The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-09-27
AGAINST Wind and Tide


hunters planned an excursion to Turkey
Point via. Of Elk river, for the purpose of
shooting wild pigeons, which are said to be
very numerous in that pointed location.
They We're either reckless or daring fell
lows, for they embarked aboard their boat
at o'clock, T.. N, on moonleSs night
with a sobbing east wind, and an equinoxi-
cal storm brewing. A strong tide was
running up Elk river, but the voyagers
pulled away cheerily, passing light after
/ light on shore. The various we'll known
headlands were left behind, and gradually
the stream widened into more and more
bold water, aud the night darkened and
deepened. The "Club House." with its
jolly company had long since been passed,
and Frenchtown" reached and left
| astern. After while the rain, which the
east wind had faithfully promised, as we'll
as old Probabilities began to come
down very gently at first, which soon
| increased to a respectable shower, that
quickly changed to flood. "The man at
the wheel was changed and the helm
placed in the hands of fresh pilot, and
the boat struggled painfully against the
strong tide. The "ancient mariners" on
board who were believed to be the recep-
tacle of all knowledge pertaining to the
river, our reporter noticed gave their
opinions sometimes with grain of doubt
as to the name of the "lights" on the
coast. Several fish houses were discovered
or rather deserted on the banks, which were
made for with the intention of landing and
waiting till the storm abated, but which
turned out, when approached, to be cumps
of bushes. " Boulden's Shore" Plum
point" and various other we'll known
places were announced by the man on the
| forecastle. In the meantime the storm
rather increased in violence, and "drown-
! ed rats" were nowhere in comparative
dampness to the men at the oars, who
pulled like galley slaves, while the " watch"
was ordered to keep sharp look out for
a friendly fish house where the crew might
land and build fire. Finally in spirit
of reckless desperation the boat was headed
| LOT Uuc SllOic WHGIC IL llSUl WAS us
cried glimmering from farm house, but
the tide was at its highest and defied
landing. Here the cabin boy Sam having
the strongest lungs aboard, was ordered
Acknowledgment of hopeless bewilderment
on the part of the navigators. The shout
or shouted but the good farmer being
wise man, and hard hearted .torler it was
afterward discovered, kept his house and
did not feel under any obligation to go out
into the storm to offer relief the less fortu-
nate in possessing roof and bright fires.
A signal was displayed to the right, APP
parently about a mile or less away, by some
friendly hand, and the boat was pushed off
and headed for the new light. The boat
entered a narrow channel, and the seafar-
ing mon of the party at once, and with
great confidence, pronounced the inlet
"Perch creek, a small stream far down the
river, many miles from Elkton. The
friendly light, had disappeared and doubt
and uncertainty again took possession of
the pilots, as the stream suddenly widened,
to use nautical phrase of one Of the
crew, to "bold water The place could
not be " Perch creek" then what the ID
was it, and where the ID were they >
This was the first proximity to profanity
that our reporter had heard, which proved
infectious, and it wasn't long till the boats
crew commenced to swear like the British
army in Flanders; all except our reporter,
WHO said nothing, but confined himself to
taking notes. Presently, "dimly seen
thro the mists of the deep" the cabin
boy Sam, deserted what he unhesitatngly
declared was the "Club House." which
is only two miles from Elkton. Our re-
porter remarked that the car whistles which
were very distinctly heard, sounded on the
left, which indicated that the boats bows
were pointed up the river in place of down,
the direction they were supposed to be
steering, on the way to Turkey point.
The old seaman on board ridiculed Sam S
announcement of the Club House" which
subsequently proved to be correct, and ex-
planned the sound of steam whistles on the
left by attributing them to the boats going
in at Back creek, but when it was suggest
ed by one of the LAND lubbers" that
the canal being broken, No boats were
running up Back creek, the nautical man
received the suggestion with silent con-
tempt. The men at the oars continued to
pull Justify, and the boat labored heavily
| l,a do Oh
running out. Another point was sighted
on shore and the boat headed for it, which
proved to be Benefits fish-house and no
mistake. In place of Turkey point the
brave party had rowed down stream as
long as the tide ran up, and when the tide
turned, they had changed the oman at
the Wheel" and he Immediately put the
boat against the ebb tide, laying her course
for Elk Landing. The helmsman swears
that the captains orders were, before TAX
his night cap" to keep the boats head
against the tide and he would be all right,
forgetting that the tide ran up the river at
its flood and Down at ebb, and that it must
begin to ebb at 12 o'clock.
Now there arose dispute, and mutiny
among the crew, after the danger was
past. The boat was half full of water;
provisions were flooded with "bilge
water" and the ammunition drowned.
Some of the crew who had not quite fin
ished the whisky rations, the only thing
that water couldn't spoil, being of Elkton
brand, were strongly in favor of landing
and taking possession of an old house on
"Cedar point" which they declared was
full of fire Places The cabin boy Sam,
who had discovered the "Club House "
where the friendly light had been displayed
at the cry of distress from Sans stenton-
ian lungs, strongly favored landing. He
declared that he could, in few minutes,
kinde a rousing fire from convenient fence
rails, with the aid of the ship doctors
Ratchet, a toy the baby played with, and