The Opelousas courier., 1884-09-20
PROFESSIONAL TURTLEB.
How Turtles are Caught aud tho Uses
that are Made OF Them

How Turtles ARE CH@&nb W.
that are Made OF Them
"Here comes a man." said a savant,
"who collects more turtle shells than
any other man in the country
"Mornffn', gents" said the turtler re
ferred to, putting down a hamper and
wiping his forehead with a many-hued
bandana. He was a short, round
s~houldered man in half-sailor togs, with
shirt collar low in front, showing a
brawny chest. His ears were pierced
with silver rings, and on his thumb
was an enormous crabwood ring. with
| the operculum OF some mollusk set in,
! q brazen imitation of a cats eye. His
| other fingers were adorned with rings
of India ink, while on his wrist, nj
from under the sleeve, peeped the head
of an impossible Goddess of Liberty.
Altogether he was what, is generally
known in novels as an old sea dog.
"I've got as fine a skeleton OF a
hawksbill," he said, addressing the pro-
fessional man, "as We ever clapped
yer eyes onter, and I'd jest like to show
it to ye. He's a Judge, he is" said the
old chap, winking at the reporter. "He
knows wot's wot, he does" and, haul
ing out the specimen, he placed it on
the table.
A fine one it was, a hawksbill and
perfect, about two feet in length,
arranged on a stand upright. The
back or scales were polished on the
shell, so that they would serve as
mirrors, and the breastplate still in
place, though arranged on gilt hinges,
so that it opened and shut just like a
door baying a latch. When swung
open all the interior was exposed,
showing the curious manner in which
the backbone, ribs, and shell. were all
welded together.
"Ain't a bone nor nothing missin'."
continued the old t%urtler; "it's jest as
nat'ral as life, and twice as handy"
"Is there a demandFfor this sort of
thing?" the reporter asked.
"Sartin, there u.s." was the reply.
"AH the museums want this kind o
work for studyin'. Schools takes 'em,
too. Ye see, everything is regular and
ship shape; nothing to affect the sensa'
tive natur and esthety feelins of the
pupils as n O. these ere principals
of a fashionable young woman's school
let on to me the other day. That's
jest the pint, num- says !. This ere
breastbone-' .Plastron,' says she. 8
stand corrected says /. This ere
plastron is made jest for this class .
trade. If the gals don't want to lool
at the critters ribs and backbone, KEEP
it shet, and turn it about, and thar's {
pictur wot's wet
"Oh. no. Lord bless ye, no; l dom
fix 'em. I'm only the catcher. l git
j the turtles, and a friend o mine sot'
'em up, and then l goes round a sellin
! of 'em. Yes, l do a right smart bust
ness. Every spring about. / gifts down
on the south side O Cuby, and over
sees the catchin' myself. Ye see, if y
leave it to them natives they'd puncl
a hole through the shell and that finish
/ es it for me. All these turtles of min
Q is warranted sound and fish caught"
"Fish caught?' questioned the re
porter.
i "Wall, it's this ERE way" explaine
. the turtler. "The catchin's all don
by fish. The fish is called a sucker
ats the uemora,' put in the savan'
: eyes. that's the chap" replied th
other. sHas a long. fiat head, with
regular sucker on it, with flaps rigge
oil lest like a blind like. Wall. these al
E allus follerin' sharks and turtles abou
an when they git tired they kind
d turnover an fasten on ter the critic
and ride along. A heap of thes
{ vemoras is caught and kept in tut
D aboard the boats, and when fishing
i leather strap is kept about the tai
with a loopin it for a line. Ever.
thing shipshape, we SOULS along, an
when a hawksbill is sighted a line
hooked onter the fish and he is tosse
overheard, and, seein' his old frien
ID off he goes and fastens onter il. ar
IS then the turtle is hauled in, and !
S. amt hurted a bit. Fust, they're got
Is for food; then the skeleton, couple
like this ere, sells to museums and Il
like; then the best and most valuab
J. part O. the business is the big shell
that goes to make combs. watch chain
!; pins, bracelets, furnitur, and abo
everything. Only the biggest and Of
est pieces is wanted for these, al
: they bring q big price"
do turtles have any enemies ,
s asked.
Sharks was the reply. az
i caught green turtles and loggerhea
4 with fiippers eaten short Of, and on
r coo q iuht betwix Penn. The Z