The new and beautiful steamer Metacomet, which is to ply between this place and Fairhaven, arrived here, on her first trip, Thursday afternoon. As the Metacomet rounded the East Chop, a cannon was fired as a signal of her approach; and as she entered our harbor, a salute of fifty guns, and the hearty cheers of our people, welcomed her arrival among us.

The Bark Franklin, which arrived at Holmes Hole on the 12th inst, from Jacksonville, Florida, had a slave on board, who secreted himself in the hold, when the vessel was loading. During the night, while the vessel was lying at anchor, he took a boat, and made good his escape to the shore; since which his whereabouts have been known only to a select few. He was from 25 to 30 years of age. The Franklin was bound to Hallowell, Me.

The gale of the 10th inst, was very severe at Holmes Hole. Some thirteen vessels were driven ashore there, They were, with few exceptions, but slightly damaged, and most of them will be easily got off after discharging. Some two or three only have bilged.

The public mind has been greatly occupied recently with several cases of reclamation of fugitive slaves. We give, in another column, some account of the capture and return to bondage of a brother and two nephews of the Rev. Dr. Pennington, a well known and highly esteemed colored minister of New York; also of the case of Burns, in Boston.

Below will be found the particulars of the escape of a fugitive from a vessel in our own harbor.

July the 28th A. D. 1743.

We are informed that at a meeting composed of the Directors of N. B. & T. B. R. R., together with the officers of the Boston & Providence Rail Road, and some influential capitalists of this and other cities, it was resolved to order the building of a first-class steamboat of 360 tons buthen, to ply between this city and Nantucket. As the Massachusetts is to be placed on the route between Nantucket and Hyannis, an arrangement like this is rendered absolutely necessary to supply the wants of the traveling public, as well as our business men who have relations with the Island.

We learn from Samuel Flanders, Esq., that a light house is to be erected at Gay Head the coming fall. It is to be located about five or six rods back of the present one. The light, at an altitude of 60 feet, will be seen by mariners over Noman’s Land, which will be of great service. A new dwelling house is also to be erected. An appropriation of $13,000 was made at the last session of Congress to cover the expense of constructing these buildings.

This meeting was commenced on Wednesday, the 18th instant, at Wesleyan Grove, and was more numerously attended than on any previous year. The greatest number present was on Sunday, when it was estimated there were between four and five thousand persons on the ground. In Providence and the neighborhood the Methodists were disappointed in chartering a steamer for the occasion, and many (estimated at 1,500) were therefore prevented from coming; yet, so great was the increase, upon former years, from other places, that the decrease from this quarter was much far more than made up.

THE NEW COUNTY ROAD, between Edgartown and Holmes Hole, is in a good state of forwardness; that portion lying within the Tisbury boundary, we believe, is entirely completed. We passed over the road a day or two since, and are free to confess that we consider this the greatest improvement to locomotion ever made on the island. Through a considerable portion of the route, the road is already as hard and as handsomely finished as any turnpike we ever passed over.