The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-07-25

Everyone who has visited the beaches
on the Atlantic coast has seen those fat,
black, jolly-looking creatures which love
to disport themselves in the brine of the
ocean just out beyond the surf. These
are the porpoises; and common as they
are, very few persons have ever seen
them at sufficiently close quarters to de-
scribe them. They go in Schools"
which apparently never disband for
vacation, as they are seen summer and
winter, in all kinds of weather, leaping
and plunging among the waves, or NOV.
ing in long professions, their shiny
backs bobbing regularly above the water
in such a manner as to present the APP
pearance of sea monster of fabulous
length.
Down East" where porpoises are
killed for their oil, they are known as
putin pigs" on account of a peculiar
putting noise which they make Just be.
fore rising to the surface of the water,
and also because they have way of root.
ing with their noses, like hogs, in the
sands of the shadows, in search of sand
cells and sand-worms. There is q con.
siderable demand for the oil in many
manufacturing towns and among tanners,
and large number of quaint, weather
beaten fishermen count porpoise hunting
among their regular occupations. Armed
with an old musket that goes off with a
stunning report, and can out-k:ck can
non, the pig-shooter rows out in his dory
through the swells. and standing upright
in the pitching boat, carefully aims his
piece at nothing. Presently black,
Oh eli Go
an instant upon the surface of the sea.
There is a deafening report, and as
soon as the smoke clears away, a putting
pig is discovered lashlng the water to
foam in his dying struggles. The
hunter drops his old frelock, rows
rapidly to the place, and watching his
opportunity, seizes the porpoisc by the
blow hole, and drags it into the dory.
1t Is clumsy, dolphin shaped MAMMAL
four or five feet long, of bluish-black
color, softening into a white underneath,
and has dorsal fin. 1t will yield six
gallons Of oil.
Jumping is the strong point of the
putting pig. "Naow, you wouldn't be-
lieve how them pigs'll jump" a tall,
gaunt Newburyport fisherman said to
recent visitor. You perhaps noticed
how the creek sets in there. Wall, some
two years ago the tide sot in dretful
heavy one afternoon, and the first thing
we knowed the creek was full of porpoise.
Wall, I'm atellin' of it; it warn't ten
minutes afore every man, woman, child
and dog in this ere taown was on the
spot; thought they he'd regular bonanzy.
for, We see, the mouth of the creek wasn't
over fifty feet wide. WALL they got out
the boats and ran seine across first, and
back O. that we stretched line of dories
across the mouth complete, and, with
harpoons.and. clubs, kind of advanced on
'em gradual. When they first heard us
they made a rush up the creek for quar-
ter of a mile, and then shallerin' the
water, turned and came back in body.
Here they comes yelled the boys and
women, the dogs a-barkin' and folks a.
screamin' and peltn' EN-, and they a.
comm daown lookin' like one O. these
ere tidal waves ye've heard tell on. Wall,
the first ones struck the seine and went
right through, and when they reached
the line o boats up they went into the
air. dozens Of 'em-yes, right overhead
some of EN- cleared twenty feet, and we
a-sittin' there paralyzed like. l never
expected to see it rain porpoises, but |
did that day, sartin. There wasn't q
man dared to raise IA hand, so afraid of
gettin hit. They all drapped, and let
the hull school jump over EN-. never
see the alike afore. "-Fiank Leslie's H.
Illustrated.