The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-06-15

~ ~ III dNCNpk1lK, ESPECIALLY
on not afternoons. On our beach the
gorgeous n costly style Of bathing
ogser Of Cape May or Long Branch
Is conspicuous by its bsence. as most
OF the bathefs disport themselves IN
pur4s naturalibus" or something very
near il.
In front of our door pass all the
crart going into o. out OF the Cape
Fear river. while the big suction
dredge, popularity called the sand suck
er. Is constantly in sight. This staunch
steamer is provided with large pipes.
one on each side. which drag on n
bottom through them powerful
pumps suck up a torrent Of water. sand
and mud and 80 keeps the channel open
and deepens IT When its bins are ruli.
the vessel steams out to sea and
dumps the sand into deep water and
returns for another load.
The tugs n pilots. towing in or out
the various s~chooners. barks and other
craft. are a frequent sight and they
often do a lively business. One of
them lately acquired the reputation of
doing a little flibuStering on the sly,
but with what truth I do not know.
Across the inlet the tall. white tower
Of Ball Head light house is a prominent
object by day and its regular flash. ev-
cry thirty seconds by night. tells that
OopNo4I - ~ HIS No@s.
Ships that pass in the night have a
faithful friend in this beacon which
warns hen OF the hidden dangers Of
Cape Fear.
The Oak Island life saving station is
nea by, but the crew are nov enjoying
their annual holiday. Captain Davis
is at the station and his hardy crew
are within call. should their services
be needed. The wreck of a large bark
c+flj 1ia- IN r1afp -i.7Y 80 -hn I,r n
witness of the dangerous shoal and the
work OF the station men. who rescued
its crew from certain death.
A pilot we'll acquainted with this bar
pointed out the other day the remains
of eight vessels Which came ashore
during the war, attempting to run the
| gauntlet of the hlockading squadron.
1t is interesting TO hear the personal
| "reminiscences of some of the older res
| ident pilots, who had much active ser
vice during the war and the recollec-
ton of those lively times seem to stir
their BLOOD in telling of it. One of the
Oldest of them, now perhaps 10 years
Did, asserts that he is still able and
ready to take the wheel and steer
through a hostile fleet on a lark night.
Those were exciting times and the
lucky ones made money rapidly. The
risk was great, though many made
trips with great regularity and with
out loss.
The only obstruction now is the bar,
made visible by the great semicircle
of snow white breakers embracing the
mouth of the river and several miles off
shore. Through this the sand sucker
keeps a constantly deepening channel
and a vessel drawing about twenty
two feet can pass safely through.
The captain of a schooner remarked
the other day hat he regards the
deepening Of our channels and harbOrs
as a misfortune, because it allows the
big tramp steamers to come in and get
the most of the carrying trade. The
big fish generally manage to gObble up
the SNAIL ones and it is about the same
way in trade. The days of the sail
ing ship. as a freighter, seems to be
numbered, for steam power is rapidly
pushing them out Of existence. Occa-
sionally we see a big tramp steamer
which Will carry as much half a
! dozen schOOners. One Of thie t went
aground on Frying Pan Sh last
January. She was finally pullt off by
the Southport tugs, after throwing
overheard a large quantity of kainit.
which proved the bulk of her cargo.
The empty bags Of that which was
thrown overheard still strow the beach.
their contents having long been dis
solved.
The turtle hunters are now getting
in their work and the beach is rarely
without one or more in search of the
| ggS The great sea turtle comes out
on the sand to deposit her eggs. She
usually chooses the night time and
selects a pot a little above high water
mark. Here she scoops out a hole,
about a foot and a half deep, into
which she place her eggs, neatly pack
ing the sand owe the spot. The cum
ming creature appears to know that her
| broad trail may be followed and her
nest d~eSpOiled, and to throw such enc
mics off the track she usually makes
one or two false nests, near the real
one. The eggs are spherical, about the
size of a hens egg, but instead of a
hard shell they have a soft, tough COW
ering, greatly resembling parchment,
The yellow part of the egg is the edi-
BILE part and may be prepared in many
ways. The white part does not appear
to be of albumen, as in other eggs. but
a Watery substance which will remain
liquid, no matter how long they be
boiled. Some times several hundred
eggs are found in one nest and the
lucky hunter often has to improvise a
means of getting them home. 1t is not
uncommon to hear of a hunter return
ing with his rousers filled like a bag.
| their lower eXtremitieS being tied With
strings and the bifucated bag, so made,
! astride of his shoulder.
To any one instructed in natural his
tory the beach is always interesting.
| New and curious forms of animal and
! plant life are constantly thrown up by
the surf. Large schools of mullets and
menhaden are frequently seen, and the
pOrpOise is everywhere.
Some times a big shark will cruise
| along near the shore, his tall back fin
cutting he water like a knife, and
| seeking what he may devOur.
This would be a fine place for fisher
men if they had a rapid can of
transportation to the interior. When
| Southport becomes connected with the
outside world, by railroad, the fishing
| and numerous other Industries will
| flourish. T. c. H.
Mr.. Eustis' Candid Critic
James B. Eustis. of louisiana. who is