Accomack and Northampton Counties

Accomack and Northampton Counties. -- The eastern shore of
Virginia, composed of the counties of Accomack and Northampton, is a peninsula lying between the Atlantic Ocean on the one side, and the Chesapeake Bay on the other. It presents a very level surface, and has, perhaps, the best roads in the world, requiring but little attention to keep them in good condition. It is within easy access of Baltimore by a line of steamers, one of which leaves South Street wharf, in that city, every day at five o'clock P. M., except Saturday. The upper portion of the peninsula can be reached daily by rail from Philadelphia, the terminus being Greenbackville, on the sea side opposite to Chincoteague Island, and distant from it about five miles. A steam ferryboat conveys passengers from the depot to the island.

There is, perhaps, no portion of the country presenting greater attraction to the sportsman in quest of small game, such as quail and water-fowl, than this little strip of land. The former are abundant, and the peculiar geographical features of the country render the sport of hunting them both easy and delightful. The excellent character of the roads makes a ride of twenty or thirty miles but a trifle, thus enabling the hunter to go over a great deal of ground in a day, and the numberless creeks or small rivers indenting the coasts on sea and bay, form long glades fringed with yellow sedge, affording cover to the birds and protection from the hawks, while the absence of trees in such places insures to the hunter almost any number of shots "in the open." Snipe and woodcock are also found, but in small numbers. On the sea side, and to a great, though less extent on the bay, waterfowl, such as wild geese, brant, black mallards, shufflers or black ducks, red heads and all other kinds of duck, except the canvas-back, swarm in myriads, and are killed in great numbers every year; they are shot principally from blinds over decoys. On every part of the shore persons can be found who have large experience in this kind of sport, and whose services can be procured by visitors at reasonable rates. Perhaps the best point for this kind of shooting is Cobb's Island, in the county of Northampton, whose proprietors entertain each year, in winter, quite a number of sportsmen, and have all the appliances, such as boats and decoys, for their accommodation. The island itself is a noted resort during summer, and furnishes the best shooting among birds peculiar to that season that can be found on the eastern shore.

In summer, and, indeed, until November, fine fishing can be had in the waters of both sea and bay, the principal varieties caught being the drum, or sea bass, trout, mullet, spot, taylor, bluefish and sheepshead. Millions of sea birds, such as curlews, willets, grey-backs, brown-backs, and red-breasted snipe feed in the marshes and on the beaches, which skirt the sea coast from Cape Charles to the Delaware line, and furnish inexhaustible sport to the gunner. Foxes are numerous, and the good old English sport
of the fox hunt, with many of its primitive characteristics, still survives among the people of the eastern shore, who, indeed, have in an especial manner retained the peculiarities of their ancestors together with the purity of the old stock. They welcome gentlemen who come for enjoyment and recreation, and furnish them gladly every assistance in their power, but hold the pot hunter in detestation, and visit him, when caught, with the severest penalties of the law prohibiting hunting by non-residents.

The steamers from Baltimore land at different points in both counties, one touching twice at Onancock, within five miles of Accomac C. H., the county seat. The sportsman leaves New York by the steamers of the Old Dominion Steamship Company, which in summer, sail daily, and in fall and winter every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from pier 37, North River, at 4 P. M.; Lewes, Del., is reached at 5 P. M. the next morning; at 9 o'clock a train starts for Berlin, Snow Hill and Chincoteague Bay, reaching Snow Hill early in the afternoon and the Bay by 3 or 4 o'clock. Return trains run daily, connecting with the steamer at Lewes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 4 P. M., reaching New York at 5 A.M. on the following morning. Good hotels with horses and buggies or light wagons for hire, can be found at Chincoteague Island, J. English's Hotel $2; guides for wild fowl $5, for snipe $2.50; Accomac C. H.; Horntown, T. Pittel's Hotel, $1.50; Onancock, Pungoteague and Belle Haven, in Accomac, and at Eastville in Northampton. Board in private families can also be obtained at fair rates. The Hog Island and Mock Island shooting grounds are always accessible by yacht, and guides are to be had.