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tjJsE RUSSELL J. COLES, THE IZAAK WALTON OF Personality of Man Roosevelt Devilfishing and Whose Pastime Is Study By JOHN "WALKER HARRINGTON TWO men were lighting perfectos the other Any, In the lobby; of ths Hotel Imperial Their face were -wreathed In both smiles and smoke, for they were pleased with themselves. One had sold to the other a hundred hogsheads of Virginia leaf and the prlco was right for both. They were nbout to proceed to the latest story when a Bravo and spectacled person rushed up and shook the am pier of the twain warmly by the hand. "Just a word of congratulation to you," he said to tho able salesman, "on your magnificent demonstration that Cynosclon nothus Is merely an abnor mal regnlls." The recipient of the compliment, which sounded strangely like a recital of the price list of Havana cigars, was a much enlarged and very, modern Izaak Walton. His knowledge of big game flab and their ways has made him the friend of many noted men. He la the author of sclentlflo mono graphs which have attracted the at tention of Institutions of learning and also a contributor to tho collections of the foremost museums of the world. Likewise he Is n Judge of all kinds of sea food nnd w other things to be later enumerated, ills best friend Is Cot Theodora Roosevelt, who thus de scribes him In the current number of Bcritmer's Mngnjine In an account of a devil fl.ih hunt whloh ho undertook as the guest of this stalwart brother of the harpoon: "Russell Jordan Coles, by vocation a tobacco dealer of Danville, Vs., and by avocation a sportsman and field nat uralist, especially an Ichthyologist.' He Is both Walton and Nlmrod. The son of Cush began early, to be mighty on the earth, It la recorded In Holy Writ. "Russell J. Coles of Danville, Virginia, sah," an In booming voice he always announces himself when mak ing calls, business, lchthyologlcal or social, began to be mighty on the sea while he was a very young man. He was brought np in the train of Princess Nicotine, his ancestors hav ing been planters for generations. All the same he had such leanings toward marine biology that in his reckless youth he would have gone out for museums as a deep sea explorer at a alary so small that It would have been mere white bait compared with Ms present Income. He took there fore to fishing naturally, as a means of recreation while he was developing' Into one of the best sellers of the virgin leaf upon the road. A' Mndrrn Isaalc 'Waltasu Izaak Walxon according to most authorities .was a linen draper and milliner and very much In trade. His deep Interest In angling, Just as the enthusiasm of Russell J. Coles has done, brought him Into contact with all sorts nnd conditions of men. He started with a little shop only five feet wide nnd seven feet deep and throve so well In Piccadilly that he was able to retire at fifty years and to devote himself to tho placid pur suit of angling In the brooks and streams of merry Englnnd. Ho had seriously slven himself to commerce and yet out of his recrea tion grew the finest rewards of his life, for he, tho tradesman, became the friend nnd biographer of some of the most eminent persons of his time statesmen, poets and divines nnd also the author of a classic In literature, for such Is the world's greatest book on his nrt, "The Com plcnt Angler." One of theso days Russell Jordan Coles of Virginia may write the plncatorlnl biography of the Colonel nnd relate his own many perilous experiences, although he Is not so grently bound to literature as was his seventeenth century prototype- When the fnther of angling was on enrth clergymen wero forbidden by the laws of tho church to Indulge In venery nnd hawking. They might not pursue the boor nor slay the deer, so they drifted Into that pastime nf the contemplative man. fishing. Now nobody would cnll Russell J. Coles nn Introspective person. He laughs tn the welkin, nnd when he speaks the deaf may hear again. He 1 the big gnme hunter afloat. Just ns Col. Roosevelt nnd the Rev. Dr. William P. Ralnfnrd nnd Carl E. Akeley are nlmrods of tho African Jungles. Tnll, great of girth, tipping the scale easily at 274 