Year: 1872


The afternoon train on the Long Island North
Shore Railroad on Monday contained among its
motley array of passengers two persons-the occa-
sional correspondent Of London paper and Q
HERALD representative. We were starting upon
search expedition to the interior OF the island to
discover IN obscure village called Sayvile, chiefly
interesting because alleged to be the home Of q
certain individual called Noe, who has suddenly
leaped from lonely obscurity to questionable prom
| nence by the publication OF q letter In the New
York Sun, In which he claims intimacy with Mr.
Stanley, the discoverer of Livingstone.
The whole Of the morning had been spent in Q
vain endeav0r to discover the whereabouts Of
THE MYSTERIOUS VILLAGE, kn
but without success, Sayville being as unknown to
the average New Yorker as was Ujiji before it had
been made household word in England and
America by the HERALD. "A few persons had dim
ideas Of having heard Of such village, but nothing
definite could be learned until an old gentleman,
with the look of the eighteenth century about his
face informed that If we would take the train to
Lakeland we would be within some miles of the vii
! lage. Acting upon his advice tickets were pur-
chased, and taking our seats in the dusty cars we
entered upon our explorations.


A Long Island railroad is IN institution which
forciby recalls the good old times when men did
not rush to and fro with lightning speed, but trav
ened at rate which, if slow, was sure. The train
had


AN UNFORTUNATE HABIT ~ q
Of stopping at every hamlet on the way and in the
course Of fifty miles journey as many halts were
made as there would be in trip in Third avenue
car from the City Hall to Yorkville The whistle Of
the engine keeps up an eternal shrek, and it re-
quires you to look that your head does not get
bumped at the sudden stoppings, which are much
more numerous than agreeable. The appearance
OF the country by the way and the scenery it re-
veals strongly favor the Mahommedan doctrine
that the world Is fat An unbroken expanse or
level, furry land, thickly covered with weeds and
brambles, varied with occasional tree all that
the eye can discern, matter which side it Is
cast.


After tedious trip of more than three hours du.
| ration Lakeland, town containing two houses
and the ruins Of another, reached and at length
we found we were upon the right track, Sayville
| lying some five miles south On !nqulrng at what
purported to be n saloon, but in which nothing
drinkable was sold but sarsaparilla and currant
brandy. by what means we could reach our destina-
| ton, o N
| RUSTY OLD WAGON,


drawn by an ancient horse and driven by an an
tiquated old man, was pointed out to US, and in
| few moments our luxurious conveyance was mov-
ing over road, in which the horse at every step
sank to his knees in mud. The old man had driven





never trotted 1t against time, distant relation OF
the horse was once possessed Of some speed Your
correspondent made inquiries about Noe, but the
driver did not know much about him, "there was
family OF that name he believed,' but he did not
know any of the members OF 1t, but all information
could be procured at the Bay View House, the lead.
Ing hotel OF Sayville. -
y THE SHADES OF EVENING u
were falling ere the village was sighted, and not
wishing to enter In triumphal pomp we dismissed
our wagon and proceeded on foot towards the Inn,
where lights could be seen In the distance. Two or
three bareleggcd urchns, youth Of tender years
who wore nothing but his shirt, young girl, with
pitcher In her hand big black dog,al attracted
by the unusual presence OF strangers, followed us
on our way to the struggling frame shanty dubbed
hotel" by the aspiring villagers. The proprietor,
who Ia at once bartender, waiter, chambermaid and
porter, rushed to the door ON our approach fol-
lowed by couple Of wide-mouthed rustics, who
stared at us as. II we were denizens OF another
world. The ONCE, billiard hall and barroom Of the
Bay View House
WERE DIMLY LIGHTED


by an oil lamp, revealing dirty counter, array
Of dusty glasses and a confident inscription on the
wall stating that mint juieps, claret punches. gin
and milk and other savory mixtures were dis
pensed to all comers at reasonable prices. A few
gaping countrymen above alluded to made up the
other adornments OF the scene. 80 Tf.
As we were hungry with the long ride ! asked
could we have supper, and the clerk, calling to o
dismaLlooking woman, hurried consultation was
held between them, after which an answer was
! given to us that something would be prepared.
| ra INTERVIEW WITH HOTEL CLERK. /.
| While the meal was In process Of preparation
asked the clerk IL he knew anything of Lewis
| Noe. t9TH..
| CLsRK (smiling) oh, yes, guess do Did you
sec the sun on Saturday. That was his letter. oh,
| Lewis Is very smart!


REpoRTER--What Is his occupation!


CLERx--His father Is blacksmith and he does
something at the trade, but ne paints besides and
does little OF everything that comes along.


REroRTER--A village genius. sec.


CLERK lopen-mouthedi Il puess he knows q hean.