The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-10
RICH ON SHREDDER CRABS.
UNCLE WASH RAINOR VINO FIRST SOLD
THEM TO SHED SHOOK

the crab authority Of Freoport, l. l. This honor
IN due 10 a man who says he was the discoverer
OF the soft shell crabs and who Is said on good
authority, 10 have made 500. 900 out Of them.
This was some years ago. Whether he has tho
money Is another story, but the fact remains that
what he does not know about crabs Ia not worth
telling. His stamping ground used TO be along
the Hampstead Creek all those tributaries of as
sorted sizes which run curving and wriggling into
Hampstead Bay There wero few houses near
them. They were unknown waters To all but
Uncle Wash and the one man 70 whom he is known
TO have opened his heart, a well known figure In
the banking world Of the metropolis
Starting from his house at Frcepor before dawn
with his handy sloop Uncle Wash would steal
down the water ways High tide or lowest ebb
made no difference to him, he knew every bar and
shoal and threaded every passage until those who
tried TO follow him. only 10 run aground hard and
fast were forced 10 admit that ash was born on
foggy morning, sure as you live" Natives have
been known 10 sail down the bay and lie in wait TO
see out OF which creek Wash would come hoping
to get some pointers, but Wash would come along.
lazy like, chuckling TO himself, and say:
Hello, Tom, amt seen yer week or so. Heard
yer was 10 Bridgeport for the scallops? Gettin'
any crabs? Awful scarce; amt seen a conner in
week. all racks, dern en-"
The watcher would answer something and
Wash would pass on with seemingly empty boat,
and the watcher would follow up the creek to find
barren grounds The truth was that Wash built
all his scowboats himself, and each had false
bottom which in the three inch high space would
hold hundred or two soft Shells" and in tho
sloop was crate space all under the scant decking
and washboards TO hold any quantity and show
next 70 none. The old man knew his business and
even to-day no one has learned where he gathered
his great catches of twenty to fifty years ago.
How did I first catch on to the shedders? Well,
l stepped on one and found il soft and slung II
away 1t fell against a caulking fire and baked,
and first thing knew a little lad was eating IL
and asking for moro mush crab tried II and
liked it l had boarders at a neighboring village
come around and ask my wife to get them up
sea food feed for a picnic, and for fun as much
as anything, laid down some Of the crabs, and
they could not get enough Of EN-. One Teller
gave me an order for a dozen and took EN- to New
York TO a hotel man who he said was called Shed
Shook, and for years l thought he was guying mo
on tho shedder crabs but found he wasn't, and
this Shook gave me my first steady order, over
forty years ago For over ten years he and had
the monopoly Of tho business He wouldn't tell
where he got 'em. and packed clans on the bas-
kets and let on that was what was shipping
steady every week, and then little by little others
got on to EN- and the cream was gone
Still most OF EN- is gathered by luck; the gath
erers know nothin' about the habits OF the crabs
an walk over hundreds they ought to get Tho
great secret Is 10 know when they are going TO
shed. have taken in four hundred crabs, kept
them In my tank two days, fed them TO bursting.
and shipped them almost hard as nails, no sign
Of change 10 have them reach the city half out
their shells, soft as pap That WAS where the
money came In Monday and Tuesday a crab
ieels II Is time TO change his clothes and he loads
- ~ A. - l. IL.
Having filled up he goes for shallow water, where
the eel and tho toadfish not so likely to come
and even other crabs will keep away, for they arc
rannibals, the best OF them
Then II is sight worth studying for the ways
Of Nature are great and marvellous Flat down
lies the crab. pushing the shell into the soft sand
or mud and raking bit OF salad weed over Its
back Then 1t appears TO swell itself. a thin crack
appears in the back seam, triangular cracks como
at the base OF the large claws, the inside swells
moro and more, the crab swings back and forth in
the still water as II moved by the tide and little by
little backs out Of the old she'll freeing every claw
and leg as 1t goes until It rests Just behind tho
old shell, but fully third larger and so weak
and nerveess that it cannot move Even the claws
are as soft as wet paper. The whole skin Is soft
and smooth baby's cheek, Many and many
time have smoked a pipe and watched the
whole performance, and il is wonderful, man.
II is wonderful.
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