The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-07-14
A Trip To James Island.
"Wappoo Hail." James Island. S. {

Wappoo Hail." James Island, s. G.
July 10th. 1909.
Will begin this letter here orr the
highest point on the island. In front
Of me. looking west, is Stono River. to
tho right Is Wappoo Cut. to the left
Fort Pemberton. In the distance on
Stono Is phosphate washing plant
Behind me about four miles distant is
the city. Fifteen down Stono River,
south. Is the ocean. Keiwah Island
on the right and Folly Island on the
left. Yesterday we went down to Fol-
lv Beach In a gasoline launch that
Will carry twenty persons. Several
of us were sitting on the cabin roof
when we neared the inlet. and for
two miles II looked like the staunch
little craft. 20 feet long, 8 feet beam.
ond 4 feet draught would be engulf-
ed at any moment. The swells would
be higher than the cabin roof, but
each time she would rise over them
and with a splash that sent spray
over everything she would hit the
trough Of the next one. and look like
she was going straight through the
wall OF water ir front. but would rise
again and repeat the performance.
The big waves were not near SO scary
a. the little ones. for the slope was
not so steep nor the motion so jerky.
Sometimes the little ones would look
like they would break the boat in
two. but with her powerful 7-horse
power engine and an experienced cap
tain at the wheel we kept straight on
until we anchored In still water on
the northwest end Of Folly Island.
Donning bathing suits we were put
ashore In the "dinkie" and walked
for quarter Of a mile across the
sand dunes to the beach where "old
ocean" II perpetually wearing away
the land-several acres Of live oak
stumps and roots and limbs show
what II has done recently. To avoid
those snags we had to 60 q quarter Of
mile eastward toward Morris Is
land and then as far as the eye could
reach stretched the beach. It was
well for the safety Of. bathers that
this was necessary for the current
toward the mouth Of Stono River was
50 strong that grown man could not
stand against II in water three feet
deep. and whenever a wave knocked
him down he found himself several
feet further down the beach. The
wind and tide were so strong that It
would take ten minutes OF the hard
est kind of work to wade out far
enough to get under the curl of one
OF the breakers. and to stay out long
enough for three or four big ones to
break over you was all strong man
could do. And then he would have to
make for the shore, and be knocked
down by hve or six smaller waves be-
fore he would get out of reach of
them. We were fortunate. so those
familiar with the beach at this point
said. In striking combination of
wind and tide more awe-inspiring
than they had ever seen at Folly.
1t was too rough for any fishing.
So after our party had gotten safely
OF board. We left the Atlantic ocean
behind us and when out OF reach OF
its swell. In the lee OF Snake Island,
we cast anchor. and did ample justice
to our lunch. At s o'clock we were
back home with appetites keen for
dinner. and faces. arms and feet
ready for cold cream. There are on
every side remains Of old forts. Since
l have been here have seen several
old Spanish and English forts and
countless Confederate batteries and
earthworks. We passed over the
scene Of the capture Of the u. 8. Gun.
boat Isaac p. Smith yesterday. There
were two masked batteries. one At
Grimbairs Point on James IslaVd. and
the other q mile further down at
0rimbails Point on Johns Island.
When the Smith engaged the James
Island battery the Johns Island bat.
terry unmasked and opened on the
stern of the sunboat with the result
that II surrendered In short order. ]
think II ID somewhere stated that
this was the only time when land bat.
teriss captured q ship.
Stono River 10 from Ia mile to
1 q mile wide between the hanLo A,