Daily Republican., 1879-08-12
[ygsTsnAY's yRws.
OUR CAPE MAY Letter.

OUR CAPE MAY LET EN-.
Capture Of AN Immense Sen Turtle
"A Tub Race-A Bal Masque,dc,
CAPE MAY, August 8.
MEssRs. EbIToRs:--A sea turtle weigh,
ing 1900 pounds was harpooned and
caught by Captain Uriah Cresse on the
schooner Ridgway 20 miles ). Il. Of
Cape May, Friday, and brought to Den,
izot's pier where it can b- seen now by
visitors to the wharf. 1t measures q
feet iu length from nose to tail and its
hind hippers extend foot further; 81
ieet across the back ard feet through
the thickest part. The fo1r fms or
tiippers are 8 feet long, very heavy, and
5 feet from tip to tip across the back.
Its head is as large as that Of a person,
but the neck is very stout being quite
the diameter Of a nail keg and lies in
folds and crsases. The shell is black
and clean aud not in scales but has
ridges six inches apart running from
head to tail and is not hard and rigid
but rather plan. causing Captain
Cresse to think it young, as he has seen
thern much larger, and so covered with
muscles, moss and SEA weed as to look
like a piece of turf floating ON the sea,
they being generally asleep when seen.
1t was blowing fresh with rough sea
when they saw this one, and directing
the wheslsman to steer for it he ran
out on the jib-boom and darted the
harpoon through it, and instantly it
dived and carried out their line two
men being unable to hold it or take a
turn quick enough to check it. They
followed it with the vessel bv the blood
coming to the surface on large spots or
places, and lowering the boat after a
lengthy chase, they saw the rope under
water, drew it to the surface with a
boat hook and finally captured it. 1t
lived until they reached Cape May at
sunset.
They saw another and steered for i
but the wheelsman made a mistake and
the vessel was about ten feet too far off
to make sure dart with his harpooA
and it dove and did not appear again.
They are fit to eat it is said. The teeth
are all over the roof and bottom of the
mouth and down the throat. A party af-
ter weeks fishing on the sloop" Nelly"
off Green Creek to-day on the bay shore,
in reeling in he ran his hook through
the tiipper of green turtle and it dar-
ted away with the line; laying down
the pole and reed the gentleman took
the line and played the turtle until ex-
hausted, but did not know what he
had on until brought to the surface fag- |
ged out and captured. 1t weighs as
pounds and is on exhibition at the
Cape May point hotel.
We had tub race here on Thursday.
A life boat took three young men with
common wash tubs out beyond Congress
Hall pier few hundred yards and set
the tubs adoat each with young man
in with bath suit on, his feet hanging
over the side and padding with his
hands with the tide toward Denizot pier,
a quarter mile distant. The tubs would
turn upside down every few minutes
md tumble the occupant overheard,
when he would either right it himself
'r swim to the life boat while the crew
put it right side up and replaced him.
They all finally reached the pier, the
irst arrival claiming the prize, a sum
If money.
They afterwards swan race from
he life boat, stationed we'll out to sea,
20 Denizot's pier. 1t was we'll contested
and more exciting, but not SO comical
Is the tub race. They were suffering
rom cold, being in the water long ,
ime-quite an hour.
The Arctic masked ball came off last !
light, and was an enjoyable, pleasant
flair. Over one hundred maskers par
icipated, and many others danced t
7ithout mask or DISCUSSES. Some of the '
haracters assumed we're: o
+. T. Baker, Satan; Mr.. Myer, Claude v
lelnotte; Miss McCatIrey, Pocahontas; y
Walter Simmons, Chinaman; Mrs. A. J.
arker, African Princess;A. Goldsmith, =
ailor; Mrs. +. Bolton, Dolly Warden; -
liss Mccormick, shepherdess, Mrs.
lice Bennett, princess; Jennie Dawson,
panish Princess; Frank Bolton, English =,
'ckey. Harry Risley, as fat school K
oy, made lots of fun by his pranks Q
ut did superb dancing; q. w. Hughes, " "
,hool boy; Horace Fox, Henry First; al
harles Ettinger, French Clown; Sadie sl
alley, Highland lady; Mrs. Myer, a' ai
allan Princess. ST
Services at the St. Johns Episcopal OF
lurch will be conducted tomorrow III III
nd on Sundays named thereafter, as "
llows: Aug. 10th, Rev. R. l.. Colds co
orough, of Burlington, N. j.; Aug. II, pe pe
ev. DR.. Babcock, of Columbus, OHIO; In
ug. "a, Rev. DR.. Meier Smith; August p
Rev. Mr.. Duane; Sep. I, Rev. Or. tn
lies K. Grammer, OF Baltimore. The In
lurch has had very eminent divines y
reaching this Summer: Bishops Jag ccoCl
'r, OF Southern Ohio; Stevens, of Penn l.,
'lvania; and Scarborough, ofSouthern sas "s
ew Jersey. CAPE MAY. SSI Si
p
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