pounds, Russell Jordan Coles could never be mewed up omong dusty tomes. Scientist he Is Indeed, but a scientist so full of everlasting pep that ho could never enonfi his ilnvs lioiiJlncr over diagrams nnd necking through microscopes. ' Ho was n lilg lirother of the angle before ho became the Walton of tho , harpoon Once In the presence of nn amazed group he caught a BOO pound I shark with hook nnd linn and landed! It scientifically with n slender pole, j However, Mr. Coles decided to seek yet, jnoro adventurous sport, nnd this Is ; how It happened tlmt he went after tho greater denizens of tho sen with gun ii nd bomb nnd lance. lluntrr of Ilevlln.h. Ills favorite outdoor sport Is the siaying in wvuiisn. mere is a popu-, tho High part of tho back of the manta lir Idea that u devilfish Is kin to the just as tho two great bluck fins were octopus, that creature of clinging ten-ung madly Into tho air nnd almost tacles. .s a mntter of fact. It Is very) moetlng over our heads deluged us like a flattened whnle. It often mens-! with many gallceis of water. Then the lues 2.-. feet fiom tip to tip across Its; two fins crashed down on the surface g;cat illpprrs, Devilfish rango in 0f the sea with u noise that could have weight up to six tons. j i.en hcard for mlleSi nnd tll8 manta Thn big flhh do not look for trouble, hnstnntly repeated the performance a.s but when nroused they have an In-! I yelled to tho engincor, 'Keep her fernal temper. It takes n man like Kolng!' Russell J. Coles to go after them ln "just as the boat was sliding from true form, for even the Fight of tho , the back of the manta another huge creatures, with their horns, their wide ono rushed up from below, striking nnd yawning mouths nnd their Satanic full m our port' bow with sufllclcnt tulls, would be terrifying to the uver-j force to spin tho boat around until her ago cltlon. i direction was almost reversed. Atone A classic light of science was Mr. time nil four of tho great pectoral fins Coles's killing off tho coast of western , were towering nliove us nnd floods of Florida of the enormous devilfish from ! water wero bolng flung into our boat, which n huge model is being made to "First tho stern and then tho head be exhibited In tho American Museum ! of tho craft was highest ns she pitched ol Natural History. .Mr. Coles had 1 from side to Bide. Then I heard the found that both sharks and raya often i chug chug of tho propeller blades us continued fighting long after both they gashed tho tin of tho tin of the their hearts and brains had been pierced by lance and bullet. Ho there-j fore designed for his marine hunting a huge lance, more than three times ns heavy as tlnj largest whalo lance. He calls It n spailo typo on account of Its having a cquaro cutting edge four Inches m width. The manta or devilfish when Who Took Colonel of Sea Monsters wounded retains so nraoh of Its won derful vitality that It has bean known to tow a hundred ton vessel out to swa by the cable after first pullhtf the anohor up from tho bottom. Mr. Coles recalls one occasion when a manta which had been shot, harpooned lanced was still strong enough to poQ eight boats lashed together, and ths crews, in order to save themselves, had to cut the rope. He therefor Invented a drogue or drag, a structurs of planks to which the line bearing a harpoon la attached. Such a device Is used la whaling to Impede the movements of the Ironed cetaceans. The sportsman-scientist la of a breed that takes the bull by the horns. In stead of waiting for the devilfish to crush his boat he employs a system of strategy in which are Included soma startling stunt It take a skilled crew and a steel nerved and wire thewed harpooner of ths Coles stamp to execute his brands of feats, but he enjoys the risk and the trained men whom he hires get to crave the excite- if hi imm the ...llllllllllH&s I BSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSW' MBBBBBBBfetBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB I W ft.S I ssssssssssssssssssssAXSssssssHlssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssF7XA1 . B, . -Sk SBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBSS v.' JlSSSSSSHvO l.'