The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-07-10
EXCITING WORK ey fNciAN FISHER
MEN ON TIE MAINE COAST.

The principal Means OF Support Of the
r,a-samaquoaay Trsbe- Primitive asesh-
DDS Of landing the Tig rish and Tr5iHg
out The Biubl'er
Along the coast Of Maine there are
several places where porpoise catching is
carried IN extensively anu affords The
principal teams Of support Tor nang oi
tie people living in those locsliti Tie
Bav n fundy is an especially good iisli-
inl na,nd. and Indian Beach, bordering
on llie vs,icrs Of the bay Is oecupiea the
wear round by whites and lndians whodo
lirile else. For yesrs the Passanaquoda
Indians have made practice OF camp
ins on the beach and applying them
selves assiluously To lsirp0isa harpoor-
ing aud shooting. The winter fish are
lie fatiesi and give the most OIL that Is
the rai,laiii,. part Of the catch
rnuu HAND 10 MOUTH
The largest porpoisos are about seven
feet lot.. viii Eii1h i've feet. weigh 300
hounds and ever. and yield from SIX 70
seven Gallons Of oil The 5iubber Is IN
inch or 80 thick in warm weather, but IN
the winter double that a fat tish's hiuh-
Der will ucighabout one hundred pounds
Tlte Indians do their work in much The
sap,e way now rs they did III early
wears. the most primitive methods pre-
vailing In trying out the blubber the
arflianccs are Of the rudest kind The
fires arc built among piles Of stone over
which iron pots are hung. the blubhcr
is cut IN small pieces and slowly melted.
The oil is SKINNED into jars and cans,
and when pare IS worth ninety cents a
Gallon. The beI comes from the
laws Of the lngi.a,e The jaws are
hung up in the SIN. and the oil drops
down into a vessel. each pair producing
about one-half pint. Watchmakers and
others using a very fine oil take 1t IN
preference to all other, and 1t commands
a big price. The blubber oil gives q good
light and for years was burned exclu-
sirely in the light houses along the coast.
Ia good season an Indian viii catch
nearly two hundred porpoises, each
Welding about three gallons Ct oil; but
most Of them fan n good deal below this,
as they are not over partial 10 labor and
as long as the returns OF one catch VIII
last. will loaf around the camp rather
than 90 out again. The custom is 10 get
few gallons OF oil. 20 20 the nearest
n,arkci and sell il. then rest till forced
O.. ,.ssity 10 make further ezertions-
The porpoise's flesh is much like pork
when cooked. and is a staple article Of
food.
now THY AXE CAPTURED.
The bravery .ill and endurance de-
manded Of the lia-.oise catchers in their
work is almost Unknown 10 the outside
world. ln tic morning. when the men
are going "porIHisin'. the women and
children turn out 20 see the canoes Of.
Each boat has two men, and when a
storm comes up while they are cut. or
they are unusually late getting in, there
is great anxiety among those Oh shore.
Il takes wears Of training to make q good
porpoise hunter. and the big boys begin
by going ont with the experienced men
40 matter WHAT the waters condition,
toe it rough or smooth. IL there Is trip
contemplated the start is made.
lncalm weather the blowing Of the por-
lrsise can be heard a long way, and guides
the Indians in the right direction. Shoot
ing Is the most successful method OF kill
ing the fish Long. smoothbore guns with
lig charges Of the powder and double u
shot are used As the Gsh IS floating,
swimming and diving about the water,
iirst on the surface and then below, the
canoe is padded rs near as possible.
Then, as the porpoise lifts himself to
dive. the guns charge is LEI fly. There
Is seldom a failure to make q sure shot.
but the fish is speared 10 stop his iioun-
dcring about in the dying struggle. Il
Is then landed in the canoe by gTaspinG
The pcctoral lin with one hand, sticking
"a couple of fingers in the blow hole and
dragging it over the side. In still water
slis is easy. but when high sea is run
ming the undertaking is hard and dam
gerous
Sharks are plenty, and their fins are
almost always visible cutting the water
as soon Us porpoise Is wounded, the
blood attracting them. No end of sto-
ries are told OF men having had their
arms bit off bv the sharks while they
syerc reaching into the water to secure
a porpoise, but old fishermen scoif at
such Z thing. and pay no attention to the
dread ocria monsters a they almost rub
thcir noses against the sides Of the ca
noes.-St. Louis Globe Democrat