The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-05-16
L$5ss1 rh~7sS
q zsSsassssssszssszsssssssss
E X On a Buoy Barrel. i
II 575555S7S75757S55z5sszS15z
y ny ALBERT w. ToI-MAN.
ny ALBERT w. roLMAN.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES!

Lance for the biggest cod on the win
ter trip to 'Quereau spiced every
nibble that was telegraphed up
through briny fathoms to the cal
loused forefngers OF the lonely sit
ters in the ice-glazed dories.
After the first week every mans
gunwale-notches kept pace with the
longest fish to date, so that he could
satisfy himself about the size of a
new catch before regaining the
schooner.
Each record-holder in turn boasted
OF what he would do with that twenty
dollars, only to drop into chagrined
silence when some mate rowed in
with a fresh monster whose scaly
tale overlapped the slowly increasing
limit. Up 1t crept, inch by inch:
forty-seven, forty-seven and three
quarters, forty-nine, fifty, fifty-one
and half, where 1t hung for week,
then leaped to fifty-four. There 1t
stuck for fifteen days, so long that
Sam Eaton's thumb could almost feel
the milled edge of the coin, until one
squally March afternoon Jerry Dixon,
a white-crested mile dead to- leeward
of the vessel, struck his gaff into a
giant fully fifty-eight inches long.
Dixon had a hard tussle to get his
prize aboard. A hundred-pound fish
is no easy proposition for man in a
jumping dory and heavy sea. The
northeast wind was blowing up a
storm; already the white flakes were
whirling between him and the vessel.
When he glanced toward her he saw
that a basket had been hung in the
fore-rigging to summon in the dories.
He stood up and looked about All
his mates were making for shelter,
like hawk-affrighted chicks for the
mother hen. Farthest to leeward and
engrossed with his big fish, he had
been the last to notice the signal.
BY the time he had got his anchor
up and was settled on the thwart for
his long pull to windward, fierce
gale was driving the white horses
down upon him, and the schooner
was almost hidden by the snow.
He shot a final glance back over
his shoulder to decide his course, Just
as small cask was dropped over the
Lance's rail.
There goes the buoy barrel"
thought he, as he buckled vigorously
to his oars. The schooner had done
all she could for him; the rest was in
his cvn hands.
Almost every banker carries on
deck an empty, strongly headed iron
hooped fish barrel, bearing a beckett
with thimble in its centre. To this
is attached one end of 500-fathom
coil of stout nine-thread Manila, the
other end being made fast to a cavel,
or cleat, well aft.
Occasionally a sudden winter storm
catches a vessel with all her dories
out Those to windward can get in
without much difficulty, but the lee
ward boats stand a harder chance
Now and then some poor fellow, after
almost rowing his arms off, gives out
half-mile or more away. Then the
barrel Is cast over, and drifts rapidly
down before wind and sea. until the
imperiled fisher gaffs 1t aboard and
fastens it to his painter. when he is
pulled in, dory and all, by the strong
arms of his mates. 1t is not always
easy for a man to reach the barrel
even IL he knows that his life hangs
In the balance.
Dixon soon realized that he was IL
for the hardest pull he had ever had
His dory rode deep with 500 pounds
OF fine cod. The furious wind buf
feted the boat, showering him will
spray A strong tide, too, was run
ming against him. Stout fisherman
though he was, he could never hav'
reached the schooner unaided. In
deed, he almost began to fear that h,
. might not be able to get to the bar
rel
Every little while he looked owe
his shoulder to see If it was coming
Once or twice he got a glimpse OF il
dancing corklike on,the pillows, drift
ing rapidly nearer.
The Lance had been entirely swal
lowed up in the snow-sQualls. Thi
did not trouble Dixon much, for hi
last glance had discovered the barre
about 800 yards away. When h
ASohSu o6ohhj hOWcNCIs IL WAS nluQe
behind wall of whirling flakes.
With aching arms and blistere
hands he bent now to his oars. Hi
strength was almost exhausted. n
man can hope to win out against
heavy gale. He was making yer
little progress, He must find tn
barrel in few minutes, or his pos
ton would be decidedly unpleasan
He was beginning TO fear that he ha
swerved too far TO the right or lef
when to his great Joy a backwar
look revealed the bobbing cask Jul
on the edge of his narrow horizo
about fifty feet ahead.
Dixon wasted no time in waitiu
for the cask to drift down to hir
He knew that probably all its roI
had been paid out, and that he mu
pull up to 1t.
Never in his life did he row har,
or nifty feet. His muscles cracke
and the blood spun from his nose
he forced the heavy boat through Il
hostile seas. A glance behind ga
him fresh strength; his goal was no
only ten feet away.
He threw all his power into a fe
mighty strokes; and presently h
heart was gladdened by an irregul
dumping under the gunwale of b
dory, as the cask ranged alohgsid