The Washington times., 1912-07-18
ANGRY FISH LEAPS
INTO BOAT, BEATS
ENGINE TO DEATH
Potomac Bass Uses Its Tail
to Crush Life From
Chugging Motor.

This is the tale of Potomac bass
that became infuriated at the chug-
chugging of a motor canoe in the waters
where only those of the paddle variety
frequent, and, leaping from the murky
waters Of the river, jumped into the
craft, brought the motor engine to a
dead standstill by beating It with its
tail.
The season for fish stories, while
always open in this part Of the country,
had been sadly neglected, until Andrew
P. Tallmadge, one Of the best-known
! canoeists IN Washington, perspiringly
padded the Dusty up to the Washing
ton Canoe Club last night, and told this
lone:
with a young woman whom you see
in the canoe now, l was INCORPORATING
in the Potomac above the Three Sis
ters, the craft going along at nine
mile-an-hour clip. On every side of me
there were canoes-frail little crafts
with two, three, and sometimes four
persons in them, all skimming through
the water, being propelled with paddles
in the hands Of the occupants.
Only One In Sight.
1.-The Dusty was the only motor
craft in sight. In fact. motor boats
rarely ever frequent just that part OF
the Potomac where we were cruising.
"Of a sudden my companion noted a
suspicious ripping to our starboard
side. She called my attention to II.
1 saw the nose Of an enormous fish,
with wide, staring eyes, protrude for
an instant. It then disappeared. A
minute ateT the same pair of eyes and
the same quivering nose showed up on
the port side. There was another splash.
and all was quiet.
Then the most peculiar of things oc-
Cured. What looked to me like a baby
whale playing tag with itself came
scurrying around the Dusty 1t went
around and around. looking first at me,
then at the middle OF the boat where
the motor was spluttering. then at the
other canoes in our vicinity, and then
back at the motor.
This kept up for what seemed to me
like an hour, although in reality 1t was
but a minute. I knew that something
was going wrong-I could tell from the
flashing eyes of the river animal.
Heard Its Swish.
my attention was drawn to another
direction. A faint swish-swash, fol-
lowed by a Shrek from my companion
and I looked just In time to see the
biggest bass I ever have seen here come
bulleting through the air in our direc.
ton just like the flying fishes you see
in the South seas If you are not on the
water wagon when you cruise there.
The fish landed near the part of tn,
canoe where the motor is exposed, and
by series Of jumps finally got a
strangle hold on the engine. At first
thought he got there by mistake, but
soon saw that 1t had been a premedi.
tated jump.
with glaring eyes, It viewed tn,
scene, and then with its tail begar
beating the engine. was afraid t
jump at 1t for fear Of upturning thu
boat. made my way to the motor a!
quickly as possible, but not until tn,
explosions had been silenced. The basl
was painting from overwork and from
long absence from water. 1t had sue
ceeded at its purpose. A look of salts
faction came over its face, and theI
the glaring eyes became still and lus
terless.
I'VE buried the bass at sea. It fel
as If its rights were being encroacheC
, upon, I guess, by the motor craft. anC
: we decided It was just as much
martyr as 1t Is possible for fish to be
l "The strenuous work of stopping tn
: engine with its tail was more than
could stand, and the bass was killed a
dead as a mackerel. If you don't be
lieve 1t, I can show you the mackerel.