National Republican., 1883-05-11

bass, sleeps head, perch spots, salmon, trout,
and tho "horse mackerel." The shallow wa
ters swarm with crabs and oysters and terra
pin are plentiful. There are fine covers for
partridges, woodcock rabbits, and squirrels in
the vicinity. Cambridge, eighty-four miles
from Wilmington, on the Choptank river, is an
other pleasant village, with good hotels, where
the rates are very moderate. The Choptank
is one of the most famous of the Chesapeake
tributaries for wild fowl, fish, crabs, oysters,
and terrapin. There is good duck shooting
in season at Handbook bay, mile from Cam
bridge and at Blackwater marsh, six miles
distant
Another famous sporting town Is Crisfeld,
the terminus Of tho Eastern Shore railway on
the Annamessex river, tributary of Tangier
sound. This town is the oyster emporium of
the state, and in that respect one Of the most
important in the country. proper concep-
tion Of the extent Of its traffic in bivalves can
not be formed by one who has not visited It.
Tangier sound is the anglers paradise, and
fish are found in the greatest plenty, espe-
cially sleeps head and striped bass. There
is fine wild fowl shooting on Terrapin sands,
Fox island, and the marshes generally. and
excellent birding territory inland. While
the Chesapeake shore of the peninsula Is
famous throughout its entire extent for the
number, variety, and excellence of its wild
fowl, the eastern or Atlantic coast has similar
marshes are periodically the rendezvous
of larger number of tho choicest
kinds of game birds than any other
coast, north or south. The town by which
the shooting and fishing localities can be
most easily reached is Chincoteague, on the
island and sound of the same name 1853 miles
from Washington. II has $500 inhabitants,
and scores of sportsmen are always to be
found at the hotels in all seasons. Chinco-
league island and sound swarm with wild
fow and fish, and southwark from Chinco-
league and bordering the entire coast Of
eastern Virginia from the Maryland line to
Cape Charles, a distance of 60 miles, are
islands which are favorite haunts Of game
birds; while the inlets and sounds between
them and around them teem with wild fowl
and fish. These islands are situated in the
following order, proceeding southward: Wal
lop's, Assawam Metomkin, Cedar, Paramore,
Hog, the world-famous Cobbs, Mockhorn, and
Smiths. The only hotel is on Cobbs island.
The fish most plentiful in the waters are the
sleeps head, tailor, sea bass, black6sh, spot,
tench, perch, founder, drum fish, sea trout,
birds are woodcock, partridges, long, short,
aud straight-billed curlew, willet, yellow
shanks, calico, and gray backs, English
snipe, robbin, snipe, telltale, turnstone,
plovers, sand pipers, and marsh hens
Ducks and geese also abound in
great variety and numbers. Among tho ducks
are red neclSs, mallard, bald heads, blue and
green winged teal, black ducks, broad bills
butter balls, long tail pin tail, south southerly
shell brakes, canvas backs, and many others
Brant and geese are also very plentiful and
afford royal sport in season. All these waters
are favorite abiding places of crabs, and
oysters, and terrapin are numerous in the
marshes.
Franklin City, Stockton, Snow HILL Berlin
Selbyville, Frankford Roxanna, Dogsboro'
Millsboro', Georgetown, Lewes, Ocean City
and Ocean View are among the resorts on the
peninsula where the sportsman may find ex
quisite enjoyment from one end of the yeai
to the other. All the places named are in
reach by the various railways which traverse
the peninsula, and at this particular time
when the fish are the gamest and strongest
the angler may find untold pleasure in an ex
cursion to the paradise.