Litchfield enquirer., 1846-12-24

ANECDOTES OF PRESERVED FIeh
 Hunts Merchants Magazine for De- cember contains biographical sketch ef the late Preserved Fish. We make two or three anecdotical quotations.
 "In 1910 Captain Fish settled himself in New Bedford as Shipping Merchant having given up the sea. His partner ID business was Cornelius Grinnell. and the firm was Fish & Grinnell. It was "t 1hia period of his life that he became en- Caged in politics. He was bitter Dem ocratic partiZan, and his many quarrcls and disappointmenis as such, were the cause of his leaving New Bedford. Hts manner of proceeding on this occasion was also somewhat peculiar. He hap pened to be passing the stand ot an anc, iioneer one day, while there was crowd assembled, and stepping suddenly up I" the gentleman with the hammer, ne eX claimed in a loud voice: "l want you to sell nv house ]" Without any other notice inc house was put up, and knocked down 10 a gentleman, for about one ha'l it's value. In fortnight from that iine' Preserved Fish was settled upon farm at Flushing, in lhis State, which he had purchased, with view of devo!ihg him self to agriculture. While living m Flushing, he became very intimate with a MT. Franklin of that place, but mis- understanding having taken place be- tween the parties, their friendship was broken off, and Captain Fish declined to be even on speaking terms with his old friend. During the existence ofthis state of things, it so happened that the Captain was capsized in boat while crossing the troubled waters of Hurl Gate. MT. Franklin also happened to be near where the accident took place, and it was his fortune to rescue Mr. Fish from waterY grave. After the excitement efthis scene was over, and the Captain had so far re- covered as to scan ,hc features of his pre- server, he was perfectly astonished 10 find him none other than bis bitterest enemy. This singular fact threw him into perfect rage, and ut,erng an oath, ha said that he would have much prefer red to die, rather than be saved by tbe hands of MT. Franklin"
 "Thc ship that he commanded had been ordered to the Eastern coast of Africa, after cargo of oil. It so hap pened that soon as he had weighed an chor, it was discovered that the ship had sprung leak. A good deal of alarm as a matter of course, was caused by thus event, and the crew and subordinate officers insisted upon going back. Cap tain Fish, however, would not listen to this advice, and swore by all that was holy, he scouM continue to prosecute his poyage ct euery hazard. The indomitable will of the man was triumphant, and the very idea of mutiny was entirely banish- ed-the whole crew performing their duties without a murmur. The voyage was successfully performed, and the cargo of oil turned out to be uncommonly valuable. And thus vas it that fortune Smiled upon the sailor merchant"
 "The story that Preserved Fish had been picked up when child, on the oceans shore, is mere fiction. It's ori- gin has been traced to the following Imaginable incident: While on one of his trading voyages, Captain Fish was hailed by Revenue Cutter with the question: 'Whal's the name of,hat brig! Flying Fish, sir !'-'What's your cargo?' Pick led Fish . '"'l.u'~ y~>-- -~ r'"in n sp~o serued Fish? The revenue officer be- came quite angry, and immediately boarded the brig, 10 revenge himself for the insult. When he found, however, that only the truth had been spoken, he enjoyed the joke, and vowed that he would preserve the memory of Preserved Fish, as an ocean wonder"