The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-06-20
MARK TWAIN GOES FISHING,
Some of his Friends Play VeryAIean Joke
GU Hin.

Away back in the COS, when Mark
Twain resided in San Francisco, and was
the regular correspondent of the Vlr-
ginia (Nev.) Entern, use. he was IL
character among tie Bohemians, and
was associated with many jolly souls
who are now numbered among tie
missing, and mlny 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
c"zy yacht and waiting for the slow
and lazy nibbles of the dcnizens of the
sea. In those days Alexander Bedlam
and Fuit Berry owned the tug Fanny
Ann, and to crafty Marks piscatorial
whim they fitted her up one day with a
dozen or two bottles of bait and lunch,
and with few choice friends steamed
off for Angel Island. Mark had con-
stanLly expressed as the desire of his
life that he might catch mess of red
rock cod; those in the San Francisco
markets being of II bright red, very
attractive 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: prominent
San Francisc" Judge, now deceased; !;
Alexander Badlam, and Fulton Berry.
The two latter, knowing full we'll that
there were no red rock cod this side of
the Farallone Islands, purchased a
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 ut a point
on Angel Island known as Ralston's
quarry, so called from the fact that
the rock for the Bank of California
was taken from that place. The tide
was ebbng strong, and after anchoring,
all the party except Bedlam 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 Oh the opposite trailed
toward the sea.
When unnOticed, Bedlam attached
the large red rock cod to his line, and,
apprising the others of the fact, pulled
him to the surface amid great excite
ment. The fish was Immediately placed
in n barrel of water, which had been
provided to keep alive what fish might
be 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 trolled under the
steamboat Berry removed the bait from
his hook, and on the opposite side
trailed and caught Mark Twain's line.
The latter complaining that his line
was foul, was assured that on the
swinging of the steamboat it would
soon loosen. In few moments the
rock-cod was taken from the bar
rel and hooked on to Mark Twain's
line. A vigorous pull was given, and
at the top of his voice Mark yelled out:
1--we got whaler" He landed him
in fine shape, the two jokers taking
him off the hook and placed him in the
barrel.
Mark Immediately procured a 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 man.
ner fifty or sixty times on the lines of
all the parties aud pulled up in the
same manner and placed in the barrel
of water, Twain, of course, having
caught the largest number, When the
fun became monotonous Barry hooked
the fish in the tail, hoping that Mark
would drop on the joke, but he did not,
but simply said: 1T takes an artist
to catch a fish on the wrong end /
have often done SO in trout fishing in
Nevada" :"
The fish having had its gills all torn
out, scales most torn off, and no place
to hook on to him any more the iokers
in desperation fished up Twain's line
and Sutton's line at the same time, and
tied a monkey wrench on the former
and a hatchet on the latter. Screams
were raised that they had got devil
fish. and the wrench and hatchet 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 monkeywrench, at the
hatchet, and then at the barrel, rolled
up his sleeves, and fished out the poor,
solitary, worn-out red rock cod, and
holding it alOft, said: Boys, we have
had lots of fun to-day; let's go home"
He was the only one in the party who
took it good naturedly. the other gen
tlemen refusing to converse on the
sport of red cod fishing, and always
looking on the transaction as II very
mean joke.-Ihe Andteur Sportsman.