Evening journal., 1899-02-23


where their vast marshy area.
Holland is the name Of very large
Family Of several branches OF bcth the
Eastern ad Western Shore of our state
But no member or this family ever
lived on Hollands Island, nor was the
island named for anyone a the FAM
lily. About one and a half centuries
ago this island was a quiet aud secret
resort for smugg,ers. whose leading
article Of merchandise was Holland
gin. This liquor was always then,
and is n,w. designated as Hollands" "
A colonial dealer in this spirit In the
EARLIER part Of the last century knew
OF the large but Illegal lmportatlOns Of
the then popular liquor and also where
to find It. From here It was distriIb-
uted to al. prominent points along the
shores and iniets Of our bay. Hence the
island was dubbed Hollands Island.
SMITHS ISLAND.
Kelee's strait separates Hollands
from the cluster known as Smiths Is
/ land-Holland's on the north and
Smiths on the south side OF the strait
Smiths Island consists, first OF large
cluster OF very small islets, extending
from Hedges strait southwardly to q
large island. which is. Smiths Island
/ proper Many OF these little islets are
uninhabited and consist often OF marsh
only But many Others have one or
| ri,stf
church. the schoorhcuse and post Of
flce, besides a few stores. are all To-
Gated on the large Island. All the in
habitants CT tae5e islands are very
punctual in llle.r church attendance.
Such as live on the small islands can
get to church only by crossing and
!. pass.rg Through in canoes the httlo
water passages separating the isleIts
from each c,her. and from the large
island. Yet on a bright Sunday morn
ing there may be seen canoes coming
from all directions bringing worship
ers to their neat little island church.
The schoo,hcuse is sufficiently large
lcr all the educational purposes cf
these islands, and the islanders are
fortunate in having competent instruc-
+ tors. The four churches on these is
lands-Deal's, Hollands, Smiths and
Tangier-are all Methodist Episcopal
and their pu.pits are usually filled with
' the beet talent Of the Wilmington Con
ference. Deals and Tangier each pay
J ST 600 in money TO ministerial support
E though the inhabltanes OF these TWO is
lands number respectively, only 1905
and $1,000. Smiths Island, includfne
: all the little isless on the north side
Of 1t, contains a thrifty population Of
y from 700 to 800 inhabitants.
, TANGIER ISLAND.
> Tanaer Island is the southernmost
S group Of that long system of islandr
I ami islefs that separates that vast and
beautiful sheet of water knIlwn as Tan
gier sourd from the wider and beldei
waters Of the Chesapeake bay. It. lies
; south Of the line serarutng Mary;an1
i from Virginia, and the.psore belong.
= 20 the latter slate Il is distant from
the shores OF Aecomac county, Va
about six miles. ana the vast body o
water lying between this island ank
g the main is popllarly known as POGO
3 moke sound; bu, THIS body Of water {.
/, but the southern part OF Tanete
d sound. Between tho two sounds no di
>. viding line can be drawn. The islanl
consists Of many parts, separated from
each other by little bodies Of water
S sometimes resembling canals. but dul
'e cut by the hand Of nature. On eacl
al OF these is one or more h.tle ridges,
- upon which oysteTmens homes ar
70 constructed There are no trees on tn
Island, and the occasional solitar,
x scrub that might be- called tree wa
le Planted there by the hanu Of man.
lie There islands form a most inreree.
N ing group, and no map has been draw
n, which accurately describes their topo
graphy. Tangier Island ike the othe
y islands, consists CT vast marshes
al These marshes inc,ose a sheet OF yer
re shallow water known as The Creek.
ot which affords excellent harbor 70
re light vessels in az kinds Of storms
= The island is from one and a-half 3
two miles Ing. and about three-quar
- ters OF a mile wide az its widest parl
y CHANGES GOING ON.
~ 1t is believed THAI Tangier scum
lnl was once continuation Of the Nanei
he coke river. The Chesapeake bay wa
Of once combination OF the susque
nv hanna. Its waters have been widene
- by the same processes that are no,
going on, and which no one can fail q
W see. These same processes widene
OF the water of what we ncw call Tan
le s.er sound. The MARSHES along tn
lie eastern shore Of the sound have bee
10 formed by the sediment from the Nan
IL ucoke, Wicomico, Mancldn and othe
tvers The present subsistence bega
9 long before the formation Of thes
IT, marshes began. Where the waters {
ef the sound are now lashed into in
is mense waveE and where they are noi
ns plowed by vessels Of large size othe
and older marshes were. thousands {
va years ago, heated; and net marshs
On alone, but solid ground on which gre,
re immense forests.
Is. Fifty years ago there was neiths
so church, schoolhouse nor post office o
Tangier sland
Since then wonderful innovation
nu nave been made Steamboats,. raj
a reads, new churches, handsome ,pai
rs sonages, public schools. With comm,