_ 
HUNTING AND FISHING GROUNDS AND PLEASURE RESORTS. 93 
A GOOD RENDEZVOUS. 
SHOOTING AND FISHING GROUNDS EASY OF 
ACCESS FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL. ‘ 
Although there is not much shooting 
and fishing in the District of Columbia 
proper, yet it isan excellent starting 
point for the game fields and angling 
waters of the adjacent States of Mary- 
land and Virginia. 
The Eastern sportsman can find no 
better rendezvous for good shooting dur- 
ing the Fail, Winter, and Spring months 
than Washington. Lines of railroads 
and steamboats centre there, over which 
the hunter can be taken in a few hours’ 
time to the finest quail, ruffed grouse, 
wild turkey, deer, and duck shooting 
grounds east of the Alleghany Moun- 
tains. The Potomac River and Chesa- 
peake Bay are the duck-hunters’ Para- 
dise in cold weather. Every morning the 
erack of heavy ten-gauge ducking guns 
is wafted back from the river to the Cap- 
ital, and flocks of teal, shufflers, and red- 
neck ducks may be seen flying over the 
river between Washington and Alexan- 
dria, or far back ovér the smooth waters 
of the Hastern Branch. Along the edges 
of the immense marshes that fringe the 
Virginia shore, small narrow skiffs, con-: 
taining the gunner and his pusher, glide 
along at the break of day, and the duck 
and widgeon fall easy victims to him who 
disturbs them in their search after early 
breakfasts, In the middle of the river 
flocks of teal and shufflers swim about 
obtaining food from the long grasses 
which cover the water at low tide. 
The Potomac River, from Washington 
to its mouth, a distance of about one 
hundred and ten miles, with its numer- ° 
ous creeks and inlets on both the Mary- 
land and Virginia shores, has always 
been a favorite resort for wild-fowl dur- 
ing their Spring and Autumn migra- 
tions, but more especially at the latter 
season, when they seem to be attracted 
to these waters by the abundance of food 
found on the flats and shoals where they 
stop for rest and to satisfy the cravings 
of hunger casued by their protracted 
flights through more northern regions. 
The Potomac—one of the most beauti- 
ful rivers of the North American conti- 
nent — off the City of Washington, is 
about a mile wide, but gradually expands 
until its mouth is reached, where it is 
twelve miles in width. From Washing- 
ton to Aquia Creek the water is fresh; 
but about that point it begins to grow 
brackish, and a few miles further on iy 
Blackiston’s Island, where it is quite salt. 
Pages might be filled and many readers 
wearied should an attempt be made to 
enumerate the many favorite duck-shoot- 
ing points on theriver. On the Virginia 
side of the Potomac, the nearest feeding- 
ground of the ducks is in an extensive 
cove just beyond Gravelly Point and near 
the Four-Mile Run, half way between 
Washington and Alexandria. A short 
distance below Alexandria is Hunting 
Creek, a favorite resort. Then comes 
Mount Vernon, with its extensive grass- 
covored flats. Poag Creek, Gunser Cove, 
and Craney Island are the next places, 
and this brings us to Occoquaw Bay, 
where the Valisneria is plentiful, and ean- 
vas-backs are gencrally quite abundant 
in that locality. Freestone, Cockpit, and 
.Brent’s Points are favorable projections 
for shooting ducks as they pass from one 
cove to another. Aquia Creek, Marl- 
borongh Point, Upper Machadoe Creek, 
Rosier’s Creek, Bluff Point, Mattox 
Creek, Faine’s Point, Curwinan Bay, 
Nomini Bay, Hollis Mersbes, Lower Ma- 
chodoc River, Elbow Point, Jackson’s 
Ureek, Ragged Point, Yeocomico River , 
