The Penn's Grove record., 1923-04-20
STURGEON FISHING

Z oS"i' ~ " EeAih " DC III any pal IlCuldI
a lameman.
Now, tell about sturgeon fishing:
The sturgeon has been called the food
for the million in America; when one
considers the enormous quantity con-
sumed by the people of New York, it
may safely be said that sturgeon goes
a long way in feeding the million of
that metropolis.
| am told that in New York the
meat is sold under the name of Al
bany beef, but as there are many
readers of the Protestant who are
skilled in all questions pertaining to
natural history, it may be just as well
to give the biological name. In look
ing this matter up | find the fish diff
ferently classified by several writer's,
and therefore, in order to be imples-
sive, shall give the longest names l
can find, and thus, no doubt, gain a
reputation for erudition among those
who know less than myself. The
sturgeon then is an chondropterygii,
belonging to the order of surgeons.
Those commonly called in the Della
ware Bay are the ancipenser brevi-
rostris. Longfellow, in Hiawatha,
calls the sturgeon "MiSha-Nahmah,
I Mig VI llSilGS'
On che day previous to our arrival,
the catch was said to be the largest
within the memory of the oldest fish
erman on the Delaware Bay. Brother
Woods boats brought in one hundred
and forty-one surgeons, while the adj
joining camp reported one hundred
and four. Of course, our first act
after arriving was to inspect the camp,
so we wended our way to the butcher
ing platform, situated on the bay
way side of high sandy bluff. Here
a hundred more surgeons lay wait
ing their turn; as the men were ready
for them, two brawny Norwegian
sailors, with iron hooks, dragged a
large COW sturgeon on the platform.
With a singe blow of a broad-ax the
tail was severed from the trunk; this
was followed by an instantaneous
squirt of blood and a quick contortion
of the huge body. Then the ''roe-
man" took charge with a sharp knife
six Sits were made in the belly; these
were afterwards used as hand-holds in
skinning. A few moments later the
belly was ripped open; this was an
almost bloodless operation; the fisher
man say it is entirely painless, in
deed, they are all of the opinion that
the sturgeon has no feeling; but |
can hardly subscribed to this article
of their faith.
The large roe lay in neat folds,
seeming to fills up the entire cavity
of the huge fish laying at our feet.
After cutting open the belly, with
barred arms the roe-man removed the
million or more eggs, which form the
most valuable part of the fish. This
was carefully placed in tubs and car
ried to the roe-house. 1t is this roe
of glittering black hue in grains like
small shot that renders sturgeon fish
ing profitable and makes the COW fish
so much more valuable than the buck.
The fish we saw opened contained four
large buckets of roe, which, when re-
duced to caviar, would doubtless be
worth thirty dollars.
We followed the roe to the roe
house, where it was passed through
sieves, cleaned, kneaded, salted, drain
ed and frequently tasted and finally
packed in kegs and shipped to New
York. 1t is said that after reaching
New York it is packed in one pound
cans and is sold for sixty cents per
pound. | tasted the caviare number
of times; indeed l might say | ate
some, but | do not banker for 1T, al
/ though the taste is not unpleasant. 1t
is true that the process of preparing
is as clean and neat as possible,yet
seeing it is not likely to eventuate In
an increased appetite for caviare.
After the roe was removed the
broad-ax was again brought into re-
ouisition. The head and fins were
chopped off, the hide and backbone re-
moved: then the sides of meat were
scrubbed and thoroughly cleansed,
packed in barrels with crushed ice and
/ shipped to New York.
While we were at camp so great was
the catch that the supply of barrels
was exhausted. All the barrels IN
Cape May County that could be
bought were used; but still the sup
ply did not equal the demand. Then
Brother Wood telegraphed for a box
car; into this was placed alternate
LAYERS of fish and crushed ice until
nine thousand pounds were thus dis
posed.
Having disposed of our caviare and
butchered our meat, the heads, hides,
and backbones were sold to market
boat for five cents the fish. There was
then nothing to do but to examine the
rest of the camp while awaiting the
arrival of the other boats, The cabin
attracts our attention first of all. Of
respectable proportions, nealy painted,
it might be mistaken for the summer
cottage of a bond-holder by the way
faring man. On the groundd..:floor IS
the dining-room, kitchen, office and
,oo,,, of tho rrOnriptOT.
In the dining room was long white
pine table surrounded by benches. OF
the same wood, capable of seating
thirty persons. Around the sides OF
the rooms were hams, shoulders, dried
fruits, canned goods and barrels of
crackers. On entering the kitchen we
found Steward Champion busily en-
gagged in making a peach pot-pie, and
Watching the roasting of about twelve
pounds of sturgeon meat. The sec
ond floor of the cabin is the exclusive
territory of the men; here berths for
twenty men, arranged on the plan of
Of fhnU