West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-11-23


Ing waters are shoal and the wharf built on
piles. Is a quarter Of a mile from land
Passengers and goods have to be taken TO
the town in small sail boats managed by
men or boys who are as much at home on
the water as they are on the land. A very
lew trees may be seen among the houses.
There are some gardens, but no other cul.
tivation. and only two horses can be found
there. The people make a comfortable Iiv.
ing yet II comes entirely from the water
from hsh, crabs, oysters and clans. They
are all WHITEHALL but one solitary darkey.
| During recent severe winter. the island
was encompassed with ice. making Il al
most impossible for awhile for any vessel
to reach the town. Dependent as they are
| upon the outer world for all their pro.
visions, except what they take from the
water these people came near starving in
the very sight Of plenty.
Our steamer bumps against the wharf
and makes II creak. The water Is discol.
ored with mud. One OF the crew throws
hawser and 1t falls just where It Is wanted.
The wharfmaster losses the looped end
upon stout post The gang plank Is run
out and soon we hear the rattle OF wheel.
barrow trucks in the hands Of negro steve
dores When they are In the mood for H.
these fellows soon make a big hole in an
array OF sweet potato barrels or tomato
crates. They sing and chat one another
as they run back and forth.
We are again under way and heading for
low line Of shore in the southeast. The
churning OF the water leaves in the wake
q Ia H.
highway The edges are we'll defined as
the disturbed, foamy surface OF the lane
meets the deep blue Of the untroubled wa
ters without In the midst OF this lane is
the trail OF the stream like the wagon track
In the middle of a highway. All at once
we notice an agitated spot in the near dis.
tancs pair of porpoises have come TO
the surface 90 breathe All at once they
leap out OF the water within easy view,
plunge and swim across our path as though
IN play! The porpoise is not a fish. but an
at-bfeathing animal OF considerable size
linen we see swimming after us and keep
ing up With apparent ease pair Of round.
very thlck'boded fish. perhaps ten feet in
length.iThese gray. neutral.tinted fish di
rectlY below us are sharks, and they are on
overheard. II we we're in the water they
would consider us as refuse and eat ac-
cordlngly. Once IN while. one OF the
sharks whirls on his side and we have
glimpse OF a mouth we'll down on the under
side OF his head. The shark has to turn on
his back before he can bite. When we
come near the shore we will often see a soft
shelled crab swimming near the surface.
lhese crabs are considered great dainties
and many bushels OF them 90 to market
All around us, some times near and some
times Tar away. are sail boats. each con.
tanning a solitary man. Those with sails
set are In motion Those with sails furIed
are at rest and the man is at work These
people are "crabbers." "dredgers," or
''tongers." In deep water oysters are
aredged- In shallow water they are taken
up with tongs, and we some times notice
man feeling over the bottom with his i'm
PIGMENT. In one boat IS already a large
heap OF oysters. Here and there, and Der.
haps more than a mile from any land. we
see an Enclosure marked of by sticks set in
the water. This is a private oyster bank.
Clustering, Grabbing and claiming give
employment to many people, but in cold.
wet winter weather the work is one Of
hardship.
Away in the north we see another hshing
town out 10 the water. and learn that all
the people are Of three family groups and
worship az one church-tbe NJ. T.. South.
The white people In this region are OF pure
English stock. and their ancestors came
here in the earliest days ofVirgnia history.
We come TO the mouth OF Onancock
creek. On the coast the word creek means
narrow tidal inlet and not a stream Of
fresh water. We ascend the zigzag course
Of this creek for FIVE miles. and al the head
Of navigation is quite a town. The view is
pleasant and Interesting farm houses are
numerous. some times large and preten.
tous and they indicate prosperity The
country IS q dead level and so low that we
could look over it for several miles 10 belts
Of woodland did not break the continuity
Of view The timber is partly pine and
partly hardwood. The soil Is 6ne textured
loan yeIl0wish-grsy in color. and holds
moisture we'll Flowing Is done with a sin.
gle horse or mule. and the animal needs no
shoes Corn is topped and bladed for fod
der Oats are grown only Tor forage. but
tnere are Few horned cattle. The chief
market crop is sweet potatoes Of excellent
quality. Formerly che schooners trading
TO This section would buy the crop 90 the
held and Gig BE- a. their own expense
We are now To- the VIrgInian Florida. the
southern and narrow end Of a peninsula zoo
miles Iong and 10 broad FRI The middle. Per.
haps no portion Of BE- IS TOO feet above sea
level and steamers may run up the rivers
and inlets 70 a surprising distance. ftisa
sioneless. springiess land with a mild. soft
climate. and the natives make en- easy lly.
ing. Peaches take the place Of ihe oranges
q the other Florida Formerly there was
some malaria, bot chuls have now quite
disappeared although the mosquitoes have
rot. lese are fewesi along the salt water
front where The cir is particularly healthy.
lt Iooks IKE an ideal country FOR trucking
crops though Ike any other country this
soc pi tdcu Itis not free from outs"
bui ihe trio u.s. pleasant % one who likes
ar aI. day voyage Be-
SON LOST MOTHER.
Consqmpton runs ln our family and
l1fough 10 lost my Mother" writes r. b.
q HHa.e.