The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1914-07-04
PISCATORIAL YARNS.
All Competitors, Having
True Stories" are Q Re-
quested to send in the
Copy Early.

Some years ago the writer was
a member of a party of 80, repre-
senting ten postotfices IN this
state, who spent several days at
Last Island. One of the younger
set of the party went fishing in
the Gulf, using mullet as bait.
he hooked and landed Pelican.
No. We were not witness to
the performance-but We saw the
bird.
On another occasion we sailed
with party to the west ann OF
Vermillon Bay-known to sailors
of small craft as "Hell Hole. "
Our bent was fishing and we de
pended upon the sea for bait.
Two of the party went out In the
boats yawl to work the cast-net
for mullet or shrimp. One throw
Of the net brought in a raccOOn.
We saw the coon and helped to
chain him when brought to the
schooner.
We have repeatedly told these
stories, believing them true. Now
comes the latest, vouched for by
very good friend of ours, who de-
clares he was distressingly" sober,
and that he and his camera were
witnesses of the performance here
related.
THE PRIZE STORY.
Some question and doubt hay
ing been raised as to the ability OF
young man, living IN the prairie
west of Broussardville, to catch
fish without bait, hook, line, net
or other entanglements, a party
was madeup and went toBroussarG.
vile on last Sunday by automo
biles to witness the test. After
the party's arrival the unique fish
erman was sent for. In due time
he showed up, smiling.
The fishing grounds chosen for
the test were in the bayou Tortue,
in Vermilion parish After the
arrival, on the banks of the bayou,
the fisherman changed his wear
ing apparel for rougher suit and
waded into the stream, at times in
water, to his neck He disturbed
the waters violently, as If to
brighten all fish away from him.
Then after few passes and signs,
accompanied by muttered sen
fences, he would call out more dis
tinctly, in a cOaxing tone. "venez
-avancez," holding his out
stretched hands below the surface
Of the water, slightly apart. He
would then bring his hands gently
together and raise them above the
water, holding between them a
fish. He would then throw the
creature upon the bank, where 1t
would indulge those violent gym.
nastics usual under similar Cir
cumstances.
This performance was repeated
many times with slight variations,
such as naming the species he
would next catch, or whether it
would be a large or small one,
catching small ones by the head
between his thumb and foretinger,
taking as many as three small
ones with one hand at one time,
etc. In one remarkable instance
he announced large perch in
waiting at certain point and,
after varied performances IN 9th
er parts of the water, returned to
the formerly designated place,
and stretching forth his hands
with the usual invitation, a dorsal
fin was seen to appear just above
the surface of the water couple
of feet away. Odedient to his
call it proceeded directly to his
hands, taking position between
them. His hands were brought
together, the fish lifted out of the
water and thrown upon the bank
This wonderful fisherman con
structed for himself a fish pond,
near his home, by building a dam
across the lower end of a ravlne.
This pond was stocked with fish
taken from various bodies of wa
ter. From this pond he supplies
his own table and the demands of
the local market without waste or
uncertainty. He pays little at.
tention to weather or direction of
wind. The old charm
Wind from East-fish bite least;
Wind from West-fsh bite best
Wind from NOrth-time's little worth;