The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-12
PORP0ISE CATCHING.
EXCITING WORK BY INDIAN FIsHEn.
Z. MEN ON THE MAINE COAST.

me Principal Means OF Supr.ors ~ 49,
rssssa'nsqaoddy Tribe-Prfm,ttx. Me-.
dds OF Landing the big Fish and Irwin.
Out the Biubber.
along the coast of Maine there are
several places where pOrpoise catching is
'arried ON extensively and affords the
principal means of support for MANY Of
the people living in those localities The
nay OF rundy is an especially good fish.
ing ground. and Indian Reach. BORDERING
On the waters of the bay is occupied the
year round by whites and Indians who do
little else For years the Passamaouoddx
Indians have made practice of camn.
ing On the beach and applying them
selves assidnousiy to porpoise harpoon
ing and shooting The winter fish are
the latest and give the most oil: thai is
the valuable part of The catch
FROM HAND TO MOUTH
me largest porpoises are about seven
feel long, will girth five feet. weigh 400
pounds and over and yield from six TO
seven gallons of oil The blubber ia an
inch or SD thick in warm weather. but in
the winter double that A fan fish's blub
Ger will weigh about one hundred hounds
ne Indians do their work in much Tho
same way now As they did in early
years the most primitive methods pre-
FALLING In trying out the blubber the
Appliances are of the rudest kind The
hires are built among piles of stone. over
which iron pots are hung The blubber
Is cut IN small pieces and slowly melted
The oil Is SKINNED into jars and cans.
and when pure is worth ninety cents a
gallon The best oil comes from the
Jaws oil the rorpoise. The jaws are
iiing up IN the sun. and the oil drons
do"n INTO vessel, each pair producing
about one-half pint Watchmakers and
others using very fine oil take it in
preference to all other. and it commands
big price. The blubber oil gives a good
light. and for years was burned exclu,
''vely in the light houses along the coast.
In good season an Indian will catch
nearly two hundred porpoises, each
Welding about three gallons of oil; but
most OF them fall good deal below this.
IL they are not over partial to labor, and
rs long as the returns of one catch will
last vii! loaf around the camp rather
than go out again The custom is to get
few gallons of oil. 90 10 tire nearest
market and sell it. then rest" till forced
10y necessity to make further exertions.
The porpoise's flesh is much like pork
when cooked. and is staple article of
God
HOW THEY ARE CAPTURED.
The bravery. skill and endurance de-
lnanded of the porpoise catchers i'm their
work is almost unknown to the outside
world In the morning, when the men
are going 'porpoisin'." the women and
children turn out to see the canoes off.
Each boat has two men, and when a
storm comes up while they are out, or
they are unusually late getting in, there
- great anxiety among those on shore.
II takes years of training to make good
porpoise hunter, and the big boys begin
10y going out with the experienced men.
No matter what the waters condition,
ne it rough or smooth. if there is trip
contemplated the start is made.
I'm calm weather the blowing of the por-
poise can be heard a long way. and guides
he Indians in the right direction. Shoot
my Ii the most successful method of kill
ing the fish Long. smoothbore guns with
big charges of the powder and double B
Ao ho al i
swimming and diving about the water,
first on the surface and then below, the
canoe is padded as near as possible.
Then as the porpoise lifts himself to
live. the guns charge is let fly There
Is seldom failure to make sure shot.
but the fish is speared to stop his floun-
,lering about in the dying struggle. II
IL then landed in the canoe by grasping
the I,ecloral fin with one hand, sticking
Il couple Of fingers in the blow hole and
dragging it over the side. In still water
this is easy but when high sea is run
ming the undertaking is hard and dan
3eruus
Sharks are plenty, and their fins are
almost always visible cutting the water
as soon as porpoise is wounded, the
i,locd attracting them. No end of sto-
res are told of men having had their
arms bit off by the sharks while they
were reaching into the water to secure
porpoise. but old fishermen scott at
such thing. and pay no attention to the
dread ocean monsters as they almost rub
their noses against the sides of the ca
uoes--St. Louis Globe Democrat.