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Letter。） With thousands of miles of sea…line and a score or two of the
finest harbors on the globe； we have adroitly turned over our carrying
trade to foreign nations。
In other days； as I have said； a high maritime spirit was characteristic
of Portsmouth。 The town did a profitable business in the war of 1812；
sending out a large fleet of the sauciest small craft on record。 A pleasant
story is told of one of these little privateersthe Harlequin； owned and
commanded by Captain Elihu Brown。 The Harlequin one day gave chase
to a large ship； which did not seem to have much fight aboard； and had got
it into close quarters； when suddenly the shy stranger threw open her ports；
and proved to be His Majesty's Ship…of…War Bulwark； seventy…four guns。
Poor Captain Brown！
Portsmouth has several large cotton factories and one or two corpulent
breweries； it is a wealthy old town； with a liking for first mortgage bonds；
but its warmest lover will not claim for it the distinction of being a great
mercantile centre。 The majority of her young men are forced to seek
other fields to reap； and almost every city in the Union； and many a city
across the sea； can point to some eminent merchant； lawyer； or what not；
as 〃a Portsmouth boy。〃 Portsmouth even furnished the late king of the
Sandwich Islands； Kekuanaoa； with a prime minister； and his nankeen
Majesty never had a better。 The affection which all these exiles cherish for
their birthplace is worthy of remark。 On two occasionsin 1852 and
1873； the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of
Strawberry Bankthe transplanted sons of Portsmouth were seized with an
impulse to return home。 Simultaneously and almost without concerted
action； the lines of pilgrims took up their march from every quarter of the
globe； and swept down with music and banners on the motherly old town。
To come back to the wharves。 I do not know of any spot with such a
fascinating air of dreams and idleness about it as the old wharf at the end
of Court Street。 The very fact that it was once a noisy； busy place； crowded
with sailors and soldiersin the war of 1812gives an emphasis to the
quiet that broods over it to…day。 The lounger who sits of a summer
afternoon on a rusty anchor fluke in the shadow of one of the silent
warehouses； and look on the lonely river as it goes murmuring past the
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An Old Town By The Sea
town； cannot be too grateful to the India trade for having taken itself off
elsewhere。
What a slumberous； delightful； lazy place it is！ The sunshine seems
to lie a foot deep on the planks of the dusty wharf； which yields up to the
warmth a vague perfume of the cargoes of rum； molasses； and spice that
used to be piled upon it。 The river is as blue as the inside of a harebell。
The opposite shore； in the strangely shifting magic lights of sky and water；
stretches along like the silvery coast of fairyland。 Directly opposite you
is the navy yard； and its neat officers' quarters and workshops and arsenals；
and its vast shiphouses； in which the keel of many a famous frigate has
been laid。 Those monster buildings on the water's edge； with their roofs
pierced with innumerable little windows； which blink like eyes in the
sunlight； and the shiphouses。 On your right lies a cluster of small islands；
there are a dozen or more in the harboron the most extensive of which
you see the fading…away remains of some earthworks thrown up in 1812。
Between thisTrefethren's Islandand Peirce's Island lie the Narrows。
Perhaps a bark or a sloop…of…war is making up to town； the hulk is hidden
amoung the islands； and the topmasts have the effect of sweeping across
the dry land。 On your left is a long bridge； more than a quarter of a mile in
length； set upon piles where the water is twenty or thirty feet deep； leading
to the navy yard and Kitterythe Kittery so often the theme of Whittier's
verse。
This is a mere outline of the landscape that spreads before you。 Its
changeful beauty of form and color； with the summer clouds floating over
it； is not to be painted in words。 I know of many a place where the scenery
is more varied and striking； but there is a mandragora quality in the
atmosphere here that holds you to the spot； and makes the half…hours seem
like minutes。 I could fancy a man sitting on the end of that old wharf very
contentedly for two or three years； provided it could be always in June。
Perhaps； too； one would desire it to be always high water。 The tide
falls from eight to twelve feet； and when the water makes out between the
wharves some of the picturesqueness makes out also。 A corroded section
of stovepipe mailed in barnacles； or the skeleton of a hoopskirt protruding
from the tide mud like the remains of some old…time wreck； is apt to break
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An Old Town By The Sea
the enchantment。
I fear I have given the reader an exaggerated idea of the solitude that
reigns along the river…side。 Sometimes there is society here of an
unconventional kind； if you care to seek it。 Aside from the foreign
gentleman before mentioned； you are likely to encounter； farther down the
shore toward the Point of Graves （a burial…place of the colonial period）； a
battered and aged native fisherman boiling lobsters on a little gravelly
bench； where the river whispers and lisps among the pebbles as the tide
creeps in。 It is a weather…beaten ex…skipper or ex…pilot； with strands of
coarse hair； like seaweed； falling about a face that has the expression of a
half…open clam。 He is always ready to talk with you； this amphibious
person； and if he is not the most entertaining of gossipsmore weather…
wise that Old Probabilities； and as full of moving incident as Othello
himselfthen he is not the wintery…haired shipman I used to see a few
years ago on the strip of beach just beyond Liberty Bridge； building his
drift…wood fire under a great tin boiler； and making it lively for a lot of
reluctant lobsters。
I imagine that very little change has taken place in this immediate