The semi-weekly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1879-1882, 1881-10-17
GREAT BAY, AND THE FIRST
DAY OF OYSTER SEASON.
Correspondence Of THE NEWS.

Correspondence Of THE NEWS.
We were awakened from our sleep
By the ringing of the door-bell, and rs
one Of us hastily arose the voice Of
the boatran who was to take m down
the river to the bay called out, cit is
four O'clock" In q few minutes We
we're out under the stars; ready for .
walk Of me and half down the
river bank, part Of the way being On .
road that crosses the salt meadows.
As we approached the river We found
the ever active Jersey mosquito awake
to.a sense of his high calling aud
with saw and lancet he proceeded to
bleed US perhaps as q preventative Of
sea sickness. for we were to commit
ourselves (the boatmsn and myself)
to the tender mercies Of the waves in
. small skifF, scarcely ten feet long,
and 10 which the boatman said we
would have rough time on the bay
If 1t should happea to blow. We
were not much treasured when be
assured MS he could not swim-at
the prospect ahead, but % we knew
how to care for ourselves in the water
and a. the river was not more than
half . mile wide in the widest point,
We were willing to take the risk Of .
bath for the sake Of the anticipated
enjoyment beyond (for We are ell
ereatu'ss Of the bsyond). Rowing
easily down the river with the falling
tids We had an opportunity to sec
how the salt meadows are utilized aou
the Shore" On either hand % far
e We could see in the faint light
Of dawnine day were to be seen stacks
OF hay made from the black and salt
grass that grows naturally on these
meadows; the salt variety 10 used for
making paper. packing purposes, and
along the shore . hay for horses.
The black grass 90 called on account
Of the black seeds with which each
spear Of grass Is laden, 10 much prissd
Is fodder for cattle, tis said to be Is
pettitious % the best clover hay.
Many men make . very prof.
table business of cutting and scowing
to market 1t Hsrrisvills these two
varieties Of hay.
Rowing ont Of the mouth of Bas.
River and BY the mouth of Mullicans
or Big River We came to the bay
which has an area Of about 90 square
miles and As We we're rowing toward
the East the reflected light Of the
rising sun though riff in the clouds
made path Of gold across the undula-
cling surface Of ne bay that seemed to
invite MS onward to the great ocean
beyond, the roar of whose breakers
could be plainly heard only mile or
90 distant.
Turning around projecting point
of land, just as sold sol" began to
rise like ball of FIRE out Of the water,
We sew lying at anchor just before us,
about 300 vessels of various descrip-
tons Schooners, sloops, yachts &c.,
oyster boats Of all conceivable forms
and as they we're anchored 10 two
different places about mile apart,
aud IS the men all stood ready with
their loag tongs standing up in the
air like so many spears, to commence
graphing, the softened light of
the sun, the quiet on the waters, the
feeling of expectancy which all SEEM
ed to have, seemed to set us back in
history hundreds Of years, and we
could almost imagine we were on the
Mediterranean about to behold an en-
counter of the fleets Of Carthage and
Greece. Not long were We kept in sus-
pence, as the first outline of the edge
of the SUI appeared above the hori-
soa it was the signal that the Rrst
day Of oyster season had bsgus.