.BSSSSSSMiSSSSSSSW X I 1 w X" - y mm- BBBSSSSB, 4i"& si." ViSBBBBBBBBBBKBBSSSSSBr "-; '- ' jsi r x taAsBsia. . . twu t agassBsw j- rs5br w-iF'y.v' v bbbbsssh.s -i I i .. i laSBBBBTT." Sl 'A'Aal'BBSSSSSSSBSBSSSSBBBlflBBSSSSSsVr A ' JlI i TIJtZS KSBBSSsV LsdHssPsaHfaTrSj i -4 SBBBBkBsPBsiliBBSBBSSSSSBSH pV f dSSBBBSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS i' 'S lti2mU? NtSBSSSSSBsVsstf 5VSl?LL COLES and COL ROOSEVELT WITH CAPTVRED OEVILFISH- . fOTO COUTt AMtSlCMI MVIIVM NMMtlU. SltTOSrf raent of them. It Is a sport which only a man of Inborn daring would ask to learn. Coles and his crew were In a motor- boat near Hllnd Pass, on the western coast of Florida, and In the midst of the devil fishing grounds. In 1915. when there came n terrific shock, and four of tho party who were standing up looking for signs of the quarry were -thrown violently down Into the bottom of tho vessel. ."Tho .boat," to quote Mr. Coles, "which was running under full power, had met tho head of a manta rising to tho surface and coming toward us at moderate speed. The shock of the collision wus so groat that It almost stopped tho headway of the boat and her bow was lifted more than a foot out of fater. "Our sneed carried the boat un over first mnnU. The engineer kept tho engine going nt full speed, but the 'blades of tho screw wero not catching tho water now and for a short distance wo wero carried upon the brond backs of the two monster devils of the sen. "Scarcely a word was spoken until in tho midst of a wild upheaval of tho two madly, frightened manta beneath slVVKHBSsssssssssssssssssssssfsssssssssssssssssssssH SSELL J. COL. ROOSEVELTS HOST AT DEVILFISH 2 y iv us the boat was flung from their backs and was turning over, when I shouted, 'High side!' which order was Instantly obeyed. Two of the crew, except for an arm or n leg, threw themselves en tirely out of the boat. The craft struck head first and shipped a lot or wnter over her bow, but we were now clear of tho two manta, which raced together on the surface for a short distance. "Almost In an Instant," to quote from tho article, "My Fight with tho ! Devilfish," In a recent number of the American Muteum Journal, "the boat was cleared of surplus water and we were In pursuit of the two manta, when suddenly they went below. We saw them manv times nfterwnrd fnr ' they were easily recognized, being nl- t wnvs together. Tho first showed th bleeding fin tlD which hod been cut bv ! our propeller, and Its mate had lost about eight Inches from the tip of one 1 of Its fins in some former encounter." In a fight with n large she devilfish, ! Mr. Coles said that after the creaturo 1 wan hnrpooned tho boat was so well, nunaieu inai noi more man once in a dozen rushes did the devilfish roach the surfaco without finding the boat on her back. On each occasion ho drove the lanco through her heart or brain ono or more times and after the fight she showed twenty-three wounds. I "A sensation hard to describe," said Mr. Coles of this experience, "which 1 must h. (ho htnnn- i,,.f nf , must be tho blood lust of primitive parod with his accounts written or man, makes tho hand lanco tho weapon ' spoken for the popular clientele, thnt yields the most satisfaction. No This same Russell Jordan Coles, to matter how frightened or excited a . bacco dealer and big flsh killer, is nl.so man mny bo. Just let him put every I tho man who composed tho mono ounco of his brute strength behind the ! grnph, "Natural History Notes on tho thrust of a hnnd lanco and all sense of l Devllllsh, Manta blrostrls (Wnlbaum) fpnt lnnv.r-u ttlvi. ou V. ! ... .. 