Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-11-29
TURTLE CATCHING.
AN INDUSTRY FOLLOWED IS.
PEOPLE; ON TIE GUILE COAST.
The Different Methods OF Capturing
the Big Shell Fisl,-somc Use
thc Seine and Other.
The fiarpoon

of the Gulf of Mexico, and earning thou
sands of dollars annually.
Turtle catching is known in the
vernacnar as ''turtling," and those en-
gagged in it as ''turtlcrs." The craft en-
gagged in turtling have various capacities,
ranging from two to seven or more tons.
according to the number OF the crew. 1t
requires two men TO set the nets, one
sculling the boat whilst the other paws
out the mcshes gradually from the bow
and sees that they do not become bagged
or entanglcd while going down.
These scincs are loaded at the bottom
and kept in position by two anchors,
while the upper part is heavily corked
and attached to two buoys. one at each
end. They are planted wherever turtles
are known TO ''harbor" usually late in the
evening, and the crews watch them until
the tide changes, when they return aboard
the vessel.
When the water is muddy through
heavy rains and other causes the scines
are often driftcd with the currents day
and night, as the chelonia can not see
them until they become involved in the
trcacicrous meslles.
AS turtles feed with the tides the scincs
| are set in such manner that thew are
always in the path of the grazing herds,
so that 1t is Il difficult matter for such fat
wittcd creatures rs the chclonia to avoid
them.
Tie crews of small boats often fastcn
their nets between stakes set in shadows
and watch them i'll their dinkcys during
the long hours of the night, sculling TO
them whenever they notice any agitation
III the water or hear the snort of a turtle
that has come to the surface to elbow. ~
They usually carry Il lantern, which is
Kept concealed i'll the dinkey until it is
required for examining the nets, and
when it is placed overheard it reveals one
Of the most uncanny sights imaginable.
Hundreds of fishes become alarmed ON
seeing it and flashed through the phos-
phoresccnt sea like so many living kalei-
descopcs, while the slow and ponderous
turtles merely glance at it and sink lower.
If one is found in the seine it is carefully
lifted into the dirkey and its foreiiippcrs
tied to prevent it upsetting the boat or
crawling overheard. In large vessels
each crew make "t trip to the galley {"
whenever three chelonia are caught and
pass them to the cook, who is always
ready TO receive them. His FIRST move
ment on finding the I" marine
geese" aboard is to make two holes in the
fore iiippers of each with red hot mar
lin spike, which is always kept in the
galley fire for that special purpose, and
tying the tlippcrs together with strings.
While he is doing this tue crew refresh
themselves with hot coffee and no matter
how many times they may visit the vessel
during the night the cup of coffee is par-
taken of whether it is needed or not
In pegging turtles, Tie "peggcrs," rs
they are called, uso pole from twelve
to fourteen feet long, one end of which
enters Il socket 10 which n steel point is
welded. This point is square about two
and half inches in length, and quite
sharp, so that it may readily enter the
she'll. 1t has Il iiangc On the upper end
TO prevent it from going in too far and
killing the turtle. Another kind, called
the flying peg differs mainly from this in
having no socket ana being inserted in
the pole.
Turtles caught with pegs are not con-
sidered SD valuable us those caught in
nets OH account of their liability TO bleed
To death from wounds, or have their flesh
rendered unpalatable by the spreading of
the injuries received. TO conceal these
wounds, the men stuff Il chew of tabacco
piece of oak,m, sponge, or an old rar
into the hole and perhaps rub some mud
over them. Peggcl turtles do well
enough for the local market or where
there flesh Is to be dried, but are consid-
cred rather uncertain shippers TO distant
points.
Expert liarpooners usually aim at tic
chimes OF the large chelonia, rs these
edges are quite tough and elastic and
hold the peg when il would Slip out OF
amy other part of the body. Heavy tur-
ties often require two pegs in their shells
before they can be- hauled aboard, and
even then the men do not find Inc worl;
very easy, as u ch:lonian weighing from
300 to 700 pounds is clumsy creature
to handle i'll the water. Ii turtles are
abundant the men do not haul them in
us fast as iarrooned, but tying Il ker to
TO the peg line throw it overheard and
allow the animal to pull it about until it
becomes exhausted or they are ready to
coursing over the sea in every direction
would seem strange TO Il landsman, and
his establishment would probably he
aroused ON seeing the huge creatures fast.
ened to them allow themselves To be
lifted into Il dmkey without makinr any
struggle worth mentioning.
All the turtles caught during the niglt
are slowed in the hold of the large yes-
sells the next day. Each is laid on lis
back, rropped up on both sides with
guards, and IL block Of wool put under
Its head, The arrangement prevents the
creatures from being tossed about in
heavy weather and its interior organs
from becoming Displaced Chicugo
Times.
Embedded in Tree.