The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1902-01-16
A FIGHT With FISHES.

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GONE time ago had occasion to
- visit the island of Sardinia. The
business I was nbout rendered IL
necessary that ! should cross over to
Che small island Of San Pietro, which,
II you look at n map. you will find
lies at the southwest corner of the so
called mainland.
On this island there is n small town
named San Carlo. and the history of
this little place In rather romantic.
II was originally founded by those
once ardent and adventurous COLON
ikts, the Genoese. who prospercd
there until the year '79s. when the
bey Of Tunis, sort of royal pirate,
sailed across the Mediterranean sea.
lnndesi, sncked the place and carried
away every man. woman and child,
into bondage, leaving Il a desert.
After enduring great hafdships,
as survived were ultimately ran
ed by Charles Emanuel, the then
X OF Sardinia, who conveyed them
TX 10 their old home. where their
sccntlnnts have since remained In
Ince.
There are now 5000 Inhabitants on
he island, who live by the exporta'
lion of lead ore. Of which article about
$4,000 tons are annually shipped from
the place being brought over from the
mainland after having been raised
from the numerous mines In the dis
trict.
They are also much engaged in the
funny fishery. ! had an introduction
t~ n gentleman residing ON the Is
land, of the name Of Armenia, whc
was kind enough to pay me great at'
tcntion, and while chatting one day
ufter dinner. he said to me:
"llave' you ever seen u 'Matanza'"
<siHlat IN that" I asked.
.why. u catching Of the funny fish
"Ne." I replied.
swell, then, you ought not to leave
without doing so; there will he ont
tosnnrrow at Porto Pnglio. on thu
mainland. win you go?"
Agreed" said j.
"You will have To he up rather ear
Iy.r remarked my friend.
I proved to him that " was goo
nj anything, Il WIS early rising. am
nsked him what the time was To b'
About four o'clock" he reptile
."ns,gif the wind should not lie quit
fair, we nigh, lose The sight"
II was ngrccd that he should com
and call me nt hnlf-pasi three, nn'
after n short moonlight stroll. "
each retired Ia prepare ourselves "a
the morrow.
Natvrnl histories calls the tunn
fisi, Ne Thynnus vulgnris.
Ehy the poor fellow should he tn,
~u9m msed ] don't know. except that pc
3rt~ he makes himself much too con
hon. One OF my reference bool
states thut Though wearing gene
nj resemblance to the mnckeral, he
far larger Ash"
1 rhould rather think he was.
YOU can Imagine the tnllest man y,
ever sawa popped into the skin Of
fish, this will give you some idea of
very modcrnte-sized one. They som
times are as much as ten or twel
feet long, and will weigh 1000 pound
Thc nose In pointed, the mouth ~
nished with row Of very shn
teeth, the surface OF the body smoo
and oily, the upper part of stee
blue, the under part gray and spoit
with silvery white; several large u
run along the back and two iinmcn
ones mt the side; the tnil In son
what like q crescent, the flesh FIR
looking like veal, and, according
I some people. of a delicious fin'or.
M NY good friends cheerful whis
aroused me at the appointed time.
We quickly made our way to
~ beach, where we found MIR. Armeni
boat, manned by three stout marine
sprung lightly In and took my &c
The sails were hoisted, and the b'
gently gIided away.
snow, them" said my friend.
must prepare you for what you
going to zee by giving you some
c0u&t OF the funny. l must first
ron that they are exceedingly stuT
or We should NOT be able tn deal
oseily with 10 powerful creatu
\, Their habits are as follows; In
<( ocrins Immense shoals Of them en-
tho straits of Gibraltar TO feed. .
+ .1s a tbo prpper time lny their eggs
~ &nrm Mediterranean sea. III
x1wnvo aDpear 10 coast along at a {
n|n ~, and ~ near the shore
~ win allow.
1>en 49, v,se.rsed als,nv