The sun., 1899-05-07
PORPOISE FISHING BEGUN,
PURSUIT OF THE WHITE WHALE IN
THE GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE

Canning old Sea Foxes Thnt Keen Thai,
Juniors Out of Trnps-NaN Number. of
tho Creatures - Tho salmon's Worst
Enemy-A French-Canadian Legend.
QUEBEC. May 5.-Ths porpose fishing season
in the Gulf and River St Lawrence has begun
this spring with most favorable prospects. On.
shipmaster reports that Off Point des Mont,
the other dav the st. Lawrence was white with
these animals. and that he sailed for several
hours through a school OF porpoises several
miles wide.
These porpolses are sometimes called whi.s
whales. Belu0d boredHs. and are really beauti.
full animals in appearance. Their snow white
color and rolling motion on the surface OF thu
water are familiar to most yachtsmen and tour.
lists visiting the lower St. Lawrence The best
specimens are from fourteen TO twenty-five feat
in length. They yield from 100 to 120 gallons
OF oil. which possesses the valuable property
OF retaining perfect nuidity at temperatures
below zero. making II very desirable for light.
house purposes in high northern atitudes 1ts
skin Is tanned into leather. and some Of 1t has
brought several shillings pound
In parts OF the Gulf of st. Lawrence ror.
poises are killed with spears and harpoons.
and other hunters shoot them with rifles Al
Isle aux Coudres. at Point de Cariole, on tho
north shore OF the st. Lawrence. and at Riviera
Oueile. on the south shore. they are caught
alive in strong fish pounds. When they arrlvs
from the gulf they are meaRre and famished
looking. After eight or ten days feasting they
become bloated with fat often eight inches
thick. Caplin and smelts are a sleep pro.
ducng food for tho porpoises. which. after
goreing themselves upon tho smaller nsh,
become lanGuid and fall an easy prey to their
captors Often during high tides they drift
ashore on the beach. and as many as 500 have
thus been caught at a single tide
Not all the porpoises that follow their prey to
the openings OF the pound pass In by the en-.
trance. In the school there are always soma
cunning veterans whom the fishermen call
"savants." These shy old sea foxes have as.
caped from dangers innumerable. and can
steer their way fearlessly through the stakes
Of the pound. Occasionally one may be seen
stationed at the entrance OF the fishery. warn
ing his comrades to shun the treacherous
stakes. and even barring their passage when
they disregard his note OF alarm Old rorpoiss
fishermen declare 1t to be n fact that when
the giddy juniors OF a school OF porpoises per.
sist In entering the fishery one Of the veterans
will show them the way out Of the stakes.
These veterans can only be trapped when
long course Of over-feeding has made them
fat, stolid and stupid.
The St Lawrence porpoise Is the greatest
enemy encountered by the Atlantic salmon on
its way from the sea to its native river to obey
the instinct to reproduce its kind. Not only do
these animals station themselves opposite tho
estuaries OF most of the north shore salmon
streams to prey upon the freshly run salmon.
but in many cases they pursue the fish
for considerable distance up the river
from its mouth. II there be no OBJ
struction to its progress. Thus they arc
found basking about the mouth OF the Sague-
nay almost all the summer through. and fire.
Quently follow a run OF salmon not only up tho
river to the mouth OF the Marguerite, but often
into that famous angling stream as well. For
every salmon that the angler kills on these
north Canadian rivers 100 or more fall victims
to the porpoises. 1t has been frequently sug.
gested that the Government should nay Q
bonus for the destruction OF the porpoises
A quaint tradition connected with porpolss
hunting in the early days OF French Canada Is
still repeated at Canadian f1resides. A club ot
farmers had acquired the monopoly OF the
Riviere Ouelle beaches for planting their fish.
cry stakes and other engines OF warfare against
the porposes. Residents Of neighboring par.
ishes coveted the spot. as the profits from the
fishery were then very remunerative. One 81.
Jean Baptste day. June "a. when the porpoiss
fishery is at its height. mum Der Of the people
OF the adjacent parishes drove over to Rivihre
Ouelle. to witness the fruits OF an extraordinary
previous day. A grand carouse was held am.
pie stores Of old Jamaica rum were consumed.
and the night wound up with dances to the
music furnished by the village fiddler, At
midnight the fiddler refused to play another
note. protesting that ghostly apparitions woult
be the result il he yielded. and Indicating that
the spirits were already revelling near tbs
beach. When the visitors went out Of doors
and looked toward the water ghostly scene
met their vision. The rising tide had tloat"d
the, gruesome carcasses OF the porpoises which
had been stripped there on, the prr.
OF the dead animals became sparkling lights:
hashcs Of fire were emitted from their blow
holes and phosphoresccnt illumination fol-
lowed IN the wake OF, the sea steeds. who wHrs
or not the owners OF the fishery, in order to
impose upon their guests. took advantage OF
natural phenomenon that under certain conii:
tions they were quite familiar with the legend
does not say. but It adds that the visitors lost
no time In leaving for their homes. fully salts
fed that Riviere Ouelle was an unranny spot
and a good place to keep away from.