The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-02-13
Flsh-spearing Through the Ice.
 fEAhrnarx Sf NichnlaaI

About thirty years ago, vas stranded by the severe winter weather, which put a stop to navigation, at the old army sta- tion of Green Bay, now 6ourishing city in the great state of Wisconsin, at the mouth of the Fox river, at the southwest. ern extremity of a long arm of Lake Michigan. had noticed on Fox river a curious lot ot black dots on the ice, in the retired hooks and coves along the far ther shore. "What are they2" 1 asked {; and the invariable reply was: "They are Indians fishing" This puzzled me still more, and resolved to investigate So one day crossed the frozen river, and approaching one of those mysterious black dots, found 1t to he eapparently only bundle in a blanket, scarcely large enough to contain human form. But looking closer, could see, first from one bundle and then from another, the quick motion of a pole or spear handle bob. ping up and down. A word, a touch, even gentle push, only called out a grunt in reply, but at last one bundle did stretch itself into bright young ln- dian brave with wondering and wonder full eyes peering at me from under a mop of black and glossy hair. A little to- bacco, little pantomime, and little broken English succeeded in making him understand that wished to know how he carried on his fishing under that funny heap.
 Then saw it all. Seated, Turk fash ion, on the border of his blanket, which he could thus draw up SO as to entirely envelope himself in it, he was completely in the dark, SO far as the daylight was concerned; and, thus enshrouded he was lowering over a round hole in the ice about eighteen inches in diameter. A small tripod of birch sticks erected over the hole helped to hold up the blanket and steady spear, which, with delicate handle nine or ten feet long, was held in the right hand, the tines resting on the edge of the hole, and the end of the pole sticking through an opening in the dropped into the water string on the end of which rude decoy fish, small enough to represent bait to the unsus- pecting perch or pickerel which should spy it. This decoy was loaded SO as to sink slowly, and was so moved and man. euvered as to initiate the motions of living fish.
 Crawling under the blanket with my Indian friend, was surprised at the dis tinctness and beauty with which every thing could be seen by the subdued light that came up through the ice. The bot tom of the river, six or eight feet below us, was clearly visible, and seemed barely four feet away. The grasses, vegetable growths, and spots of pebbly bottom formed curious little vistas and recesses, in some of which dreamily floated school of perch and smaller fish. Each little air bubble sparkled like gem, and the eye delighted in tracing and watch. ing the mystery of beautiful water forma- tions, where every crevice seemed little f.iry world. with changing lights and shadows made by the sunlight through the transparent Ice.
 Suddenly, from somewhere-I could not tell where, it seemed to come by magic-a large dory," or moon-eyed pike" appeared on the river bottom. The watchful Indian slowly raised the decoy-bait toward the surface, the lakger fish following it with interested and pug zled eyes. There was a sudden move ment of the spear; down it darted {; its sharp prongs pierced the unsuspecing pike, which was speedily drawn up and thrown wriggling on the ice. Then the blanket was readjusted, and the fishing was resumed. My bright young Indian friend said he could catch from twenty 10 thirty pounds of fish in an afternoon in this manner, and sometimes could even secure double that quantity.