The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-02

body then becomes hard and rigid, and re-
sembles gigantic leech. If, however, it
is preserved in fresh sea water and allowed
TO remain quiet, this elegant crown of del
icate and beautiful tentacles will be ex-
banded in all its glory.
HABITS.
The habits of these animals are but little
known. They inhabit the seas and are
spread in every latitude. Their very linn
tied movements consist in kind of crawl
ing motion produced by the undula-
ton of their bodies or by the contracting
of their fieshy protuberances, which serve
the purpose of feet. Some few species,
however, can glide along very swiftly and
gracefully. Holothuria are usually found
on the bottom, creeping upon stones or
gravel, but always in shallow places where
they will not receive the full force of
strong sunlight.
The holothurife are very common in all
the waters of Puget sound, particularly IN
sheltered bays like Gig harbor, Quarter
masters harbor, and other places, where
during the winter months, they retire to
the deepest pools and are easily taken
with beam trawl nets. The fishermen re-
ject these sea slugs with great disdain as
unfit for food, and when present in any
great numbers they a. once remove their
nets to another locality. But truth is on
this side, error on that's q maxim as
true in cookery as in morals. The sea
cucumber which Europeans disdain is a
fayorite dish among the Chinese. The
fishery, preparation of and transport of
these animals to market plays an i'm
portant part in the commerce of the East.
One large species, the Hotothurid tlb,lEosa,
is common in the Mediterranean 1t is
edible. and much relished at Naples.
This sea slug, when dried, is an ugly-look-
ing dirty-brown colored substance, very
hard and rigid until softened by water and
very heightened process of cookery,
after which it becomes soft and mucila-
ginous, and tastes somewhat like lobster.
II Is made into thick sort of soup by the
Chinese, who are extremely fond of it, as.
when cooked by Chinaman who under
stands how to properly prepare it, the
trepang becomes q capital dish, and is a
favorlte among the Europeans who have
partaken OF it at Manila or Canton.
VALUE.
The beche de mer, or trepang, is yerv
abundant on the coast of New Caledonia
and constitutes an important branch of
commerce. There are great many varie-
ties Of this slug, and all are not of equal
value. In simmons Commercial Pro-
ducts of the Sea, London, 1884. it is stated
that the annual exports are valued at f40-
900. The fishery has been carried on for a
long time on the island of Erromonpo.
which serves as an entrepot where ves-
sells load with this article and sandal wood,
which they carry TO Shanghai or Hong
kong. although many merchants prefer to
ship by the way of Sydney and other Aus
tralian ports. Although there is such
great number OF varieties of this sea slug.
only about i've have any great commercial
value IN New Caledonia. The price there
is as follows:
No. !, brown, with large teat-like protuber.
nnces. fn per ton
No. 2, large black, with ieshy prickle. like n
cucumber, El5 per ton.
No, 3, small black, with feshy pricklss like a
cucumber, GO per ton.
No. 4, red bellies. with ieshy pricklss like a
cucumb Der, els per ton.
No. 5. white, with tieshy prickles like q Gu.
cumber. xl2 per ton.
The first quality often sells in China as
nigh as t9O TO Zoo per ton. China is a
steady market for this beche de mer, and
among the varieties found In Puget
sound any can be discovered of No. 1
quality, the price, $500 per ton, is worth
trying the experiment of preparing them.
HOW To PREPARE THE BEcHE DE MER.
The Malays throw the slugs, while still
alive, into caldron Of boiling sea water
where they are stirred about by long
pole. In this process the animal shrinks
suddenly and elects all the water il con-
tains and becomes firm so that It can be
easily handled. 1t remains in the boiling
water two minutes and Is then taken out
and split with sharp knife. The en-
traits sre extracted and it is thrown into
q second caldron and boiled from five TO
iiteeh minutes, some varieties requiring a
longer cooking than others, which can
only he ascertained by experiment.. When
properly cooked Il is spread out To dry. A
sfnatl stick or silver of wood is used TO
Keep the edges spread apart 30 that il can
DRY nat When properly cooked il will
ury IKE boiled egg Immediately on being
taken out OF the pot. Beche de mer dried
n me sun ietches higher price than those
dried over wood ire | think that the
Alden Process would prove an excellent
method Of drying them. When prnnerIy
boiled the cut part shows a blue and am
Ter color, and the slug should feel firm
hSe INDIA rubber. AS the beche de mer
when dried aesorbs moisture rapidlv. case
should be taken TO pack IL in such a man
ner as 10 exclude all dampness, else il will
mold aud become worthless.
THE NORTHWEST coAsr VARIETY
The hoiothurie abound In countless
nyrisds in the waters of Puget sound and
along the seaeoast, bays and fior,ls. eles-
NJ 10 bering sea Ny attention was FIRST
directed 10 the great quantities of these
slugs IN ISIS. Daring the summer NJ ,bs,
year l made cruise on the United States
revenue steamer Wolcott, Captain c. NJ.