Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-07-23
PORpOISE-CATCHlNG.
A hay of Fundy Industry Monop"ized ny
the Passamaquoddy Indians

A hay of Fundy Industry Monopoiized ny
the Passsmaquoddy Indians.
Along the coast Of Maine there are
several places where rpoise-catching
is carried on extensively. and affords
the principal means OF supportl for
many of the people living in those
localities. The Bay of Fundy is an
especially good fishing ground, and
Indian Beach, bordering on the waters
of the bay. is more or less occupied the
year round by whites and Indians who
do little else For years the Passama-
auoddy Indians have made practice
OF camping on the beach and applying
themselves assiduously to porpolse-
harpooning and shooting. The winter
fish are the latest and give the most
oil; that Is the valuable part OF the |
catch. The largest p.rpolses are about |
seven feet long. will girth five feet. |
weigh $50 pounds and over. and yield
from six TO seven gallons OF oil. The
bubber is an inch or so thick IN warm
weather, but in the winter double that.
A fat fsh's blubber will weigh about
100 pounds, The Indians do their work
In much the same way now as they did
in early years, the most primitive
methods prevailing. In trying out the
blnbber the appliances are OF the rude5t
kind. The fires are built among
! piles OF stones, over which iron
| pots arc hung. The hluhber is Gu!
in small pieces and slowly melted.
The oil Is SKINNED into jars and
cans and when pure is worth 80 cents
a gallon, The best oil comes from the
jaws OF the porpoise. The jaws are
hung up IN the sun, and the oil drops
down into a vessel, each pair produc-
Ing about one-half pint Watchmakers
ana others using II very fine oil take 1t
In preference to all other, and 1t com
mands big price, The blubber oil
gives good light, and for years was
burned exclusively in the lighthouses
along the coast.
In II good season an Indian will catch
| nearly two hundred porpoises, eac1
t yielding about three gallons OF oil, but
most OF them fall IL good deal below
3 this, rs they are not over-partial Il
| labor. and. rs long MS the returns o
one catch will last, will loaf around tn,
q camp rather tlsln go out again. The
q custom is to get few gallons OF oil
. 20 to the nearest market and sell 1t
8 then .'rest" Till forced by necessity tt
!. make further exertions. The por
It poise's flesh Is much like pork whel
! cooked, and Is staple article OF food
e The bravery skill and endurance
demanded OF the porpoise-catchers il
II their work Is almost unknown to tn
~ outside world. In the morning, whe
\ the men are going ''porpoisin', tn
Ia women and children turn out to Sc
n the canoes of. Each boat has tw
'r men, aud when a storm comes up Will
y they are out, or they are unusually lat
r getting IN, there is great anxiet
,e among those on shore. 1t takes yeal
lg of training to make a good porpois'
h hunter and the big boys begin by goin
es out with the experienced men. n
OF matter what the waters condition,
10 1t rough or smooth, If there is d tri
n contemplated the start is made.
Y, calm weather the blowing Of the pc
n poise can be heard long way, al
AT guides the Indian in the right dire
lie ton. Shooting is the most SUGGEST
90 method OF killing the fish. Lon
smooth bore guns with big charg
IA of powder and double Is shot u
he used. As the fish is floating, swil
rs ming, and diving about the water. til
u ON the surface and then below, &
tbs canoe Is padded rs near as possibl
Ill Then. as the porpoise lifts himself
le, dive the guns charge Is let fy The
At, Is seldom failure to make good sh'
%. but the fish is speared to stop
les aoundering about In the dying strt
an' gle. 1t is then landed In the canoe
It. grnsping the pectoral fin with O
i've hand, sticking couple of fingers
try the blow hole, and dragging 1t oN
SEES the side In still water this is ea
mel but when II high sea is running the |
der tertaking is hard and dangerous.
ers Sharks are plenty, and their fins ,
's almost always visible. cutting
rec water rs soon MS Il porpoise is wound
ent the blood attracting them. Mo end
I'M stm les are told OF men having
their arms bit of by the sharks WI
leh they were reaching into the water
our secure II porpoise, but old tishern
scof at such thing, and pay no
Ieet teution To the dread ocean monstt
on rs they almost rub their noses agai
Ice the sides of the capoes. st. lie
Globe Democrat