, 1880-11-05
Porpoise bunting.

Porpoie shooting affords to the In
dians Of the Passamaqnoddy tribe their
principal means Of support. T. 10 prac.
ticed az all seasons Of the year, bat the
fish killed in the Winter are the fattest,
and give the largest quantities Of oil.
The, largest sized porpoisea measure
about seven feet in length, about the
girth FIVE feet, weigh three hundred
pounds and upward, and yield from six
to seven gallons Of oil. The blubber il
about one and one-haf inches thick in
Summer, and two inches thick in Win.
ter, at which time the creature IL in its
best condition. The blubber from a
large porpoise weighs about,one hundred
pounls. The Indians try otit the oil in
a very primitive manner, and with very
rude but picturesque appliancea The
blubber is stripped of, then cut into
small pieces, whicharsphcsd in huge
iron pot, and melted oTer the ffe. All
along the beach, we're PLACED, at inter
walls, curious struct ures, consisting OF
two upright pieces of wood surmounted
by crosspiece, from which the pots
were hung. Under this crosspiece large
stones were piled in gemi. circle, inside
Of which a FIRE vas made tha. was
allowed to burn fercely until the stones
we're at white heat. TIE fire wss then
scattered, and the pots containing the
Blubbei wees placed under them 70 in
sure the meltingof the blubber. When
melted, the oil was skinned OFF into
other receptacles, then poured into tin
cans OF about five gallons capacity, and
the process was complete. If the oil is
pure. it readily brings ninety cents a
gallon. but if adulterated with seal, or
any other inferior quality, its value is
reduced 10 sixty.fve cents per gallon
A very superior oil is obtained from the
jaw of the porpoise. Tie jaws are hung
up in the sun, and the oil as it drips is
caught in cans placed for that purpose.
The quantity OF oil thus produced is
small, being only half pint from each
jaw, but high price is paid for it by
watchmakers and others requiring fine
lubricator. The oil from the blubber
gives a very good light, and was for a
long time used in all lighthouses on the
coast. 1t is also capital oil for lubri-
eating machinery, never gets sticky, and
is unaffected by cold weather. When
pure there is no offensive amell, and |
know OF no light that VIII equal it for
those who are compelled to use their eyes
at night, The light is very soft, and
when used in German Students lamp
one can work almost as comfortably as
by daylight, and the dreaded glare Of
gas and other artificial lights is com
pletely avoided p If Industrious and
favored with ordinary success, an Indian
can kill one hundred and fifty or two
hundred porpoises a year, and they will
average three gallons each. But, un-
fortunately, the poor Indians ave not so
industrious, or only so by fits and starts
or as necessity compels them Their
way IS to collect some fifteen or twenty
gallons of oil, then go off to Eastport,
Me-, with it for market, Thus much
tine Is lost in lettering about the towns
and in going and returning from the
hunting grounds. Moreover, there are
always two Indians TO each canoe, and
the proceeds OF the hunt have TO be di.
vided, There is quite demand for the
oil, and, if Systematically followed, pOr-
poise shooting would afford the Indians
a comfortable support The flesh of the
porpoise when cooked is not unlike
fresh pork, and at one time was much
used. The Indians still use it, and it is
also in request BY the fishermen on the
coast, who readily exchange fresh fsh
for ''poIpus" meat with the Indians
Scribner's Monthly. t