986 
FOREST AND STREAM 
frightful yawn, that the Professor found no difficulty in hacking 
out gracefully. He is olive and well to-day, but the fish is a 
corpse. E. C. 
P. SIn sending the book, please prepay charges. 
Wliat is it about a tuan falling into the pit he himself 
hath digged ? 
Toronto Gun Club, Dec. 16th, 1879. 
Editor Forest and Stream 
In what follows I cannot, claim to be a competitor for the prise 
at all, for what 1 am about to relate is true In every particular. 
In September, 1877, wehad afearful rain storm in this vicinity, 
and the principal bridge over the Don was swept away by the tor¬ 
rent. A square-built woman, with a broad face, obtuse nose and 
a mouth that almost severed the upper part of the face from the 
lower, was trundling a perambulator, with a baby six months 
oldin it, over the bridge at the very moment that the bridge took 
it into its head to emigrate downstream; and she, the baby and 
the family carriage went with it. The perambulator and contents 
soon disappeared beneath the angry flood, but a fellow with a 
pike-book pulled the woman ashore before she went down for 
the third and last time. 
The nexl spring, just after the ice had left our bay, u son of 
Ham was fishing for the fish so beloved by the ebony race, from 
the end of a wharf uhoutamilefrom the bridge where the woman, 
baby, and all went on the excursion the previous fall. Presently 
he hooked a large channel-cat, and being unable to land it on the 
wharf himself, culled to his aid some valiant sons of Ireland who 
happened to be ballasting the railroad on the Esplanade, and the 
monster was drawn out. The darkey was overjoyed at the sight 
of his luok, but the white hoys were horrified when they saw 
what “ an ugly dlvll they'd saved from a wathery grave," and 
legged it up the wharf again' in quick time, for fear he'd be 
“aft her them." The cat, finding itself out of its natural element, 
lashed the planks or the wharf angrily with its immense tail, 
when the wharfinger ordered the darkey to “ get out of that with 
his fish in ahurry, or it would ruin his wharf." Af tera fieroestrug- 
gle Sambo succeeded in placing his conn uest on terra firma , when a 
crowd soon collected. As the fish was the largest ever seen here, 
a tape line was procured, when its length from snout to tail was 
found to he seven feet eleven and three-quarters inches (I'm not 
going to tell a lie for a quarter of an inch), and the measure¬ 
ment around Its body showed exactly the same measure. In fact 
It was literally ns broad as it was long. 
Mr. Wilson, our eminent Assistant City Engineer, who has had 
a life-long experience with the tape-line, verified the length and 
breadth himself. It was then lugged over to the city weigh scales, 
and was found to weigh just the same as a hog. [How much Is 
that?—E d.] 
Fubl oouriosity now became excited, andmuch to the discomfi¬ 
ture of our colored brother, the cat was lynched and uncere¬ 
moniously ripped openbyanirreverentbuteber. To theamaze- 
ment of the bystanders, out rolled, not a shoal of little cats, hut 
a barrel-shaped coflln,hooped together at the ends by the veritable 
tires of the perambulator swallowed by IheDon somesix months 
before. On the removal of the hoops out came the body of the 
baby. The mother beingsentfor, identified her long-lost darling 
immediately, for there were her own flat face, stub nose and di¬ 
mensionless mouth, and carriedItoff. Deacon Gill. 
N. B.—The hoops mav be seen hanging up in our club-room any 
time you choose to give us a call. 
— Here is a tradition from India. It is the accoant of 
the Deluge, as told in the Rig Vida, and translated by 
Max Muller;— 
One morning wator for washing was brought to Mauu, and 
when he had washed himself a fish remained in his hands. And it 
addressed these words to him: “Protect me, and I will save thee." 
