436 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Dec. 88, 1886. 



Well nigh used up, I had to stop for breath and put the boat on 

 her i-ight course. Bhe had driven near the breakers, but by keep- 

 iug her up a little would pass beyond when she could be sent 

 across the shoal and into smoother ^vater. The gale was howling 

 its worst and f?recn mountains of v,ild water were heaping up 

 hieher and hiKher. To make certain of a safe crossing the yacht 

 ha'^d to be sailed well out to the lighthouse, for it was no longer 

 possible to distinguish the tail of tiie shoal, the water being a mass 

 of soap suds and curling over in bailing foam all round the hori- 

 zon. The rain had ceased, but the drift was .spurning so fiercely 

 that no difference could be felt. My teeth were chattering with 

 the cold and slop after slop found its way down about the neck 

 into the innermost recesses of my clothing. The little Coot was 

 laboring and wallo-ndng along more dead than alive. The water 

 broke clear over lier cabin house and poured out in streams at the 

 sides and over the counter. She was practically submerged and 

 seldom shool: hei'self clear. Tlie skiff towing astern had butted 

 her nose to pieces and filled several times. By steeriug Avlth my 

 body I had battled her up to the quarter and canted her with the 

 painter enough to spill most of the contents. As we approacbcd 

 the shoal the sea grew very bad and I had my doubts about getting 

 over -without being pooped and sunk. I v.-as deliberating upon an 

 Improvised sea anclior, by which tlie boat could be cased over the 

 shoal, stern first, witliout any canvas. It seemed to bo the last 

 re.sort. Just then the skiff capsized. I righted her once, but she 

 tunied bottom vvi again and tacked across the Coot's wake, fetch- 

 ing up with a fearful tug on the double painter. SometMnghad to 

 go, and that soon. Save the skiff or save myself seemed to be the 

 question. There came another awful jerk and another. The 

 third was too much. The painter parted. So did the skiff. The 

 upper stvake of the yacht's counter was likewise torn fi'om the 

 hood-ends and opened a gap of half an inch across the ends of the 

 deck planking, through which the water freely trickled down be- 

 low. I cast one longing glance at the departing skiff and "heaved 

 a sigh' of sorrow." For six months she had been my constant 

 compaion and to shift without such a tzseftil adjunct seemed im- 

 possiliilo. She could not be replaced in the South for want of ma- 

 terials and mecha.nl cs. To turn the Coot up in such weather 

 would have been madness. Besides I could not. We had already 

 hauled up into shoal water and with great risk jibed over to port. 

 A mass of cross sea struck the Coot's flaring bow, as she fell nose 

 first into a hollow, oarromed up and flew slap into the sail with a 

 diill tliud. I looked up ^vith disgust. The blow burst the sail in 

 three places. The gale took hold and ripped up the canvas in long 

 gaslies. isothing now remained but to sink the Coot outright, but 

 we had luckily forestalled the furious elements, being by this time 

 able to haul up for the lee of the shoal. Once across the spit the 

 sea smoothed in a few moments, and with the exception of a fur- 

 ther dusting, the Coot lugged her ragged canvas in to the Ijeach 

 where anchor wnti let go after a very narrow squeak for the yacht 

 and her crew. Never before did a weather shore seem to smile 

 such a generous welcome as the gi-aveUy sands stretching east 

 from Long Shoal Point. Danced a jig, lit a pipe, started the cof- 

 fee and stood out in the breeze to dry, the recipient of numerous 

 congratulations from myself to myself, supplemented with a feel- 

 ing of relief, afforded by the prevailing quiet after the rude cuffing 

 from the tempest and the uncongeninl mental strain brought about 

 by figuring on probabilities of your own fimeral. 



Two hours later affairs wore a brighter look. Tlie forbidding 

 clouds had passed away and the horizon had partially cleared. 

