Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-01-16

gers teeth to operate upon. The bai.
was threaded lengthways with the
points of the hooks at the mouth, like
night line for fresh-water eels. A
heavy plummet was needed to prevent
dragging, and we fished ledger fashion.
Having set this principal line, we
got out our ordinary tackle for gen.
eral fishing, and soon began to catch
fish fast, which I attributed in part to
the sack having attracted them and
stimulated their feeding.
L kept a sharp lookout upon the
conger line, which was fastened to the
| thwarts within reach, for there was
no necessity to hold it and pull up at
the first sign, as we intended any
worthy aspirant for the pig to gorge
the bait, and he would doubtless give
ample signs of his proceedings before
J It was time to pull in.
lighted my pipe and confined my
attention to the conger line, while
Sim and his boy went on with their
ordinary fishing. The sack had evil
IDENTIFY gathered many fish about the
place and excited their appetite, for
they bit we'll, and we had good
show of founders, plaice, whiting,
ETC., and several of the wretched dog
tish, which were summarily murdered.
OF eels there were plenty about, as
the boy caught one about ten pounds,
and the father one little smaller,
besides hooking a heavy fish which
broke away, and which he knew by the
feel to be conger.
My bait did not appear to be very
tempting to them, but L was in hope
that when taken it would be by a
giant. My previous visitors, the
crabs, favored me several time again,
: and forced me to raise the line, but
their movements were now familiar to
| me, and excited no false expectations.
} About three-quarters of an hour had
) passed in this manner. L was again
: raising the line slowly in the hope OF
j bringing a good crab to the surface,
: when the bait was suddenly seized,
J dragged downwards with violent
t pull, and held for some moments al
l the bottom and then carried straight
y away from the boat.
That's him, sirF' yello& Sim.
i "Give him time Let him get il
8 DOWN.
g | did so, and let him have about
= half the length of the line before ]
# struck. 1t did not turn him one
:, whit, and then L felt his weight anC
d power both were tremendous. Nc
$ shooting or darting as with the dog
fish, but strong. steady, struggling
1 strain forwards; it was like mar
a pulling against me, and the boat wa.
" swept round into the line of tension
r as though it were a band-box. As ]
L tried to haul in L could not gain ,
S yard OF line; in fact, it was as much a.
II could do to hold him, and feared
n every moment that hook or cord mus
1t go. 1t could not last, and | let ou
more line, not knowing what else t,
d do. Sim was much excited. "He's
:, conger, III lay crown, and a rattleI
g too! know his pull! That's NJ
e dogl" cried he. OF course we nigh
/, have dragged in ct all risks, but
T dared not do this, and dreaded ,
l. break every moment, for the line wa.
l. as taut as bow -string-when
G thought struck me.
y up with the anchor, Sim! Quick
h quick thatll ease him bit" said I
!, No sooner said than done: Sim al
: the anchor, the bog at the sack, whicl
he cut free, and we were loose upol
y the waves. Now began a sineula,
e and exciting contest. The boat wa
:, fairly towed about in various direc
8 tions, while the struggle went on be
= tween myself and the monster. Fo
s more than quarter of an hour thi
e went on, without our catching
II glimpse of him. AS he frequentl,
e bored furiously for the bottom.
J. kept heavy strain on to prevent this
q for fear of rocks or sunken wreckage
= and to avoid his twisting himsel
It with the line, for either of these con
e tingepcies would have been fatal
The boat being loose was grea
g advantage, as we were lugged abou
/, hither and thither in most extraor
:, dinary way Had it been fast 1 an
a convinced there would have been
s smash with my tackle. There ap
+ peared no probability of tiring hin
k out or drowning him-eels are not t,
It be vanquished thus-and the soone
e L got him in the better.
d The extent of line out made this
}, lengthy task, but / shortened by dc
e grees until had but dozen yard
It out; then for the first time we saw tn
]. great white coils beneath the waite,