Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-29
spearing Fish by Torchlisht.


1Rousand Islands Letter to the Philadelphia
''Touch her off" came out Of the gloom.
A snap, g blaze, and the dark waters OF
the St. Lawrence, and the Narrows In par
ticular, were lighted up with lurid flame
that brought the boat and oarsmen out in
strong relief. In the bow stood an anna
teur harpooner and in tine stern sat an
old hand, waiting patiently to see the
other fall overheard, or spear log. Out
from the bow extended an iron arrange
ment, rugged like a basket, in which
burned brightly half dozen pine knots,
whose object was to attract the luokless
bass and other fry known to be in the
vicinity.
"You don't want 10 look right under
the fire." said the man In the stern. "YOu
see 1t casts light around for Is feet or
more and attracts fish from twice that dis
lance, and your best hold is to keep your
eye on the water about feet from the
bow"
The spearman did so, and as the fire in
the brazier blazed up brightly the scene
was novel and attractive. The light
seemed to penetrate about the feet and
illumined the green plants that formed
the submarine garden, bringing them out
in strong contrast against the darker bot
tom. Here were long, delicate vines OF
richest green, that folded and uniolded
laZily in the current, winding and coiling
like 80 many snakes. Beneath them
darted schools of striped and yellow
perch, turning upward in their flight to
gaze in wondermentat the strange light
the bed of the river was carpeted with q
soft mat of green that seemed to scintil-
late and flash back the vivid CLEANS from
above. Every step seemed TO change the
scene as the boat drifted slowly along.
Great logs appeared here and there like
spectres with their gray apparel and now
branching trees that had washed down
the stream perhaps from far above.
"Got himw This exclamation was
caused by sudden plunge on the part Of
the bowman and an accompanying splash.
While the man had been talking a large
fish had darted into the blaze, and for a
moment turned its size upward, so that 1t
flashed a golden CLEAN. A second more
and it would have darted of, but the cruel
steel barbs had plunged into it and torn 1t
ruthlessly from the water, and landed a
3-pound bass, struggling, in the boat.
Spearing at night, though seemingly
rather q cruel method Of taking game
| fish, is extremely attractive, as itrequires
skill, a sharp eye and true hand TO di-
rect the spear. On this occasion Florida
pair of grains were used, which gives the
fish better chance. Where a common
eel prod is used. with its long array of
points, it is an easy matter, requiring no
great skill; but where the spear is small
it is quite another matter. AS the boat
moved along nearer the rocky shores,
amid the savage mosquitoes, the fish be-
| came more and more plentiful. Now a
score of large red-eyed rock-bess were in
the glare, looking upward as If ready to
dart or rise at the dropping embers. Here
large-scaled club flashed its silvery
scales in the light and then darted swiftly
away into the darkness, followed by the
prongs OF the grains. Catfishes were
equally curious, darling up into the very
midst of the glare and only moving away
| when touched by the spear.
AS the boat drifted over a clear sandy
| spot well off shore q long black object
suddenly became illuminated and in
| another moment IT moved; then as 1t felt
| the grains, rose clear of the surface IN a
wild bound and darted away.
"Look QUIT" shouted the man IN the
stern, cor you'll have Us over. You must
have a muskallonge there,v The great
fish was rushing round and round the
boat in circles and soon involved the rope
and boat In hopeless confusion and thus
captured itself. The taking-ln part, how
ever, involved q renewal Of the struggle.
| The fish beat the frail boat terrific blows
with its head and tail. almost threatening
to break its tmbeFs, but finally 1t was
! grasped and hauled ia, the rough hide or
skin telling the story. 1t was gigantic
sturgeon. A few applications Of the
patent head-acher stopped its houndering
and the boat drifted quietly down stream.