Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-09-12
Going A-Drumming.

When | went 'sa-drumming" / did
not take drum with me. That would
have been ridiculous, as you shall see.
Nor did | go as drummer for mer-
camille or manufacturing concern.
Words sometimes mean so many differ
ent things that we have to be particular.
What l did was to go fishing for
''drums," which are certain large fish,
found in Southern waters.
| was down at st. Augustine, in
Florida, that most ancient city i'm this
country-where there is an old fort or
castle, built by the Spaniards more than
three hundred years ago, and where
the narrow streets, the curious stone
houses with Over-reachiDg balconies,
the ruins of the old city gates, and
many other ancient and foreign-looking
things, make it difficult to realize that
it is really an American city. And be-
sides the antiquities, and the delightful
climate, and the orange-trees and the
roses that bloom out of doors the whole
winter, there is capital fishing. Right
in front of the town is the Matanzas
River, and it is full of fish. You can
catch them almost anywhere.
The drum fish gets its name from its
habit of making a drumming sound
as it swims about, near the bottom of
the river. Sometimes, as persons are
rowing or sailing along the river, hun
dreds of these fish can be heard drum
ming away, down under the boat. But
although there are so many of them,
they are not very easy to catch; for they
seem Indifferent to food which they see
dangling about on strings.
When | had heard about these fish, l
determined, as soon as possible, to try
TO catch one; and one fine morning |
went down 10 the wharf where q great
many sail-boats and row-boats were
lying,-most of them for hire to visitors,
and asked an old fisherman, with
whom L had become acquainted, if he
could take me out after drums.
"Drums?" said he. ''Do you want
TO 90 a-drummin'?''
to4u nun lIial Was vel dHAloue "
do 80.
''Well'" he said, 81 can't 90 to-day,
and it amt jist the tide for drums,
nuther."
"But the tide will be right before
long, won't it?" | asked.
"Oh, yes. The tide will always be
right if you wait long enough. But
I've got other things 20 do this MORN
i'm"
Where is a good place to go? You
can tell me that, if you can't go with
me yourself"
"Well-there's several good places.
kin tell you of very good place for
you to git drums, this mornin'."
"Where's that?' | asked.
"Over there at the fish Market" he
said. You'll run a better chance
there than any place l know Of"
l saw the old fellow had not much
faith in me as a fisherman, but would
not get angry with him. It's a poor
business to get angry with people who
may be of use TO you. So left him and
hired a sail-bOat with young man TO |
manage il.
When l caught about buckettul of |
Writings we set sail for home. On the |
wharf | met the old fisherman.
"Well," said he, "did you get a |
drum?"
NO." L replied; we fished for whit
ings, and caught a good many of them"
Writings is good fish enough, but
they sint drums" said he. But we
oughter be glad for what we can git.
There's a row of fellers fishin' on that
side of the wharf, that are satisfied
with ship jacks, which is mean little
fish as | take il -