46 



otic veneration of the glorious day, dearly cherished in 

 American hearts, uniformly to celebrate the Anniver- 

 sary of our Independence. 



It was magnificently celebrated on the fourth of July, 

 1788, as a National Jubilee, in the City of Philadelphia, 

 at which the members of the State in Schuylkill were 

 generally engaged. 



The March meeting in 1789, was held at Samuel Nich- 

 olas' Inn, sign of the Conestoga Wagon, north side of 

 Market Street, above Fourth, at which the members gene- 

 rally attended, and it was then specially recorded, 



By Order of the Governorj 



"That Mr. Benjamin Scull, the Prince of Fishermen, 

 produced a Trout, which he this day took in Schuylkill, 

 off his lay-out line, that measured fifteen inches.^' 



It was an extraordinary occurrence, for this wary fish 

 to be taken in, in this river, in the manner related, or in 

 any way in the tide waters of Schuylkill, where it has 

 rarely been found. 



An old contemporary of this excellent member, asserts 

 it as a fact, within his recollection, that Mr. Scull caught 

 a Shad by a baited hook, in one of his piscatory excur- 

 sions, before one was produced in the Philadelphia market. 

 We are perfectly aware, that herring will sometimes 

 take the hook, but it is a novel circumstance for a shad to 

 bite. In our early years, we have freqently taken herring 

 in Rancocus Creek, N. J. under the bridge, when fishing 

 for perch with a deep sea. 



