Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1961-09-08
Wotermen EuIogized
In New Lang Book


OF the Chesapeake-the men WIKI
make their living from the Ba,
and it's estuaries and remain a!
independent in thought and actor
today as their forebearers VIII,
helped found the Free State O
Maryland ARE the subjects of {
book by DR.. Marley Lang, some
time professor of English al
Johns Hopkins University, turned
licensed waterman and now, auth.
or.
DR.. Lang, whose book. Follow
The Water" was published this
week, has lived for several years
at Tunis Mills in Talbot County
on Maryland's Eastern Shore. A
student of life and skiller writer
he himself has engaged in the life
or the waterman-OySter crab.
bling, fishing, in season-and has
studied his watermen associates
with the eye of an understanding
keen observer. DIR. Lang has writ
ten, graphically, concisely and hum.
orously, a most comprehensive
story Of the life of the Underwater
Maryland waterman.
Influenced by family heritage, he
selected Talbot County. one of the
nations important areas for sea-
food production, as the base for
his explorations. DR.. Lang has
gone deeply into the various ele-
ments that make up the life and
viewpoint of the watermen, and the
orful existance.
Except for the publisher, John
f. Blair of Winston-Salem, N. c..
the book is entirely Talbot Coun-
ty project. The author himself. pho
tographs by H. Robins Hollyday OF
Easton, a map by marine artist
John Moll of Oxford-all are Tai
bot County representatiOns-giving
extra authenticity to the books
content. Then there is reproduction
of a wood carving of an oyster ton
ger by Mr.. Lang. and pictures OF
scale models of sailing vessels made
by William Mothershead of ST. Mi
chaels.
Reviewing the subjects covered
in Follow The Water" registering,
men. conservation or the lack of
it, the laws and their enforcement,
and other angles of interest-leads
TO the conclusion that practically
has been covered.
The book is crammed with an
ecdotes and humorous passages
which help throw light on the life
and mental outlook of these indi-
vidualists, and the stark drama that
surrounds an eXistance which par
Elephants take for granted.
Because Oystering, grabbing and
fishing are seasonal, it is explained
that watermen are frequently skill
ed and occupied in other lines.
They may be carpenters. farmers
boat builders, store clerks, min
listers. postal employees, dentists,
truck drivers, teachers, policemen.
saw mill hands, electricians or of
numerous other callings. But. in
the seasons, for most the water
lure is irresistible. They cherish
the independence as well as
the satisfactions that come from
this experience.
The hazards of following the
water" are also described, includ-
ing the uncertainties, the discom-
forts, the dangers wrought by ma
ture through the vagaries of wind,
sea, tide and weather, and the sea-
sonal Interruptions.
DIR. Lang, now a licensed, pro-
fessional waterman by choice. in
terest and desire, acquired a Phi.
ID. at Johns Hopkins University,
then taught English there and at
New York State College for Tea
cheers. He served three years in the
Army during World War II re-
turned to teaching for a time at its
but subsequently left
the teaching profession to take up
life on the Eastern Shore where
his parents had always kept a
home. He says he has found tong
ing and Grabbing much more inter-
esting than teaching English to
college students who should have
learned it before. and loves the life
he has adopted in Talbot County.
About the watermen. he says:
"Watermen are not docile. They
have an inveterate desire to do
things their own way. just as they
do when they work on the water.
Nor do they at all like taking or
ders. A nagging boss will soon
find himself minus workman.
Independence is fostered by the
job itself. A life lived mostly alone
on wide stretches of water under
all conditions of sea and weather
creates self-dependence impossible
to masses of men crammed into
cities"
There are about 355. 900 blind