THE MULLET FISHERY. 579 



of "finger-mullet," containing 5 to 10 fish, brings 7 or 8 cents, though at times of over-supply the 

 dealers can often purchase them for half that amount. 



Though so few mullet are now salted in the immediate vicinity of Wilmington, the city has 

 long been, and still is, an important market for salt fish, the supply coming from various portions 

 of the coast between Bear Inlet and Little Eiver, the majority being received from the fishermen 

 at New River, who divide their catch about equally between Wilmington and Beaufort. Ac- 

 cording to Messrs. Hall & Pearsall, the largest salt-fish dealers in Wilmington, the height of the 

 business was in 1871, when about 6,000 barrels were-handled. Since that time the trade has fallen 

 off greatly, until in 1879, according to the same authority, only about 2,800 barrels were gent to 

 the city. The average annual quantity handled during the last ten years is about 4,000 barrels. 

 Two-thirds of those received are sold in the eastern half of North Carolina, the remainder being 

 divided between the western portion of the State and South Carolina, where they are consumed 

 largely by the farmers and laboring classes. The price paid to the fishermen at Wilmington has 

 varied from $1.50 to $4.50 per barrel, the average being from $2.50 to $3.25; 50 to 75 cents more 

 being paid for roe mullet, on account of their size, than for the other grades. 



At Charleston the entire catch of mullet is sold fresh, at 6 to 15 cents per bunch. Owing to 

 this demand for fresh fish the city dealers are obliged to send to North Carolina for their supply of 

 salt mullet. 



A large majority of the fish taken in the Saint John's river are sent fresh by rail or steamer to 

 Savannah, from which point they are distributed to the larger cities of Georgia and the Carolinas. 

 Almost no mullet are salted in this region. 



On the Gulf coast, owing to a lack of shipping facilities, a majority of the mullet are salted ; 

 but where opportunities for shipment are found, as at Cedar Keys and Saint Mark's, nearly all of 

 the fish are sold fresh. In some cases they are kept alive in smacks until the shipping time arrives, 

 that they may reach the market in better condition. At Cedar Keys the demand for fresh fish is 

 good, and the price is usually such that the fishermen are not warranted in salting them, though they 

 frequently resort to this practice to keep their catch from spoiling when for any reason they cannot 

 be shipped. Those sent fresh are first washed in ice-water, after which they are packed with ice in 

 hogsheads, tierces, or barrels. After they have been thoroughly iced they are shipped by express to 

 Savannah or to some of the larger towns of Florida and Georgia. The price at Cedar Keys has in- 

 creased about 25 per cent within the last four or five years. At present the fisherman receives 2 

 cents apiece for fresh roe mullet and 2 to 2J cents for salted fish of equal size. The prices charged 

 by the dealers are 4 cents for fresh mullet and 3 to 3 cents for those salted. All other kinds of fish 

 are sold by the pound. In some localities where the fish are salted, as at Ocklokony Bay, they are 

 bought by the farmers, who drive down to the shore to secure them. In other localities they are 

 often peddled through the country by the fishermen after the fishing season is over. Mr. Stearns, 

 in speaking of the Ocklokony region, says : " When the gill-netters begin fishing none of the planters 

 have arrived, and all fish caught in October are dry-salted and carelessly packed dry in boxes for 

 home consumption, or to be held until the customers arrive. The roe in these fish is undeveloped, 

 and is therefore not often saved. A little later the farmers begin to arrive at the fishing station with 

 their teams, and sometimes their families. Some of them bring 25 or 50 sacks of salt, to exchange 

 for the fish or to use in preparing any fresh fish which they may purchase. Others bring country 

 produce, and a few bring money. All have their favorite trading stations, at the most popular of 

 which, it is said, 100 to 150 are often seen waiting their turn. When a seine is landed or when a 

 gill-net crew comes in, all of these people flock down to the shore and buy the fish at so much apiece 

 fresh, or make some arrangement for a certain number salted." 



