THE OYSTER INDUSTRY. 511 



Everywhere on these shores the grass-grown shell heaps show how important to the red men were 

 these mollusks as food in times of scarcity, or as a variation from their inland diet. 



Great Salt, or Powaget Pond, in Oharlestown, and the Pawtucket Eiver at Westerly, are addi- 

 tional localities for Ehode Island, but neither is of importance. On Block Island an abundance of 

 small oysters formerly dwelt in the pond that occupies so much of the interior of the island, but they 

 were rarely found in a fit condition for food, though made serviceable by transplanting. Their 

 shells were so delicate that it was easy to pinch your thumb and finger through them, and they 

 often contained so much air and fresh water that they would float when thrown overboard in 

 planting, and drift away. 



From the eastern part of Connecticut westward and southward along the coast, the thing 

 noteworthy is not where oysters grew naturally in primitive times, but where they did not. Every 

 spot of shore or river-mouth, as far as tide-waters and suitable grounds extended, besides many 

 shallow "reefs " in the open water of Long Island Sound, were crowded with these mollusks, unless 

 unfavorable condition prevented. The most noticeable barren areas were the eastern half of the 

 north shore of Long Island, the storm-swept outer beaches of Montauk and the south shore of 

 Long Island (though these beaches sheltered extensive areas of oyster-beds between them and the 

 mainland), and the open coast of New Jersey, from Sandy Hook almost to Cape May. Here, how- 

 ever, great bays, like that at Earnegat, and several rivers, such as those which reach the sea 

 through Atlantic County and Cape May County, furnish the quiet shallow waters that make an 

 oyster tenantry possible, and in these an extensive growth has always flourished. 



In New York Bay to go back a little oysters once grew naturally all along the Brooklyn 

 shore, and in the East Eiver; all around Manhattan Island ; up the Hudson as far as Sing Sing ; 

 on the Jersey shore from that point to Keyport, N. J., and in Keyport, Earitan, Newark, and 

 Hackensack Eivers; all around Staten Island, and on many reefs and wide areas of bottom between 

 Eobyn's Eeef and Jersey City. Explorers and colonists were saved any trouble in finding this 

 out for themselves, since the red men were in the habit of gathering clams and oysters at all practi- 

 cable seasons, and depended upon them largely for their food. 



Delaware Bay was equally well filled with a native oyster population, not only all along the 

 marshes and inlets of its shores, even above Philadelphia, but over wide areas of its bottom far 

 from shore, and in water of many fathoms depth. 



CHESAPEAKE BAT AND SOUTHWARD. As for the Chesapeake, everybody knows oysters are 

 scattered over every part of its vast area and extend as far up all the rivers as salt water pene- 

 trates. To the southward, along the coasts of Virginia and the Carolinas, the inside of the outer 

 "banks" or long line of beaches that protect the inner submerged area of nearly fresh water from 

 the demolishing force of the ocean, is lined with oyster growth to a greater or less degree along 

 its whole extent, but this natural growth is not always available for commerce. 



South of New Berne and Beaufort there is no regular production until New Eiver is reached, 

 about half way between Beaufort and Wilmington, where the oysters are of a large size, fairly 

 regular shape, and for the most part single. 



South Carolina, having a less broken coast, offers fewer opportunities, but wherever a sheltered 

 nook affords a good chance "reefs" will be found. In the Savannah Eiver itself none grow above 

 the immediate mouth, on account of the great volume of fresh water. Off Potato Point, however, 

 and in the shape of two elongated banks in mid-stream, fine oyster beds are to be found, while 

 everywhere in the thousand channels which intersect the marshy islands that border the coast, 

 making a perfect net-work of salt water tide-ways, the "raccoon" or "bunch" oysters thrive in end- 

 less profusion. This abundance becomes more and more noticeable as you approach Fernandina, 



