Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-05-30
THE NEGRO AS AFISHERMAN
Happy Hours Spent on tbs WharVes
Of Southern SeapOrts.
The Rewards Of Patience How the Dainty
Catfish is Ensnared and Stewed.
Joys that Follow the Capture
of Loggerhead--A
Gopher ChOwder.

EUsTls, Fla, May l9.-Success in fish
ing-star fishing, at least-demaDds either
patience or extreme lAziness. 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. It's the patience OF ignorance, OF
the ignorance of patience. Witness his
long years of silence under slavery. Had
he not been so, the land would have been
red with blood long year, before historic 81.
But the negro was then happy and con-
tented. All his physical wants were sup
piled. He had no cares, and his mentality
was 50 vague aud underlined that it did not
bother him much. Laziness is the mother
OF patience and the godmother Of the negro.
Give Sambo pole and line, pockettul OF
worms or indisposed beef, sunny nook
along the river, or on the wharf, and tor
the time being he will thank
the good Lord for nothing else.
His favorite fishing place in
Florida from the wharves that line the st
John's river. The wharf is Sambo's throne,
and from this coign Of vantage he hurls
his we'll hooked line into the water. The
river at Jacksonville is universal cess
pool. Here are thrown all the garbage
and offal OF the market, residuum OF res.
tauraut and saloon ,,slop of boarding house,
and here is the tAvorire grazing place OF
the catfish. Talk not of the pompsno, the
trout or the bass. They are oil unknown
quantities to Sambo. His affections are
centered on the cat. The eight OF one OF
tbem makes his mouth open to
ia fullest extent, and the longing
red tongue reach nearly around to
the back OF MS ears. 1t calls up tooth
some dishes to his exotic mind. Catfish
stew! Cat the fish in email pieces, plenty
Of water, a pinch Of salt, some sweet pota'
toes from your neighbors "bsnk"-they
are best gathered a. midnipht-a pone OF
corn bread, and what more does the col
ored ep,cure rsauire2 Baked catfish
Take a bull cot, the larger the better
dress him carefully, stuff his ample bosom
with onions and corn meal mixed with
svrnp and flank it with side dish Of blue
collnrds. When Sambo and his family sit
down to this feast the door is locked and
there ia no admittance until the postpran,
disl pipe.
The recipients daily Of a varied and
beautiful, if not dainty, supply OF food,
thsse catfish grow TO an immense size, and
tsin weight Of from ten 10 fifty pounds
The average along the wharves is about
6freen pounds After Ssmbo has caught
one of these large dandies Of the deep ne
ia NOT particular as to whether he captures
another one that day or not Sufficient
unto The day is the evil thereof, aIso the
good-to him. the days quota IS proyd'
ID The sun ia warm and Inviting de
feels it's genial rsys penetrating all
the nerves and tissues of his be-
inc. Toe monotonous lap Of the waves
against the piers invites TO slumber. So
ty;og the line to his big toe, which looks
! ike the head OF a loggerhead turtle, ht
falls over on his back ssd is soon fas
asleep Gradually bis slumber becomes
more profound. His mouth opens and re
m AIMS in that position. 1t ia invaded b!
sn army of flies, green. blue and black
Curious flies they are, 700. They EXAMINE
each separate tooth carefully sud leiSurely
Some take observations from the uppe
tongue, others es far ss the palate. On
more reckless than his brethren become
entanpled in the tousils, sEd, wrsppinI
the drspery Of his couch about him, lie
down to pleasant dreams.
Meantime, under the turbid waters OF ID
mighty river a strange scene is being Ell
acted. An immense catfish is out Tor
stroll on the watery boulevard. He move
genteelIy along. His tail vibrstes to an
fro. His fms make gentle ripples in ii
deep Suddenly he stops and backs waite
There are traces of indecision on his G!
/ pressive conntenSnce. Right before hi
is q curved something which may or ma
! not be good to eat. Curiosity gets the De
: ter OF him. he draws near. He touch
it with his nose. Il smells good. L
, tastes it. 1t tastes good. he gulps
, down, feels the cruel barb, and away
goes
There is 6 wild scramble on the whsl
t Overheard goes Ssm5o thus rudely awake
' ed from his slumber. he is fine sWir
| mer, as nearly oil negroes are, and coz
e reaches the wharf again. He bsuls in !
:. line, aud grins rspturorsly as be sees 4
n huge fish. A hail hour in the sun dri
/ his clothes, aud home be goes with IL
! DAYS rations dangling BY his side.
y When winter comes TO the North vi
b ice and SNOW, Percy De We're, half invsli
' entt usiastic sportsman gathers his assoc
e ment of luxurious, costly, jointed rods, q
n impossible flies, and comes to Florid
Is Psssiorstsl5 fond of fishing devoted d
oiple Of Izak Walton, ss soon ss the fatig
n of the Journey wears of be goes TO wor
Selecting the best boat be can find, and
e wellreeommended boatmsn, out be &c