The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-15
AN ISLAND IN THE SEA.
QUAINT and PRIMITIVE PEOPLE
AND THINGS "COBBS."
shark Fishing Is n Fascinating sport ana
They nre Very Pientiful-some Notes
OF the Richmond Excursion.

The excursion to Cobb's Island by the
! steamer Pocahontas. remains as pleas
ant memory in the minds OF many who
enjoyed It. Seen from the sea, in the
track followed by the ocean steamers
NopD Island looks like part OF the
regular SHORE line. but 10 Is separated BY
SIX miles OF water from the mainland.
Its quaint Old-fashiOned appearance as
seen on approach is intensified by clos
pie.
The inhabitants are principally the chill
dren and grandchildren OF the original
settler after whom the island is named,
ana those whom they have married from
the mainland
They are industrious and honest, and
IL IS said that their code in the latter
respect Is 80 strong that nothing Is ever
stolen on the island and locks and keys
are looked on as useless cOntrivances.
Ihe only case Of theft remembered was
the stealing Of n watch by a negro and the
Cltulnstdnce so incensed the islanders
dnat ne only escaped death by a timely
night 10 the mainland
Long years ago, a New Englander nam
ed Cobb sailed down the Virginia COAST
probably on pleasure bent. and visited
thls little island, then unnhabted. The
next season he came again and bought
II for song.
He had q house framed in New Eng
land, and transported il TO Cobb's Island
where II was erected This house which
was the first ever built there, is still
standing, and now forms a part Of the
building used as "a kitchen for the hotel.
At his death the island was divided
among his three sons. Two Of them,
now old men. are living.
AN ISLAND PHILOSOPHER.
Not long since Nathan Cobb whose
share In the island remains undivided.
was offered $4,000 for his part by
Northern capitalists for summer resort
and he declined it, lie said he had
comfortable home and money enough 10
support him, and could not see what more
a man could want. -Four horses. twelve
cows, q few sheep. and a few dogs
comprise the animal life Of the island.
The inhabitable territory which COM
priscs an area not much larger than
Capitol Square has in the last few years
been encroachcd upon by the washing Of
the ocean storms and IL is possible that
in time the island may be entirely con-
sumed by the greed Of the waves.
a great storm few years ago made
q considerable change I'm the beach and
covered the narrow shore line extend
ing like a roadway for seven miles with
millions of shells. and h some places the
bank is not unlike McAdamized road in
appearance.
The shells are Of every variety and
gathering up the sh~lls by the sea
shore here. is n very fascinating pas
time, IN consequence of which the aV-
erage trunk leaves the island many
pounds heavier in weight than when it
arrived.
SHARK FISHING.
Shark fishing IS the sport for excel
lcuce at CObb's Island. They are very
plentiful i'm the shallow channels between
the island and the mainland. and every
visitor catches at least one shark before
he leaves.
The island bOatmon know their haunts.
just the right state of the tide. and the
best bait TO catch them with. Experience
has shown that the stineare is the
choicest morsel with which 10 beguile the
shark. ana when that curious fish such
a great dread Of bathers. can be- found,
30 is the bait used.
An iron hook as big as mans finger
and a stout rope complete the outfit.
The shark vary in length from two to
lie bites in a business-Iike way and
when he is hung he makes things lively
for a hundred feet around. If he can be
gotten up TO the boat another hook is
mouth and he can then be handled with
our much danger.
After strong pull his head is gotten
over the side Of the boat and "a club
the size of "A base bah bat does the
balance Of the execution.
II the catch is big one he IS taken
into the boat and mOOrei AZ the wharf
for the gaze of the curious, or perhaps
his backbone is made into n walking
cane for the proud capturer Of the ugly
fish.
The largest shark caught while the
Richmond eXcursiOnists were there vas
seven feet long A former Lynchburger.
Mr. Leo Burtord now living I'm Ken
lucky. few days before, caught ore
eight feet long.
For 81 an Islander took out his back
bone the sharks. not Mr. Burford's)
and cleaned and dressed it for a walk
ing cane.
The spine is as round and straight as
noe handle. and with an iron rod placed
D f|H ia u
walking cane.
II is light strong and flexible. and
when looking at the snowy white spine
] thought this must DE the source from
which Rev Dr. Dixon got his text for
his famous lecture on backbone
by the way. when the shark i'm oues- |
ton was caught thirteen little sharks |
We're thrown in for good measure i'm n |
Job lot. They were contained I'm shape |
less bags inside the mother shark in |
groups Of two or three. and when re- |
leased they swan around In q lively /
manner although they seemed 10 do so |
or were blind.