A Description of Cape Cod,6cc, I w. DESCRIPTION ■ OF THE PASTERN COAST OF THE COUNTY OF BARNSTABLE, FROM CAFE COD, OR RACE POINT, IN LATITUDE 42^ 5'. to CAPE MALEBARRE, O'S, THE SANDY POINT OF CHATHAM, IN LATITUDE 41'' 33'. POINTING OUT THE SPOTS, ON WHICH THE TRUSTEES OF THE HUMANE SOCIETT HAVE ERECTED HUTS, AND OTHER PLACES WHERE SHIPWRECKED SEAMEN MATf LOOK FOR SHELTER, October, i8o2, ( ' i ]By a Member of the Humane Societ^^ O"^ *< BOSTON ; printed by ROSEA SPRAGUE, No. 44 Marlboro' Street. 1802. r 1 V At a Meeting of the Trustees of the Humane Society, October 4, 1802. y^ Gentleman who was requested by the Trustees to contract for a number of Huts , to be erected upon the most exposed places upon Cape Cod, for the preservation of shipwrecked Seamen, made the following Report, which %uas read and accepted. Whereupon, after voting the thanks of the Trustees for the following accurate and judicious Report, It was Voted — That the Treasurer be requested to have two thousand Copies of said Report printed, and cause the same to be dispersed among the several Ctfs- iom-houses and Insurance Offices in this Commonwealth, ^ true Extract from the Minutes. 1 Attefl. JOHN AVERY, Secretary. A Description of Cape Cod, &g. JL he curvature of the shore, on the west side of Provlncetown, and south of Race Point, is called Herring Cove ; which is three miles in length. There is good anchor- ing ground here ; and vessels may ride safely in four or five fathoms of water, when the wind is from north east to south- east. On Pvace Point stand about a dozen fishing huts, containing fire places and other conveniences. The distance from thefc huts to Provincetown, which lies on Cape Cod harbour, is three miles. The passage is over a sandy beach, without grass or any other vegetable growing on it, to the woods, through which is a winding road to the town. It would be difficult, if not Impossible, for a stranger to find his way thither in the dark ; and the woods are so full of ponds and entangling swamps, tliat if the road was missed, destrudlon would proba- bly be the consequence of attempting to penetrate them in the jaight. Not far from Race Point commences a ridge, which extends to the head of Stout's Creek. With the face to the east, on the left hand of the ridge is the sandy shore ; on the right is a narrow sandy valley ; beyond which is naked sand, reaching to the hills and woods of Provincetown. Tins ridge is well cov- ered with beach grass ; and appears to owe its exiftence to that Vegetable. Beach grass, during tlie spring and summer, grows about two feet and a half. If surrounded by naked beach, the storms of autumn and winter heap up the sand on all sides, and cause it to rise nearly to the top of the plant. la tlie ensuing spring the grass sprouts anew ; Is again covered with sand in the winter ; and thus a hill or ridge continues to ascend, as long as there is a sufficient base to support it, or till the circumscribing sand, being also covered wiih beach grass, will no longer yield to the force of the winds. On this ridge, half way between Race Point and the head of Stout's Creek, the Trustees of the Humane Society have erected a hut. It stands a mile from Peaked Hill, a land-mark well known to seamen ; and is about two miles and a half from Race Point. Seamen, cast away on this part of the coast, Vi'ill find a shelter here ; and in north-east storms, should they strike to tlic leeward of it, and be unable to turn their faces to the windward, by passing on to Race Point, they will soon come to the fishing huts before mentioned. At the head of Stout's Creek the Trustees have built a sec- ond hut. Stout's Creek is a small branch of East Harbour in Truro. Many years ago tliere was a body of salt marsh on it ; and it then deserved the name of a creek. But the marsh ■was long since destroyed ; and the creek new scarcely exists, appearing only like a small depression in the sand, and being entirely dry at half tide. The creek runs from north-west to south-east, and is nearly parallel with the shore on the ocean, from wliich it is at no great distance. Not far from it the hills of Provincetown terminate ; and should not the hut be found, by walking round the head of the creek, with the face to the west, the hills on the right hand, and keeping close to the shore on the harbour, in less than an hour the shipwrecked seamen would come to Provincetown. The Humane