voyage of the paper canoe-第20部分

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o　the　south　of　its　original　location。　　The　tendency　of　inlets　on　this　coast　is　to　shift　to　the　southward；　as　do　the　inlets　on　the　coast　of　New　Jersey。

Oystermen；　fishermen；　and　farmers　live　along　the　upland；　and　in　some　cases　on　the　island　beaches。　　From　these　bays；　timber；　firewood；　grain；　and　oysters　are　shipped　to　northern　ports。　The　people　are　everywhere　kind　and　hospitable　to　strangers。　　A　mild　climate；　cheap　and　easily　worked　soils；　wild…fowl　shooting；　fine　oysters　and　fishing　privileges；　offer　inducements　to　　Northerners　and　Europeans　to　settle　in　this　country；　the　mild　form　of　ague　which　exists　in　most　of　its　localities　being　the　only　objection。　While　debating　this　point　with　a　native；　he　attacked　my　argument　by　saying：

〃Law　sakes！　don't　folks　die　of　something；　any　way？　If　you　don't　have　fever　'n'　ague　round　Massachusetts；　you've　got　an　awful　lot　of　things　we　hain't　got　here　　a　tarnashun　sight　wuss　ones；　too；　sich　as　cumsempsun；　brown…critters；　mental　spinageetis；　lung…disease；　and　all　sorts　of　　brownkill　disorders。　　Besides；　you　have　such　awful　cold　winters　that　a　farmer　has　to　stay　holed　four　months　out　of　the　year；　while　we　folks　in　the　south　can　work　most　of　the　time　out　of　doors。　I'll　be　dog…goned　if　I　hadn't　ruther　live　here　in　poverty　than　die　up　north　a…rolling　in　riches。　Now；　stranger；　as　to　what　you　said　about　　sickness；　why　we　aren't　no　circumstance　to　you　　fellows　up　north。　Why；　your　hull　country　is　　chuckfull　of　pizenous　remedies。　When　I　was　a…coasting　　along　Yankeedom　and　went　ashore；　I　found　all　the　rocks　along　the　road　were　jist　kivered　with　quack…medicine　notices；　and　all　the　farmers　hired　out　the　outsides　of　their　barns　to　advertise　doctor's　stuff　on。〃

In　no　portion　of　America　do　the　people　seem　to　feel　the　burden　of　earning　a　livelihood　more　lightly。　They　get　a　great　deal　of　social　　enjoyment　out　of　life　at　very　little　cost；　and　place　much　less　value　on　the　〃mighty　dollar〃　than　do　their　brother　farmers　of　the　northern　section　of　the　states。　The　interesting　inquiry　of　〃Who　was　his　father？〃　commences　at　Philadelphia；　and　its　importance　intensifies　as　you　travel　southward。　Old　family　associations　have　great　weight　among　all　classes。

It　was　six　miles　from　the　mouth　of　Love　Creek　across　the　little　sound　to　Burton's　marshy　island　at　the　entrance　of　Indian　River　Sound。　Indian　River　supplies　its　bay　with　much　of　its　fresh　water；　and　the　small　inlet　in　the　beach　of　the　same　name　with　the　salt　water　of　the　ocean。　Large　flocks　of　geese　and　ducks　were　seen　upon　the　quiet　waters　of　the　sound。　　Pursuing　my　southward　course　across　Indian　River　Sound　three　miles；　I　entered　a　small　creek　with　a　wide　mouth；　which　flows　north　from　the　cedar　swamp；　known　as　White's　Creek；　which　I　ascended　until　the　stream　became　so　narrow　that　it　seemed　almost　lost　in　the　wilderness；　when　suddenly　an　opening　in　the　forest　showed　me　a　clearing　with　the　little　buildings　of　a　farm　scattered　around。　　It　was　the　home　of　a　Methodist　　exhorter；　Mr。　Silas　J。　Betts。　I　told　him　how　　anxious　I　was　to　make　a　quick　portage　to　the　nearest　southern　water；　Little　Assawaman　Bay；　not　much　more　than　three　miles　distant　by　road。

