Feliciana sentinel., 1892-10-01
CATCHING TERRAPiN.

A Clandestine Industry. at This Ilme OF
the Year. of the ChincotesEuers.
When You see two or three men pull
ing out in small boats from Chincotaguc
in the summer season. armed with Stout
sticks. large bags. and small nets, You
may guess that they are going after ter
rapn. The native term to desert be the
sport or business sounds much like
'.turpentinc," though it is more nearly
represented by the spelling ''tarp'nin."
Cautious persons use one or another
cuphonism instead of plain tarp'nin,
because the laws of Virginia forbid the
taking Of tc1'rapin at this season Of the
year. and although restrictive laws sit
lightly upon Chincoteague, there is al
ways the possibility Of prosecution.
The skillful terrapin catcher knows
| where to expect his game by the APP
pearance of the marsh which the creat-
urcs inhabit- Lying off Chincoteague
at varying distances arc narrow RIB
! bons OF vivid green marsh, some edged
| with oyster beds. where at low tide
| thousands of oysters arc in full view,
! and all swarming in season with various
| kinds of salt water fowl. Just at this
season You hcar the always incvita bic
marsh hen calling from the grass OF
this damp strip. Tcllovlcgs, curicws,
! and a half a dozen kinds of ducks arc
! plentiful upon the marshes at one or
another time of year. and the eggs of
| water fowl are gathered here by the
hundred.
~hincoteacucrs call these marshes the
meadows, perhaps because their fuxl-
rious growth of salt grass give them
| the appearance of rich pastures. When
| the island pastures are rarched the ma
| ,,pripS i'm to the
| tempting %rcercrv OF the meadows, II
| tclneritv that the !:ttlc horse; may come
! later To repent. since a high tide might
make the meadows an unpleasant place
| OF residence. 1t is upon the meadows
| that most of the terrapinS are canght.
Students of terrapin nature say that the
| Young terra pin. as soon aS Matched.
| takes to the mud and there lies buried
| for a wear. At the end of that time the
| Young terrapin comes out to take up
the duties of active life and encounter
the perls of a table del;cacy. The ter
rapin is the water lily OF the animal
| kingdom. delicious product of Shiny
ooze. Opportunities for studying the
habits of the diamond back are not of
the best even here where his kind is
abundant. When freshly caught terra
pins are to be kept a season it Is usual
! TO dig q mole, nv IL WITH "dtci. anu
then surround the hole ana = small area
of dry land with Il tight fence. 1t is
found that the captive terlapin has an
excel lent appetite, and at the approach
of an attendant with food the creatures
come from their hiding place in the
mud and thrust greedy noses above the
surfa ce of the water. One resident OF
Chincoteague has chosen an oda way &c
study the tcrrapin. lie placed tiny
terra pin the size of two thumb nails in
a well some time ago. ami i determined
to keep him there 50 long as he contin
nes to grow.
There arc many ways of cooking ter
rapin here in the home Of the creature,
but none perhaps better than those
practiced by the gourmets or Phlladeh
phia. baltimore and New York y ia
vorite method is to put tbs live aud
. squirming terrapin into the oven anC
there To let him bake safely, shut in 81
that the sight of live tortures may MOI
vcx the conscience of the tender hearted
cook. When done the terrapin thus
. treated il served upon plate. Tie foI
whom the delieacy i intended lifts tn,
shell and seasons the savory mess &C
cor,iiug to his own taste.-pkiladelph
: Press