 The gale had materially subsided and was no more than a close 

 reef breeze, 1 had dried in the wind, enjoyed lunch and a rest, 

 after which the third reef was snugged dovm in good shape and 

 the sail stitched up temporarily. The next thing was to seek a 

 harbor where permanent repairs could be effected. Far Creek, 

 the nearest settlement, was twelve miles away, and Middleton 

 about si.Ueen. I had been told that the Coot could not get up 

 Middle River to t he latter town, and the cbai t showed only 1ft, of 

 water. So the boat was got under -way for Far Creek, but over- 

 stood and brought up in more misery to complete the adventures 

 of the day. Smooth water and plenty of wind bowled us to the 

 westward until abreast of Long Shoal Point and the bay of the 

 same name. A sand siiit makes out half way across the mouth 

 and another runs out to sea from the opposite cape, -with most 

 watei- close in shore. The Coot was hauled up round Long Shoal 

 Point, picking her way by aid of a sounding pole. The lead, I 

 should say, had long ago been abandoned as impracticable in shoal 

 water, a light pole being handier and more certain, and in uni^'er- 

 sal use among the native boatmen. Crossing the bay, the inshore 

 "slew" was found, and with a few inches under her keel, the Coot 

 got out into deep water again. The sea was still running liigh and 

 tlie fitmosphere so hazy that little could be made out ahead. The 

 shore looked like an unbroken wall of high trees, and no gap into 

 Far Creek could be discerned. The yacTit followed the gradual 

 curvature of the forest growth round to the southward, when sud- 

 denly a low black line of marshy soil lifted into view, floating, 

 apparently, several feet above the sea level omng to a strange 

 mi rage. 1 rom ni v low position in the cockpit nothing like a break 

 in tlie svvamp could be seen, and I kept on in the expectation of 

 opening Fai' Creek at any moment. One tall surveyor's beacon 

 was passed and a second appeared aliead as if rising straight from 

 the water, Ti\oae beacons are big t ripods stiffened with a fcM" 

 cross braces, and, us I found out later, were intended to ^\'arn 

 approaching vessels of the proximity of a low marsh with outljang 

 sand shoals. From a distance lliey appear to rise out of the'sea, 

 for only upon close apjiroach do the marshy points upon which 

 they stand lift into view. The second tripod evidently marked a 

 sharp turn to the wes tward in the coast line, which 1 took to be the 

 entrance to Far Ci'oek and boldly steered for the point. Wien a 

 hundred, yards oft' a long lino of breakers burst upon my view. 

 This was ominous, but knowing tliat the water shoaled rapidly 

 from 13ft. to 4ft. at the entrance to Far Creek, supposed the 

 breakers were produced by the high sea tumbling in upon the flat, 

 and gave them no great concern. Upon closing in on them, how- 

 ever, the line of foaming crests was seen to make out a long 

 way off to sea. Then it suddenly dawned upon me that I 

 had overshot the moutli of Far Creek and was facing the 

 brcMkers of Oilib's Shoal. I Abashed to come rotmd and beat 

 back up the marsh to the first tripod, which I now understood to 

 be on the sourthern extremity of Far Creek harbor. But the sea 

 was very high and the ^vind coming down in hard puffs. The Coot 

 was not the boat to make anything good to wndward under such 

 a crucial test, and rather than drive broadside on Gibb's Shoal io 

 a futile effort to beat back, I resolved to take my chances upon 

 getting over the shoal in safety. The boat was pointed for a SJ^ft. 

