The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1858-11-13
WHOLE No. 502
Gfleft nlisfcIIanp.

EEL FIsHlNG IN TIE SUSoUEHANNA.-At
the present time the pursuit and capture
Of the pts catoral treasures of the Susuuehan-
ma, furnishes vast amount of sport for the
riparian residents, and what is Of importance,
supplies them with considerable amount of
valuable food About the middle Of August
the water of the stream becomes very low,
and usually by September, that in the channel
is only few feet deep, leaving the stony
bottom for wide space on either side in
some places nearly bare, with occasional
deeper burrows which pass along it. At
this stage of waite, the instinct which governs
the fish to descend the rivers previous to the
! advent Of cold weather becomes the mean
of their destruction. For many miles of the
river s length. therefore, north and south of
u.s. the people owning the shore adjoining,
erect thsir tsh dams and gins. by deepening
the channel somewhat and building an elon-
gated V shapen wall at the lower point of
which is fixed box, from which the Ash,
when once caught, cannot eAtricate them
selves.
Obeying the instinct in their descent of the
stream. they find themselves borne pleasant
ly into this channel, and wriggling themscl-
YES chceIly. they let the current-pent IN
by walls-carrv them along until they tum.
BILE. plump! into the box at the termination
of the V. The fish taken il. this manner arc
for the most part cells, of which almost in
credible quantities are captured during the
fall Season. The eel-catchers call it a fall
run. and IN many sections are IN the habit of
dating all events from it. We once heard Il
man in court, examined as to question of
time. by counsel. He made his deposition,
and WIS passed over for cross examination.
.. Inyx- a Ia, H..
he was interrogated. why, because it was
the same week with the first run of cels."-
This was deemed conclusive. and the witness
underwent no further inquisition on that
point.
10 return to the eel question: their run
only takes place at night; in day time they
remain quiet in the comparative deep POOLS
OF the Iv2r. The work of catching them,
however, is no sinecure, not so much on &C.
count of the labor, as of the wax tfulness and
exposure which it involves. In some of tho
dark and Showcry nights of the season the
game will come into the box so fast that the
watcher. who is often Sis tloned there with n
boat can scarcely remove them into it with
sufficient celebrity. AT other times there will
be scarcely spoil enough in the boxes to repay
Tor trouble in watching them. 1t is only the
larger apparatus and dams. however, that
are thus cared for; the smaller being rarely
filled to overtlowi1g. Fishermen secure and
salt down some tive or ten barrels of cells
during the season, besides living upon them
during the catch. The larger operators make
the business pay, as a single man alone can
perform all the labor required in TAXI ing and
salting the fish We have read of various
illustrations of dlgltal dextority. and have
seen Ole Bulls. Paul Julien and Vauxtemp's
manipulation of the violin but could either
of these gentlemen once behold the marvellous
rapidty with which some of the fishermen
di!est the ecls of their slipping epidcrmls or
integuments they would stand auashed, and
like the sable individual in the Song, lay
down the fiddle and the how " for ever after.
ward.
We are at loss to see how it is possible
for any fish whatever to descend to the mouth
OF the river, excepting it be few belatcd
ones. who delay their return until rise in
the river gives them secnriiy from the low
water traps. From Marietta to point per-
laps hundred miles ny, excepting in few
places, these eel gins are so numerous that
| they must entirely imply the river oreels, the
run continuing constantly until frost, and
the fishing being terminated only as we have
already said, by the Fall rains When these
occur the boxes are taken up.
The walls which remain under the water
are very seldom disturbed. and the next ear,
with little repairs, are just as good as ever.
The cells are packed in fui-sizcd barrels, and
many are sent to Baltimore. Quantities arc
purch 'sed by sea going vessels. whose skip.
pers are aware of the delicious favor of this
rather anomalous article Of provision. The
fishing season in some Places closes with
grand carouse in which large quantity Of
whisksy is consumed.