Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1899-08-10

was a pilot on lies Xivel
steamboat and Simon 1ard ~
eldest son Of Joseph s. zrd, ! r.
tersburg merchant. 81 how zbe5
talked Of old times on tz1 eeinez'
aud the days before ths Il. From
the captain considerab ;pfsrns.
ton was gained Is = he uas
history Of the Potomac, 1 mann
details forgotten by seward
were supplied.
The boat did not msk le1l}iof
ct Point Lockout, but x1
no difference since ii u
ards plan 70 travel baoL I'D 1lo1z
the route Of his escape s ! tten r.:
turn in an opposite dire Ion. We
arrived at Piney Point arly Wed.
nesday morning and fouSd j. man
who contracted to suppl pair OF
horses and wagon, notlo mention
fund Of information eoncerning
the country and recsl1sctions OF
places and people. Il Is . fortu-
nate contract We entere into with
this man. Captain Ada By name.
and throughout the trip We found
him . most agreeable ompanion.
We left our traps at The hotel and
took sail boat to Herring creek,
the point where Mr.. Se1ard crossed
the river the night Of hIs escape.
Where Seward Creased $hs River.
The wonderful mum6ry OF Mr..
Seward was demonstratzd here. He
did not recognize the n<suth Of the
creek, and it was no woIIder, as the
mouth had been shifted about bali
a mile by the ovstermen, Who used
the creek considerably md wanted
better outlet. A fortunate Incl
dent occurred here. me sailboat
was beached . short 5ietance from
the creek, and there ufbn the bank
we found an old 'sdueoutn canoe.
Ii bad lcng since been abandoned,
but the owner, who calae down at
our approach, said i reply to .
question we could h II for SO
cent?. ] wondered wh7 Mr.. Sew
ard had offered to purchase the rel
ic. for you could see the light of
day through q hundred holes and il
was heavy and filed with colony
Of ants.
elf | could get the very boat
crossed the river in the night of nv
escape you could not tell the differ
ence," Mr.. Seward explained.
The boat wss purchased, aud then
DIR. Seward set about making q few
alterations. THIS completed, he
expressed willingness to demon
strate how he crossed the river.
Mr.. Seward 10 nothing if not origi-
nal, and, filed with the excitement
OF the moment, he borrowed hat,
coat and shoes Of the negro and
took his place in the boat. while |
got a photograph Of him. 1t was q
ludicrous sight. indeed, and the
farmers who had congregated
laughed heartily. Bat to the prin-
cipal actor in the scene it was Q se-
rious affair, and he was meyer 9TH
ervise than earnest. The hat, he
said, was the exact counterpart of
the one he wore, and the coat would
do, while the shoes conld not be
improved upon. Several pictures
were taken ct this point, Mr.. Sew
ard, with all the exurberance of
youth, posing himself exactly as he
looked the night he escaped. Away
of in the distance, six niles acroas
the river, he pointed a1t Ragged
Point, where be landed, but reserv-
ed q full account Of that until he
returned. The wagon came up
shortly. and after making every bod !
q present Of money We entered the
best equipage st. Mary's boasted
and started on our long drive to
Point Lookout, thirty miles away.
Captain Adams did the driving,
and furnished several amusing an
ecdotes. The captain was pictur-
esque, tanned by the suns Of half a
century, rugged as a monntaineer,
rotund, jolly and lame.
Long and Interesting ziaf.
The trip was long one aud full
Of interest. On every hand there
are evidences of prosperity. and
st. Mary's county is By far the best
titled section Of Marylsnd ever
visited. The farms are well
kept, and excellent crops are every.
where TO be aeen. Enterprise and
thrift are dominant factors here.