 slew close in to the tripod with the expectation tliat the sea would 

 lift her over if she did not stick too fast. In that event— but let 

 us wait until it happens. Perhaps it won't. It did not. The 

 breakers took the Coot by the haunches and lifted her over, with 

 a little wild yav/ing, into almo.st smooth, wa.ter beyond. The 

 sounding pole gave 3ft., then within a boat's length 8ft., from 

 which I knew tlie harbor to be Middleton Roads. At the worst I 

 could ride out the night right there, as Gibb's Shoal was a break- 

 water from the cast, and if the wind should haul into the south- 

 ward it would be an easy matter to drift, back across the shoal and 

 make for Far Creek. There was Htill an hour by the sun, and a 

 liettertiarhor could be sought. The yacht was skirted roimd the 

 semi-circular bight on a hunt for Middle Kiver. That creek was 

 discovered and the l.'Oat headed under l.iai-e poles to save ground- 

 ing too hard. Right in the month she commenced to bump, and 

 with ^dsions of only 1ft. further up, she -vvas speedly brought to an 

 anchor in a '7cry poor bei'th. li'or this there was no help, as 

 Yesockiug or Vv yesociving Bay to tlio southward was bcycnd I'each 

 bef m-e darJc. At every little sea tlie Coot would come down on her 

 keeijwith a vigorous protest agauist such a shabby retreat tor tlie 

 night . Tjie spiu-e anchor and all the after pig ballast was carried 

 forv, a.rd on deck, Tlien followed the 5-gallon water breaker, spare 

 gear uiiO heavy stores. This brought her down by the nose to an 

 even trim, and with, the rudder triced up to the boom the boat 

 about floated. In tliis detestable plight I drew cond'ort from Seal 

 of North Carolina, pIuk cut, and scanned the surrounding country 

 through the glasses. From marshes near the mouth the land rose 

 dry half a mile up, and above some low bushes, growingin clumps, 

 appeared a number of shingle roofs and the gaunt arnis of suntlry 

 windmills. A. sociably inelmed calf meandered down to gaze upon 

 the Coot and break the stillness of the eve -with an occasional 

 bleat. The foolish shape in which the boat was riding to her gear 

 made me feel a touch of kin -with the placid young animal. How 

 the night passed, whether the Coot bumped the bottom or not, 

 cannot be recorded, for I slept Like a log after the toil and excite- 

 ment of the long day. 



The sun was sti'eamingin at the cabin windows, all nature had 

 been awake for hours, dogs baidced in the town, the meadows were 

 alive with stock of various kimis, the windmills had set sail and 

 were revohang at a tireless rate, and two lumljcring canoes were 

 drifting down the creek in a light air, when I turned out to take a 

 look round and pull in the cable to ascertain whether the Coot 

 was still afloat. : 



When tlie canoes hove in sight rotrnd a bend there was a sudden 

 commotion. Sails came in and poles were manned, by means of 

 which the lumbering craft were soon within hail. "Where are 

 you from?" "When did you get in?" "Right in the shoalest spot 

 of the river." Just my luck, "Three foot of water everywhere 

 else." "You're on the lumps, ixs we call them." "Schooner 

 Bounded her bottom out right there not long ago." "Pilot you up? 

