Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-10-22
psooorTY BEACH Mosseas.
A New England Industry That Provides
the Housewife with Blame Mango.

INC hoNseNAAe WIN hAauc Mango.
Fair old Scituate boasts an industry
in which. If in no other, it, Is the lead
ing town in the country. Il has. as
none Of its more wealthy sister towns
have, its moss. From the rocks that
carpet its harbor and make its shores
feared by the sailor is gathered an in.
come every year that may not be
princely, but is still large enough to
compensate the town for the lack of
noisy, smoky factories and strong
smelling wharves.
When the moss gathering industry
began in Scituate no one Knows. Prob
ably the value Of the moss was first
discovered by accident by some fisher
mans wife. The gathering and curing
of for food began in Ireland many
years ago. Ii was used principally by
the people of the south Of Ireland. near
the eacoast Many people have made
the claim that they introduced the in.
dustry in this country, but even the
Oldest inhabitants Of Scituate are in
doubt as TO who was the first.
The particular locality where the
business is carried on is called Peg
gotty Beach" Little Peggotty village
is punched here, and here the mossers
and their families ply their trade.
There is no loafng. Everybody is ex-
pected 20 do his share of the labor.
While the father is out in his boat rob
bing the sea 10 put bread in his familv's .
mouth and blanc mango and Jelly into
the mouths of mankind. the wives and
daughters are wading along the rocks
near the shore filing their aprons with
the smaller pieces of the moss.
The boys are at the same time rakiug
and turning the patches of moss that
are laid a In regular lots in front OF
each creel house. The veteran mos
err is on the beach at sunrise. There
Is much to do before the ride twill
answer and he must watch the tides.
With garden rake he levels of a patch
on the graveled beach. ALWAYS being
careful not to leave a footprint. Then
he carries the moss that his wife and
daughters have washed out the night
before and spreads il on the smooth
spots 1t is Of many colors, from the
maroon, purple black TO a delicate vel
low, according 70 the washings and
-bleachings il has received.
a low tide in the morning and a
westerly brpeze-not a winds what
the men pray for. Out by the rocks Of
Third Cliff the double spirits and dories
were already stationed. and men were
standing up in the boat poking around
in the water with long poles. In order
get a nearer view the reporter hired
a typical small boy to take him out in
his dory.
How do you know when you are
over mossI' vas asked Of a man whom
guide called father"
"Oh, | can see it, was the answer.
The uninitiated could not distinguish
.ne rock from another at the bottom. I
but the experience of years dor some Of I
.hese people have been here as many as !
.hirty years. makes their sight wonder
keen. {
The rake used in scraping the rocks {
las a handle fifteen feet long fitted into
heavy iron head The teeth are set '
-ery close together and are sharp
Over the back part Of this l
read there is a guard that keeps the G
Dad from falling back into the water I
Is much as two pounds Of moss can be
orn of the rocks at one shove of the
axe. A good days work for u man y
l25 pounds Of moss The cargo sell !
falls below seventy pounds =
the mosser lose runof a rock =.
which offers a good yield, and the T
1tied waters interfere with his finding !,
, a bottle Of oil is brought into requi- n
.tionsand a little of it is thrown on the :
-ater 70 quiet the ripples. +,
The moss gatherers are met on the a
each by the young folks, and 'creels" =
a barrel each of the weed are r.
lied TO the brim at the boats, and it is a
len spread to dry on the beach. To n
leach the moss TO the desired color :,
ght washings must be made; il il 81
oused, when perfectly dry, in the n
lanFfaa o. D. Du-n