Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1857-01-10
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Shaking Out Surgeons.

We have roared until our ribs fairly
ached at the relation of the following
'.lem" surgeons, by loquacious friend
of ours
Ii lappears our friend was located on the
Kennebec river, a few years ago, and had
number of hands employed about dam'
and the Surgeons were very numerous
and extremely Iocie. They would fIe-
quently come posing their noses close up
to tie men standing in the water, and one
of the men be,hought him how delicious
a morsel of picked sturgeon was, and he
forthwith made eparatIon to "snake
out" a clev. er-sized fish. Getting an
iron rod at the blacksmth's shop, close at
hand. he bends up one end like d fish
hook, and, slipping ont into the stream,
he silly places the hook under The stur-
geon's nose and into its round hole of a
mouth, expecting TO fasten on TO the VIC
timized, harmless fish, and "yank' him
clean and clear out of his watery element.
But, "lordy," wasn't he mistaken and
surprised! The moment the hook touch
ed the inside of the surgeons mouth, the
creature backed water so sudden and for
chilly as 10 near jerk the holder Of the
hooks head from lis socket. The poor
fellow was forty rods under water. and
going down stream, before he mustered
presence of mind enough to induce him
to let go the hook
However. the lookers.on Of this cIri-
Gus manoeuvre took boat and fshed out
their halE-drowned comrade who conclu-
ded that he had paid pretty dearly for his
whistle.
The catching did not end here.
After The IaugE, Of the above mentioned ad-
venture had ceased, some one offered TO
bet hat that he could hold a sturgeon
and snake him clean out of the water !;
and as the man who had tried the expert.
ment fell altogether dubious about IT, he
al once bet that The sturgeon would be
more than match for any man in the
crowo.
The wager was duly staked, rod
crooked, the operator tucked up his
sleeves and uowsers, and wades out 10
where sturgeon or tow were lying off
in the shallow water. Of course the op-
Grafton now became matter of considera-
BILE interest; and as the man was stout,
hearty fellow, able 10 hold bull by the
horns, few entertained doubts of his
bringing ont his sturgeon.
| After a long time the operator gets his
hook under the sturgeon, and leans for
ward 10 stick II close into the jaws Of the
victim and no sooner was that part of
the fea, accomplished, than Mr.. Sturgeon
"backs OUT with the velocity of chain
lightning, carrying his assailant under va.
ter anu down stream The man held
on and there they went, foaming and
pitching, until the fellow, finding his
breath nearly out of his body /; his neck,
arms, and legs just about disiocated, con-
cluded ~ lose The hat and let the hook
and sturgeon 60.
! Pretty well used up, The poor fellow
succeeded in getting out of the river, a
convert to tie first experimental idea OF
the strengths and velocity of fish, especial
| ly a big sturgeon,
Beginning 10 imagine that fish conld
swim. or had some muscular power, sey-
eral of the bystanders were rife for ex-
lpesimentng on the surgeons.
Another iron rod was converted into a
hook ; and two burly y.buil Paddy's volnn-
,eered 10 hook The fish. An opportunity
H. . =