midnight
Nantucket of the present is not Nantucket of the past . Her quaint , old-timeness has given place to customs and manners more in accordance with things common-place . Yet her originality has not entirely forsaken her ; she has a character even now , peculiar to herself . The wild waves come tumbling in , their glad shouts ringing through the midnight stillness with the same zest as of yore ; and the same starry skies , which looked down on the fair maiden of a century ago , still bend over her children 's children , as they tread along life 's rugged way . Occasionally you may meet with one who has long since passed the meridian of life , one , perhaps , who has never been off of the island of his birth ; and he will tell you of the Nantucket of the past , before her peaceful shores had been invaded by the stranger ; when they might lay them down to sleep , without thought of bolt or bar , save old ocean 's faithful bands . You will learn of Nantucket from the beginning down to the present time . Then the island was big with prosperity .