Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-05-12
ALEWIVES IN The DAMARISCOTTA.
The Annual Mysterious Rush Of Fish 10 This
Maine River.

Maine River.
NJ one has ever discovered just why
all the alcwives on the New England
| coast assemble and force themselves
| up the Damariscotta river to spawn
| But 50 they do. and SO they have for
years ana years ana years. There are
| other streams and rivers along the
coast that offer as good advantages to
! the fshy visitors. but the aIeWives
| have regular spring engagement at
| the Damariscotta river. When one
| considers that all the spawning ale
wives along the 300 miles Of coast come
| to Damariscotta and try to crowd up
| little river. only a few rods across
| the scenes that occur here are more
readily understood and more easily be
lieved by those who have never seen
such a marvellous sight.
An alewive rush" is the most inter-
| esting event at Damariscltta during
| the season. All at once down the river
| the calm surface begins to be broken
| by little glnts of silver in the sun
shine little FITTINGS of the water. and
| quivcrs as though something of broad
| extent We're moving below. Then with
startling suddenness a queer sort Of
| tidal wave seems to form. 1t moves
rapidly upstream. extending from bank
| to bank. The wave rolls foot high
| And it is a wave Of fish, AleWiVes,
| 1t comes sweeping on. one fish leaping
| over another and falling only to leap
again. And thus. flashing and splat-
| tering and leaping till the surface is
| afoam and the air is full of the queer
| rushing noise, the fish come till they
break NJ the foot Of the fails. During
these rushes, which happen frequently
| during the day. alewives are forced
tapping ana laundering out on the
| banks Of the river. and may be picked
up and put in baskets
The laws of Maine permi, the cap
ture If these alewives und,r somewhat
peculiar provisions. F:c.I the pond
above the village the river dcscends
by successive leaps thr face Of 2
rather steep bluff. There are two
| branches Of the stream floWina down
| the bluff. The law provides that all
the aIewives which turn to the right at
| the foot of the falls and ascend the
| Tight-hanl stream shall be allowed to
| pursue their way undisturbod. They
are permitted to hon from pool to pool
| Gop out on the bank ana then flop
HAIL aa-,i,, ,,1 ,b,,, r,,l,.. tboir. ami
o,,I+ ,,.aI- IL Till 1aIrn ,rbo io,,rno,. Il,
| TILT /, t,,a ,r;ff ,,oo,,,.i'. !, bna,t,.
| ana a.ti,.n ,1aoriva ~ least tv-o DAYS
I'D his fins n,uet he nrrttv voary-
when he gets there.
60 49,,
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to,+bs IF tho fish tbo,, ca+cb are Skinned
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difeCt - t"' w. y. lIl"i'1' ~ II
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anu '"c ioiiI'ies "'S i"',
hlahcS Sou'' c''i'IS III i'9i'
lHc p'cNe'9 u MH'Ni '''o
ia l.,'"l' anu ~" 80 '"l CIV
eIl'irt 'IEHt 81 li9iliii9 W. i'ose - -
lhe aIeWIN'S y Pai'ie7 III .iiINe I'''.'!''
ahd lor tlihe At r. n" i1i,A It'll" ''''9
freshly smoked aie"lNeS' Or heIIlAs n
these fiSh are sometimes mistakenly
called Inc req herring Is "l'Ihtt ~ I