The story of Martha's Vineyard, from the lips of its inhabitants, newspaper files and those who have visited its shores, including stray notes on local history and industries; . rded as superior to any other in the market; but of late the annual catch has been very small, though, as Mr. John Brere- ton put it we had pestered our ship so with Codfish that we threw numbers of them overboard again. At no point on the island can boats ride safely at anchor, and there are times when, for weeks at a stretch, it is impossible to make a landing. The fishermen must haul their boats ashore each night, e
The story of Martha's Vineyard, from the lips of its inhabitants, newspaper files and those who have visited its shores, including stray notes on local history and industries; . rded as superior to any other in the market; but of late the annual catch has been very small, though, as Mr. John Brere- ton put it we had pestered our ship so with Codfish that we threw numbers of them overboard again. At no point on the island can boats ride safely at anchor, and there are times when, for weeks at a stretch, it is impossible to make a landing. The fishermen must haul their boats ashore each night, every boat having its boat-ladder, which extends to low water, and up which the boat is skidded to safety with the help of a pair of oxen. GAY HEAD LIGHT. And now we will return to Gay Head, whose great lightflashes comfort to the sailor. This light was established by anact of Congress July i6, 1798, the signature of President JohnAdams making the act a law. The lamp burns two quarts ofoil an hour; has five concentric wicks, the diameter of the outerone being five inches. The Fresnel lens in use made the lighta famous one forty years ago. It contains 1,003 pieces of glass. The Gay Head Light. 208 MARTHAS VINEYARD. and cost $16,000. Every ten seconds a flash, every fourth flashbeing red. The present tower v^^as built in 1857-g. INDIAN LEGENDS OF GAY HEAD. Gay Head has been so long identified with the Indian thatabout all of the legends which have survived have been fittedto this end of the island, which has been well supplied withnames by the aborigines, who at various times have called itCatackutcho or Wuhtuhquehtunt or Wannummusit or Aquin-nah. The Indians appear to have had two fabulous giants ordevils, Cheepii and Moshop. Not much has been handed downconcerning the former, and what little there is would indicatethat he was a very bad and mischievous deity. About Moshopmost of the legends cling, and there is just enough in them tomake it seem probable that the original Moshop
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectmarthas, bookyear1908
