CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PEOPLE. 71 



that wfc In the summer we live on the strangers, and in 

 the winter we live on each other." This is true in a 

 certain sense ; for the great influx, of late years, of 

 summer visitors brings many thousands of dollars to 

 the town. With the exception of the manufacture 

 of a few linen or alpaca coats, there is no industry 

 whatever here in the winter, and even this failed the 

 past winter. It is sincerely to he hoped that before 

 long some capitalist will start some enterprise which 

 would bring even a moderate income to the people. 



There is yet one more custom peculiar to this town 

 about w r hich a w r ord may be said, and that is the prac- 

 tice of announcing from the tower, by resounding 

 blasts on a fish-horn, the approach of a steamboat, — 

 either the regular steamer, or one on an excursion to 

 the island. This is " Billy " Clark's duty ; whether 

 self-imposed or not the writer never knew. 



It is frequently very convenient to know that the 

 steamer is in sight two hours before her arrival at the 

 wharf ; but when one is aroused at daylight from one's 

 slumbers on a Sunday morning, as often happens, 

 by that terrible fish-horn, the noise of which can be 

 likened to nothing else but the braying of a donkey, 

 one feels like using several very emphatic words. 

 The custom of a quarter of a century ago was much 

 preferable. There was at that time a tall flagstaff in 

 the rear of the post-office, and when the steamboat was 

 sighted from the tower a small flag w r as run up and 

 kept there until the boat's arrival, w r hen the flag was 

 hauled down and a large black ball hoisted in its place. 

 There was no noise and no confusion, and the people 

 were just as happy then as they are now. In the days 



