On the 17th of June, 1673, the canoes of Joliet and Marquette and their five subordinates reached the junction of the Wisconsin with the Mississippi...Turning southward, they paddled down the stream, through a solitude unrelieved by the faintest trace of man. A big cat-fish collided with Marquette's canoe, and startled him...for he had been warned by the Indians that he was on a foolhardy journey, and even a fatal one, for the river contained a demon "whose roar could be heard at a great distance, and who would engulf them in the abyss where he dwelt."Life on the Mississippi - Mark Twain
I was curious if Twain's river demons really existed. Apparently, in his day 6 foot catfish were regularly pulled out of the river with teams of horses. Happy fishing...
1 comment:
When dealing with Twain's Mississippi River demons, it is best to not ask questions about its existence. Just by mentioning six-foot fish will ignite men to seek out these fish, capturing them as trophies to hang on some poorly decorated wall. And what is it about such a creature that would draw us to lure it ashore, lure it to its death? Is it our need to feel superior, or like you said, mere curiosity. Did curiosity indeed kill the catfish?
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