The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-09-01
QUEST OF THE OPAH
Fish Like Brocads of Silver and LIZ
lac Caught Once In Eight Years.

Well, IL was something like this. l
believe the place to which the unfortu-
nate man went was the Isle of France.
He had made the most careful prepa-
ration and was bound up in his work.
Finally the hour came. The day was
perfectly clear and all was in readi-
ness for the eclipse; but just as the
moment OF totally was approaching
a cloud appeared and concealed the
sun. The astronomer was in despair.
He knew he could not afford to repeat
the visit II he returned home, so he de-
cided to remain on the spot for eight
years or until total eclipse occurred
again. ! say eight with a reserya-
ton; | am not an astronomer, and 1t
may have been eighteen years. Well,
again the eventful hour finally ap-
preached. Not cloud was in the sky
and all nature seemed smiling; but
Just as the great act was about to
occur a sudden squall came up and
the heavens were clouded. The man
who had waited eight years gathered
UP his instruments and returned to his
home to find that the government for
some reason had seized what little
property he had left"
THAT is a pathetic tale" said the
fisherman. making long cast with a
shining anchovy, but it is nothing to
my efforts to take an opah. An opah
you must know, is one of the most
beautiful Of all fishes, rare and rad
liant creature: hence its Greek name,
lampros. | first saw it in England,
and | spent several weeks trying to
take one along the Falmouth coast,
but never even heard OF an Opah, and
the fishermen told me that one was
taken only about once in eight years.
Mark the resemblance to the ptiful
tale of the astronomer" and, lifting
his rod, the fisherman hooked chan
mel bass. The gamy fish made rush
straight away. heading for Lisbon as
nearly as could be judged, then, stop
ped by the leather brake, it came in
like a fox doubling on its own scent.
stopped and. plungng down, took the
fisherman unawares and broke the
line.
81 next heard of the opah in Ita.y,"
continued the angler as he ganged on
a fresh hook. and here | was told that
one was caught about once in len
years, yet | went fishing in every boat
! could find. | was travelling round
the world. and one day when strolled
into the fish market in San Francisco,
will you believe me? there, swinging
by its tail. ablaze with color, was a
gigantic opah. the fish OF my dreams,
nearly four feet long and almost as
high. 1t was sunburst, a rainbow,
and the fish dealer said that it was
the first one that had been taken in
eight years-note the period. Some
one has described the fish as "a rich
brocade of silver and lilac, rosy on the
belly; everywhere with silyery spots;
head and back with ultramarine tints;
jaws and fins vermillion. The fish
was caught in Monterey Bay, and as |
was more determined than ever to take
an opah, | went TO Monterey few
days later. Here l fished in small
boats, trolled in the picturesque la
teen-rigged crafts of the Italians-in-
deed in the very boat that had caught
this lampros of the Greeks, but l new
er saw even the scarlet fin of the opah.
Finally, one day in Chinatown, in
San Francisco, | saw lantern almost
identical with the opah, and as it hung
over fish stall l asked the Chinaman
If he had heard of the fish. AS | de-
scribed it his face lighted up and he
informed me that his brother heap
catch EN- at little fishing village not
far away. Well, the next day | dis
covered the village and the brother,
who said he 'catchee heap big fish, al
lee samee lopah leight years ago;
catchee bout evly leight years.
had struck it," continued the angler,
casting far into the ripple Of the st.
Johns; they had caught an opah eight
years ago, consequently one was due.
SO made contract to go fishing with
them.
81 caught all the fishes of the sea
from rock bass to octopus, though the
latter is not strictly fish; but there
was no lack of excitement when a
spiderlike creature with legs or arms
twelve feet across came writhing up
and attempted to embrace you with a
tentacle. | was beginning to be dis
couraged when good fortune came.
We had gone to the usual grounds and
after fishing some time an Italian la
teen-rigged boat came alongside. and
knowing the captain, | joined him to
change the luck, the boat anchoring
cables length from the junk. l was
putting at my pipe, listening to the
men. when my line was jerked from
my hands and, catching in a turn
about my leg, l was almost pulled over
board.
you have never hooked a whale?
OF course not. Then you know moth.
ing about It, but for moment I
thought l had There was no
holding it. 1t simply tore the line
through my fingers. l had plenty OF
line-a stout one. Up came the fish
again, circling around the boat with
whish and a kissing of the line, and
out of the water, like knife of YER
million, shot fin-the fin l had seen
on the opah. Apparently the fish
caught sight Of the boat, as it sounded
again, making the heavy lateen culver
as | tried to hold it; then it came up
again, towing the boat around, and
as Jose cast off the anchor rushed
away with us.
Il will not bore you with details; it
is enough to say that half a mile be-
low | brought my fish alongside. hay
ing worn it out, though exhausted my
self. Jose gated it. and by the aid Of
ropes it was lifted aboard-a magnifi-
cent creature, a living rainbow, more
brilliant in tint and color than those I
had seen, well repaying me for my
long quest If there is another fish
in the sea of its size that can make a
better fight I should like to see it;
vet I suspect that ny opah, the king
Of the herrings, is nothing more than
a giant of the pompanos-at least it
looks it."
4 HARD liIr.
A c.Jizen whose home is up town has
n arfat Hliro for rNnr1.inct in II r-nr