Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-01-01

from $50 our skipper tells US. He is the
proprietor of the boat, which, as he informs
US with excusable PRIDE, wins the prize reg
ulariy at every fishermans regatta Yet
1t is rarely, he adds, that they lose the pots,
except in very bad weather, unless, indeed,
the lines have been cut by some passing
steamer-an accident which occasionally
happens. In such fine weather as we are
now enjoying they are easily found. With
glance at the corks as they dance up and
down on the green waves we 'bring her
to-" hand leans over the starboard bow
to secure the buoys as we run by, and the
rest is easy.
Not so very easy, though, so far as mere
physical labor is concerned. A large iron
cage that has been lying at the bottom Of
the sea, perhaps for week, IN six or seven
fathoms of water, encumbered with weeds,
and perhaps laden with satisfactory take
is no light trifle to haul aboard, even for
Two pair OF strong arms. At last, with q
battling and gurgling sound, outit comes-a
strange lump of brown and green, dripping
and gllsteniDg, and within the bars curious
. dark forms scuttling about. Should there
be four or five of these (good-sized Holsters,
that is, with the orthodox two claws apiece),
that is as much as can be expected from a
single pot-it represents in fact, rather
propensity of the larger Holsters to eat the
smaller companions of their captivity fire.
Quently interferes with the desired result
The trap is then emptied and reset and
dropped into the depths again; unless, in
eed. 1t has been down so long already as to
require drying, in which case it will becare-
fully bestowed and taken home But the
attention Of the inexperienced visitor will
be entirely absorbed by the contemplation
Of the beauties of the lobster as he comes
fresh out Of his native element. He may be
better to eat when he is scarlet, but he is
certainly better to look at-not to say mag
nificent-now. Ruddy brown and Jet black
is the shining armor of his back By the
lower part OF this we may hold him judicious-
ly, II we have learned how to avoid those
middle and bloodthirsty claws, and then
spread out his splendid fantail of dazzling
Prussian blue; beneath, the art green and
blues Of the hairy legs fade into ruddy
orange and the golden yellow of his belly.
A splendid monster, truly, but pre-eminent-
ly and without mistake q monster No
one could look at that hideous and mysteri-
Gus head, with the cunning and wonderful
eyes, the dark roots from which springs the
strange growth of literally horrid hair, the
long jointed feelers that work to and fro
like the salmon-rod of the angler, these Sc
cret claws-scissors and saw in one-with
their alarming range Of reach and their
phenomenal strength and activity. If
this-more especially to the sensibilities of
smaller denizen Of the sea-be not indeed
suggestive of ''battle, murder and sudden
DEATH" we do not know what should be.
But de mortuts nil pisi bonum. He may have
been "bad 'un" there below; he is now. or
soon will be, boiled free from all imper-
fections and devoured by ingenious and
over-mastering man at Qet your mouths
water, oh, We dwellers in large cities , nine
pence or even sixpence pound. For mean
while our lobster boat, having hauled nine
or ten more pots, is careerlng home under
fair cross wind, with all sheets taut, at a
rate that makes the foam explode in show
ers as we crash across the bigger waves
and the tiller feels like the tail of some live
and struggling animal. Thus ends our first,
day a-lobstering-a pastime which may.GDe
conscientiously recommended to those swim
siders who can get it and who desic= 60 toIlr;-'
bine little novelty with their fresh aia.