The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-09
o1fEt.a. coroas. Asn .slsEn
Ths Tsvse Hissa W .. = Lively ssa A.
nhlhIons Content ON the Pecns.

such waters. until they emerge upon the claim.
are filed with the smartest sort Of trout-with
1ne bass In some OF the more southerly
streams-that ono can find anywhere 1t is on
the prairie whore the currents become turbid
warm, and alkaline. that the trout and bass
give place to the muddy water fish. The river
beds. cut wide and deep by Hoods, are choked
with sand. through which subterranean
waters filter 40 that in even a large river the
normal current In view may be only a rivulet
that nan can step across. In places where
the underground current is checked by rock
reef or bed OF clay it rises into view. WIDEN
ing into pool that displays its real volume.
and for some distance beyond. until thirsty
sands again absorb it, flows as an open river
OF respectable size.
Chief among the two or three varieties Of
fishes that manage to thrive under such con-
ditions 10 the catfish which seems to find the
densely muddy water quite TO his liking. and
can Accommodate himself for long periods to
short allowance even OF that. some people
familiar with their habits assert In apparent
good faith, that these ilsh. at times OF drought.
burrow down into the wet sand and remain
there dormant until the seasons changes
bring water. But commonly, as a stream
dwindles low, the big Fish hunt deeper water.
and ray be seen houndering down through
its shadows on their way to those pools which
do not dry up at any season. Mullets and
small catfish make these miRrations with
comparative ease but to a thirty or forty
pound catfish such passage often assumes
much the character Of an overlsnd journey.
Tom Torling. who was In town last week
from the Diamond ranch on tho Pecos. tells
Of the leading part that catfish played In q
remarkable "three-handed game" which he
and Buck sampson saw about o month ago.
ha NNufr n0lN In On n Hoff In mi
were approaching the river from the eastward.
They had remarked an eagle which. high in
the air was sailing In great circles when. just
ahead OF them, they observed coyote trotting
at q good pace along the bank. whore the
prairie drops down sheer to the rivers channel.
He was heading down stream. and was watch
ing something In the channel so intently that
he did not appear to mind the two cowboys In
the least, much less try to get out OF their way.
He's sitter q dinner he isl" said Torling.
He'd never skulk along with his nose poked
ahead that way unless he saw something he
The coyote trotted swiftly along the bank to
and disappeared over the brink. Buck samp.
son rode ahead and looked into the chsnnel.
and tell me what this is fbeiiovo it's whale.
a-loose and Hopping" =,
t., Reckon you're right. Buck" said Tom. rid
At this season the Pecos was running low
hundred yard. wide from bank to bank. but
wide. 81 meandering down the hen middle. This
riyuet. about 200 yards below the crossing.
tsa rive. in ss fand s9
deep pool. which the eowmen kneg as 0ne
that never dried upst any seasop. Founder;
water, an Immense catfish the boys set his
weight as being at least ilfty pounds and
to the pool 1t was literally pitch and toss
wS tGS to S % wet SnS
Toward this aquatic waytarsT the coyote was
water and the formldabis proportlons and AZ
running for while along the edge, OF the
lions, the coyote Snapped at the fsh. which
whiried away az splatshing the beast With weter.
r S ths .ssa
rlvnlet and , watch for smother chance to SELF.
the fish, This performance was repeated. but
hold for his assailant 8 teeth. andIits thrash
While this am dubious contest was going on
no one had once thought OF the eagle, which.
rowing spiral curves. Ills shifting shadow on
the sand caused the two eowmen to look up
~ dna bs the he Ell
Piummet straight down upon the cattsh. He.
Ike the coyote was hungry enough to take
of the sandy shadows, 1t was the good for
tune Of the hsh just at that time to have struck
spreading its wings near the ground, slanted
its fall to strike the prey only to see II disap-
ReadSay. the S bird. with a splendid sweep
whrled toward the coyote, which with bristling
hair drew back on the defensive ana showed
his wings, over the beast The cowboys were
great Ssht, when the catfish smsrgod once
more In plain sight The eagle at once
and tried to rise with it into the air. But the
sa siDgsd i tS and pst OF again d9wn
ing to seize 1t every time its back appeared
from the water. For several minutes this was
ihis.pt up Two or three times the eagle partly
was getting his feathers wet. which he did not
tacE aRd eS pr SretSn poi nj thS Sia that
made part o. the shore. and there sat. 6obbing
MS head d and sying the catfish sIdogiss as Il
he had Lighted upon.
All this time the coyote. a highly interested
Ing for some chance to make an advantage
out OF the shindy, but not vsnturing to mix In.
he made grab Tor the llsh and caught one OF |
his fms In his teeth 1t was sliDpery hold. |
anu Tue coyote noiu MS grip Just long enough
for the fish in darting away to yank him plumb |
into the centre OF pool some twenty feet |
wide with foot OF water above unknown |
depths of quleksand. While tho fish plunged |
around ehurning uD mud and bubbles the |
coyote scrambled, Jumped. aud swan clear Of |
the quieksands. came out upon terra nrma like |
a flash. and made across the dry sands yeping |
at every second Jump He scrambled up the |
bank, and there on the prairie stopped, shook |
himself, and then sat down on his launches |
to lick the sand and water from his hide and |
see what was going TO happen next.
The an ada N N THAR nnfnta hat
the iun Was over. and started to cross the |
channel They found path down the bank, |
let their horses drink at the water, and had |
Just gained its opposite bank when, looking |
down tho stream they saw the eagle skim |
ming toward the catfish. which, once more
was making It's way down stream with its |
back half out OF water. The fish had reached |
the point where the Iivulst disappeared in the |
sands, and space OF dry sand ten yards ia |
width stretched between 1t and the great pool |
beyond IL could not go further. It could not |
turn back. and, with Its nose resting In an |
Inch OF water. the catfish seemed equally |
doomed whether attacked or left alone By It's |
aerial foe. Pouneing squaTslY upon the FISH |
n o eagle sat his fAlonS IA thp hand life