Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-08-26

presently developed. So soon as the vessels
struck the beach the sharks were thrown over
board and Immediately hauled above high water
mark. In few minutes the elder CObb,-an
old man Of 20, but hale and vigOrous-waS seen
approaching, holding in one hand a large knife
and a brick-bat, and in the other rope attached
to small wooden drag, which he pulled behind
him. We gathered about the old man curious
TO see what would follow. Drawing HIS knife
across the piece OF brick two or three times, to
give IL an edge, he commenced upon the shark
nearest him. First he made a transverse slash
disiointing the pectoral fin, and then with
another rapid cut lengthwise he laid the long
liver bare, which he whipped out I'm a moment
and threw upon his drag. The others were
treated in the same manner; after which, at the
request Of some OF the curious, he dissected some
OF the larger sharks, cutting out the back-bones
for walking canes, draughtmen, Sc, and the
formidable rows OF teeth, 90 be polished up for
nementos. This done, the remains OF the FISH
were rolled into a mass of sea-weed 20 bc con
yerted into manure. The liyers, / should add
are ''tied OUT for the oil, which brings about
fifty cents a gallon-formerly much mOre-and
is used to mix with paint oil.
THE CoBBs.
"Old Man Cobb" was a Cape Cod whaler in
his youth and the "trying out" of sharks livers
probably serves to keep green the memories OF
his early life, just as the retired sOap-boiler
found it necessary TO his comfort 20 90 down and
assist his boys on "melting days" He claims 70
have killed more whales than any other man in
America, and likes the number that he has har.
pooned at over four hundred. But it seems that
considerable proportion OF this large ''string',
were the small Black Whale, a large herd OF
which got Cooped up in Barnstable BAY and
were stranded in such numbers that Cobb saws
he could step from one to another 20 lance them
Occasionally a whale finds It's way into Cobb's
Island Bay, and II 1t does II is pretty sure 70 be
captured, as when embayed the whale seems 20
lose all its WITS and instead of seeking the chan
mel out II makes blind rush straight ahead and
gets stranded Some years ago a large sperm
whale was captured here and taken 20 Washing
ten for exhibition by old man Cobb.
The CObbs, father and three sons, are rather
Tsmarkable family, physically and otherwise.
The cold man." Nathan +. Cobb, is, a. have
SAID, 20 years old, but is a tough, active bunch
OF sinews, capable Of greater physical exertion
than most young men. His oldest son, Nathan
has physique that would delight Walt Whit
man, or Walt Whitman's biographer, John
Borroughs. standing six feet one inch ain his
stockings" and developed in proportion. Blue
eyed, with bronZed heavy bearded face, con-
trasting with a white, full forehead and white
teeth; quiet, gentle, administrative i'm man
ner, like all large, perfectly healthy, we'll
balanced natures, he Is a superb specimen of the
Adamic man. He is a born fisher and hunter,
and Is such lover of the open air that il is not
easy TO find him about the hotel premises; but
corner him for an hour when he is nc leisure 20
talk, and nothing can be more delightful than
10 draw out his curious lore about fish and birds,
air and water, and all the aspects of nature, as
studied for years by devOtee. Wonderful
stories are told OF his feats OF strength and the
same OF his brother Warren-a man OF less height
but Of powerful build. The old man saws that
his youngest son, Albert, is the only weakly one
OF the family-that barrel of -four is about as
much as he can manage TO lift at arms length,
but that he hasn't got his muscle yet. The sort
OF active. open-air, semi-maritime life led here
would seem to be favorable 20 robust develop
ment, Tor there are dozen men connected with
the Island as boatmen, or otherwise, scarcely in
ferior TO the Cobbs in Drawn and enormous
strength-Tftanic men like Frank REYNOLDS
Tom Dunton and the DOughtys. Notably good
tempered and obiiging are these robust Z" toilers
OF the sea, and notably fair in their charges a
fact which also should be noted in favor OF
Cobb's Island generally, and which strikes the
visitor the more agreeably after being fieeced
and vicumized in the way of charges at more
pretentious and less comfortable watering places
The Cobbs superintend the various departments
OF their hotel business in person, and far have
undertaken 20 build IL up without capital other
than the labor OF their own hands. The original
frame building brought from Care Cod has been
added 70 until the cluster of hotel buildings,
cottages, &c, presents the appearance of a small
village. The fasliOnables begin TO invade the
place, and in year or two the ox-cart that now
takes the baggage up from the wharf will be no.
ways equal 10 the burden Of Saratoga trunks
But the place viii then lose much of its primi-
tive charm and simplicity. Already northern
hotel men, with an eve TO "biz, :" have offered
s100,O for the island, which has been refused
IL was bought by old man Cobb i'm 1899 for $50
in cash and $3.50 in salt Another season il will
have various Improvements, chief and most
needed Of which is a daily communication by
steamer with Fortress Monroe, by which the
tedious Cherrystone route viii be avoided