Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-03-13
A FISH STORY.
OF Course It's True, For a Fisher
man Told It.
The Great Catch OF Finny Beauties Made
BY . sunday-sehool Excursion ON
Lake superior-Elght Tons
Landed In One Day.
uoulsvIlle courier.Journal.l

VI passing the OOg days. Nv ny, gun and
a dog, good camping outfit, a servant to
take care OF it, and last, but not least, plen-
ty of good fishing tackle and bright days
passed among the forest streams That,
gentlemen, is the acme of primitive enjoy
ment."
His audience gave him glances of ap-
proval as he concluded his remarks, and
then followed anecdotes of the mighty hunt
from different members of the party, as
well as some most marvellous fish stories,
as each member warmed up with crowding
memories of bygone pleasures, found in
pursuit Of the favorite pastime OF Sir Izaak
Walton. During the recitals Mayor Jacob
sat slightly apart, an attentive listener,
but taking no part in the conversation. At
last a question arose as to the best kind Of
bait for certain fish, and 1t was referred to
him for decision.
Gentlemen" he said, in q sad tone, "I
am unable to decide for you, for 1 have
never had the pleasure Of catching fish in
my life. 1t has been my unhappy lot not
only never to have landed a fish, but in
deed have never been able to get a bite
Ihave tried often enough, and spent valu-
able time and much money in the vain hope
OF inducing one Of the finny tribe to nibble
my bait, but alas! my efforts to hook fish
have always been attended with failure,
and have about become resigned to my
fate, and suppose will live and die unsat-
isiied."
Looks of incredulity were exchanged by
his hearers, and at the conclusion of his
original confession there was a spontane-
GUS chorus of: "What never caught q fshi
Poor fellow" and glancss full of COM
passionate sympathy were directed toward
Ills Honor. Then an unaccountable silence
fell upon the hitherto social group, and it
was becoming positively painful, when an
ex-sailor, who was in the party, elected
about a quart OF tobacco juice toward q
nei2hboring cuspador, and thus delivered
his opiniou:
"Mr Mayor, q man who never caught q
fish is in my estimation unworthy the con-
1dence of his fellow-beinSs. But there is
a chance for you to retrieve your past,
that you may henceiorward be- able to
look all men in the eve when this vital
question is brought up in any conference,
and be able to exclaim, Il too have shared
such joys, l have experienced the tri-
umph.'"
AAlas! fear that happiness is forever
denied me, for have lured the finny tribe
in all climates and all Countries" replied
the Mayor, shaking his head despondently.
did you ever try for fish In Lake Supe-
rior, Mr.. Mayor!"
mo, but have tried deep-sea fishing
and fly fishing among the rapids of the Up
per Columbia"
well, you take my advice, go to Mar
quette, charter a yacht and go out to
SLannard's Rock, where you can troll for
lake trout, and il you don't get as fine a
catch as the luckiest fisherman in the pro-
fession, you may nominate me for Con-
gress as q rival Of Tom Ochiltreel Why,
tie hsh are SO thick and ravenous around
that rock that oil you have to do is to tie =
silver spoon above your hook, throw it over
board and pay out few fathoms of line,
when there will be a nibble and then q
jerk, and in five seconds you win be able
to land n fish ranging in weight from three
to thirty pounds. Why, a party of US
went out there once, aud in about five
hours we caught little over eight tons !"
Incredulous looks were exchanged by the
auditors, and then some one asked, quiet
ly:
'How many were in the party?"
"Oh! this is no Jonah and -the-wh ale
story" replied the sailor, somewhat an
noyed, "but bona fide fact. There were
about 130, old and young, for it was a Sun
day school excursion, and we had thu-
teen boats, besides six belonging to the
steamer"
"Well, tell US about it," said the Judge.
"Wen, gentlemen, Stannard's Rock is
one of the most peculiar places in Lake Su-
perior. 1t is located about thirty miles
due east of the end of Keweenaw Point,
and sixty-fve north by west from Mar
quette.
'Only about twenty square feet project
above the surface of the lake; 1t is nearly
square in form, fat as a table, and ex-
tends but two feet out of water. From this
strange platform submerged reefs extend
out in the shape of q crows foot for various
distances, some of them exceeding a mile
and a half in length, and are mere narrow
ridges rising abruptly from the bottom of
the lake. The peculiar formation is one
that attracts the attention of every one
that visits the place. A large round bea-
con of massive stone surmounts the plat
form to the height of ten feet, from the
center of which arises a large iron column,
which supports great ball of iron basket
work, visible in clear weather at a distance
Of eight miles. The place has long been
the terror of lake navigators, lying as it
does near the course of vessels steering
their way from Duluth to Sault Ste. Marie
Numbers Of shipwrecks have occurred on
the dangerous rock, among the most no.
table Of which, il is supposed, was the total
loss Of the brig Enterprise away back in
the ''forties," with every soul on board, q
valuable cargo and 500, 900 iH gold belong
ing to the Government, which was being
sent to pay Of the Indians on the reserva-
tions at the western eEd OF the lake. Ex-
cuse this depression.
'On q bright June morning In 1868 our
excursion party boarded the steamer City
Of Toledo at Marquette, and steamed away
on our fishing expedition over a sea az
smooth as glass and as clear as crystal. In
about four hours time we had left the land
out OF sight, and to all appearances were as
isolated from it as II in mid-ocean. Shortly
afternoon we sighted the beacon, aud with
In half hour the steamer was lying to-
within half mile to the westward of the
reefs The work Of launching and man
ming the fiotilla was at once begun. and as
fast as each received its cargo " eager
fishermen, their wives, children, or sweet
hearts, as the case might be, it showed or
from the gangvay, and the spoon trolls
were at once thrown overheard. The
fright rays Of the sun rejecting from the
cleaning silver soon attracted shoal o.
IoDI 0fcee-