The Sun.
London, England, 1831-06-17 00:00:00

FISHING EXTRAORDINARY.

Though many stories have been told of the vo-
racity of the pike, the following, we opine, will be

fotind equal, to any thing hitherto recorded. Some
time ago a herd-boy in the employment of Mr.
Cruikshank, of Trailflat, set his lines in a pool of
the Annan, and on examining one of them, landed,
after a terrible tug, a huge fish of the above species,
which weighed fully twenty-four pounds. Delighted
with his prize he drew it up the bank, and im-
mediately set about disentangling the hook; but as
the fish was nearly as big as himself, a very des-
spoe rlavteel bl
ma tat:
ee
heends urehdo,t itnh
ewghei cdhmtohree combatantso
ewe' erlrye
regained the refreshment of the pool, with the
valorous boy dangling at his tail. At length,
however, it became sick, and to the astonish-
ment of the captor belched forth its morning meal,
in the shape of another pike, four pounds in weight,
and with the hook and part of the line in its
belly. This phenomenon accounted for the difficulty
felt in extracting the hook, and proved, moreover,
that the lesser fish had swallowed the•bait first, and
that the larger, like other gluttons, had paid the
penalty of its own voracity. When eased of a load
that must have lain heavy at his stomach, it re-
covered its vitality, and again bounced and floun-
dered in fine style, expanding its gills and lashing
its tail; but still the boy held on, clutching the pike
with all his might, and after a battle which lasted
more than half an hour, thrust his shoe or clog into
its mouth, and in that way killed it. Mr. Cruick-
shank and his son were a good deal surprised to see
the little fellow. staggering under a lOad of two
stones of fish—the honest and lawful spoils of the
angle—and on learning all the circumstances of the
case, rewarded him so liberally that he had no
reason to complain that he had not taken his wares
to the best market. Pikes, when large, are great
poachers as well as gluttons, and though unable to
makepreparatory excursions on land, seize with
great avidity every windfall, whether found at the
top or the bottom of the waters. Not long ago, a
boy who resides on the banks of the Loch, caught a
ged of considerable size, which was destined to
form part of the family dinner, but not a creature
would touch it when the cook recognised in its
sgreedyr
mmemiv)etrowroe
!kittens
Nut
tinwhich had
re
oet i
yl, een
theyoung drowned
of
crows and
I other birds meet a similar fate, while
to fly for the first time over a sheet of
e;:taeYri.ng When tired or frightened they sometimes
drop and float on the sulfur; like aquatic birds, and
if Monsieur Pike, who uniformly keeps a good look-
out, is at all within the range of these accidents, he
makes short work with the devoted branchers by
gobbling them up, feathers and all. For this spe-
cies of ti•esposs the gamekeepers, to a man, would
wiliingly forgive him, if he would only let the wild
ducks. alone. But unfortunately there is no way of
whether his greedivbyeysapj.bai
mrowTat.shreeew
youngl term,ll be sot
stayed,
yt and
ehde,
we
ivNivdeen, (
uooefukt
ebsrt,
acrdatbin: bringing
gtisehntebiheuewlmi
aefitvaenerrrdnsi
when they first dip their pinions into their parent
in
it
lake, are beset by a whole host of foes—in the sky
below, and roundabout;
raenemyvage isravages
ot by
pikes
the h
an most
fro
from
alformidable,other
pbeurtisthherruotmisetehne
that more .
causes put together.—Dunlfries Courier.

-----
We are requested lay the proprietor of the
Stamford News and Stamford Champion to positively.
contradict a paragraph which was copied from one of
those papers, which stated that the Rev. Mr. SHIELD, of
Preston, in Rutland, with another clergyman, had been
aiding and abetting in a cockfight, and to state, so far as
regarded the Rev. Mr. SHIELD, that that gentleman is no
way favourable to such cruel and unclerical amusement.—
The paragraph was inserted en authority which turns out
to be wetly worthless.

The following has been sent to us by a cor-
respondent ; we know n-,thing about the matter of our
own knowledge: ~...,, Lord ,,
_pilot!GUA is disposed to givethe Irish-bar a fair share of legal appointments in India
and the Colonie., Which have heretofore been enjoyed
in a
very di,proporticnate degree by the English bar. We un-
derstand that Mr. O'CONNELL made a motion for a return
of promotions from each, bar respectively inNovernber l4ist,
but have not heard whether any report has been made.

William Rowland, son of the prosecutor, proved
that the prisoner came into his father's shop on the
7th of last May, and having selected a gold watch
and other articles of jewellery, to the amount of 501.
prevailed upon the witness to accompany him in a
coach with the property to No. 103, Jermyti-
street, where he said he resided, in order that his
wife might see the articles before he paid for them.
The witness then related the stratagem by which the
prisoner obtained possession of the property, by pre-
tending that his wife was ill in the next room, and
wished to see the purchases he had made. Having
been absent about five minutes, witness discovered
that the prisoner had left the house, taking the pro-
perty with him.

The lady who resides at No. 103, Jermyn-street,
proved that the prisoner came to her house on the
morning of the day in question, to look at the apart-
ments which were to be let. He told her that he
should bring his brother to see them at three o'clock,
at which hour he came in a hackney-coach, with the
last witness. She fully identified the prisoner, as did
also her servant.

A lad named Davis, who had been sent by Mr.
Rowland to watch where the coach should drive to,
also identified the prisoner, and proved that having
seen him in Fleet-street, on the 9th instant, he fol.
lowed him, upon which the prisoner ran into the
Temple, in the square of which he was taken into
custody by a police serjeant of the K division, who
happened to be passing at the time.
Sir R. BIRNIE observed that the case was com-
plete against the prisoner, and asked him if he wished
to say any thing at present.
The prisoner, striking the bar violently with his
closed hand, denied the charge, and declared that
the witnesses were mistaken in his person,
Mr. Rowland said that his young man, Davis, had
described the prisoner most accurately before he was
apprehended, and amongst other marks of identity,
he mentioned a scar which the prisoner had over his
right eye. _

Prisoner—May not .50 men in London have pre-
cisely the same mark ?
Sir R. BIRNIE—Have you any abjection to tell
what countryman you are ? Prisoner—Not in the
least ; I am an American, and was born in the state
of Pennsylvania. I have written to the American
Consul, and could have brought forward several re-
spectable gentlemen to speak to my character, had
I known that these persons would have sworn so
positively to me.

- Sir R. BIRNIE—Were you ever in Scotland ?
Prisoner (hesitating a little)—l was.
Sir R. BIRN lE—Hois long since ? Prisoner—
About two years ago.
Sir R. BIRNIE—You are quite right; you see that
I know more about you than perhaps you were
aware of.

Prisoner—lt is not at all unlikely that you do,
Sir Richard; but I declare that I am innocent of
this charge.

Sir RICHARD—WeII, then you shall have an op-
portunity of proving your innocence; for I shall re•
mand you for a week, but I tell you fairly that it is
my intention to commit you for trial on this charge.
The prisoner then requested that he might be
committed to Newgate at once, alleging that be had
been nearly starved in the New Prison ; and he com•
plained, moreover, of having been several times struck
in the dailt by the other prisoners, who amused
themselves, when locked.up for the night, by throwing
their shoes at each other.

The prisoner was ordered to bd committed to New-
gate, in compliance with his wish; and the witnesses
were bound over to prosectre.
He was dressed, as on his first examination, in the
garb of a sailor; and during the examination he was
observed to shed tears. He appeared to have suf-
fered dreadfully since he was first examined.