Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-07-26

Sd Bo,--P-o-ss-po-.-s-a-sum.p pos
sum-
S. M-.Nexs."
4,h Boy-.P-o-ss-pos-s-o-m-m. pos
sum-"
s. Mo. s,r. it don't commence
with p. Next"
Capt. Ben-.'Says I. you say il dom
commence with p :"
S. M.-fra,her angrily.) "No, sir:
it don't commence with p"
Capt. B-n-"Oh! says /, then il amt
no use for me to try it,
s. M-"Next."
r. c. Combs-"O-p-o-s-s-u-m, Pos
sum-"
Capt. Ben-"Ohl says I, If YOU
had called Opossgm of to me could
have spelt it too,"'
The curtain falls.
The performance over. all Of US slept
our second nigh: away.
Friday, July 18th. Early on this
morning our party got up to witness our
departure from Old Point Comfort. AT
six o'clock, the Captain spread the sails
on our little vessel and, with a drawing
breeze, we bounded out Of Hampton
Roads on our course to the Capes.
Nothing OF unusual interest occurred in
our run out, except the courtesy re-
turned by the "Thimble" to our signal
while passing. About this time a con-
suitation was held as to whether or not
We should sail to Cobb's Island through
the Inlet or go there by the Ocean way,
King. especially, insisting that the Inlet
was the safer route. His wish was
seemingly acquiesced in, and thus con-
fident, he retired beloy to take a nap.
We, the others OF the party. not SO pru-
dent, had a secret understanding that
we would go the Ocean way. While
our friend was sleeping in unconscious
safety, at 10 O'Clock, a. m, we cleared
Capes Charles and Henry and were
gliding over the waters Of the mighty
ATLANTIC.
Now we see for the first time the ma
jestic waste of waters spread out before
us. Our minds began to appreciate the
grand thoughts suggested by the Ocean.
Many creations Of Poets, which long
ago we had read, now force themselves
on US in all their grandeur and beauty,
among others, "the ten thousand fleets
that sweep over il in vain" We could
wait our Imagination to the uttermost
limits of its waters, even to the spicy
Isles Of Araby the blest." We could
think, that the very waters which tossed
our little boat were once washing the
happy and beautiful shores of the trop-
les. Some of our thoughts were sad
when We called TO mind the rage Of de-
struction which could roar over its face
in place of the now placid and smiling
surface.
''0er the glad waters of the darx blue sea-
Our thoughts as boundless, and our souls rs free,
Far as the breeze can bear. the pillows foam.
Surver our empire and behold our home
Oh, who can tell ! not thou. luxurious slave
Whose soul would sicken DER the heaving wave.
Let him who crawls enamor'd of decay
Cling 10 his couch and sickcn years away:
oh. who can tell. save he " hose heart hath tried
And danced in triumph DER the waters wide,
The exultinC sense--the pulses maddeniug play,
That thrills the wanderer Of that trackless wav"
An apparent awe took possession Of
the party in presence of such majesty.
All seemed to ieel the power of the Inf
mite and for sometime We were silent
trying TO conceive the grand GLORIOUS
waste before US. We felt the nearness
of danger but knew that"
''He who marks the sparrows fall
would hear Us, when the face Of the
waters began TO frown upon us. At 10
o'clock, we were about 10 miles out
side of the Capes and of Smiths Island
Light. AT this time, our friend, who
had retired below, with thoughts of the
Inlet in his mind, came upon deck, and
after rubbing his eyes took a long and
serious survey, when turning to Cap
tain Ben he remarked, IN measured
tones, Captain, this is about the big
gest inlet that ever saw or heard of. I"
The Captains laugh opened his eyes
TO the trick, and making the best Of
fishing for sharks. The breeze, too, be gan
TO die out, and our boat lay nearly mo-
tionless at the mercy OF the Ocean roll
AS idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted Ocean,
Our party began to get sea-sick, with
some exceptions. Those who could,
tried 10 pass the time BY fishing from
the side ofthe vessel. Very soon, two
OF the party captured two dog sharks,
which created great excitement and
seemed TO rouse up the sick ones. Our
cooks, for long time, refused 10 touch
them, calling them ritd fish, but after
some persuasion, they were induced to
dress and serve one for dinner. We
thought the fish delicious, and many
We're the praises iavIshed upon the dish.
After dinner, however, some sugges-
tons were made as TO the man eating
propensities of the shark. Anyhow,
Sport had TO eat the other one. All
that we could get out OF any OF the par
~, when asked how he liked shark,
was. that ''he could eat it, but didn't
banker after it." We discovered, how
ever, after arriving at Cobb's Island,
that this species of shark was oonsid-
cred delicious, and commanded high
price in the Norfolk market. In this