Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-02
BY TORCHLIGHT.
SUCKER-sPEARING UNDER RATHER
SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES.
An Elegant Lunch that Went to the Bot.
tom of the Sea-Incidents of
sucker Hunt.

''n Penseroso," the RECORD UNIoN's
humorous contributor at Whisky Diggings.
thus describes one of his sucker-spearine
experiences:
Not everyone can say that he has speared
| the festive sucker by torchlight.
Prior to a recent expedition, the writer
was so verdant ON this subject that the cat
| tie used to follow him whenever he thought
| about it.
Accordingly, for the purpose of dispelling
his ignorance in regard TO the sport, one
| fine day not long ago he organized large
party of three individuals Including q
| Spanish mustang), procured an old delivery
wagon, and made great preparation for a
night that promised unbounded amuse-
ment.
Our paraphernalia was made up of four
large kerosene campaign torches, one two
and-a halfgallon can of kerosene, two
gigantic spears with innumerable prongs
and ba1bs like those ON the anchor of Pa
eific Mail steamer, twelve barley sacks, six
bottles of grippe preventive" and a lunch,
which, for quantity and quality, reflected
great credit upon my companion, who, in
preparing it. had evidently sized me up"
about right.
1t consisted of three rolls of bologna, two
loaves of bread, half round of cheese, six
boxes of ssrdines, four cans of oysters, sew
eral each of crabs, HOLSTERS, salmon, beef
three kinds-corned, ''jerked" and self
evident }, homeless chicken, turkey, prunes,
eels apricots, damsons, condensed milk,
Goldfish and many other delicacies, besides
boiled ham, box of assorted, all-square,
second quality soda crackers, a paper of
coffee, q coffee-pot and a dollars worth of
sugar.
Therefore, it was with joyful spirits that
we three set out about o'clock in the
evening, spear points forward, for Sucker
creek. We had not proceeded more than
fifty yards, however, before we had struck
''chuck-hole," and one of the spear points
had chucked ''stuck-holen into the back
of the mustangs neck. Then, Holy Moses,
how that four-legged glass eyed cannon
ball did fly along over the ground
"Why don't you keep him in the road? ?"
said to my companion, who was driving,
as we dashed over astump, at the imminent
risk of losing the large dry goods box which
contained our lunch.
Keep in the road p roared he; There is
no road here. Take care of those spears,
you idiot, and let me do the driving" con-
tinued he, as fresh jab from one of the
spears gave the mustang a fresh burst of
speed.
Saw on the bit, suggested, reaching
back after bottle of the grippe prevent
i've.
"Saw on the cow catcher of a loco
motive he blurted out; this beast is
running away"
"Then head him for the creek, and let
him go, Gallagher There are two miles
to go vet and the sooner we get there the
better,n said l, giving the poor brute an
other accidental stab with one of the
spears, which made the wheels fairly hum,
and the sparks fly so fast and bright that
we were soon able to distinguish the road
in the darkness again. The entire trip of
three miles was made in just seven min
utes.
By the time we arrived at our destlna-
ton, however, the mustang had slowed up
| from fatigue, and we succeeded in turning
and checking him, so that we did not
plunge directly into the water; for in that
case we might have saved our provisions
| but, having stopped the concern, ana un-
| loaded our spears, torches kerosene, etc.,
| on trying to start the animal up, so as to
make him fast to neighboring tree, we
| found that he was not in favor Of going
any further, but, in fact, wanted now to
| back down into the creek in the opposite
direction. The bank of the creek was
steep and sloping, and he continued the
| backing tactics until the dry goods box,
| with all its contents, slid out of the hind
end of the wagon and sank to the bottom in
eight feet of water.
| The splash of the box into the water had
good effect in soaring the mustang back
up the slope, and we finally succeeded in
getting him tied up to the tree; but, alas
the bologna was gone the preventive"
| was gone, the ham was gone all the canned
goods were gone, and all the other stuff
| was gone-all gone to feed the suckers.
wanted to weep.
Lets spend the evening spearing for
that lunch" ventured.
| ITO - with il" replied my companion
shortly. "You might spear at that pre-
ventive' until you get gray-headed, and
then not get it.
IAN right, then" said l. "let the suckers
have that, too; maybe if they ali get drunk
we'll stand a better show TO spear q few.
Anyway, we still have our spearing appa-
ratus, torches and kerosene; let's make il
lively for em up the creek"
| Which we did. Filling our torches and
sneakiug along the edge Of the creek
peering into the water, with flaming
| torches held aloft like two fieods, strzining
our eyes and frightening the fish. we at
| length got our feet wet and, not having
rubber boots, then determined to go il
whole hog or none," wading, sometimes
waist deep. four miles up the creek with
spear in right and torch in left, arms ach-
| ing, legs shaking, kerosene dripping, suck
ers skipping and all the other accompani-
ments of frst-clsss idiots on wild goose
chase-we at last secured two suckers. One
of these l stepped on. Whether be was
dead before l stepped on him 1 do not
know l know only that he was dead after
i I afnnned ON him