Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-28
AMONG THE SKATERS.
QUEER LIFE IN THE PINE BARRENS
OF LOWER DELAWARE.


OF LOWER DELAWARE.
. Trip Through the Peach Region to
Lewes and Among the Primitive People
Who Live Thep-wrestling with 'the
APPROXIMATION.
Journeying southwark over the Delaware
division of the Philadelphia, Wilmington
md Baltimore railroad one gets fairly in
'elligent impression of the magnitude of
peach cultivation in the Delaware peninsula.
growth OF trees and the large number of
wagons and men scattered here and there in
the open fields indicate the commencement
OF the great peach belt, and as the train pene-
trates still further there is greater density
of trees, hemnlng in the track upon either
side until they seem to expand into an inter-
minahe wi. iernesS of INTERVENING trunks,
boughS and leaves, weighted down with
fruit, Long lines of cars are side tracked at
the different stations, loading with crates
and baskets for shipment TO Philadelphia,
New York and the eastern markets, the
fruit coming not only from the prolific
Sls.sharls skirting the main stem, but from
the numerous feeders which ramify the
country
Every mile the train covers you get deeper
and deeper inro the region 1t is peaches,
peaches everywhere. until YOU become ALSO
lutey supfeited. The very atmosphere is
impregnated with the aroma that is waited
through the car windows from the depths of
the orchards Numerous little urchins, al
most before the Wheels have ceased to gy-
rate. are climbing on the cars like pirates
boarding an ocean prize. They impudently
thrust their BASKETS in your face and vocif-
erously importune you to buy of their stock
Every other man on the car is a grower,
buyer, n worker or u Spectator, or in some
way Interested in the business
.'HarrinCt1n! Change cars for Lewesn
shouts the brakeman
At twilichttho train comes to halt at the
station az Ieves, the historic old town of
Sussex county, with its antique, moss COW
cred houses, almost hidden from view in the
midst of grand old forest of oak and pine
trees. While looking about for a suitable
cop',eyanceu venerable looking negro, driv-
sssfny a cadayeronS OK attached TO n rickety old
blackboard came along, | found the old
fellow to be- quite communicative, and read
iy agreed o. take me for a consideration,
and in Il shor, time We We're off for the Capes,
leaving Il crowd of people gazing curiously
after us.
At last We reached open country and ar
rived at Cape Heulopeu light house. Here
for miles, stretching along the ocean front,
is a great pine forest inhabited by commu-
nifty OF people whose manners and customs
are similar to those of the CRACKERS" of
Georgia Near the light tower the road di-
verges to the right anu runs parallel with
the ocean beach for a long distance. We
followed it for a mile and half. when we
turned abruptly into by path and plunged
into the dismal looking place Suddenly we
were greeted by the shouts of troop of dirty,
ragged looking children, who seemed to have
sprung up out Of the bushes. The driver ex-
planned that we had struck the ''clarins, E"
which l interpreted as meaning the clear
in-s, and so they proved to be.
These clearings are located at short inter-
walls aud consist of from one-half to an acre
of arabic land in a comparatively good state
OF cultivation. Upon this ground is raised On
abundance OF vegetables and cabbage; sweet
and round potatoes are slowed away in large
quantities for winter use. There are cherry,
apple, peach, pear and plum trees, and some
Of the more aesthetic and intelligent delight
in lolling in the shade of the silver maple OF
gathering exquisite bouquets from the luxu
rious flower beds set off in one corner of the
clearing The manner in which the house.
/ - 1.
of ''pine shattern is derived, and, indeed, il
is no misnomer. The houses are one story
high, built of pine slabs, some with and some
without the bark, and are put together sub
stantially. The roof is constructed of pine
shafts These shafts are the refuse from pine
trees, such as cones, leaves, twigs. etc which
are mixed with a composition of boiled ses
water and clay, which forms compact mas.
absolutely impervious to water The chin
ney Is of hard clay and ascends from the out
side OF the house
These people are evidently great econo
mixers Of space for here in one of these small
rooms a whole family, frequently consisting
of six and seven persons, eat, sleep and cook !
large open fire place, with swinging crane
from which Is suspended the old fashionet
non uiiinei ~ ''4 ah'ique "eusOeau' t"oo
three cllal'a al.a an immense chest cofnplet
the furniture. 4uere Is no sign OF carpet, AM
no attempt is made at interior decoration
except 'haV tne N.a,S nave once upon tim
been whitewashel, for they are now so be
grlmed with SCOT and smoke 1t Is hard TO dis
tlngulsh Tue presence OF the calclinlner. !
rev pictures, cut from national newspapers
which, in some uuaccOuntable manner foun
Ihelr way lh'" the dismal abode OF the shai
Ter are pasted On the sianS, ana hshlng net
cooNeus anu Lei Us are hllAru III apparent IL
exuicable confusion overhead, cllnglng
nalis and wooden pegs, At the end of tt
house the inevitable ram barrel to catch I'll
dripilhEs from inc Fooi Is used Tor washln
anu III i'Aii7 Pli i'votS' ana peslde7 tine barr
tue uDlluit'n7 gourd, so famous ever.
where III the southern country as drlnkln
uUeuslL
'i"7 III 'I' S'l''''e "I d Tree near one
clese iu"'tN' Ni"l1lA- d seine ana smoking
urIs claf PIPE, was 1hlil, SiilioW raced ma
parei"9ted ana uareheaded' he was talk
i've. ne sad fiIat he had been nigh on
death hut was no" "ieelin right smart
"A s'aCVe,n4y l''NIis woman, with a noe
her manu. came u ana entered at once IN
conversation IaNlhS rub OF snulI
they are all nVeterate snuf takers-s
replacei the paIef carefully IN her poc6
anu III III Il itUl-L NtlUDlt tongue 10 q
patiate upon the family misfortune; ''Ye