“ Prom what wilt thou save mo ? ” “A deluge will sweep all crea¬ 
tures away; it isfrom that I will save thee.” “How shall I protect 
thee?" Tbefish replied: “ While we arc small we run great dangers, 
fnr fish swallow Jish. Keep me at first in a vase; when l become too 
large for it, dig a basin to put me into. When I shall have grown 
still more, throw rne Into the ocean; then I shall be preserved 
from destruction.” Soon it grew a large fish. It said to Mam): 
“The very year I shall have reaohed my full growth the Deluge 
will happen. Then build a vessel and worship me. When the 
waters rise, enter the vessel and I will save thee." After keeping 
him thus, Manu carried the fish to the sea. In the year indicated, 
Manu built a vessel and worshipped the fish. And when the Deluge 
came be entered the vesseL Then the fish came swimming up to 
him, and Manu fastened the cable of the ship to the horn of the 
fish, by which means the latter made it pass over the Mountain of 
the North. The fish said, “ I have Baved thee; fasten the vessel to 
a tree, that the water may not sweep it away while thou art on 
the mountain; and in proportion as the waters decrease thou sbalt 
descend." Manu desceuded with the waters, and this is what is 
called the descent of Manu on the Mountain of the North. The 
Deluge had carried away all creatures, and Manu remained alone. 
Deposit, N. Y„ Dec . 20th, 1879. 
y Editor Threat and Stream 
x know I can never get that fish-hook unless I put off giving my 
story until the last moment, viz., sixtieth minute of the ele¬ 
venth hour of the last day of December, but 1 shall send it now, 
and take the chances. 
Two years ago—namely, on the 20th day of January, 1878—Dr. 
g. and myself wore at R - Pond, fishing for pickerel through 
the lee. The day was fine, but wo had taken no fish. On the 
shore of this pond had formerly stood a saw-mill, with a bulk¬ 
head some forty feet high, and near iton the shore had also been 
a house and barn. All these had suddenly disappeared a couple 
of years before, and were well-nigh forgotteu at the time of 
which I wri te. Well, we kept on fishing, and all the time wishing 
we could get a bite, when all at once we both saw a “ tip-up" tip- 
up, and both rushed for it. We discovered that we had hooked 
a big one as soon as we reached it, and both began pulling at the 
line. We managed, after a long effort, to get him up to the Joe, 
but then found that the hole was too small. We let him hack, 
and enlarged it; brought him up again, and had to mako i 
larger, until finally,to get him out, we were compelled to out the 
ice all out of the pond before we had a hole large enough to pull 
him through, and then we couldn't do it alone, but had to tie 
himot a tree, and get all the oxen in theneighborhood to help us 
land him. We drew him out and proceeded to cut him up in 
order to take him home. On opening him we found—but I'm 
afraid you’ll think I. L. Y. when 1 tell you what we found—the 
old saw-mill, with its forty-foot bulkhead right end up, the house 
With '-ho family inside, and the barn, with the horse, oow, chick¬ 
ens, etc., just asnatural as ever, together with the pond, in which 
the fish had greatly increased. 
We wrote to the editor of the Forest and Stream asking him 
what we should do, and he answered, through the Correspond¬ 
ents' Column, “ to tio his head up in a. bag so he couldn't shake 
his ears, and give him a dose of Powler’s Solution twice a day 
fora week." Thisisa true story; at least, it is vouched for by a 
Fisherman. 
, . Detroit, Mich., Dec. 25th, 1879. 
Editor Forest and Stream 
One hot day in August I was “stump fishing” at Licking Re¬ 
servoir, in Ohio. Stump fishing is standing in the stern of the 
boat, with a stiff pole and long line, while the rowsman 
backs Ihe bout quietly toward stumps and sunken logs, of which 
the reservoir is full, When within casting distance of a likely 
looking stump, the minnow (which for this fishing is always 
lnrpe) is deftly and quietly tossed, Should your bass be there, he 
strikes like a flush. Only an instant is required to determine 
whether or not you are to find a llsh. It not, offwe move for an¬ 
other cast. 