 AH right." "First-rate blacksmith in the town." "Come up and 

 tiftv« a good time." "WTiere's your jib?" "New Yorkl Wliat, 



in this thing?" "Wouldn't like to poke out of the creek iu the 

 likes of her." And so it went on. Explanations and wonderment, 

 till one canoe was towed off by the other, whilt one of the men 

 remained on board to pilot me up to tlie bridge of ^iliddleton tOT\Ti 

 "to have a good time." Things were got in shape rapidly and the 

 native took the stick. A'\licn the old Coot .got way on and slipped 

 along in the h'ght air, the worthy pilot A^'as considerably taken 

 aback. He found her so handy and smart in compai'iaou with the 

 tubs of the tovTi that he became ouite enthusiastic .and fooled 

 round, first trying one thing, then aiibthcr, till I feared we would 

 gi'ound again, "Plenty of water here, I suppose?" "Yes, indeed, 

 four foot till you get up to the bridge." The v.-ords were hardly out 

 of his mouth when the Coot slowed down, stirred up Mack inud, 

 and came to a stand. "Got a little too close to tln' I'oint," com- 

 placently remarked the pilot. So we did, for vou could reach the 

 reeds on the slimy bank. '\\''ith. the onr 1 started forwajd i o sliove 

 off, and had just found a spot hard enongh For a br.'iee w hen thf 

 estimable pilot jibed the boom orer ,slam bang and lut nie iu the 

 small of the back, incidentally al'ro knocking me into the choeo- 

 late-hued fluid of the creel;, where I fetched up knee deep in mud 

 as soft as mustai-d, and spluttered and gitsped for breath, for the 

 water was fearfidly cold. The situation was comical enough— for 

 the pilot. He roared with laughter. "Forgot all about iliis funny 

 kind of rig. .Didn't think the mast was so far forward." 'J'bat 

 was all the satisfaction ho vouchsafed a,s I clambei'ed in ovei' the 

 side, minus shoes and liat less, and looking as thoue:h dipped into 

 brown paint from the \vaist do-mi. M'e got .afloat after a wliile and 

 reached the bridge, upon wliich the \o\ra had assembled to wel- 

 come the curious stranger in the curious boat. No doubt I satis- 

 fied their liveliest exiiectations, with limp and muddv eloiiiing, 

 sloppy stockings and chattering teeth. t5ut the pilot sof)n explained 

 the catastrophe to the worth;, bnrtjlicva of Middleton, wliercat 

 they all expressed their sympalh.v and f..irmed a pi-ocession to 

 escort me to "Jim's fu-e, a few doors no." Jim turned out to be 

 the very viUage blacksmith I was in scach of. His fire was v\'el- 

 come, and while drying my clothes explained to him about two 

 iron knees with which to bring the counter back to its proper posi- 

 tion. 



