Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-12-01
HUNTING FOR TERRAplN.
A Very Profitable industry That is Carrie
on Along the Ghesnpeakn Isny.

on Along the Chesapeake i;Ry.
BALTIMoRE, MD, Nov. 20.-"Itis very
curious that while the election has had
u decided effect on the terrapin market
and largely restricted the sales, there has
been no decrease in Che prices, and there
is no break in the rate Of $50 dozen"
said the largest terrapin dealer in the
country to n correspondent. "Most of
our stock is from the Chesapeake. We
get the best ones from this bay. There
seems to be some special virtue in the
feeding that gives them a peculiar ex-
cellence."
"Will terrapin be higher this year u
THAT is hard to say. Many people
are now eating the southern tcrrapin.
1t sells for just about half the price of
tho Chesapeake Article, and is quite
satisfactory, although, Of course, not as
fine as the diamond backs caught above
the Potomac"
The senior member Of this firm was
the first dealer to regularly sell terrapn
in Baltimore. That was about 40 years
ago, and he received IS IL dozen for tie
best. The difference between So and
$50 shows how much the tcrrapin has
advanced IN public appreciation.
In fact, die high cash value Of the
tcrrapin is modern. The records show
that the Indians caught and roasted
them, but they Were looked upon as
very common food At Yorktown,
Washington and Lafayette ate a dish Of
torrapin because the supplies were low
1.-THE time, In theannals oftwo counties
Of Maryland there are contracts in which
It is stipulated that slaves should not be
feed on terrapin more than twice a
week, and they once rebelled because
they were given terrapin instead Of pork.
Mr.. Clayton of Delaware, who was Sec
rotary of State during the administration
OF President Taylor, used to buy them
at 81 for an o&-cart load.
The best OF the terrapin, and the most
CT them, are found in Chesapeake bay,
from which 500 men take nearly 600O00
every year during the season, which is
from November to April, inclusive. The
method by which they capture them is
rs interesting as the terrapin itself
Along the bay, which extends nearly
200 miles, with dozens OF large rivers
| running into il, are immense marshes,
mud flats, and shadows, on many Of
which grow the water cress, which gives
to the terrapin and the canyasback duck
the flavor that makes them SO attractive
to cultivated appetites.
II you should happen near some of
these places you would probably fluid an
old colored man wading around with n
stick prongcd like Neptune's trident,
| prodding into the mud and looking very
like a person who had lost something
valuable IN a queer place, without cx-
actly knowing where to seek it, But Sd
| experienced is he that the slightest sign
| OF terrapill leads ut once to quick IN
yeStigatinn below, and generally to q
| quick transfer to the large cotton sack
which the old man carries.
This Is one way There are others.
the most successful being the dragging
OF loaded scines along the bottom
Many terraptn are also Caught in the
oyster dredges, and all find their way to
market
In the autumn the terrapin begin to
/ get ready for their winter sleep. A
| Maryland man buried &c Of them on the
LIST Of June, and dug them up on the 1St
Of December. In the six months they
| did not lose an ounce of weight, and
every one of them was alive and we'll
| You can take u terrapin and put il in
| 'tiN NNiAt'i ~ tAiS uuttllilll1 lllN NllllpuL
receiving food or drink it will be all
right III the spring. II is, in fact, about
the cheapest boarder in the entire ami.
nal kingdom.
Several have tried to raise terrapin in
ponds, ~ they have not made much of
u success, '2r che terrapin do not like
captivity Nr Interesting thing about
! th"Iri ihat they nave SO much curiosity
| tina ,ECn y are confined in these
/, po1ds They Jan be trained to come to
! q surface when their food of the crab
meat aud dough is ready.
Boys along the Chesapeake catch ter
rapin. There Is not much sport in cap.
turing them, but they are only we'll
satisfied with the profits.
Many terrapin are caught along the
coast of North Carolina. One OF tho
curious methods of catching them there
i that dogs are used, which in summer
track them from the waters edge to the
Grass, where they go to lay their eggs
The way i'll winter is TO burn the grass
in swamps. The terrapin, installing the
warmth for spring, come from Their
hiding places and are captured. Both
Of these plans, however, are considered
barbarOus.
Indigestion Miserable Take Beecham'.