Tliis particular day I had fair luok, and toward noon had gome 
ten or twelve bass, all very large— averaging seven or eight 
pounds each. You know these reservoir or pond bass run much 
larger thau the true black buss. It was getting so hot I concluded 
to go ashore, get dinner and return laterin the day, and was 
about giving my “pointer” orders to that effect, when I saw 
coming toward us the largest bass that ever lived, 1 presume. I 
had frequently beard old reservoir fishermen speak of him. They 
even knew his weight, having once had him penned up in the 
canallock where they weigh canal boats, and weighed him. This 
was some twenty years since, they say. Then he weighed!63 
pounds. But they were never able to capture him. Well, sir, 
this monster was coming toward us, with mouth wide open, at a 
speed of twenty-five miles an hour, ten ring through the wider 
like a racing steam-tug. Dan cried out, “ He is coming for us I” 
and started to puli for our lives. The sudden start threw me out 
of the boat, and I dove a distance of twenty-live or thirty feet, 
coming to the surface alongside a huge stump. I turned to look 
for Dan and the boat. They were gone 1 That bass had swallowed 
them—the boat, Dan, my string of fish, pole, line, hook, minnow, 
pail—all, everything. I got ashore in threeseeonds.andontof 
ihe county in three minutes, and neverstopped until I got out of 
the State. They have had detectives on my track ever since to 
arrest meformurdering poor Dan—or to make me pay my hotel 
hill. I can’t furnish affidavit to this, because Dan Is dead; the 
bass ate him up. 
Do you think that big fish-hook would take that fellow in? If 
so, send it on, and I’ll superintend, from some tree-top, the job of 
angling for him. UNO. 
No count on this. Re-entries not allowed. This is not 
a rifle match. 
Washington, Dec. 19(?i, 1879. 
Editor Forest, and Stream 
In IB611 was camped on the hanks of the Pecos River, in North¬ 
western Texas. Being the recognized fisherman of the party, I 
was deputized by my companions, fish purveyor, and whenevei 
wo were in the vicinity of a river 1 was urged to try my pisca- 
torial skill to add to our rather deficient larder. My outfit con¬ 
sisted of a strong hempen line, that had done service as a wrap 
for a broken gun stock, and a large redfisb hook attached to a 
strong piece of copper wire some three or four feet in length. 
With this crude rig I started out one bright sunshiny day in No¬ 
vember. I baited my hook with the intestines of a blackbird, and 
oast the enticing morsel in tbo swift current of the Pecos, hoping 
to catch a codfish or turtle. After patiently waiting for an hour 
ormore without even the satisfaction of a glorious nibble, I gave 
up in disgust, fastened my line to a root, and went back to oamp. 
The next morning I returned for my line, and was surprised to 
see a coyote wolf calmly sitting on his haunches near my fishing 
place, and apparently watching my line. Not caring for his com¬ 
pany, 1 shied a stick at him, which caused him to make a rush 
from me forafew yards, when hesuddenly rolled over and over, 
howling as only a coyote could. Regaininghis feet, he again at¬ 
tempted to run, withsimilar results. I supposed him rabid, and 
put a quietus to his ancties with a load of buckshot. Approach- 
log him, 1 found that my Unewas down his throat, and on fur¬ 
ther investigation found that my hook and bait had first been 
gobbled by a catfish, iben a young otter had swallowed the fish, 
then the coyote had bolted the otter, and the hook had caught in 
the throat of the wolf. Knowing that the coyote is as chary of 
going In the water as a eat, I whs puzzled to learn how he had cap¬ 
tured the otter, until I found the tracks of the otter where he 
had crawled up the bank after eating the catfish, and had then 
been oaptured by the wolf. A. R. S. 
the hook until, in his frantic efforts, the bird was killed. Seeing 
that his pet was really dead, and having further use for his fish¬ 
hook, Nicholson took his hunting knife and proceeded on a voy¬ 
age of discovery after that hook. Imagine his surprise at finding 
in the capacious cavity of the dead bird a living and lively pike 
thirteen and a half inches long, and inside of this pike his elght- 
ineh perch. Securely fastened to his fish-hook. 
Nicholson subsequently sold out his ranch and moved further 
west. But the lake is still there, and if any person doubts this 
story they eon go and see it for tbemselvos. Erog. 
“Erog” is a famous rifle shot, whose score was once at 
the head of the list. He always hits the bull’s-eye. 
New Bedford, Mass., Dec. 22<J, 1879. 