Society, several years ago, erected a hut at the head of Stout's Creek. But it was built in an improper manner, having a chimney In it ; and was placed on a spot where no beach grass grew. The strong winds blew the sand from its foundation, and the weight of the chimney brought it to the ground ; so that in January of the present year it was entirely dcmollsiied. This event took place about six weeks luforc the Brutus was cast away. If it had remained, it is probable that the whole cf the unfortunate crew of that ship 7 ^ould have been saved, as they gained the shore a few rocfi only from the spot where the hut had stood. The hut now erefted stands on a place covered with beach grass. To prevent any accident from happening to it, or to the other hut near Peaked Hill, the Trustees have secured the attention of several gentlemen in the neighbourhood. Dr. Thaddeus Brown and Capt. Thomas Sm alley of Provincetown have engaged to inspect both huts, to see that they are suppli- ed with straw or hay in the autumn, that the doors and win- dows are kept shut, and that repairs are made, when necessary. The Rev. Mr. Damon of Truro has also promised to visit the hut at Stout's Creek twice or thrice in a year ; and the Rev. Mr. Whitman of Wcllfleet, distinguished through the county for his adivity and benevolence, has undertaken, though re- mote from the place, the same charge. From the head of Stout's Creek to the termination of the salt marsh, which lies on both sides and at the head of East Harbour river, the distance is about three miles and a half. A narrow beach separates this river from the ocean. It is not so regular a ridge as that before described, as there are on it one or two hills, which the neighbouring inhabitants call isl- ands. It may without much difficulty be crossed every where, except over these elevations. By these hills, even during the night, the beach may be distinguiflied from those hereafter to be mentioned. It lies from north-west to south-east ; iind is in most parts covered with beach grass. The hills have a few shrubs on the declivities next the river. At the end of the marsh the beach subsides a little ; and there is an easy passage into a valley, in which are situated two or three dwelling hous- es. The first on the left hand, or south, is a few rods only from the ocean. The shore, which extends from this valley to Race Point, is un- questionably the part cfthe coast the most exposed to shipwrecks. A north east storm, the most violent, and fatal to seamen, as it is frequently accompanied with snow, blows dirctflly on tlieland: a strong current sets along the shore: add to which ll)at ships, during the operationof sucha storm, endcvavour to work to the 8 northwarJ, that they may get into the bay. Should they be unable to weather Race Point, the wind drives them on the ijiore, aad a shipwreck is inevitable. Accordingly, the strand is every whet e covered with the fragments of vessels. Huts therefore, placed within a mile of each other, have been thought necessary by many judicious persons. To this opinion the Trustees are disposed to pay due rcspcfl ; and hereafter, if the funds of the Society increase, new huts will be built here for the relief of the unfortunate. From the valley above mentioned the land risec, and less than a mile from it the High Land commences. On the first elevat- ed spot, the ClayPounds, stands the Light House. The shore here turns to the south ; and the High Land extends to the Table Land of Eastham. This High Land approaches the ocean widi steep and lofty banks, which it is extremely difficult to climb, especially in a storm. In violent tempests, during very high tides, the sea breaks against the foot of them, rendering it then unsafe to walk on the strand, which lies between them and the ocean. Should the seaman succeed in his attempt to ascend them, he must forbear to penetrate into the country, ais houses are generally so remote, that they would escape his re- search during the night : he must pass on to the vallies, by which the banks are intersedled. These vallies, which the in- habitants call Hollows, run at right angles with the shore ; and in the middle, or lowest part of them, a road leads from tha dwelling houses to the sea. The first of these vallies is Dyer's Hollow, a mile and a half south of the Light House. It is a wide opening, being two hun- dred rods broad from summit to summit. In it stands a