The Washington herald., 1911-08-06
LIVINGIS CHEAP
ONTHE SHORESOF
THE CHESAPEAKE

! will reel off the miles to surpass any
| other bay boat.
! 1t IS curious that the district round
| about the Chesapeake has not attracted
| more outsiders. Considering how easy
| life is for the native there, it is q Won
der of wonders why the drlfters from
other parts OF the country have not set
tied there. 1t is doubtful If, even in
! the tropics, man can live with as
| little effort as he can along the Chesa-
peake shores. The land is exceedingly
| fertile. To raise a garden little more
| is necessary than TO hoe the ground
and put the seed into il. If the native
would add to his vegetable diet a mess
of fish all he has TO do is to hoist the
sail of his bateau or his skipjack. make
short run to the rock" fish for an
hour and return.
1t is even less trouble to secure a
mess of oysters. All the water-bor-
dering farms carry what is known as
oyster shore with them: that is to say.
the owner of waterfront farm has
the use of thS strip of water front,
usually 200 or 300 feet. that borders the
farm. The native. who would indulge
his appetite for oysters. simply gets into
his skiff and tongs them from the beds.
The productivity of these beds means
neither work nor culture of any kind. The
oysters simply grow in clusters in GER
''Aiii Sp''S, uStdIAS' IL - SupptStd' Nlltic
the fresh water springs well up through
the bottom. Nature looks after the job.
Terrnpin and Muskrut.
Along the shore the native also can
find CLAIMS and mannanoes. and in some
cases terrapin. II terrapin do frequent
his own water front IT is an easy enough
matter to shove over the flats in a skiff
to the common hunting ground OF the
marsh and seek them there. While he
is on the marsh the terrapin hunter can
shoot a few muskrats if he so desires.
the meat of which he eats, and ships the !
skins.
The muskrat, by the way. is a very /
much appreciated diet along the East /
ern Shore. 1t is by no means a rare
occurrence to have-the waiter OF one
of the local hotels reel OF list OF dishes
for dinner, something like this: Beef !
steak. fried oysters, fried clans, stewed
oysters. muskrat."
We have not mentioned wild game nor
crabs, the latter being abundant that
soft crabs are a well-nigh universal item
of diet all along the bay from May till
September.
The round of the Eastern Shoreman's
life, from the standpoint of providing
for his needs. is practically this: He
raises on his small farm Cthe majority
Of the farms are very smal) enough OF
potatoes, cabbages, turnips, and such
vegetables to carry over supply for the
winter. The refuse from his table feeds
the hogs. which give him his supply OF
winter meat
BY indulging his love for fishing he
Is enabled to put up'-that is to say,
salt away-enough trout, bluefsh, spots,
founders. sufficient for a very splendid
winter supply OF this diet. At the same
time, you will understand. he has fresh
vegetables and fresh air while they ara
in season.
Terrapin can be caught In the winter
as well as summer, likewise eels and
muskrats, and during the winter there
is an abundance OF wild ducks. All In
the world the average native has 20
worry him Is the interest on the mort
gage-usually there being n good crop ot
thesen also--and clothes.
Conditions on the Western Shore are
not very different. over there. along the
Potomac, tho Rappahannock, the Plan
kstank. and the other rivers, there IL
something more Of a commercial spirit.
But. generally speakins. life " sssy-go-
Ing there. too.