The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1909-10-30

~ ert the Bruce that he was
so greatly impressed and
VA inspired by the spectacle OF
the spider accomplishing,
after very many efforts,
that task which it was unable to do at
first. we find ourselves beginning 10
wonder whether 1t had ever happened
Ia that royal fugitive to see salmon
or sea.trOut leapng at fall. lhere
Is no doubt whatever that in his jour
neyngs by food and field this is
sight that must have often met MS
eyes. Perhaps it was really TOO Ia
miliar to strike his spirit as the
spider struck ito great issues. This
leaping of the anadromous fishes at
fall IS at once an exhibition OF the
most monumental perseverance and
also of the most wonderful achieve.
ment of muscle that we are able 10
see. You may watch little fish, like
the grilse in the the picture, leapins
sheer over the height Of man, hang
ing there a moment in the down rush.
ing water, with tail quivering after
tie amazing effort that has provided
all the impetus, then swept down
again, like helpless mass of flotsam,
into the turmoil of water below. 1t Is
not until you begin to regard that
turmoil that you realize half the won
der Of 1t. This leap, or goodness only
can tell exactly how many times OF rs
tyIt 10 Inr on,
II it were taken from a favorable, or
at least firm. leaping board In
stead, il Is taken from that mass OF
fluid sliding, rushing In a direction
contrary to that in which the leap has
70 be made Recognizing that, the
wonder becomes little less than
miracle. If ii were not done, we
should say II was an impossibility.
closely watching, as far as we can,
the preparations of the fish for the
leap, We may see that ii takes what
We should call long run. allows It
self 10 be carried some distance down
stream before repeating the attempt,
ana when il essays the jump. comes
10 u almost vertically up through the
water, cIeaying the foam at the falls
loot This action has led some to
'allH that the fish does not, in fact
iafe such bad take off" as appears
iar 't Is argued that there is a back
fAsh underneath the surface move
man' Of the stream, towards the foot
& Tie fall and that the fish takes ad-
vantage Of this to get up its impetus
i.t The final vertical effort The fish
SHOWN In the picture are grilse, and
Hr Erase for their size, are. perhaps,
'a' most active Of all as 1t is right
'aa' they should be. seeing that they
are p the young and athletic age;
o.' re-" sight is hardly as impressive
# mat o' big salmon jumping
II "" can turn our thoughts from
..@ Wonder Of the power which the
"sa sagws in this leap, We must direct
'ae" on its untiring persistency The
f'''7aoi'y with which 1t is borne
-sNh time after time, and returns to
we Charge, recalls the pathetic story
~, .syTaus with his stone. On many
,+'., we know that the salmon's task
as unendng as that OF Sissy
t-.s s!msef The purpose of the fish
! Il a,Iampting the ascent is. 1t need
"a'1.g be said TO get up to the grav.
! Wy teaches, probably nearer the
sources Of the big river or on some
9' us ,ributarien. where their ova
nay develop sa.ely; and in all likeli.
.2aa though the story OF their life
"a never been fully told. these are
-sa striving to return to the nurseries
"-.sa they were themselves reared
.e-" are however. certain falls on
.-sa rivers which fish ara now IN.
ascend or are able to do so
such big spates as occur at
aglent intervals II may be
.'erai years will elapse before
.@t raised to such height as
=. The FISH to pass the fall
ag be owing to the natural
aduced by the action OF the
taa rock in heightening the
-. .rs IS sleeper, or taking away
s,ess u .andiugs. so to call them