New-York tribune., 1867-08-03
FISHING EXCURSIONS.

NEWCOMERS who have the requisite amount of money
In their pockets mot much is needed) are naturally
anxious TO get out Of town The weathier ones can stay
away as long they please while those whose means
limited and whose allowance Of leisure time is small
compelled to crafty themselves with brefer trips of not
more than day two in duration Even this privilege
Is an excellent Probably in city in the world
certainly no where else this continent, are the fac
ties greater for cheap recreation of this kind than in New
YORK One can enjoy quiet sail East or North River
or he can become a mountaincamberer among the Cat
skllls or, better STILL he can very small expense
guam the bracng seabreeze in draughts sufficient TO
usspate the cares and troubles of whole week OF cy
The long, shelving beach, and the glorious incurling
breakers that swash and pash forever the sands and
reach and beside there are enough excursions Of
almost daily occurrence for the qualification of almost
sion This phase OF amusement as il is carried on with
us, is peculiarly New York institution.
Fishing EXCURSION In divers ways u the advers Un te
ments in the papers are mostly very different from any
battered into the idea that he is 7ertable old salt
There the puness and health and odor of the
blowing through them II Is seldom mere statement,
but Jolly, What ho my hearties! Here's for the Fish
and help TO bring the sinners from the briny deepw
To the unsophstcated this style Of advertising comes
like hearty slap on the back from some ancient mariner
with promise of spicy yarns all the way down the Bay,
and good living an the way back To others 1t does not
a prm smart steamer You leave the dock early in the
morning. and ind your surroundings suggestive Of in
on fishing excursions. All the guests are men, and
stranger looking Of fishermen never brought to-
The conventional idle fisherman, is Of the Walton
ian type-freeandeasy attire, broadbrimmed straw hat
pensive mild eyes which love TO gaze upon the ripping
stream or cool deep pool With % msdatye Y philosophy
the excursion ORDER is very different creature. He
plug hat" loud trousers hashy vest, with
the probable additional orndmentation OF heavy
watcbchan breastpn and seairings His nose is not Of
the pensve character II probably been broken and
looks if 1t oftener dwelt ngerngy over the ruin of
Vgils other than those the bobbng float OF fish
line impaired the swelling to his eyebas and
his hands white to have handled rod very often.
Indeed before you have gone very far from the dock you
become aware that many OF the gentlemen around you
rather fishers OF men than anything else slight
disturbance commences the festivities, by dolicatey
fingered young candidate lor htstme INCREASING 20 an
gle I'm his ncighbors pocket The neighbOr objects and
Walton retres 70 other wtha sore head
and generally detected air The pr0pretOrs OF the boat
have made up their minds to make up for the small rate
OF fare by the sale OF certain Vanous compounds called
gin" whisky" old Santa Cruz" etc. A liberal sup
ply OF these has been laid in as well any guam
tty beer and the bar densey crowded during the
entire trip II Is strange that 50 many seekers OF fresh
all should think necessary 10 breathe over e top OF
tumber Then again all the fresh air Is on the upper
deck. while these strange people are under strange
this must he Of the of such continual
crowd haunting the close hot lower deck where the bar
is located Oaths and ribaldry nfest the atmosphere
and IL Is exception TO the rule II there are not several
free lights board before the Banks are reached These
fshng grounds. all OF them OF more or less merit, are
quite numerous and are situated az all distances from
the city from 10 10 30 miles. Those mostly sought by
ward from above Barren Island long distance
cudng the Cholera and nearly all grounds lyingo
that portion OF the coast The trip very pleas
the boat of the Fishing Excursion BY per
severance may get away from the noise ana crush OF
baT-room and reach quiet seat far up by the
plothouse Tho boat goes along quietly ana steadily
until reaches the entrance OF the Nnrrows and then 1t
begins 10 feel the bump Of the waves that come rolling in
from the bay. Past the fOrts-FOrts Richmond,
Tompnns and Hamltor-ahd the incoming Diows strike
harder yet the steamer begins 10 sheer the
broad leading outside Of the Hook, she begins to
roll and plunge among the blue holOWs OF te sea some
of the passengers begin TO get seack; ana good deal
of the bad liquor mbbed on board is disspated abroad
upon the running sea-water.
