Evening journal., 1899-02-14
EASTsRH SHORE MUSKSAT CROP
THE HUNTING SEASON HAS BE
GUN AND THE CROP PROMISES
TO BE LARGE

GUN AND THE CROP PROMISES
TO BE LARGE
Cambridge. Ma, Feb 14.-In the
vast marshes OF this county OF Dor
chester. stretching from Fishing bay
near the Chesapeake on the west, TO
the Delaware line on the east. is har-
vested Maryland's great musl1rat crop.
Last year the catch aggregated 100000
rats, and this year, Judging from the
start already made, the crop will be
even larger. The hunting season be-
gins January / and closes March 81
The great marsh section Of Dorches-
ter county borders mainly on the
B.ackwater, Transquakln and Chica-
comico rivers, in the election districts
knows as Lake. Drawbridge and Buck
town. where for miles and miles the
country is monotonous level. the
high grass shutting out from view the
inky waters of the rivers, which,
though extremely narrow, are naviga-
bic. A few years ago much of this
land was looked upon as an irredeem-
abe waste and II remained part of the
public domain. being the property of
the state Farmers pastured their
hogs upon the grass and there was no
Thought that other use might be found
for these tracts. The increase in the
demand for muskrat skins as well as
for the fur Of the otter and mink
changed all this.and within the last few
years the Maryland Land Office has
issued patents To- thousands OF acres
taken up solely with a view to musk
rsu farming There are sUll thou
sands Of acres OF these marsh lands In
the possession of the state, more than
even the land commissioner can trace.
and all TO be had merely for the ask
ing. Should Germany and Russia
which now manifest such a fondness
fer the skin of the American muskrat,
continue to take all that we can ship.
there is no doubt that all these waste
lands will soon have owners. In these
marshes otters and minks were once
almost as plentiful as muskrats, but in
recent years the latter have had al
most undis.urbed possession and have
been protected by legislation.
Inc typical muslrat hunter il as pc
ou,lariy a product OF this region as is
the muskrat. Though he lives in a
section that is fairly reeking with ma
laiia, the home Of chijls, fever and
ague and mosquitoes he is a picture
OF rugged health and is hardy and
ione-Aved The people OF these marsh
es are plain and simple and very hos
pitable. Their homes are small and
rudely built, t,usually one story in height
and containing but two or three
rooms. The children are as hardy as
tleir parents. though in this country
a stranger can no more keep in good
healsh than he can in Cuba during the
rainy season. The muslSrat builds his
house IN the shape OF a mound and
AIMS To make Il high enough to be
sale from the highest tide, but In the
Spring and Fall tidal waves some
times food the little structures. drown
ing the young, and then there follows
a shortage in the muskrat crop. The
houses are built OF grass woven into
lsolt cf Goth
There are several methods OF catch
ing the li.tle animals, the most com
mon being by the use Of the ordinary
steel trap and by gigging The traps
are set in the paths made by the rats
In their travels through the marshes.
Giggins furnishes the most interest
ing and exciting sport The gig is a
weapon about three feet tong. having
fve or six sharp steel prongs. each
two and a-half feet in length and sew
eral inches apart This weapon is
made just heavy enough for man to
easily thrust II through the grassy
home Of the muskrat. The hunter
must falproach these little houses
against the wind and a windy dav ls
nutn the bes. for successful work.
The animals sense Of smell is acute
and on detecting the approach of a
human being all the rats scamper from
the upper chamber Of the house To the
lower one, whore they are out OF reach
Of the gig. When the hunter an
pioaehes muskrat house properly It
5 Is not unusual for him TO catch a rat
on each prong Of his gig. But no
matter how many there may be in the
house. the first throw Of the gig is the
! hunters only successful one. for those
he fails to catch then make their es-
cape.
r The days hunt over. the trapper re-
] turns TO his home and prepares both
q the fur and the flesh OF. the animal for
4 market. With remarkable rapidity the
\ SKIN IS removed. An expert can skin
a mlskrat in less than half a minute
a AFTER the skin Is removed, it is stretch
e ed over shingle to dry or cure. This
process requires about four DAYS. The
y outside OF a rat trappers cabin is al
ways hung with punches Of skins and
n on the inside they are frequently hung
from the rafters. The meat of the
a rats is washed and prepared for buy
n efs whe visit the marshes almost daily
and they find a ready market for the
Il meat in nearby towns and in New
YORK and other cities The muskrai
n lives principally on roots. = These hs
@ gathers from the marshes and monnt.
g THE PRESIDENT A SLAVE To