The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-25

CRACK SHOT DELUDED.
Wnlie the ship 10 going to port rich story at the
expense or q military officer would not be mad.
missble. Her Majes;y's Canadian Rifes had
nothing TO occupy their time around the barracks;
so Lieutenant ID. became seal struck. Accordingly
ne transferred the sponduicks for berth and sailed
captain alarmed d., VINO was cleaning his idolized
rine; by rushing down In frantic state ana be-
seeching d. to come up-"Such o splendid shotl
new gun OF yours"
d. hastily sung his rife together grabbed his am
munition and went on deck.
Sure enough there was splendid chap about
sixty yards astern.
D. carefully slghted and fired; but the seal swan
Again he blaZed away, with the same III success.
sure, Mr.. D." said the captain, that gun OF
yours IS no good, or else you are bad shot,"
D. was crack shot, 50 his feelings can be
imagined.
He became terribly excited, and after firing thirty
more shots he retired below In disgust.
They hauled up that seal, which was moving with
string, anu found every shot in 1t.
to deceive.
Poor Tom D. was 50 dreadfully cnatred about his
and abandoned the shades OF Newfoundland.
THE VESSELS ARRIVAL IN PORT.
Inc port reached, presumably st. Johns, the YES
sci - haued up alongside the wharf FOR the purpose
OF discharging her cargo. The men appoint per-
son TO represent them, to see that far weight IS
taken, for the fat and skin are weighed together.
The cargo is removed from the hold, three bundles
at . time, by means OF blunt hooks which do not
tear the skin.
After the pelt has been weighed it is passed over
to the skinner, here known as the "Dutcher," who
deXterously separates the fat from the skin.
the knife at every slice. The skinner makes care
less cuts, as every skin injured loses HIM shilling.
Az st. johns the sklnning Is done on The SOuhside
Hills. The method Of separating the peU and fat
Is peculiar.
WHAT A SEAL YIELDS.
The skinner sits on pile or pets, with his lmple-
ments, and conducts his abors AS the lat Is cut or
IN great cakes 1t falls into a large trough AS the
trough becomes filled gang Of men come around and
the fat to the "chopplng house."
The chopping knife Is something like straight
pieces OF about ten pounds weight 1t is then hOsted
up into the vat and left to decompose, which Is
butchers and ol-trlers abounds in an atmosphere
decidedly anything but salubrous or agreeable to
the ofactories; and yet, strange to saw every one
becomes exceedingly stout, and seems incapable OF
existence away IRON his bouquet OF odors of seal.
new system has been introduced into some of
the Fat otter Il has been chopped up, is passed be-
tween two IRON rollers with teeth which rend and
reduce II to pulp 1t Is then turned into vat,
steam Is turned upon the mass and the fat com.
mences TO run in few hours. This plan is decided
ly the more expeditions one. The Vat Is about two
stories high In ordinary trying houses is lined inside
with tin or iron and upon the exterior looks mucn
IKE IKE log cabin. me OIL after being tried ls put
where 1t s used for luDricating machinery and for
the manufacture OF an imitation sperm oil.
The skins go to France, the United States and
England, being transformed into gloves, caps and
boots. the French use them for patent leather.
fs + very e as almost part Of
The butcher gets the scraps, the flesh, fppers,
&c aadi9n 70 his regular pay Of three cents per
1 ,GI skhnng oy Wnlch alone ne realizes twenty
The children turn an humble penny by peddling
the ippers and hearts at two pence. as food for the
dogs The entire juvenile and canine population
are in ecstacies for weeks. The ours cease their
howllng become models OF civility, and placid con-
tentment beams from their eyes.
The eaten for sailing vessel with crew OF sixty
men. II reaching TO- 900 head, Will distribute to each
tain as his percentage the sum OF $1,000.
rms Is what enables the captain to transfer his
from the sailing vessel to a steamer.
The sealer, where he is paid In store goods gen.
orally selects as the first articles his summers supply
of provisions, and to supplement this by the pur-
chase OF crlnohne Tor his daughters and new
gown f0r his ,dame; and then the profits OF the
voyage are exhausted Should they not be he dissi-
pates his ready cash in o glorious Spree II h. Is
anywise shlftless he hangs around corners and
patronizes lampposts, until the cycle Of time re.
wolves and brings on the cod fishery, which begins
Those VINO are compelled to remain home also i'm
prove their time BY Catching seals In the harbors.
Besides the seal there are three other prof. table
fisheries carried on by Newfoundlanders-viz., the
cod salmon 40, "a, and herring; Scarcely has the hustle
sided, when fresh cause OF business excitement
begins
men, merchants and planters bestir themselves. A
stranger. on entering the harbor OF st. Johns
through the Narrows, is somewhat puzzled at the
sight that presents itself to the eye either side
There, jutting out from the rocks on the hilsides
he beholds number Of hanging gardens, propped
artificial green fields are used for, and is told they
are the fakes upon which the cod fish cured Their
boughs laid down, one after the Other, ana inter.
laced with poles. Upon these fakes the fish are
spread out to dry Il may not be unnteresting to
the readers OF the HERALD to give them short de-
scrtpton OF the process OF curing the cod nsh and
manufacturing the celebrated COD liver oil.
AS soon as the boats that Dish near the harbors
loaded they return to the stage head large store,
made out OF the same material as that which COM
poses the lake, with which 1t is connected. The
boat Is here unloaded, and the fish is taken charge
of by man called tend table, whose duty 1t Is 10
put 1t the splitting board where 1t first goes Into
ershaped knife Sits the throat Of the fish and cuts
1t down the belly, then passes 1t to the header who
stands, like box IN round hole AS soon
entrails he presses the neck OF the fish against the
edge OF the board and breaks of the head that drops
sits In front Of him. The trade OF the splitter
needs much practice and Skill 80 that he may cut
e or scns
any portion OF the body. when 1t leaves the hands
Of the splitter 1t Is drawn away to the sater, whose
position Is one OF much responsibility, as upon his
skiful treatment depends, In great measure, the
good quality OF the voyage. The fish is sailed, tier
high and ten or twelve feet long 1t is KEEP, in this
condition for the space OF two or three weeks when
It is taken to the rams horn-a large square box
lowered down into the salt water and thoroughly
cleansed. After this cleansing process 1t placed
in bulk, which the fishermen term water horse.
In q few days this aquatic equine animal is car
red TO the fake and spread out to dry.
Under the rays OF the sun 1t presents beautiful
sight, as In this early portion OF the process 1t is
spread face up. ana has golden tlnge. 1t takes
about month or SIX weeks care to render the fish
fit for market 1t Is classified into four qualities;
the first and most valuable, is called merchantable;
the second, Madeira; the third, West India ana the
fourth, tai quail or such as It Is This last name,
well as the second, was taken from the Spanlards,
who trade q good deal with the island. The West
India quality also suggests why the name was given
It, Almost all the fish coming under that head Is
shipped to the islands bearing that name.
And now for few words relative to the mana
facture OF cod liver OIL IL Is now about eighteen
years ago since lucky individual named Fox in
vented the simple process by which q pure refined
oil can be extracted from the liver or the Goldfish.
Before that time they were simply thrown into
punche0ns exposed to the sun, and as they slowly
melted into oil 1t was drawn of and filtered into
casks. The Oil then was Of dun red color,
repulsve to the SMELL and In Its very taste the
strongest Of emetics Now it has q clear, bright
hue and Is as transparent as the most crystal
spring. The disgusting taste and smell are gone,
and 1t Is looked upon as healthgiving medicine.
The cause OF this great change Is TO be found in