136 THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



oysters, mainly bouglit at Key port, ami transplauted to Shrewsbury river, where they Avill gi-ow in two years to a 

 large size. These oy;sters chiefly go to supply Long Branch, which, a dealer informed me, used from his depot 

 alone 125,000 oysters and 40,000 clams each season. The two largest hotels consume 25,000 oysters each, weekly. 

 In early days a special law was passed api)lying to these waters, as follows : 



It sliall uot bo lawful for any person or porsons to rake • * * or carry away any oysters other than by wading in and jiicking 

 up by hand the same, within the following bounds, in the river commonly called » * ' the North or Navesink, lying witliin tlie 

 conuty of Jlonmonth, * » » above a direct line from the store-house of Eseck White, on the Shrewsbury side of the river, to the 

 dwelling-house of Thomas Layton, on the Middletowu side of the river aforesaid. Penalty, $10 fine for each offense. 



There is also a law extant against erecting stakes, or any other means of using " wares" or fyke-nets for taking 

 fish on the liottom of Shrewsbury river where oysters are planted. 



Shark rivee and its local laws. — The next point southward that concerns us is Shark river. It was once 

 thought that this bay would be exceedingly productive, and there was really a. considerable industry, which gave 

 rise to enactments in the legislature as follows, being the amended statute of 1870, revising the ])revious laws of 1801 : 



This law (1) authorized the board of chosen freeholders of Monmouth county to occupy, during twenty years, 

 for oyster culture. Shark river, within the following boundaries: Beginning at low- water mark at Search point, in 

 the township of Ocean, and running thence in a straight line to Bukey's point in the township of Wale ; thence 

 down the shore at low-water mark to a stake standing on low-water mark and on a line with the east end of James 

 W. White's dwelling-house ; thence northerly and on a straight line to a stake standing at low-water mark on the 

 west side of Long point opposite Yellow bank, in the township of Ocean ; thence up the shore of said river at 

 low-water mark to the beginning. 



II. The board of freeholders shall appoint commissioners, holding office one year, to survey and subdivide 

 the above space of river into two-acre lots for oyster-culture ; but no individual shall own more than two acres, and 

 no company more than five. 



Sec. 3. These lots shall be rented at public auction, to the highest bidder, for from one to five years, the sum 

 bid to be paid annually and secured to the commissioners. None but citizens may hold ground. The commissioners 

 may renew a lease for five to ten years, but at a rate not less than previously paid. 



III. Makes it the duty of the couiinissioners to enforce the protective laws, and to collect and devote to the 

 school fund the rents due and penalties assessed ; they must also make a sworn report to the board of freeholders. 



In 1877 about 200 lots were said to be leased, at an average rental of $2 a year, and many persons were 

 employed ; but at present the business has declined, and only enough remains to sui^ply the local consumi^tion in 

 summer at Ocean Beach and other neighboring summer hotels. 



Barnegat bay. — Beyond Shai'k river no oysters exist or are cultivated until Barnegat bay is reached, where, 

 in its broad waters, an immense and ancient industry of this kind is followed. 



Here, as at other points, the Indians had been wont to come, generation after generation, in search of shellfish. 

 This is attested by the remarkable heaps of shells left as monuments of their feasts, and which are again worthy of 

 special description. 



The natural beds in Barnegat bay begin about three miles above the village of Barnegat, with an occasional 

 " strike" a little lower down, and extend for about ten miles northward, with a width of about two miles. They 

 are known as the Cedar Creek grounds. The bottom here is. gravelly and more or less sprinkled with dead shells, 

 and this is one of the great sources of seed for all the coast southward. Boats also come in considerable numbers 

 from the Earitan, Staten Island, and Blue Point districts, but less now than formerly. From this part of the bay 

 came the once famous "Log Creeks". These beds are reported to be constantly losing strength. The carelessness 

 or entire neglect in culling the seed taken away, returns so few shells to the ^ater that the cultch upon which 

 spawn may rest is growing very scarce. This is suicidal to the whole commuinty, but selfish greed prevails every 

 season over prudence. Laws designed to protect these beds are inoi>erative to a great extent, except that a 

 stranger will feel their force if he attempts to tong in the summer, as the natives permit themselves to do, or tries 

 to carry away oysters so small that more than 350 of them will be needed to fill a bushel. This last is an almost 

 forgotten law of the three shore counties, Ocean, Burlington, and Atlantic. 



A second large ground for gathering oyster-seed is what is called the Gravelliugs, a shoal of gravel occupying 

 a space several miles square in the mouth of Mullica river. This is the name the river had of old, and still goes 

 by, among the local sailors ; but on the late maps I find no such name, the water meant being denominated Great 

 bay, and forming the expanded outlet of Wading river, Atsion river, and several creeks. Egress into the ocean is 

 had through " ifew " inlet, which opens between " Old " and Brigautine inlets ; the three passages, with their 

 dividing, sedgy islands, separating Brigautine beach from Long beach, which is unbroken, save by Barnegat inlet, 

 all the way northward to Squan. 



The " Gravelliugs" extend up the Mullica river from the head of Great bay for six or eight miles, to just above 

 the motith of Bass river, and produce seed regularly every year, though u\ varying abundance. 



The seed from the (Vilar Creek beds is preferred, iiowever, by the West creek and Manahawken planters, as it 

 seems to live and grow into better shape on the local beds. The Gravelliugs are thus raked chiefly by planters to 



