Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1858-12-09

From Porter's Spirit of the Times.
SHOOTING WILD HOGS ON THE
POTOMAC.
| -...-... WAsHINGToN CITY, D. c., Nov. Is.
DEAR SPIRIT The Western or Virgin
ian shore of the Potomac, from ''Hell Hole"
! os-a444aa- Raw ,, presents to the eve of
the traveller the same wild, rough, amt To-
mantle appearance which it wore years ago.
An almost unbroken forest. in which deer
and wild turkey still find food and shelter,
lines the shore; with every few miles a
creek. bordered by extensive marshes, many
of which are infested with wild hogs, and
all, in their season, with woodcock, rail,
and reed birds, and wide s'fats" or ''shal-
lows" covered with the wild celery-choice
food for various kinds of wild fowl, and on
which thousands of them feed during the
winter months, render this particular Sec
ton almost hunters paradise.
Here from the first coming of the red
neck, the gunners of Georgetown, Wash
ington, and Alexandria resort, and here
they gun until the last of the season.
The plantations on the river are very
large, and but few of them; the owners Of
which raise large droves of hogs, which are
allowed to run the woods during almost the
whole year. OF course, being allowed so
free range, numbers Of them get into the
marshes, and it not unfrequently happens
that some of them are killed, Iy mistake,
by the hunters.
Some years back, one of these large land
proprietors, old General -, having suf-
fered considerable loss by these mistakes,
set his overseer to watch and report imme-
diately should he discover any one mistaA-
ing his hogs for wild ones.
Il One day the overseer, whilst on the look
out, espied a cunning vessel making into a
cove towards the mouth of creek belong
ing to the place, and at once put himself in
a position to observe her movements.
After running in within few hundred
yards of the marsh, which spread out on
each side of the creek and around the head
of the cove, she came to an anchor. Soon
after anchoring, he noticed a skif leave her
side, and that it carried large gun, such
as is used by our duck-hunters. The hun
ter was making for the mouth of the creek,
but which he was approaching with unusual
caution. Not a duck, however, was to be
seen in the cove, and this great caution, the
overseer thought, ''looked bad" s'What
can he see in the creek? Ducks? I don't
believe there's duck within mile of him.
Perhaps he sees bunch of mallards up
/ there, and my suspicious are incorrect; but,
as am here now, Pll just see what he's
after-if good, well enough but if bad, I'll
make this section Of the river too hot fol
him to stay long, I can tell him."
The skiff soon entered the creek, and was
lost to the sight of the overseer. In few
minutes, however, the report of large gun
struck his ear; but his eye was not glad.
dened with sight of flying duck. HI
was now all impatience to know what had
been killed. He had not long to wait
The skiff again made its appearance, and
was being padded directly and fast for the
vessel. When alongside, the hunter, after
putting his gun on the deck, got UP there
himself, and commenced hauling something
out Of the skif which the overseer thought
to be hog. That was sufficient. Wait.
ing to see no more, he posted to the man.
sion and soon returned with the general ano
G all his hands we'll armed, determined to
board the vessel and learn what had been
taken on board.
The hunter, who was our old acquaint-
ance "Captain Kage," on arriving along
side of the vessel, and lifting his gun on
deck, proceeded to put his game there also
Mounting the side Of the vessel, he endea-
vored to pull it on board from the skiff, but
found that more difficult than he had bar
gained for. ''D-n heavy" said he,
"d-n heavy, 'siderin' it war so easy got
9o-rr-- -AAa.5t .aAalAad t,a4aAAlz-AA2d-
sunk eff hadn't grabbed him SO soon
d-n the thing but it are heavy;" and
satisfied he could not get it on board with
t out assistance, he called his companion tc
help him. sHello, Bill, hello thar, give
us pull hyar; got more pork an ii last US
a week" Bill came outof the cabin, and
looking over the side, exclaimed, GA hog
by thunder; whar did you git him p
cover thar in the marsh, replied Kage
ssbut give us pull, for see feller or
shore watchin' ov us, and eff I'm not a liar
it ar that cussed overseer ov the ole Gin raj
an eff it ar, we'll hev to cut sticks, sure, OF
he'll be down to see us, an [ don't want nc
Wis tors while this wegable's on board, no
how"
The hog was soon on deck, and immedi-
ately thrown into the hold The sails were
hoisted, and the anchor lifted, but the YES
sci did not move. Kage seized apole, and
showing it over the side, discovered they
were aground The tide had ebbed, and
left them fast. "Well," said he, 'swell
hyar's pretty kettle ov fsh-the tide gone
out an lef' us high and dry. Not 'nough