42 South Beach. 



the situation seem to demand. It takes them commonly 

 five or six hours, according to the number of the crew and 

 the size of the vessel, to complete the cargo. 



If they do not intend to pay for the sand, that is, have 

 the amount collected from the vessel in New York, where 

 she is usually registered, the crew is large, and they lay 

 several planks from the schooner to the up-shore, and work 

 with the greatest diligence. One day I came upon a crew 

 of this description, and overheard their comments as I 

 approached, one of them declaring that I looked remark- 

 ably like a missionary. A member of the group had a 

 guilty conscience, and I heard the others rallying him that 

 I had come to spy him out. As it was late in the Fall 

 they had donned their coats, but that same party-colored, 

 harlequin-like attire worn in Summer was still in vogue, 

 and one long-legged, thin fellow, with vermilion drawers 

 and black coat, was particularly conspicuous as he walked 

 up the plank. 



It is related that a German, who lived down the beach 

 some years ago, seeing the sand-boatmen wheeling his 

 property aboard, went to collect the dollars that he thought 

 were due him. But the sand-men didn't view it in the 

 same way, and, calling him a Dutchman, with flourishes, 

 whacked him severely with their shovels, until he was glad 

 to part with his sand and their blows. 



While waiting for the tide, the crews that have finished 

 loading walk about the beach, split wood or lie on the sand, 

 and if another sloop is being laden nearby, as sometimes 

 happens, they watch the proceeding with evident interest. 

 Then do they talk of what pleases them in life and what 



