voyage of the paper canoe-第25部分

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he　Catawba　was　originally　　obtained　on　the　Catawba　River；　near　its　head…waters　in　Buncombe　County。　The　Long　Island　stock　of　the　Isabella　grape　was　brought　to　New　York　by　Mrs。　Isabella　Gibbs：　hence　the　derivation　of　the　name。

Of　the　six　varieties　of　North　Carolina　grapes；　five　were　found　in　Tyrrel　County　by　Amadas　and　Barlow。　Tradition　relates　that　these　　travellers　carried　one　small　vine　to　Roanoke　Island；　which　still　lives　and　covers　an　immense　area　of　ground。　There　are　five　varieties　of　the　grape　growing　wild　on　the　shores　of　Albemarle　Sound；　all　of　which　are　called　Scuppernong；　　the　　legitimate　Scuppernong　being　a　white　grape；　sweet　and　large；　and　producing　a　wine　said　to　resemble　somewhat　in　its　luscious　flavor　the　Malmsey　made　on　Mount　Ida；　in　Candia。

The　repairing　of　the　outrigger　detained　me　until　nearly　noon　of　the　next　day；　when　the　canoe　was　got　under　way；　but　upon　rowing　off　the　mouth　of　Coanjock　Bay；　only　four　miles　from　Currituck　Court　House；　a　strong　tempest　arose　from　the　south；　and　observing　an　old　　gentleman　standing　upon　Bell　Island　Point；　near　his　cottage；　beckoning　me　to　come　ashore；　I　obeyed；　and　took　refuge　with　my　new　acquaintance；　　Captain　Peter　L。　Tatum；　proprietor　of　Bell　Island。

〃The　war　has　left　us　without　servants；〃　said　the　captain；　as　he　presented　me　to　his　wife；　〃so　we　make　the　best　of　it；　and　if　you　will　accept　our　hospitality　we　will　make　you　comfortable。〃

Captain　Tatum　drew　my　attention　to　the　flocks　of　swans　which　dotted　the　waters　in　the　offing；　and　said：　〃It　is　hard　work　to　get　hold　of　a　swan；　though　they　are　a　large　bird；　and　abundant　in　Currituck　Sound。　　You　must　use　a　good　rifle　to　bring　one　down。　After　a　strong　norther　has　been　blowing；　and　the　birds　have　worked　well　into　the　bight　of　the　bay；　near　Goose　Castle　Point；　if　the　wind　shifts　to　the　south　suddenly；　gunners　approach　from　the　outside；　and　the　birds　　becoming　cramped　in　the　cove　are　shot　as　they　rise　against　the　wind。〃

More　than　forty　years　ago　old　Currituck　Inlet　closed；　and　the　oysters　on　the　natural　beds；　which　extended　up　North　Landing　River　to　Green　Point；　were　killed　by　the　freshening　of　the　water。　　Now　winds　influence　the　tides　which　enter　at　Oregon　Inlet；　about　fifty…five　miles　south　of　the　Court　House。　The　difference　　between　the　highest　and　lowest　tide　at　Currituck　Court　House　is　three　feet。　The　sound　is　filled　with　sandy　shoals；　with　here　and　there　spots　of　mud。　　The　shells　of　the　defunct　oysters　are　everywhere　found　mixed　with　the　debris　of　the　bottom　of　the　sound。　This　is　a　favorite　locality　with　northern　sportsmen。　　The　best　〃gunning　points；〃　as　is　the　case　in　Chesapeake　Bay；　are　owned　by　private　parties；　and　cannot　be　used　by　the　public。

