The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-04-01
Fish.Spearing Through tho Ice.

About thirty years ago, was stranded
by the severe winter weather, which put
stop to navigation, at the old army
station of Green Bay, now a flourishing
city in the great State of Wisconsin, at
the mouth of the Fox river-at the south
western extremity of long arm of Lake
Michigan. / had frequently noticed on
Fox river curious lot of black dots on
the ice, in the retired hooks and coves
along the farther shore. What are
theyP' l asked; and the invariable re-
Ply was: "They are Indians fishing"
This puzzled me still more, and l re-
solved to investigate. So one day 1
crossed the frozen river, and approach
ing one of those mysterious black dots,
found it to be apparently only bundle
IN a blanket, scarcely largo enough to
contain hman form. But, looking
closer, could see, first from one bundle
and then from another, the quick mo-
ton OF pole, or spear-handle, bobbing
up and down. A word, Il touch, even a
gentle push, only called out grunt in
reply, but at last one bundle did stretch
itself into bright young Indian brave
with wondering and wonderful eyes
black and glossy hair. a little tobacco,
English succeeded in making him un-
derstand that | wished to know how he
carried on his fishing under that funny
heap.
Then l saw it all Seated, Turk fash
ion, on the border of his blanket, which
he could thus draw up so rs to entirely
envelop himself in it, he was completely
In the dark, SO far as the daylight was
conccrncd; and, thus cnshrouded, he
was lowering over Il 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 q spear, which, with
delicate handle nine or ten feet long,
was held in the right hand, thc tines
resting on the edge of the hole, and the
end of the pole sticking through an op-
enlng IN the blanket above. From the
other hand, dropped into the water a
string on the end of which was rude
wooden decoy-lish, small enough to
represent bait to the msuspccting perch
or pckerel which should spy it. This
dccoy was loaded so as to sink slowly,
and was so moved and mancuvered as
TO initiate the motions of living fish.
Crawling under the blanket with my
Indian friend, was surprised at the
distinctness and beauty with which
everything could be seen by the subtucd
light that came up through the ice. The
butivm OF the river, six or eight feet be-
low us, was clearly visible, and seemed
barely four feet away. The grasses,
vegetable growths, and spots of pebbly
bottom formed curious little vistas and
| rcccsses, in some of which dreamily
tloated a school of perch and smaller
fish. Each little air-bubblc sparkled
like q gem, and the eye delighted in
tracing and watching the mystery of
beautiful water formations, where every
crevicc seemed a little fairy world, with
changing lights or shadows made by
the sunlight through the transparent
! ice.
Suddenly, from somewAero-I could
not tell where, it seemed TO come bv
magic-;l large "dory,' or ''moon-cycd
pike" appeared on the river bottom
The watchful Indian slowly raised the
dccoy-bait toward the surface, the larger
fish following it with interested and
puzzled eyes. There was Il sudden
movement of the spear; down it dartcd;
IFS sharp prOngS pierced the unsuspcct-
ing pike, which was speedily drawn up
and thrown wrigglng on the ice. Then
the blanket was rc-adjustcd, and the
fishing was resumed. My bright young
Indian friend said he could catch from
twenty to thirty pounds of fish in an
afternoon in this manner, and some
times could even secure double that
Quantity.--J. o. RoOrJuch, IN 81. Nicho-
las for February.