Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-02-16
MARK TWAlN'S FISH.
How Two Frisco Men Helped the HUmor-
Is. to Catch R0ek.C0d

MARX Wal0 TeSlueu al Dan ITdUciSCO
and was the regular correspondent Of
the Virginia (Nev.) Enterprise. he was
a character among the Bohemians. and
associated with many jolly souls who
are now numbered among the missing.
and many who are still well known in
San Francisco.
Mark was an ardent angler. and was
never happier than when sitting with
his legs dangling over the side of a
coy yacht. and waiting for the slow
and lazy nibbles IF the denizens of the
sea In those days Alexander .Badlam
and Fult Berry owned the steam-tug
Fanny Ann, and to crafty Mark S
piscatorial within they fitted her up
one day with dozen or two bottles Of
bait and fine lunch. and with a few
choice friends steamed off for Angel
Island. Mark had constantly ex-
pressed as the desire of his life that he
might catch a mess of red rock-cod;
those in the San Francisco markets
being of bright red. very attractive
to look at and very choice food fish.
o. 2. Sutton. formerly secretary of the
Pacific Bank: General John McComb.
then editor of the Alta; prominent
San Francisco judge, now deceased:
Alexander Badlam and Fulton Berry
The two latter, knowing fully well
that there Were no red rock cod this
side of the Farallone Islands. pur-
chased a large, fine specimen in the
market. and placing i; in a gunny
sack struggled it on board the steamer.
After a pleasant sail across the bay
the Fanny Ann was anchored across
the stream at point on Angel Island.
known rs Ralston's quarry. SO called
from the fact that the rock for the
Bank of California WAS taken from
that place. Tie tide was ebbing
strong, and after anchoring all
the party except Badlam and Berry
dropped their lines on tie lower side.
These two gentlemen dropped theirs
on the upper siIe of the steamer.
with their lines drifting under the
steamer. while those on the opposite
trai'el toward the sea When I'M
noticed Badlam attached the large
red rock-cod to his line, and apprising
the Others of the fact pulled him to
the surface amid great excitement. The
fish was immediately placed in a barrel
of water, which had been provided
to keep alive what fish might lie
caught. 1t was suggested TO Mark
Twain and his friends that they had
better fish on the upper side Of the
steamer, as they prefer shady places,
which was concurred in. After the
lines had trailed under the steamer.
Berry removed the bait from his hook.
and on the opposite side trai!ed and
caught Mark Twain's line The latter
complaining that his line was foul, was
assured that upon the swinging of the
steamer it would soon loosen. In a
few moments the red rock-cod was
taken from the barrel and hooked on
to Mark Twain's line. A vigorous pull
was given. and at the top of his voice
Mark yelled out: Il have got
whale! l have got a whalei He
landed him in fine shape. the two
jokers taking him off the hook and
placed him in the barrel. Mark inn
mediately procured piece of chalk
and commenced to score the catch of
each of the fishermen, and during the
next two hours this same fish was
hooked on in the same manner fifty or
sixty times. on the lines of all the par
ties. and pulled up in the same man
ner and placed in the barrel of water.
Twain. of course, having caught the
largest number. When the fun be-
came monotonous Berry hooked the
fish in the tail. hoping that Mark would
drop on the joke. but he did not. bu.
simply said: 1t takes an artist 10
catch FISH on the wrong end. / have
often done so in trout-fishing in Ne
vala.'
The fish having had its gills all torn
ont. scales most all torn of, and no
place To hook on to him any more. the
loNers in desperation fiShed up Twain's
line and Sutton's line at the same
time. and tied 4 monkey-wreuch on
the former and Ratchet on the latter.
Screams were raised that they had got
devil-tish. and the wrench and
Ratchet were landed on the deck.
Words can not depict the faces of the
fishermen. Twain pulled off his coat.
looked at the score. looked at the
monhev-wrench. at the Ratchet, and
then a; the barrel. rolled up his sleeves
and fished out the poor. solitary. worm
ont red rock-cod. and holding it aloft,
said: BOYS. we have had lots of fun
t"-dav: lets go home" He was the
only enc in the party who took it
Sood-naturedlv. the other gentlemen
refusing to converse on the sport of
red rock-cod fishing. and always
looked on the transaction a. a very
mean joke.
We have looked through all Of Mark
Twain's writings on his life in Cahfor-
MIA. and we have failed to find any ac-
count of this fishing expedition that he