The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-09-14
POppoISB SHOOTING AT GRAND
NDAAN.
Frank 4 HoywoOA.

pEcU8 - I1oy WOOo.
Porpoise shooting affords to the In:
dams Of the Passamaquoddy tribe their
principal means Of support. II IL prao-
ticed at all seasons Of the year. but tho
sea animals killed in the winter are
the fattsst and give the largest guam
titles Of oil. The largest sized por-
Doises measure about seven feet IN
length, about the girth i've fset, weigh
800 pounds and upwards and yield
from six to seven gallons OF oil. The
blubber Is about one and one-haf
inches thick in summer and two inches
thick In winter. at which time the
creature is in Its best condition. The
blubber from a large porpoiss weighs
about 100 pounds. The Indians try out
the oil In . primitive manner; with
rude though picturesque appliances.
The blubber is stripped OF. then cut
into small pieces. which are placed IN
huge iron pots and melted over hre.
All along the beach are placed, at In
tervals, curious structures, consisting
OF two upright pieces OF wood sur
mounted by Cross piece. from which
the pots are hung by chains. Under
this cross piece large stones are piled
In q semi-circle, inside Of which fire
is made that is allowed to burn asrcely
until the stones are at q white heat.
The fire is then scattered. and the pots
containing the blubber are placed over
the stones and Just enough fire kept
under them to insure the melting OF
the blubber. When melted the oil Is
skinned Of into othsT receptacles,
then poured into tin cans OF several
gallons capacity, and the process Is
complete. II the oil Is pure 1t readily
brings about q dollar gallon. but X
adulterated with zeal. or any other in
feI'iur oil. its value IS reduced by some
/ 40 per cent. 4 superior oil Is obtained
from the Jaw OF the porpoise. The
laws are hung up in the sun and the
/ oil, as II drips, is caught in cans placed
/ for that purpose. The quantity OF oil
! thus procured is small being only
about half a pint from each jaw, but
/ large price IL paid for 1t by watch
makers and others requiring a fine
/ lubricator. The oil from the blubber
gives good light, and was for many
years used In all the lighthouses on
| the eastern coast. 1t is also a capital
| oil for lubricating machinery, never
getting sticky, and unaffected by cold
weather. When pure there Is no Of
feusive smell, and there ia no lamp oil
equal to It for those who are COM
pelled TO use their eyes at night The
! light Is very soft, and, used in a Ger
man students lamp, one can work al
most az comfortably as by daylight,
and the dreaded glare of gas and dsother
artificial lights is completely avoided
If industrious and favored with or
dinary success an Indian can kill from
100 to 200 porpoises per year, and they
will probably average three gallons OF
oil each. But the poor Indians are not
industrious, or only 80 by fits and
starts. or as necessity compelS them
Their way is usually to accumulate
some IS or 90 gallons OF oil, then &C
off to Eastport, Me-, with it, for mar
ket. Thus much time Is lost in lQiter'
ing about the towns and In going tC
and returning from the hunting
grounds. Moreover, there are always
two Indians to each canoe. and the pro
ceeds of the hunt have to be divided
There is good demand for the oil
and If Systematically followed porpois'
shooting would furnish the Indians
with comfortable support. The tlesl