The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-08
NARROWING TURTLES.
How They Are Secured in the Gulf of
Mexico
New York Tribune

New FORK Tribune.
The turtle is justly considered feast for
the gods. The way people usually capture
the prizs is to wait for Mrs. Turtle when she
comes ashore to lay her eggs ON the sand
beach and TO turn her on her back with
handspike. There is much more fun with
much better sport in catching turtles by
harpooning, a method followed among the
keys and coral banks which fringe the coast
of the Gulf of Mexico. The harpoon con-
ssts of short shaft made of iron. which
fits loosely into wooden pole about feet
long. Around the shaft line is fastened.
which should be strong and about 81
fathoms long. The barb OF the harpOon is
about an inch long, having two DOtches. IL
longer that this 1t is liable TO pierce
deeper than the she'll and perhaps kill the
turtle. which the fisherman has no wish 10
do. The best sort of boat to use is a fifteen
foot skiff. with simply a ''iugsaii," which
can be dropped in a hurry, A crew OF two
Is necessary, one to look after the sail and
be handy with pair Of oars while the other
looks after the tiller. Ii is of no use to go
after turtles in calm. They sleep in the
shallow water which frnges the keys, and
always sleep with one eye open, so that
using the oar sends the animals off like
streak of light long before one is within
striking distance. 1t is when the surface
OF the water is rippled by the breeze that
the fishing has generally TO take place in
the afternoon.
The harpo0ner stands in the bows with
the line carefully rolled between his feet.
He has TO keep a sharp look out. and as
soon as he eSpes turtle resting on the
white sandy bottom, surrounded with
sponges. he directs the helmsman by hand.
As one gets above the creature down goes
the harpoon. the striker holding fast to the
handle, for the water is seldom more than
five feet deep. If the strike is a successful
one the pole comes away from the harpoon
and is thrown into the boat. The sail must
be lowered instantly, the oars taken out and
the boat headed in the direction the turtle
has taken. As soon as this is done strain
is generally put on the line, and the turtle.
is soon towing the boat. This quickly puts
the animal out of breath, and he has TO come
to the surface for air. La about half ali
hour, as rule, he is alongside the boal
considerably exhausted. He Is not, how
ever. in the boat yet, and it is now the
duty OF the man who has had charge OF the
tilley TO jump overheard and turn the turtle
over on his back This Is no easy task, aud
the man generally has two or three good
duckngs before he is successful. Not in
frequently the animal makes a final dash
for freedom, and the boat has to head for
the new direction taken, and the steersman
is left In the water. Even when the turtle
Is turned 1t Is not easy to haul 400 pound
animal into the boat which usually is half
full of water before the captive is yainIy
Tapping fins at the bottom OF the boat.
Sometimes the turtles heads for the deep
water. and If so it generally takes from two
to three hours TO land them, as they will
sink TO the bottom and suk there, coming
up for breath only at long intervals. The
most successful days catch the writer ever
had was three. but there was many blank
day and many harpoon with fathoms of
line lost, owing to some mishap.