Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-11-02
DANGEROUS FISHES.

VI TlDHED.
THEY ARE NOT ALL CONFINED TO:
THE SEAS THAT ARE SALTY.
The Alligator Gar Is Ono Fresh Wa
ter Species That Is Feared In the
South-A Mysterious Monster That
Inhabits a Michigan Lake.
So far as any danger fromSthe game
ia 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 nonreslstant But there
are instances now and then when the
fish turns the tables. The Inhabitants
Of Osceola county, Mich, who live in
the neighborhood of Lake George, an
inland water about three miles long,
are almost superstitiously afraid Of q
certain fish that inhabits that lake. No
one knows what sort of fish it Is, and
opinion locally Is divided as to whether
it is a giant m~uskellunge or a stur-
geon. $780, -" + -
.Spearing parties had now and then
reported seeing a very large fish with
out being able to strike 1t, but no one
gave credence to the tales until one
night several years ago, when, q party
| Of sportsmen from Chicago went on the
lake sspearing in charge Of an old resi-
dent named Armstrong.
Armstrong was the only one that re-
turned to tell the story. He said the
party was spearing in shallow water
when they saw an enormous fish that
resembled an overgrown pickerel. Two
of, the Chicago men were standing in
the bow, and at first supposed the fish
to be a log. Then one saw his mistake
and struck with all his might. The fish
gave q dart that made the boat jump
as though a steam engine were pulling
it. If the man had let 60 of the spear,
all would have been well, but he hung
on, and the fish gave q mighty lop to
right angles with the boat. The man
still held to the spear, with the result
that the boat capsized, and the men
found themselves standing in mud and
water up to their waists. Il,
The light went out when the boat up
set, and, the night being dark and
cloudy. not n OF the party had any
idea of the direction to be pursued in
reaching shore. The shallow water oc-
,cupies a large part Of the lake, and
they could wander In any direction
without being able to tell whether, or
not they were nearing shore, Arm
strong said afterward that nothing
could equal the awfulness of the expe.
rience that followed. They made their
way in one direction after another and
wandered round and round, going half
way to their knees In mud at every
step. .
To make matters worse a cold;
steady, tdrizzling rain began to fall.
They were soon numb to the marrow;
Then one of the sportsmen dropped
without a word, and no n went to his
help. Little by little the three that re.
NAMED were separated. Armstrong
says he himself became unconscious
after q time and remembers moth
ing that happened until he was reused
by feeling solid ground beneath his
feet and finding that the water wal
more shallow than it had been. He
kept on and fell upon the shore. Then
on hands and knees he crawled tc
camp and gave the alarm. Search was
at once made for his companions, and
their bodies were recovered. Since thai
time the big fish with a scar on his
back has twice or thrice been seen by
spearing parties, but they have passed
1t by ~ -" ~. IF
There IS one species Of ish In tn.
south that Is feared only little ies'
than its salt water contemporary thu
shark. This Sis the alligator gar. I
grows to enormous size and has q bill
hard and bony and much broader thar
the bill of the common gar IL northern
waters. One who goes out upon thu
lakes Of Louisiana and Arkansas viii
see them Jumping and. splashing lik'
enormous trout. Their usual food con
sists Of fish, and they not only max,
endless trouble for those who. go fish
ing with minnows, but have beef
known to round up and tear to piece
bass which the sportsman has hooked
Bathing In the lakes is considered dan
gerous. I
II "a negro was sitting In the stern of
boat on a lake neal Helena, Ark, lei
ting his feet hang. over the stern, Whel
q gar grabbed him by one leg. TIL
man hung to the boat until rescued
hy1f h3o 1ou woe h0rsfhlvr aachod Th