After　calmly　examining　my　boat；　he　said：　〃It　is　now　half…past　eleven　o'clock。　Wife　has　dinner　about　ready。　I'll　hurry　her　up　a　little；　and　while　she　is　putting　it　on　the　table　we　will　get　the　cart　ready。〃　　The　cart　was　soon　loaded　with　pine　needles　as　a　bed　for　the　canoe。　　We　lashed　her　into　a　firm　position　with　cords；　and　went　in　to　dinner。

In　a　short　time　after；　we　were　rattling　over　a　level；　wooded　country　diversified　here　and　there　by　a　little　farm。　　The　shallow　bay；　the　east　side　of　which　was　separated　from　the　ocean　by　sandy　hills；　was　bounded　by　marshes。　We　drove　close　to　the　water　and　put　the　Maria　Theresa　once　more　into　her　true　element。　　A　friendly　shake　of　the　hand　as　I　paid　the　conscientious　man　his　charge　of　one　dollar　for　his　services；　with　many　thanks　for　his　hospitality；　for　which　he　would　accept　nothing　　and　the　canoe　was　off；　threading　the　narrow　and　very　shallow　channel…way　of　this　grassy…bottomed　bay。

The　tall　tower　of　Fenwick's　Island　Light；　located　on　the　boundary　line　of　Delaware　and　Maryland；　was　now　my　landmark。　　It　rises　out　of　the　low　land　that　forms　a　barrier　against　which　the　sea　breaks。　　The　people　on　the　coast　pronounce　Fenwick　〃Phoenix。〃　Phoenix　Island；　they　say；　was　once　a　part　of　the　mainland；　but　a　woman；　wishing　to　keep　her　cattle　from　　straying；　gave　a　man　a　shirt　for　digging　a　narrow　ditch　between　Little　and　Great　Assawaman　bays。　　The　tide　ebbed　and　flowed　so　strongly　through　this　new　channel…way　that　it　was　worn　to　more　than　a　hundred　feet　in　width；　and　has　at　high　tide　a　depth　in　places　of　from　ten　to　　fifteen　feet　of　water。　　The　opening　of　this　new　thoroughfare　so　diminished　the　flow　of　water　through　the　Little　Assawaman　Inlet　to　the　sea；　that　it　became　closed。　　The　water　was　almost　fresh　here；　as　the　nearest　inlet　which　admits　salt　water　at　high　tide　is　at　Chincoteague　Island；　some　fifty　miles　distant。

Passing　to　the　west　of　the　light…house　through　this　passage；　I　thought　of　what　a　woman　could　do；　and　almost　expected　to　hear　from　the　rippling　waters　the　〃Song　of　the　Shirt；〃　which　would　have　been　in　this　case　a　much　more　cheerful　one　than　Hood's。　　I　now　entered　Great　　Assawaman　Bay；　the　waters　of　which　lay　like　a　　mirror　before　me；　and　nearly　five　miles　away；　to　the　southwestern　end；　the　tall　forests　of　the　Isle　of　Wight　loomed　up　against　the　setting　sun。　Ducks　rose　in　flocks　from　the　quiet　waters　as　my　canoe　glided　into　their　close　vicinity。　　If　I　could　have　taken　less　cargo；　I　should　have　carried　a　light　gun；　but　this　being　impossible；　a　pocket　　revolver　was　my　only　fire…arm：　so　the　ducks　and　other　wild…fowl　along　my　route　had　reason　to　hold　the　paper　canoe　in　grateful　remembrance。

