Southern Stories

  CATCHING TERRAPIN

  BY ALFRED KAPPES

  In the shoal waters along the coast south of Cape Henlopen, terrapin arecaught in various ways. Dredges dragged along in the wake of a sailingvessel pick them up. Nets stretched across some narrow arm of river orbay entangle the feet of any stray terrapin in their meshes; but theserequire the constant attendance of the fisherman to save the catch fromdrowning. In the winter, in the deeper water, the terrapin rise fromtheir muddy quarters on mild sunny days and crawl along the bottom. Theyare then taken by tongs, their whereabouts being often betrayed bybubbles.

  The method shown in the drawing is resorted to only in the spring and inwater not over a foot or two in depth. Turtles will rise at any noise,and usually the fisherman only claps his hands, though each hunter hashis own way of attracting the terrapin. One hunter whom I saw when Imade the drawing uttered a queer guttural noise that seemed to rise fromhis boots.

  CATCHING TERRAPIN IN THE SPRING.]

  Whatever the noise, all turtles within hearing--whether terrapin or"snapper"--will put their heads above water. Both are welcome and arequickly sold to the market-men. The snapper slowly appears anddisappears, leaving scarcely a ripple; and the hunter cautiouslyapproaching usually takes him by the tail. The terrapin, on thecontrary, is quick, and will descend in an oblique direction, so that ahand-net is needed unless he happens to come up near by. If he is nearenough the man jumps for him. The time for hunting is the still hour ateither sunrise or sunset.