Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-07-11
A BORN FISHERMAN.
SAMBo;S SUCCESS ON THE WHARvES
OF SOUTHERN SEaPORTS.


OF SOUTHERN SEaPORTS.
Grazing Place of Catfsb-A Wild Scram-
bic the Wharf.-The Negro As an
Angler-Green Turtle and Gopher.
Success in fishing-star fishing, at least
demands either patience or extreme lazi-
ness The negro is highly accomplished in
both In them he lives and moves and has
his being. The negro is more patient even
than the mule. 1t is the patience Of ignor-
ence or the ignorance Of patience. Wit
ness his long years Of silence under slavery.
Had he not been so, the land would have
been red with blood long years before his
toric '6l. But the negro then was usually
happy and contented. All his physical
wants were supplied He had no cares, and
his mentality was so vague and underlined
that il did not bother him much Laziness
is the mother of patience, and the god
mother OF the negro Give Sambo pole
and line, pocketful Of worms or indisposed
beet, a sunny nook along the river, or on
the wharf, and for the time being he Will
thank the good Lord for nothing else. His
favorite fishing place in Florida is from the
wharves that line the st Johns river.
FROM HIS coIGN OF VANTAGE.
The wharf is Sambo's throne, and from
this coign of vantage he hurls his we'll
hooked line into the water. The river a.
jacksonville is universal cesspool Here
are thrown all the garbage and offal of the
market, residuum Of restaurant and saloon,
slop of boarding house, and hero is the
fayorite grazing place Of the catfish Talk
not of the pompano, the trout, or the bass.
They are all unknown quantities to Sambo.
His affections are centred on the cat The
sight of one of them makes his mouth open
to its fullest extent, and the longing red
tongue reach nearly around to the back Of
his ears 1t calls up toothsome dishes TO his
exotic mind. Catfish stew! Cut the fiss in
small pieces, plenty Of water, a pinch OF
salt, some sweet potatoes from your neigh
boris "bank"-they are best gathered at
midnight-a pone of corn bread, and what
more does the colored epicure requirei
Baked catfish Take q bull cat, the larger
the better, dress hin carefully, stuff his
ample Loson with onions and corn meal
mixed with syrup, and flank it with a side
dish of blue coIlards When Sambo and his
family sit WI TO this feast the door is
locked and there is no admit.arce until the
postprandial pipe.
The recipients daily of a varied and boun-
tiful, il not dainty, supply of food, these cat
fish grow to immense size, and attain a
weight Of from ten to fifty pounds. The
average along the wharvss is about fifteen
pounds After Samoo has caught one Of
these large dandies of the deep he is not
particular as to whether he catches another
one that day or not Sufficient unto the day
Is the evil thereof, also tho good-to him
The days quota is provided The sun is
warm and inviting. He feels its genial
rays penetrating all the nerves and tissues
of his being The monotonous lap of the
waves against the piers invites to slumber
So, tying the line to his biz toe, which looks
like the head of a loggerhead turtle, he falls
over on his back and is soon fast asleep
Gradually his siumber becomes mora pro-
found. His mouth opens and remains in
that position. 1t is invaded by an army Of
of flies, green, blue, and black Curious
flies they are, too. They examine each sep
arats tooth carefully and leisurely. Some
take observations from the upper tongue,
others venture as far as the palate. Ono
more reckless Chan his brethren becomes
entargled in tho tonsils, and, wrapping the
drappery of7is couch abo1t him, lies down
to pleassntSdreamS
WILD SCRAMBLE on THE wHARF.
Meautimes under the turbid waves Of the
mighty river n strange scene is being en-
acted. an immense catfish is out for stroll
on the watery boulevard He moves gen.
teelly along His tail vibrates to and fro
His fms make gentle ripples in tho deep
Suddenly he stops and backs water There
are traces of indecision on his expressive
countenance Right before him is a curved
something which may or may not be good
TO eat Curiosity gets the better OF him
he draws near. He touches it with his nose
It smells good He tastes it It tastes good
He gulps Il down feels the cruel barb and
away he goes There Is wild scramble on
the wharf Overheard goes Sambo thus
rudely awakened from his sumter. He Is a
fire swimmer, as nearly all negroes are, and
soon reaches the wharf again He hauls in
his line, and grins rapturously as he sees the
huge fish a half hour in the sun dries his
clothes, and home he goes with two days ra-
tions dangling by his side.
Sambo Is n born fisherman He knows
the habits o. the finny tribe as well as he
knows the way to Squire Johnson's hen
roost He has made study OF piscis-al
though he don't call il that-from boyhood
up He knows whore the Dream lurk and
grow fat In season. He can follow the
trout unerringiy 10 its lair The croaker
and tho perch can not hide their trail from
him Tho natures OF all Ssh are more IA
miiiar 10 him than his own The mystery
of the waters is TO him TN open book. He
is no. only fisher of fish. but OF turtle,
too lie knows where the soft shell hides
in the tangled roots and grasses Tho
greon turtle, dear to the palates OF all true
epicures. belongs to him by right Of con-
guest. Tho loggsrhead IL his sworn brother,
consuming oven 70 be sold into bondage
lie knows where abides that huge land tur-
tie, tins gopher, and a long pole with d hook
OF the end quickly brings it TO the surface
Can ihsrs he any thing better than bowl
Of gopher stew hot and steanIing from tho
;rci think not Had Lueallus stuck 10
that he might have been alive now. II
SaE.bo has good domestic wife he will
Deal sery generously with her He will
- .. uer 10 cultivate the little patch Of
Esre II. to furnish the bacon and tho meal
with rs shskeis she earns at the wash tub,
tut Go viii always see that the table is sup
1od with the finest Gsh that swiuL-Ham-
Elton Jay in New York Sun.