dwelling house, a quarter of a mile from the beach. A rriile and a half south of Dyer's Hollow, is a second val- ley, called Harding's Hollow. At the entrance of this valley, the sand has gathered ; so that at present a little climbing is necessary. Passing over several fences, and taking heed not to enter the wood on the right hand, at the distance of three quarters of a mile, a house is to be found. This house stands 9 dft th-Q south side of the toad ; and not far from It, on the south, is Pimet river, which runs from east to west through a body of salt marsh. The third valley, a half of a mile south of Harding's Hol- low, is head of Pamet Hollow. It may with ease be distin* guished from the other hollows mjntioned, as It Is a wide open- Ing, and leads Immediately over a beach to the salt marsh at the head of Pamet river. In the midst of the hollow the sand has been raised by a brush fence, carried across It from north to south. This must be passed ; and the shipwrecked marin- er will soon come to a fence, which separates what Is called the road from the marsh. If he turns to the left hand, or south, at the distance of a quarter of a mile, he will discover a house. If he turns to the right hand, at the distance of half a mile, he will find the same house, which Is mentioned In tha foregoing paragraph. The fourth opening, three quarters of a mile south of Head of Pamet, is Brush Valley. This hollow Is narrow, an J climb- ing is necessary. Entering It, and inclining to the right, tlirec quarters of a mile will bring seamen to the house, which is sit- uated at the Head of Pamet. By proceeding straight forward, and passing over rising ground, another house may be discov- ered, but with more difficulty. These three hollows, lying near together, serve to designate «ach other. Either of them may be used ; but Head of Pam- et Hollow is the safest. South of Brush Valley, at the distance of three miles, there Is a fifth opening, called New comb's Hollow, east of the head of Herring river in Wellfieet. This valley is a quarter of a mile wide. On the north side of It, near the shore, stands a fishing hut. Between the two last vallles the bank is very high and steep. From the edge of it, west, there is a strip of sand, a hundred yards in breadth. Then succeeds low brushwood, a quarter of a mile v/ide, and almost Inpassible. After which comes a thick, perplexing forest, In which not a hoyse is to bs dis^CT- ere J. Seamen therefore, though the distance between tliese tw# vallics is great, mud not attempt to enter the wood, as in a snow storm they would undoubtedly peribh. This place, sd formidable in description, will however lose somewhat of its terrour, when it is observed, that no instance of a shipwreck on this part of the coast is recoUedcd by the oldest inhabitants cf W^'llfleet, Half of a mile south of Newcomb's Hollow, is the fixth val- ley, called Pearce's Hollow. It is a small valley. A house stands at tho distance of a little more than a quarter of a mile from the beach, west by south. The seventh valley is Cohoon's Hollow, a half of a mile soutli of Pearce's Hollow. It is not very wide. West from the entrance, several houses may be found at the distance of a of a mile. This.hollow lies east by north from Wcllfleet meet- ing house. Two miles south of Cohooi's Hollow, the eighth valley is iinow's Hollow. It is smaller thvm the last. West from the shore, at the distance of a quaHer of a mile, is the county road, which goes round the head of Blackfish creek. Passing through this valley to the fence, which separates the road from the up- land and marsh at the head of the creek, a house will immedi- ately be found by turning to the right hand, or north. There are houses also on the left, but more remote. The High Land gradually subsides here, and a mile and a half south terminates at the ninth valley, called Fresh Brook Hollow, in which a house is to be found a mile from the shore, ivest. The tenth, two miles and a half south from Fresh Brook Hollow, is Plum Valley, about three Imndred yards wide. West is a house, three quarters of a mile distant. B.ctween these two vallies is the Table Land. After- this there is no hollow of imporuncc to Cape Male- barre. From Fresh Brook Hollow to the commencement of Nau- ^%\. beach, the bant iiej^t the occuii is about j,i.