Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-08-07
Letter from Cobb's Island.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazet

CoBB's ISLAND, Va, Aug. 9 l875.-It is
related in the Arabian Nights, that as the Com
mander of the Faithful, the wise and good
Haroun al Ruchid, was walking the streets of
Bagdad, 10 disguise, as was his custom, in
search Of adventures,lu passiDga Mosque, where
the true believers were hearing the law from
the Koran" the Sultan saw lying asleep Cd
the steps weared shoemaker taki6g purse
Of sequins, the Commander OF the Faithful Sc
cretly slid them iu the folds of the Lurbau of
the shoemaker, aud then passed on, without
awakening hilu On being questioned by the
V'zler why he acted in this strange manner, he
replied that he did SO TO verify the truth Ut Tie
saying, that turtuue comes to the lucky even
when asleep.
The CobDs seem to have wealth thrust on
them II equally an unsupported manner. Thirty
four years ago Old mao CoDb, then rough fish
erlnan, who gained a livelihood by selling oys-
rers and clams to the Northern market, bought
this island for five hundred dollars, for the
purpose Of place to fish, AMI on account of
The accessibility. Ii Was then merely sand
oauk, but ANNUALLY, daily and hourly, the sea
ADDS 10 1t, and the area Is always enlarglng !;
that Unsuitable ocean, which swallows up So
much wealth and treasure, and keeps it hid
from Mortal eyes, yet gives a grand gift when
IN generous mood, and
CoBBs ISLAND,
from being barren bank, is uow a solid piece
of land, against which the waves break in vain,
and 1t Is indeed principally. Within the last
fhp ('ohbc war ,tfpra0 or bp p,ra1 tl,nnS
and dollars cash for their title, and refused it.
This island is Gtty-one miles from Old Point
Comfort and eighteen from Cape Charles. 1t
is not an island proper; it has eight miles of
fats, Swamps and bars, through which the sea
forces It's way 10 narrow channels there are
forty miles OF these islands of sand aud mud,
which are utterly useless except to catch oysters
and clans. There are four hundred oyStermen
IN aud around Cobb'S, 10 the winter time, who
gain their living by gathering oysters they
DO not haul selnes nor yet use oyster tongs, but
simply 60 to the flats, on low tide, and gather
them by the barrel tull and boat load; the sup
ply, they say, is iDexbaustibe ]; they dispose of
them to the vessels at forty cents per busbei,
aud all OF the oysters are shipped to New York.
This section belongs to Virginia, and is marked
in the charts as simply the "Broadwater
1t affords great protection to shipping. 10
stormy weather, which has to put in harbor on
account of accidents. Cobb's Island, situated
as II Is, ID the ocean, and nearly surrounded by
sand bars, over which the breakers dash with
trightfu force, has been the scene of
SCORES OF sHIpwRECKs,
and many sailors are buried here, the victims of
some terrible disasters. Many of them are un-
known, their bodies being found on shore, cast
up by the waves. The Cobbs themselves are
wreckers, aud every morning they scan the
coast closely with their glasses Four years
ago the good ship "Cricket," to Baltimore,
from Rio, with valuable cargo OF coffee,
homeward bound, was carried out of her course
oy storm. aud was cast on the bar near the
Island. The Cobbs, aud their meu, saved the
passengers, and BY attaching ropes to the vessels
aod using hawsec, they succeeded in getting
her safely on the beach. Their share was thirty
live per cent, and the cargo sold for 100000,
aud their portion was S35 900. Not long after
the ship Wave Was wracked on the bar, and
the vessel was dashed 80 often on the hard sand
by the breakers, as to completely demolish her,
and the crew OF olne men and her Captain were
all drowned, and their bodies we're found on the
beach. Cobb's Island presents attractions
that 30 place CD this continent possesses :;
the view Of the sea is subime-beyond the
power of words to describe the breakers
outside dashiDg over the reefs with booming
sound, the wide expanse of waters, the pure
salt air, It's surf bathing, (Which is unequailed,)
the fishing aud huntug, and all those sea iuXu
RES that al eplcure delights IN. All that is
needed 10 make this the greatest resort 10
America is capital and good management. AS it
is now, under the present owners, the system of
entertainment is simply abominable, and dirt,
flies and Vermln abound. The hotel is exactly
like an old Virginia couotry tavern, long two
story frame dwelling with a rickety porch in
front and small rooms, which are not looking to
the sea. There is lameutable lack of neatDess
aud the absence Of woman's love of order is
visible everywhere. At the meals, for instance,
the flies SWAIN 10 thousands, and you have to
fight them with one hand and eat with the
other. To the pleasure seeker it has but few
attractions; to the lover of the beautiful and
grand 10 nature it has many, and to the sports
of Cadiz, it is the paradise OF men, the purga-
tory of women, and the hi of invads.
The sporting all the year round is good. Just
now curcw and wet are the game in season.
They are shot from blind with decoys, and it
requires great patience and an mate love of
hunting to sit quietly tor hours in the blind with
the rising tide steadily creeping about you,
waist high. You pay your guide 50 per day
and he loads your gun and brings 10 the game.
The best time for hunting is the middle of No
Vember; black ducks are then peotitul. aas also
IN May. Then comes the willets, woodcock
aud suipe in countless numbers, and you can
kill them by the hundreds every day.
l nave endeayjred to be emiuenty fair in
the description of Cobb's Island, and have
taken great paluS to arrive at the truth, and |
can only say to the pleasure seeker or invalid
keep away, tut to the sportsman or fisherman
come by all means but be certain to estimate
your expenses at eight dollars day while mere,
Tor money departs in most remarkable man
Ger, land il you intend to hunt aud fish steadily
you cannot do SO under $50 per week.
My next will be from Vue de l. Eau. where
hear goodly company is assembled.
CHASsEUR.
The Swiss Postal Department having made
demand upon Postmaster General Jewell for
the return Of two registered letters addressed