Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-03-26
OYSTER DREDGING.

=
eaters has at best but an indefinite
idea of the way in which these inter.
es,ing hivalyes are fished out of the
deep, to supply their plate and satisfy
their appetites. Some many imagine
they are picked off the rocks, like
the Irishman's gold dollars from the
street: others that thy are the myste-
rious products Of the restaurante, OBJ
! tanned by merely knocking apart their
shell, while many have some indefin.
lite notion of a process of planting
oysters in the mud, in shallow water,
to be procured, when wanted, by dex-
ferrous manipulation OF fakes and
tongs, like potatoes from bill This
later mode of catching oysters is one
Of the most common in the North
ern waters the oyster having been
| first brought from the South and
"bedGed," there; as it is thought that
by this transplantation, they are much
improved in flavor. There are,
however. some varieties of native
oysters that are held in the highest
esteem by epicur7s-being of extra
ordinary size, and as those are TO be
found only in deep waters, rendering
the process of catching them quite
laborious, the market value is much
enhanced. Of native oysters, the
EAST Rivers" are most in favor
the market price for which range from
81 so to S. 90 pr hundred. These
are caught by dredging"
During the autumn months, the at.
tention of the travellers on Long
Island Sound is invariably attracted
by the large fleets of sailing craft
that never fail to meet the eye, when
the wind is fair tackiGg hither and
thither, and stretching away, on either
side, as far as the limits of vision ex-
tend. frequently upwards of one
hundred may be counted at once un-
der canvass, and presenting bFauti.
full appearance. OF these many are
coasting vessels-which may always
be seen dotting the blue waters of
the Sound-but the greater number
are fishing smacks dredging for oys-
ters. Such fleets are encountered at
intervals. ali the way from frogs
neck to Whitcstone and Norwalk
which points embrace the fishing
ground for "East Rivers"
The "dredge" is sort of drag
net, made Of the strongest materials
and holding about two bushels. This
lowered 10th bottom, and towed after
the vessel by a stout rope, vary from
six to twenty-five fath,ms in length.
according to the depth of the water.
Frequently as many as half dozen
dradges are employed at once-each
one b ing hauled in every ten min
utes, and emptied of its contents of
oysters, mad and stones, which it
may have scooped M, while dragging
on the bottom The process is slow
and laborious, as hauling in so great
weight, with the vessel sailing under
a three or six knot breeze, is no slight
task, and rot less than four or FIVE
days constant labor are required to
complete a full lead. 1t is custom.
ary for the smsckS to start out on
Monday, and deliver their cargoes al
market on Friday or Saturday; though
shorters trips are sometimes made.
On the best grounds. one hundred
bushels per Iii m are taken, but the
average yield is far less.
This mode of catching oysters is
also practiced in the waters Of the
Chesapeake, whence are taken the
greater part Of the oysters brought
tothe North TO be planted--thousands
Of cargoes Of which are shipped hith-
er every year.