Imagens da página
PDF
ePub

24

THE FINNY TRIBE.

Bahamas. What a flood of waters! How profound and infinite! How awful, yet how peaceful! 'What heavenly dignity'! Mysterious sea! in thy slumbers how serene in thy wrath how terrific! Below, among the rocks and sands, thou dost 'play upon thy lowest stops.' Thou sendest upward thy mellowest- richest tones.

-

One may readily determine the great difference between the night air along the shore and inland by taking a ride of a few miles from Edgartown-say as far as Tisbury. In Tisbury and Chilmark, as soon as the sun has set, the dank vapours rise and the chill dews fall. Early in Autumn a coat is needed, and thin ice makes in the pools and ponds. While in Edgartown the evenings are mild, clear, and summer-like. However in all parts of the Island thefig-tree and the yine do yield their strength.'

The shark is rarely seen; but the whale occasionally gambols a few miles from the South beach. The sword-fish you may take when you will. The squid is a soft bladder-fish found in the sand, eggshaped and of variegated colors;very attractive to the eye, but poisonous to the touch. With the Islanders the brilliant blue-fish and the large fat eels of the ponds and harbors (fifteen barrels of which are sometimes taken in a night) are luxuries, as well as that unique and really luscious dish - the corn-pudding.

The bellows fish must not be omitted, which pumps water into a membraneous apartment on its

[blocks in formation]

under side, and swells itself to such a degree that its diameter is equal to twice its length. Singular contrivance this! yet it serves a most important purpose. The fish thus escapes all enemies that would swallow it up.

Its security in its own clement is its ruin on land. The little Islanders - mischievous urchins - catch it and scratch its stomach to make it swell. When it has reached its full dimensions, they give it a blow with a stick or stone, and it bursts with a noise as loud as a pistol.

It the vicinity of Edgartown is a pond which is said to rise in dry weather and fall in wet. Do you doubt it, reader? Many of three-score years and ten declare it upon their honor, and would testify to it upon oath. You may be incredulous if you will, but such is the testimony.

This is not the only strange and phenominal thing about the Island. Credible men say that the hystericks prevail more or less in those families living along the Southern shore. The air is saturated with the salt-vapour and strains up the system beyond its capacity of endurance. Indeed the haughty sea loves his solitary grandeur, and with hoarse tones thunders in the ear of obtrusive humanity-hitherto shalt thou come but no further, and here thy proud feet be stayed.'

Strange as it may seem, the flood tide sets up between the Elizabeth Islands and Gayhead, and flows eastward through the Sound on towards Massachu

26

BEST WALKING IN BAD WEATHER.

setts Bay, and the ebb tide accordingly in a contrary direction. At Point Judith the reverse is true.

Oil is money. Hence on the Island the circulating medium is plentiful. For invalids the Island offers advantages that few other places possess, at least in one particular. You are not shut up within doors at any season of the year in consequence of muddy streets. The slippery clay-hills up and down the Kennebec and Penobscot render it impossible to step out after an April shower without carrying along with you a considerable portion of the street. Here it is the best walking in bad weather. Heavy rains have an effect upon the soil similar to the 'hammer of the surf' upon the sea-beach.

The old stock of the Islanders may be said to have a language and pronunciation of their own. The former is quaint, hearty, and much set off with sea-phrases and wild imagery. The latter is singularly provincial, full of force and meaning, and highly amusing. These remarks must be confined to the old settlers, some of whom have never set foot upon the main-land. If one of them who had seen nothing but salt-water and a patch of earth were suddenly transported to the crowded streets of Boston or New-York, what would he think? That he was in his own sphere? Notwithstanding such cases as these, there are men on the Vineyard who have enjoyed good advantages of education, and have much experience and knowledge of the world. And it is not strange, for they have visited its remotest cor

[blocks in formation]

ners. The representation from this place in the House and Senate is more than respectable, and will compare with that from almost any part of the State. Remarks upon the condition of the Indians and the state of Religion in a future number. Yours.

LETTER V.

MARTHA'S VINEYARD, 18—.

It was my intention, Mr. Editor, to have taken some pains to prepare for your present paper a notice of the past and present condition of the Indians of Martha's Vineyard. Upon looking into the 'Historical Collections' to obtain some facts illustrative of their condition in the early settlement of our country, a narrative written some thirty years since so much pleased me by its interesting matter and agreeable style that to attempt to condense and improve it seemed to me unnecessary and presumptuous. I gladly avail myself of its contents without alteration for other important reasons with which I doubt not you will equally coincide. Though written in 1807, it in the main describes correctly the condition of the Aborigines at the present time. It is moreover understood to be, and without question is, the production of the late deceased and venerable. Dr. Freeman of King's Chapel. Since the account was written Mr. Frederic Baylies has been minister

[blocks in formation]

and teacher among the Indians, until within a few months. He was a true-hearted man and highly useful in the sphere allotted to him. He labored diligently among them for some twenty-five years. The first time I visited the Island he was hale and vigorous, devoted to his work and much interested in the furtherance of liberal views of Christianity. The last time I was there the sad intelligence was brought of his sudden death while on a journey into the Western part of the State of New-York. His salary was about 550 dollars, a portion of which he expended for the support of Teachers among the Indians on the Vineyard, Nantucket, and Cape Cod. Under his instruction and preaching the Indians have a good deal improved. They are more characterized by honest, chaste, sober, and industrious habits than when Dr. Freeman visited them. In number it is difficult to say whether there has been any decided increase or diminution for thirty years past, though Mr. B. whose judgment it would seem must be correct, was of opinion they had decreased, The number in 1807 was 240. The present number is not far different. Says Dr. F.:

"The name of Ma tha's Vineyard, according to Gookin, was Nope; but according to all others of the old writers, it was Capawock. Gookin, who appears to have taken pains to ascertain facts, and in whose Collection there is an air of simplicity and truth, is not to be charged with having invented this word Nope; but the probability is that the island had two names. At the time in which it was discovered by the English it was full of inhabitants; and as they continued to be numerous, when it was

« AnteriorContinuar »