The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-19
HARPooNING A BIG GAR.
An Exciting Fishing Adventure in y Lagoon
Near the Guir Coast or Texas.
From the Galveston Daily NetDs.

From the Galveston Daily Nctos.
About two miles below beaumont the Nechos
River broadcns out, making n small lake, about
400 yards across and extending 300 yards down
the river. 1t was named Lake Charles, IN
honor of n city in Louisiana. There are little
bayous running back from the lake, and they
were once noted fishing spots. Trout, white
perch, and bank perch were there in abundance,
and tho Beaumont people found great sport
and good feed there until one year, as II by
magic, The place seemed to fill with alligator
gars, which arc destructive to hooks, lines, and
smaller fish alike. They soon ruined the whole
place as a fishing resort and were evidently
rapidly Increasing. They became dangerous,
MS they would frequently fol, into, boats, and
Their teeth arc like n hundred razors, and, like
the turtle, they hold until 1t thunders.
SPORT or%"SMl NJ. E i&fnS sOq hocHhar FIFTH. the present q lp So;
perintendcnt of telephone on the Gulf and In:
terstnte;, Mr.. benjamin. y: Snnkins' son OF
other decided TO rid the river of the nuisance.
Their preparations were elaborate. They first
blunt end. making a beard like that on a fish
hook; except that it was larger on both sides.
pole, which is a round piece ~ inches in diam
nifty feet long, was attached at the other end Of
securely eorked. Two Of these and g pistol
II lHt NECESSARY llpltItcnt5 u utSIIuC-
tion, and the boys were ready,
tn It w rnnrinn hot ar aTsps t., day Ioo with mnr The t6e ten p,aS
d daTs r ns tbis tS Sro vaTs tnS lU Won't ,ha tn Gomez Un ,S Sq iSa
these occasions their backs were shining, out
about half an inch above water. The boys
onslaught. Pen simkins stood at The PROV Of
drawn back, ready to throw. Edmund Lock:
hart sat in the rear with tho wire coiled and
the jug ready &, to let it out. The third boy did
just in front OF them. Slowly they. crept upon
him, and when ten feet away the gig went for.
the monster was in the air, and a splash of
water went W, covering the boys and the boat.
Edmund spun out the wire rapidly. and finally
.".iold on to it, Edmund. and let him pull u.s.
He fastened tho jug in an instant, making a
sort of leverage of the wire. He was in the
n mSst e ana ahe 'f Il. E fSfNSq 'I Sra HbSs l' tSe wire al,
and sprang to his feet. trusting more to his
s!FG a fbrac ,Ha and tie Isan boat ae ae PTIfhn e Sda si bes ssss
whizzing faster AMI faster. Soon it began to
literally, plough the water. The gar made a sud
with the jug following. The other boys were
scared. but tho excitement was intense. for
an hour, or II may have been thirty. As soon
as the two in the boat could regain presence of
IBn hi &os they T,,I Ees iao l9 3Ss5 Se lST Ed Rna Tho There here
still leaving him. The oarsnicn backed up
quickly and took him in, a wet human, but
happy just the same.
Away across on the other side was the gar,
travelling in a circle traced by the ~tell-tale Jug.
lie swan like creased lightning. and a beautiful
running fountain rose fifteen feet in the air.
caused by the flying jug as IL went through the
water. Around and around be swan for half
never tire. Presently his circles grew smaller
and his movements were not so quick. Then
he began coming to the surface, and there stick
ing In his back could be seen the gig. Finally
he got slow enough for the boys to get the skiff
closer, and at last he second TO rise As il to
make a supcrhuman effort to rid himself of
the arrow. He could not succeed. and just as
he was slowly going straight downward with
bill in the air Ben threw the res crvc gig. His
uncrring aim struck its mark. going straight
through his bill and locking his upper and low.
er jaws. They heaved a sigh Of relief when
that happened. for not one of them cared to
have an arm or n leg crushed between those
vicious looking teeth. He made another dcs.
peratc plunge when II struck him. and in doings
so rid himself of the first gig. He hardly
first gig a par. of his flesh chung 10 the barbs.
They lowed him slowly to tho bank. for he was
tcwnty feet under water, and IL was a very
uncertain thing as to whether he was still strong
enough to do damage or not. When the bank
was reached he was raised gradually to the sur
face, and II pistol ball finished all that was still
alive CT that powerful water monster.
This IL n description of how one of many
was killed in pretty much the same manner.
though Edmund never tried to hold to the wire
again. The boys finally cleaned 0lt the gars,
and for two or three years after fishing was
good at Lake Charles.