New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-25

mills arc at work and the clearing Of land is IN
nrogress This station has been named after
Captain Richard Whitbourne. who is one OF New
foundland's famous men. In the days OF James
he wrote a book on tie island, copy OF when
the King sent to every parish in the kingdom with
the view Of inducing his subjects to colonlze the
New found-land. So rare is this book now that
a copy would sell for $3.50. Only few copies are
known TO be in existence. quaint ana anus
ing but an honest and veracious, volume IL Is
Not the least interesting chapter Is that In wfich
the author gravely tells of sight he enjoyed OF
O mermaid" or, as he prudently added, perhaps
a Norman" at play in the harbor OF st. Johns.
Modern scepticism nothing if not prosaic' has
resolved his mermaid into seal seen IN the
dim light of foggy morning. lie had pas
sionate love for Newfoundland and was one oil
the crowd who chcered Sir Humphrey Ulloert
when on the 9TH Of August 1888, al 3D. Johh g. hc
took possession Of the island In the name Of queen
Elizabeth The gallant old captain commanded
ship in the bold squadron that dashed into the
Spanish Armada as 1t neareo uie "ii'e 0'' "a
England.
Times have changed since then. The railway
has invaded these solitudes and am now on my
wav toward a greater wonder even than the cap
tain's mermaid Ten miles beyond Whitbournc
leave the train at Broad Cove Station, and AFTER
drive Of four miles through bit of fine scenery,
7 find myself at Dido, near the head Of Trinity
Bav. Nv friend. Mr.. Nielsen, is waiting for me
with his steam launch, and in few minutes
am gliding out against a still breeze toward Dido
Island. some three-quarters of mile from inc
shore Here the scenery is grand. Serrated nils
are grouped all around Spread Eagle Peak tower
ing above the rest: slvery arms OF the great nay
stretch away far inland, chief among them OH
the oppositc side, Bay of Bulls Arm, historic
scene where, on the 9Th of August, 1888. the
first Atlantic cable was landed, though more
favorable landing place was afterward found az
Hearts Content, on the southern shore of the
bay and nearer its mouth. The head Of Trinity
Bay and the northern shore, especially about Kan
dom Island, Smiths Sound and Trinity Harbor.
present scenes of unsurpassed beauty. A tourist
might spend weeks in exploring them, and painter
would revel in them.
Dido ISLAND AND THE GREAT HATCHERY.
After ten minutes stcaming we turn project
inc point and find ourselves close to Dido Island
and approaching a long, ilat-roofed wooden bald
ing two stories in height erected on little shell
trrei cove on the southern side Of the island.
This is the famous hatchery. which is - feet IN
length. As feet in breadth and % in height. II
is substantially built, without any pretensons TO
architectural effect.
On landing my first introduction is 20 :hc cod
fish from which the Ova are obtained. 1~o or
three planks are removed from the flooring of the
wharf uncovering Jorge tank in the centre
through which the seawatcr flows freely To my
establishment see scores OF great Goldfish disport
ing themselves. swimming round and round ana
glecfuly chasing each other They are well-fed
and seem quite happy. After a time some of them
81. ettrfg
and submit to be pattcd on the head and take
food from the hand. II fccding-iime and
large bucletful Of squds, chopped into small
pieces, was thrown into the tank. Then came a
rush and scrambled Gashing and splaShing
that made the water boil as if a squall had struck
It, The pieces Of squd were scattered over the
surface, but not one ever touched the bottom.
Tie voracious cod gobblel up every morsel rs II
fell. and their dull eyes seemed TO ask for more.
Between 600 and 700 Goldfish male and female,
were swimming about in tbs tank, wire netting
all around its sides preventing their escape. They
rad been taken in nets or on hooks. Some Of
them are injured by tie latter process. | noticed
one poor fellow, part Of whose upper jaw had
been torn of by the hook, but he did not seem
to mind it, and was apparently as sportive as the
others.
X female Goldfish yields in a season from two
and half to eight nine millions Of ova accord
ing to her size. Her spawning time extends over
six to eight weeks. The ova ripen gradually, and
pass from the fish only when ripe. Hence the
object Of keeping them in confinement. The en-
pcricnced eye of the superintendent tells Inn when
the ova are ripe The mother-ish is carefully
lifted out Of the water, land on table or on tie
floor Gentle pressure is applied or, in techni al
language, the fish is stripped Mt from The
male is poured ovcr the expressed ova, and thus
fertilized they Immediately transferred To the
Matching jars. The parent fish are returned 70
the tank TO await the next period Of incubation.
The advantage of this artificial process is that
from 60 10 90 per cent Of these ova ale brought
to life and the young fry placed In the water,
whereas in the natural way it is found that not
one in twenty thousand is hatched. 50 great Is
the destruction OF cod ova and young FRY in tie
sea that it is pretty certain that only single egg
out of every two and quarter millions thrown
into the water reaches maturity. Not only does
the artificial method bring to life large per
ccntage Of ova, but, when Matched, the young fry
are taken care Of till they big enough 10 SWIM
swiftly and escape their foes
HOW TIE FGCS ARE MATCHED.
Having made the acquaintance Of the cod
! fish. ! am conducted by Mr.. Nielsen into his
baching room on the ground floor OF the building
which is 50 feet b. as. On one silc Of tins apart
/ uent the Chester apparatus is fitted up Thus IS
! the invention Of tic late Mr.. Chester, of Tho
United States Fisheries Commission, who vas once
an officer in the Polars expedition under Captain
Hall This apparatus consists Of forty-eieh
wooden water-teht boxes, each 3 feet long, =
inches wide and 90 inches high. These boxes ar
placed in rows, toward the middle Of the room
one box being six inches higher than the other
gangway between each row enables work L
he carried on from each side of the boxes In eaci
box are placed six incubators Of glass, resting OF
ribs. three inches above the bottom Of the boxes
These incubators are glass cylinders, by u
| inches with a hole drilled in the bottom OF each
The ova, when fortified in the way described, ar
cleaned and placed in these incubators. a pee
Of checse-cloth is secured over the mouth OF TIN
incubator by an elastic rubber ring. The i'll
cubator is then put down into the boxes, bottom