The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1882-04-12
Catching CLANS at TiIlamook.

Talking about a summers soiourn
IN the vicinity OF Astoria, and OF the
dolce far nientc to DO enjoyed III the
summer time on our bracing coast. a
writer i'll the West Shore says: "A
good days sport can be had during
the summer by engaging an Indian
with his canoe for the purpose of seal
shooting. When the salmon begin
running, seals follow them i'll over the
bar into the bay, and for go3d rife
shot who can his seals head at fifty
yards, when they come up for air and
accommodating purposes, II is no Diff
cult thing TO kill enough of the bright
eyed bullet headed fellows in day,
to supply the entire country with oil
flor the winter. One of my principal
amusements at this place WAS to I'LL
my pockets with cartridges, and after
securing good cover on the ridge, shot
gun in hand, there, to kill time, If
nothing else, blaze away at the ilOcks
OF ''shags" rs they flew over from the
ocean to their breeding grounds on
the bay. II was in this way that
we obtained our bait fUr Grabbing -
and Grabbing as we carried it on, WAS
perhaps never surpassed in the world
for actual results. we got a carriage
| wheel tire and knit 4 net to iit it;
then skinned cur birds, tied them fast
into the bottom Of the net, and sailed
out into the stream, where No anchor
ed and threw overheard our crab trap.
People who have gene grabbing in
jersey, or even those who have seen
the Chinese catch them with nets
knit around small barrel hoops, on
Meiggs' wharf in San Francisco, can
form he idea of the success of our
scheme. We allowed our net 70 re-
main on the bottom just eight min
utes by the watch, and when it was
time to pull up it took three men to
lift it and its contents into the boat.
There we're crabs Of all stages and
conditions OF crustacoous life. Little
ones, middlesized, and actual giants;
some of which latter were covered
with barEacles, veterans. stars, per-
haps, as many had losJ one OF more
legs in some life and death contast for
supremacy, years before all snap
ping, crawling, squirming and chewing
at one auother's limbs in enc great
tangled mass. Two castings Of
this net and after throwing over
board all the smaii ones yielded fully
one hundred big red-backed crabs,
with legs cn them 80 large as turkeys
thighs, Should Il man want "a go
into the business uf canning crabs, he
could find splendid field for opera
items in Tillamook hay. The big pot
in our parlor WIS utilized to boil
them III. aud notwithstanding We gave
quantities away, We had crabs plain,
crab salad, and deyilcd crabs until We
all grew "sick and tired" of it. porgie,
smelt, tom-cod, founder and rock-cod
fishing IN the bay Is excellent, and but
little time need be spent in catching
big string. Every afternoon gentle
broeze springs up, and ii moth
ing more inviting is on the
carpet a pleasant boat.ssil may
be had to the different points
! of interest Ola the bay, to such classic
spots as 0x-bow Bend and Jawbone.
Yet in store for the visitor is night
with the salmon fisherman, a visit to
the oyster beds. and berrying cam
paign along the creeks.
TillamOok is Barnesat, and plonty
more besides. II not only has al! the
| attractions incident to salt water, but
has trout streams right at hand, and
mountain pleasures running up from
the very boach. There Is no place on
the Atlantic coast like this. You
stand among front streams and oystur
beds. deer rms and surf bathing.
grouse shooting and clam bottoms.
At Tillamook the mountain and the
beach have welded - the salt sea and
the crystal brook have kissed and be-
! come as one.