The Northern Oyster Field 183 



supply, and nobody paid much attention to any regula- 

 tion of it beyond the close-time in summer. Gradually, 

 however, these public river oysters became more rare and 

 coveted. The law was ' off ' on the first day of Novem- 

 ber, and all the natural beds of the state became open to 

 any person who wished to work them. In anticipation 

 of the date, great preparations were made in the towns 

 along the shore, and even for twenty miles back from 

 the sea side. Boats and rakes and baskets and bags were 

 put in order. The day before, large numbers of wagons 

 came toward the shore from the back country, bringing 

 hundreds of men with their utensils. Among these were 

 not unfrequently seen boats, borne in the rigging of a 

 hay cart, ready to be launched on the expected morning. 

 It was a time of great excitement, and nowhere greater 

 than along the Quinepiac. On the day preceding, farmers 

 flocked into Fair Haven from all the surrounding country 

 and brought with them boats and canoes, of antique pat- 

 tern and ruinous aspect. These rustics always met with 

 a riotous welcome from the town boys, who hated rural 

 competition. They were very likely to find their boats, if 

 not carefully watched, stolen and hidden before they had 

 a chance to launch them, or even temporarily disabled. 

 These things diversified the day and enlivened a com- 

 munity usually very peaceful if not dull. As midnight 

 approached, men dressed in oilskin and carrying oars, 

 paddles, rakes, and tongs collected all along the shore, 

 where a crowd of women and children assembled to see 

 the fun. Every sort of craft was prepared for action, 

 and they lined the whole margin of the river and harbor 

 on each side in thick array. As the ' witching hour ' 

 drew near, the men took their seats with much hilarity 

 and nerved their arms for a few moments' vigorous 



