Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-08-11
Correspondence of the worcester spy.

Nantucket-Blue FlshInG-Shark Fishing.
Ii any of your readers are in want of recre.
alton and sea-air, let them pack their trunks
with wooden clothing, which will not be injured
by salt water, and enough to keep them warm
In the coolest weather Then, if they can get
up early enough in the morning, take the
steamboat train for Boston, thence the Old
Colony and Cape Cod railroads for Hyannis,
on Cape Cod. On arriving there they will
find in waiting at the wharf, the fine steamer
Island Home ready to take them to Nan
tucket, arriving there in season to take dinner
at the Ocean House, at about L o'clock They
will find Mr.. Hooper, the landlord, and his
agreeable wife, prepared to make their stop as
pleasant as they could wish
All we can say of Nantucket is, that you
can find cool sea breezes from whatever quar-
ter they may come it must be over thirty miles
OF sea, and from three fourths of the compass,
they come from the broad ocean. You will
find here good fishing, bathing, and sailing
Your humble servant, with party from Wor-
cester, having just returned from a short So
lOurn on this Else of the Sea-" will trouble
your readers with only short account of our
last days sport. Having secured Capt Wat
son Burgess, ian old salt, who has spent thirty
five years in fishing from Nantucket we took
his good fishing schooner 'Naiad Queen" and
sailed for Long Point, eight miles from town.
Here we landed our boys, to save them from
sea-sickness, also our furniture for fish chow.
der, and engaged fisherman there to have it
in readiness for us on our return, and proceed
ed to the rip for blue fish; we had the good
fortune to find them plenty, and to take fifty
of them.
After having enough of this exciting sport
we put for the point, found our chowder in
do, ~. q
mans appetite, took our boys aboard, proceed
ed to the sharking ground, cast anchor and
cast to them the tempting bait of blue fish we
had just caught. In less than five minutes
four of the party were each hauling upon
shark. All succeeded well but S. ", the
shark was too much for him, and he was laid
fiat on his back on deck, but kept his hold and
kept hauling still until the sharks head was
above water when by powerful blows delivered
by "Tourtellotte" upon his head, with stout
oak stick, he was dispatched and hauled upon
deck, together with the three others, which
were hauled up at the same time For more
than three hours this sport was continued
until we had secured sixteen sharks. varying
In weight from fifty to four hundred pounds
This being more in number by one than had
been taken by another party from Nantucket,
within the remembrance of our captain we
were satisfied to return home. But as we were
hauling In our lines, landcry for assistance
came from our Lexington friend, Mr.. Emer.
son, and upon looking to him, found his line
running through his hands entirely beyond
his control. Our stalwart captain took the
line, but he too found that the other end of
the line had the advantage, and saying there
was big imam eater" on that end of the inc,
Immediately gave him sea room by letting out
all the line he wanted. Taking the precaution
to put plank overheard to keep the ugly Gus
toner from getting to the boat, he let him
luke round tor about fifteen minutes, OCCASION
ally giving him strong pull, which so incens-
ed him as to throw himself out of the water
showing his immense size and strength FL
nally the hook gave way, and away he went
very much to the disappointment Of our party
but greatly to the relief of our captain, who
seemed to have no great relish for such ugly
customers. We were then ready to 90 home,
well satisfied with our days sport
If any of your readers should go to Nantuck-
ct, let them not fail to secure Capt Burgess
aud his boat, and to go blue fishing and shark
ing. There were many incidents of our stay
here which it might be amusing to relate, but
the above is enough TO show the character of
the sports at Nantucket. Our party having
come to Nantucket by one route preferred TO
return by another; they accordingly booked
themselves for New Bedford, stopped there
one afternoon and evening to examine the OBJ
Jects OF interest i'll that rich city. The wharfs
there are crowded with vessels just arrived or
hitting for sea, and presented a striking con-
trast with Nantucket, which we had Just left.