Jim was a colored citizen of pure strain, but a smart and intelli- 

 gent disciple of Tubal Cain. He went aboard the Coot, init his 

 ftnger alongside of his nose and came back to work. The iron 

 knees were speedily wrought out of old scrap and coach bolts 

 found to suit. The knees were screwed down to the deck and the 

 counter hove in by the coach bolts. Before noon the repairs had 

 been effected in a subtantial waj-, Jinr had 75 cents, his wife had 

 my washing, and I had an inA itation to a buggy ride "round the 

 square," which was to give me an insight into the a.grieiiltural 

 wealth of Hyde county. In ehartre of one of Middle! on 's nabobs 

 we sptm over miles of excellent count rv road during the after- 

 noon, and brought up at various great farms which' are locally 

 known as plantations. Prosperity and ^^■f•Mlth could be traced on 

 all sides. The fields wei-e truly ^^ estern in their extent, fenced in 

 and under thorough cultivation. The ooil was, in the main, a rich 

 black vegetable mould of great depth and apparently inexhaust- 

 ible strength. I was told that fine crops of corn had been raised 

 for twenty years in succes,sion oil the same ground without artifi- 

 cial fertilizers being called in. Cotton and rice were also sfaplcn, 

 but of late varied farm produce and market trucking had reec i\ ed 

 more attention, while hogs and cattle throve in a wondi ous way, 

 particularly the hogs. Not the lean, long-legged mountain 

 "clioate," with their eyes near the center of gravity of hull, fam- 

 iliar to the foothUl counties of the Blue Ridge, but Westchester 

 breeds of respectable pedigree and tremendous displacement. Mv 

 companion urged his trottiiig mare a t a great pace, pointing out 

 the local celebrities as we whisked along, till Mattamuskeet Lake 

 hove in sight. Across this liig fresli-water pond lies the county 

 ssat, Fairfield, said to be a \-eritable ga.rden spot of verdure, with 

 a great stand of corn and prolific in all that enriches tlie fortunate 

 px-oprietors of the soil and moimts individual wealth in some cases 

 up to a cool hundred thousand. The only drawback to Hvde 

 county is the want of a railroad, but being isolated on a peninsula 

 there is no through traffic or teimlnus for an iron road: hence 

 transportation remains as it was a century ago, and limits the 

 possible output of the region. The State of North Carolina once 

 came to the aid of the comity, and sent down a gang of con%dcts to 

 dig a canal from Wyesocking Bay into the lake. But the canal 

 filled up so quickly with the drainage of the adjacent plantations 

 that it has shoaled in places to a few inches and is now closed to 

 all but canoe traffic. Along the shores oyster culture has been 

 started. The storekeepers, not having heard of the shiftless soph- 

 isms of modern socialists, still believe in grasping all the "im- 

 earned increments" which they can steer into their pockets, and 

 after planting seed oysters wherever the nature of the bottom per- 

 mits, attend to their regular business while the young oystersset 

 to work to fatten and multiply, their increased market va'luegoing 

 to the profit account of the thrifty investor,^, despite the fact that 

 the oyster does theworkwJjile his owner looks on. This industry Is 

 still in the stages of experiment, and want of experience will 

 cause loss to some individuals; but there is no doubt a groat future 

 for the oyster in Southern waters. The success of the beds means 

 the introduction of canneries and employment of idle farm hands 

 between crops. 



The Coot remained tied up to the bridge the next day, which I 

 put in sewing up the gashes in the mainsail and reeving off new 

 lacings. The population of Middleton massed itself on the bridge 

 and had a free show. Tlie news of the arrival of a yacht all the 

 way from New York had spread like wildfire, and many estimable 

 yokels with their familicH drove into town to attend'the circus. 

 The oil stove and a small Waterbni y eloek took their fancy. 1 

 think a nautical peddler loaded with a stock of similar articles 

 coidd drive a trade at a 100 per cent., cruising from place to place 

 on these Southern sounds after the flshorinen have lined their 

 pockets with the proceeds of the spring catch, or the farmers have 

 marketed their crops in fall. If he happens to be something of a 

 photographer or a medicus in addition he Avill speedily ^\in his 

 way into the good graces and pockets of the inhabitants. " 



After buying some canned goods from the stores at exorbitant 

 prices, and a delicious ham cured by a fanner for pri\ at;e con- 

 sumption, the Coot cleared out of Middle River and beat down the 

 coast to Wyesocking, across that bay and by Hog Island round 

 into East Bluff Bay for an anchorage. This was found in a creek 

 at the head of the harbor, where the hook was let go in if t. soft 

 bottom. The bay is the last place usually made by small craft 

 bound .south for Core Sound and Beaufort, but I preferred skirt- 

 ing the shore, sailing up Neuse Ri-er and trying the .'i-niile canal 

 into Newport River, This -n ould give a liettei' eliance to ^ iew the 

 counti-y, and beating across Pamlico against the pr6\ailing 

 southerly winds and sea was not exactly the Coot's forte. 



A new icehouse had been erected in Fast Bluff, and a most ex- 

 cellent landmark it makes when steering for the Bluff' coming 

 north across the sound, as I found out on the retmrn voyage. Long 

 before anything like a harbor can be discerned in the unbroken 

 wall of trees the house can be seen o\ er the marshes, standing out 

 in relief against the sombre background as a splendid mark of 

 ideutifloatlon. Two fishermen were busy jireparing the f muse for 

 the reception of a load of ice anxiously awaited by scliooner from 

 New Berne. When the Coot rotmded to they felt justifled in quil- 

 ting and coming off to investigate suchaqueer apparition. Havong 

 got the good fellows in the proper frame of mind b)- an offer of that 

 never-failing attraction. Seal of North Carolina— they refused 

 rum out right — they were interviewed witii the following suc- 

 cess. 



