Morning journal and courier., 1880-08-11
Oysters at QuInniptac.

[Rev E. c. Baldwin in the Scientific American.l
 The original purchasers of the territory of New Haven county, Conn, found tribe of Indians on the ground called Quinnipiacs. In selling kto the English they still re- tained their rights to fishing and hunting. The river Quinnipiac, which is the eastern boundary of the city of New Haven, had long since been a famous place for fishing and oysters. These bivalves were also abundant along the shores east and west of New Ha- ven. The Indians had depended much upon them for food. The new settlers did the same also. The banks along the shore are lined, several feet deep, with shells left by many generations of oyster eaters.
 The shore at Fair Haven, which is the east ern part of New Haven, was once favorite resort for seals. To the excited imagination of the first white settlers these aquatic beasts seemed like dragons" hence they named the locality "Dragon,' title it long held. The present name is explained in letter written by Rev. John Davenport, the first minister at New Haven, to Lady Mary We're, in England, in 1889. After ye ship came in, guided by Gods own hand, ye sight of ye harbor did so please the captain of ye ship and all ye passengers, that he called it the Fayre Haven"
 For nearly two hundred years the depen- dence of the people seeking this shore of Dong Island Sound with it's bays and and es-
 
 supplies. These seemed inexhaustible, as the habits of use then were. The Indians who came from the interior at certain seasons and remained for weeks, living mainly upon shell and other fish, carried none away with them. The whites only visited the shores for an occasional ''salting." No restraints were imposed by the towns until about one hundred years ago. Then, and for many years, the restraint was only upon certain very accessible localities and for certain months.
 As most of the oysters gathered were talk en from ground left bare at low water, or in very shallow water, no special ingenuity or skill was called out in obtaining them It being found that these shallow water beds were unreliable, deeper water was sought after while. Gold weather often killed the oysters left bare by winter tides Storms covered them with sand. Moreover increasing numbers of people seeking oys- ters soon cleaned the beds that were so easy of access. Then invention and mechanical skill were active in contriving rakes, boats, etc, to enable the oystermen to secure a supply. It would greatly interest the archmologist to visit one of these shores and note the speci- mems of contrivance and art to facilitate the taking of bivalves.
 One of the results of an increasing love of oysters was the growth of class who sought aivelihood by selling as well as catching these shell-fsh. Hence business began to be developed. But there were no private grounds. The various natural beds were open to all persons in the State who wished to take oysters therefrom. The only re- striction put upon the people was the reserv- ing of several months as 'tclose'' months each year, during which no oysters could be caught. These were the summer months, when the bivalves were known to be giving off their spawn
 The Flaw was off," as the expr ession was, about November 1st. In anticipation of that time great preparations were made in the towns along the shore, and even for twenty miles back from the seaside Boats and rakes, and baskets and bags were put in order. The day before large numbers of wagons came towards the shore from the back country bringing hundreds of men with their utensils. Among these were not unfre- quently seen boats borne on the rigging of a hay cart ready to be launched on the ex- pected morning. It was time of great ex- citement. So eager were men to be first on the ground that many could not wait till morning dawned. AS soon as the clock tolled the midnight hour great number of men rushed to the shore and into the boats and began operations. In 8 few hours the crowd was such, on some beds, that boats were pressed tight together. They were all com pelled to move along as one, for none could resist the pressure of the multitude. The more thickly covered beds were quickly cleaned of their bivalves. The boats were full, the wagons were full, and many had se- cured what they called their winters stock'' before the day was done. Those living on the shore usually secured the cream of the years crop. They knew just where to go, they were better practiced in handling boats, rakes etc. they formed combinations to help one another.
 That first day was the great day. It pre- sented an exciting scene. Often crowds of spectators came to look on, as at a fair or Fourth of July parade. Sometimes in the pushing, crowding, and eagerness of getting there, would result wrangles, and even fights but generally the men kept good-natured and made the best of all the discomfortsi and