The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-08-09
A Report from Beaufort.

'' i' iioN AtiS III, lOIH MS
an island, known as St. Helena,
and sends out arms to form other
islands, of which Beaufort Island is
one. AS an alert Irishman would
say, two-thirds Of the land in Beau
fort county is water and, Judging
from the rise in price. land seems to
be growing scarce and harder to find.
residences within the town which
were offered at $1,5OO eight years
ago, are now gradually bought for
$4,000 or more by willing purchasers.
The death of the phosphate industry
staggered the town for a while, but
the truck farms have restored life
and hope. l have heard reliable ru-
mors of one Beaufort citizen who
has received during this season, S45.-
900 for his lettuce and cucumbers.
The season has been splendid for
garden truck and all kinds of edi-
bles. and the farmers in that line of
business are feeling their oats..-and
corn too, may be.
ON Beaufort Island. which is ten
miles wide and twenty long. there is
not stream Of fresh water. In
many places, arms from the sea run
in and out. and each incoming tide
reduces the land area, temporarily at
least. The absence Of fresh water
and the sandy nature Of the soil COM
bine to reduce malarial evils to the
minimum and fever is not much in
evidence
The heat here at midday is in
tense ,and would make living un-
comfortable but for the fact that.
most Of the time, cooling winds
from the sea sweep up the river from
the South, so that the curtains are
kept tapping and the doors slam
ming, and one is made to believe he
is cool whether he is or not. To
Relieve a thing to be true is almost
equal to having it so, and the average
man can easily think himself into
a state of happiness or unhappiness.
just as he sees fit. The people who
are always discussing the hot wealth
er are the geratest sufferers from the
neat.
Ten years ago. the broad river
which runs in front Of and almost
around the town. was full Of sailing
craft, and their white wings were
greatly in evidence; but the motor
boat has usurped their place in these
last days, and vessel with sails has
become almost a curiosity. The
lively chug-chug Of the motor boat is
heard at all hours of the day and
into the night as they glide by on
pleasure or on business bent. They
come in from the islands, which lie
all around, bringing produce or visi-
tors to the Beaufort store. Just at
my back-door motor boat is used
at the ferry and fifty or more pas
sengers daily come to or from Ladv's
Island, which is about three quarters
of mile away. A generous friend of
mine-a Baptist deacon in these
lower regions"-has put his boat at
my disposal and in this make many
trips over the rilling waters. She
has IA 12-horse engine. a cabin and
cook room and one of my best
chums is George Moody, the colored
gentleman who runs the engine or
the cook stove with equal grace and
efficiency. We gave him and the
Dixie Il trial yesterday, with a fated
thirteen passengers aboard. and. pas
sing through a creek Is miles away
we paused upon the very brink of
the ocean, where we waded the
creeks. plodded through the sand.
rolled in the ocean surf and finally
gathered about the narrow dining
table on the Dixie To feast on food
prepared by our capable caterer.
George Moody. The chief dish. or
'he one best patronizcd contained
two dozen crabs. boiled in sea water.
When the dining engagement was
over with, the crabs had disaDpcared
ana thousand little fishes were
Quarrolling over the shells we had
cast into the sea. If we ever have 4
crab-cating contest. want To- en-
ter Mrs. Henry w. Cuttino. of Tin
dal, >. G. as a contender for the belt.
We had a charming day at the up
per end Of Bay Point Island. We
found party OF twelve there already
eight Beaufort girls i'm bathing
suits, with four boys. The boys
looked tired. The party had been
ON a four days outing, with a house