The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-08

Of genuine sport 1t would be necessary only to
decrease the size OF the spear shorten and tighten
the pole. use a smaller line, get a more intense
light and so widen the circle within which az
eCntion may b. done. With a Jack lghted
with lene gas. u stout reed not more than
six feet long and a spear OF one~ponud weight
an expert man ought 70 be able To lake bass
at from twenty-five to thirty yards. and there
would be some fun In playing them. even II II
were only on a hand line.
Fish appear to partake somewhat OF the
nature OF a deer so Tar a. a bright light at night
J. concerned. They not only are not Harmed
by IL, but will even come up 10 investigate IL,
IL il not an unusual thing for a boat To stop in
a shallow part OF the stream which is appar-
emily tenantle-s and In five minutes be sur
rounded by every variety OF filmed things,
from little red sided perch w TO giant gars.
almost As large, strong and savage a. sharks.
Consequently the occupants of the lacking
boats exercise little or no caution In approach
II is needful only that they avoid stamping
on the boats bottom. A blow struck upon
a plank will alarm fish within a radius OF fifty
yards. though they pay little attention IN noises
or sights above the water. In consequence
Of this the gigger, wear either short rubber
tcots or mocca,ins, so that in the unavoidable
moving about they may become as nearly
soundless a. possible. Moccasins are better.
because in case of an upset in deep water tho
fessional does nOt object 10 this because his
lie is in danger, because IL il not. II he Is a
hundred yards from shore. however. in the
dark IL may become necessary for him to kick
of the boots, and they cost 81. 50 a rair. This,
to a market fisherman. Is very nearly eQuiva-
lent to a fatality to himself and Is Of more inn
p~Ortance than a fatality % some one else.
There is a fascination, about s~pearing fish
which is peculiar 10 it,. II. because the pursuit
j. not at all similar To any Other. form. Of fish
ing. There i a fascination, too, about the silent
river and the light and the weird sounds and
strange scent, Of the darkness, 1t Is anus
ing TO observe the city sportsman who comes
here for n week or two OF outing. Generally
he is filed with IDEAS about the legitimacy OF
sport, giving the game a fair chance for ia
lie. the sacred inyolabulty OF the game law.
the dreadfulnesS OF taxing or eating game out
OF SEASON and AL that sort Of thing. He CAP
lures bass and ~plckerel In the legitimate fash
ion for four or five days. or possibly aweek.
the main chance and would like to earn a dollar
or two, LURES him into accompanying a spear
ing boat. he goes with the determination
10 observe the lawle,, rascals and expose them.
lie seeS the 1.-THE figure Of his seduCer poised
lightly in the bow, marks the water slashed here
and there 10y fnI and begins TO move eagerly
forward slightly, his right hand swings TO the
front, there : a fash OF shooting steel. a slight
part Of a second thereafter a boil. a lightning
leap from the water and the boat begins 10 rock
violently H. the spearer hauls in. Possibly
a tftern-pound catfish. slender. muscular.
dark blue and immensely active. has been
struck and fights II ont % the last gasp. There
is q roushness about i that is not a part OF
rod play, but II l. exciting.
A. the t>h Is brought IN and the spear is taken
from il the gentleman sportsman asks himself
If It would be utterly against all of the .cancns
Of sport il he should Try q throw himself, The
result i that before the night is over he has at
tempted fifty casts, made forty-nine misses,
Iailtn overheard SnG s or 9rs, !wlGs and finally
- himself, but happy. He has found out that
there are other ways OF choking a cat 10 death
than using melted butter lie is on the river
the next night and the next. Then one Of The
Ferryvilla blacksmiths hammer and FORCES
buSily for m hour. making a SPEAR according
10 plans and notifications furnished nv the lost
ppa and affair ThaT fhprn tGn'r any a tNaronpa hA-
tween the man with high ideals and the pro-
'eSSlonal except that he does not sell his fish,
written. and when he gets back 10 the town he
boasts snamelessly 10 friends of the things he
has done and assures them that there was never
ANYTHING like II. II Is true also that spice Is
added to the criminallty BY the fact that IL is
against the law, and IL the amateur were caught
he would be- hailed before a low-browed Justice
Of tho Peace by a constable with a slOping fore
head and lined $50, which would not include
some $50 worth Of costs.
After all. the things, which the gentleman
sportsman seeks. and that which is sought by
every other man who goes afeld. is sensation,
and the sharper it Is and the further removed
from the common run the better II i. Stand
ing IN the PROV OF a skiT which shows an in
fernal prediction to dance from out beneath
him, posing a spear with an uncertainty ms 10
whether u Ia going into the water when launched
or INTO the back Of his neck, adiurlng the man
in the stern to hold her steady and be careful
not 70 put any sudden jerks into the programme
and fearsome. all Of the time that there may be
! a game warden IN a sneak NDal coming M
rapidly with a warrant in his pocket and a sawed-
of shotgun between his knees, cause time 10
pass swiftly for the amateur gigzer and that Is
almost the sans as saying that II passes
Besides, there are more things 70 be seen
than fish on. a trip OF this sort. Some times
between two OF the ten thousand islands that
arr thick with willows to the waters edge
and %gpopulo4s With bird and animal life A.
silently smoking and the man with the spear
squatted upon his launches and waiting for
another shallow to be found. suddenly ahead,
round spot. bright enough for a star. but Of
too reddish a cast. IL has something of a watery
look. too, and seems, as II were, 10 swim IN
drift and the large luminous disk has Sepa-
rated into two smaller ones. which almost
touch along their inner, psripheries. Al the
men sit silent those disks grow 10 b. three
good inches apart. then the outlines of a pair
Of branching horns , ar seen; then the dun
startled form Of a royal buck. who has
come down for his nightly bath. The men
and the wild thing are so close now that n.
pistol. Then with a snort, a, swift half turn
and a splendid flying leap that carries him
.RRgTTl ,Se' w N sn' f,eaE I a zone over r twes ft.iv 'T ySrS q.
he may be heard crashing through the will
lows. then he stops dead, doubtless erect and
rigid in the underground. watching and listen
Ing Tor a reappearance OF the enormous fiery
thing which crept upon him out OF the river,
Perhaps a. the men Journey a drove OF Wild
hogs may dash from the water, OF. a, porcu-
pine, st~rolling along, SEE the fash OF the jack
and roll himself instantly into a prickly ball
as a defence against II, or a raCcoon may b.
seen proving by the waters edge seeking
for half-opened clans; or, arising with slow
thunderous wings. a giant blue heron will ZAP
awkwardly away. his long legs streaming
the sights ard things that go TO make OF three
hours on the river with a Ash spear a night
Journey to be remembered. 1t is not a high
form Of sport, but for strangeness ana interest
II il singular.
HOW TO WIN Al