Onset 1883 Diary

Left Northboro at 8:01 for Boston.

At 10:30 I went out to Brockton

And took dinner at Mr Marshalls.

After dinner Mr and Mrs M.

Allen (?). Bert Smith. Fred Gurney.

Herman M. and I took the

1:13 train for Onset Bay. We

Arrived at 2:30 and rode

Over to the grove in a

barge.  Mr.  M. found us a

place to pitch our tent for

which we will have to

pay $. It is in a nice oak

grove and very near the

ocean. There is a pump very

near where we can get

our water. We had our

first meal in the tent

at about seven o’ clock.

I slept very well last

night but it was quite

cold towards morning. We

got up at 6 o’ clock and

had a breakfast of gridle

cakes & “new era coffee” at

6:30. The cakes went fine.

In the morning Allie &

I went out in a boat

and he shot a fish

with my gun. Afterwards

we all went in swimming

off the pier. Water was very nice.

After dinner we went down

to the wharf and staid

in Capt. Burgess’ boat.

Got a lot of things at Bul-

loch’s store. Engaged his

boat for next week for

$2.

We had breakfast at about

7:30 this morning. It consisted

of hot baked beans, which

we bought at Penniman’s

for 30 cts, and brown

bread. After breakfast

we walked down to

the wharf and watched

the vessels with which

the bay was filled as

there was a good breeze.

The Monohansett and an-

other steam boat came

in from New Bedford

loaded with people. Bert’s

brother came on one &

we invited him to dinner.

Wrote to Carrie after dinner.

After breakfast we

went out in the boat

for a little while and

then Allie and I went

out to shoot  pogies (?)

We shot 34 in all but

could only get 11. I shot

8 at one shot. When

we got back we all went

in swimming and then

washed out our boat.

After dinner we read

a “Half Hour in Natural

History”, and then

tried again but in vain

to find the oar lock.

We had a late supper

and then Allie and

I went down town

and staid till 10:30.

Note: They will eat a couple of species and seem to like to “shoot” them. wonder what gun they used for that and who else heard it. The “Half Hour In Natural History” was released in the same year, 1883, and was somewhat progressive at the time.

Fred and Bert went

To Wareham this morn-

ing to get another

row lock for Bullock’s boat

At 10:30. Allie and I

Hired Huckin’s sail boat

And had a fine sail.

We went over to Mon

ument and then

nearly up to Wareham.

We saw the U.S.S. Verbena

Placing buoys. We came

In at 3 o’ clock and had

To pay 50 cts. We found

Fred and Bert eating

dinner. I had letters from

Fletcher and mother.

After supper we went

And watched a dance

in the pavilion.

Notes: Huckin’s is the owner of “Huckin’s Hotel” which would become the “Glen Cove”The Verbana was a “civil-war era” wooden steamer tug. The pavilion was next to the Temple Theater.

I did not feel very

well this morning

and didn’t eat any

breakfast. We have

hired Williams’ boat

for a week and

this morning we

rowed over to a schooner

that is loading with

sand.  I got a letter

from Rob Hale and a

postal from Margie

& Carrie. After a dinner

of boiled potatoes, I

cleaned the gun and

then wrote letters to

Giles and Fletcher.

After supper we went

Down to the P.O.

But found no letters.

Fred and Bert went to

Wareham this morning

to go fishing. So at about

9 o’ clock Allie, Herman, and

I rowed over to Onset Is.

And dug quite a lot

of clams, and then

went over to Hog Is. To fish.

We ate our dinner on the

Island. Before dinner we

Chased a coot and fired

At it several times.

Allie did not fish but

Herman &  I caught 32

Scup. After fishing we

Rowed to Monument &

Looked around a little.

Then we came back

Having rowed 8 or 10

Miles. Fish for supper.

We staid in bed

this morning till 8:30

When we got up

we had to put all

our beds, bedclothes, etc

on the table as it

was raining hard and

the water came under

the tent. We didn’t

have breakfast till

10 O’clock and had no

dinner. At about 1 O’clock

Allie, Fred, Herman, and I rowed

out into the bay and

then sailed away up

to the bridge as there was

a great wind and tide

in our favor. We got

some straw and fixed

up the tent a lot.

last night we had

a very heavy thunder

shower. but everything

in our tent remains

dry as we have dug

a trench around it.

After breakfast Allie and

I rowed around till

the Monohansett came

in from New Bedford.

After Dinner I wrote

to father and then

went to a meeting

and also heard a

concert by the Middle

boro Cornet Band. We

went in swimming

at about 6 O’clock

and then had supper

Pleasant all day.

Note: The Middleboro Cornet Band played many summers in Onset. They also ate a bunch of clams during their visit.

Allie, Bert and I

went clamming

this morning while Fred

got breakfast. We went again after

breakfast and staid

till 11 O’clock, We had

boiled clams and bread and

butter for dinner.

After dinner we went

fishing in the river

and caught 3 scup

besides some other

little fish. We had

13 scup for supper, some

that Mr. Jones gave us.

After supper we went

to the Post Office and

coming home we

saw an entertainment

Allie, Bert and I

went clamming

this morning while Fred

got breakfast. We went again after

breakfast and staid

till 11 O’clock, We had

boiled clams and bread and

butter for dinner.

After dinner we went

fishing in the river

and caught 3 scup

besides some other

little fish. We had

13 scup for supper, some

that Mr. Jones gave us.

After supper we went

to the Post Office and

coming home we

saw an entertainment

We didn’t have break

fast till about 9 this

morning but I got

up at 7 to get the

milk. After breakfast

Allie and I got some

groceries at Miss Williams

and then we all took

Huckin’s boat and sail

ed over to Monument.

Allie and I went as ballast

on the “Mattie” which

raced with the Tantrum

out to Bird Island and

back. The water was

very rough and we

got drenched. We had

a fine sail and got $.50

apiece. We had to take

in a reef on our boat.

Note: The schooner “Mattie” may have been the storied “Grace Bailey”. Not sure what the “Tantrum” was. This must have been a great experience serving as “ballast” on the schooner.

Rather dull during

the day. Went in

swimming at 4 O’clock

but felt cold. Had pain

in my chest which

hurt me to laugh so.

In the evening the

Grand Illumination

came off. It rained a

little early in the even

ing. but it did no

harm. All the cottages

had lanterns out.

and many collared

lights. Music by

Middleboro Cornet Band.

,during the evening,

We watched a dance

in the pavilion.

The morning we

staid in bed till

nealy 9 o’clock so we

had a late breakfast

and late dinner.

After breakfast we row

ed down to the wharf where the Monohassett

was. Then we came

back & had a fine din

ner of oyster stew and

watermelon.

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