1 lnn Ifntuiln nlfanl I , , 1 1 , . I, , t i drives homo nnd recovors the lance I OVCrv sensation but slmnln htnnrl luat ! ovcry sensation but simple blood lust nppenrs to bo dead. "Through nil this flght the great mole mato of the wounded manta kept near us until the flght wuh ovor and three times nenrly capsized us by pushing tho bunt from the bnck of tho fcmnlo. Onco Just nfter we had been nearly capsized by a henvy blow from the head of the' male and the female THE SUN, SUNDAY, SKATE WHICH RESEMBLES THE DEVUriSH IN CONTOUR 5V 3 COLES. HVNTING MR COLES AND A was fighting most violently, when we were all covered with tho blood of our victim and the boat was almost filled with water, Luther Dixon, tho young est member of the crew, thinking that the end for all of us was near, tried to force a harpoon Into my hand as he screamed, 'Iron the big bull nnd let's go to hell In tow of n team of devils." "Then the dying manta raised her head against the side of tho boat and gave a loud, harsh bark or cough. As I exclaimed, 'Watch her eyes rolling two ways at once!' tho stricken crea ture slowly moved one of her eyes un til with that one only sho seemed to look at us all behind her In the boat. "The light was now over. Tho big manta that we had como for was dead. We at once secured tho fish to our stern and headed for Hllnd Pass, more than a mile away. Wo renched It In an hour of hard towing and then met an ebb tide against which we could mako no headway. So, making the specimen fast to tho beach and leaving lances, I run the boat Inside and hired another boat to assist with the towing. Then, returning, we made both boats fast and the long trip began." The gigantic specimen was finally aruwn tu mo utuiuji wnurc wio uiiuij of the naturalist was situated al- or ir.e naiurausi was siiuaiea, ai though most of the time a heavy squall was raging nnd the body once broke adrift. Hero the sportsmnn- , Bi.cuwoi ..n m.nj iu u.. ,.. .miiwus ft Piaster cast of the carcass, HclentUt as Well nn Sportsmnn. Such reports of tho prowess of Rus- sell Jordan Coles as this attracted the nttentlon of Col. Roosevelt, who en tered Into correspondence with him. The result w.sb n specially conducted York and Its ways, and Is not partial excursion to devilfish haunts In which'. wn th -, ,i, 1- Mr. Coles wns tho host of the Colonel. , 'The former President has recently re- lted his own experiences nt Hllnd 1 aa where he killed several of tho devils of the deep under tho nble dl- rcctlon of his mentor. Keen ns Mr- Coea Is ns a sports-( "r mo t-uiumw, iiiu,mn.n do not Impend, He can sit with imiuiwwi uuu., Kin .ur iiKi mere iuvu , of slaughter, despite his confession of primeval bloodthlrstlness. Tho ob servatlons, made by him on his trips have been compiled by him in a scion- tlflc form which Is stripped of all but the plain facts. In fact his scientific' atyle Is almost too bloodless as com-1 rwirnrt with ! nrnnnnt ,vrittn nr the author of a brochuro entitled I "Vntps nn thn fmlmn, nf aaw.fnl! Notes on tho embryos of several species of rays, with remarks on the northward summer migration of cer tain tropical forms observed on the coast of South Carolina." The editor of that official harbinger of Ichthyology "Copelu" testifies to tho valuablo contributions of Mr. Coles on a wide variety of subjects. Mr. Coles's demonstration that a certain kind of SEPTEMBER 9, 1917. weakflsh, the Cynosclon nothus, was after all merely an abnormal recalls, which had bean an Individual aberrant from the true type, may be found by reference to the archives of science. Another notable achievement of Mr, Coles was his Investigation of a oaaC nlballstlo Peterophyrne, which ha duly dissected and described. All that Mr. Coles does for ths advancement of human knowledge la a labor of love. Ha receives no salary for his re searches from any source and the col lections hs has given to such Institu tions aa the American Museum, the National Museum and the Musee Hls tolra Naturells of Paris hav been gathered at his own expense. When he has leisure from his busi ness of sailing Virginia leaf, as likely aa not he will be found eagerly dis cussing his observations with scien tists. One week he may drop tn on Dr. Bashford Dean, the Ichthyologist of this city, and the next he may be collaborating with that brilliant In vestigator of marine life It. Hussakof In the preparation of a paper. During the winter he may take part In con ferences at the Cnmegio Institute or prepare papers for the Washington Zoological Society or confer with Government experts on the many phases of what to him Is recreation and to them work. A plain man who comes out of ths FLESHLY KILLED SHARIO world of the every day, most of his as sociates are scientists who print their names as a prelude to an