The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-31

Away back in the times when New
York was New Amsterdam, the fat
Dutch boys used to sneak off with the
huge bored goose guns of their respec-
table parents and, taking rowboat at
the grassy battery, would row out into
the mouths of either the Hudson or
East river to shoot porpoises. Cen
turtles passed and rulers of New Am
sterdam passed. New Amsterdam it.
self passed and became New York.
steamships began to roar in the bay,
and still the porposes drew their
shining wakes regularly year after
year in from the Narrows. to tumble
up the rivers. Only within compare
lively recent years have they ceased
to delight the passengers on the ferry
boats with their wonderful speed and
grace. And even now they may be
seen at times.
Yet, although porpoises are sights
more or less familiar to almost all who
dwell near the American coasts, few
persons know anything about them.
The great proportion of folk who have
not recognize them if they saw one on
shore, for the big creatures look en-
tirely different from what one imagineS
from the glimpse of their shining
backs, which is all that shows, as d
rule, when they are swimming.
Three truthful statements about por-
poises generally are received with po-
lite incredulity when one makes them
in an ordinarily we'll informed gather
npn W &c
timid as hares, that porpoises are fair
~ good 10 eat and that the most
sportsmanlike way of hunting them is
without gun, spear, or any other APP
pliance for taking them.
Hunting porpoiseS for sport is like
fox hunting in that it is done by only
the select few. The amuse ment is one
that requires money and time. But to
those who follow it, it offers the near
est thing to coursing that the ocean
can produce.
PROPOSES are not only timid, but
they are as set in their ways as a
flock of sheep is when frightened.
These two attributes make it possible
to hunt them without weapons in a
manner unique in sea sports.
When porpoises enter a cove or chan
mel, they work it like hounds, driving
the fish before them until they have
water comes to an end. Then they
plunge among them, Selling dozens at
mouthful and gorging as hogs would.
-Four or more long, light row boats,
each with two oarsmen and a sitter,
are pulled swiftly and silently till they
lie in semi-circle between the feeding
school and their retreat to deep water.
AS soon as each boat has reached a
position where it is not more than fifty
fact from hn
pull hard toward the black monsters.
The sitters began to beat the water
with an oar or a plank, taking care
that at each blow the side of the boat
shall be thumped also. to make all the
din that is possible. The oarsmen row
as noisly as they can. Everything
that can be done is done to brighten
the porpoises. Usually the big fish are
thrown into a panic at once, and the
whole school instinctively rushes to-
ward deep water But they do not
rush far, for the circle of boats is too
much for them. Only in rare instances
do they try to break the Gordon by
swimming between two boats. II no
noise were being made TO terrify them,
they would dive under the craft and
thus reach safety. But the noise fright
ems and bewilders them. They race
away, running as far as they can. till
they are turned again by the shallow
water Back they come, swimming
with glorious speed, shining like the
vanished sides of black racing yacht
snorting and putting with terror Again
they stop, within a hundred yards or
so of the advancing boats. and dart
up the channel once more. Gradually
the boats close in and gradually each
run of the porpoise school gets shorter
until at last they are wallowing and
tumbling in a confined space, herded
actually like sheep.