Morning journal and courier., 1888-07-18
oRE rnE IERsKY COAST.


 Yes, have been fishing, and caught lots of them, too; not only dozens but hundreds.
 Let me begin at the beginning. Last sum- mer successful young minister CRev. New ton M. CadwelD settled at Westfeld, N. J., when visiting us at New Haven proposed a fishing expedition for next seasons vacation, and about the first of July we started fully equipped for the trip.
 We first landed at Key West. This place Is one of the many beautiful shore resorts along the New Jersey coast, being a sort of an overflow of Long Branch, Ocean Grove and the more popular places. Nowhere is seen one more beautiful. The cottages, many Of them cost ing thousands of dollars, are built in 8 sort of a mixture of Grecian-Gothic and Queen Anne styles, with great verandas and towers painted in bright blending colors and at great expense. Strange that few feet of sand ten years ago worthless, except to grow few stinted pines, is now worth for lot of 50x150 feet over two thousand dollars, and great hotels charging five dollars per day are dotted on every desirable and some very undesirable points.
 We were fortunate in finding those who owned tscabin," and our accommodations were of the best. Much surprised was to find no mosquitoes. The strong sea air di- rectIy from the great Atlantic was too much for them. But I am forgetting my subject. We at once began business. Taking boat we went up the famous Shark river for crabs, both for bait and for our eating. We found them plenty and very fat, but small. So many were after them that they were cunning and shy. Seldom could you see only their eyes protruding from the sand, and when they started they went with whizz. We tried to catch them with line, but they were too wild; we could only "scoop" them as they went through the water, and many 8 time did we lose our balance in the boat and come near wetting in our excitement to take one as he fled from us. Many persons put on their bathing suits and went for them by wading.
 One morning we arose early to meet boat we had engaged to take us ont into deep sea fishing. The wind had been blowing strong ly from the westward and there was a big "swell" on. I shall never forget our start. It was our captains first voyage this season. but he knew his business A whole party of fishermen had gathered on the beach to see us of. The way to launch the boat is to wait for big wave to come i'll and as it breaks on the beach drive the boat out before another has time to strike her. It has to be quick work, for if an instant is lost danger attends. A few days before a mans leg was broken by not being quick enough, for the second wave struck her and turned the boat against him broadside to, washing them both far. r.upon the beach. My 'parson" friend was the first to spring into the boat. was to follow out just as the word was given to "push off," The whole gang of pSen who were to help just held the boat back. The sea struck her, wetting the boats crew and my minister friend to the skin, and only escaped by doubls-quick march up the beach. A shout of laughter went up, for no one was hurt. The boat was bailed out and started. By ranges only we pointed two miles directly out at sea. In about an hour we were upon the fishing grounds. There was reef of coral rocks about an acre in size covered by about sixty feet of water and nearly ten miles from land without marks of any kind save few buoys of lobster pots. We changed our position several times before casting anchor, but as soon as the fish began to bite we made fast to the bottom. Oh, what funl Almost the in- stant the hook touched the line began to pull and good-sized bass was quickly drawn up from the depths. said what fun yes, but it had two sides. At the moment we began to draw in the fish the parson began to "pay his respects"
 A moment later followed by giving the water my early breakfast-a moment later as pulled up my fifth fish my supper of the night before followed.
 All the while the fish were biting fast-a founder, weighing nearly five pounds, an swered to my line just as my dinner of the day before was given to the deep. The dreadful seasiekness mixed up with the ex- citement of the incoming fish; the sight oi the persons sicker, if possible, than myself; the shouts of the crew as they brought uI the bass, two at time; the tossing of tht boat; ohl the feeling of the moment will las life time.
 When all the excitement was at it's neigh there was a sudden strong pull at one of thu lines. An instant later the parsons line was nearly twitched from his hands. Severa others in boats fishing near us stopped anG looked. What was the matters The linel would shoot out from the boat, first one way and then another, making the water fairly 'risp' with their speed. It was soon explain ed. We had hooked a shark about five fse long and he had twisted his tail about other lines so that he could not get away, and WI drew him towards the boat, ingloriously tai first. We did not take him on board. The fishermen whipped out with their knives and bending him over the rail pierced his back. bone, stabbed him in the head and made tht water red all about us with his life-blood.
 But we were 30 sick, so deathly sick. Int fishing and even the shark and his tragic fate interested us little. We wanted to "go home, like the boy at the boarding school, and homo we were taken, and when once on shore ", lay for an hour upon the white sand, whil,
 the houses in the distance and the people walking about us bobbed up and down Cir our mind"
 We took as many fish with us to our cabir as we could carry and fed upon them witl vigorously returning appetite and good relish We soon forgot our sorrows, for the very mex day we started for Barnegat. For years ", had heard the "ish stories" of that plac with doubt. We would try it. Our star was like the other, amusing. Two train were arriving at the depot from opposite di rections.
 We asked the agent which one we shoult take, and either by accident or intent he tol, way we discovered our mistake from the con \ ductor, and two fellows landed in quick sue cession into the sand beside the railroad, ant scrambled in the hottest kind of haste t catch the departing train, one we shoul have taken.
 A ride of an hour along the coast past tn l fashionable watering places would fill Q pag to tell of. Spring Lake, Sea Girt and Chad wicks were all passed in succession, an while "runner" captains came on board ou train to charter us their boats we heede them not, but quietly stepped from the trai as it stopped directly on the ever famou Barnegat pier.
 As our party was small we "whacke up" with two men who, with their fou II \ was blowing almost a gale from the west \ ward, and with closely -reefed sail we startet down the bay. We fairly few through th | water. We tied our hats over our head with handkerchiefs, bending their brim l over our ears, and then one blew of, an, | although the water was only about ten fee | deep there was quite sea. But we wer not seasick (please note that down., and Y sail of six miles brought us to a plac \ where were gathered twenty other boat like our own, and we cast anchor. It was no particular spot, for our captai \ told us it was the same for miles about ' Each one on board manned a short bambo \ pole with dozen feet of line, and baitin
 the hook with single shrimp cast out. The water was just alive with weak-fsh faster than the hooks could be baited V pulled them. They were very ''gamey. They would strike like pickerel and pull ii like bluefsh. But they were so thick ]
 was no art to hook them, for ths jerk of th
 line brought up fish caught in any part 0 the body.
 We kept count few moments, but it wa too much trouble. We caught them by tn dozens; yes, by the hundreds. Caught ther ' so fast that in an hour we said it was simpl