
BY
E-text prepared by Bethanne M. Simms, Sankar Viswanathan,
GEO. ALFRED TOWNSEND - "GATH."
TO MY FATHER, - REV. STEPHEN TOWNSEND, M.D., PH.D., - WHOSE ANCESTORS EXPLORED THE CHESAPEAKE BAY IN 1623, AND WERE SETTLED ON THE POCOMOKE RIVER ALMOST TWO HUNDRED YEARS, NEAR HIS BIRTHPLACE; - WITH - THE AFFECTION OF - HIS ONLY SURVIVING SON.
INTRODUCTION. - MOTHERNOOK. - THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND.
TALES AND IDYLS.
KING OF CHINCOTEAGUE.
HAUNTED PUNGY.
TICKING STONE.
THE IMP IN NANJEMOY.
A lyrical wanderer steps from the bustle of city life into the quiet, sun‑kissed lanes of the Chesapeake’s eastern shore. With each line the narrator paints fragrant clover fields, oystering fleets and the low hum of canoes gliding through mist‑filled inlets. The verses weave together the region’s natural beauty and its layered history, from colonial drums to the steadfast prayers of the Island Parson, creating a vivid portrait that feels both timeless and immediate.
Listeners are carried along the winding Pocomoke River, hearing the creak of timber barges, the rustle of cypress trees, and the distant song of work‑songing hands. The collection celebrates the deep roots of families who have called these waters home for generations, while also inviting anyone who longs for a retreat into a landscape where nature and memory move together like the tide. It’s an intimate, sensory journey that lets the Chesapeake’s spirit speak directly to the ear.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (480K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2006-04-05
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1841–1914
A fast-moving Civil War correspondent who wrote under the pen name “Gath,” he helped shape how Americans read breaking news in the 19th century. He later turned that reporter’s eye to novels, poetry, and a memorial honoring journalists killed in war.
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