The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-20

the name passes through. Terrapin is
now well known all over the civilized
world, and the terrapin OF the United
States has been unhesitatingly award
ed the palm for delicacy and general
excellence. What if squirrels feet and
calves heads have occasionally masque-
raded in the guise of the aristocratie
count" terrapin, who averages over
six inches across his under shell, and
who is worth up to SO per dozen when
in season? The very fact of such sub
situations Is only a compliment to the
genuine article. and what the eve of
the inexpert gourmet never sees the
taste never grieves, and the man who
does not know genuine terrapin the
second time, does not deserve to have ii.
Everyone knows the terrapin by
sight, but il is safe to say that there
ARE scores who are not acquainted with
its cultivation or habits, for that is
trade secret that the farmers are chary
of talking about 20 outsiders. Two
weeks ago l had tina opportunity
farms along the sapeake. and
i found it more than ordinarily
interesting. The largest and most
important farm is on the Pawtuxent,
and consists of salt water lake which
has been surrounded by broad fence to
keep out the musl1rats and foxes, these
being the chief enemies of the terrapin.
With this exception they appest to
need little care other than duly feed
ing them at fattening time, but what
they do not require in care they make
up in trouble Of capturing. for they are
as willy as woodchueks, end that is
saying good deal. Forty years ago
they were as plentiful in the waters Of
Carolina, Maryland and Virginia as the
European soldier said fieas were in
Spain, and they were in those days
principally taken in oyster dredges,
the first really large catch being cred
tied to John Ethridge, of Body's
island, who in ten days fishing caught
over 1000 terrapin and sold them in
Norfolk market for about $500 This
was the birth of the terrapin industry,
for he Immediately returned to the
spot, dredged out 1000 more. and sold
them in Baltimore for $780, These
sales became known, and the extirpa-
ton of the wild terrapin commenced,
so many being obtained that Cor some
winters they were sold at southern
points for s. q dozen. Oh, the sin of it.
In those days the terrapin ran in
schools of several hundred, but the
constant chasing soon broke these up,
and it was not long before the deep
water dredges ceased to bring up a pay
ing quantity. Then it was found that
the chelonia sought shallow waters as
the weather became cold, and a num-
Der of improvements on the oyster
dredge proper soon came into use, and
eventually artificial propagation. or
farming, came into vogue as a staple
industry.
. Still there is quite good deal of out
side hunting done and there is no bet
ter fun in the summer than TO ac-
company good terrapin hunter who
knows his ground and is fairly sure to
make respectable bag. Some of these
men do not commence operations until
the fall. They then dig long. shallow
bitches on the marshes and flats, and
when the tide gets low they patiently
scratch the bottom with thorns or
rakes until it is all covered with a
cream-like mud or paste. When the
tide comes in, it does not stay long nor
does 1t bring many terrapin, but il
brings few, and it stays long enough
to let the terrapin find the soft bottom.
end understand that they have struck "a
soft snap" in other words good place
for them to burrow, and spend the win
ter in. Each succeeding tide brings
more, the mud is kept soft between
times, and so it is not long before the
working hunter has got quite
good nursery together. Then when
the winter comes along the hunter
goes down to his preserve with a
hRyfork and pushes it into the
mud until it strikes something. and so
keen is his sense of touch that he can
tell in a moment IL 1t be q stone or d
terrapin, and if il be the latter he digs
It ont, and puts 1t in his basket. All
through Maryland and Virginia the
darkies are TO be found day and night
on the marches armed with long light
iron rods with which they are probing
for terrapin, and many Of them make
quite a good living. As the weather
becomes cooler the hunter takes large
quantities Of dry brush and grass. and
piles il up where he knows the terrapin
are buried, and then he sets fire To T.
In a comparatively short time the heat
strikes downward, the terrapin awakes.
III y !
TO be captured and find that II * still
a bleak, cold world. and that an evil
trick has been played upon IL
Il IS, however. IN the summer that
The amateur terrapin hunter wants 20
take his experimental trip. unless he IS
a born sport and enjoys the cold and !
dirt and oi%conforts as part u the pro
gramme- and there are many who ap-
pear 10 do so II the summer the ter
rapin around Chesapeake bay are
hunted with dogs, as cartridges ars
with setter or pointer. and = good
'terrapin dog Is worth 500, and takes
e good six months - t--- Thsz are
very sagaclous ana appel 20 thorough
IL enjoy themselves About the tine
the chelonia leaves the water - de-
post It's eggs, the dogs are turned ont
TO range along the water edge until
shey strike the trail of turtle. \ dog
must De able 20 tell II II Dc a. OLD trail .
or new one. II old he must Just suilT
and pass along. ike terrier AT an Old 4
rabbit earth: but II Z t-e q fresh one.
he must follow i mp. no matter
where il leads, until he finds the
terrspin Then putting his foo. on