Thursday；　the　10th　of　December；　was　cold；　and　proved　as　tempestuous　as　the　previous　day；　but　the　wind　had　changed　to　the　north；　and　I　embarked　amid　a　swashy　beam…sea；　with　the　hope　of　reaching　Van　Slyck's　Landing　at　　Currituck　Narrows。　　The　norther；　however；　proved　too　much　for　my　safety。　My　course　would　be　easterly　until　I　had　passed　the　mouth　of　　Coanjock　Bay　and　Goose　Castle　Point；　then　following　the　trend　of　the　west　shore　southerly　down　the　sound；　but　the　wind　raised　such　a　rough　sea　that　I　was　obliged　to　turn　southward　into　　Coanjock　Bay；　ascend　it　five　miles；　and　seek　for　a　crossing…place　overland　to　the　sound　again；　which　I　found　near　the　entrance　of　the　　lockless　canal　that　is　used　by　steamers　to　pass　from　North　Landing　River　to　North　River　and　　Albemarle　Sound。

A　fire　was　soon　built；　upon　which　I　placed　long；　light　poles　taken　from　the　drift…wood；　and　burning　them　in　pieces　of　the　required　lengths；　（no　axe　being　at　hand；）　I　was　prepared　to　make　the　portage。　　Laying　these　pieces　of　wood　on　the　ground；　I　drew　my　canoe　over　them　to　the　shore　of　Currituck　Sound；　then；　by　making　up　back…loads　of　the　cargo；　transported　everything　to　the　point　of　embarkation；　which　was　just　inside　the　mouth　of　a　little　creek。

The　row　to　Currituck　Narrows　was　not　　difficult；　as　the　north　wind　was　a　fair　one。　　Along　the　west　shore　of　the　sound　there　were　many　little　houses　upon　the　high　banks；　and　a　　windmill　supplied　the　place　of　a　water…power　for　grinding　corn。　The　improvements　made　by　Mr。　Van　Slyck；　of　New　York；　were　in　cheering　　contrast　to　what　had　been　seen　since　leaving　　Norfolk。　　Here　a　comfortable　hotel　welcomes　the　northern　sportsmen；　few　of　whom；　for　lack　of　accommodations　and　travelling　conveniences；　go　much　south　of　this　locality；　in　this　state；　to　shoot　wild…fowl。　　Currituck　Sound　has　an　average　width　of　four　miles。　　Its　length　is　about　　thirty…five　miles。　　At　the　Narrows；　a　group　of　marshy　islands　divides　it　into　two　sections；　the　northern　one　being　the　longest。

The　keen；　cold　air　of　the　next　day　made　　rowing　a　pleasant　exercise。　After　passing　through　the　tortuous　channel；　I　should　have　crossed　to　the　beach　and　followed　it；　but　this　part　of　the　bay　is　very　shallow；　and　deeper　water　was　found　on　the　west　side。　　It　was　an　enjoyable　morning；　for　gunners　were　passed；　secreted　behind　their　〃blinds；〃　or　pens；　of　pine　brush；　which　looked　like　little　groves　of　conifera　growing　out　of　the　shoal　water。　　Geese　were　honking　and　ducks　were　quacking；　while　the　deep　booming　of　guns　was　heard　every　few　minutes。　　Decoy…birds　were　anchored　in　many　places　near　the　marshes。　Every　sportsman　gave　me　a　cheering　word　as　the　canoe　glided　over　the　smooth　water；　while　here　and　there　the　violet…backed　swallow　　darted　about　over　the　marshes　as　though　it　were　summer。

When　opposite　Dew's　Quarter　Island；　several　men　hailed　me　from　a　newly　constructed　shanty。　When　the　oldest　man　in　the　company；　who　had　never　seen　a　shell　like　the　paper　canoe；　had　　examined　it；　he　shook　his　head　ominously；　and　when　I　told　him　Nag's　Head　must　be　reached　that　day；　he　grew　excited；　exclaiming；　〃Then　be　off　now！　now！　　Git　across　the　bay　under　Bald　Beach　as　soon　as　ye　can；　and　hug　the　shore；　hug　it　well　clean　down　to　Collington's；　and　git　across　the　sound　afore　the　wind　rises。　　Sich　a　boat　as　that　aren't　fit　for　these　here　waters。〃

