The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-22
A Trip to CObb's Island.

Editors Dispatch II you Will grant ME
the space should like to give you an account
OF a little trip gotten up by some gentle
men of this city. The party numbered
seven, consisting OF Messrs. W. Fl. Tatum,
William A. Price, John Price, George Bis
sell, and II. NJ. Smith, Jr., OF Richmond; !;
Captain c. 7. Philips, OF Portsmouth, Va,
and Mr.. William Armstrong, formerly OF
this city, now Of New York. According
to agreement we met in Norfolk, at the
depot OF the Petersburg railroad, just as
the 1915 P. NJ. train arrived, bringing in
our last reinforcements. En route to the
skiff sent ashore at that place to meet us
the party presented somewhat the appear
ance Of little army -knapsacks, blankets,
guns, &C., in profusion. 1t was good
1oh,le before O'Clock Monday morning,
when, after short row in the skiff, we
piled on board the sloop William g. Hitch
ings, and hosting sail and anchor, with the
least bit Of breeze in our favor, dropped
quietly down the Elizabeth river, passed
at night the grim-iooking guns" OF
Fortress Monroe, and the day was just
breaking when. dropping anchor for break
esI,iuguished in the cape Cnarles anu cape
Henry lighthouses. To those who have
not seen the '
SUN RISE IN MID-0CEAN
is reserved the grandest Of natural sights.
] have stood upon one OF the highest peaks
of the Allegheny range-so high that the
clouds in great lazy masses slumbered at my
feet, and great drops OF rain poured upon
some distant hilltop; then, looking away
Of to the East, have seen the top OF the
mountains kindled with fire as that great
molten mass rolled out into the heavens,
proclaiming that night had ceased and day
again should reign, at whose command the
rains have ceased, the clouds floated away
out OF sight, and the world awoke to greet
the morning sun. But the sight is Just as
grand and awakened deeper reflection
when, standing upon the deck OF our yacht.
! 7 saw the sun arise from his "mOrning
bath" illuminating the broad, broad ocean
and all its human freight when the angry
waves seemed to rest from their Unborn pas
sion, and the joyful mariner, no longer in
doubt OF his course, unreefed his sail and
went full-fedged" his way.
| AS we gathered around the matches for
breakfast, we made the acquaintance Of our
CAPTAIN, Mr.. George NJ. Dawson, and OF our
| pilot Mr.. Samuel Phelps, promoted in q
| few DAYS to Commodore Phelps, more from
his genial disposition, fear, than from bis
knowledge OF the channel. Our crew con-
sisted of two darkies-one the deck hand,
with the high-fown cognomeu OF Benjamin
Franklin Butler; whilst the other, as Pro-
lessor ]. B. Minor would say, "with less
I lofty originality content declined upon the
unambitious name Of" Mcclellan Council
commanded our respect from his office Of
chief cook. Breakfast over, after O pleasant
sail OF few hours, we anchored of
coBB's ISLAND,
a small and narrow tract of land, with the
spacious hotel and several cottages scatter
ed over if. The inhabitants number fifty
eight, aud are mostly fishermen. At night
by invitation from MIR. Cobb, we wen
ashore and danced until 12. The ballroom
was very nice, but the floor seemed to b,
covered with sand. We did not know that
it was put there on purpose, so mentioned
it as nuisance, saying the floor ought tt
be waxed, which called forth the answe
from an inhabitant that You couldn't d.
no shufling onto waXed floor" "But,
said we, "you could waltz" "Shaw
waitzing amt no count; jigs is the thing
some fun into that" We were poWeresS
to convince him, so collapsed.
Life here Is in great contrast TO tha
at the springs. There everything is gov
erned by fashion. Here fashion is an un
known god. Even the visitors learn t
despise it. But another ruler takes it
place-wind and tide -usurp the dominion
Birds fly with it, fish bite with 1t, visitor
battle with it; for here, you must know, !
4 said to be the finest surf-bathing in tn
world. Standing upon the hard, sand
beach. looking seaward, the visitor sees ar
preaching nearer and nearer the white
canned visitors from the other shores OF tn
/ Atlantic. Advancing with fury, rank upo
rank they dash themselves to quietude
his very feet. Still the bather, no matte
how high the surf, feels secure, since ther
is no undertow, and 1t is the absence OF TN
danger which renders the bathing at Coob,
unsurpassed. It was our good fortune
become acquainted with Captain Crumo, Q
the United States life-savlng station at tha
point, by whose kind permission we
VISITED HIS STATION,
frame house Just on the edge OF the beacl
which you would misLak for summer CO..
! tage but for it's massive timbers ana SOIL
! appearance, boIted as it is to the grouno
Drawing tile force Of wind aud storm. En-
tering, through large double-doors iaclna
I.the sea, you first catch sight OF the ine-Ooa
resting on great tbroad-Wheeled truck, 10
| rolling the boat along the ,beleh to poln
opposite the distressed vessel, and iron
There, out into deep water you are amaze
az the sight Of great piles ol rop 2, eannon