Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-08

shooting was failure. Half an hours wading
was enough to convince the vice president and
the novice that there was nothing alive in the
marsh at that season, not even a MOSQUITO
SO an early start, without any partic-
ular destination in view, was decided
on Just as the wind set in the
shoulder of the sail oyster schooner cutting
before q brisk breeze. passed close by and q
little man with unkempt beard and a fine pene-
trating voice passed greetings to our skipper
He extended an invitation to follow him to the
oyster beds and it was promptly accepted
THE OYSTER SCHOONER.
The schooner had on board but the captain.
whom our skipper called Capt Frank, and a
little boy, his son. She was a twomaster, .
little larger than the Roxana, and her long
service was proclaimed by a patch here and
there on both hull and sail. The hull was
painted black, without stripe Of any other
color, and her sails were weather stained A
strong breeze sent her over the water at a lively
rate. She passed the little feet Of oyster boats
at the lower end of the island and
the Roxana followed in her wake Mile after
mile she sped along and we swiftly followed
after, without knowing or caring where we
were bound for. After a while we were almost
out OF sight of land and the sandy bottom could
be plainly seen running in potato ridges"
Now and then Capt. Frank would go up the
shrouds and take survey and then come down
and alter his course a little. As the land sank
lower on the horizon the sandy bottom rose
clearer to the view and for an hour or two we
sailed in the muddy trail Of the schooner drag
ging bottom, and in time left a muddy wake
behind Us. Now and then we would strike
ridge OF sand which threatened to stop US, but
We cut through under full sail. Presently
Capt Franks schooner went hard aground and
We shot by him by a close shave. About five
miles ahead OF rs was fleet of small oyster boats
and beyond them was the low ridge Of sand
which cuts of the sound from the ocean Capt.
Frank called to Us TO drive ahead as far as we
could and then get out and walk. Shortly
after the Roxana passed him he got afioat
again and came chasing behind and every
man was his own pilot. We wers in waters that
neither captain knew. There was plenty of
water, but il was spread ovsr such vast space
that IL made a pretty shallow coursing for the
sands. Before We got on. we had several in
teresting experiences. We had got probably
mile further IN when the skipper had decided
TO drop sail and anchor. similar idea struck
Capt Frank. Directly both schooners were at
anchor IN about two feet and q half OF water
Capt. Frank came aboard and explained that a
little further on the bottom was full of oysters
and that we could get them by wading.
wADISG FOR OYSTERS
Two miles away we could see men wadiny
about and showing small boats ahead of them.
We were at the oyster beds near Oryon inlet.
The president, the colonel and the novice de-
cided TO have some oysters. They rowed out IN
the yawl about two miles with the skipper and
with shoes and stockings and all their clothes
on. except that the wooden trousers were ex-
changed for thin ''oilskin," which looks water
proof. but isn't They jumped overheard and
chased the frsky oyster on its native heath. They
had to wade about and pick mp the oysters off
the bottom with their hands and many a cut
finger they got And they got wet, as the vice
president warned them they would IL they we're
not careful; they got tired and hungry,
eus fhey got oysters and lots OF them.