Taking　this　kindly　meant　advice；　I　pulled　to　the　east　side；　where　there　was　now　a　good　depth　of　water　for　the　canoe。　On　this　high　beach　the　hills　were　well　covered　with　yellow　pines；　many　of　which　were　noble　old　trees。　　On　a　narrow　point　of　the　shore　was　the　comfortable　house　of　Hodges　Gallup；　the　Baptist　minister；　a　generous　old　gentleman；　who　seemed　to　be　loved　by　all　the　watermen　along　the　sound。　　He　was　　described　as　being　〃full　of　fun　and　hospitality。〃　His　domain　extended　for　several　miles　along　the　beach；　and；　with　deer　quietly　browsing　in　his　grand　old　woods；　formed　a　pretty　picture。

The　beach　shore　now　became　more　thickly　settled；　while　out　in　the　water；　a　few　rods　from　each　little　house；　arose　the　duck…blind；　with　the　gunner　and　his　boat　inside；　anxiously　watching　for　birds；　while　their　decoys　floated　quietly　on　the　surface　of　the　water。　A　few　miles　below　Mr。　Gallup's　estate　the　canoe　entered　upon　the　broad　waters　of　Albemarle　Sound；　and　at　dusk　I　approached　Roanoke　Island。　　The　large　　buildings　of　the　hotels　of　Nag's　Head　on　the　beach　rose　up　as　boldly　to　the　eye　as　a　fortification。　The　little　sound　between　Roanoke　Island　and　the　beach　was　traversed　at　dusk　as　far　as　the　first　long　pier　of　Nag's　head；　upon　which　with　great　difficulty　I　landed；　and　was　soon　joined　by　the　keeper　of　the　now　deserted　summer　watering　place；　Mr。　C。　D。　Rutter；　who　helped　me　to　carry　my　property　into　a　room　of　the　old　hotel。

Nag's　Head　Beach　is　a　most　desolate　locality；　with　its　high　sand…hills；　composed　of　fine　sand；　the　forms　of　which　are　constantly　changing　with　the　action　of　the　dry；　hard；　varying　winds。　　A　new　and　very　large　hotel　was　located　south　of　the　first　one；　and　was　inhabited　by　the　family　of　Captain　Jasper　Toler；　who　furnished　me　with　lodgings。　　A　few　fishermen　have　their　homes　on　this　dreary　beach；　but　the　village；　with　its　one　store；　is　a　forlorn　place。

The　bright　flashes　of　Body　Island　Light；　ten　miles　distant；　on　the　north　side　of　Oregon　Inlet；　showed　me　my　next　abiding…place。

The　beach　from　Nag's　Head　to　Oregon　Inlet　is　destitute　of　trees；　and　the　wind　sweeps　across　it；　from　the　ocean　to　the　sound；　with　great　　violence；　forcing　the　shallow　waters　to　retire；　and　leaving　the　bottom　dry　as　far　out　as　three　miles。

The　next　day　was　very　windy；　and　the　long；　finger…like；　sandy　shoals；　which　extended　one　or　two　miles　out　into　the　sound；　were　covered　with　only　from　three　to　eight　inches　of　water。　　I　could　not　hug　the　beach　for　protection；　but　was　forced　to　keep　far　out　in　the　sound。　　Frequently　it　　became　necessary　to　get　overboard　and　wade；　　pushing　my　boat　before　me。　　Then　a　deep　channel　between　the　shoals　would　be　crossed；　so；　by　walking　and　rowing　in　Roanoke　Sound；　with　the　wind　blowing　the　water　over　the　canoe　and　drenching　its　captain；　the　roundabout　twelve　miles'　passage　to　Oregon　Inlet　was　at　last　　accomplished；　and　a　most　trying　one　it　was。

Body　Island　Lighthouse　was　erected　in　1872；　on　the　north　side　of　Oregon　Inlet；　to　take　the　place　of　the　old　tower　on　the　south　shore。　　It　is　in　latitude　35　deg　48'；　and　longitude　75　deg　33'。　　　Captain　William　F。　Hatzel；　a　loyal　North　Carolinian；　is　the　principal　keeper；　and　a　most　efficient　one　he　is。

The　temperature　was　fall