Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-12-16
Fighting Eels.

VIZ sometimes fish for a kind of sea
Dream" with hand line at night. and
my servant tried one evening a lump Of
dough for want of better bait. He felt
something nibble, nibhle at his line, and
ut last a steady haul; so, returning the
compliment, he hauled too, and presently.
landed strange fish, like gigantic En-
giish Dream in shape. 1t was cooked and
pronounced A by all the household, and,
encouraged by his success, p. tried again
next night. Another rewarded him, and
he fished on. Presently bite. and then
q dead pull. Having strong line and
wired hook, he hauled away and dragged
up an ugly brown eel. When he attem pied
TO seize il the creature turned and bit him
across the knuckles, nearly clearing two
of the joints of skin and flesh. Fishing
in Fiji has Its dangers. After dressing
his wound sat up writing, the house
hold having retired to bed. / was inter-
rupted by young boatman rushing In.
"Oh, please, sir, give me light. have
got big eel like that which bit p. this
evening. He lies in my boat bising furi-
ously, and can't get him off the line. /
have jumped overheard and come for
help" lie was dripping. We Lit lam
tern, and, taking the big office ruler, adj
journed 30 the battle. field. First Charley
drew in the boat, at the bottom of which,
by the lantern dimly burning" l could
see the enemy cruising about He dropped
in, and passed in the lantern and scram-
bled down. AS soon as we approached
him he made at Charley's naked feet.
The young fellow made spring,
nearly shot me out of the cranky little
boat and upset the lantern. As stopped
to litt 1t the brute charged me. | had
quite enough to do to save myself,
and as / had dropped the ruler at the first
surge had no weapon. The ruler kept
rolling with the rocking boat, sometimes
just within reach, but as tried 10 seize it
away il would ROLL The eel was master
OF the situation for the time; but at last
Charley fetched him crack with the
stretcher, and, having managed ia a lull
OF the fight to catch the errant ruler, l sec
onded the blow with "stunner." The
heavy ebony did its duty, and the Shiny
brute lay quiet while Charley rained
blows on 1t, and finally severed his head
from his body with his clasp knife.
never saw more savage, fierce beast; he
fairly sprang at me with his jaws wide
open, and his small white eye cleaning
ferociously. The way the lad and /
danced in that rocking boat, with the Ian
tern, the ruler, and the fish rolling at the
bottom, would take cleverer pens than
mine To describe. Next evening, how
ever, / met with more serious affair
He and my son were out at the end Of the
pier trying for a big cod. Presently j
heard four or five heavy blows, then a
yell, and my son came rushing into the
Office. Help, for Gods sake, helpl" he
shouted "a huge eel has severed P-'s
wrist, and he will bleed to death"
started up, and in the doorway stood my
servant, as pale as sheet, the blood
streaming from his wrist. Selling the
ruler and some red tape / made tempo
rary tourniquet, poured half tumbler Of
brandy down his throat, and carried him
OFF 10 chemist, who luckily lived close
10 me, and Is q good surgeon, as
all these men should be. Here we
sewed up two frightful gashes that had
severed some small arteries, just missing
the main one of the pulse and thus caus.
ing the severe hemorrhage After the
wound was dressed and the bleeding
stayed we learned the following account
of the accident; +. had hooked aud
hauled up an eel about four pounds
weight. Remembering the fight of the
previous night he had swung the brute
a thump on the boards; this was the
sound Of blows | heard The last blow
dlslodged the hook and then the creature
sprang at him and seized him by the
wrist How he got him off he cannot tell,
for the pain was extreme and lac was GOV
cred with blood In a second; but he re-
membered dashing II down and IL slipped
away between the interstices Of the plank.
ing. II was very narrow escape with
life There are several kinds of cells here
In the rocks and stones under the pier and.
two in the fresh water. These fellows
grow 10 great size. have heard Of one
as thick M mans thigh. The sea cells
are sometimes very prettily notified with
brown. Lately was watching a rush of
daniia from big fish. II was low tide
and many Of the little fellows sprang on
shore; escaping from one foe they be
came the prey of another. As they
tumbled about In the rocky little pools
and between the intcrstices Of the stones
half dozen Of the notified cells rushed ut
and seized them; and here ] witnessed
what never before suspected. ] saw an
eel constriCt fish as u snake does It's
prey In Its convolutions and, fastening
lts teeth in the hsh's head II drew IL
through the folds Of its coils and swal-
lnu.I "a - LANDAU, NUN