Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1889-08-03
poRpo.sE-cATcn,nc.
nay of Fnndy Industry Nsaspslsxsd By
the pa-ssmsqaoddy Enaina.-

fOhPOtSE-CAICNt
A nay Of ssndy Iaasstry Msaspslsxed hy
ths rasssmsqaoddy EnaiAa%
Along the coast OF Maine there are
several places where porpoise-caiching
Is. carried on extensively. and affords
the principal means Of support 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. ismore or less occupied the
year round By whites and Indians who
do little else. Foe years the Passams-
quoddy Indians have made practice
" camping on the beach and applying
themselves assiduously &c rorpolse-
harpooning and shooting. The winter
fish are the iattest and give the most
oil; that Is the valuable part Of the
catch. The largcstpsrpoises are about
seven feet long. will girth i've feet.
weigh 800 pounds and over. and yield
from six TO seven gallons OF oil. The
blubber Is an inch or so thick In warm
weather, but In the winter double that.
A fat hsh'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
hiubber the appliances are OF the rudest
kind. The fires are built amone
piles OF stones. over which iron
pots are hung. The blubber ID cus
IN small pieces and slowly melted
The oil Is skinned into Jars and
cans, and when pure il worth 80 centa
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 vessel, each pair produc-
Ing about one-half pint Watch-makers
ana others using a very fine oil take IL
In preference to NIL other. and II com
mands big price. The blubber oil
! gives good light. and for years was
burned exclusively In the lighthouses
along the coast.
In a good season an Indian win catch
nearly two hundred porpoises, eaea
yielding about three gallons Of oil, but
most OF them fall good deal below
this, as they are not over-partial 10
labor. and. as long rs the returns OF
one catch will last, will loaf around the
camp rather than 90 out again. The
custom Is TO get few gallons OF oil.
90 To the nearest market aad sell IL.
then ..rest' till forced by necessity 10
. make further exertlons. The por.
| poise's flesh is much like pork when
, cooked. and Is staple article OF food.
The bravery. skill and enduraBce
demanded OF the porpoise-oatcher III
their work IL almost unknown - ths
| outside world. In the morning. wher
e the men are going ''porpolsin'." th,
D women and children turn out TO ses
the canoes on. Each boat has tw.
: men. and when a storm comes up Will,
e they are out, or they are unusually lat
: getting in. there IL great anxiet,
a among those on shore. Il takes year
: OF training 10 make a good porpoiss
4 hunter and the big boys begin BY goinl
!, ont with the experienced men. Nj
i. matter what the waters condition.. b
!. il rough or smooth. u there Ia q trlI
$ contemplated the start Is made. Il
/ calm weather the blowing Of the por
/. soise can be heard long way, ans
q guides the Indian In the right direc
v ton. Shooting Is the most successfa
a method OF killing the fish. Long
i smooth-bore guns with big charge
,r OF powder and double b shot ar
: used As the fish Is floating. sv~lu
a ming. and diving about the water. firs
"a on the surface and then below. tn
II canoe l. padded as near as possible
l. Then. as the porpoise lifts himself /
dive the guns charge l. les Hy, TheE
n is seldom failure 10 make good sho
lr but the fish is speared 10 stop b
aoundering about in the dying strul
ei gle. II Is then landed In the canoe :
Z. grasping this pectora IA with of
% hand, sticking couple Of fingers
the blow hole. and dragging IL ovs
m the side. In still water this Is ems.
hnt when high sea Is running the IA
or SerialSing is hard and dangerous.
Id Sharks are plenty, and their ans ai
In almost always visible. cutting q
water AS soon as q porpolse Il wOunde'
CO the blood attracting them. No end
q stories are told OF men having hi
w their arms bit on by the sharks viii
they were reaching into the water
Is secure porpoise. but old Asberia'
lr' sco:f at such a thing. and pay no !
on teatIon 10 the dread ocean raoustes
In AS they almost rub their nosas agMin
or the sides Of the canoes. -St Lol
n y