The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-22

every article as bright as mirror. The
crew consists of six men and captain-on
duty eight months Of the year and of four.
While on duty they eat and sleep at the
station. The second floor consists Of three
rooms. one large 1dormitory, with six nice
iron-framed bedsteads for the use OF the
crew. The captain occupies the other two,
one for bis bedroom, the other for bis
office, containing theli5rary and medicine
chest, together with his official books for
keeping the meteorological record Tor each
day, with the health and attendance OF the
crew. We were struck with the immense
number OF blankets hanging from the raft
ers and completely hiding them, each bian-
We were told that they were kept for the
use OF the survivors from the wreck. Hun
dreds OF these little stations dot the dam
gerous portions OF our coast-beautiful
and loving monuments to the humanity
and generosity of our Government. Surely
they assist in fulfilling the speech OF that
orator who pred icted "that the time would
come, and that not far distant, when would
be heard as the proudest exclamation Of
man, s am an American" 'a. ".ars
Cobbs Island is famous for its fishing
and snipe-shooting. OF course we were out
every day, and in consequence our table was
every day loaded with spots, hog-tsh, trout,
snipe, and other game too numerous to men,
tion. A little out from the island are the Ia.
nous
SHARK-FIsHING GROUNDS.
1t was the height OF ambition OF each OF us
to catch shark. They are in great abund-
ance; so we will not test your credulity by
saying how many we caught, nor attempt
to express the delightful sensation on hook
ing "big fellow" and pulling him in.
They are killed by clubs or pistols before
being pulled on board. but generally Sue
ceed, by their desperate efforts to escape
capture, in splaShing water over every one
in the boat. Friday morning bright and
early we started for Cape Charles, and in a
few hours anchored near it, just off from
Smiths Island. A few Of us now started
ashore in the cat-boat, attended by the boy
Frank, to
VISIT THE LIGHTHOUSE.
We were escorted there, little over a
mile from the beach, by swarms OF mos
quitoes. The Cape Charles lighthouse, situ-
ated on Smiths island, is one OF the tallest
on the Atlantic coast. The building. conf
cal in shape, is 175 feet high, 4G feet at the
base under ground, and IA feet at the top.
The light, made by using four wicks, one
inside OF the other, burns with lard oil, and
is 155 feet above the ground. 1t is sur
rounded By eight Of the most perfect lenses,
with prisms above and below each. thus
concentrating every ray OF light upon its
opposite lens. Every lighthouse on the
same portions OF coast, except few COM
paratiyely unimportant ones, has either
differ entIy-colored or q ditterently-timed
light. Thus the mariner, by being enabled
to distinguish one light from another, can
BY reference to his chart easily locate his po-
sitiou and steer clear OF the dangerous coast,
which Is often many hundred yards, some
times miles from the very lighthouse intend
ed by the Government to guard against it.
The Cape-Charles light is revolving one,
flashing eight times in six minutes, and IS
always white. On account OF some unknown
cause. either in the climate or sand, the
keeper said we could not make the prisms
and lenses in this country; the apparatus,
therefore, on the top OF the tower, alone
that is, the lamp, cIock-work, lenses, and
-glass-was provided by French
manufacturer at q cost to the Government
OF $4,000 in gold. 1t is indeed magnih-
cent piece OF workmanship, and its beau
ties and perfeetions must be Imagined
rather than described. The keeper or bis
OF the tower, and are required to keep the
most minute observations, the direction OF
the wind, the number and class OF vessels
passing in sight; even to the quantity
OF oil burnt each night, which you will
be surprised to hear averages three
gallons. The keeper is responsible for
every damage occasioned by visitors, and
before ascending the tower you are re-
ouested to read card tackled 10 the inner
door, entitled, "Rules to be Observed by
Visitors" He cautioned us especially not
to touch the lighting apparatus, as even a
touch upon lens, or prism, leaves stain
which it is difficult, sometimes impossible,
TO oblterate, so delicate is the structure.
Bidding adieu to our "keeper"-I mean
lighthouse keeper-we reached our boat In
about half-hour's lut walk through sand
foot deep, still followed by mosquitoes,
who evidently relished our visit. We were
not greatly comtorted, in our frame OF
mind, to find s. ..
THE NEGRO BOY SOUND ASLEEP
in the boat about twenty yards from US.
Fortunately for him, there were no bricks
on the beach, and doing our best with oys-
ster.sheIls, we could not succeed In coming
closer than twenty feet 10 him, SO gave IL
I'D az O weapon to which we were unaccus-
toned, and, after yelling and screaming for
half an hour, with the wind dead against
us. whilst ssme of US looked all over the
island for brickbat, we came TO the con
cIusion it was no use and started to pohns
somebody else's boat out to him, which per-
formapce brought the owner OF the boat
down to the shore. Coming alongside OF the
boat. two OF us, with the aid OF the pole, sue.
ceedipg in waking the negro and getting al
on board, In short time We sat down "a
dinner on board our yacht, the " William
G."
The next morning early we started for
Norfolk. The rain, which commenced tne
evening before, poured in torrents. !he
| wind was blowing furiously, and IN 1e"
moments after rounding the Cape we knew
what it was to be in storm. The llltst
vessel rolled from side to side. Grea'
waves broke over her bows every minute
It was grand, this going up to the crest o.
the wave and dropping again to its trough
BY and BY we began 10 think it was nothing
but right that the waves should furnish {
| trough. This constant up-and-down motion
| got to be moEotonous, so we all went below
Presently everybody put bis head between
his hands and commenced thinking; some
of them, to amuse themselves, commenced
gazing into the bottoms OF some tin-panl
which they held between their feet. Those
who couldn't get pans threw up for wht
should gaze out of the cabin-window. Th,
sight out was grand indeed; /; still we didn'
seem to appreciate it. 1t struck US, bu
somehow or other it would strike in th'
wrong place, and what rapture it did eX
cite Immediately overflow. 1t was this same
| constant oyerf1oWing which prevented Ou