fish-spear

• Format: Manuscript
• Language: English
• Published: 1969
• Subjects: English language > Dialects > Newfoundland and Labrador; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/elrcdne/id/25604

fish n [MICMAC guides] An indian fish-spear is a very simple affair, but it is far superior to any civilised instrument of the same kind. It consists of a straight iron spike about six inches long, let into the end of a pole of ash, or some other heavy wood, and two wooden jaws lashed one on each side of the spike. These jaws must be made of some tough elastic material, and are so shaped as to be furnished with broad barbs on the inner sides. There is a space of about six inches between the points of the jaws, which project an inch or two beyond the end of the iron spike, but the barbs are not more than a couple of inches apart; beyond and inside the barbs the jaws open out again to a breadth of about four orfive inches. When a fish is fairly (over) (cont'd. from other side) struck, the wodoen jaws expand, the iron spike tranfixes him, the weight of the blow forces him above the barbs, and the/ jaws closing in again, hold him as fast as though he were in a vice. This kind of spear is very light and handy. PRINTED ITEM DNE-cit WK- Nov.26/69 Used I and Sup Not used Withdrawn fish and brewis, fish box.~cask,~company,~crate, ~drum, ~farm, ~fly, ~frame, ~gull, ~jigger, ~killer, fish('s) pea(s), ~plant, FISHING ROOM, ~pound, ~room, ~stage, ~store, ~top, ~trimmer, ~truck, ~tub, BANK, FALL, GREEN, SALT FISH, SUMMER, ~barrel, ~barro withdrawn but no stamp; Card marked DNE-cit, but not used; Reverse side of F_16475