The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-10
SPEARING FOR SEA BASS.
ENsbrNzDA on r BB LOWER GAIL
F0RNTh COAST THE PLACE TO GO.
II IL About One Hundred Miles Below the
National Border and There Are custom
House Onicers To BE Met at First.

IRON San Diego, and were now standing LOOKING
at the peaceful town OF Tia Juanh, which trans
lated means Aunt Jane"
All right" was the answer, Tine up
The three placed themselves In row.
The tat one counted one two three and they
jumped all together and landed In Mexico
4 don't zee anything OF especial interest" re-
marked the fat man; lets 60 back So they lined
up again and Jumped back into the United States
Then the tat man put one loot In Mexico, leaving
the other In tho States Just at that moment .
Mexican official came up and said:
"You are Visiting MexicoT'
swell, partly" replied the tat man.
Il am the custom-house officer" said the oflcia
in Spanish. You sabey'
"Si. senior. I sabc. Have you the sugar and
let me see," stroking his moustacho thougbtiully.
"have you the pencil case OF my aunt this in
textbook Spanish.
"No." replied the official Il have not the pencil
oil your aunt: what OF ity'
That's what I've been trying 10 find out"
said the lat man, why such question
was ever put in book. That's the way learned
Spanish-have you the handkerchief case OF my
sister"
The official began 10 suspect some game "Is
your friend OFF," he inquired OF one OF the trio.
"Oh. no; I'm merely learning Spanish In two
weeks" spoke UP the tat man. Can converse
in Spanish in two weeks without q teacher? Yes,
l can converse in Spanish in two weeks without .
teacher"
well" said the customs man, showing his
badge, iii you visiting Mexico must search
you"
Hold on" retorted the tat man. who held Q
valise you will notice that am standing on tho
Mexican line, with my right leg in Mexico. and
my lett in the United States Examine my right
side II you please but you have no right to ex-
anime my lett and the bag, as they are not in
Mexico"
The official stared at tho imperturbable face
Of the American in amazement
But will pull you into Mexico" he said
You will chr" retorted the fat man "Au
right go ahead But lay your hand on me and
pull me over the line, and as a sovereign citizen
Of a republic where every man Is king and every
woman q dictator. will call upon our Govern
ment and II prove that you have forcibly torn
me from my native soil, kidnapped me, as IL were.
my nation will demand satisfaction and we will
annex the whole Of this peninsula Don't arouse
us any more, senior: we're right on the annex" ,
Al this juncture another Mexican came up
and the two officials consulted. As q result
the first approached and said:
81 will search the part in Mexico" and there
upon he thrust his hand into the fat man pocket,
finding nothing. Finally the fat man relented
and crossed the line and presently the party
drinking the red wine Of Tia Juana and toastng
Mckinley. They bound for the bay Of En-
senada about ono hundred miles down the coast,
and made 1t over land a road that is attract
i've In winter but hot in summer the same old
road which the padres traversed in olden times
when making the links Of the ecclesiastical chain
that bound the missions Of Lower California to
those five hundred miles up the coast Enscnada
is on little bay Of the best the lower coast
and Is a typical Mexican town. with It's soldiers,
brass band and palace for the Governor General.
Back Of the town rise high mountains-the Sierra
Misunderstanding down and beyond them tho
hot gulf Of Lower California one Of the most re-
markable game countries regions in the country.
Ensenada is famous among a few for its hne
fishing the year around. and among other in
ducements an old Mexican suggested spearng
sea bass The sea bass hero and on tho Cali
fornia coast are magnificent hsh, resembling
the Eastern striped bass in shape but In color
they are dark gray that on close inspection
proves To be a coat Of many coors; and when tho
fish are landed they are veritable hummng birds.
cleaning with all the colors and hues OF the rain
bow. They range up to a hundred pounds and
over the average fish weighing fifty pounds.
and are remarkably gamy. There was one draw
back to this place, boats were scarce and all tho
men were away on tho Yaqui war scare, but a
boat was finally hunted up and the party started.
"You know. alongNt tho California COAST said
the fat man, in telling his experiences when he
got home, the sea bass fishing is very precari-
GUS. the season being from May TO July lst but
generally lasting only few weeks But here it
was so far as We could learn, in all the time
we hrst tried our rods and found not only sea bass
nut yellow tail OF large size: and as for black
bass they ran up to four and five hundred pounds
When We had caught all we wished Of yellow tail
We took up the spear. and the Mexican, who looked
rs though he might be a descendant Of one Of tho
hon'ezumas rowed us slowly along. The bass
are fine fish to spear as they lie or swim on tn,
surface, and we soon ran into a school. II was
enough to give man the buck fever to soc them.
and ! confess the spear handle did jerk about in
hundreds
our and five feetlong. and SO thick that by looking
Town we '"uio see 'hen IN seeming layers: one OF