The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-09-02
Cobb,s Island, Past and Present.

resorts Of Virginia fnot Of the country
1t consisted, rs | now recall, Of SOM
20 acres Of land, with hotel, cottages
private homes, gardens, shade trees
&c.
For surf bathing, fishing, sailing
Shaking, shooting il had no superior
and, as | believe, no equal. During
those days when the tired business
man went there il was 10 throw of the
cares Of business, the exacting de
mands Of store, bank, factory, Office
and not take up the still more eXacting
demands Of fashionable life i'm theiI
stead, but just to pull of the coat, if
one cared To, and rest i'm simplest.
surest and most satisfactory way
When tired Of resting he could swim,
and when tired Of swimming he could
sail, and when tired of sailing he could
fish, and when tired of1ishing he could
30 a cunning, and when tired good
he could go tO bed 10 be famed by
ocean breezes and lolled to sleep 10y
ocean lullibies. l remember that as a
general thing l caught my own fish,
tOnged my own oysters, laid violent
hands on my own crabs, carried them
TO the cook aud had them returned to
my " place at the table. Some 9TH
er people may have had "a good ''eat-
ings" at some other place and at some
other time hut AZ to this / have my
doubts.
But Cobb's Of that day was not CIV
EN- up to tired business mel alone, but
held out inducements to the deyotee Of
pleasure a. well. / recall the boys and
girls, grown up boys and girls Of the
seventies, and do not remember ever
to have listened to merrier peals of
laughter, or sweeter strains Of music,
or to have seen more Of grace in the
dance, or glee among the pillows, or
excitement on any race course, or more
Of chivalry among the boys or Of
charm among the girls than / heard
and saw on this the dearest pleasure
ground Of all / have ever known.
But the Cobb's Of we old times is no
more. Only yesterday l sailed over
the spot where the hotel stood and
watched the dance Of the pillows rath-
or than that Of the bellies, and listened
to oceans roar rather than the strains
Of music made by man. Not vestige
Of the island remains, n0r spot TO mark
where the living lived or where the
dead were buried. The remorseless
sea has swallowed up land, and tree,
and home and family burylng-ground,
the "waters Wild" flow DER the plea
sure ground and scores have been left
"lsmentIng."
On a spot Of land hard by the old
site, a grandson Of the founder Of the
historic place has built a club house
furnished a number Of rooms, keeps a
good cook i'm service and invites the
OF the old island and all who
can to enjoy the comforts and luKuries
Of unrestrained ocean life TO come an d
see him. The bathing, fishing, sailing,
cunning remains unhurt by wind and
and are just as woolng a. when
JObbs shOne out in ancient glory.
About one hundred yards north Of
he club house is located one Of the
United States Life Saving Stations, a
place Of unusual interest to the one
Who sees 1t for the first time. Capt. 1
Andrews, with a crew Of seven men, is
n command and / never knew Of
warmer welcome than they are ready j
o extend to visitors. With the vete-
Captain AZ my guide j examined
he boats with all the furnishings with '
which they are supplied for emergen- :
les which arise at sea, and was greatly
Interested in all | saw and heard. | ,
Ind not know before that boats were
made 70 as to be absolutely uniillbale
md unsuitable. Az they turned over
u the rough sea they simply turn back
ntO normal position, and as they iii ]
With water they at OnCe until them \
elves. The most timid Of us would
lot feel much concern II we were out v
n the open sea i'm such boats, and with e
UGH a crew to man them. They are
often called on to rescue those who o
re In peril at sea IN their peculiar /
oundary, but when the cry does come
is emergent and no time to be lost.
hey heard it on a bitter, cold, stormy
ay IN January last, and through icy
arriers and teeth OF a cruel blizzard =
ayed six American seamen from wa
Dry graves. To hear the rescue de-
crlbed in all its details quickens the :,
ulse beat and we'll nigh causes the -
air TO stand on end. The men are on ;,
uty four hours each during the night, -,
nd are drilled in their duties day by
ay. l was surprised to learn that
lOugh Americans all, who speak only =
ne English tongue, they can talk to ;,
ne nations Of earth by means Of sig
made by flags. q
This drill is strikingly interesting d,
he men Of the crew are allowed vaoa =
during the months Of June and
uly, the stOrmless months Of the
ear | presume, but Capt. Andrews re-
lains on duty from January TO Jan
airy again. The monotony Of the life "
.ould keep me out Of ii, and yet | new -.
saw a merrier crew, and though no
oman's hand il on the helm, | never I,
wv q cleaner home or more Of order in u
ousehOld affairs. / remember my !
with unusual satisfaction and
and have come away with n
lore admiration for Uncle Sam as a
aver. -,
o."