Impressions of America | Page 7

much longer, after the defences
are completed. Since the decease of the gallant Perry, this has ceased to
be a naval station; during the last years of his life he held a command
here, which was almost nominal.
I visited the place where Perry lies buried beneath a simple obelisk of
granite: few heroes appear to have lived so universally loved as was the
Conqueror of the Lakes. His short but brilliant career, added to his
youth and remarkable personal beauty, made him the idol of the people;
whilst his generous disposition and winning manners rendered him the
delight of his friends. I never heard the name of this officer mentioned
without eulogium, mingled with regret for his premature death.

My condition here is enviable enough: I have a pleasant room, with a
fig-tree growing before my window, beneath which Captain B----n and
myself breakfast daily, well shaded from sun and dust; not a musquito
disputes possession with us; and the dinner-table at the "Pottery" is well
served enough, and graced by several very handsome women.
Here is another large hotel near to us, which, from its high bare walls
and numerous windows, we have named the "Factory;" and a sort of
rivalry may be said to exist between the "Pottery girls" and those of this
"Factory." The amusements consist of scandal, bathing, riding, with an
occasional boating party, but the men are not enterprising, otherwise
the facilities for little pic-nics and country excursions abound. The
ladies, who have monopolized all the spirit here, contrive frequently to
get up little hops at one house or other, and these are conducted with
much gaiety and good humour; albeit, parties hold each other at a wary
distance, and, although living in common beneath the same roof, have
classifications made upon principles which have hitherto eluded my
penetration, and are too numerous to be easily defined by the most
accomplished master of the ceremonies Margate ever boasted. The laws
of our exclusives, however incomprehensible, are, as elsewhere,
arbitrary; and the votary of fashion must be content blindfold to follow
the despotic goddess, or quit her ranks.
Whilst here, I had observed for some time an advertisement setting
forth that on a certain day a steam-boat would make an excursion to
Block Island. This I resolved to join: first, because any change was
desirable which might kill a day; and next, because I knew the place
had been a sort of station whereat our squadron managed to hang on
during the war, although singularly wild and harbourless.

BLOCK ISLAND.
Early in the morning, the steamer employed in this service quitted
Providence with a full live cargo; and at Newport it brought up for
about an hour, during which time several recruits, myself amongst the
number, joined her.

It blew fresh from about east by south; and, in consequence, no sooner
had we cleared the harbour, than we were met by a heavy head-sea, and
nothing was to be seen on all sides but sickness, and the misery
consequent upon the dilapidation of the pretty caps and bonnets of the
fair Providencials. Never was a party of pleasure-seekers in a more
woe-begone plight than was this of ours when we arrived in the open
roadstead of the most inhospitable-looking shores of Block Island.
Before we could bring up, the boats of the natives, apprised of our
purpose, surrounded the ship, offering, for a consideration of about a
quarter dollar per head, to land us upon their territory. The boats were
presently filled; and from the larger ones, after they had grounded on
the beach, we were by degrees landed in shallops.
On terra firma we encountered a few men in no outward way differing
from the fishermen of the main, but with a confirmed craving after coin,
which, however common to all civilized beings, is seldom so openly
and importunately exposed as amongst these simple citizens. Boys of
seventeen and eighteen years of age thought no shame to solicit a cent
from the passing strangers, and were not readily got rid of.
The island, over which I wandered in common with others of the
goodly company of adventurers, presented one uniform view: a rolling
surface, without any considerable elevation; sea-bound, without a
single harbour, or a village in the least attractive; half-a-dozen huts are
scattered here and there in irregular lines, indifferently built, and
having no care bestowed in the way of out-door adornment; not a tree
appears on the place, although in the sheltered situations I should,
imagine they would thrive: in short, a less attractive islet I never
remember to have visited, or one so utterly divested of interest. The
only pleasure I derived was from a view of the open roadstead, where
our gallant ships used to ride out the hardest blows, much