Upon　reaching　the　shores　of　the　Isle　of　Wight　I　entered　the　mouth　of　St。　Martin's　River；　which　is；　at　its　confluence　with　Isle　of　Wight　Bay；　more　than　two　miles　wide。　　I　did　not　then　possess　the　fine　Coast　Chart　No。28；　or　the　General　Chart　of　the　Coast；　No。4；　with　the　topography　of　the　land　clearly　delineated；　and　showing　every　man's　farm…buildings；　fields；　landings；　&c。；　so　plainly　located　as　to　make　it　easy　for　even　a　novice　to　navigate　these　bays。　Now；　being　chartless　so　far　as　these　waters　were　concerned；　I　peered　about　in　the　deepening　twilight　for　my　friend's　plantation　buildings；　which　I　knew　were　not　far　off；　but　the　gloomy　forests　of　pine　upon　the　　upland　opened　not　the　desired　vista　I　so　longed　to　find。

Crossing　the　wide　river；　I　came　upon　a　long　point　of　salt…marsh；　which　I　hoped　might　be　Keyser's　Point；　for　I　knew　that　to　the　west　of　this　point　I　should　find　Turval's　Creek。　While　rowing　along　the　marsh　I　came　upon　two　　duck…shooters　in　their　punt；　but　so　enveloped　were　they　in　the　mist　that　it　was　impossible　to　do　more　than　define　their　forms。　I；　however；　　ventured　a　question　as　to　my　locality；　when；　to　my　utter　astonishment；　there　came　back　to　me　in　clear　accents　my　own　name。　Never　before　had　it　sounded　so　sweet　to　my　ears。　　It　was　the　voice　of　my　friend；　who　with　a　companion　was　occupied　in　removing　from　the　water　the　flock　of　decoys　which　they　had　been　　guarding　since　sunrise。　　Joyful　was　the　unexpected　meeting。

We　rowed　around　Keyser's　Point；　and　up　　Turval's　Creek；　a　couple　of　miles　to　the　plantation　landing。　There；　upon　the　old　estate　in　the　little　family　burial…ground；　slept；　〃each　in　his　narrow　cell；〃　the　children　of　four　generations。　　Our　　conversation　before　the　blazing　wood…fire　that　night　related　to　the　ground　travelled　over　during　the　day；　a　course　of　about　thirty…five　miles。　　Mr。　Taylor's　father　mentioned　that　a　friend；　during　one　week　in　the　previous　September；　had　taken　upon　his　hook；　while　fishing　from　the　marshes　of　　Rehoboth　Bay；　five　hundred　rock…fish；　some　of　which　weighed　twenty　pounds。　　The　oysters　in　　Rehoboth　and　Indian　River　bays　had　died　out；　probably　from　the　decrease　in　the　amount　of　salt　water　now　entering　them。　　A　delightful　week　was　spent　with　my　friends　at　Winchester　Plantation；　when　the　falling　of　the　mercury　warned　me　to　hurry　southward。

On　Wednesday；　November　25；　I　descended　the　plantation　creek　and　rowed　out　of　St。　　Martin's　River　into　the　Bay。　My　course　southward　led　me　past　〃the　Hommack；〃　an　Indian　mound　of　oyster…shells；　which　rises　about　seven　feet　above　the　marsh　on　the　west　side　of　the　entrance　to　Sinepuxent　bay；　and　where　the　mainland　approaches　to　within　eight　hundred　feet　of　the　beach。　　This　point；　which　divides　the　Isle　of　Wight　Bay　from　Sinepuxent；　is　the　terminus　of　the　Wicomico　and　Pocomoke　Railroad；　which　has　been　extended　from　Berlin　eastwardly　seven　miles。　　A　short　ferry　conveys　the　passengers　across　the　water　to　a　narrow　island　beach；　which　is　considered　by　Bayard　Taylor；　the　author；　the　finest　beach　he　has　ever　visited。　　This　new　watering…place　is　called　Ocean　City；　and　my　friend；　B。　Jones　Taylor；　was　treasurer　of　the　company　which　was　engaged　in　making　the　much…desired　improvements。　　The　shallow　bays　in　the　vicinity　of　Ocean　City　offer　safe　and　　pleasant　sailing…grounds。　　The　summer　fishing　　consists　chiefly　of　white　perch；　striped　bass；　sheep's…head；　weak…fish；　and　drum。　　In　the　fall；　bluefish　are　caught。　　All　of　these；