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consciously or unconsciously； sowed a seed from which a city has sprung。
The town of Portsmouth stretches along the south bank of the
Piscataqua； about two miles from the sea as the crow fliesthree miles
following the serpentine course of the river。 The stream broadens
suddenly at this point； and at flood tide； lying without a ripple in a basin
formed by the interlocked islands and the mainland； it looks more like an
island lake than a river。 To the unaccustomed eye there is no visible outlet。
Standing on one of the wharves at the foot of State Street or Court Street； a
stranger would at first scarcely suspect the contiguity of the ocean。 A little
observation； however； would show him that he was in a seaport。 The rich
red rust on the gables and roofs of ancient buildings looking seaward
would tell him that。 There is a fitful saline flavor in the air； and if while
he gazed a dense white fog should come rolling in； like a line of phantom
breakers； he would no longer have any doubts。 It is of course the oldest
part of the town that skirts the river； though few of the notable houses that
remain are to be found there。 Like all New England settlements；
Portsmouth was built of wood； and has been subjected to extensive
conflagrations。 You rarely come across a brick building that is not
shockingly modern。 The first house of the kind was erected by Richard
Wibird towards the close of the seventeenth century。
Though many of the old landmarks have been swept away by the
fateful hand of time and fire； the town impresses you as a very old town；
especially as you saunter along the streets down by the river。 The worm…
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eaten wharves； some of them covered by a sparse； unhealthy beard of
grass； and the weather…stained； unoccupied warehouses are sufficient to
satisfy a moderate appetite for antiquity。 These deserted piers and these
long rows of empty barracks； with their sarcastic cranes projecting from
the eaves； rather puzzle the stranger。 Why this great preparation for a
commercial activity that does not exist； and evidently had not for years
existed？ There are no ships lying at the pier…heads； there are no gangs of
stevedores staggering under the heavy cases of merchandise； here and
there is a barge laden down to the bulwarks with coal； and here and there a
square…rigged schooner from Maine smothered with fragrant planks and
clapboards； an imported citizen is fishing at the end of the wharf； a
ruminative freckled son of Drogheda； in perfect sympathy with the
indolent sunshine that seems to be sole proprietor of these crumbling piles
and ridiculous warehouses； from which even the ghost of prosperity has
flown。
Once upon a time； however； Portsmouth carried on an extensive trade
with the West Indies； threatening as a maritime port to eclipse both Boston
and New York。 At the windows of these musty counting…rooms which
overlook the river near Spring Market used to stand portly merchants； in
knee breeches and silver shoe…buckles and plum…colored coats with ruffles
at the wrist； waiting for their ships to come up the Narrows； the cries of
stevedores and the chants of sailors at the windlass used to echo along the
shore where all is silence now。 For reasons not worth setting forth； the
trade with the Indies abruptly closed； having ruined as well as enriched
many a Portsmouth adventurer。 This explains the empty warehouses and
the unused wharves。 Portsmouth remains the interesting widow of a once
very lively commerce。 I fancy that few fortunes are either made or lost in
Portsmouth nowadays。 Formerly it turned out the best ships； as it did the
ablest ship captains； in the world。 There were families in which the love
for blue water was in immemorial trait。 The boys were always sailors； 〃a
grey…headed shipmaster； in each generation； retiring from the quarter…deck
to the homestead； while a boy of fourteen took the hereditary place before
the mast； confronting the salt spray and the gale； which had blasted against
his sire and grandsire。〃 （1。 Hawthorne in his introduction to The Scarlet
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An Old Town By The Sea
Letter。） With thousands of miles of sea…line and a score or two of the
finest harbors on the globe； we have adroitly turned over our carrying
trade to foreign nations。
In other days； as I have said； a high maritime spirit was characteristic
of Portsmouth。 The town did a profitable business in the war of 1812；
sending out a large fleet of the sauciest small craft on record。 A pleasant
story is told of one of these little privateersthe Harlequin； owned and
commanded by Captain Elihu Brown。 The Harlequin one day gave chase
to a large ship； which did not seem to have much fight aboard； and had got
it into close quarters； when suddenly the shy stranger threw open her ports；
and proved to be His Majesty's Ship…of…War Bulwark； seventy…four guns。
Poor Captain Brown！
Portsmouth has several large cotton factories and one or two corpulent
breweries； it is a wealthy old town； with a liking for first mortgage bonds；
but its warmest lover will not claim for it the distinction of being a great
mercantile centre。 The majority of her young men are forced to seek
other fields to reap； and almost every city in the Union； and many a city
across the sea； can point to some eminent merchant； lawyer； or what not；
as 〃a Portsmouth boy。〃 Portsmouth even furnished the late king of the
Sandwich Islands； Kekuanaoa； with a prime minister； and his nankeen
Majesty never had a better。 The affection which all these exiles cherish for
their birthplace is worthy of remark。 On two occasionsin 1852 and
1873； the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of
Strawberry Bankthe transplanted sons of Portsmouth were seized with an
impulse to return home。 Simultaneously and almost without concerted
action； the lines of pilgrims took up their march from every quarter of the
globe； and swept down with music and banners on the motherly old town。
To come back to the wharves。 I do not know of any spot with such a
fascinating air of dreams and idleness about it as the old wharf at the end
of Court Street。 The very fact that it was once a noisy； busy place； crowded
with sailors and soldiersin the war of 1812gives an emphasis to the
quiet that broods over it to…day。 The lounger who sits of a summer
afternoon on a rusty anchor fluke in the shadow of one of the silent
warehouses； and look on the lonely river as it goes murmuring past the
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An Old Town By The Sea
town； cannot be too grateful to the India trade for having taken itself off
elsewhere。
What a slumberous； delightful； lazy place it is！ The sunshine seems
to lie a foot deep on the planks of the dusty wharf； which yields up to the
warmth a vague perfume of the cargoes of rum； molasses； and spice that
used to be piled upon it。 The river is as blue as the inside of a harebell。
The opposite shore； in the strangely shifting magic lights of sky and water；
stretches along like the silvery coast of fairyland。 Directly opposite you
is the navy yard； and its neat officers' quarters and workshops and arsenals；
and its vast shiphouses； in which the keel of many a famous frigate has
been laid。 Those monster buildings on the water's edge； with their roofs
pierced with innumerable little windows； which blink like eyes in the
sunlight； and the shiphouses。 On your right lies a cluster of small islands；
there are a dozen or more in the harboron the most extensive of which
you see the fading…away remains of some earthworks thrown up in 1812。
Between thisTrefethren's Is