NANTUCKET IN APRIL 75 



him, more than one citizen says that, but so in- 

 dividuaHstic a place makes no attempt to get an- 

 other. There is something of the Quaker idea 

 in that, for though the island was once a great 

 Quaker stronghold few if any of the old sect re- 

 main. But it is the Quaker idea. A new town 

 crier will arrive when the spirit moves. Till then 

 the horn is silent. An off-islander might sup- 

 pose that the town crier was appointed in town 

 meeting as is the fence-viewer, the sealer of 

 weights and measures, the pound-keeper and the 

 hog-reeve. But that is not so. Billy Clark 

 evolved himself, so to speak, and the town 

 patiently waits a second coming. 



From the watch tower one looks down many- 

 flued chimneys and sees a score or so of railed-in 

 platforms on the very housetops, often surround- 

 ing the chimney. These are the "shipmaster's 

 walks," often known as the "wives' walks.'' 

 From these one gets a good look off to sea and 

 can readily fancy wives and sweethearts climb- 

 ing to them to watch for some whaleship that left 

 port perhaps three years before. I fancy them 

 too high, too breezy and too conspicuous for 

 much walking by these. Thence one may see the 



