The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-07-11
EASTERN CAROLINA.
Mr.. Hicks Gives Us an Interesting
and Amusing Account Of His Trip
to Roanoke Island

Capt. W. B. Shaw has for years been
telling his friends in Henderson about |
the beauties and pleasures of the Eastern
part OF the State, with the result OF
several of them to desire to Zee
aud enjoy them. The wish took shape
on July End, when, at $50 q. m, thirteen
of US boarded the Atlanta Special, which
was on time, for q five 90 days outing
on Roanoke Island, Albemarle Sound,
and the surf and beach of the Atlantic
ocean. We went, we saw, and were
and declared, as Sheba's
Queen, that the half had not been told"
1t was suggested that l write some
account of the trip and have consented
to do 80, not in the hope OF edifying
those of the readers of the GOLD LEAF
who have Travelled, but for the benefit Of
those who have not, and to preserve in
convenient form for those of US who
went. to read some rainy day in years
to come, the incidents of SO delightful a
trip.
it was delightful from start to finish,
though the ride from Henderson to
Norfolk, going and returning, was made
in the night, which, but for the good
humor OF the party, might have grown
little wearisOme, especially al we lett
Norfolk at 8 p. m, waited from II to 3
q. m. at Weldon, and reached Henderson
between daylight and sunrise. Rat"
Powell explained why Weldon was SO
much abused, saying people formed
unfavorable impressions from having to
endure the annoyance OF waiting Tor
trains there. He said some man smarting
under that feeling once said, If it was
desired to swap off North Carolina to
some other government, Uncle Sam would
have to slap his hat over Weldon or the
other side wouldn't trade. Rat got
off another piece OF fine humor which
passed for original for several days, when
it occurred to some one in the party that
.Esop had related the incident some time
before. Something was said about the
difference in the ages OF Major Harris
and his wife, and "Rat" said it reminded
| him OF the man who had two wives, one
| old and one young, and the young one
nulled out all his gray hairs to make
him look young, and the old one pulled
| out all his black hairs to make him look
| old. like she was, till the old fellow got
right bald. Somebody made statement
about something, the accuracy OF which
| was Questioned, when evils" Hicks
remarked that he (Wils) had never tolt
a falsehood in his life This startled al
! of rs and some time was spent, as w
rolled along at 60 miles an hour, trying
to call to mind instances which WOull
show his error, but we had to fall bacl
on the sumner that the remark itsel
broke his record. Speaking OF cures 10
the tobacco habit, q man on the tran
said if one would take a small piece
raw Irish potato, soaked in vinegar
when he wanted q chew, it would tax
away the DESIRE Worth trying. The
we talked about boat riding and Sc
sickness. and Sam Harris said he ha
seen 200 people sea sick on a Bay Lin
boat at one time! Thus did we driv
,lrowsiness away as we rolled along
Down near Portsmouth and beyond, b
daylight, we saw the trucking interests
. acres on acres ofstring beans or" snaps,
tomatoes, Irish potatoes, cabbag
neanuts, etc. At Portsmouth we IA
the big boats and ships floating abol
> and enjoyed that delightful ride-a mi
= across the river to Norfolk for ~ cen
each. After 3 hours waiting in Norfol
l | utilized by the ladies in examining tt
shirt waists in the big dry goods store
though they had presumably one
Z more for each day they would De gon
e we left Norfolk at $40 a. m, July IN
Y for Elizabeth City by the Norfolk
' Southern railroad, distance 45 mile
, We reached there on time, IN TACT,
{ we're on time every time and there wa
8 barring q little mishap to one OF o
8 party which will not be mentioned mel
k not single incident to mar thepleasul
: We found on the return why this "
# thus: One OF our party carried the II
y hind foot of O grave yard rabbit O.
, rubbed q hunch-back person on t
h hmm and these two facts brought
q rood luck, without allowing anythi
for orr GOOD sense or the management
Can't Shaw, our" Commodore, so-callt
At Elizabeth City, on the river Pasqt
tank. which, from its width, e or
IS miles. J think | may safely say bulltro
W are falsely reputed to jump from ba
If to hank. we boarded the big steam
ia New Be,ne, and in a most delightful bree
~ after eating on board most dellcle
Or steam boat dinner, we sailed down
"a river and into and across the Albema
IL Sound As miles to Nags Head. TO
~ ~ the words river and creek, conveyed
idea of a large and small body
running water, but in that country II
Ia moan a bay or arm OF the sea EXTEND
mn into the land-it can not be seen I'll
thew are running water. Creeks arr
" mile or so wide and three or four m
a. long while rivers are two to five m
III WIDE and five to twenty miles long
10 sunnosed the Albemarle Sound was d
:" enough nearly all over to float
iv largest ships, but the ships follow
ns channel as closely as we do heroad,
or there are nearly all over it innumers
nd stakes or small pine stObs to wi
he fishing nets are tied in the fishing seas
nd The land down there is almost as Il
I'd as the water and it is quite likely t
d, over half of Albemarle Sound Is
a more than waist deep.
ic- In that country the wind blows str
les and bracing and unless ones head
to fits close it is necessary, when on boz
on- to have q string tied to your hat
raj the other end tied in a button-hole.
Lr. man, not of our party, lost his hat
I'M neglecting this precautlon. Inc
be swan beautifully and we could Sc
raj nearly a mile. The breeze blows a
cal of the time to sea-ward ana part OF
time to d-ward-causing one mo-
feel the heat. looked at thermom
ear July 9Th, at noon, it registered 81 deg
m | should have guessed, without 100
VS. at it, that it was about oo or oooe
W., Onr destination was the TraI
| House, TAT Mdutto, th0 Sooh'y go
use Dare, the most Easterly county in
OBJ State, "Murphy to Manteo," you KIN
is kent by Asa Evans. Capt. Shaw
described the man and the place to
He called him case" as il spelled
:. And would you believe it? he bad
. Watson's and John Williamson spic
> hanging up in the parlor. Ace W
member OF the Legislature OF 1887
it was a group OF that whole body
to be true must contain the afor
Jim and John. But the said " Ace
a frst-class man and tirst-class
keeper and had the largest smoke I
rit- in North Carolina, larger far thar
rel celebrated grape vine supposed to
hich been planted by Raleigh's Col IN
for 1887. which vine and its branches
itan. cover many acres. His smoke hou
pen the Albemarle Sound, and he and al
heir other inh abitants of Dare county
by are 3,76S OF them-census OF 1896
ever the same smoke house, and it 9.
r OF +hon, thor meat in due season.