Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-02-09
CGMM'W WNG0M 1rGCMS.
For Tue KHoWEE COURIER. y.
Sketches of Life in South Carolina.
NUMBER EIGHT.


The watarhas lodged iii several hollow placcs
ON the beach, and protected by the break
waters (crectod by the United Statcs Govern
,ments tor the preservatiomnf tie Fort from
the encroaching tide,) form very nice places
III which either to bathe, or to catch cribs. .-I-
There is no fear in these OF, getting beyond
Your depth, and consequently, drowning, or
of being eaten up-by sharks, The strength
enins effects of batlipg in the salt water is
known to us only by report; but we can tell
from experience the delight Of catching crabs
These Creatures nro every wide awake" aud
like those persons who bear this title at the
North, very cunning, and very careful in ta-
y king care Of themselves; the same time they
will Glow you severely if they get chance,
submitting to be torn to pieces rather than
to let go; in other words, the claw must be
broken oft before your finger viii be released
,lhe crab is very shy aud wary and lets 90
thc bat at,thc least alarm, so'it is impossible
to jerk them on shore with the line, like a
I" fish; but"when you feel pretty hard pull
at the line, you must call for assistance while
drawing it nearer to you, vcryislowly.i Somo
rone clseanust then talSo a crabbing-nGt, and,
very gentlyvery silcntIy, slip pit ia the water
T behind:nnd andcr the crab lie must gradu-
p ay,apprnech ethc'net nearer and nearer, till
finally the poor'wretch Rhds itself entahgled.
tty its-claws, and bids farewell forever to its
native. element. What are called y" devil
crabs = are generally thought very good eat.
ing. thattis cooked ih.fheir'shells,. with mus.
tard and fried bread crumbs. Fishing parties
seldom start from tho island, bat' noaflygal-
Z ways from the city. These are often G5rent
affairs carried on with, skill; art and science,
being broughtt lend theiraid Even where
gcutlemon own their sniliA0. boafs tbe0 fro
fnentiy hire expefiepecd fishermen tonanage
them andito guide them TO tho best fishing
'baoksj for thesotbanks soimetimcs,shift their
places sNin tile harbor IN A. vdy' short interval
OF time The fish called Whiting; and BiJl-,
let, with Casafii, arc chief favorites together
with the brual: &e.j Of this latter, steaks are
served up at table Serys'nice, and rs large bs
, nlattap chops, Tho Doctdrso I'VE beiieve,)
consider fish, as diet, 30 be- noufishing, and
hghtok digestionj suited, on these accounts,
q to inySiids Aud those who live on the sea,
eeAst, can, by fishing, be supplied not only
with abundant food, but also in great vafie-
ty. 1t used to to one of our Island pleasures
to5watch the little fshing.sn,acks Ski9ming
aloag the shore, outward- bound, carly in the
'nothing their one lslge sail oyeryz i6ss. and
ethem dipping IN the blne waves, like the wigs
s.of aseagdlb and leaning till Sthefr. ~ bsasS,.
ends '..-worG heafly the whole time ib the wa.
ter. And then JUST aboutthe hour of sunt sot
one could see them In a long lihc returning TO
Che city, laden.with their spoil, and yet gliding
along so rapidly that they were hardly seen be,
} fore they vereRone. They supply the Charles
ton market regularly with. fish 5, aud they arc
never Getcrfcd t<ih spiteo theif, ,frait boats,)
by the worst weather. Yet VIC rarely ever hear