The sun., 1919-10-05

had been enjoying life in their own way
only a few hours ago.
A fishing schooner came into the new
harbor and docked yesterday afternoon.
All or nearly all fishing boats have fem
mime names. AS the captain OF the par
ticular schooner Is not seeking fame or
rotoriety It might be as we'll to call his
schooner Susan" though this Is not her
name, as she carries two names, her
first quite as attractive as Susan.
She had four men In her crew. In
cluding the captain. II 1t happens to
you to be on a dock at Block Island and
you feel a strong desire to get into con-
versation with an islander 1t Will be
quite safe to address him as Captain.
Once a captain always captain is the
rule here, and II a man has not attained
the distinction he hopes to do so and it's
ten to one that he will do so.
Deck Glistens with Fish.
The sun was dazzling disk OF
splendor and the deck of the Susan
glistened in a way that would throw
polished silver In the shade. The waist
was deep In butterhsh, whiting and
hake, with here and there dogfish.
some three or four pound founders, and
In one corner five great sea cells. The
latter were about four feet long and the
size of a lusty mans forearm On the
dock was a fish dealers warehouse.
When the schooner tiled up" the fish
dealer was on the dock. There are sew
eral fish dealers here, n couple at the
Old Harbor. the rest at the New Harbor.
When a fishing boat comes in with
catch-for sometimes they come in
bare Of fish-the dealer is always on the
dock.
What have you got?" he shouts.
The captain names his catch.
The deller mentions the price he'll
give
The captain says "All right" or
Nothing doing"
The fisherman always knows New
York prices. II the figure given by the
dealer is much lower than New York
prices the fisherman will decide to ship
his fish to New York. Sometimes he
will carry them to New York, but as
rule he will ship to Newport or Provi-
dence by steamer and thence to New
York by another steamer.
Sometimes he makes money by ship
ping to New York. but again he will lose
by so doing Fulton Market prices have
a way of rising and falling that is be-
yond the calculation Of the wisest FISH,
erman that ever fished.
The Susan's cargo was in the main
butterfish. They are n short, plump fish
and ara looked upon here with much
favor as a breakfast dish. though there
ale no objections to them for either din
ner or supper. Dinner. be 1t known, Is
eaten in the middle of the day. and sup
per at o'clock in the evening.
Eating between meals is not barred.
but is only indulged in by outlanders,
-.
centric by the islanders. The opinions
entertained by outlanders of the island
ers is not of consequence to the latter.
Refuses to Sell mt Price.
AS the price for the Susan's cargo OF
buterfish was too low, the captain re-
fused the dealers offer and made a de-
mand for barrels. A fish dealer keeps
in stock barrels. ice, salt and burlap.
The ice Is sliced and ehovelful or
more is thrown into a barrel Then fol-
lows a layer Of fish, more ice and more
fish, with ice for the last layer. A
piece of burlap is laid on top and
pressed down and kept taut by an iron
hoop which is nailed to the wooden
barrel.
The packing was done by the crew
and the sorting OF the fish was done
with almost incredible speed. The
sorter held in his right hand a short
baton, on the end of which was a sharp.
curved hook. He stuck this hook into
everything but butterfish. He made
only two motions.
With one motion he tabbed a FISH
with another motion he flung 1t into a
far corner or overheard. The fish flung
into a far corner were whiting, a bone
less FISH that makes good eating. The
fish flung overheard were hake. and not
bad eating either. The sorter made nc
mistakes. though he jabbed into a solid
pile OF fish and his motions were swift
as thought.
The New Harbor is a lovely sheet OF
water. 1t is about a mile square. Be
fore 1t was made into a harbor ii was
known as the Salt Pond. The coast
line on the northwest side of the island
is only a few feet above tide water.
In former days a narrow part OF II
was called the Breach. In northwest
storms the soa would break through and
in this way a large lake or pond OF
fresh water became salt. Also It be-
came the home of Holsters, crabs, hard
and soft, oysters. clans little necks and
Quohogs and wrinkles big and small fisf
Of many kinds. Not many years ago the
Federal Government cut a passage
through the Breach and turned the
great Salt Pond into a harbor.
"Catch 'Em While You sIeep.1
The susan's deck load were pound
or trap fish. As the islanders say
"You catch 'em while you sleep" A
pound is made by driving long stake,
into the sand. not too far from shore
Nets are fastened to the stakes One
end of the line overlaps the other. leav
ing an open lane through which the fish
may enter.
Why don't they swim out as they
swan in? Fish. like men. have their
weak points. One OF these is to keeI
swimming in one direction. In this way
they pass the entrance and remain in
durance until taken by the fishermen a
their leisure.
When a large part of the surface OF
| the New Harbor was covered with hak,
thrown overheard from the Susan ar
onlooker said to the captain:
good eatin'T'
"They be-" he answered.
"Then why throw them overheard ?
he asked.
well" replied the captain. -wha'
else is there to do with themf In
offered two cents pound for them
After I've paid for barrels and ice and
packing and freight and commissions
what do you suppose I'd getT'
what would you get?' asked the in
quisitive one.
"Id get a bill and request to remi
at once"
Fish as a Fertilizer.