The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-08-29

TWO REMARKABLE INSTANCES OF SUSPENDED
ANIMATION.
RoN AIR Aup1lst DC. 1888

Box AIR, August 26, 1883.
10 the Editor Of the Dispatch:
A party composed Of several well-known
Richmond gentlemen, and attended by
two Juvenile aids, started from our hotel
yesterday morning for days fishing at
.sBosher's DAM" James river. They were
well provided with fishing-p0les and gear
and literally supplied with the etceteras.
II is not the purpose OF this narrative to
chronicle their adventures. Suffice 1t to
say that the party met with the proverbial
l." fisherman's luck" and on their return to
Bon Air about O'Clock ut night they were
welcomed with derisive cheers. They
had, however, one trophy to show, and this
was three-foot long "gar," which some
fishermen had taken from their seine about
Z o'clock in the morning and had contempt
uously flung out upon the rocks. Under the
circumstances 1t may be imagined that the
rejected gar was God-send aud a prize.
1t Is not the purpose OF this narrative,
however, to speculate as to how much con-
ISOLATION our party took from their find. 1t
Is simply intended to chronicle the fact
that fish taken out OF the water at Z A. NJ
or thereabouts, thrown upon the rocks and
exposed to broiling sun, finally toted n
supposed corpus deficit several miles. and
again thrown ASIDE at the hotel (after the
sportsmen had demonstrated their ability to
capture q fish. dld actually, upon being
fumbled by small boy into the fountain
pool, revive, and Is at this present writing
SWIMMING about, and Notwithstanding the
narrow Limits of the reservoir, actively on
the lookout for flies and such other delica-
cies as may come within it, reach. Can any
OF your readers throw light upon this APP
parently remarkable case OF resuscitation
Is the garfish a sort OF amphibious crea-
ture, or what prevented its dying during
ut least thirteen hours absence from its
native element, being kicked about the
while like an old shoey Can some ons
versed in the habits and liie-conditions Of
the finny tribe kindly enlighten our Bon
Air inquirersl
Another instance-this Of equally extra
ordinary resumption Of life-of vegetable
however, not OF animal nature: Some tim,
back, within the past twelve months, {
gentleman well known In Richmond wa.
travelling IN New Mexico. He cut a eac.
tus stick, perhaps one OF several such
relies OF W country. This particular
stick was allowed to season; 1t was carried
70 New York, and there very Handsomely
mounted with carved bufialo-horn han.
Ole and silyer-inscriplion plate, aud was
duly ferruled and vanished. 1t was pre-,
scented In February last 10 our esteemed feI-
iow-citizen Samuel s. Cottrell, ESQ. The
walking-stick, being rather heavy for or.
binary use, has been kept by Mr.. Cottrell
Tor the giycrs sake and as a curiosity. A
Few DAYS past the stick happened To be
taken up, and, mira6iie dicfa, this stick.
capped at one end with horn, shod al the
other with metal. and shining with rs
glossy coat OF varnish, was putting out
tiny, tender shoots, with the possibility ap.
parently OF eventually bearing fruit. A
yeritable Aaron's rod VII. any one
versed In botany explain this wonderful
resuscltations Until both this and the fish
revival are explained cannot Bon Air boast
OF Its two contemporaneous mysteries :
Perhaps both reviyals are attributable to
the vitalizing atmosphere OF Bon Air; but.
however this may be. the facts rs narrated
above can be attested to by score Of un-
Improbable witnesses.
Respectfully yours. A. A.G.
P.6. August 9th. Is proper TO state
that the gar, or pike, appeared to be dead
this morning. But whether be proves now