Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-14
FISHING FOR PROPOSES.
Killed by schools for Less IMAM % Ap'eeo
At Cape Hstteras.
tPhiladelphla Pross.

There ia only one ishing-ground for por-
na;ses ON The Atlantic coast. Ii Is just
below Game Uatterfs. and at this season OF
the wear preparations are being made
for the winters sport. during que
summer these curious mamnais-loII
fish they are not-are sch..elo-
Ali over the ocean. but when cold weather
comes the prey on which they feed-men-
baden and other small fry that travel IN
schools-co southwark and assemble IN
yast numbers in the shadows about the
locality mentioned. The cape affords
barrier against the fierce winds from the
north and in the waters below IT these
little fishes seek a shelter. There accord
ipcly the porpoises congregate.
Usually there are about twenty men IN
porpoise-fshIng camp. There must De
sufficient number to manage TOUR poaIs
and as many great seines. The boats are
distrIbuted at three stations along shore.
Two of them are together in one spot,
while the third is mile above and the
fourth a mile below. Each boat has
seine ON board. Lookouts are continually
stationed upon high bluffs to watch for
game. and they signal with flags when
school of porpoises is coming.
Suppose the porpoIses are coming down
the coast. Warned in time by signals, the
men at the station farthest south row
their boat rapidly out to sea. dropping the
seine as they 60. III the thing Is properly
managed they have been IN time WIN tDelr
net TO head off the first of the animals.
Az soon as the school or most of IT has got
nest the station farthest north the boat
from that point IL run out IN Ike fashloh,
dropping its seine on the way.
Tins the porpoises find themselves
bemmed in between two fences OF net,
each stretching a mile out into the ocean,
They might easily escape by swimming
seward save for the fact that mean while
the two boats from the middle statloh
have put out q mile from land, not drop
ming their seines on the way, but extend
ing them in line parallel with the shore
and Joining the two extremes OF the other
seines. In this way is made within few
moments O rectangular pen two miles long
and one mile broad, in which the luckless
beasts are confined. They could easily get
out, of course, by breaking through the
nets. inasmuch az their strength is enor-
nous, but they do not think OF that.
The porpoises thus lnclosed are sur
rounded with smaller seines and drawn
in shore. where they are kept thus In a
little room until the fishermen wish to Kill
them. Sometimes as many as two hun
dred will be secured at q single haul. Inc
fishery is very profitable, because there are
several products of the porpolse which are
valuable. The skin affords an excellent
leather. Upon being stripped from the
animal the hides are sailed down, tanned
crudely, and shipped TO northern markets,
where they are used in the manufacture
of shoes, travelling bags, and other goods.
This leather has particularly fine gram
and boots made from 1t are given water
nroof oua'ity by the natural oil OF the
skin. how sver. the highest-priced porpoise
leather. which is very'costly indeed. Is OBJ
tanned from the unborn young. IL Is OF a
most delicate texture and exqulsitely mot
tied in black and white. For book-coyers
il is a much-admired material.
Every one has heard of porpoise oil,
which is used tor watches and other deli
cate machinery. 1t is one of the most
costly oils known, because only few
ounces of il is got from each animal. II ~
obtained from the Jaws only. being dried
out from the bones after the skin and flesh
have been removed. There Is another
sort of oil. of very little value, procured
from the fat beneath the SKIN and from
the liver and other yiscera.
Hides are worth from 75c. to S2.5O apiece,
tue latter price being paid for the best
skins of unborn calves. A school OF 200
porpoises represent about $500 to the hsh-
ermen. Nobody has ever attempted to
make any use of the skeletons, which are
scattered by tens of thousands along the
shore below Cape Hatteras. They would
afford first-rate fertilizer mixed with
phosphate.