Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-11-15
A Down-East Ciaui-D4ks.

able one must assist III preparing II, o.
at least be present at the oven when tbs
grand funeral pile is lighted. the wrltel
WIS present at feast of this kind IN the
little town of Westport, Mass, lasi
week, and after partaking heartily Of
the CLANS and the ''fxins' Is prepare
to make deposition to the fact that the
genuine clam bake is rare treat which
it pays one to travel many miles TO en-
10y.
Cadman's Neck, where the eiam-bake
was prepared, is small point OF lanG
ljutting out into the Westport River,
about four miles from the town. Under
the trees and near the long tables two
large "ovens" hal been constructed by
excavating two holes about fifteen feet
long hy three broad and two deep, and
in each great fire of oak and pine
wood was burning fiercely. \ score of
men were seated on the ground near by
carefully washing and sorting 200 BUSH
els OF claus which had been dug the
Gjght before on the shores of the Provi-
denee River. They we're not the large,
repuisiye-looking clans which are so
often made to do service in bakes for
eign to New England. but small, lus-
eioas looking bivalves, whose shells
I fairly shone as they came from the
nands Of the cleaners. Close by stood
twelve bushel baskets full of Holsters,
all green and shining as they came from
the water, and all wriggiing about as
though they foresaw .he fate in store
FOR them, and were struggling to es
cape. Near by was another gang Of
men dipping highly spiced dressing
from two large, clean tubs and placing
it III tin pans Just from the store, which
were nicely covered with clean, white
cloths securely fastened around the
rims. Others We're husking cora for
the grand bake, and still Others were
washing sweet potataes and tying them
securely in canvass bags. The prepa-
rations were observed by the hungry
crowd, and appetites were whettei by
the sight. There was nothing to re-
pei, but everything to attract to the
feast Tor which all were waiting.
Finally the great mass OF IOoi gIs
ready for cooking, and then the grand
event OF the day, the closing OF the
bake, began. Men with PitchfUrks
cleared the ovens of the blazing logs,
and the stones, which had been raised
to white heat. were carefully swept
clean OF ashes and embers. These
country folks are fastidious in the mat
ter OF cleanliness, and object to eating
CLANS garnished with carbon, The
ovens once cleaned the work OF filling
tLea- with the eiibles to be cooked was
quickly performed. Into each was first
poured 700 bushels of clean, shining
CLAIMS. Very gently they were de-
posted IN the glowing furnace that
their shells might not be broken. and,
as they struck the stones, a slzzing
noise was heard, as the thousands OF
clans apparently breathej out loud
sighs of agony, and a dense cloud OF
salt-smelllnS steam arose, which tickle1
the nostsils and served to whet appe-
tites which lad already been sharpened
by rides Of tom five tn twenty miles in
the fresh morning air of the country.
clans company, AM as they struck the
bed they wriggled and squiFme1 in Il
manner which would have torn the
heartstrings OF the good Mr.. Bergh.
Next came the corn, with pans OF dress
ing iudiciously distributed from one end
of tine great bake to the other, and the
apex was crowded with q score o: long
aud shallow baskets, in which were lay
ers of bluetish and tripe, aud the bags
Of sweet potatoes garnishing the outer
edges of the great pile. A heavy can
vss was drawn over the whole, and on
this was thrown moss Of wet and dry
seawse1, unIll every creviee from which
steam SGuId possible escape was closed,
and the bake WAS then lett TO cook IT.
self in the steam OF the clans and the
neat of the fiery furnace.
1t takes bake thus Judlclously pre-
pared about hall ar hour to be ready
for the table, and attEe end OF that time
tlse Noqulchuck bake was ready to be
eaten, The sea-weed was tossed aside,
the canvas raised from one eEds and the
bake opened by degrees. a AIndred
heet-footed WATERS dipped then pans
IN the mass of steaning food Fad placed
upon the tables before the hungry crowd
the results os the experiment, Every
body set to work with a will, opening
the clans and picking them out with
their fingers. The ground beneath the
tables afforded convenient place for
depositing the shells, and little mounds
of these soon Appeared by the side Ci
ttttAl DE LAdu4o hSAC eNAAee~A e---~
luscious, and large pans Of them disap-
peared in twinklIng. Floating III
melted butter-butter churned the day
before On the farms of WestpOrt-they
presented an appetlzing appearance
which could not be resisted. Ihe clean
ers and sorters bad done their work
well, and no grit or sand entered the
mouth to spoil the taste of the delicious
bivalves. The Holsters were warm and
JUICY and lmpregnated just enough with
the flavor Of the steam III which they
! had boiled to make them a delicate
morsel. The fish, too, was marveiously
improved in flavor by this same steam,
/ In which 1t had been confned for hall
an hour, while tie potatoes and com
tasted as potatoes and corn never tasted
before, to one individual who was en-
| jOying his first New England cianl-1ake.