There is no shad fishi ng abou t the Bluff, as the water is too fresh, 

 and few herring are caught, because the water is not fre.sh enough, 

 The herring keep on up the rivers. Pound nets are set in about 

 10ft. of water and the "leaders'' run into the shore. The season 

 lasts from June to the time when first ice makes. This year the 

 catch had been unusually good. One pound net vsill supply ten 

 boxes of fish per week. Once as high as three boxes were caught 

 in a single day. Boxes are otiiu. long, cost ^6 cents and are nailed 

 up on the ground, the material being got out to sliape at mills 

 wliich make it a business. A great variety of fish are taken in the 

 nets. Gray and speckled sea trout, sheep.shcad. porgies, .500 to 600 

 mackerel a day, drumflsh , croakei s, oUO to 100 sea catfish, spots, like.= 

 -wise turtles; 700 mackerel in one day lirolce the record t his season, 

 Mullet are taken in haul nets, but will not find their way into the 

 pounds. All the catch is kept in artificial inclosures, called ponds, 

 awaiting shipment, cxceptmg the mackerel The latter die in 

 ponds and have to be handled and expedited at once. Fish and 

 pulverized ice are packed in layers in the boxes, sent by schooner 

 to Elizabeth City, and thence by rail to market. An xcehouse is 

 built with double walls, I3in, apart, the space being fUled in with 

 sawdust and the floor covered 2ft. deep. A house ISft, square v<-il\ 

 hold 30 tons with very little loss during summer. My informants 

 composed a regular business firm and expected to clear a thous- 

 and dollars. They said there was a gx-eat deal of money in the 

 ground fisheries with a little capital and steady thrift. It is the 

 latter which is lacking along in the sounds. The "shadders," for 

 example, pursue the inn from about Feb. 10 to April 1 and they 

 lay on their oars the rest of the year instead of following up their 

 seine catch of spring with the pound net all summer, as a North- 

 ern man -with an eye to getting ahead in the world would cer- 

 tainly do. Some of the city men from New Heme and Washing- 

 ton, however, who have sav^ed their earnings instead of spending 

 them for gin, are coming forward ^ylf.h tlie funds, while the expert 

 flshennexi put In their labor and knowledge as an offset. The two 

 pujl together twid loake a good tWng out o{ It, while the socialists 



m the North are ti-ying to force a free dividend out of the industry 

 and foresight of the successful portion of the community. 

 . From the .Bluff round to the mouth of Pamiico River the shore 

 IS much the same thing. Outlying "mashes" with manvarms and 

 indentations forma series of haibors offering refuge to coasting 

 craft. Back of the mai-shes there is a belt of wooded laud wliich 

 hides the agricultural region of the interior. The bottom of the 

 sound is rather uneven inshore, with sudden shoaling from 1.5 to 

 ^t., wdiere sand spits and lumps have formed. Witha chart there 

 is no difficulty in clearing these hidden dangers, but without one a 

 stranger would be apt to come to grief unless he gives the land a 

 fan- berth, i'lie season was advancing and the Coot met only 

 moderate vinds while she coasted x'ound, crossed Pamlico and got 

 over Brant Island .slioal through an inshore slew with 2Wft. of 

 wati.r, the rest of the long tongue having les.s than 2ft. clear out to 

 t lie Brant Light, fifteen miles off sliore. The slew is half way 

 fjctn een Terrapin Island and the mainland. I found just enough 

 depth to get over after bumping several times. When the wind is 

 troni the N,'V\'., o\'en the liglit draft Coot would have been com- 

 pclf od to round the Brant sere wpile light. The only incident woi-th 

 recording was the neat way in which the Coot took a dying ai r into 

 .Jones Kiver and got her sail stowed at. the moment that a furious 

 tJiuuaerstorni ourst and changed the peaceable scene to on© of 

 boisterous turmoil with a fearful downpour. In spring Pamlico 

 Sound IS noted tor its tliunrlerstorms and aguaJls. Thev threaten 

 all day and break in the afternoon with a violence that bodes evR 

 to any small craft cauglit out, as the sea makes up in an instant. 

 Black and torbiddmg "thuuderheads- hane around the horizon in 

 the rooming, and later in the day rise and o eersproad the hea.vens 

 with incredible rapidi;-.-. Tliey gather from all quarters and until 

 the squ.all breaks you cannot foretell its direction. My plan was 

 to lower awny and await tlio onslaught, tying down a close reef in 

 the meantime and send for shelter. The regular wind always diea 

 away before the advent of the squall, which leaves you" at its 

 mercy. 



On a fine morning with a sUff breeze from S. W., the CootbegaJi 

 the beat up Neuse River, and after a fine day's work, anchored be- 

 hind a small marshy island near the mouth of Clubfoot Creek. 

