Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-22
COBB'S ISLAND.
UNUSUALLY FINE SPORT. FISHING
AND CUNNING.
a Charming Company. and All That Goes
to Mako Up Pleasant sum.
msr Dating.
{From stan correspondent Of the Rich
mond Dispatch)

- --~e< ~ - sSs~~sss '"ss'-
msr Dating.
fFrom stan correspondent Of the Rich
mond Dispatch.)
C0BBS ISLAND, VA, July 1s.-The
consciousness Of duty 10 chronicle the
glorious sports and events at Cobb's comes
90 me with a shock not unlike that which
called forth an emphatic expletive from
the father OF kennelm Chillingly.
when his youthful. but philosophical son
Interrupted him when In the act OF hook
Ing a brook trout with the psychological
rejection: Father. were you ever struck
with the sense OF your own IDENTIFY?
Yes, there Is no time for reading.
writing, or cipherIng: II IL fish or hunt
pn tides. and battle, sail, compare
notes on game bagged. or make prepare
ton for other expeditions between tides
- the days ny by.
A GLuT OF FISH.
1t Is an undcnlable fact that the Ash
Ing at Cobb's has been growing poorer
and poorer for several years past. In
deed. Il had grown 80 bad until recently
that the fishermen were well-nigh dis
heartened but a new method OF hshing
was tried last week, and with such grau-
Tying success. that bushels and bushels
Of fine FISH have been thrown away, be
cause they could not be consumed upon
the island
BETwEEN THE DEVIL AND DEEP
SEA.
The revolution In fishing came about IN
this wise: Gulls In great numbers had
been seen for days lowering over anu
striking I'm the inlet and deep snip chah-
mel back OF the island. On saturday
Davis Isdell took a party or gentlemen,
consisting OF Professors Charles w. Kent
and w. NJ. Lille. Of the university: Mr..
X. w. Moore. of Fairfax. Va; Mr.. Charles
J.. James. OF Leesburg, Va. and Profes-
sor }. W. Kern, of Alexandria. out TO
investigate the character Of fish the BIRDS
were after. They drifted with the tide,
and were soon hauling I'm fine large trout
as fast as they could bait and pull. In
two hours and a half they had landed 20
fish. The sport still continues, and the
old habituc who arrives now VIII De sur
prised to see the fishing fleet driitins
through the inlet with calls up, instead
of anchored In Loon, and other channels
The guils hover over and strike at the
little fish known as silversdes, when are
driven to the top by schools of trout Feed
ing upon them below. We thus have prac-
tical exempifcatiOn OF the old saying
Between the devil and the deep sea.
A GREAT CATCH OF FISH.
Several parties have made trips TO the
Chesapeake Bay for blue fishing. All met
with success. but the catch OF the season
was made by Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr,
and Mr.. W. Ashby Jones. They tshed
with light rods. and In the first hour
and fifteen minutes caught % red drum
aggreaating 100 pounds. In the two hours
Immediately following they landed In the
same boat Io5 bluefish. This fishing was
done by means OF what Is known as
'chunming'-a machine somewhat Ike
n sausage grinder is placed on the side
Of the boat and barrel or SO Of FISH
caught In nets or pounds provided.
These are ground up and thrown over
board. The oil from the fish produces
n Slick upon the top of the water
which is carried for miles by the tide
The fish are thus attracted and finally
come up TO the boat often In great
quantities. II Is an exciting but by no
means clearly sport.
THE COMPANY.
There is a goodly company here, and
among them some charming people. The
place is comfortably filled. though not
crowded The hotel is as well, If not bet
ter kept than ever before. rms, now
ever, does not imply style, luxury. or
any great degree Of comfort. We have
good bread and the table generally Is
very good. This has been especially no.
ticeable since the arrival from Richmond
OF Harrison Holmes, the head-waiter IL
can be said in all truth. that Messrs. Cobb
& Spady are ever ready To do all In their
power to please their guests.
AS OF YORE.
Cobb's Il reached as Of yore. and about
the same schedule as last year Is run,
with the same little noisy gas-engine boat.
and its pretty little captain, Miss lonia
Roly.
MIR. J. Il. Williams. of the stage-line,
is as attentive and obliging as ever.
The islanders have large fleet OF COM
Portable and fast sailing boats for fishing
and sailing, and their prices are mode
rate The place was never so well sup
piled in this respect As the boys grow
up they are graduated for this business.
Captain Henry Cobb, the youngest, save
one. OF the Cobb family, mans his little
skin. the White Chief. with pride and
ability. and to the satisfaction OF his
patrons.
The cottage Of Rev. Thomas Dixon,
built last spring. and known as I'VE
Curlew Nest" Is a bright, cosy structure
II is "A great addition TO the island, ana
has been much admired
Birds are just beginning TO come in
plenty. Several fine punches OF gray
hack and other snipe have been brought
In.
The beach is excellent this year, and
bathing is greatly enjoyed.
PERSONAL.
General and Mrs. Harry Heth have been
here for three weeks. The General was
I'm very feeble health. and "a great a..
ferer from insomnia when he came. lie
Is wonderfully improved. and sleeps Ike
an infant.
Colonel Charles Wingo left last week.
much 10 the general regret. lie became
an expert blue fisherman and sailor during
his brief stay, and in addition thereto,
lost his umbrella.
Relies are plentiful, but beaux are sadly
needed. Among the charming young
ladies' from Richmond are Misses Lena
Bessie. and Lillian Hancock, and Miss
Bessie Catlin. go
Mrs. General Long of Charlottesville,
and Mrs. J. II. Lightfoot, of Richmond
are probably the most agreeable takers
among the married ladies'; Mrs. }. ID.
Burns. of Charlottesville. the most classi-
cally beautiful, and Mrs. Maude feliner'
of Pine Bluff, Ark, the most strikingly
statuesque.
MIR. w. T. Sturgis alias Sir Walter
Raleigh, of Northampton county Is the
same wonderful and convenient handbook
OF Cobb s-Island travel.
old Frank Reynolds shaved of his nous.
tache for a dollar the other day, ana
now he has neither the moustache nor the
dollar. but suli claims To 0e the hand-
somest man In Virginia. He holds the
knife. ~, H.
Handsome Carl Isdell and Miss Ester
Wyatt. both or the island, ran on last
spring. and were married in Maryland
Why they ran of. save for the romance
of the thing, no one knows.
The Virginia Press Association were 10
have met here next week. but the vice
president writes that owing TO the DIM
Guilty of obtaining transportation. the
meeting will not be held here this year
Among the guests here are: From
Richmond Mr.. w. 4. Hancock and fam
ily. MIR and Mrs. L. A. CatiIn and MISS
Ressie Catljn. MIR. and Mrs J. Ii. Light
foot Mr.. l.. c. Tucker and family, Mr.. j.
Felix Smith, Mr. X. Smith, Mr.. X. Ia
Arthur. Mr.. j. Il. Winston, and Colonel
ana Mrs c. OBJ. Cowardin and family
Major John w. Johnston and family, Miss
Lola Hatfield. and Miss NJ. Hatfield. New
York: Or. A. u. Mitchell Joseph hey-
nolds. Miss Reynolds, Mr.. ana Mrs v.
Dorsey, MIR. Marsh, General Heath ana
wife. Petersburg. Va; Mr.. J. w. HerFn
...xA ~all. ftaE al