The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-11
METHUSELAH,S END.
Death OF an aged PIsh Hawk After nm Engage.
ment with nm Rel ana n Block or Wood.

nent with an Rel and n Block or Wood.
VERONA, Me-, April 0.-Thc recent death o.
Methusolah, duo to gluttonous and indiscrim
inate ~gorging, has called forth a flood of rcmin
iscences from the persons who have lived here
since the days before the war. Mcthuselah was
a bachelor fish hawk that had made the lower
waters of the Penobscot his hunting haunts fol
many years. Though much like other fish
hawks in general appearance, he was larger
than the average Of his race and much more
daring than any other bird along the river.
Years ago, when Gen. Grant was Pres
ident, Methusclah stuck his head through
the MARINE netting of n weir on tho
Prospect shores and pulled most Of the feathers
Off his neck before he could get free. When the
feathers grew out again they were nearly white.
which gave the bird a venerable aspect that was
in keeping with his long services as head fisher
man OF the Penobscot. Tho clamdiggers and
salmon and shad fishermen got in the habit of
calling him Methuselah because he had been
about the coast so long that nobody could re-
member when he wasn't hero. The name was
given to him thirty years ago, and 1t chung to
him until death.
The manner OF Methuselah's taking off was
peculiar. This spring as soon as the up-rivor ice
began to slough Off and float away on miniature
foes and icebergs tho boys got out their lines
and hooks and began catching founders. A
rough-back founder hooked from the floats
before the water gets warm Is q tender and
toothsome fish, much esteemed by natives along
shore. Taken fresh from tho ice-cold river and
by many persons as superior to halibut and next
TO salmon as n table fish. As founders are
sl%HSs hin IN sSsch II the al fpT thsy the %an s1y' f fRS { pS
y with a ago sInF 4 Mi ins not no ta 1nsn1 ,hir fSF p q nSs
lido. or late other creatures have come to feed
on the bait intended for founders, so the boys
about big.mouthed s~culpins, lean cells. and stupid
crabs which get ontangled In. the lines. The
most persistent meddlsr with founder bait Isl
known locally as a conger eel. This fish is said
to be unfit to eat, so whenever a boy pulls one in
Experiments conducted through several foun-
der seasons showed that the same conger col.
as often as four times an hour for days in success
sion. As the boys did not want the fish. and as
It was very discouraging work to throw them
an expedient was adopted to furnish employ
ment for the congcr cells. and thus keep them
cells was caught n hole was cut ia its back below
the big dorsn! nm and one end OF n rope yarn was
knotted to this hole. while tho other end was
tied to a small stick OF driftwood. which buoyed
the eel up so II could not get tothe founder bait.
Suspended n bag string length below tho surface
Of its days in trying to break loose from tho
1t was, no doubt, very cruel to cause
80 nuch pam. nut inc eels were the nrst aggreS-
sors. and all down East boys are not saints.
Founders had been biting well for a week or
more and the river was filled with erratic bits OF
driftwood when Methuselah, having passed tho
winter further south. came sailing along high
oyer the, hills looking. for something TO eat.
water the hawk could take in large areas OF tho
river ut a glance and see all that was on the
water and not a little Of what was below. At
about 10 o'clock on Thursday morning he swept
up the river and made two or three wide circles
over the dead water at the head of Verona. Be.
low him were fragments of shingle blocks and
slabs from the sawmills, and every piece was
propelled by n conger eel. which had been tied to
man, Methuselah had no trouble in distinguish
SO lifting. his wings Until they met
above his back, he let go his hold on mir
tain which he had made a conger eel was in his
talons, and dangling. from the eel by a rope yarn
was a block OF driftwoods No sooner had he
poised himself In afr and made ready to fly away
with his PROV than a waiting eagle came along
Is as swift as an eagle, but Methuselah. handi.
by the eel and the driftwood, was soon
Before the eagle could capture the
hsh. however, Methuselah gave a cry OF defiance
and swallowed the eel whole, crowding it down
against his bill.
For a day or two he flew about the river utter.
Ing pitiablc croaks. The boys who fishcd for
noticed he was not so cheerful as of
long 1t would take Mcthuselah to digest that
block of wood. On Monday Sam DanfOrth and
his sister. who lives at the head OF the island.
went out to u back pasture to pick early checker
Mcthuselah lying dead among the small knobs.
The driftwood was pressed close up against his
open bill, and when they attempted to pull it
away they found 1t fast to a tarred string.