The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-09-16

pEfr u" tidte anu Let Down u Btcos
Through, ti,e Ice Pooling Innocent Crca
turs. of the Deep Lakes.
"1ou have heard Of shooting game u,
means Of Geeoy birds often enough nc
doubt said an old sportmaE the otine,
day. 'but | loiht if Won ever heard o.
fishing hv means of a decov fish, where
the decoy was not used for bait. | neve,
saw it done myself till I visi,e.. Geor.
gian bay. a part of Lake Huron. in Can.
ada. one winter. There | found that the
half breed Indians erected hnts on the
frozen bay and tished through holes cut
in the ice by means Of . queer decoy.
I'm order to facilitate matters, some of
them had little stoves in their huts to
keep them warm while they fished. The
huts had only n opening, a door, and
wheE the fisherman had entered and
closed the door no light entered the hut
except what came up through the floor,
reflected through the ice outside and the
water underneath it. This made it pos
slble for the fisherman to see deep down
into the water and difficult for fish to
see him in his dark hut. The fisherman
hasa chair or bench TO sit upon, food
and drink to keep life in him during his
long watch and a little stove To prevent
chill. Now comes the decoy business.
The half breed takes out of his kit a
queer looking stick. painted and shaped
roughly to look like "A fish. he AYERS.
though it would hardly be breaking the
second commandment to worship it. for
It is the likeness Of nothing in the heay.
n above. or on the earth beneath. on in
the water under the earth: but if the fish
think it is the main object is accom-
plished. This wooden counterfeit OF a
fish Is loaded with lead. 50 that it sinks
and lies in the water the right way when
suspended from the middle of the back
by a string attached to a short fishing
pole. The Indian lets this decoy down
into the water and Ivy means Of the string
gives 1t a series of short. sharp jerks.
which make il a dart hitler and thi,her
in a remarkably lifelike hammer, al
though, Of course, it, range is exceeding
iy limited. about a yard III any direction
The thing i provided with tin fin.
ana tail and L. weighted with lead most
leayily at the head. The string is at.
taetei nearer THE head than the tail.
upon the bs.un. and the skill with which
these fishermen make the queer thin.
shoot about ii q triangle under their
feet, through IA hole i'll the lie. j. truly i,
remarkable. | did hot succeed III ae- !
qulrlng the art myself. / should saw
from trying it that il i, rather more diff
nc'tlt 10 learn than lily casting.
Presently Il few fish, noticing this
iecoy darling about a. If in active pur
suit Of his food, swim that way /, So, i. |
there Is not soanethiHg there for TEN
also. They may lie fresh water herring
trout. wkitetish or less valuable.
game; but Il OF them, big or little. is
by the half breed. Fine t!.h h.
'e.is, tn. coarse Ones he or his dogs or his
.hiidren or his squaw eat readily.
Pulling up his d@coy, the fisherman
down a baited nook ami .ria, lii
uck on the newcomers, seldom il VAN
These men fish with all sort Of aatsr
,alt. saw one nan make "A splendid
lanl one day. using for bait only n Gs.
white bone button without any Ho9E-
he tlsh swallowed IL greedy. and Il.
sonld jerk them ont of the water b.fore
hey could get Il III OF their throat. b.
I'D by a Pike or dogtiaA. seelnz III
hoai ct fish around the pole, dart, after
ae1n. They scatter III a hurrr, aid tt.e
sherman lets down his decoy again +
tract the pike.
Now all The skill 1T his command
lust be employed 10 make the d4cav
'or!i well. tor If it lag, III the water
enough Tor the pike To SUSPECT il
enuineness he will turn away in di.-
ust. If the decOy Ieceiyes til. WHY
he he dastIe, at II, and the fisherman
'rks II away before the pike can grab!f j,
his strong jaws. The pike turns to
and as he halts IT, turn the fisher ,
an drives at him with a long forked 4
'ear. IT his aim is accurate. the pike j.
ansfixed and is brought bleeding to the
lrtace in a Jiffy. /
These men are skilled hunters and
low many curious habits of the crea
res they pursue. They say that musk =
is. for instance, are able to swim long
stances under the ice in this manner:
iklng a long breath. the muskrat dives
ON his pursner and swius as far as he
n. When he can go no longer without
breath. he comes up under the
and pressing his nose against il
eathes ont all the air in his lungs.
rs forms a big bubble under the ice,
d the Indians say that the ice has the
wer OF making that bubble Of air fresh
ain. oxygenizes it in fact. and that the
tie fellow then breathes it in again and +,
res once more. This he can do half a
gen times, the Indians say, before the
he took with him becomes so foul !
the Ice nno freshen it again. 9
neither this property of the ice i j
le or not | cannot say. but the Indians I
My believe it, and | know that musk. I
5 can travel a long way under the ice. E
! l have seen them come up under the o
i, press their noses to it awhile and e
n dive again. Perhaps some scientist y
ght explain the case."-New York :
.bune. =