Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-10-31

Round about the littletown CNieu-
port) extends a cherries desert of
Trolling dunes, cutting It of from the
big. bustling world outside. The
cottages are hidden away among the
sand hills, and no doubt In olden
times the chief occupation of their
owners was wrecking and smuggling
Mere huts they are, consisting often
of one room. The snow-white walls
are fitted with alooves, screened with
stiffly starched curtains concealing
various beds. There is little furnI.
ture and what of the SIMPLEST but
the pavement of red tiles fairly
shines from scrubbing, and inside the
huge chimney are hung the polished
copper pans and quaint old speci,
mems OF Delft pottery, given up by
the sea from old-time wrecks.
Every morning at dawn the strang.
est company you ever saw musters In
this odd little street. A company.
one would think, OF medieval cavalry
THE slouch hats OF the riders recall
the helmets of Cromwell's Ironsides.
The bulky baskets might be shields
and busklers, while the bristling net.
poles suggest pixies, lances and hal
herds.
And lastly. tarpaulin jackets and
thigh boots gllsten like armor
Watch one of these remarkable fish-
ers careering along a remote and SOL
itary beach, with great wing-llke
nets stretching out on either side Ct
the crupper, and you will at once re-
call Don Quixote returning from n
tilt at the wlndmllls. And surely no
such fishermen we're ever elsewhere
seen. Ask them where are their
boats. and they burst into laughter,
pointing to their sturdy, placid
beasts beneath them.
And how carefully there are pre-.
pared for their battle with the scat
First comes n pack padded out with
straw. ana on either side OF this tho
large pannlers are adjusted to re.
ceive the catch. The traces for drag
ging the net are now attached TO the
collar In the ordinary way. and the
big net itself poised behind the pack.
An extra basket Is hung upon the
side, and then at last Don Quixote
may mount-no easy matter, by the
way. since there is little room amid
the elaborate gear. Twelve or twen-
ty OF these strange plowmen OF the
sands meet together and make their
way down to the beach when the tide
Is at It's lowest. Here they are join
cd by other companions OF the cur
lous army. with irregular helpers in
the shape OF women and children.
All are soon buslly spreading out
and arranging the nets, while the
big. patient horses stand motlonless,
waiting 10 do their share. Poles /
keep the mouths OF the nets wide |
open, and the moment the fisherman !
the horses step fearlessly /
into the foamlng water. going out |
ever deeper and deeper, TIL at length
little more than the animals heads
are above the gentle rollers. Regular
are gone through. Lin
ng up In a row. the horses begin
heir Journey along the waves. drag
ying the heavy nets behind them,
needless OF the heavy breakers ana
strong currents. They never sop
o rest. never change their pace; and
he riders pull vigorously at cheer
ng pipes, having little more to do
han sit still and hold the rope that
regulates the net. while the harvest
# the sea Is being gathered.
Now and then the men on the ex-
RENE outside OF the marching squad
on-that is to say. those In deeper
change their course
nd wheel round shoreward. while {
he others slow up and change places
he object of this is 10 give each
nan an equal chance and get the
atch fairly divided. Naturally those
shing IN the deeper water have an ]