 There is shoal wa ter about tla.' island and it required some careful 

 ntaugation to get into shelter without grounding. The usual 

 squall was in sight and came down with a vengeance, but from a 

 stue anchorage squalls become objects of interest instead of terror. 

 \'vTierever I put in from Stumpy Point to Clubfoot, the constant 

 whistling of Bob Whites was heard, from which it may be con- 

 cluded that quail are plentiful. Neuse Rixev is quite picturesque 

 and a noble sheet ni water. The banks are bold and rolling, partly 

 wooded and p;irtly cultivated. Sa^AnuiDs are located on all the 

 tributary creeks and ilie local world lives and moves largely in 

 8in.aU craft of all sorts. The thriving and busy city of New Bcx-ne, 

 torty mUes from the mouth, sends down three-masted schooners 

 bound to sea through Hatteras Inlet, and local steamers ply to 

 other towns on the sounds and to Norfolk. Flat bottom sxjoeimens 

 of naval architecture stood liack and forth iu shoal water travel- 

 ing for terrapin. Two of them caught .=:ight of the Coot and drew 

 libs for a turn to mndward wth the car, but they were hopelessly 

 beaten at that game, and ran back to theii- hunting grounds. 



The following day the yacht was turned up Clubfoot Creek, a 

 nice httle river witJi the l.ianks well settled and liosts of naked 

 little Africans frolicking about in the watei'. Five miles up the 

 creek narrov,-s and shoals to 3ft. I had been told in Noi-folk that 

 5ft. could be carried through the so-called New Berne and Beau- 

 fort Canal, but found that waterway in a state of neglect and 

 ruin. It took 3 days to pass through this 6-mile ditch. The Coot 

 gi'oundod a dozen times, and aftei' an endless amount of labor, 

 depositing ballast and stores upon the soft muddy banks, using a, 

 fence rail for bridge, the boat was got through, only to land her- 

 self on the intricate maze of flats and oyster reefs at the junction 

 with Nevrpoi-t, River. In the canal I had to wait for a certain, 

 state of tlie tide and a northwest wind to hack up the water, other- 

 wise it would have been impossible to pass thi-ough at all. Two 

 other boats kept me company and were b\ like trouble, so we 

 formed a little colony of castaways, helping one another in turn 

 and making the most of the ludicrous side of the situation. The 

 canal loads into a despicable little tortuous stream through 3 

 miles of meadows, but with 6ft. of water, sprinkled with an assort- 

 ments of stumps, on which you fetch up without warning. Here 

 you meet the ocean tides from Beaufort Inlet, which had the 

 advantage that as often as the Coot gi-ounded.she would be helped 

 off sooner or later. After 5 days of unromantic hardship, salt 

 water was encountered once more, and picking up a genius who 

 was at the same time town barber, photographer, chemist and 

 philosopher, the Coot was piloted into a berth among the many 

 islands and oystei' reefs back of the good city of Beaufort. 



With the drop of the hook, the cruise of the Coot southward had 

 come to an end. 



The return voyage and plans of the Coot vnU finish up this log 

 in another chapter. C. P. K. 



PRISCILlA FOR SALE.-T'he attention of all racing yachts- 

 men just now is directed to the Clyde and a good many would like 

 to find a convenient knothole in tlibiiigh board fence behind which, 

 it is reported, Mr. Watson will have the Thistle's keel laid. The 

 prospects are for a boat but little over the second class limit, 70ft. 

 and the interest for next season promises to center in this size 

 rather than in the large yachts. Tins being the case it will be no 

 surprise to know that Com. Canfield has decided to sell the Pris- 

 cllla, or that he has now ready two models, one of a smaller yacht 

 and both of his own design. Priscilla's x-ecord for the last two 

 seasons puts her no better than third on the list, but opinions still 

 differ as to her rating compared with the Boston boats, and many 

 still believe that she is capable of a greater speed than she has 

 yet developed, and that the best has by no means been reached. 

