Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1836-05-25

4 ton, formed on the one hand by the
rocky peninsula of that ancient and Chi
various borough, and OH the other by
the low, sandy cape at the south-wes-
tern verge of Rhode Island. 1t was
!ood-tide, and as the calm still contin-
ued, the expanse over which we were
gliding seemed aplain of.moiten silver.
bright, smooth, and motionless, save
at the mighty lift of the ground-swell,
whose solemn pulsations heayed be-
meath US, at regular intervals, like the
heart OF slumbering giant. Now and
then the FURNISHED surface was broken
by the dark form Of the unwieldy por-
polse, as he rose to view and disappear
led, with sluggish somerset, from :the
warm precincts Of the cheerful day.
Floc]Ss Of black ducks floated idly up
on the sunny waters; multitudes of
white gulls careered in graceful eyolu-
tons above, while high in mid-air an
occasional osprey might be seen, hover
ing for momenton poised wings, then
plunging like bolt sheer into the 81
lent depths, in pursuit of it's scaly prey.
Here and there lay becalmed smack
basking in the golden light, with all it's
white sails glassed in the liquid mirror
beneath, while the jovial song and tho
merry jest came ringing across the bay
from its winding shores, where groups
of hardy fishermen were preparing for
their exciting toll.
AS the young leviathan VIC were seek
ing was no where to be seen, we con-
cludedtopay our less ambitious address
es to his smaller brethren of the deep.
and having cast anchor accordingly:
we commenced operations on the por-
gies, black-Gsh, founders, ct id o01,ae
genus Of small fry. We had not fish
ed long, however, before cried out
that my line was entangled at the bot
tom, and could Mt be cxtricated.
'Ha! ha!-Davy Jones has got holt
the eend ont, them laughed Hal, COR
Iclse you've snubbed turkle; for the
devil Of rock is there in hundred
fathom of us to make fast-to. Let me
take an observation in that quarter, Mr..
Laudon;' and taking the line, he haul
ed it taut over his fore-fnger, and then
scanned it for a few seconds with all the
grave tangibility with which the ply
stefan feels the pulse ofhis patient. Jest
as guessed continued the old pisca-
tor, with knowing chuckle, cautious |
ly and with no little exertion drawing
in foot by foot the stretched and quiv-
ering line; .iest as guessed, my hear
ties; if there isn't life at both eends of
this 'erc yarn, then Pm as dead asa smo-
ked herring. AS he pronounced the
last word, his unknown antagonist rose
to view-an enormous skate-fsh, al
most equalling in circumference an or
dinaro coach-wheel. II would seem
that had accidentally fastened the
hook into one of his lateral, bat-like
extrcmities, and hence the difficulty Of
raising him to the surface horizontally,
or in plain palaver, hatwise.
'Hail, prince of observation-disclosures Of
angels!--king! cried Ned, with bow
of numerous obeisancc toward me:
'henceforth let worthy Ike Walton hide
his diminished head in thy august pre-
sence,' he continued, glancing at the
unquiet monster that lay laundering
and splashing before US.
what shall we do with our unwiel-
ly gamer inquired L; I'VE can't get h
him into the boatwithout capsizing her. u
'Up anchor, and let's tow him ashore;
twill be rare sight to the uninitiatcd
--n1onstruna ho1vcnd1t,n, in/orn.e IN
gems, mirabile visu.'
We Ind scarcely re-shipped the lit /
lie kcdge, before we discovered, at the
distance Of a furlong, the dark fin Of
'ome gigantic fish cleaving the smooth I
surface ofthe bay directly toward US. I,
Shark! white shark, by the gods!,
exclaimed Hal, with startling enpha- ,
is on the first word, as he seized the II
and planted himself firmly for {
ne anticipated emergency. !
Haul in that lubberly skate nearer, A
VIZ. Landon-nearer yet-there, that {
IL do; vast now, ard belay.' I,
To me it was moment Of fearful
for fisherman had It
been attacked in his boat and de- g
CURED by one Of these rapacious an 7
hropophagi; but to my companions, f
Judging from their animated counter a
noes, the opening scene was one Of in {
ense and gratifying interest. There
hey both stood, braced and motionless $
$ statues; the old harpooner with his !
ra,yny and barred right arm thrown I
ack, posing the barbed and terrible 4
Missile clutcf1ed III his farnil iar ee,.a =,