Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-29

yelIow-legs make their appearance about
the LIST of May, and by the middle of the
month is the season for bay birds. But the
great distance to a market debars the pot
hunters" and the price of ammunition the
hunter generally. The light house keeper
had the only set of decoys 1 saw while
there. The manner of killing these birds is
very simple. One scoops a hole in the sand
near some shallow pond in which he places
the decoys: he then sQuats down and whis-
ties the birds to him. After a rainy night
these birds could be killed by the thousands.
Later, come the robin snipe," who feed on
the beach. They are in great focks, and
one shot into their midst will supply fami-
ly for a week with tender bits. Then there
are the game curlew. These rarely go in
fiocks, but solitary wings it's flight above
the decoys. To get one of them, the gunner
is obliged to take long shot. In June,
when the first flight of the bay birds is
over. the weak fish begin to bite; then the
trout are freely taken in the sound. Crabs
and clans are here by the million, but no
one seems to care enough for them to pre-
pare them for the table.
But the flush times for the natives is in
the autumn. The migratory wild fowl. fol-
lowing the trend Of the ocean, driven by
the storms, seek shelter on Hatteras. The
brant. that king Of wild fowl, ''pintails,"
shutters, mallard and teal come to this
section in uncounted numbers. This is the
time when the Hatteras native really hus-
ties. He cleans out the old fowing piece
touches up his wild fowl decoys df he has
In the shadows of the sound and then lies
In ambush with his decoys around him.
Some have battered sink boxes and big
guns. This game finds ready market. there
being always SchOonerS and soops In wait
ing to buy up game and fish and to trans
port the same to Norfolk. where ice-filled
reservoirs are prepared for their storage,
markets.
Very little of what Is made in this bust
ness rails to the share of the Hatteras
native. Possessing no facilities himself of
reaching the market for game and being
unable to secure a monopoly of the cunning
he needs must divide very uneuuaily with
these rowing traders, for they not only
take at low prices all he can shoot but
they do business on their own account, and
keep up q constant fusillade by which the
birds are killed or driven away.
In the spring comes the wild goose and
swan shooting, and Hatteras has always
been famous for the number Of these wild
io"l Quantities Of Swansdown are secured
mere, and thousands of wild geese are an
in itself.
In shooting geese and swan live decoys
wary birds soon learn to avoid the wooden
decoys. When an islander wings wild
goose or swan he will chase II for miles
70 secure 1t alive. lie places the wounded
FOWL IN pen with such others as he may
possess and 1t soon becomes tame. The
geese wander at will during the day. but
.ney always return to the pen at night
some stream half In and half out of the
water. Here they are sure Of finding their
corn or meal reed. A singular fact In con-
nec.ioh with their captivity is that they
must be kept carefully penned during the
months Of May and November, for during
tnese months the migratory instinct is SO
strong within them that the staidest, quiet
sst, tamest goose will. IL at liberty, sud-
denly spread It's wings, for months Unused
anu disappear, either north or south. as
its Wlld mates may be winging their flight
81. ahey make Invaluable decoys. and very
lew Wlid geese are killed without their aid
Inc I'VE swans are very valuable because
OF their scarcity. The owners of these
Deautl1ul birds take no chances, but keen
time. f "'i ZIG
In the summer the native takes life easy
ne lounges, loafs and chews tobacco while
Ine patent woman keeps the pot abiding"
Nothing arouses him, excepting the news
that the bluefsh are of the coast" Then
ne harnesses up to his primitive cart and
hastens to the beach, for these bluefish are
me pirates or the ocean, and when schools
OF them advance everything else In the
nhny kingdom darts in terror before them
Ihey chase the trout and mullet, which, in
their blind fear. literally flash through the
breakers onto the shore by the thousands
For miles the beach Is strewn with the
wriggling mass. The best is selected for
food, and such natives as own a little
patch of ground. dry enough to raise vege-
FISH, with which to fertilize the sterile SOIL
The oysters Of this vicinity are Of an in
ferior Quality. The salt waters of the
ocean. which pour trough Orinoke inlet
into Pamlico sound mikes with the fresh
water and forms a brackish fluid, which
gives the oyster fiat, insipid taste. There
are many places around Hatteras which
would make fine oyster preserves but these
grounds Will never be utilized until the
facilities for reaching them are improved
stranger leaving Washington Monday
morning. going through the inland sounds,
and depending upon chance opportunities
OF transportation, might consider himself
lucky II he reached Hatteras by Saturday
night The mail is due here twice a week,
but often a week. and Sometimes two, will
pass before the sailboat can make its way
against the head winds to deliver the mall
bags.
In proof of the Observation-Disclosures Of this
place l mention that, with the exception
of government officials, who called upon the
life saving service and light house on their
round of inspection, I was the first visitor
at Hatteras for five years
ALEX. HUNTER.