The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1888-02-03

49, 4
- - Casch aees-co@
49,. hack N the sixties, when
80 Twain resided In San Francisco
.rd was the regular correspondent .
~ Virginia (Nev) knierprre' ~ wa
-" s..r.cter asnoag the Bohemians. ana
.'.ac;.sed with many jolly souls who
q. nav numbered among the missing
"a many who arc still well known ~
San Francisco
Marx was an ardent angler and was
never happier than when si'tins WIN
hIs legs dangling over ne sue 2!
49,, Yacht. aud waiting for the slow
sri law nibblcs o. the dcnizens q the
-. In those days Alexander Badlam
.nd Fult Berry owned the steam-tug
Fanny Ann. and 20 CRAFTY Marks
piscatorial within they fitted her up
one day with dozen or two bottles q
Nat and q fine lunch. and with few
eho,cc friends steamed on for Angel
,s,.rd- Mark had constantly ex-
.,r.ssed As the desire OF his life that he
s,;ght catch a mess o. red rock-cod;
shose IN the San Francisco markets
being OF bright red. very attractive
~ look At and very choice food fish.
The party consis ted Of Mark Twain.
~ sutton. formerly secretary OF the
Pacific Bank; General John McComb.
then editor OF the Alta; a prominent
San Francisco judge. now deceased;
AI.x.pder Badlam and Fulton Berry.
The two latter. knowing fully wei
fiat there were no rcd rock cod this
s;de ~ the Farallone Islands. pur-
chased a large. fine specimen In the
market. and placing il in gunny
sack Struggled il on board the steamer
After a pleasant sail across the bay
the Fanny Ann was anchored across
The stream mt point on Angel Island.
known as Ralston's quarry, SO called
from the fact that the rock for the
Rank Of California was taken from
that place. The tide was ebbing
strong. and after anchoring all
The party except Badlam and Berry
dropped their lines on the lower side
These two gentlemen dropped theirs
on the upper side Of the steamer.
with their lines drifting under the
steamer, while those on the opposite
trailcd toward the sea When un-
noticed Badlam attached the large
red rock-cod to his line. and apprisin 8
the others Of the fact, pulled him to
the surface amid great excitement. The
fish was Immediately placed in barrel
II water. which had been provided
% keep alive what fish might lie
caught. II was suggested 10 Mark
Twain and his friends that they had
better fish on the upper side q 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 traiied snd
caught Mark Twain's line. The latter
complaining that his line was foul. was
assured that upon the swinging Of the
steamer il would soon loosen. In q
few moments the red rock-cod was
taken from the barrel aud hooked on
10 Mark Twains line. A vigorous pull
was given. and at the top Of his voice
Mark yelled out: II have got :
whalel l have got whaler' HI
landed him in fine shape, the two
jokers taking him of the hook and
placed him in the barrel. Mark i'm
mediatcly procured piece Of chall
and commenced 20 score the catch d
each Of the fishermen. and during tn
.ext two hours this same fish wa
hooked on in the same manner nifty 81
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 TIL
largest number When the fun be
came monotonous Berry hooked tn
fish in the tail. hoping that Mark woul'
drop on tho joke. but he did not. bu
simply said: 1T takes an artist I
catch fish on the wrong end hav
often done 50 in trout-hshing in NJ
vada-"
The fish having had its gills all tor
ont. scales most all torn of. and n
place 70 hook ON 10 him any more. I'll
jokcrs in desperation iishcdup Twain
line and Sutton's line at the sam
time. and tied monkcy-wrench o
the former and a Ratchet on tho latte
Screams were raised that they had x
dcvil-fish. and the wrench an
Ratchet were landed on the decl
Words can not depict the faces Of II
fishermen. Twain pulled Off his Goa
looked az the score. looked 1T III
monkey-wrcnch. at the Ratchet. an
then At the barrel. rolled up his Slew.
and fished out the poor. solitary. worl
out red rock-cod. and holding ii alof
said; "Boys. we have had lots Of fl
to-day; lets 90 home" He was Il
only one in the party who took
good-naturcdly. the other gentlems
refusing 70 converse on the sport
red rock-cod fishing. and alwa,
looked on the transaction n a vel
mean joke.
We have looked throagh al Of Mai
Iwain's writings on his life in Califo
ma. and we have failed to find any ~
count Of this fishing expedition that
went upon and had such rare sport.