Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-31
PRESS TRIP NOTE BOOK.
Some Impressions and incidents Re-
corded on the Charleston Trip.

some impressions dHC sHSiSch1o hS
corded on the Charleston Trip.
Although the story of the entertain
ment of the South Carolina Press as
sociation by the Charleston people, as
told in The Enquirer last Tuesday,
was reasonably comprehensive, exam
ination Of the leaves Of the note book
used on that occasion, discloses a num-
Der Of entries that seem to JUSTIFY more
or less amplification.
The Isle of Palms, on which is To-
Gated the Seashore hotel, is about ten
miles from the city Of Charleston. 1t Is
reached from Charleston by means OF
a ferry boat which plies between the
city and Mount Pleasant on the main
land. From Mount Pleasant there Is
an electric car line, which runs some
distance along the main land, thence
across a marsh that Is covered with
water at high dde, thence across a
deep creek on to Sullivan's Island,
thence along Sullivan's Island across
another narrow strip of water. The
Isle of Palms was formerly known as
Long Island. 1t Is a low lying sand
formation, twelve or fourteen miles In
length. covered with various kinds of
trees, including many palmettos. Some
Of the palmettos appear to be hundreds
Of years old; others are just coming
up out of the sand. All the trees on
the island except the palmettos are
dwarfish as to height and appear to
have been clipped off at the top. This
Is due to the strong winds that blow
from the sea, especially during the
winter. There is nothing about the
landscape that is especially inviting
except the shade Of the trees.
The Isle Of Palms beach Is really
what the Charleston people claim for
it, the finest bathing beach along the
whole Atlantic coast. 1t extends the
whole length of the island and slopes
gently from the shore for distance
that is difficult to estimate. A man
six feet high can wade out distance
Of a hundred yards before his head
would be covered; but ordinarily
bathers do not go beyond sixty or sew
enty yards.
Up-country people are naturally
disposed to associate surf bathing
with swimming. AS rule, however,
the surf bather does not swim. Even
though he be a frst-class swimmer he
avoids going out further than the depth
of his waist. The novelty and the ex-
ercise comes from wrestling with the
waves or breakers. These come roll
ing in from the sea toward the shore.
They gather, rise and break within a
distance of fifty or sixty feet, and are
often three, four and five feet high.
The bather jumps into them and al
lows them to carry him toward land,
dives under, and remains stationary
or gets on top and rides them. The
best Of swimmers, however, under
stand that 1t Is not a good idea to get
too far out, especially when the tide Is
ebbing, as there Is more or less danger
of being carried out to sea, or being
drowned in the undertow. Safety
ropes are stretched along the beach as
q guide to those who are without suf-
ficient judgment or experience to know
how far to venture.
II is a common thing to see from
fifty to several hundred people In the
surf at one time. Those who have
bathing suits of their own, and most
Charlestonians are In this class, keep
them at the bath house; others rent
the suits and dressing room privileges
at % cents a bath. Men, women and
children go into the surf indiscrimi-
nately, and they usually remain In
anywhere from fifteen or twenty min
utes to an hour. About half an hour
however, Is long enough, as the salt
water is very stimulating in its effect
and 1t Is not difficult to get too much
even of such a good thing.
There Is a good deal Of fishing go
ing on around the Isle Of Palms and
in fact all along between there and
Charleston and out at sea. The Isle
Of Palms Is a long narrow strip, gen.
orally not more than 1000 feet wide
On one side 1t is washed by the waves
Of the ocean and on the other side ],
is separated from the main land by
what Is called a creek, a deep narrow
strip of water seldom more than one
hundred yards wide. This creek Is
good place In which to catch certain
kinds of fish, mostly croakers and cat.
fish. The fishermen generally use
hooks and lines. At the ends OF the
lines there are heavy sinkers OF leac
and for a distance of a foot or two VI
there are attached a number OF hooks
by means Of shorter lines. The hooks
are baited with fish generally and al
ter throwing his lead out into the wa
ter the fisherman waits until he get:
his bite. Some times he catches two
or three fish at time, sometimes only
one and sometimes he loses all his bali
without getting any fish. The process
Is rather slow but not nearly so slow
as on most of the fresh water streams
up in this part of the country. The
fishing for market Is done mostly Dy
negroes who go far out to sea in small
boats only ten feet long. One Of the
most popular places Is what Is called
| the Blackfish Banks, about forty miles
| from the city. Here the fishermen re-
pair in great numbers, going out early
| in the morning and remaining all day
They fish with hooks and lines and
bring in large numbers Of fish, which
they dispose of to the fish dealers al
prices that net them from 81 to So fol
days work. Fishing Of this kind is
very hazardous. The fishermen use
sails generally to propel their boats
and they are referred to as the white
wings" Sometimes they are overtak-
en- by sudden squalls and when this
happens they have serious times. One
day about a year ago about forty
members of the white winged fleet
were lost in a single squall. But the
danger seems to have no effect upon
the fishermen. They continue to take
their lives in their hands as cheerfully
as IL their trade was as safe as any
other.
An exciting pastime Of Charleston
fishermen Is shark fishing. The fish
ermen repair to the wharfs, usually al
night, and near some large vessels,
where more or less refuse Is thrown
overheard and the sharks congregate.
The fisher for shark uses large hook,
several inches in length, to which Is
attached a strong chain, and to the
chain is fastened a strong line Of 100
or more feet in length, the end OF
which is looped over a convenient
post. The hook Is baited with a libe-
raj chunk of beef or salt pork and
thrown out into the harbor. II sharks
are around there Is something doing
in a very short space Of time, as the
shark is a veritable glutton and as
soon as the bait is struck, it is swal-
lowed and then comes an exciting tug
of war-shark against man. The man
of course, wins out, because there Is
always plenty Of help around, but this
does not lessen the excitement or the
sport, as considerable work Is requir-
ed 10 land a $50 or 200 pound shark.
There is always a jollification when
big shark Is captured by one OF the
wharf fishermen, because not only is
this fish considered the natural enc
my of the fishermen, but its flesh Is
considered, by some, fine as a food;
the big fish being cut up and sold by
IL oo,,,5 &c Staak The SnecieS of