Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-12
.SPEARING BUFFALOES
Capturing crawfshes and Trapping
the Willy Water Snake
AT NIGHT ON THE MIAMI CANAL.
The Bank Keeper Works Day and Night
Fighting Wild Water Life
WITH NET. TRAP, GUN AND SPADE

1
Frank had suddenly called to me to STOP
rowing, and with quick sweep of the rud-
der be sent the little skiff in which we were
seated nose on to the bank among high
growth of sweet clover which hung over and
made shadow in the moonlight. effectually
screening us from view. Then he pointed
to the opposite bank of the canal, where the
water widened into natural lake. A fame
ofunmistakable fire was moving slowly ovel
the surface Of the water. When it shifted
Its position and went nearer the shore. we
saw that it was in the bow of a fat-boat, and
that the single figure in the boat
moved his paddle with great eau
tion, slipping it into the water gently,
and without noise. After skirting the shore
of the little lake for few boat lengths
he drew in the paddle, and like the lunge
of steel bow his right arm shot out and
sent spear kissing into the water. When
he drew the spear partly back BY means of
a cord fastened to The shaft, we saw that he
had struck fish, and that the spear had
apparently passed through it. It was q
large one, and for five minutes the water
about the boat was broken into foam and
ripples which showed silver in the COM
bined light from the moon and the lashpan.
Then the fish gave up the struggle, and
leaning over the side of the boat in a man
ner that would have capsized erankier
craft the man put both hands into the water,
and with an effort apparent at our station
lifted his prize aboard. 1t was between
three and four feet long, white and glitter
ing like silver.
"a buffalo, and 4O-pounder, tOo," whis-
pered Frank.
"Say it again."
81 say the bank-keeper over there has
harpooned buffalo fish. and big one."
''Ahl Now that you have explained that
the buffalo is fish, kindly tell me what is
a bank-keeper?"
AN IMPORTANT PARSONAGE.
'sYou know what a railroad track-waIker
is. Well, canal bank-keeper performs
the same functions for canal company that
the track-walker does fer a railroad-that
Is, he keeps down the shrubbery and weeds
on the banks; he fills up little creVices
which would in time become leaks, and in
the spring especially he works day and
night in exterminating the bank-keeper's
greatest enemies, muskrats and crawfshes." Z"
In what way do they injure him? How
does he capture them? And is the spearing
of buffalo fish a part of his regular duty?''
"Let's ask him."
Frank left the rudder, took up the oars,
and in few moments we were beside the
surprised bank-keeper.
The place was on the Miama Canal,
almost within the corporate lines of Cincin-
natl, through which city the water makes
its placid way for a distance of about four
miles before it debouches into the Ohio
river. At the point where we were the
canal widens into a couple of lakes or
basins, on the borders of the suburban vii
lage OF Clifton. From these basins comes
IN uch of the ice which forms Cincinnati's
summer supply, and, whenever the canal is
drained, its aquatic life finds shelter in the
basins depths. Old and knowing catfish
here have their permanent home, and
the place is so isolated and quiet that
it swarms with turtles big enough to pull
under and drown full-grown ducks, and in
credible numbers of bufaloes,a "a light-colored
fish, with large scales, projecting sucker
mouth, high dorsal fins running almost back
to the tail, and body punched about the
shoulders much like the hump of bison or
buffalo; this conformation giving the fish its
common name. Like the catfish, it is found
in the Ohio river and its tributaries, often
reaches weight of from 80 to 100 pounds,
and its flesh is in sufficient demand for food
as to be sold in the markets. The banks of
the basins slope gradually, and birds of all
colors, size and voice people the trees and
shrubbery which in some points come down
to the waters edge.
The bank-keeper smiled sheepishly when
asked if spearing buffaloes was part of his
regular business.
AGAINST THE LAWS.
"Well, no, gents; it is not-not by no
means" he said, "and hope you gents
wont give the snap away; because fire fish,
ing at night is against the laws, and would
not like to get into trouble just for Sne fish,
You see it was this way-I came out to-
night to set my snake and muskrat traps,
and while / was netting a couple of frogs
for bait, my light attracted the FISH and as
they are good eating-why, stabbed one;
that's all. The basin is alive with them in
spring, as they come in here to spawn, and
they seem to be lazy and like to float near
the top of the water at this season, and 1t is
curious how light will attract them, and
in fact almost everything that swims in
water. Histl Look there, directly forward
keep perfectly still, please, for one sec
ond."
He took up little Flobert rifle from the
bottom of the boat, put it to his shoulder,
with the muzzle pointing toward clump
of burdocks growing on the edge of the
basin in the line of the light cast by the
torch. There came sudden metallic click
as the bullet went on its errand, and then
three-foot water snake threw itself out of
the hole in which it had been hiding when
espied by the mans trained eye, and
writhed on the grass in plain view.
really don't know whether the snakes |
hurt the canal banks or not" he continued, |
opening the guns breech and pushing in a |
fresh cartridge, ''but don't like them. and |
next to muskrat I would rather kill a |
snake than any other thing that swims. |
They are death to young fish, and it is a
part of our policy to protect fishes all we
can; that is-of course"
He looked with some confusion at the big
buffalo lying dead in the bottom of the boat
"a monument to his zeal in the protection
of the fnny tribe-and then while he threw
a tarpaulin over tive gave him the quiet
laugh.
'But, as was saying, snakes are death to
young fish. They swim near school of
them in the water, suddenly make a grab
for the nearest, and then with it crosswise
in his jaws, Mr.. Snake rises to the top of
the water and swims ashore. where he bolts
it. If you will remember tine fact, and
keep close lookout the next time YOU are
near pond or stream infested by snakes,
you may see a snakes head rising half an
inch above the water with little fish tight
in his jaws, carried exactly as a dog carries
. stick which he is bringing ashore.
WHEREIN SNAKE AND TURTLE DIFFER.
I'm this respect the snake differs from the
water turtle. A turtle catches fish in much
the same way as a snake does, excepting
that instead of swimming around after his
prey the turtle lies fat on the bottom of the
pond or river until he is so covered with
mud and sticks as to be hard for fish to
see. Then when the unwary fish swims too
close, the turtles head shoots out and
catches him. But instead of taking his It'd
bit ashore, TO swallow whole, as the snake
does, the turtle carries it down, and hold
ing it firmly by the weight OF his she'll, he
tears the fish to pieces with his sharp beak
How do / knoB2 I have seen it done,
here in this basin. About o'clock one
morning last june, before the sun had come
up over the hill, an old duck came down to
.he water to give her seven little ones
bath. They had not got out ten feet from
'hore, when one Of the little ones gave cry
md went under. It did not come up again,
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