The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-03-20

in the family today as memory
to him-except the geese
Except the geese?" I asked.
My brother Lorenza takes care
of the geese"
On the way to the goose pound
to see the geese, Lorenzo, told me
that the flock had been started
originally by Jethro Anderson
Midget about a hundred years
ago. "The mark has been reg
istered in the courthouse at Man
teo since about the time the
county was founded" he said.
"Off-web of each foot, is our
mark, he added.
In the old days just about ev-
cry family along the Outer Banks
owned a flock of tame Canadas.
They would keep them penned
up during the winter to use as
decoys. Then after the wild
geese had migrated in the spring
the decoys would be released to
roam the Outer Banks area for
breeding purposes. In the fall
when the new goslings were just
about grown there would be
goose pennings and goose mark
ings. Often the wings would be
pinioned so the young geese
would not turn wild and fly away
during the next spring migra-
ton.
When it became illegal to shoot
over live decoys most of the wild
geese owners disposed of their
lf1ocks. 1t is rather expensive
keeping geese penned up at the
price of corn today. One of the
few exceptions where the geese
are still privately owned along
the Banks is the flock here that
WAS originally started by the
|mid-19th Century sea captain
who had dreamed about the plat
tier.
"There's not much demand for
tame wild geese today, and I
lguess the reason we keep them is
mostly for sentimental reasons, "
lsaid Lorenzo.
Dream of Rasmus
| One of the mightiest Midgetts
to ever live along the Outer
Banks was Rasmus, father OF
christopher, Lorenzo and Arthur
who live here today. He is the
Midget who dreamed about mu-
tiny aboard a ship that was to
wreck on the beach while he was
a member of the Chicamacomico
crew at Rodanthe. 1t was Rasmus
who performed a feat that no
other member of the old Life
Saving Service and present day
Coast Guard have never equaled.
He rescued single handed, 10 men
from the barkentine Priscilla
during the August storm of 1899.
The Priscilla wrecked a few
miles south of Waves and at that
time Rasmus was a member of
the Gull Shoals Life Saving Sta
ton crew. He received the high
est peacetime award the govern
ment gives for saving life, a huge
golden medal from the United
States of America authorized by
an Act of Congress, June 20, 1874.
Christopher has the gold medal
lin his possession. If he shows it
to you, and he will if you ask to
see it, the fine engraved letter
ling you see on the back of the
medal will be as follows:
ITO Rasmus S. Midget for
Rescuing single-handed 10 men
from the wreck Priscilla, Aug.
10. l8es-In testimony of he
roic deeds in saving life from
the perils of the Sea-"
Christopher and Lorenzo were
never in the Coast Guard or Life
Saving services, but their broth
er Arthur V. Midget was a mem
Der and he too was awarded a
similar gold medal for the part
he played in helping rescue the
crew of the Mirlo when attacked
and set afire by an enemy sub
marine attack off Rodanthe in
1918.
''It was in February, 1889, that
my father Rasmus had dream
which foretold a shipwreck and
mutiny," said Christopher. "Hc
was stationed at Chicamacomico
at the time"
"He got up one morning and
while the crew were having
breakfast with their keeper, it
was Captain Joe Wescott, be-
ieve, he told them that they had
better start getting the beach APP
paratus in shape that he had
dreamed there would be a wreck
and that there had been mutiny
aboard the ship"
My father later told me that
they didn't put much stock in
his dream and that is why they
were all surprised when the man
ON patrol that night lighted his