The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-02-03
Fish Spearing Through the Ice.

About thirty years ago, | wa:
stranded by the severe winter wealth
er, which put a stop to navigation,
at the old army station of Green
Bay, now fiourishing city in the
great State of Wisconsin, at the
mouth of the Fox River,-at the
southwestern extremity of a lorg
arm OF Lake Michigan. / had fre-
quently noticed on Fox River a Gu
rlous lot of black dots on the ice. in
the retired hooks and coves along
the farther shore What are they ~
l asked and the invariable reply
was They are Indians fishing. -
That puzzled me still more, and [
resolved 10 Investigate. So one day
L crossed the frozen river, end, ap-
preaching one of those mysterious
black dots, found ii to be apparently
only a bundle In a blanket. scarcely
large enough 10 contain a human
form. But, looking closer, | could
see, first from one bundle and then
from another, the quick motion OF q
pole or spear handle, bobbing up
and down. A word, a touch. even
gentle push, only called cut a
grunt in reply, but at last one bun
die did stretch itself into a bright
young Indian brave with wondering
and wonderful eyes peering at me
from unde: mop of black and glossy
hair. A little tobacco. a little pan
tomime. and little broken English
succeeded in making him under
stand that | wishad to know how ne
carried on his fishing under that
funny heap.
Then | saw It all. Seated, Turk T.
on the border of his blanket. /
which he could thus draw up so as /
to entirely envelop himself in il, he 4
was completely in the dark, so far I
as the daylight was concerned; ; and 4
.hus enshrouded, he was lowering
over round hole in the ice, about
eighteen inches in diameter. 4 I
small tripod of birch sticks erected 4
)ver the hole helped to hold up the
blanket and steady a spear, which. h
With delicate handle nine or ten {
eet long, was held in the right
land, the tines reStingon the /
dge OF the hole, and the end &.
4 the pole stiekiny through an
peniDg In the blanket above. From ;
ne other hand, dropped into the
'ater a string on the end Of which !
'as a rude wooden decoy fish, small
nough to represent bait TO the un- G
Inspecting perch or pickerel which .
hould spy it. This deeOy was
oaded so as TO sink slowly, and was
0 moved and maneuvered as to i'm
tate the motions of living fish.
Crawling under the blanket with /
1y Indian friend, I was surprised at a
re distinctness and beauty with 4
'hloh everything could De seen bv T
be subdued light that came uD '
trough the ice. The bottom of the Il
Iver, six or eight feet below Us, was o
learly visible, aud seemed barely
'ur feet away. The grasses. vereta- :
le growths, and spots of pebblv i
ottom formed curious little vistas 1
ed I'd Fafsfl smafYlef sRR. IN Emaeh f,,tsb tbi9h sihf
ubble sparkled like a gem. and the 2
ye delighted in tracing and watch I
lg the mystery OF beautiful water
,rmations, where every crevice SEEM |
4 a little fairy world, with changing {
ghts or shadows made by the sun
ght through the transparent ice.
Suddenly, from somewhere-l
oul1 not tell where, it seemed to
ONE by magic-a large "dory," or I
moon-eyed pike" appeared on the !
lver bottom, The watchful Indian
lowly raised the decoy halt toward
he surface, the larger fish following
with interested and puzzled eyes.
here was q sudden movement Of
be spear down it darted its sharp
,rongs pierced the unsuspecting :
ike, which was speedily drawn up ,,
nd thrown wriggling or the ice.
'ben the blanket was re-adjusted,
nd the fishing was resumed. Ny
right young Indian friend said be
ould catoh from twenty to thirty
,ounds of fish in an afternoon in
his manner. and sometimes could
ven secure double that quantity
!. o. R0orbdcb. an 81. Nicholas