Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-07-10

We extract the following from the Beaufort
South Carolina G,zette. 1t is part of COM
munica,ion from some lover of drum fishing
and no mean por' ion OF the mantle Of old lZaak
Walton hath fallen upon i'm.
The shell heaps, among Us called clam banks.
are pt rhaps among ouT greatest curiosi'iea.-
The immense quantity OF she'll, spreading, IN
snme instanc es, over acres to unknown dep h,
or forming mounds in the soft mud l,rg and
solid enough for groups Ut live osks-'"rning
the course Of bold creeks, ar forming tmbsDk-
M along :heir c'ufsP, all OF them bearing
evident marks "ffire, or vt having been in some
wsy brokrn,--is an evidence Of population far
egcrrding lha, of which history or tradition
wnuld give US any IDEA. VmyoU M
81 is spring; the day is fine; the bright blue sky a.
bove; thu clear green water beneath ripping and
sparkling 18th the sea breeze; the mighty Atlantic
stretches to the South, TO the North our broad River
seems equally boundess the Fast and West are
" six limits visible, and these limits green Islands
of pine and live oak, and laurel with its glorious CLASSY
leaves and magnificent blossoms forest broken at
nterva with fields and houses Of planters II is not
on the still features Of hat landscape only, that may
find some hing to engage and animate us Boats of
ev. r, hue and size anchor moving about;
adhere to one spot wi udable pertnacity; others,
more impatient, are perPetually shift ng their ground
sometimes a race takes pace-othe fishermen are
4
darling into the waves, sitting gracefully on the
ter which he hard, 10 touch. There is boder
fisherman whose movements arres' your attention; he
is high in the air. his wing in quick Auterng motion,
his eye. kcenly bent the river be0w, where h
see IN, to watch his pre,--suddenly he plunges down
headlons, and W" lose sight Of him for moment--then
he rises laboriouslv with he struggnc PAIGE in his
clutches, and sinking the water from hi p'umage di.
reefs his flight the wood, where hs may
be the top of high dead pine or live oak
he has earned his supper; bu: like many honest
under like Circumstances, he is not permitted to enjoy
il. The Eagle sits quietly conseaed in some dis
tree and watches the movements of the Fiji Hawk. As
soon he percsves the fish secured, he stretches his
broad dark wingsin pursuit kObber and tyrsnt though
he b.. it IS autu to the strong swift bird he
drives like the wind. No matterhow distant the OBJ
cct of his rapscty he surely overt kes him, and the
terrified fisherman dropshis SPOIL the Eagle soops with
velocity which Produces "A rushing sound, and turning
with his tslons upwards, catches the fish it falls
No cricket player catches bail half AS sdroitly.
! But should these objects b. deemed too unimpor-
tant command attention. the and inlet and for
es may remind him Of the chances and changes tina.
INV passed country like the shaodw of a
cloud his point Of the was one of the frs, vi
SIZED BY Europeans. An abortive attempt at srt e.
ment wa. made on one of the islands in sight many
ears before the pa ,tng of Carolina The first adven-
turers under Saye land and msned here frx short
time before they fixed themselves at Charleston. A
century and half passed; and pblosophic fish
y moraze the fate of the tribes who look.
ed from the beach before him on the approach of these
huge canoes which brought desostion and extinction
to the simple gazers His fancy may recall the e1cIa
mstion IT surprise, the SUR off terror, and the