 ,7ust now it is little likely that any one will buy a boat of this size 

 for a racer, but Priscilla has a ■\'alue in another way, as she was built 

 with the idea of a conversion to other uses, and could be turned 

 into a schooner at a comparatively small expense, Mobile in build 

 and accommodations she surpasses anything of her class. The 

 hull being entirely of iron the internal space is much greater than 

 in a wooden boat, while she possesses an immunity from leakage 

 which the former cannot claim. Her bxiild and eqaipment ai'e 

 such as to give her a value independent of her place on the record, 

 but it is to be hoped that she will fall into hands that wiU keep 

 her in the front and will succeed in realizing the brilliant prom- 

 ises of speed which she has given on several occasions. 



THE NEW YACHTS.— No news as to tlie dimensions of the 

 Thistle have yet been received in Amei-i-a, but rumor is still active 

 with new boats. Mr. Bui-gess has a model ready, made from his 

 design by Mr. Geo. Lawley; and Com. Canfield has a handsome de- 

 sign of his own now iu the wood, but nothing has been done yet 

 toward building. No further particulars are known concemine 

 Thistle except that D. & W. Henderson, of Glasgow, will buRd 

 her. According to the daily papers Mr. Burgess has received a 

 letter in reply to his telegram asking for the waterline length, in 

 which Mr. Watsou otiera to .give the latter only on condition that 

 Mr. Burgess agrees to build a yacht of that length and no other, 

 which condition the latter declines to accept. 



BOSTON NOTES.— liawley & Son have planked up Mr. J. B. 

 Mecr's sloop and have nearlj^ finished Mr. Wliitncy's steam launch. 

 Thev will now begin another launch 55ft. OA'er all, 48ft. L. W. L., 

 for Mr. Edward Mo\vx-y, of Boston. The catboat for Mr. Chas. 

 Welch is now partly planked. The cutter Pilgrim has been sold to 

 New \''ork yachtsmen. At East Boston, Mr. Mai^in is at work on 

 a small cutter, while iVir. Burgess has designed a small sloop for 

 Mr. E. E. Cunningham. At Monument Beach Hanley is building 

 a 26ft. catboat, and Dunn has a !.'3it. cat in hand with oi'ders for 

 two 33ft. boats. Wilson is making new sails for Gitana and will 

 fit out Rebecca later on. Violetta, the keel sloop owned by Dr. E. 

 B. Hitchcock, of Newton, has been sold to Messrs. Cross, Gill & 

 Porter of Boston. 



THE FRENCH YACHT LLST.-Messrs. B. Olerc, of Le TacU, 



and R. Vuillame have compiled the fifth annual "Liste des Yachts 

 Francais, Beiges, Espagnols, aliens, Portugais, etc.," for 1886-87, 

 and it has been published in a neat volume of pocket size. Tlxe 

 list of French yachts contains the names of over 1,003 yachts, 800 

 of them beitig abo^ e 5 tons, with a gross tonnage of 17,540 tons. 

 Tlie matter is very well arranged, and the book shoiild be very 

 useful to foreign yachtsmen. A special Ust of yachts built in 

 France since August, 1884, sho^vs a total of 75 vessels, a very cred- 

 itable fleet, and promising well for Fi-ench yachting, as heretofore 

 the yachts were mostly of English or even American btuld. 



A YACHT ON THE LLTNDBERG MODEL.-It lb reported that 

 Senator Leland Stanford, of California, has decided to build a 

 steam yacht after the peculiar model of Capt, Lundberg, wUiolh 

 we have previonsly descx-ibed. Her dimensions are not given, but 

 her cost is placed at $000,000. 



THE RADHA LAWSUIT.-The suit of Mr. SejTnonr against 

 Mr. Lorillard for damages arising from the sale of the Radha was 

 continued this week^ Mr. Lorillard testifying in hia own behalf. 

 After much contradictory testimony the jury ^vere instructed to 

 bring in a sealed verdict. 



