The Wilmingtonian. (Wilmington, Del.) 1882-188?, 1884-09-20

of thu Meas was whipping up fish over the
heads of the party with the utmost COM
posture. The usual dip-sink and hand-line
was employed by the majority of the party,
Messrs. Hopes and j. F. Frantz alone
using a fishing-rod.
After an hour had passed the supply OF
clans became exhausted and Captain
Denny went ashore in a boat for some crabs,
bait much patronized by weak-tish. 1t
was an hour before he returned, and in the
meantime the fishermen did the best they
could by appealing to the Gambia element
in the Ssh and Offering them tempting NOR
sells Of their own kindred. Several yielded
TO tho temptation, and at half-past one the
total catch reached the neighborhood of a
hundred.
BY and bye the crabs arrived, and, as
equitable as possible division having been
effected, the fishermen proceeded to pound
| up and crush the unfortunate crustaceans
| out of all semblance to nature-in fact to
reduce them to the gelatinous mass which
| philosophers gravely aver to have been the
primeval vesture of life. The effect on
the gastronomic tastes of the fish was
Immediately apparent and they cane in at
an average Of two or three minute for the
next hour. The best fun was when some
excitable gentleman, after hard struggle,
hauled on blard villainously ugly and
utterly worthless toad-fsh. Vainly he
would essay to detach the hook from {
mouth flied with cruel teeth, and as wide
yawning as an otfice-seekers pocket.
The weakfish formed the bulk of tn
catch, and handsome specimens they were
There is nothing more beautiful than tn
colors of this fish when fresh from its ele
ment. The pure white of the sides, tn
delicate stripes and spots, the Lowell
uaereous lilac hue of the back and gil
covers cannot be initiated by art. Cuvie
describes the species as OtolttltuS Regoh'
but succeeding naturalists have traced q
least three varieties, applying Cuvier's non
, enclature to the sea-trout of the Carolina'
+ and defining the weaktish proper as Ldbrt
squeatedguG, with third name in favor of
l., fish more distinctly maculated than I'll
. ordinary fish. Owing to the soft yieldin
: nature of the mouth, large Numbers wei
: lest in hauling the fish up the side, CT
/. cumstance which told largely in favor I
k those using a row boat.
y About fifty sea- bass (mostly quite small
and dozen Cape May goodies were include
/, in the catch which totalled nearly $50. I'll
rs luck was very unequally divided, one men
Der, Dr. Frantz, claiming a contribution
e %; DR.. Carrow, with Messrs. Crippen, G.
d Rudolph and Cooling put together total
:, SO; Captain Denny and crew 80 more; Col
r mel T. NJ. gilbert 10, and Messrs. Hope
t. Mehaffey and Daley each. The averaI
lie was five to each fisherman.
is 1t was just growing dark when the par
arrived at Fourth street wharf and d
O. persed, with three cheers for the MJrnt
in Ne,os and tiger for Captain Denny and
IN crew. The first Editorial Fishing Excu
n sion was over and THE WILMINGToNIl
he man went to bed, an hour or so later,
i'd dream that he was impaled on huge sha
40 hook in the bed of the Delaware Bay, a
he that the whole tribe of weak-fsh goodi
los crabs and sea-bass had assembled to int
f. view him.