The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-03-14

| "hull, ny VIC NoiSt VI lhC piali
me to hurry aboard, as the wind was shift
ing and he wanted to get to ''The Battery"
without being obliged to tack.
The boat on which was about to EN-
bark would on the Carolina coast be called
"a skip-jack," and in Maryland waters is
specifically known as "a dead-rise batteau. !"
This model, combining stability with great
lightness Of draught, is peculiarly adapted
to the shallow indentations about the head
of the Chesapeake, and to the half-dozen
mud-b bottom rivers which, in the vicinity
Of Havre de Grace, pour their wide and
sluggish streams into the bay. Small boats
of this description usually have two sails,
fore and aft, in imitation of the schooner;
but in the present instance the boat was
provided with one mast, carrying mainsail,
topsail and jib, from which circumstance
she secured the local appellation Of "a gait
topsail sloop" It is believed that this rig
insures greater speed and more facility in
handling, as the steersman has one sheet
rope to manage instead of two, and it is
therefore adopted for the vessels of the
police fleet.
As the big square mainsail and tapping
jib were slowly hoisted to their places on
the mast, | could readily believe that with
such Il spread of canvas the sloop must BE
very fast and quite capable OF oyerhauling
the usual Chesapeake boat. The ''crew, III
reality deputy policeman, informed me,
in response to a question, that the topsail
was never hoisted except in very light airs
and on occasions when it was desirable to
make an extra display
Captain | Inquired, as under the
influence of moderate east-hy-north
breeze we went dashnS past the dimiuu
tive wbite'washed lighthouse, what au-
thority have you in these waters?"
My commission allows me to prohibit
all unlawful shootings to seize guns OF
unusual size, to coniiscatc unlicensed boats,
and to arrest violators of the game-laws Of
the State. Those are my written instruc-
tons"
rs there much unlawful duck-shoot-
ing?"
'More thank you think" replied the
captain; more than anybody thinks who
has no chance to see it. Why, there is
hardly night that we don't overhaul five
There are plenty of whites and negroes
along the Cecil shore who make their living
out Of this bay, and who get most of it out
at night. Talk about licenses? Not one
Of them ever saw license, or would know
one if he did see it
1T not that land right ahead 2"
"That is Battery Island; so called be-
cause in the war of 1912 the citizens Of
Havre de Grace built fort there, in which
they mounted couple of little cannon.
The defence must have been weak, how
ever, for the British fleet sailed right past
the fort and captured the town, which they
burned, in revenge for the shots fired at
them. That lighthouse which you see to
the southeast stands on Turkey Point, at
the mouth Of Elk river, and eight miles
below it is the famous Point No-Point
which takes its name from the fact that
when you are out in the bay it looks like a
point, but when you go close to it you find
that there is no point there. 1t is like the
point of some arguments | have heard. "
And the captain did not disdain to initiate
Andy Pege, q celebrated Maryland char
acter, who was distinguished for the heart
mess with which he laughed at his own
jokes.
"Have you beat-a regular route
which you follow?' asked.
''Generally speaking, yes; though it is Of
course determined entirely by our knowl-
edge of the places which offer the best
opportu lities for illegal shooting. ! sup
pose you noticed that as soon as we passed
the Battery, Jake put the helm to starboard.
We are heading now toward the entrance
to that long narrow straight between the
mainland aid Spesute Island. The chan
nel there is so crooked that it is difficult to
get through against a head wind; and this
gives the pirates certain advantage of
which they arc not slow to avail themselves
when chased by the police sloops. BY the
way, did you ever hear how Spesutie
Island got its name? No Well, you---''
But the words died on the captains lips,
for at this moment there was Il sudden flash,
as Of lightning. away off to the westward,
aud few seconds later a dull heavy report
reached our cars.
$40 You hear that?' cried the com.
mandcr, turning to his assistant. "They'rC
, using that swivel-gun again in the mouth
= OF Bush river. Drop down into the cabin
. Jake, and hand up n couple OF Winchesters
= Those fellows are desperate men in theil
way, and would not hesitate, should We
, give them half a chance, to pour pound
of buck shot into the Wild Goose.
{ Taking the Winchesters, the captain and
a | placed ourselves in the bow, and peered
out into the thickening darkness ahead, as,
under Jacks skillful management, the
. sloop rapidly threaded the tortuous channel
, OF the narrow sound and dashed out into