Editor Forest■ and Stream 
While out fishing at the mouth of the Vineyard Sound T chanced 
to hook a large blueflsh with a bone drail. While carefuUy pull¬ 
ing him toward the boat I felt something give a “jerk,” and dis¬ 
covered I had on a larger prize. 1 readily found out that a 
Btriped bass had seized the hiuefish, hook and all. This gave me 
no little trouble, andaftertwo hours'hard struggling I at last suc¬ 
ceeded In bringing the bass alongside, or rather under my boat, 
and reaching down to pick up my gaff so as to take him on hoard, 
judge of my surprise in seeing the sword of a swordfish come up 
through the bottom of my boat, and also through one of the 
bwarts, or seats. Not to be balked, I at once made my boat’s 
painter fast around the sword, and having no lance for the occa 
sion I, with my gaff, hooked up his tall and made that also fast to 
the stern of the boat. I now pulled for Gay Head (Martha's 
Vifteyard), one mile distant, and safely landed my catch. The re¬ 
sult was as follows:—one blueflsh, weight six pounds; outside of 
it was the bass, weighing seventy-nine and a half pounds; while 
his body was transfixed by the swordfish, weighing 120 pounds, 
while around the body of the swordfish was a “ gill,” or “set" net 
containing forty-two mackerel. The swordfish, in trying to get 
at them, had passed through the net, and so took them along with 
him. Inside the blueflsh were six menhaden, which he had eaten 
before taking my drail bait. If necessary I can call on plenty of 
brother fishermen who saw the catch. Whaler. 
Richmond, Va., Dec. 13th, 1879. 
Editor Forest and Stream 
In the spring of 1876 I was an invited guest of the Captain on 
the United States steamer Truxton, bound for France. On our 
way out we encountered a wreck, which was dismantled, with 
nothing hut the hull timbers remaining. There was no sign of 
the name, hut on consulting the files of the Shipping Intelligence 
of Lloyd’s Gazelle, the Captain came to the conclusion that It was 
the Betsy Jane, lost a year before, on her way between Boston 
and Toulon, France, with all ou hoard, and an assorted cargo of 
French toys and musical instruments. 
A few days afterwards some sailors fishing from the stern 
oaugiit an immense shark, whieh, wonderful to relate, seemed to 
utter from his mouth sweeter sounds, more ravishing notes, than 
ever eame from Orpheus’ harp. The sailors wanted to kill and 
open him, but the Captain refused and ordered a huge tank to he 
filled np on deck and the monster of the deep confined therein. 
All this time from the belly of the shark eame sweet music—now 
fast, now slow; now an aria from “Martha;” then a gem from 
Rossini. 
A strange fact we all noticed:—When the music played slow he 
swam gently In his prison. “ Ah! I have sighed to rest me, of 
Trovatore” made him genial, but when the box played “The 
Devil's Dieam” the tank could hardly hold him. After many 
hours the music changed to “ Sweet By-and-Bye,” and the shark’s 
movements became more languid and slow.'and when the strains 
of “Home, Sweet Home” were played the fish pined away; huge 
tears dropped from his eyes, and he drooped and died. 
They opened him and found a patent back-action automatic 
go-as-you-please perpetual motion music box. 
Mekcdtio. 
How utterly have we lost in these latter days the poetic 
faith of the wise men of old, who peopled the woods 
with Fauns and Dryads ? Before their eyes floated Mer¬ 
maids fair, and to their willing ears came the witching 
Syren’s songs. Patent music box ! Patent bosh ! Give 
us the simplicity of the ancient mariners of the sea, who 
never fished with cruel hook for the sweet singers of 
the deep. 
A. R. S. is declared out the race. We are all willing 
and bound to credit anything and everything he may tell 
us, so long as he sticks to the water ; but when he ventures 
out upon dry land we shall rule it a “ foul.” 
Kansas Citv, Mo. 
Editor Forest and Stream 
About ten miles west of Spirit Lake, in the extreme northern 
portion of Iowa, lies a beautiful little sheet of water, locally- 
known as Silver Lake. Nine or teD years ago, when the settle- 
ments began to spread outwardly from the nucleus formed about 
Spirit and Okoboji Lakes, an adventurous spirit mimed Nicholson 
located in a beautiful grove on the east bank of Silver Lake. 
