The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-06-18
THAT CAT FISH.

cider. Boston Trans.
H., THAT CAT FISH.
A story has been current in the news
papers about the capture Of an uncomfor-
tabiy large cat fish in the Mississippi an
animal which might well tske precedence
OF some whales, and which leaves all
small fish at an Unreasonable distance.
AS a sporting anecdote it puts trout fish
ing to the blush; and as verified fact, it
beats Munchausen all hollow,--,hat YER
liable chronicler unfortunately lacking
truth, while this statement is supported
by affidavit We are indebted to cor
respondent at Oitowa, La Sale Co. Illi-
nois, for the following card, and our cor
respondent is Of such character that his
yeracity is unimpeached and unimpeacha-
bic. Bro. Jon. s5st
A Card-The undersigned, cabin pas
sengers on the steamboat Peoria, in order
to allay public curiosity and prevent any
further Misrepresentation of truth in rela-
ton to the capture of the great fish last
Friday night, make the following state
ment of facts, the truth of which they are
ready to verify. To see is to know;
and what we know we dare aver. On
Friday evening last, while the boat was
taking in wood about miles above tho
mouth of the Illinois river, two of the
passengers engaged in fishing caught two
or three CARS and large catfish. This
exciting sport naturally attracted the at
tention of US all. DR. Mitchell, of Put
nam county, had brought on board two
Berkshire hogs at ST Louis, weighing per-
haps two hundred and fifty pounds each.
One of these hogs died; and the cook,,,it
seems, obtained permission to use it for
FISH bait. The cook then went into the
larder, and bringing out a large meat hook
made of rolled iron rod, at least one inch
in diamater, drew the stern cable rope
through the eye of the hook, and thus
fitted out huge hook and line.
We all laughed atthis; bu. the cook
looked serious, and declared it was no
joke at all. He then inserted the hook
through the loins of the hog, and with
our assistance, the baited hook was thrown
overheard with loud splash. Night
came on dark and foggy. The rows Of
cotton wood trees on either bank became
invisible; but still it was thought safe for
the boat TO grope along with feeble head
Of steam. We retired early to our berihs.
At a few minutes before four the next
morning, the captain found the pilot
sleeping at the wheel, and discovered
that we were in the channel of the Mis-
sissppi, and moving stern foremost down
stream, in spite Of the engine. This
news reached the cabin, and we all turned
out. 81
The cause of this retograde movement
was soon made manifest IN the shape of an
enormous fish, Juggling away at the stern
cable, his back only visible. Some adj
vised cutting the cable, but the majority
were in favor Of towing the prize into
port, dead or alive. A rifle being pro-
duced, Captain Reese discharged four
balls into the monsters spine. After much
Gouncing, the creature foaied upon. his
side and lay lifeless in the bloody stream.
1t proved to be a catfish, of the kind
most commonly found in the Missouri.
/ The fish was lowed to Grafton, and log
chain being passed through the gills, was
there drawn ashore by the united strength
of nine pairs of oxon. The dimensions
Of the fish as taken by Captain Reese in
our presence, were,as follows:
~ Whole length. SO feet and inches.
Length of head, Z feet and IL inches.
Circumference, ii feet and inch. !. II
Itmay perhaps be well for our credit
as to yeracity, that this part Of our state
ment can be proven by all the men, wo-
men and children in Grafton. In con-
clusion we present our thanks to Captain
Reese for his courtesy in allowing the
fish to be taken ashore at our request,
as well as for his politeness and aitef-
ton to our safety and comfort during the
whole trip.
O. p. Dudley,
Jos. Grail,
Jesse Sfarks, Jr.,
Fl 0. HemningOay,
C.. S. Irim6le,
johnson Fuller, ss b 3l, /
X. z. Wade,
M Zeizier,
Cyrus Bush,
Simon p. Mitchell.
ottowa. La Sale county Ill, April q, Is4o,
State Of Illinois, La Sale county, So.
Personally appeared before me, Silas
Walker, justice of the peace in and for
said county, the above named O. P. Dud-
ley and James Grill, and being duly
sworn, did depose, and say that the fore
going statements and allegations are in
substance true, as above set forth.