Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-01-23

self-he solicited my company as
far as bis shanty,where he promised
a view and a loan of the unique ap-
para.us.
On arrival at his domiclle, he
seized a huge coil OF rope from oil
its peg, flung it at my head with a
cordial invitation to betake myself
to Halifax and then turned into
his bunk all standing when he re-
lapsed into Inconsistencies.
Flinging the coil over my arm l
proceeded to examine the prlze'
which | found to consist ola hun
dred fathoms or so of cotton clothes
line, or bed cord, toggled to a rude
hook of size fit to take a shark or
grampus, the shank of which was
imbedded in a leaden sinker of not
less than five pounds weight
Vending my may to the shop OF
the Village Vulcan, speedily con-
tracted for four hooks of like
pattern, including sinkers, and
then proceeded to bankrupt the
local store of its stock in cotton
and hempen line. BY nightfall all
was prepared, our plans duly ar
ranged, and the comi 6 of the
morrow awaited with sensations OF
mingled curiosity and pleasure.
The day broke bright aud clear,
and would have been pleasant but
for a stinging wind that blew from
the northwest, varied by occasional
gusts and fierce puffs that fairly
penetrated to the bone. We were
not to be daunted, however, and
accordingly, soon after breakfast,
my mare was brought round,
hitched to Canadian jumper or
pung, in which conveyance we
quickly stored our precious selves,
not forgetting snatches, lunch
baskets, etc, when we drove off to
pick up the Commodore.
That worthy was found in no
very enviable state of mind, but
having vented his spleen over our
'cussed laziness,' he proceeded to
add to our load an armful of blank
cts, an axe, an ice chisel, and an
immense piece of half.rancid, fat
salt pork, literally baptized with
oils of anise and cinnamon, articles
that are supposed to present in
superable attractions to fish in
general, and Namycush in particu-
lar. Last of all, he insinuated
himself, along with a good sized
basket he defined as full of grub
and from beneath whose cover
peeped the neck of suspicious
looking black bottle that bespoke
little for his sobriety throughout
the day, unless it should meet
with some accident, which it did,
Howard Immediately dropping the
axe upon it in most unconscious
way. Now, under the direction of
our guide, we drove a mile up the
shore, then down to the beach, and
straight away out on the ice to-
wards the Canada shore.
After going some eight miles a
halt was called, the Commodore
protesting to recognize the locality.
Tumbling out we proceeded to
make it more comfortable, while
the Commodore busted himself
with an ak and chisel IN cutting a
series of holes two feet or so in
diameter, and a rod or more apart
through the thick ice, asserting
we were over the border of a huge
submerged reef beside which
Mackinac trout were wont to
cOngregate. Straw was then dis
tributed about the openings and
covered with blankets that the feet
might be protected from frost. A
huge slice of the rancid pork was
then placed on each hook and cast
through an opening, paying the
line out to its fullest extent, reserv-
ing merely sufficient to form a
blight that could be slipped on the
arm, leaving both hands to see k
warmth at will.
Half an hour passed, an hour,
and then an hour and a half, yet
not so much as a nibble rewarded
our patience. The affair that
promised so much was becoming
decidedly stale and monOtonOus.
Finally, just as we were on the
point of giving up in disgust, the
Commodore was seen to cast his
line over his shoulder and set of at
the top of his speed towards the
land of the moose and muskrat.'
First blood for the Commodore ?
| shouted, as a huge Namycush of
not far from forty pounds broke
water aud went gallOping over the
ice. After dragging the monster
some half a dozen Of rods, our an
gler suddenly came to halt; then
retraced his steps slowly, mean
time coiling his line in loops from
wrist to elbow, until the prize was
reached, when he stopped, seized
it by the gills, and by an adrOit
movement forced the index finger
of his right hand its full length in
to the body Of the fish, just back
of the pectOral fin. A bright gush
of blood followed, and, with a con-
vulsive twist of the tail, Sir Many.
cush in all his beauty lay lifeless
before us.
IL