Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-11-10


IMPROVEMENTS ON THE ISLAND.
'peclal Correspondence of the CONNER clal.l
McMAKIN's ATLANTIC HOTEL,
CAFE MAY, Nov. 8.
Fishing has been quite good here, the past
week. and immense numbers ST swapping mack
erel have been taken in gill nets floating outside
the breakers, dropped from large surf boats.
The fish poke their heads through the meshes
with such force, and are such vicious biters, that
the twine has to be cut to loose and shake them
into the boats. Capt. Hildreth was severely Bit
ten on the hand by one. Over one thousand
were taken, on Thursday, measuring two to three
feet in length and seven to fourteen pounds
each, making about
FIVE TONS OF FISH AT A SINGLE CATCH.
| The boats pulled ashore several times, loaded,
| and left the fish on the beach. Numerous sharks
| were caught of about four feet in length, and
one of the crew broke the back bone at the tail
and twisted the tlukes across the body, instead
of up and down, and let them go. They cannot
| dive or guide themselves, and can only swim in
straight line on the surface Of the sea, and
| butted their heads against the nets, buoy keg,
boat &c. The long, pointed nose of others was
broken and bent upwards, and they could not
dive Or sink. This cruelty is reprehensible, but
| pailors and surfmen always kill shark, as they
| deem him ferocous enemy OF man besides,
by their great strength they tear the nets badly.
Many we're brought on Shore and one, measuring
s feet inches, had moose slipped over his tail
and was lifted into the boat, which he took pos
session Of, swapping at the crew, leapng and
foundering about until exhausted. He WAS lar
ger round than flour barrel, and contained
swapping mackerel % inches long, 10 bony fish,
and perch abont foot long, and an enormous
eel. HIS liver was taken to try into shark oil,
yielding about three gallons, and useful fer har-
ness and similar purposes, and is said to have
some medicinal virtues as liniment.
When the fish appear of the Island,
leaping ard skipping after their food the, bony
fish, all is hubbub and excitement Nets are
piled quickly but carefully on back of the boats
which are run down the beach to the sea and a
! crew tumbes in, pell NELL composed of anybody
who happens to be present and can pull an oar
through the dangerous surf. perfect seaman
must steer-that is imperative-buts sailors, surf
men, mechanics, school boys,or any one, man the
oars, pull out to sea- chase the school, and sur
round them with the net which is 100 fathoms
3 long or more, and when sufficient fish are cap
tured they are removed, the boat loaded with al
it will bear and brought ashore, about 200 fisf
or one ton coming in each trip. When all are
secured the net il hauled into the boat and the.
return. Then comes
THE DIVISION OF SPOIL.
The fish are divided into as many heaps as Their
are men in the crow and one for both boat am
net beside. One man turns his back on the fish
and one of the crow points to a pile and asks
s'Whoee is this Z" A name il given of one 0
: the crew and that is his, and so all get thei
= | snare. Inc Q5n are BAceeulnBlT BOOus huM
= tasting precisely like the finest shad. They sci
), here for Doc to csc each. One young brickay
- er made 92075 for his days work, Thursday
}, Another,a young Wilmingtonian, had 70 immens
h fish for his share, and said he was like 'the ma
"a who drew the elephant in a lottery and wa
sorry he went in the boat. However, he sol
J. all for good round sum. Thursday, the bon
l. fish ran on the shore in numbers, while endeaY
oring to escape the swapping mackerel feedn
on them. They are excellent eating, but ar
L used chiefly as fertilizer and are also presse
: for their oil. About 40 fathom of net wa
:, caught fast on the hot sea-water bath pipe W
!. have set out in front of our hotel, a thouHan
20 feet from shore 1t had to be cut and abandone
Il full of fish, and on Sunday, a dozen porpoise
!, were devouring its contents leaping, wallowin
Ia on the sand, and almost grounded at times. Se'
~ eral of us stepped down and examined the
10 closely with our SPY glasses, within short di
9, Z, tance Of them. They did not get fast in Il
or of net remnant being too sagacious fish to
Ua VI caught in net--they can and do always escal
% them,
q, The 81 feet sharks here are such
ID SLENDER BEAUTIFUL LITTLE CREATURES
10 that we always supposed them to be baby fish,
40 few months old, but they prove to be mature
and of full size, being another kind from Il
", huge "man eater" described above as our Goa
ot men called him. The little ones they call d'
ss fish. Neither do any harm here, but they Z
IN long to dangerous family and are not to
NJ trusted. One old gent on the bay shore formt
er ly caught sharks with hook and line for th'
re oil. He drew them alongside his boats a
us speared them to death with bayonet on a 10
in staff One day he caught huge one, nine
ten feet long, and companion in the boat ma
re a lungs at it with the bayonet and missing I
&C. overheard square on top OF the shark, |
or was rescued uninjured, the most scared m
ok ever seen. Another pet,
gu RATTLEsNAKEs, ARE NOT EXTINCT
Ire entirely in this part of New Jersey. Last wet
he thirteen were unearthed in moving some
he cross ties on the railroad at Woodbine, thi
miles up. They were in one den together q
six were killed, the rest escaping. The tn
hands teased one and he coiled and leaped
them fercely.
it, For fear such beauties as sharks and snal
ny may frighten patrons from Cape May we
80. adding more attractions. The beach drive
,tn' rs wall is entirely driven and it is graded
X leveled beyond the Atlantic 1t is as smooth
on floor, with the beautiful
Ies. SURF WASHING Irs BASE
nd : the whole length. The Atlantic Hotel ia
13, PRODUCING hot and cold sea baths in a no
prepared purposely, sixty rooms being fitted
bli- for them. A fine cottage IL going up on ia
il son street. in front of this Hotel Office, for u
sur- Geo. Hildreth, on the former Atlantic HI
end property. s. r. Ludlam has moved his beaut
cottage from La Fayette by Franklin to
ioo on Ocean Street, corner of Columbia Aver
~" e,,t adjoining the handsome houses of Mes
1nr. I~V McCreary, Wolf, McShane, Tasker and
~ 40, Smoot, being as handsome any, and addin
'"" the fine appearance of all Cape Mays prosp
never looked brighter than now.
ana, JOHN MoAIAKI