The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-12-13
BLOWING UP FISH.

feature ot Xeras SiffNgS, 9ives the foa- lowing sensational reminiscence
 Tiff Johnson is now in New York. He is also in 8 new suit of clothes. His fell purpose is to spend a week with us. He old Tiff that he was when we used to be inshis midst out on his Del Valle planta- ton. was talking with him about the time when we tried to blow up the fish in Onion creek. You were not along wi,h us on that occasion. Now that l come to think over the affair, discover that it was twice as funny as that never to be forgotten wolf hunt in which we were nearly frozen to death.
 The idea of blowing up the fish orisi- hated in this way. Every time that Tiff came to Austin to pay us a compliment tary visit, he would borrow some "eaiin' tobacco" throw himself into a graceful position into our easy chair; iestooning the arm of the chair with his legs, and then tura himself loose, telling hos many fish he had caught Tn Onion creek the previous day. According to Tif7s ac- count, forty-pound buffalo and ten pound trout, were holding their mouths out of the water waiting to be caught. The up- shot ot the matter would be that knox and myself would make a raid on Onion creek in an ambulance loaded down with the newest kind of 6shing-tackle, bait in demijohns, ice, cold lunch, etc, including beer. We brought back everything we started with, except the bait. We never caught fish. The skin on the peaks of our noses peeled off from the heat, and VIC were tired, very tired. but nary fish. At that time we had no idea what a dreadful James C. Eli Perkins Blaine our friend Tiff was.
 We quit going out to Onion creek after fish, but one day Tiff came in and told us about a deep water hole in Onion creek, which was perfectly clear, and in which he had seen thousands of fish.
 Boys" said Tiff, growing more elo- quent than usual, "if saw one buffalo tish weighing forty pounds, saw five hundred, but they won't bite. tned them for more than an hour. That water hole IS alive with fish, trout, cat, buffalo, goggle-eyed perch, dead bodies of them"
 Now we should have known better than to have listened to Tiff, but there are some fools who cannot learn, even in the S\hOOA Ot SARSAIChAC, au0 klb tdIkGQ SD eloquently about those fish, that we i'm agined we could smell them frying.
 Now, boys,' said Tiff, "i tell you what o do. I've read about how they kill fish up Dorth with dynamite car sridges. You fellows get some dynamite, and we will have fish by the wagon load Don't forget to bring ou, plenty of ice, beer, etc, and I'll have plenty of frying pans and lard to fry the fish"
 The idea seemed feasible, and we told Tiff to expect us Saturday morning.
 Knox was appointed committee on dynamite. He rushed around town all one morning but could find no dyna. mite cartridges. He, however, procured a tin can large enough to hold a liberal quantity of giant powder, and a tin tube ten feet long. The idea was to fill the can with powder, adjust the fuse or slow match in the tube, sink the concern ID the water, leaving the end of the tube ex- posed, fire the slow match and then wait for the upheaval.
 On Saturday morning, Knox, Huddle, and myself drove out to Onion creek, where we were joined by Tiff Johnson, who had provided several large frying. pans. Doc Johnson, Tiff elder brother, who had been elected to the legislature, was also on hand. We drove to the inn mediate vicinity of the water in which the fish were supposed to be, unhitched the horses, and made immediate prepara- tions for the grand ca,acl2sm.
 The water hole was about thirty feet long. about fifteen wide, and very deep.
 ' I've baited the hole last night and there must just be dead oodles of fish down there," said Tiff in whisper.
 The powder was pat in the can, the slow match was run through the tin tube, which was dramatically adjusted to the can, and Knox was about to lower the in- ferDal machine into the wate.. when Doc Johnson, who had fingered behind to see that the horses were properly secured, so that they could not eat the beer and other bait, paralyzed us by saying:
 Boys, don't you know the grand jury will indict the last one of you? It will cost you fifty dollars apiece, at the very least. Everybody within four miles will hear the detonation."
 Cant we touch it of sort of slow p asked Tiff.
 was at Petersburg when the mine WeS CAPhodCo, anu II tAkC c UaCA SCAA this time" said Huddie.
 It will throw up column of water like one of those Colorado geysers," said the doctor.
 Finally we agreed to risk it. The can was lowered into the water, where the unsuspecting fishes were supposed to be the thickest In the meantime Doc Johnson had gone back to the ambulance once more to see that everything was safe. Huddle got behind an immense boulder three hundred yards from the scene of the expected explosion. 1 got behind big tree POO yards of. 40 old negro who was calmly fishing POO yards below was warned of his danger. He went over a distant hill, and never came back Knox, who had the longest legs, touched of the mine, and then he ran as man never ran before. He found safety 300 yards up the canyon. We were all ready Eow to be startled. It takes ten feet of fuse a small eternity. SO it seemed