284 BEACH GRASS 



of anchors and the ebb, he "swung her into the 

 stream and across to Hog Island." Here he put 

 skids and rollers under it and a hay-maker kindly 

 hitched his team to the land and water craft 

 and "in fifteen minutes hauled her up to a safe 

 anchorage above the highest tides." "I was 

 afraid I would make a mess of the job" he said, 

 "but I didn't and it didn't cost me a cent, for the 

 hay-maker wouldn't take anything for his help, 

 and I think he was pleased by some eels I gave 

 him." A strenuous job for even a young man 

 to tackle single handed, and he almost ninety I 

 But he put it through without a hitch and "didn't 

 make a mess of it I" There is courage and vigor 

 and sand, say I, born of life on the sea and in the 

 dunes ! 



At the age of ninety-two he came as usual to 

 his shanty on Hog Island. He had rowed and 

 sailed alone in his dory from Newburyport 

 going down the Merrimac River, through Plum 

 Island River and Sound, up the Ipswich River 

 and Fox Creek, and finally through the canal to 

 Castle-neck River and so down to his beach at 

 Hog Island. He told me he had a cough in the 



