The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-08-22

| -, '''n's "ooLN ASet .pebHlie the cas-
ual companion Of his sporting hours, as
seated in his akiH he would arrange his lis
tackel, of which article he had d large
mahogany box full, which, he had doubt
less cost him from time to time, tho
price of at least a grand piano. And
Notwithstanding the doubtful looks of
an occasional sceptic, Bob was blessed
in the belief that his fish tales were
generally regarded as being, in the
main, strictly true.
Having thus presented your readers
with q short preliminary account of
Bob's peculiarities, I shall proceed to
give them the details of that particular
occasion, (ae Bob was won't to term il )
on which he captured the sMermaid'
alluded to in our heading.
IT was in the latter portion Of the
summer of '37, in the very height of
the real Estate bubble, when eyerv
rod Of land, whether dry and arabic,
or, as in many instances, entirely GOV.
cred with water, within fifty miles of
New York, was made tho subject of
blind speculation; and single farms. Or
dinarily valued at $4,000 or there.
abouss, wero sold to the speculative
gentry at prices varying from SO to
$4,000, and Immediately converted
into magnificent photographic cities! Con
the map,) with churches, theatres.
squares and parks, with an occasional
fountain OF two, located almost invari.
bly, in spots innocent of water from time
immemorial, tho whole expcnsively
and elaborately surveyed and laid out in
streets and avenues polnpously desig.
mated in imitation of the parent city. rs
Broadway, Pearl street, Water street,
Bond street, Wall street, &c. &c., and
walled in by lcng line Of heavy solid
stone wharves, sufficiently extensive for
the ample accommodation of the whole
United States navy, giving Con paper
to the whole a singularly Imposing ap-
pearance, and Frequently inducing the
admlring beholder to forget the trifing
drawback, that within these magnificent
marine havens no vessel Of more than a
hundred tons could ever, by any posi-
bility, find entrance, from the simple,
overlooked fact, that the river channel
was too shallow to admit larger.
When at every other steamboat
landing of the adjacent rivers and Kills
as they are termed, a gaudy, shiny.
looking gilt sign, proclaimed to the pas
scnSer that the little ten foot square
building to which it was attached was n
Land Office Of the tenant of which.
splendid and eligible lots might be pur.
chased at prices varying, in accordance
with their proximity to the apocryphal
squares, parks, and public buildings
aforesaid, from one hundred to q thou.
sand dollars; and assurances were given
the puzzled inquirer, to when it was
clearly and certainly demonstrated that
by such an investment of his surplus
fund handsome profit must almost i'm.
mediately accrue. A constant appeal
to the map and eloquent descriptions
OF the intensity of the public anxiety
to obtain severally for themselves
a chance in this 'the most promising
opportunit. for Investment occurring
IN modern times too often success.
fully excited the cupidity of the
unwary and caused them to aflix
to certain documents their signatures,
eventually depriving themselves of the
use and benefit of hundreds and thou.
sands of hard-carned dollars.
~ was during this exciting period
that Bob, availing himself of his custo
mary summer holiday, wearied with the
dust and din Of city life and somewhat
tired of the daily routine of salt fish
transactions, freighting his skiff with the
necessary equippage and implements
Tor the exercise of his destructivcncss,
wended his way to that peaceful por-
tion of the shores of New Jersey which
IS washed by the waters of tho kill
Van Kull,' Immediately opposite to the
northern shore of Staten Cor as ho fa.
cetiously termed it, Satan's) Island.
This was favorite spot with Bob, as in
addition to its being in tho vicinity of
certain celebrated drum grounds, it
possessed the additional charm of being
the homo ofseveral rosy-cheeked Dutch
girls in whose good graccs Bob had,
during the previous season, made con-
siderable advance. Here, then, Bob
pitched his tent, having issued, to one,
whom we sh"'l cognominatc Ned, On in.
Vitatlon to s lend in his amphibious socie.