Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1895-10-11

N
RUN INTO THE WATER ARMED WITH
KNIVES.
The principal industry of the
hardy residents of Hatteras Is
lands, off the North Carolina
cast, is pcTpoise fishing. Isolat-
ed from the outside world, brav>
ing the furious storms that sweep
over the island, the inhabitants
have become accustomed to the
energetic winds and maddening
b. lows which occasionally sweep
away their fences, gates, and il
unusually severe weather, so1ne>
times the lighter articles Of
household furniture fall aPrey to
the seothing relentless waves,
and are streWn along the beach
Or carried far Out to sea. Still
they 1nurinur not, but the indus
try goes on with unabated
energy.
Somewhere III the neighbcr-
hood Of o0 rough, hardy fisher
men arc engaged III catching
poiaoises. This force of men is
divided into three crews, or Te-
lays of twenty two men each
stationed on the Atlantic side Cf
Hattvras, their field Of operations
comprising a stretch Of ocean
fronto about five miles i'll length
Each Of these stations are de
signated as camps, and the boats,
nets and other paraphernalla
used in capturing the polpolses,
are kept in constant readiness,
and can be "run out with as
much ease and facility at a mos
ments' notice, as can the appara-
tus of the life saving crews. A
man selected from each one OF
these crews is known as "spY, .
or watcher, whose duty it is to be
ever Oh the alert for the appear
ance of the poipoise. Up and
down the beach with measured
tread, like the soldier sentinel at
stated intervals he patrols his
"bcats," his vigilant eye con-
stantly turned scaward.
A high pole is planted in each
camp, but instead Of a flag how~
ever, a bundle OF dried brush is
utilized, and wien this "Wa1f,
as it is termed, IS iun up to the
top of the pole, it IS the signal
to the ere y 1T c:lc extreme enu
Of the camp limit that school
of poipoises are gyratlng and
frolicing in the surf, and to KEEP
sharp lookout for them. The
watcher keeps this school II
s;oht. and follows them, walking
along the shore noting every
movement. Should the pilo
carry the school seaward the
watcher returns to camp, the
.. signal is hauled down, and th'
: conmotion i'll the distant camp
ouiets down, for they know tha
the school has disappeared II
deep water.
In case, however, the schoo
Z numbering all the way from $
to 200 fish, continue to advarc
O., a line with the shore OFT gOe
the distant crew, with their boats
silently but swiftly into the SUR
and soon all immense wall OF lie
is spread to cut off their tarthe
advance, in the meantime tn
first crew discovering the schoc
are following close in the wake
wideningthe net as they advance
while the middle crew has gon
beyond the surf and is now pull
ing energetica1ly for the shor
Finding their advance dispute
the school suddenly turns onl
to find itself confronted by
similar obstruction of net; no
esuess a scene of indescriDable CO
n fusion. High out of the Wat'
they leap, lashing the water I'M
o foam with their tail and maxim
frantic efforts to escape. Sllen
" the crew close in upon ther
thew are surrounded by a grea
strong wall of netting, and On
a few of the most agile succe'
:, o,,er1ea nino the boundary Al