Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1882-02-02

OF terrier dogs sometimes TAME OtterS
are trained to catch fish for their mas
ters In this kind of fishing. the otter
slips quietly into the water, and general
" catches first all the fish he wants to
eat himself. When he has had enough,
he brings the next one he catches to his
master A very well-trained otter will
go into the water several times in this
way, and frequently will bring out a
large fish each time. Offers are occa-
sionally employed by fishermen who use
nets. The nets are first set, and then
the offers so into the water and drive
the fish into the nets. where they are
caught.
There is story told of man in En-
gland who had tame otter which fol-
lowed him about on shore like a dog,
and which, also. used to fish for him.
The two companions would 90 out on
the river in boat, when the otter would
Jump overheard, and bring fish back
to the man. If the animal staid away
too long, his master would call him by
his name. and he would Immediately re-
turn.
One day the man was away from
home. and his young son thought it
would be good idea to take his fathers
otter and 90 fishing. So he took the lit
tie animal into the boat. and rowed out
upon the river. The otter jumped into
the river exactly as he used to do for
the bows father. but he staid below n
long time, and when the boy called him
he did not come back Either he did
not know his name when spoken by n
strange voice, or he did not like the boy
well enough to come back to him, for
he remained out of sight, and after the
boy had called him in vain for long
time. he was obliged to return to shore
without him.
Several days after this, the man was
walking along the river-bank near the
place where his son had gone fishing.
He was greatly grieved at the loss of his
pet otter, and expect the boy had been
whipped. The man stood at the edge
of the water, and began to call the otter
by his name. He did not think there
was any particular use in doing this. but
; it reminded him of his little friend and
of old fishing times. But you can
scarcely imagine his establishment when,
in few moments, his faithful otter
came swimming out of the water. and
Law down on the shore at his feet. II
!. he had brought a string of fish along
with him. do not think the man could
have been more surprised and delighted
In India and some other Eastern
, countries, this fishing with tame otters
/ is made quite business. Bishop hebel
tells us that on the bank of river In
Hindostan he once saw eight or nine
, fine large offers tied to stakes driver
: into the sand. These handsome fellows
i were either lying asleep on the shore Oh
, swimming about in the water as tar a
2 their ropes would let them. 1t IS hkel,
that when these offers were used To-
: fishing, their native masters did not Sc
them loose and allow them to swim
r about as they pleased, but made then
= po into the water with the long corr
= Still fastened to their necks In thi
. way the otter could swim far enough Z
!, catch fish, and his master would be al
. ways sure of having his otter. whethe
n he got any fish or not.
g In England, otter-hunting used to b
% a fayorite amusement, and IN some part
a of the country it is carried on yet. 4
o certain kind of dog, called the otter
e hound, is especially trained for thl
d sport, and the hunters use short spears
d Some of the hunters and dogs go on on
70 side of the stream where offers are e1
l. pected to be found. and some on tn
other. II an otter has recently bee
. along the bank. the dogs catch hi
Ne scent. and they bark and howl, an
,r scratch the ground. and the men shou
:. and beat the reedy bushes and the shor
IS until the poor otter Is frightened Out
re his house, and takes to the water: br
IS here he is discovered by the bubbles z