The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1959-06-19
REcOLLEcTlONS OF OLD
DAYS OF STEAMBOATS,
ON CAROLINA WATERS

ON CAROLINA WATERS
/ recall, the same as if it We're
yesterday, the afternoon the
Steamer Ocracoke, on her maiden
voyage came up the Pamlico River
enroute to Washington, North
Carolina. I was on my way home
from school and had passed the
Methodist church, the Atlantic
Coast Line freight station and
was approaching the wharf where
the steamers locked, when I heard
the continuous blowing of the
Ocracoke's whistle. Steamboats, al
ways seemed to have prettier
whistles-not the kind the lumber
mills used to let the mill hands
know when to start and stop
working.
When I came to the river, l
waited until the Ocracoke came in
sight and then I noticed it was
heading on to the wharf, it's glean-
ing new white paint reflected in
the afternoon sun. l walked on
down to the dock and when the
Ocracoke tied up l went aboard to
look around, boy like, to see what
I could see.
Today, the Mayor and the Cham
Der of Commerce would be on hand
to welcome the new Steamer, but
if there was anyone there except
the employees of the Steamship
Company, did not notice them.
Today the Company would serve
refreshments and there would be
a grand celebration, but from all
appearances the arrival of this
steamer was taken as a matter of
course.
The next time 1 recall seeing the
Ocracoke was when l went down
one Saturday night on an excur-
sion to Ocracoke Island. The
Steamer left Washington Satur-
day night late and arrived at the
lay boat at Ocracoke early Sunday
morning. There were so many folks
on the boat that pallets had been
laid down on the decks and most OF
the passengers, including myself.
slept on them. Pallets were moth
ing new to me. Whenever, we had
company at our house, all of the
children slept on pallets, l rather
enjoyed it. We always played like
we were out camping.
/ do not know much about the
preparations for these trips, but
apparently the Steamship Com
pany had made arrangements fol
getting the passengers ashore
from the layboat-and apparently
had allocated them around to vari-
GUS homes for breakfast.
l remember that this was the
first time in my life that l recalled
eating freshly corned mullet, and
from that day to this / contend
there is no better fish in the sea
than mullet and no better way to
prepare them, than the way they
prepared them that Sunday morn
ing at Ocracoke. Perhaps the TRIP
across Pamlico Sound and the early
morning salt air had whetted oul
appetites. Be that as it may, we
are still loyal to the mullet.
We spent the day sightseeing
For many of US this was the first
time we had ever seen the Atlantic
Ocean or had an opportunity to
nick up souvenirs along Nthe beach
BY the thine we were due to re-
turn to the Steamer, the day wal
almost gone and before we reached
the mouth of the Pamilco River
night had fallen. This was in the
heyday of the "Sanctifieds", whs
moved around from place to plac'
on boats that looked like barges
They were tied up somewhere neal
the mouth of Pamlico River ano
as we passed they were singing
"Beulah Land. If there is an!
sweeter music than a group Of un.
trained voices singing "Beulal
Land" across the water at night
1 I have never heard it, and hav'
listened to a lot of music in my