The Washington herald., 1909-03-14

han a hundred years the beach which Is
the western boundary OF Albemarle Sound
the second in size Of those great North
Carolina sounds which make North Caro-
lima a fisherman's paradise - has been
noted for its extensive seines and the
large takes Of herring and shad. For
three-ouarters of a century records have
been kept which show that this particu-
lar fishery, known as "Avoca," is the
largest in the world.
The day Of the great seines for the TAX
ing Of shad and herring began somewhere
about 1920. Before that time most OF the
work had been done by relatively small
seines. at the most a few hundred yards
IN length. but It was found practicable to
use far longer ones and TO take these out
upon boats, which at first were operated
by sweeps or long and heavy oars pulled
by slaves. A little later small and speci-
ally built steamboats,. side wheeIers. re-
placed the less easily handled craft. and
when this Improvement was made # was
the last word in the development Of the
fishery. for the plan then adopted has
ever since been followed.
In the early days there were several of
the large seine beaches. but all save
Avoca had ceased 10 operate by last year.
because the men who operate set nets
and pound nets had shut OF the fish in
their effort to get into the upper sounds
hat only a limited number could pass.
Last year a new law, known as the
Yann act, became effective. This forbids
ne placing Of nets across the inlets, and
-hus gives the shad passage.
Arrival of the Shad.
The shad make their appearance, coming
out Of the deep sea, from what quarter
robody knows. passing into the inlets and
thence into the broad stretches Of sounds.
enetrating the streams and going as far
p the latter as they possibly can, so that
at Raleigh. in a creek hardly more than
a branch in size. under the dam of the
o,d pumping station of the city water
orks, fine shad have been taken. In the
Id days the streams far inland were full
oc these fish, and the Indians speared and
netted them, caught them in weirs and
4 various other ways
The Indians liked the shad particularly,
nd the earliest pictures show them cook
lg this fish. the method of cooking being
- an open fire. and the fish being skew
ered so they could be turned toward the
re. first one side and then the other Not
nly did the Up-cOuntry Indians take the
rad as stated. but they made periodical
sits TO the coast to get shad. oysters
&C., and there are mounds on the shore
n. the sounds which mark the feasting
laces OF the red men in the centuries
ong gone. The Indians do not seem %
fave priced the herring so particularly
1ough in the great fisheries Of AIbemarle
Sound the herring Is the fish principally
taken, and the real staple article. whether
fresh or salt, and from that point 1t goes
Il over the United States.
Can Study Fish There.
Tho great fishery of Avoca offers special
opportunities for study. The sound there
3 about seven miles in width ana extends
III the way TO the ocean. The inlets are
small and the volume Of fresh water vast
y exceeds the salt, many rivers emptvine
ITO this sound. notably the Roanoke
which pours from its Virginia and North
carolina sources. far up In the Piedmont
country a torrent nearly always Of mud
md which gives the prevalent color "a
he vast stretch Of sound. and. indeed
affects adjoining sounds In these sounds
mere IS only a triling tide. the wind
making sport or the shallow water and
thus creating its own tide.
The color of Albemarle Sound is very
Ike that of the Mississippi River AT ordi-
nary stages. but when the sun strikes II
there Is golden CLEAN on the water very
beautiful 20 see. Ever. condition favore
the shad. and this has always been the
place Of all others the fish best like IN
the spring time. the period al which II is
take, the hauling OF the seines beginnIne
IN March and continuing forty-five davs
Once the operation Of the seine IS begun
it is incessant until the season ends ana
every four hours a haul is made day and
night
Near the fishery is the mansion Of :he
Capehart family. built more than three
quarters Of century ago, a stately home
indeed and noted always for fits hospital.
ity- Perhaps at no place is there more ad-
hesion 10 the old forms OF Southern social
and industrial life than ar AVOca. Life
goes on almost as placidly at it did in
1850. Negroes are everywhere. great and
small around the house, in the broad
fields Of the farm and at the fishery. and
t1ree genera 'i'1s may be seen in service
there. soIc ing gray-haired men an
women OF, slave o the family.
Founder OF thc Fishery.
The fishery was esti 81 by Georss
W Capehart his success0- Icing TIE late
Dr. William r. Capehart. and the present
owners being young William Capehart
his mother and his sister. As we approach
the fishery there looms large the shed
which has been in use from the very be-
ginning and under which the fish are
handled
The beach is quite straight, slopes very
gently, Is Of clean sand. and leads into
the water, which is everywhere shallow
and which laps the shore with gentle
Wavelets- The shed is black with age
and its big cypress shingles are rich with
moss and other growth. the front proiect-
ing far over. ike a hood Along its front
are boards upon hinges which can be let
down flush with the beach or which can
be raised after a haul IS made, so as 10
retain the fish and 10 prevent the latter
from getting back into the water
II Is best 10 take a haul from the he
ginning In order to see the operation Of
such a fishery. The seine has been pilad
with great skill upon the sterns of the
two tiny paddle-Wheel steamboats,. which
lay with their noses against the shore
Suddenly these back out and then swing
side by side into the sound at a poInt
half mile from the beach, then go the
one north the other south. turn and head
for the shore. having paid out the net.
which is $500 yards long, and 10 which
there is attached 2.Oo0 yards OF rope. the
whole costing S3.7C0
The boats come in toward the land slow
ly and the seine forms a great arc OF n
circle. When the boats come in the ends
OF the ropes are attached to drums oper-
ated by steam engines there being two
Of these, one on either flank OF the great
shed alluded to- The engines starr up
and there is the humming noise Of the