Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-06-10
Gossip from Cape May--A Wrecl<--Fish-
Ing, Ac., sc.
McMAKIN's ATLANTIC HOTEL,
CApE MAY. June /, 1860.


MEssRs. EpIroRs :-About 8, A. M, Friday,
the 2Sth, quite an excitement was created by
wreck drifting by the Hotels, half mile or SO
off shore, partly submerged, the two masts cut
away and the stumps, 8 or feet long, standing;
bulwarks shattered and stanchions protruding,
bowsprit gone, and the heavy seas dashing COM
plctcly over the vessel. We could discern no
distressed sailors on board, but the wreck master
and hardy crew of wreckers, seven or eight in
number, launched fine surf boat AID pulled off
through the breakers and over the rough waves
and caught up to and attached ropes to the
wreck, and towed 1t into the Delaware Bay.
tne water dog, wild with excitement, apparently
belonging to the boats crew, followed them far
of through the seas, trying to get In with them.
The wreck proved to be the schooner "Sacra-
mento, of Egg Harbor, 100 tens burthen, cap
sizing In squal off Brigantine Shoals, recently,
and abandoned the crew saved, and hull stripped
by another vessel. She was pumped out and
towcd to Maurice river for repairs by sloop Try
pbena," Capt. Reeves. The vessel is sound and
good, not greatly injured.
Our pearl diving hero distinguished himself ut
the recent Sabbath School jubilee by swimming
If in the morning 10 sloop at anchor mile or
SO from shore. We watched him with spy glasses
and he cambered on board, undressed and wrap
ped himself up in the jib and chatted with the
crew, who presently brought bin part way on
shore in small boat and he swan the rest. Al
terward he attempted to ewim OIL to pilot
| schooner ut ancher about mile OH, put
missing his calculation the tide swept him
| past and the boy in charge having no Soat could
| not pick him up. He had to SWIM back without
rest, making, with the angles be drillea, "
miles or more. A mile out his head looks iiko
mere spcck on the pillows. He carries, some
times, Il keen knife tied to his wrist to fight the
| fnny monsters If disturbed by them. pilot OBJ
serving him swim off informed us the sharks
here never attock persons. Singly, ne says, tney
and % fnnS Dd oeslse a peiu oaibs
| rivers. He does not recollect an instance where
| any bodies have been found mutllated by snarKs
here. Geod news, II correct.
Shcepshead fish, that much sought deiicacy,
have begun to bite, and we rcgale ourselves Will
them occasionally. Blue fish, called salt watel
trout at Wilmington, are very abundant indeed
and rock, founders, swapping macKerei, SUI
wnter cells and other fish are caught at midngh
to a. m., for from 8 to 10 cents per lh:. accord
ing to abundance or scarcity offering. We seryet
up a blue fish about "a of yard long welgnin!
10 lbs., costing but 60 cents stuffed and baked
beside boiled sheepshead fish with butter sauce
Will not this description OF our common mvinl
make the lips of your epicures smackP Whe
the .'season'' commences fish &c. comman
much higher prices owing to the great demand
They are then at Wilmington rates.
Oysters and clams fresh every day, are serve
, to lis in delightful fri,ters, stews, etc. Thi
month, hard and soft-shel crabs are IN season
We saw several blue fish Saturday, OF SIX 70 mn
pounds weight, each. They are caught chieh
In scincs on the bay shore and in the "sounus
(inand bays formed by the sea).. saw part
!, drum-ashing on oceau shore Monday. The i
! hurl loaded fsh-line clam-baited. beyond tH
surf and when taken by the drum-ish, (name
from drumming noise they make lying on u
sea bottom, distinctly heard from boats ana W \
. scls,) you run up on the shore and land your IL
u if he Is black drum--if u led drum tue oper
r tion is reversed and he runs you out to sea al
browns you. At least that is what one dia
:, Lewestown recently colored man having ioe
!, shly tied his drum line around his BODY ana u
}, struggling fish entangled his feet and drown
s him in the surf, ard my next neighhor, o regni
. Nimred for sporting. hooked one and was
a hour landing it; sometimes he had the hsh 10 Y
- breakers, and at other times the nsn naa II .
NJ drum, and assures us laid down beside 1t almo
:. as exhausted as the fish. Quite hshy narratiN
IL but true. He volunteers to teach us hsnlug ~, "
duck goose and swan shooting, tine coming w
e ter. We accept all glaely, except red drum Il,
;r ing. .'None Of that 10 mine" as they say III .
r. Francisco, particularly in ice and snowy wealth
CT Thermometer 7Uo 615 p. NJ Sun setting
splendently in the Wcst,and very heavy thund
:. lightning anu Talu ~ tac ouuthoo~Su'i"sA Ae'''
us town, completely. Watched the grand, mt
8 nifcent sight of terrific storm at sea, which
g; many who come here long. 80 TO witness;
I'D several hours, the lightning cleaning In ihe he'd a,
SO crashing. sea in foamy white caps and rain
ly showers The steamboat wharf Is about hi
TO built on the old position on the bay shore a
IN IN will soon lie ready.
ne Excuse verbosity, brevity is most agreeable
u editors we know. Adieu.
lin Yours. JOHN McMAKIN