\ty feet hi^L Tt T*here nre houses scattered over the plain, open countr;' : but none of them are nearer than a mile to tlie shore. In a storm of wind and rain they migh.t be discerned by day light ; but in a snow storm, which rages here with excessive fury, it would be almost impossible to discover them cither by night or by day. Not far from tliis shore, south, the Trustees have erc£ied a third hut, on Nauset beach. Nauset beach begins in latitude 41° 51'. and extends south to latitude 41"^ 41'. It is divided Into two parts by a breach, which the ocean has made through it. This breach is the mouth of Nauset or Stage harbour ; and from the opening the beach extends north tAvo miles and a quarter, till it joins the main land. It is about a furlong wide aTid forms Nauset harbour ; which is of little value, its entrance being obstructed by a bar. This northern part of the beach may be disiinguished from the southern part by its being of a less regular form : Storms have made frequent irruptions through the ridge, on which beach grass grows. On an ele- vated part of the beach, stands the hut, about a mile and a half north of the mouth of Nauset harbour. Eastham meetina: house lies from it vi'cst south west, distant a mile and three quarters. The meeting house is withouc a steeple j but it may be distinguished from the dwelling houses near it by its situa- tion, which is betv/een two small groves of locusts, one en the 50Uth and one on the north, that on the south being three times as long as the other. About a mile and a quarter from the hut, west by north, appear the top and arms of a windmill. The Rev. Mr. Shaw and Elislia Mayo, Esq. of Eastham have enga- ged to inspect this building. • The southern part of Nauset beach, most commonly called Chatham beach, and by a few persons Potanumaquut beacli, begins at the mouth of Nauset harbour, and extends eiglit or nine miles south to the moutli of Chatham harbour. It is a- bout fifty rods wide. A regular, well formed ridge, which in the most elevated part of it is forty feet high, runs the whole length of it j. and, with the cKccptlon of afjwrpots, is covered 12 ^ith beach grass. TlJs beach forms the barrier of Chatham harbour, which from Strong island north receives the name of Pleasant bay. A mile south of the entrance of Nausct har- bour, it joins the main land of Orleans, except in very high tides, when the sea flows from the north eastern arm of Pleas- ant bay into the harbour of Nausct, completely insulating the beach. By those, who are acquainted with the shallow, it may be safely forded at any time ; but strangers must not venture to pass it, when covered with water, as below, the channel is seven feet deep. On this beach, about half way between the entrances of Nauset and Chatham harbours, the Trustees have erefted a fourth hut. The spot seleded Is a narrow part of the beach. On the west, the water adjoining it is called Bass Hole. Salt marsh is north and south of it next the beach, but is here interrupted. Oilcans meeting house lies from it north v/cst. The meeting house is without a steeple, and is not seen ; but it is very near a windmill placed on an elevated ground, a con- spicuous objcd to seamen coming on the coast. It may be neceflary to add that there are three windmills in Orleans form- ing a semicircle, that the mill referred to is on the right hand, or north east point, and that the mill in the middle point of the semicircle stands on still higher ground. The meeting house of Chatham is fituated from it south west. This meetir.g house is also without a steeple, and is concealed by Great Hill, a no. ted land mark. The hill appears with two summits, which are a quarter of a mile apart. The hut lies east from Samp- son's ifland in Pleasant bay. Timothy Bascom, Esq. of Orleans has undertaken to inspe(ft this hut. Lest seamen should niiss this hut, by striking to the leeward of it, the Trustees have erefled another on the same beach. It stands a mile north of the mouth of Chatham harbour, east of the meeting house, and opposite tlie town. Another spot on the same beach would be a proper situation for a hut. It is noiih of the fourth hut, and cait of the middle pf Pochct ifland. The highest part of the ridge is near it, soutli. J5 A l>real: In the rldgc, over which the sea appears sometimes t» have flowed, divides this high part from the northern portion of the beach. , On the beach of Cape Malebarrc, or the Sandy Point of Cliat- ham, the Trustees have built a fixth hnt. This beach stretches