Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-08-04
ur,A GAZETTE & VIRGINIA ADVERTISER
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CoDb's Island, Eastern Shore, Va.
1Correspondeuce of the Fredericksburg News.
CopB's ISLAND, July, 1873 73.-Here | am out
in the Atlantic-at sea, yet on land. glo-
is new and strange The way to the place Is
fnIl Of novelty and interest took the steam
er from Norfolk, passed up Hampton Roads
through fleet of steamers and vessels OF all
Sizes-among them three steamships OF war,
touched at Old Point Comfort and Fortress
Mouroe, where very large and handsome ho-
tel has taken the place Of the old one; where
YOU and l. Mr.. editor, in days gone by, used TO
make love, drink claret punches, aod have
good time generally, as is wont with the young
IN all times Thence by the Rip-raps, in sight
of Capes Charles and Henry, up and across
Chesapeake Bay, watching the gambolss, OF
shoal of porpoises-some thlrty-hve miles TO
Cherry Stone Greek, landing on the Eastern
embarked and were driven In ambuances soma
five miles across the country to the Atlantlc
coast. Here we again embarked on stauncb
canal boat, converted into steamer. 1t IS
owned and navigated by one of the Cobb broth
ers, We were all huddled together-captan,
crew (boy and engineer passengers, baggage,
supplies, &C.. in the most soclable manner. The
chuuuel went in and out, round aud round,
through the imitless marshes which spread
ont in all directious, as tar as the eye could
reach, with now and then glimpse OF the
ocean in the distance, and small green speck
far away-the point of our destination, The
r. 1fiIn
thousands could be seen lett exposed by the
low tide
Gradually the Island doomed up aud showed
its green foliage of trees and shrubberry. And
now, nine miles from the main land, out ln the
broad Atlantic, with no land on the tar side
nearer than Portugal We landed on this Robin
son Crrlsoe of an Island, where fifty years ago
old Mr.. Cobb took possession, aud planted a
willow switch, the first green thing on the Is
land. The place suiting bis taste and business,
THAT ola wrecker) he bought the Island for
$3.50. The Cobb family now hold it at $780,
900. The walk all around the Island on the
beach is nearly seven miles, but that portion OF
itWhch is taken in trees, grass and shrubbery,
and on which the buildings stand, would cover
about six or eight squares IN our town: The
residue is barren sand and shells, over which IN
winter, the wild waves of the ocean beat with
laud Of man is helpless to arrest.
The hotel and out houses or cabins, capable
Of accommodating comfortably some one hun
drcd aud fifty to two hundred guests, is owned
and kept by the three Cobb Brothers, sons OF
the first settler, all Of whom are line specimens
OF the bo!d hardy, weather. beaten, sea tarlDg
men dweilers on the out posts Ct creation.
The permanent population of the Island made
up of the Cobb family and their employees and
dcpendauts, number about forty souls. Their
calling is that of ''wreckers" | was told that
their salvage 10 one case, that Of large ship
loaded with coffee from Rio for Baltimore,
amounted to $4,000. They saved all the pas
Srngers and crew ut great personal risk to them
selves, and after the storm abated they saved
all the cargo, and delivered it at Norfolk; the
ship, however, went to pieces The oldest
brother, Nathan, is as fine specimen OF
hunter and trapper aud sea-faring man as the
graphic pen Of Cooper ever drew-straight, tall,
athletic, square -Shouldered, with muscular
arm and steady hand and keen eyes, he stands
forth the very embodiment Of daring sports
man, aud with all as courteous and as mild
hammered as if bred in drawi, groom.
found most pleasant company of some
seventy or eighty guests who seemed to em-
lloy themselves as their respective humor call
ei for; some at cards, some at ten piDs some
fishing, others hunting, and others serf-bath
ng, All sociable, comminglIng pleasantly to-
g,,hcr, with all the freedom of a watering
place, without ostentati0n or parade, and no
line dressing or splurging.
Among number of pleasant persons compos-
my The company was Dr. Coleman and his
charming family, of Richmond. The Doctor,
who occupies the front rank Of his profession in
The State, is a brother of Lewis Coleman, and
nephew of "old Fred" both of whom were
widely known and beloved in our section. The
i'ocior has all of Lewis sprightiDess, with 'old
frcdS wonderful conversational powers, and
,oAe Of the most pleasant hours spent were IN
Ascompany. Then also found j. 0. Steger,
esq whose extensive practice 10 the Court OF
Appeals. and whose LEI gal learning has made
hI'n eminent as one of the leading lawyers of
'Ae State. He had evidently kicked off for a
'i'!e his legal harness, and was in for all the fun
10 DC had, tor he entered with zest into all the
sports ard pastmes of the place. He reminded
me OF Mr.. Pleydelf, the famous Edinburgh
Nounsellor, mentioned in Guy Mannering at his
game of High Jinks.
lhen there was Capt George Wise, States
Attorney for the city of Richmond, who was as
patient and persevering and as successful in
Ills pursuit OF the fnny tribe as he is in the
prosecution Of maletactors. Not content with
aLSHng for trout and hog fish, he mus, catch a
S'aiS, and sure enough he mastered and
Drought to the shore one of those monsters Of
the deep.
g. hen the ladies are ladies-easy grace.
.u' and attractive-ope, an elderly lady, was
hue type of the old Virginia stately
sn0hty matron. She was accompanied by
Sn ~, accomplished daughter of General Lee
though have passed the half century post,
1;I ana have goodly sons and daughters by my
me' Yet have an eye still for beauty and
,tace' h And so Que sweet and gentle face by
. nc sea side, full of animation, modesty and
~ynueSS a"yS with the accompanying blue eyes and
sIourn hair, won on me much and if I mis-
,S;H @Ne uot, Richmonds States Attorney agreed
cha J"n ue III the high estimate put upon the
'IElrnlS OF this sweet and loyal,, oo,,,r,, x;.l