Here he resided with his family for a number of years, and made 
a comfortable living by farming in summer and t rapping in win¬ 
ter. He was born a sportsman, was a capital story-teller, and an 
entertaining host, as every one who ever partook of his hospit¬ 
ality will testify. 
One day while skirting the lake in quest of game, Nicholson 
winged a magnificent pelican, it was a large specimen, and be¬ 
ing only wing-tipped, lie resolved to save It. Careful nursing and- 
a liberal diet ot tisb taken from tlie lake soon reconciled the bird 
to his altered state, and eventually he beeamc quite a pet. With 
restored health lie was abundantly able to provide his own food 
and never was happier than when, after ahulf-hourof fishing 
on the lake, he eame to the house with a pouch filled with bass, 
and squatting himself in some sunny spot, he proceeded to gorge 
himself upon the contents of his well-filled creel. But at last it 
was noticed that a change had come over him. He no longer 
brought fish home for his ilinuer, and his Alderniame proportions 
rapidly shrunk away until he became a withered skeleton. Not 
wishing to loose his bird, Nicholson brought his rod and line to 
the rescue and caught scores of fish, which were swallowed with 
avidity, without in the least bettering the condition of the fowl. 
The more it ate the more emaciated it became. Nicholson fished 
industriously, and the bird sat on the bank and swallowed fish 
af ter fish us fast as caught. One day a fine perch was pulled from 
tho water, and before Nicholson had time to disengage it from 
the hook the hungry pelican had gobbled It, hook and all. Here 
was a dilemma. Ail efforts to extricate the hook were futile. 
Converting his rod into a disgorger Nicholson strove to remove 
Cynthiana, Ky., Dec. lfith, 1879, 
Editor Forest and Stream 
As you expressed a desire to hear from Kentucky I have con¬ 
cluded to “ drop you a line,” hoping that you will tie the “big 
hook ” on the end of it, or, as I am not a bit selfish in the matter, 
the smallest barbless or needle-point will be satisfactory. 
1 could duplicate many of the fish stories so far published in 
your columns, but I have long since ceased to wonder at the va¬ 
garies and inconsistencies of the finny tribe, and especially in re¬ 
gard to their gluttony and swallowing capacity. In some in¬ 
stances their eyes prove to he "larger than their stomachs," but 
I know of hut one case where such a mistake proved fatal per se, 
and then “ one swallow” made the last “ summer” for a big pick- 
erol. Said pickerel attempted to swallow a full-grown rock-bass, 
but the stout fins of the latter became firmly looked in the gills of 
the pickerel, and he died of starvation, as his emaciated form bore 
witness, leaving the thrilling narrative to he unfolded from the 
“ tale” of the bass, which projected from his mouth. 
From fishes to frogs is an easy and natural transition, and I 
wish to say a word about frogs- bullfrogs. Once while angling 
for black buss on Genessee Lake, near Oconomowoc, Wis„ 1 con¬ 
cluded to catch some frogs, and soon bad a mess of i wo dozen 
averaging twelve inches long, that would have delighted the 
heart and tickled the palate of a Frenchman, or any one else, for 
that matter, as gastronomically wise, while skinning them I 
found Id the stomach of one a flat, triangular stone measuring 
three inches loug each side and a half-Inoh;thiok. Now, was he 
handicapped for a swimming race or a standing jump ? Or had 
this especial “ greenback” been converted into a “ sinking fund” 
by some batrachian syndicate ? 
Another frog in the same lot appeared unusually plump and 
puffed-up, and reminded me of old ACsop's frog that tried to em¬ 
ulate the bull In size, and “ busted" in the attempt Upon open¬ 
ing this frog I found a spotted water-snake some eighteen inches 
long, in a snug and compact coll, and the process of digestion had 
already commenced. Now I had often seen snakes Bwallow frogs, 
hut this turning of the tables I had never oven dreamed of. I 
knew that frog 3 were Insectivorous, herbivorous and “worm- 
ivorous,” hut I never suspected that they sometimes got " snakes 
in their boots." Now, did the frog find the snake dead and so take 