from Chatham, ten miles into the sea, toward Nantucket ; and is from a fjuarter to three quarters of a mile in breadth. It is continually gaining south : above three miles have been added to it during the past fifty years. On the east side of the beach is a curve In the shore, called Stewart's Bend, where vessels may- anchor with safety, in three or four fathoms of water, when the wind blows from north to south-west. North of the Bend there are sever.il bars and shoals. A little below the middle cf the beach, on the west side, is Wreck Cove, which is navigable for boats only. The hut stands tv;o hundred yards from the ocean, south east from the entrance ofWi-eck Cove, a half of a mile. Between tlie mouth of the Cove and hut, is Stewart's Knoll, an elevated part of the beach. The distance of the hnt from the commencement of the beach is fix miles, and from its termination four. Great Hill in Chatham bears north by west, distant six miles ; and the south end of Morris's island, which is on the west side of the beach, north by east, distant four miles. Richard Sears, Esq. of Chatham has engaged to vifit the two last mentioned huts. Two miles below the sixth hut is a fishing house, built of thatch, in the form of a wigwam. It stands on the west side of the beach, a quarter of a mile from the ocean. Annually in September it is renewed ; and generally remains in tolerable preservation during the winter. Another spot, a few rods from the sea, four miles sonth frcaa the commencement of the beach, and a half of a mile north cf the head of Wreck Cove, would be a proper situation for a hut. A little south of this spot, in storms and very high tidc% the sea breaks over from the ocean into Wreck Cove. Cape Malebarre beach may be dittinguifiied from tlie two beaches before dercribcd^ net only by its greater breadth, but H also by its beTr.fl; of a les; regular form. It Is not so well ccvt crcd with grass as Chatham beach. From Stewart's Knoll, south, to the extremity, it is lowest in the middle. In this ralley, and in other low places, fresh water may be obtained by (Jigging two feet into the sand. The same thing is true of JJauset and Chatliam beaches. The six huts, the situation of which has thus been pointed out, are all of one size and shape. Each hut stands on piles, is eight feet long, eight feet wide, and seven feet high ; a slid- ing door is on the south, a sliding shutter on the west, and a pole, rising fifteen feet above the top of the building, on the cast. Within, It is supplied cither with straw or hay ; and 15 farther accommodated ^ith a bench. The whole of the coaft, from Cape Cod to Cape Malebarre, is sandy, and free from rocks. Along the shore, at the dis- tance of a half of a mile, is a bar ; which is called the OuUr bar, because there are smaller bars within It, perpetually vary- ing. This outer bar is separated into many parts by guzzles, or small channels. It extends to Cliatham ; and as it proceeds southward, gradually approaches the shore and grows more shallow. Its general depth at high water Is two fathoms, and three fathoms over the guzzles ; and its Icnst distance from the shore is about a furlong. Off the mouth of Chatham har- bour there are bars which reach three quarters of a mile ; and off the entrance of Nauset harbour the bars extend a half of a mile. Large, heavy ships strike on the outer bar, even at high Tvatcr ; and their fragments only reach the shore. Bu^ small- er vessels pass over It at full sea ; and when they touch at low water, they beat over it, as the tide rises, and soon come to the land. If a vessel Is cast away at low water, it ought to be left with as much expedition as possible ; because the fury of the waves Is then checked, In some measure, by the bar ; and be- cause the vcffel is generally broken to pieces with the rising flood. But seamen, shipwrecked at full sea, ought to remain on board till near low water ; fcr the vessel docs not then break to pieces ; and by attempting to reach the land befofi the tide ebbs away, they arc in great danger of being drowned. On this subjcifl there is one opinion only among judicious mar- iners. It may be neceflary however to remind them of a truth, of which they have full conviiStion, but which, amidst the a^^i- tation and terrour of a storm, they too frequently forget. riNis, LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS IliliiliiliiiiillliiiliiJi^ 014 014 826 R