Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-11-13
LOOK SEAWARp.

.. g
LOOK SEAWARD.
A great breakwater north of it i:
diminished and almost demolished
If the reader will take an imaginary
trip with me (take the real trip if you
go there this summer) will explain
and illustrate my meaning as we
journey. Imagine yourself at Prout's
Point. This is the extreme north
end of the island, seven miles from
the inhabited part that you always
think of when you speak of "Cobb's. ,
Mounting the sand hills and looking
ing southwark, you can see the dis
tant buildings, towards which we
shall leisurely journey, over this
seven miles stretch of sandy sea-
beach.
For our purpose it is necessary to
have the tide at low ebb, as you now
see it.
Before we start look seward.
That tiny islet of marsh, browning
those reefs, was once comparatively
large island itself Cargoes from
stranded vessels have been landed
and stored on its high ridges. AT
that time its reefs were shoaler, and
they stretched their protecting bar
riers much, very much farther sea
ward than they do to-day.
That outlying isllnd, with its sys-
TEN OF shoals, protected this upper
part of Cobb's Island. Aud the up
per length of Cobb's, with that outer
island and it's shoals, constituted the
breakwater that protected lower
J Cobb's with it's inhabitants.
Now let us journey southwark.
Notice how rapidly the island be-
gins to narrow. We have now tray
eled several miles, and are really at
what used to be the end Of Prout's
Island. Years ago, an inlet flowed
through here, dividing Prout's from
Cobb's. The inlet filled with sand,
and thus united the two islands. Not
far from; this inlet, about forty years
ago, hotel was built. Today its
site is under the sea, at least half a
mile from shore Observe how mar
row our ribbon has become.
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
At high water q strong arm can
throw shell from the sea that will
almost fall into the broadwater or
bay inside. Fifty years ago, it would
have required musket or rifle to
have sent missile from surf to bay
at this very place that is now SO mar
row.
When Mr.. Nathan Cobb, Sr. pur-
chased the island in 1887, wide
marsh extended itself along this in
ner side. One of its creeks ran di-
rectly from the broadwater towards
the sea. Mr.. Nathan Cobb, Jr. will
tell you to day that he often sailed
up this creek fastened his boat and
then, well-for awhile, Izaak Walton
himself might have envied "Uncle
Nathan" for the head of this creek
was famous fishing place, known as
The Deep Hole
Now picture to yourself that wide
meadow of marsh with it's creeks,
then the high extensive sandy stretch
between the marsh and the sea, and
you get an idea of the width of the
island at this place of fifty years ago
We are about at the place now and
as you see it is less than two hundred
yards wide. Just think of it, the sea
has removed the whole width of the
island here except the innost edge of
that old marsh and this is fast going
daily. And remember it was the
breakwater of lower Cobb's under
going destruction.
Little by little SO that you would
not miss it at the time, the sea bit of
and swirled away the whole breadth
of that wide sandy frontage. Then
it began on the marsh. Here its de-
structive invasions were most insid-
ious and deceptive. Pushing a belt
of sand ahead of il on the marsh il
hid both the marsh and its destruc
tive work. Some who frequented
that beach from childhood, growing
old as iinperceptibly as the islanc
was being destroyed, have stood OF
this beach recently in their old age
without realizing that the belt O
sand beach had moved inland, unit
they were now standing over ne very
inner marshes that they liza stood or
and tranped and gunned i'll theil
boyhood days. That is they did no
realize it until their attention wa
called to it.
MURDER WILL OUT.
Step down to the verge of the se'
at this point, and will show you tn
turfy edge of the marsh. Just Il
you would peel a banana beforc eat
ing it, so the sea has uncovered Chi
edge, before devouring it.
But you must catch the crafty Sc;
at the advantage Of low weter-a
we do now, TO see this.
1t hides it's ravages well, but a