The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-04-11
miscellaneous.
Munchausen Goes a-Fishinp,

III was this way" replied MIR. George W..
Fuller, the veteran diver, sitting back in his
chair and half closing his eyes as if to recall
all the circumstances Of this most curious of
diving experiments. "You see, I had been
talking with some of the boys, telling them
about what could do, and all that, and, if l
remember rightly, made the assertion that
| could catch fish, dress it, cook it under
water and bring it up to the surface in good
shape for eating without wetting it a particle.
OF course everybody was iDcredulous, and
one man who was even more incredulous
than the rest offered 10 bet me 500 that /
could not do it. AS thought had pretty
sure show of winning, and the man seemed
anxious to bet, / put up my money, and when
wanted the affair to come off, l set day
about week ahead, as had some prepare
tions to make.
taking couple of my men got boat
and went quite distance out into the harbor,
stopping over place where l thought
should be able to catch a fish easily. /
had brought weighted barrel along with
me and my diving suit. The barrel we then
proceeded to sink, having the open side
downward. Putting on my suit went to
the bottom and securely fastened the barrel
to some rocks with ropes to make sure that
it would neither rise to the surface nor float
away. Mind you, had the barrel raised
about three feet from the bottom, and at this
time, as matter of course, it was filled with
water. After had secured it l stopped down
and craWled up into it, standing erect upon
the bottom. When I crawled in the barrel
was full of water, but as staid under there
minute after minute, the water began to be
driven out little by little, this being caused
by the air which was issuing from my escape
valve rising to the top of the barrel, and not
hainr ahlp tn uO anv fa rthpr it q mattnr IF
course, kept forcing the water down. Soon
my head was entirely out of water, and soon
my chest was out.
"Then | unscrewed my helmet and stood
in the air, under the barrel. AS it was being
fed constantly from the pump above, the
water lowered until there was not a drop in
the barrel, and was standing in only three
feet of water. had one of my patent Ian
terms with me so l could see what l was do
ing, and taking hammer, nails and small
board, which had brought down with me,
| proceeded to nail up small shelf at one
side of the barrel of the height SO that when
my lantern was set upon it it would be con-
venient for me to look down on the top of it.
This done, put on my helmet, got out from
under the barrel, and went up to the surface
once more. All my arrangements were COM
pleted and all had to do now was to wait
patiently for the day of the trial to come of.
at dawned at last, bright and clear, and
considerable party of gentlemen embarked
with US, to either see this, as they supposed,
great feat performed, or to see me fail in my at
tempt to make good my assertion. impressed
it upon the mind ofthe party who had bet
against me that to perform the feat it was
very essential that should 60 under water
at place where I could be reasonably sure
of catching fish, and he left it with me to
. ,o T or co. In
spot where had the barrel anchored, and,
stopping near where thought it would be, I
put on my suit and prepared for the descent.
l took with me my lantern, small stew pan
pepper, salt, ETC., and my fish hook.
"By the way, you never saw man catch
fish under water, did you? Well, it is quite
simple operation. You don't really use
any hook at all, but long line with the big
sail needle on the end of it. When you are
on the bottom and see fish, good care must
be taken to get behind him. Then cautious
lp edging up to him, you make quick jab
with the needle, and if you are good shot
your fish is caught. Then all you have to do
is to push him up on the string, which must,
of course, be knotted on the end, and you are
ready for another one. 1t was one OF these
needles that l had, and was very successful
in not having to occupy much time in catch
ing my fish, for / had scarcely struck bottom
and got my bearings when saw one direct
ly ahead OF me, and | succeeded in getting
him impaled upon my needle in short order.
Then crawled under the barrel and, setting
my lantern on the shelf, waited for the water
to lower. had not long to wait, however,
and soon my helmet was hanging on a nail
which had hammered into the side of the
barrel for that purpose, and was busy
cleaning the fish with my jack knife, which
forgot to mention had brought with me
for that purpose.
"This done, unscrewed the top of the
lantern, which, as you know, is quite large
one and has big flame. This lantern is fed
by small air pipe from above, the same as
human being is, and as could live and
breathe freely under the barrel, of course the
lantern could burn brightly, too. Placing
the pan, which fitted exactly into the top of
the lantern over the flame, placed the
fish in it and he was soon frying away at a
great rate, while I soon made him paiatable
with salt and pepper.
"After it was we'll fried l shut off the blaze
in the lamp and screwed on the cover, leav-
ing the slewpan and the fish inside, where
they were sure to keep perfectly dry. Then,
putting on my helmet, got out from under
the barrel and gave the signal to be pulled up.
l had been gone only few minutes. and the
people thought as matter of course that
had come up to say that l could not catch
the fish, never dreaming that / had caught
it, dressed it and cooked it already. They
were very much surprised when, on taking
off the lamp, showed them the fish steaming
hot and well cooked" Boston Globe.