Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-28
PILGRIMAGE OF THE DEEP HARBOR
COMMITTEE.
HARBoR ISLAND QUARANTINE

sloops "Alice" and s.Mist" and the quar-
antine schooner Swallow, at Rockport.
On the latter I embarked, persuading
my reluctant colleague to accompany
me. Our point of destination was Aran-
sas Pass, due south fifteen miles. There
was a brisk norther blowing, and with
this fair wind we soon stood away, grace
fully bounding over the pillows. Within
an hour we had passed through the up
per bay and between the low sand flats
of the several islands forming the i'm
mense channel and arrived at the pass.
The lands for the whole distance on
either side afford very slight facilities for
city sites or commercial purposes, and
these would have to be supplemented by
great skill and expense before being
available. The Swallow" ran Is be-
hind stone jetty and grounded with a
thud and lurch that ripped her
canvass and tumbled the pilgrims on the
deck in fine style. Soon dinky came
out and took US TO small chute for
loading sheep and goats onto boats
where we landed.
The party then walked along the beach
I
gulf front. Here our eyes met the wild
and angry surf the wreck of the old
Morgan steamship Mary lay as she has
done for fifteen years. The great break
ers charged her frame and broke high
above her ruined cabins in wild and
wicked succession. They surged and
chased each other around her sandy bed
and scattered their force in dwindling
fury at our feet Turning to landward
our eyes rested upon the dreariest of
prospects in the nature of sand dunes
partly covered with sea oats and coarse
weeds and grass. The fiat beach from
the waters edge, Notwithstanding a
driving mist, was white with the drift
ing of sand. 1t scurried along exactly
like the snow on our own plains in mid
winter Altogether it was wonderful
and rare sight for US. Walker enjoyed
it greatly as well as myself. But this
was only prelude to a tougher
experience. We walked back through
a driving rain which set in 10
the life saving station. Here we had
| luncheon and looked at the engineers
plans of the harbor and then embarked
| for Rockport.
With great difficulty we stood out into
! the pass and after sweeping close into
| the line of roaring breakers once or
twice to get Roadway against the now
| furious norther had the good fortune to
| get the best of a short tack. In the
second or third tack we grounded, but
soon got loose. 1t was here that we rea-
| liZed that the great northern air wave
! was rushing to the warm gulf stream
with an attraction Of great danger to Us.
/ Ii would have been the easiest matter to
/ have drifted into the fearful line OF
/ breakers and been swamped by the
/ simplest mishap.
| Our trip for the next six miles, beating
! against the wind, was fearful expert
/ ence for all The little sIx-ton schooner
was crowded with people who had never
| dreamed of the tricks old Bore4s was to
| play us. At times she lay on her beam
/ end and broke her way grandly through
! the angry waves, while the water flew
over her small decks and went in sluIces
! through her scuppers. The crowd as Is
/ the wont of the American, while fully
approaching the gravity and discomfort
| of the situation, took things quite Jolly.
| Finally as we neared the broad bay,
/ the indications were that we would have
! to make the quarlntlne station nine
miles from Rockport or anchor for the
night In the former we were success
] fuI. Fortunately the quarantine station
| has three comfortable houses, and Capt.
Walker, an old acquaintance of the
writer, and his gentlemanly as
sistants made our stay quite comforta-
! ble We slept on the floor IN our
wet clothes; breakfasted on turtle steak,
| coffee and sea biscuits.
! At this 10 a. N. it is still blowing and
raining with slight chance for US 70
make Rockport today. We are on the
famous harbor island. All around is a
sea of dashing waves; except shell
bank about three hundred feet wide and
about four feet above the water at mean
tide. The three state quarantine houses
are on piles seven or eight feet above the
ground to admit the clearance of high
waves passing under in great storms ike
that of 1875. Away TO the west and
east the island is under water with here
and there tufts of grass dallying with
the galloping waves.
Stranded on the island when wa
landed was a monster fish called the
stingray. 1t was caught by the crew of
a turtle fishing boat. 1t was dead when
we viewed its dimensions about the size
of bed quilt and shaped ike turtle
with stubby wings ideally added. Il
had a long, keen tail Ike rattan
buggy whip on which were fast
ened loosely its darts for
defense or offense. These darts were
the shape Of arrow heads elongated;
each edge had little barbed teeth TO
make them stick IN the flesh or work in
deeper. When the brute Is disturbed he
whips that keen tail around and ike his
brother on land, the porcupine, fills his
victims with insinuatlons of unpleasant
ness. They are the terror of the fisher
man: and since these fishermen are gen
orally Sicilian dagos of the worst sort
hope the stingrays may increase In the
same proportion as the dago- In fact
hope he NAV learn TO eat dagos yet. l
discovered the fish and called Tor Charlie
Walker to see it, / saw the tai was cut
out; | determined TO secure it; found it
hanging up on the house. But, alas, IN
the undertaking I had not thought OF
the fact that Window, the Utah mem
Der. was on the island. as usual the
amt got away with the gentle. he Sc
cured the tail. Upon hearing Of this
Gov. Adams said sarcastically, ne had
formed different opinion OF me. In
fact could scarcely prevent him from
abiding to il in detailing the PECULIAR
ties OF the committee at the great ban
Guet in San Antonio that night.
The foregoing was written, II the
main. on the Island; but just as | fin
ished it the Alfred and sammy had
been secured and arrived from below Us
where she had been riding out the storm.