The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-24
QUAINT TANGIER ISLAND
MANY CANALS MAKE 1T A PRACTI-
CAL, H UNROMANTIC, VENICE.
Inhabitants Punt Boats as Constantly
and UncOEcernedIy People of
Other Places Use the Streets.

uOn called Iangler SOUND is situated the
quaint island of Tangier, an island that is
without a counterpart in this country. 1t
is Holland without its dykes and windmills;
it is Venice without its picturesque archi-
lecture
Tangier island is situated 125 miles south
of Baltimore. The island is about five
miles long and three-quarters of a mile in
width, and contains a population of about
1,40o. and derives its revenues from the fish
crabs and oysters which abound in the
waters of the bay and sound.
There are no wagons, for the reason that
there are no horses to draw them, and no
roads over which the wagons could be
driven. The streets seem to resemble cOun-
try lanes, with the exception of the one
street Of the island known as King street
which is only nine feet wide, and which
follows the highest land Of the island from
the landing wharf at the south end 10 the
bridge which connects the main part of the
island to that portion of the island farther
north, known as Canaan.
But the absence of streets is not detri-
ment to this island community, for each
building lot has its own private canal, by
which the occupants float their fat-bot-
from the larger boats out in the harbor
their supplies of wood or other necessaries
needed for the demands of housekeeping
for the island is without wood, and garden
ing is carried on to a very limited extent,
for the islanders are fishermen, oystermen
and crabberS, ana agriculture is not de-
pended on to any great extent, although
the soil seems well adapted for gardening
and corn raising; but the difficulties of till
ing the ground seem to keep many from
gardening, and there seems TO be plenty OF
ground which might be used for the raising
Of corn and potatoes if there were a DISPOSE
ton to forsake the water for the land.
And so. with the little canal running to
the back yard OF each mouse, and with each
householder provided with one or more
boats, the use of horses as beasts of bur-
den or for the purposes of pleasure seems to
be fully supplied by the boats But TO the
stranger the spectacle of a boat passing
through what. at a distance, seems to be a
fiat meadow, is one which is full of novelty
and a constant source of amusement.
The landing stage at which the steamers
land passengers and freight for Tangier is
fully a mile from the nearest point of the
island, and here you will find, upon the ar
rival of the steamer, motley collection of
boats waiting, some OF them for passen-
gers, others are waiting for freight-fOr
there are five stores on the isand and
others come from motives of curiosity, for
there is railroad station TO interest the
idle, and old-fashioned stage-coach
would probably cause as much excitement
a circus parade. with it's gaily-decorated
wagons, causes in rural communities.
A HAVEN OF REST
But this is without doubt the haven of
perpetual rest. Jealousy has never been
awakened by the advent of a caved-in
pulled down Panama hat, the quiet has
never been disturbed by rag-time music,
the hand-organ with it's accompanying
monkey is but a tradition on this peaceful
island soda water except the bottled kind
is unknown, ice cream is served on Satur-
day nights. the real gala night of the ISL
and, and the children lull their dolls to
sleep with the music of gospel hymns.
And yet / would not have anyone think
that the people are not musical, and that
the children nave no joys. To the contrary
nearly every home possesses an organ.
and the children are the gladdest, happiest
children l have ever seen, and while il is
true they do not have the same kind of
toys used by the children of the mainland,
every boy has his grabbing net and his fiat
bOttOmed boat TO pole about the shallow
waters of the sound and the triumphal re-
turn of a small boy along the main street
with edible crab in his net, closely fol-
lowed by a crowd of admiring urchins of
smaller growth is a common sight at Tan
gier.
And what finer sport is INDUCED in by
boys in any section of the country than
the wading and the swimming, and jump
ing off from some of the anchored craft
into the soft ooZy mud at low tide. No
one who has seen the Tangier youngsters
at play and noticed their mud-bespattered
trousers, and their torn straw hats, their
bronzed and freckled faces, or has seen
the skill and the facility with which boys
of nine handle their boats around the
island need feel any pity for these boys,
and the chance is that instead of pity there
will come a sensation of envy, and the
wish for the return of days of boyhood.
Saturday night is the gala night of the
island. and this is due TO the fact that this
is the night of all the week when the male
population of the island is at home. Dur
ing the remainder of the week, from day
break Monday morning until Saturday aft
ternOOn, the fishers and the crabbers are
away from home but on Saturday after
noon the boats may be seen sailing home
ward and at the landings crowds of chill
dren are waiting to greet the fathers who
have been absent all the week, and this
is pay day for the children.
On Saturday afternoons and Sundays the
anchoring places around the eastern side
of the island are well filled with the boats
that have been absent during the week
and on shore the burden of conversation
on Saturday afternoon relates TO the catch
of the week and the prices which different
fishers or crabbers have received for their
weeks work. At the present time, owing
to the scarcity of crabs, good prices pre-
vail, and every sOft-shell crab means 8
cents to the crabber, and boats are sta
toned about the grabbing grounds which
are ready TO purchase the crabs as soon
as caught. 1t is not uncommon for crab
bers to receive from $S5 70 $50 for the week
catch.
THE CHURCH'S PROMINENCE.
The whole island is Methodist in religious
belief. and a very enthusiastic and pros
porous Methodist Church is located on the
island. This church is one of the first OBJ
jects that is noticed upon nearing the
island, as its tall spire is readily seen above
the tops OF the other buildings and the
small trees which grow on the island. This
church is the finest and most ambitious
building on the island, and next to this
the parsonage is probably the best build
ing. Religion has secured a strong foot
ing, and the people are almost universally
members of the church.
Outside of the church there is little in
the way of entertainment for the islanders
and consequently the church is the leader
in society we'll in morals. The
Fourth of July is quietly side-rracked into
a festival for church purposes, and the
sisters of the church furnish the dinner, of
which all the islanders are expected TO
partake at a reasonable expenditure. Other
sisters preside at booths covered with the
sails from the vessels at anchor during
that day, and from these booths dispense
lemonade. candy and cakes, all for the ben
eft of the treasury of the church
The women of Tangier are hardy class,
and not at all wanting in good looks. and