Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1876 — Porpoises at Cape May. [ARTICLE]

Porpoises at Cape May.

The porpoises are extremely fond of the shallow sea in front of Cape May, for some reason unknown to tlie naturalist, and swim along the length of the beach, plunging in their usual gamesome style, in great numbers. One would imagine, to see them within the lines of the surf, that they would lie carried to shore in spite of themselves by the force of the breakers. But they are an exceedingly wily and sagacious animal. Some strangers of a speculative turn, who had observed how numerous they were in this locality, formed a company for the catching of the porpoise and the expressing of hits oil, and they established works for the latter purpose. They m&de huge nets of the strongest materials, the ends of which were to be drawn in by windlasses. Then they laid their nets and waited developments. That unlucky morning the porpoises were in full force, and when tlie operators thought proper to begin hauling In, there were more than 100 in the toils. As soon as they felt the meshes they swam toward the shore rapidly, then, suddenly turning, they charged the net in a compact body, moving with inconceivable swiftness, and the unfortunate net of • the speculators was broken to pieces. One bold porpoise was stunned in the charge, and remained in the net when its remains were dragged to shore. It was eight feet in length, and the people that crowded to look at him were strangely impressed by the large blue eyes, shaped like those of a horse, that followed all their movements, and seemed almost human in their varying expressions. “ It’s a shame to kill such a creature,” observed a gentle lady, “just look at those eyes.” “ Just look at our net, inarm,” responded one of tlie porpoise company, “ broken to smithereens, and the whole company busted. It would be a deal more shame to let him live after the damage he’s done.” Sosaying he dispatched the solitary victim, and the beautiful eyes scon became glazed and fishy. But fffe company came to the conclusion that porpoises were too smart to be taken that way, and as it would not pay to fish for them with the harpoon, they remain masters of the situation, and gambol along the line of the beach to their heart’s content unmolested by any man, — N. Y. Timet. —The contest between the military bands for a prize and immortal glory, that was to have been played in the Landsdowne ravine on the 6th was given up. Of the six entries in the musical race, four were such unimportant and unheard-of bands that the other two did not care to compete with them. Late in the afternoon the West Point band and the United States Marine band blew themselves quietly over the course, without opposition, judges or prizes. A Cincinnati firm expects to manufacture 40,000,000 of flags this year.