The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1900-12-06
fisinG tot Caribs

In sone OF the large streams OF Ventsu
els there is small fish 80 savage ths, the
people OF the country call 1t, alter the abo
rieiuee, the csrib. II has teeth sharp
enough to out any line or wire. aud even
the shank Of lsh- hook, In bis book on
that country, Rsymon Pa,s tells how he
learned the srt OF catching osribs. His
object was TO have an artist paint the flsh.
| On = former occasion bad lost most
Of my front hooks, bn. still preserved
some large ones. mounted with copper
wire. These ! supposed proof sssinst
the teeth OF any feb, and 20 sooner we're
We established IN the ranch OF the ietry
man than taking my lines. | FASTENED TO
river, accompanied by the artist,
The hooks were bsited with fresh beef,
aud dropped near the shore. Scarcely did
the bait touch the water when IL was sez
ed by caribs. Without showing them
time, ss II seemed, TO get the whole OF II
between their jaws. wepuIled in the lines,
bat, alas minus hooks as well ~ bait. Ws
discovered that one OF the hooks had been
out through, while the other had been
severed irom The wire. Still We persevered
bat with the same result.
Greatly annoyed, turned to question
countrymsn who stood near. laughing at
what he considered my simplicity. Sill
another tapped me gently on the shoulder
and addressed me with. Boy, yon might
as well attempt to catch y rsttlesnske by
the tail ss to think OF hooking one Of
those chaps.
What is to be done. then. for | must
have at least couple Of these scoundrels3
said /.
Who ever saw a genleel young gentle
man like yourself with . taste for such
disgusting creatures2 he replied, imssin
ing that | wanted the fish for eating.
Ga my explaining tnst wanted 10
sketch and preserve them 10 spirits. the
men sdvised me TO procure . piece OF
tough hide from the head OF an OK which
was then being Slaughtered. and TO sue
pend II from strip Of tho same material.
Immediately followed their instruo
tions, and repaired again TO the river.
Seating myself on the stern OF the csnoe.
dropped my novel bait into the water and
watched for the result With the utmost
interest.
10 a moment y sbosl OF csribs collected
around the bait, md commenced attack
ing il voraciously. Finding the thick
cattiIege too tough even for their sharp
teeth. snd unwilling to give II mp, they
kept gnawing Ut II like 80 many little
hyenss. When | smsgined them TO be
isi,ly stuck through the thick skin, ! liit
ed the whole ooucern over the side oil the
canoe and had the satisfaction of seeing
about . dtzan Of the Gsh dancing Ut the
bottom Of tho barge.
Finding this rather novel mode Of fsh
ing rather easy and entertaining, i con
tinued 1t until was suideniy spprised
into whose eompapykl had thrust myself
by ieeling ihe heel OF my LETT foot selzid
by one OF the csptiyes with such violence
90 caused me to drop my bait With the
vicious creatures that were hanging from
II into ths river.
My only thought was bow TO contnve
my escape having, tho whole length oi the
canoe TO traverse. and its floor paved With
those rsyepous little wretchss. ! sgsin
sppesled to the ingenuity Of my advisers
Tor dsIiverenee, This they readily effected
by spreading . gunny bag over The gaping
fishes.