New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-29
4 RUSH OF ALEWIVES.
Az ANNUAL SPECTACULAR EVENT ON
THE DAMARIsCOTTA RIVER.


England coast assemble and force themselves
" The DamAriscOtta River TO spawn. But so
they 90, and they have for years and years
and years There are other streams and rivers
g. 9ng the coast that offer good advantages
TO the hshy VISITORS but the alewives have a
regular spring engagement at the Damarscotta
River.
When one considers that all the spawning ale
wives along the three hundred miles Of coast
come to Damariscotta and try to crowd up a
little river. only few rods across, the scenes /
that occur here are more readily understood !
aId more easily believed by those who have
never seen such marvellous sight
An alewife rush IS the most interesting |
event at Damariscotta during the season. All
al once down the river the calm surface com !
mences to lie broken by little glints Of silver in
the sunshine, little FITTINGS of the water and
quiEers as though something Of broad extent |
were moving below. Then with startling sud |
denness queer sort Of tidal wave to
form II moves rapidly upstream. extending
from bank 10 bank The wave rolls foot high. |
AID il IS a wave Of fish, AlewiYes! II comes
sReeping "a, fish leaping over another and
falling only 10 leap again And thus flashing
and splatteTIng and leaping till the surface is
afuam and the air is full Of the queer rushing
noise. the fish come till they break at the foot
Of the falls During these rushes. which happen
frequently during the day. alewives are forced
Tapping and laundering out the banks OF
the river and may be picked up and put in
baskets
The laws Of Maine permit the capture of these
sleEiTes under somewhat peculiar provisions. !
From the pond above the village the river de- |
sends by successive leaps the face Of a rather |
steep bluff There are two branches Of the
stream flowing down the bluff. The law provides |
q he all yt-iy robf
at the foot Of the falls and ascend the right |
hand stream shall be allowed to pursue their
way undisturbed- They are permitted to hop |
rom pool 10 pool. flop out on the bank and then |
LIP Dach again and thus make their difficult |
Ndy TO the lake The journey up the side of the |
Gin occupies 2 hearty and active aIewife at |
least two days. and his fms must De pretty
vary when he gets there
Inc ish that select the lefthand stream which |
S "lqeT and more easy Of ascent are caught in
"elr ", rather d lock Not one escapes. At
t.-l@4n intervals soon as the lock is full the |
"-tei is d. a-nad or and with great dip nets
4adle the struggling fishes into suce that
s''pes 10 d packing house. A thin stream Of
waller IS running down the sluice and the fish
@-F borne away. As they come out Of the end
o- NE sl1--e there stand men with barrels. AS
IN a. one aarrel - fun another is substituted
a. the end of the runway During the season
'"'-sal1s = barrels are secured Practically
a. me hst are picked in strong brine Few Of
I'm are SD IN this form in the United States.
--- Da1aE-se- tta packers say that nine-tenths
q ne fish they catch shipped direct to the .
Hesi Indies, and readily sold there to the
NATIVES The cali is for plenty Of salt and fat
-sA- Both are provided The 4leWives that run
~ me river are in fine condition, fat as butter.
ana tn females are full of roe that makes good
e~-ng IL l.slf
he % aers 10 whom the towns Of Damaris- /
:. ,la and Newcastle sell out the entire right of
'5--Is dispose Of some Of the alewives to
I~i--s f" ho smoke Them, and for d time all Of
- "-f-ne'and eats freshly smoked alewives or
"7'''is as tnese fish are sometimes mistakenly .
1'.rd The "a herring is another sort of
''-' from the big fat alewfe- All the profit
s'eS 20 The citLzeus Of the two towns that have
S'7h mentioned The sum realized is so consid
,'@Die That taxes in the municipalities are very
low
NE an ancient provision every widow in the
--s l- allowed to to the side Of the
lam and receive a hundred pounds OF the
-7h lsh from The hands Of the Selectmen who
On duty during the whole Of the season.
si5ohs y certain age are also entitled to their
quota 4 fish
-ael night armed guards patrol the banks Of
"i7am, especially the rghthand stream.
mere the fish that are allowed to pass are
-sgAhg trayely Poachers have in the past
4 lie