The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-07-12

ting, about mile or so on. WB Fesc'o0
it after sailing about four miles, eas'
anchor, pitched our lines oser, and
uaited-yes, paitsdi-bus the bea'
would rock about; aud as our soaatinS
FIR fish brought on no excitement, oul
a sort Of introspec,ion which fore boded
evil, we pitched into "Jo." with a VIM
enhanced by a consciousness OF ou'
"unsettled constitution" With un-
blushiug impudeuce ("JO." is a "fell0T
citizen, our sailing master told US if We
would run out emile or two further"
he would put us upon place where he
knew we would catch fish. We were
Just in that state when little more OF
little less could not affect the case,
and so, with stern gravity, We told the
chuckling scamp to go ahead--and so
he did! We chased the Getty Of Ragu-
sa" partly across the Atlautic Ocean
were hailed but once, aud that BY 40
African and his ten sons, who were at
sea in a canoe, and who we're "out Of
water" They we're also considerably
"out of clothing" but did not ask for
supplies iu that veg. We furnished
them with a "gourd" of water, not
daring to lesson our supply much, as
We were uncertain when We should get
more. At the end of an hour, "Jo."
concluded to come to an anchor, but BY
this time the question of fish had be-
come one Of secondary importance. The
breeze continued steady, the boat would
tumble about, and some Indicative
grunts were heard but over went the
hooks, and before one could say "Jack
Robinson" there were pullines in of
lines, shoats for bait, calls on go" aDd
wrigglings Of fish in the boat, which for
a moment overcame all other excite
meuts, and "settled" US to our work.
"Tve got him." sung out sergeant T.,
as with eyes sticking out Of his head,
he hauled up, with amazing strength, a
-"crab !" "Here he is," came II
the lee quarter, as a small shark was
swung on board. "Hold hard !" says
another, as he pulled at his line, draw
ing in, however, only big catfish,
while the "Colonel," with great unc-
tion, slipped of trout of four pounds,
with the remark, stake lessons from me,
boys" ~
Aud so the fun went on. Now q
trout, crocus, or whiting, from one
side of the boat, while the other side
would furnish shark, or black fish, or
crabs. Bat alas An enemy was steal
ing upon us, which threatened our ruin.
1t vas in possession Of our very zen
cciste," and the more We opened our
GEORGE" the worse it was. Here was
the fat Colonel" solemn as an owl
line dangling overheard, and he eoutenl-
plating the wonders of zoology, leaning
over the boats side. A jerk Of the line,
strong pull, hooking :he trout, but the
effort brought the cri.is-the enemy
vas discharged, as the fish was hauled
in. A sad wall comes up from the
stern Of the boat: "Oh Oh ! why can't
this internal rocking stop?" A glance
around shows a parcel Of cadaverOus
faces, with other conditions which were
not pleasant.
One hour and q half had passed
Fish were biting glOriOusly! We had
caugh, one hundred and ffy! Splendid
luck ALI were iu large covered bas-
ket, floating iu the water and We'd to
the boat. The wind was rising. So
we're our s,omachs. The order was
given to hoist auchor-up sail and run
to Fort Sumter. This was done; but
We failed to make landing, missing
the wharf few feet. When We left the
fishing ground, We took up our basket
ot fish from the water, setting it upon
the side of the boat on its narrow deck,
tied, as We thought, securely. Missing
the wharf, but determined to land, We
run off few hundred yards aDd tackled,
when the boom, sweeping across the
deck, struck our basket of fish, and over
it went-sinking before our eyes, and
within thirty feet of US, in less than
twenty seconds.
We would respectfully drop veil
over the scene, if our duty would per-
NIT; but we are truthful chroniclers of
the glorious "fuu" of "6shing over the
bar" Six sea-sick men, who had sac
rifced their "interual arrangements u
and the best part Of day, looking 10
solemn silence upon two hundred
pounds of fish going into 'oatery grace
(for they we're dead) vas too much for
human nature to bear. Alas !! We had