 800 feet from a
nearly perpendicular cliff which rises
100 feet above the sea.
All the ships from the ocean and
along the coast of Boston and northern
ports pass within few miles of here,
and Miss Small's duty from sunrise to
sunset of each day is to watch through
big telescope these passing ships,
make out their flags and names, and
then, evey half hour, telegraph the in
forma ton to the Chamber of Commerce
at Boston, where it is used for the
benefit of marine interests. Telegraph
wires run from her cottage directly into
the office of the Chamber of Commerce
rooms
There is also a Government telephone
line connecting with all the life saving
stations along the Cape Cod coast, with
q bell in her sleeping-room, in case of
marine disaster at night, when she
would immediately Wire the particulars
TO the Boston newspapers. This sta
ton is 10 Boston what the Highlands
of Navesink are to New York
Miss Small talked very interestingly
of her work to me. and showed great
pride in her monstrous telescope, which
is powerful enough TO make clear the
names of vessels fifteen miles away.
i was born and reared within sight
and sound of the sea-" she began. MY
father for thirty-nine years has been
the marine observer at this point, and
L was always about with him and
learned the ropes when a mere child.
Then, since my return from school, two
years ago | have been his regular as
slstant until / know the work thor
oughly. My father now often leaves
me III charge for months at a time.
BY nature l am a child of the sea,
and now l love it, In summer it is
beautiful; in winter it is grand. This
is storm bound coast, and there are
many shipWrecks. Father and l were
on duty and working all night when the
British ship Jason went ashore here in
the winter of 1893. Out of her crew of
twenty-eight men only one escaped
alive. 1t was terrible storm We see
many of them when the whole ocean
is dashed into foam and the great waves
break furiously against the cliffs
II suppose you become familiar with
the ships?" l said.
"Oh, yes; l know many of them by
sight through seeing them so often.
10 fvi, Co iar
Don't you ever get lonely?" was
asked
I'm winter our life is quite lonely"
Miss Small replied, and we see but
few people, but in summer hundreds of
tourists visit here to look at the ocean
and Highland Lighthouse, that great
white tower only 200 yards from the
cottage door, 1t rises 100 feet above
sea level. 1t was built by the United
States Government in 1897 and rebuilt
in 1851"
From the walk by the signal staff,
where We sat talking, most beautiful
marine panorama spread out before us.
The entire line of the cape was clearly
outlined, stretching from Barnstable to
Race Point, while the shores of Sand
witch and Plymouth We're easily dis
cerned. The graceful bend of the in
ner arm Of the. Old Bay State curved
along the shores Of the bay until it
ended in the dwindling point at the en-
trance Of Provincetown Harbor Wind
ing around Race Point the great sweep
ing curve Of the outer heart formed the
other side of the spit upon which rests
the Long Point Lighthouse, and along
the ocean lay great stretches of treacb-
erous sandbars, half covered by the
incoming tide.-New York Herald.