Adding much to our
comfort too was fish and game in abundance.
The _Packet_, which had parted from us, made her destined port some
three leagues farther on. The last we saw of the children, they were at
the main sheets hauling aft, and their father was at the helm, and all
were flying through the mist like fearless sailors.
After meeting Carolina seamen, to say nothing of the few still in
existence further north, I challenge the story of Greek supremacy.
The little town of South Port was made up almost entirely of pilots
possessing, I am sure, every quality of the sailor and the gentleman.
Moored snug in the inlet, it was pleasant to listen to the roar of the
breakers on the bar, but not so cheerful was the thought of facing the
high waves seaward. Therefore the plan suggested itself of sufficiently
deepening a ditch that led through the marshes from New River to Bogue
Sound, to let us through; thence we could sail inland the rest of the
voyage without obstruction or hindrance of any kind. To this end we set
about contrivances to heave the canoe over the shoals, and borrowed a
shovel from a friendly schooner captain to deepen the ditch which we
thought would be necessary to do in order to ford her along that way.
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