THE CLAM FISHERIES. 603 



able circumstances, such as a difficulty in procuring the required supply or unfavorable weather, 

 the penalty is never enforced." 



In addition to this, many clams were brought into New York by wagons from Long Island. 

 This is still the case in respect to both hard and soft kinds. A considerable trade was then in 

 existence in clams salted and pickled for the Europeau steamers and the interior. There was also 

 an inland commerce (still continued) in quahaugs, packed in ice or preserved in the manner of 

 oysters, since immigrants have taken to the prairies the taste for the fry, the fritter, and the chow- 

 der, perhaps because they find in their salt flavor the best reminder of the early home by the sea- 

 side. I have heard an old clam dealer recommend a dozen raw before breakfast as sure cure for 

 obstinate dyspepsia. The sale of clams in Catherine market in 1855 was $20,000, a falling off it 

 was reported, from the previous demand. During that decade the price of hard clams in New 

 York varied from 37 cents to $1 a hundred for ordinary, according to size, but those from Shrews- 

 bury and Little Neck often brought much higher prices, the greatest quantity coming from New 

 Jersey. 



At present the clam business is an appendage or department of the oyster trade, as of yore, 

 and its statistics were found to be inaccessible through these channels. But careful inquiry along 

 the whole Atlantic coast, in which my own labors were most generously and skillfully supplemented 

 by Mr. E. E. Earll, enables me to present a pretty accurate view of the present consumption. 



15. THE QUAHAUG CLAMMING-GRUUNDS. 



&ULP OP SAINT LAWRENCE TO BUZZARD'S BAY. In the Gulf of Saint Lawrence quahaugs 

 occur, but are never eaten, nor are any mollusks other than oysters. 



The early productiveness of Cape Cod is shown by the presence of numerous shell-heaps, par- 

 ticularly in Wellfleet and Barnstable Harbors, filled up by the Indians and consisting almost 

 wholly of the shells of this inollusk. Though in greatly depleted numbers, the quahaug still sur- 

 vives along the inside of the cape, and at Wellfleet has been raked from early times by the 

 settlers. Mr. F. W. True contributes some notes on this place, from which I learn that the qua- 

 haug fishery as a business there dates from the beginning of the present century. It grew in extent 

 until ISO; 1 ., and from that time until 1868 the trade was at its height, since when it has diminished 

 year by year, owing to lack of good market rather than failure of the supply. Between 1863 and 

 1869 the average catch each year was not less than 2,500 bushels. Of this amount a compara- 

 tively small part was consumed at Wellfleet, and the rest were shipped to Boston, Provincetown, 

 Salem, Newport, Manchester, and a few other New England ports. From 1870 to 1876 the quan- 

 tity of quahaugs taken per year decreased from 2,500 bushels to 1,800 bushels ; and this latter amount 

 has remained constant to the present year. Of the total catch in 1878 fully one-half, or 900 

 bushels, was consumed in Wellfleet. The remaining 900 bushels were shipped to Boston and 

 other neighboring towns. For three years beginning with 1876, 75 bushels of quahaugs have been 

 annually shipped to New York City. 



Quahaugs are found iu all parts of Wellfleet Bay, except in a small spot near the wharves, 

 called the "Deep Hole," and a similar one on the west side of the bay. Both of these places are 

 covered with a thick soft mud. It is not usual, however, to fish in parts of the bay where 

 the average depth at low water exceeds 8 feet. Most of the raking is done on the western side. 

 In ordinary years quahaug raking is begun the last of March, and continues until the first of 

 October. As a general thing no raking is done during the winter months, although in some years 

 a small amount has been done through holes cut in the ice. The fishermen rake about four 

 tides per week, beginning at half-ebb and raking to half-flood. The boats used are either cat-boats 



