Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-01-17
A NEW KIND OF FISH YARN
A PISCATORlAl EXPLOIT WHICH
PROVED PROFITABLE.
Real Live Fish Caught and Cooked I'm
der Water--How Divers Ingenuity
Brought Him Fame and Won "A Friend
~ Wager-A True Story.


at was this way, replied Mr.. George
w. Fuller, che 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 expert
ments. you see, had been talking
with some of the boys, telling them
about what | could do. and all that, and,
If remember rightly, l made the asser-
lion that | could catch fish. dress it,
cook it under water and bring it up to
the surface in good shape for eat
ing without wetting it particle.
Of course everybody was incredulous,
and one man who was even more in
credulous than the rest Offered to bet
me 500 that l could not 40 it. As
thought | had a pretty sure show of
winning, and the man seemed anxious
to bet. put up my money, and when
asked when | wanted the affair to come
off, set a day about a week ahead, as |
had some preparations to make.
Taking a couple of my men got a
boat and went quite distance out into
the harbor, stopping over place where
| thought | should be able to catch fish
easily. | had brought weighted barrel
along with me and my diving suit. The
barrel we then proceeded to sink, hav-
ing the open side downward. Putting
on my suit | went to the bottom and Sc
curely 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 a matter of course. it was
filed with water. After | had secured
it stopped down and crawled up into
it, standing erect upon the bottom.
When | crawled in the barrel was full
of w.lter, but as | staid under there min
ute after minute, the water began to be
driven out little by little, this being
caused 10y the air which was issuing
from my escape valve rising to the top
of the barrel, and not being able To go
any farther it, as a matter of 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 drop in the barrel and | was
standing in only three feet of water.
had one of my patent lanterns with me
so could see what | was doing, and
taking hammer, nails and a small
board, which had brought down with
me, proceeded to nail up a small shelf
at one side of the barrel of the height so
that when my lantern was set upon it it
would be convenient for me to look down
on the top of it. This DONE put on nv
helmet, got out from under the barrel,
and went up to the surface once more.
All my arrangements were completed,
and all had to do now was to wait
patiently for the day of the trial to come
of.
1T 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 attempt to make
good my assertion. | impressed it upon
the mind of the party who had bet
against me that to perform the feat it
Was very essential that | should go
under water at place where | could be
reasonably sure of catching a fish, and
! he left it with me to select the place.
/ OF course | steered for the spot where
! had the barrel anchored, and, stopping
near where | thought it would be, | put
on my suit and prepared for the descent.
| took with me my lantern, a small stew
| pan, pepper, salt, etc, and my fish hook.
BY the way, you never saw man
catch fish under water, did you? Well,
| il 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 a
| ii II. good care must be taken to get be-
hind him. Then cautiously 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 | had, and
| was very successful in not having to
occupy much time in catching my fish,
for had scarcely struck bottom and got
my bearings when l saw one directly
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 pdrpose, and | was busily clean
ing the fish with my jack knife, which
forgot to mention l 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 a big flame. This
lantern is fed by small air pipe from
above, the same as a 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
fla in it and he was soon frying away
at great rate, while | soon made him
LAT, a. 10, ii II D