Omaha daily bee., 1888-01-16
"A Joke On Mark Twain.

san francisco CnfOn1cle. Away Dack
in the sixties, when Mark Twain resided
in San Francisco and was the regular
correspondent of the Virginia New
Enterprise, he was character among
the Bohemians, and associated with
many jolly souls 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 Il cosy
yacht, and waiting for the slow and lazy
nibbles of the denizens of the sea. In
those days Alexander Badlam and Fult
Berry owned the steam tug Fanny Ann,
and to crafty Marks piscatorial whim
they fitted her up one day with dozen
or two bottles of bait and fine lunch,
and with few choice friends steamed
off for Angel island. Mark had con-
stantly expressed as the desire of his
life that he might catch a mess of red
rock cod; those in the San Francisco
markets being Of a bright red, very at
tractive to look at and very choice food
fish.
The party consisted of Mark Twain,
o. Z. Sutton, formerly secretary of the
Pacific bank; General John McCOmb,
then editor Of the Alta; a 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; purchased Il
large, fine specimen in the market, and
placing it in a gunny sack, smuggled it
on board the steamer. After pleasant
sail across the bay the Fanny Ann was
anchored across the stream at point
on Angel island known as Ralston's
Quarry, so called from the fact that the
rock for the Bank of California was
A.,1- x1,,%
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
side traied toward the sea. When un-
noticed Badlam attached a large red
rock cod to his line, and, apprising
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 pro-
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 been trailed under the steamer,
Berry removed the bait from his hOCS,
and on the opposite side trailed 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 few
moments the red-rock cod was taken
from the barrel and hooked onto Mark
Twain's line. A vigorous pull was given
and mt the top of his voice Mark yelled
out: Il have got whale! / have got q
whale." He landed him in fine shape,
the two iokers taking him off the hook
and placed him in the barrel. Mark
immediately procured piece of chalk
and commenced to score the catch OF
each of the fishermen, and during the
next two hours the same FISH was hooked
on in the same manner fifty or sixty
times, on the lines of all the parties,
and pulled up in the same manner and
placed in the barrel of water, Twain, OF
course, having caught the largest num-
Der. When the fun became monotonous
Berry hooked the fish in the tail, hop
ing that Mark would catch on to the
Joke, but he did not, but simply said:
''It takes an artist to catch II fish on the
wrong end. l have often done so in
trout fishing in Nevada"
The fish having had its gills all torn
out, scales almost torn OIL, and no place
10 nook on 10 nun amy ihorc, 'ic lencc''
III desperation iished up Twalns line
and Sutton's line mt the same time anc
tied monkey wrench on the former
and hatchet on the latter. Screams
were raised that they had got devil
fish, and the wrench and hatchet Were
landed on the deck, Words cannot
depict the faces of the fishermen
Twain pulled of his coat, looked Mt the
score, looked at the monkey
wrench, at the hatchet, ant
then at the barrel, rolled up hi
leeves and fished out the poor, soil