The Fishing Banks are rnally reached. Then commences
The anchored. and blows OF steam The bats
and lines quickly appropriated by about onequarter
the passengers and those VINO behind the press
far have nothing 10 do but to watch the sport Of their
comrades The sea beneath you looks ~ deep - any
where else and you sympathize with the feelings OF
the green un, who says 10 you; Why where are the
bauksT do Mt any banks" thought the banks
meant kind % sand-bars sticking out % the water"
You pause, perhaps 70 explain that The banks In
question drtngs Of land far under the water much
appropriated by nsn on account OF the facilities for
spawning, &C, lying beneath
"Is t true that there such numbers OF sharks
around here 7" Inc continues.
Land sharks are plenty" you reply, with due and
CONSCIENTIOUS regard for veracity, but the veritabe
dcprcdators OF the not OF common occurrence in
these waters. Mackere seabass and pOrgies are the
fhen they do have some kind Of sharks, do theyr
the element OF rusticity at your elbow Is 1t
really that they come up tine coast on accountof the
large crops Of Strawberries and watermelons raised IN
close proximity to the sea r. You can answer this ques
ton any way you please. You can give jocuar or
course, or severely instructive Who told you that y
aus ug business whave attracted your attention else
whcrs
edge Of the boat hicky lined with enthusiastic gentle
pole hand swinging their feet over the side aud
diI gently watching the painted cork which tosses dis
~ niepty and nbbes' few; and the patience OF the me
ropoan angler not equal 20 the stroller Of the placid
stream who goes more for stroll than troll He be-
eDon You throw that crust Of bread my cork again."
he SAYS to his nearest cow-fsherman whom he OBJ
tO-bc much smaller than hlnsel Tor II you do,
HuOOtl'
III throw all the bread the water id peases,
Il ne tf ns gorgeous r'Ou '0F draws Gu up TO the emu
II doesn It scares 'om awayi"
"Nou fish IN your way / Keep IN my style alto
gether." "
"Much a. please. The ocean Is free to everybody!
Bust IN the snoot will youl"
The two gentlemen rise, back into the middle OF the
deck and cinch The crowd sways 10 ana no there Is
struggle, fall and succeeding howl ana the supposi
the favor in the "snOOt, which pro
The fishing after numerous cocktails Is resumed Tho
anglers become desperate. They don't Ike To give mp
what they started to carry through 80 they SIT on
the edges OF the boat, patiently and heroeay roasting
their foreheads IN the sun, watching their hoa waiting
for the pscatoral tug from beneath, and taking long
pulls at the Hat bottles which they carry In their breast
the various floats and lively interest on the counten
OF the fishermen who prefer lshng without eork
proclams that the longsntiopaed schools OF fish are
swimming along the bank underneath the surface OF the
waves to lay their eggs take OF their young and
bite at the large number OF nicely baited hooks which
hang suspended from above. one man gives sudden
ierk and lands shining natsided porgy the deck of
the boat First fish caught and long generous shout
greets the lucky man Then very likely the fish begin to
come In fast They plenty that 1t requires very
easy fOrmc and skill at all to become lair angler
II we shore, George Arnolds fragment would |
come In good play
e. The fishers drew their long nets in,
Their boats tossing 20 tue lani.
TIL olyeback and dyerhn
Strrwei all the taEny sand
But the present capves from the deep tossed un
into the baskets awaiting them and there
little poetry In their happngs and gaspings un
derneath the lid The cOmmoner fish are the more ire
guent captiyes. POrgies mOssbunkers, founders ana
bue-hsh mostly up gittering very beautifully IN
the scales Is only the prize OF the mackerel-
enlcnrlnnlv snggeRtiYe from tha |