Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-07-25
PORPOISE CATCHING.
EXCITING WORK BY INDIAN. FISHER
m, MEN ON the MAINE COAST.

IN. MEN ON rHs MAINE COAST.
me PrfacipaI Means Of support OF the
P..samaaaoddy Tribe Primitive Meth-
Cd. Of landing the Big Fish and Trying
out the Blabben
Along the coast OF Maine there are
several places where porpoise catching 10
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 fish
ing ground. and Indian Beach. bordering
On the waters OF the hay Ii occupied the
year round by whites and Indians who do
little else. For years the Passamaquoddy
indians have made practice of camp
ing on the beach and applying them
selves assiduously 10 porpoise harpoon-
ing and shooting The winter fish are
the latest and give the most oil. that Is
the valuable part of the catch.
FROM HAND TO MOUTH
The largest porpoises are about seven
feet long, will girth live feet, weigh 300
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 tish's blub-
Der will weigh about one hundred pounds.
The Indians do their work In much the
same way now as they did IN early
years. the most primitive methods pre-
vailing In trying out the blubber the
appliances are Of the rudest kind The
fires are built among piles OF stone, over
which iron pots are hung The blubber
Is cut In small pieces and slowly melted
The oil ID SKINNED into jars and cans,
and when pure is worth ninety cents n
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 a vessel. each pair producing
about one-half pint Watchmakers and
others using very fine oil take IL in
preference to all other. and 1t commands
big price The blubber oil gives good
light. and for years was burned exclu.
sively in the light houses along the coast.
| In "A good season an Indian will catch
nearly two hundred porpoises, each
yielding about three gallons OF oil; but
most OF them fall a good deal below this,
as they are not over partial to labor. and
as long as the returns OF one catch will
last. will loaf around the camp rather
than go out again The custom Is to gel
a few gallons OF oil. so to the nearest
market and sell ii, then rest till forced
by necessity to make further eSertions
|, The porpoises flesh Is much like porl
when cooked and is q staple article o.
food
HOW THEY ARE CAPTURED.
The bravery. skill and endurance de
manded of the porpoise catchers in thei
work il almost unknown to the OUTSIDE
world In the morning. when the mel
are going ''porpoisin'. the women am,
children turn out to see the canoes oil
Each boat has two men. and when
storm comes up while they are out, o
they are unusually late getting in. Their
is great anxiety among those on shore
Il takes years OF training to make a goo
porpoise hunter. and the big boys begi
by going out with the experienced men
No matter what the waters condition
be IL rough or smooth. IL there Is tri
contemplated the start Is made.
In calm weather the blowing Of the POI
poise can be heard long way, and guild,
the Indians in the right direction. Shoe
ing is the most successful method of xii
ing the fish Long, smoothhore guns wit
big charges of the powder and double
shot are used AS the fish is floating
swimming and diving about the waite
first on the surface and then below, Il
canoe is padded as near as possibl
Then. as the porpoise lifts himself
dive. the guns charge is let fly The
is seldom failure to make sure sho
but the fish IL speared to stop his aou
dering about in the dying struggle.
Is then landed In the canoe by graspir
the pectoral fin with one hand, stickiI
q couple of fingers in the blow hole al
dragging il over the side. In still wat
this il easy. but when high sea is ru
ming the undertaking Is hard and da
gerous.
Sharks are plenty, and iheir fins a
almost always visible cutting the wat
2 as soon as a porpoise ID wounded. I
blood attracting them. No end of s
ries are told Of men having had tn
arms CIT off by the sharks while til
were reaching into the water to sect
q porpoise. but old fishermen scoff
such a thing. and pay no attention to I
dread ocean monsters as they almost :
their noses against the sides of the