Centre Hall reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1868-1871, 1871-10-20

| What rs Mhrlmpcf " bhrlhp~F ~
nm individual whose daily occupation X
Is TO wait the tides on the sea-Shorr and
as soon az the water retreats TIL NO more
than two feet or SO covers the sand aud
mud, he sets out with his satchiug appa-
Rtus, which il net attached 10 a stick.
He wades through the shallow surf,
pushing his net before him, occasionally
pans.ng 30 raise il above his head, that
he may ascertain whether he has yet
caught any Of the hopping, shiny grey
creatures Of many legs. II 50. be trans.
! fers them 10 the basket slnng by his Si,le.
When he has tlled his basket he tai,ea
them home and boils them. Then he
brings them out again and cries them for
sale. This In the shrimper Thousands
Of visitors 30 Ramsgate, Hhstings, and
Brighton are prepared 10 stand fodh
and prove II but they are correct oaly
in the limited sens, just aa is one who
styles q dealer in spills q timber mer-
chant. Pooh what does MarRate or
Brighton know about the Ahrimpaf Next
10 nothing. The shrimps that fin6 fseie
way 10 the aforementioned and few
other places. are but the waywani stIAgg
lers that escape from the main hhoal.
Gravesend is the headquarters Of the
shrimp. Everywhere in and about that
favored town, from the landing-plAce %
the outlying hamlets and lonely laverna.
the legend meets the eye" Teas 9d
shrimps inclnded." 0rayesend, through
out its entire length and breath, aud
TAR ont ON the waters beyond, must be
regarded as % shrimps inelndel" Every
steamer that plies between Gravaaend
and London Bridge brings duly ils load
of excursionists. The dealers, with sheir
enormous basket meet them at the very
landing-stage, with quarts and pints
already measured In snowy white cotton
bags and. before the pier-end Ia reached
i've hundred pairs OF human jaws are
ehAmping crisp and delicious chorus in
praise Of the tiny appetiser. The cock
ney is not ignorant Of pnopriety. He
knows that be should wrench OF the
head Of every shrimp, and diyesl il Of is
armour. before he proceeds 30 dev0ur Il
He tries Il with halt dozen or so, IL Is
d tedions'proeeSs He compromises the
matter by tseaking the head OF, aud
crunching mp the remainder, body and
bones Otherwise, how would he con-
trive 10 get through q couple of quarts in
4 the five hours that are allowed him on
shore How many shrimpers of the
1 Brighten breed would be required 90
provide against NO enormous n demand
Hundreds --thouAands-- would be insuf.
hcient No; the Grayesend shrimp has
n feet at its command. Not toy heet.
A squad OF from thirty-fve 10 forty ves-
sels OF considerable tonnage, each with
/ its weatherbeaten crew-~ber7y- brown
strapping fellows In blue gueFnseys-And
with nautical legends hieFoglyphically
tatooted on their hairy arms In the
evening they he close inshore, all in a
row, oxtendipg = good streets length.
tant and trim, 10 face the dangers OF the
lower beaches as soon as the tide serves
The " catch" is alEays uncertain. Some
! mes the nights cruise viii not yield
more than the captain and crew could
conveniently dispose OF at breakfast
time 7; while the next vessel that comes
in may have an enormous take. II is no
uncommon thing for the vessels 20 land.
in a single morning. upwards OF two
thousand gallons Of the little fsh, for
which the cauldrons are already bubb-
ling. So important IL the shrimping
interest, At Gravesend, that special and
substantial efforts have been made Of late
years as regards the spiritual welfare Of
the shrimper. II is all work and no play
with the shrimp feet Sunday brings in
no rest. The temptation 20 dredge Sun.
days as well as week days sorely beset,
the various crews OF The fleet. and Il re-
quires the utmost diligence and tact 20
get them 10 church. They won't so TO
the sacred ediiice. 10 the only way IL TO
take the sacred editice 10 them. IL has
beer brought 10 close that. when the sun
is in favorable part OF the heavens, the
little church tower throws its shadow on
the brown sails II used 10 be- humble
makeshift church attached to tho tIt
Andrews MisSSioa-house, but n year or
so since n good Christian, pitying the
benighted condition OF the shrimpeES,
came down with q magnificent sum with
which 10 build the prettiest little church
that was ever beh,ld. Il viii hold only
hundred and fifty worshippers but,
when the windows are open, the music OF
the organ, nay. the voice Of the preacher,
may be distinctly heard where the fleet
| hes.-Lond0a Telegraph.