The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-07-26
RELIGIOUS SUMNER RESORTS.

The Methodist Church mas latteriy
turned its attention to the establishment
of Summer resorts, to be controlled by
the "God- fearing" and church going peo-
pie, where moral and religious influences
shall predominant, and where horse-racing,
gaming and other amusements which con-
stitute the distinguishing features of the
majority of fashionable watering places of
the day, shall forever be tabooe6. or this
character of Summer resorts, Ocean Grove
is distinguished success, and to which
the Methodist Church points with pride.
To establish similar watering place on
the peninsular, between the Delaware and
Chesapeake bays, was determined upon by
the Peninsular Methodists, in 1872, and a
tract of ground about five miles below
Cape Henlopen lighthouse was purchased,
extending from the Atlantic beach, near
mile back into the land, embracing fine
grove of timber. This grove has been
dedicated to camp-meeting purposes, and
the portion of the purchase, on and near the
beach, has been laid out into lots for cot
tages, and divided by streets and broad
avenues. Considerable grading has been
done, and several cottages commenced. a
hotel has been erected on the beach, called
the Surf House, which is well located and
commands a fine view of the ocean. The
place was called Rehoboth, from the bay
of that name, lying mile to the south,
and an old village in the vicinity. A COM
mencement was made this year to popular
ize the place, and camp ground was laid
out, a number of tents built, and g Reno
both - at once became kind of Mecca for
the Peninsular Methodists. The name Nee
ca would not be considered inappropriate by
one who takes the long, dusty ride of some
hundred and twenty miles from Elkton to
Lewes, an old town on the Delaware bay,
at the terminus of the Junction and Break
water Railroad a ride of six miles by
stage from Lewes, brings the pilgrim to
the camp ground of Rehoboth and within
hearing of old ocean, whose waves ever
roll and thunder on Reheboth beach,
Three quarters of miles walk will bring
you to the edge of the surf. The beach is
the greatest,-in fact, at present the only
attraction Of the place,-and is one OF the
best for bathing on the Atlantic. The
slope is very gradual and the rollers come
in with great volume and force. For six
or seven miles, from Rehoboth bay to the
extreme point of Cape Henlopen, there is
smooth beach, and magnificent surf for
bathing, without an obstruction of any
kind. A carriage may be driven the whole
way along the ocean beach as readily and
pleasantly as on turnpike. About four
miles from the Associations grounds
Henlopen light house is built on, or rather
in an immense sand hill, rising fifty feet
above the ocean; the hill is two miles long
and half mile wide at the base, running
back into the country, parallel with the
Delaware bay. A drift of shining sea
sands, without spear of vegetation to be
seen anywhere on it. From the top of this
hill the sight is grand. On the east the
blue waves of the Atlantic roll in and thun-
der along the shingled beach. On your
right is seen the placid waters of Delaware
bay with the breakwater and icebreak-
immense piles of rock together over mile
in length, built by the Government for the
protection of shipping, at a cost of two and
n half million dollars.
There are several dangerous reefs near
the entrance to Delaware bay, which cause
numerous shipwrecks. Four vessels were
wrecked last Winter and Spring on
these reefs: one loaded with oranges, lem
ons, and other products of the West Indies,
came ashore two miles below Henlopen
light. The old hulk lies on the beach with
the tide ebblng and flowing through her
broken timberS. Orange and lemon boxes
strew the coast for miles, where they were
thrown out by the waves and wind. This
wreck proved a great harvest for the ma
tives, who Toasted on oranges and lemons,
for weeks after the wreck of the ship
Hundreds of bushels of these delicious
fruits were picked up on the sands and
carried away by the. people of the neigh
borhood. The immense sandhills here call
to mind the Arabian deserts, and impress
es one more than ever with the grim hu-
NOR that would style Rehoboth with its
camp and summer-tenting ground, and the
annual pilgrimage of religious denomi-
nation, the Mecca of the Peninsular Meth
odists.
This place is celebrated for its fine fish
ing. Boats can be hired at Lewes to take
fishing parties out to the icebreak and
breakwater, where fine fishing may be en-
joyed. Sea trout and black fish are very
plentiful, and are caught with hook and
line, weighing from one to six pounds.
Sheepshead are caught also in considerable
numbers, and are a very superior fish,
The latter is a large, strong fish, with a
nose and eyes resembling sheep-hence
its name. The fish is furnished with three
rows of teeth in each jaw, which are not
unlike sheep teeth, which it uses to break
shell fish, its principal food. The Sleeps
head furnish fine sport for the angler, and
considerable skill is required to land one
weighing eight or ten pounds. If the
fish can manage to get the hook between
its formidable jaws it grinds it off like
it would crush mussel shell, and is
free; and the only hope of the angler is to
hook him in the lip or corner of the mouth
and thus secured, after an exciting con-
test the beautiful rover Of the deep is land
ed by the aid of hand net, and lies flap
ping his striped, glossy sides on the bot
tom of the boat. The sea trout is an Gag
er bitter and affords fine sport. Other
species of game fish appear in these waters
in August, and afford the finest fishing on
the coast.
Lewes is an old town of Revolutionary
note, with a population, at present, of
1,500, and was bombarded by the British
during that war, and some old cannon are
planted, mouth down, about the streets,
which serve as historical emblems of her
antiquity, and of the part she had in the
war for American independence.
If the Methodists of the Peninsula will
r.. r.