The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-11-08
DANGEROUS FISHES.
THEY ARE NOT ALL CONFINED TO
THE SEAS THAT ARE SALTY.

fbc Alligator Gar IL One Fresh Wa
ter Species That IL Feared In the
south-A Mysterious Monster That
InbabIts ~ Michigan Lake.
So far as any danger from the game
is concerned. fresh water fishing has
always been looked upon as about as
safe as any sport in the world, and the
fresh water fish has gone on record as
harmless and nonrcsstant. But there
arc Instances now aud then when the
fish turns the tables. The inhabitants
of Osccola county, Mich, who live In
the uclghhOrhoOd Of Lake George, an
inland water about three miles long,
are almost supcrstltiously afraid of n
certain fish that inhabits that lake. No
one knows what sort Of fish 1t Is, and
opinion locally Is divided ms TO whether
It Is giant muskcllunge or n stur-
gcon.
Spcaring parties had now ahd then
reported seeing very large fish with
out being able to strike it, but no one
gave crcdcucc TO the tales uutIl one
night several years ago, when party
Of sportsmcn from Chicago went on the
lake spcaring In charge OF an old resi-.
dent named Armstrong.
Armstrong was the only one that re-
turned TO tell the story. lie said the
party was spcaring in shallow water
when they saw an enormous fish that
rcscmblCd an overgrown pIckcrcl. Two
a. IA
the bow, and at first supposed the fish
To be a log. Then one saw his mistake
ana struck with all his might The fish
gave a dart that made the boat jump
IA though n steam engine were pulling
il. If the man had let 80 OF the spear,
all would have been well. hut he hung
on, and the fish gave "A mighty flop To
right angles with the boat The man
still held To the spear, with the result
that the boat capsZcd, and the. men
found themselves standing I'm mud and
water up TO their waists.
The light went out when the boat up
set. and, the night being dark and
cloudy, not one OF the party had any
idea OF the direction To hc pursued in
reaching shore The shallow water oc-
cupics large part OF the lake, aud
they could wander I'm any direction
without being able TO tell whether or
not they were nearing shore. Arm
strong said aftcrward that nothing
could equal the awfuucss of the cNpc-
ricnCc that followed. They made their
way I'm one direction after another and
wandered round and round. going half
way 10 their knees In mud at every
step.
To make matters worse cold,
steady, drizzlng rain began TO fall.
They were soon numb TO the marrow.
Then one OF the sportSmcn dropped
without word. and no one went TO his
help. Little 10y little the three that re-
malncd were separated. Armstrong
says ne himself became unconscious
after timc and remembers moth
ing that happened until he was reused
10y feeling solid ground beneath his
feet and finding that the water was
more shallow than IL had been lie
kept ON and fell upon the shore. Then
on hands and knees ne Crawlcd To
camp ana gave the alarm. Search was
at once made FOR his companions, and
their bodies were recovered. Since that
time the big fish with scar on his
back has twice or thrice been seen 10y
spearlng parties, but they have passed
Il by.
There is one species OF fish in the
south that is feared only little less
than It's salt water contemporary the
shark. This Is the alligator gar. IL
grows 90 enormous size and has n bill
hard and bony and much broader than
the bill OF the common gar OF northern
waters. One who goes ont upon the
lakes OF Louisiana and Arkansas will
see them jumping aud SplaShiag like
enormous trout. Their usual food con-
sists Of fsh. and they not only make
endless trouble FOR those who 20 fish.
ing with miunows, but have been
known 20 round up and tear to pieces
bass which the sportsman has hooked.
Bathing In the lakes Is considered dan.
gerous.
\ negro was sitting In the stern OF a
boat on lake near Helena. ARK. let.
ting his feet hang over the stern. when
a gar grabbed him by one lcg The
man hung TO toe boat until rescued.
but his leg wasAiorribly gashed. The
fish have been known 60 attack In like
manner negroes who went swimming
In the Mississippi below New orleans.
One spring the writer was visiting a
rice plantation Oh the lower coast" OF
the Mississippi when an old negress