“A very small corner of the same, yet a decidedly interesting one,” returned the captain; then went on to give a slight sketch of its geography and history.

“It is about fifteen miles long, and averages four in width.  Nantucket Town is a beautiful, quaint old place; has some fine wide streets and handsome residences, a great many narrow lanes running in all directions, and many very odd-looking old houses, some of them inhabited, but not a few empty; for of the ten thousand former residents only about three thousand now remain.”

“How does that happen, Levis?” asked Violet, as he paused for a moment.

“It used to be a great seat of the whale-fishery,” he answered; “indeed, that was the occupation of the vast majority of the men of the island; but, as I presume you know, the whale-fishery has, for a number of years, been declining, partly owing to the scarcity of whales, partly to the discovery of coal-oil, which has been largely substituted for whale-oil as an illuminant (as has gas also, by the way), and to substitutes being found or invented for whale-bone also.

“So the Nantucketers lost their principal employment, and wandered off to different parts of the country or the world in search of another; and the wharves that once presented a scene full of life and bustle are now lonely and deserted.  Property there was wonderfully depreciated for a time, but is rising in value now with the influx of summer visitors.  It is becoming quite a popular resort—­not sea-side exactly, for there you are right out in the sea.”

“Let us go there,” said Mrs. Dinsmore; “I think it would be a pleasant variety to get fairly out into the sea for once, instead of merely alongside of it.”

“Oh, yes, do let us go!”

“I’m in favor of it!”

“And I!”

“And I!” cried one and another, while Mr. Dinsmore replied, laughingly, to his wife, “Provided you don’t find the waves actually rolling over you, I suppose, my dear.  Well, the captain’s description is very appetizing so far, but let us hear what more he has to say on the subject.”

“Haven’t I said enough, sir?” returned the captain, with a good-humored smile.  “You will doubtless want to find some things out for yourselves when you get there.”

“Are there any mountains, papa?” asked little Grace.  “I’d like to see some.”

“So you shall, daughter,” he said; “but we will have to go elsewhere than to Nantucket to find them.”

“No hills either?” she asked.

“Yes, several ranges of not very high hills; Saul’s Hills are the highest; then there are bluffs south of ’Sconset known as Sunset Heights; indeed, the village itself stands on a bluff high above the sandy beach, where the great waves come rolling in.  And there is ’Tom Never’s Head.’  Also Nantucket Town is on high ground sloping gradually up from the harbor; and just out of the town, to the north-west, are the Cliffs, where you go to find surf-bathing; in the town itself you must be satisfied with still-bathing.  An excellent place, by the way, to teach the children how to swim.”