The Brookhaven leader., 1885-09-10
Hew Turtles Are Caught and the CSCs
That Are Made Of Them.

Here comes q nan, said a sa7a1t,
"who collects more turtle shells thug
any other man in the country"
"MOrnin' gents" said the turler re
fsrred to, putting down hamper. ard
wiping his forehead with a many-hued
bandan. He was a short, rOund-should
cred man in half-sailor togs, with shirt
color low in front, showing a brawDy
chest haired like gorilla. His ears
were pierced with silver rings, and on
his thumb was an enormous crabwOod
ring with the operculum Of some mol
lusB set IN, brazen imitation Of cats
eye. His other fingers were adorned
with rings of India ink. while on his
wrist, out from under the sleeve, pceped
the head of an impossible Goddess Of
Liberty. Altogether he was what is
generally known in novels as an old sea
dog.
live got as tine a skeleton of hawks
bill,' he said. addressing the profess
sional man, ''as We ever ciepped yer
ewes onter. and I'd jest like to show it
to We. Hes Judge, he is, said the
old chap. winking at the reporter. 'He
knows wot's wot, he does" and hanl-
ing out the specimen. he placed it Oh
the table.
A fine one It was. q hawksbill AMI
perfect, about two feet in length, ar
ranged on a stand upright The back
or scales were polished on the shell, so
that they would serve as mirrors, anil
the breast-plate stu in place, though ar
ranged on gilt hinges, so that it opened
and shut Just like a door having latch.
When swung open all the interior was
exposed. showing the curious manner ii
which the backbone. ribs and shell were
all welded together.
''Ain't bone nor nothing missin "
continued the old turtler; ''it's jest "a
natral as life, and twice as handy
''ls there demand for this sort Of
thing?" the reporter asked.
'Sartin, there is. was the reply.
''All the museums want this kind q
work for stuyin' Schools take EN-.
too. Ye see. everything is reg lar and
shipshape; nothing to affect the seusa-
tive natur and esthety feelins Of the pu.
pills. as one O. these ere principals OF
fashionable young woman's school let
on to me the other day. That's jest
the pint, mum says I. This ere
breastbone-' 'Plastron,' SAYS SHE.
L stand corrected says /. This ere
plastron is made jeat for this class 81
trade. If the gals don't want TO look al
the eritter' ribs and backbone, keep il
shet and turn it about, and thar's J
pictur wot's wot.'
"Oh. no. Lord bless ye, no; don1
fix EN-. I'm only the catcher | git:
the turtles, and friend o mine sets EN-
up, and then goes round n sellin' OF
EN-. Yes, ! do right smart business,
Every spring, about, gifts down on the
south side o Cuby, and oversees the
cntchin' myself. lie see. if We leave i,
to them niggrrs they'd punch hole
through the shell. and that finishes i,
for ,ne. All these turtles Of minc is war
ranted sound and fish caught"
Fish caught?' questioned the TO
porter.
Wall, its this ere way" explained
the turtler. "The catchin's all done BY
fish. The fish is called a SUCKER
Its the UeROra,' put in the savant
"Yes, that's the chap" replied the
other, HAS a long, fiat head with .
regular sucker on it, with flaps rigged
jest like blind like. Wall,
these are allus follerin' sharks and tur.
ties about, an when they git fired they
kind o turn over an fasten on ter the
critter and ride along. A heap of these
rGHsOrGS is caught and kept in tubs
aboard the boats, and when fishin' a
leather strap is kept about the tail with
a loop in it for line. Everything
shipshape, we sculls along. and When
a hawksbill is sighted line is hooked
Oater the fish and he is tossed over
board, and, seein' his old friend. off he
goes and fastens onter it, and then the
turtle is hauled in and he amt hurried
bit Fust. they're good for food; then
the skeleton, complete like this. 'era,
sells to museums and the like; then ths
best and most valuable part o the bu--
ness is the big shells, that goes to make
combs. watch chains, pins, bracelets,
furniture aud about everything, Only
the biggest and oldest pieces is wanted
for these, and they bring big price
''Do turtles have any enemies?' We
asked.
Sharks" was the reely. I've
caught green turtles and loggerhe:.ds
with tiippers eaten short off, and once |
see q fight betwix 'em. The old logger.
head was asleep. a-lyin' on top Of the
water. when along KEN an old man
eater shark and grabbed him by the
ripper. Then it was nip and tuck, aud
the way the water was tossed around
was caution. reckon the turtle got
a grip on one of the shark fins. az
they was rollin' over and over like
ball, and the water about 'em was n
bloody as if an OK had been killed there.
We pulled up to 'em. bur they went
down afore we got near enough to pin
EN-.
Yes. loggerheads will bite, but they re-
so elumsy that it's easy to git out OF
the way. Green turtles never try it"
N. T. San.