APPENDIX. lv 



spire to have a regular ' blow out ' at each successive anniversary 

 of our agricultural fair, and the attempt on the part of the society 

 to get the start of the elements aforesaid, by having tbe gathering- 

 two weeks earlier than usual, proved a lamentable failure." The 

 sky was overcast most of the time, and there was a powerful storm 

 of wind and sand, but fortunately no rain. , Nevertheless the peo- 

 ple turned out freely from all parts of the island, except from Gay 

 Head, where the colored population were engaged in picking cran- 

 berries from the marshes. These are under the control of the town 

 authorities, who appoint the time for the annual harvest, and who 

 were apparently not aware of the change in the time of the cattle 

 show. The addition of a hundred or two of this mixed race in 

 holiday attire, would have been an interesting feature of the exhibi- 

 tion, and would doubtless have been satisfactory evidence to some 

 minds, that this bizarre population, chameleon-like, took their va- 

 ried hues from the parti-colored strata on which they live. 



Nowhere in the United States can so large a number of persons 

 be gathered on a public occasion with a smaller admixture of foreign 

 blood. The men and women at the fair were genuine Yankees, of 

 the active, sober-minded, but enterprising kind. The commodious 

 hall belonging to the society is conveniently located in the village, 

 and is therefore available for various public uses during the year. 

 The grounds around are suitably enclosed, and are sufficiently large 

 to afford room for the exhibition of stock, while the track for horses 

 is half a mile away, and unfenced. 



The patriotism of the people was manifested by the beautiful 

 star-spangled banner which waved over them during the fair, and 

 their religious faith by the appropriate inscription on the front of 

 the hall : " Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first 

 fruits of thine increase, so shall thy barns be filled with plenty." 

 There was also abundant evidence that the great majority of the 

 islanders were heartily interested in the objects of the society, *and 

 the general testimony of all from whom inquiries were made, was 

 to the effect that important benefits had resulted from its organiza- 

 tion and efforts. 



The exhibition in the hall would compare favorably with the 

 average throughout the State. In some respects it was remarkably 

 good. The display of butter was such as to demonstrate the natural 

 adaptation of the island to the production of this important article. 

 The number of entries was large, and the quality exceedingly uni- 

 form and fine, both in color, hardness and flavor. Notwithstanding 

 these possibilities, there is not enough produced for home con- 

 sumption. 