alphabetical recitative of ucademlc degrees. He keeps his secretary busy while he Is at home with the despatching of letters, some of which announce thnt within a few days he will coll with some won derful propositions In his line, while In others ho expresses his vlows on new species in the world beneath the waves. Rrcrratlon In Flablns; Trips. "I have to work at least eight months of tho year." said he to me the other day, "so as to have money enough to go on theso fishing trips, you see. They cost considerable, what with hiring and buying motor boats and launches and employing high grade men to help along with them. "If It were not for this avocation of mine I would havo been married long ago. I'm suro of that. Hut here I go on, year after year, getting together those collections and giving them awayJ gladly in tho hope that by so doing I ,,.,. . - , , ,.,,' knowledge and be of use to my fellow men." Let no one get the Idea from the . flhnVA hnf niluonlt T rVtla. I - In n K,ns. ,,,,' . ., Kalln"t of. mcn and ls nover 80 1,aPP' . as wh(m ho ,g .., guliant compll-1 paying gallant compli ments. Like honest Izaak Walton, i who C01lId reo0gnlro the beauty of a ' pretty llIkmald , t))c Krcen 8PttlnK 0f lne B,,rlng, this Chief Of tho devil- flsh killers knows hn- fn miri.rlte ' m, ,.. A typical Virginian In manner and speech Is he nnd much like Wnlton, too , hs undcr.,tan(llnK Umt n fly ; a net Is nil tho hotter for having been nmrt hv n iino -mn w iiu.- to a svll.ihnh nf vriir hv- .h .m. nt I ,no havcock. Tho llL-ht nf th. .'hira : is welcome to him. but not so much BO, atter niti nH tlle gow of a C(mp (lre ma(j0 from the henping driftwood of a sandy bench'. jr0 )s happiest when tho works of n ensure with ramrmtio f hi. hunt ing and seo above him the vault of blue and beyond the henvlng wave of the sen l.n lni. IIlo .n...jln., cornstalk hat Is thrown aside hlV shirt, open nt the thront shows h Is macular chest and hta Strong "rm I and skilful lands nr" ofTe.f 3 ....... .. onr" '"IK . ... . . . , , with tho cookery of tho out of doors. None knows better thnn Russell J, Coles how to convert nil the abun dnnco of the seas Into a lure for tho pnlnte of mankind. He is n Savnrln of the cicinn, Ho can make a dish for the fnstldloiiM out of n lady skato stingray pnd a pieco de resistance from a He can give Just the proper dash of sherry and the appropriate modicum of yolk of egg. All matters of gas tronomy como to him by unerring Instinct. He would tw no more capa ble of putting Ice In claret than he would of using tho wrong lanco on a right whale. His excursions Into eptcureanlsm are exnet and delightful. The description of the proper cook ing of ths trout ss given by honest Iseak is no more tempting than the preparation of pompano by able Russell. Like Walton he does not despise the meek and lowly as be neath his skill with the skillet. Tou remember that wonderful rec ipe which the great exemplar of fishing gave to his brothers of the angle anent the cooking of the chub? Now the chub of England la about the same kind of creature as the mud sucker of the Western rivers In this country. Its flesh la rather coarse and rank, and, as Walton remarked, "It hath a watery humor," but all the same it was properly prepared by him and duly appreciated by his friends. Russell J. Colas, like gentle Izaak, cooks that h may show the way In which even the plainest piscine fare may be made palatable. Like Walton he would give cheap fish to some poor body who can appreciate It It Is the same Idea 'which he has about sharks and rays, which he believes are eminently good to eat, for he has eaten them after his own cookery and recommends them to others. If there Is anything which he de tests In this world which he finds otherwise so bright It Is food prejudice. "Food habits and food prejudices vMlM Ew-vNHIPjsBBgBVIMHE V s "-eaggsssHsBBSBsr "... . V- - - - TEBB5JS?iassB!fsl NURSE SHACK KILLED BY MR COLES' PARTY. ITS FLESH IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. HOW TAFFY, TAFFV was a Wei an exceedingly at but he was tho 1 shman, and amusing one, biggest nui sance In the company, or In the bat talion for that matter. Early In August 1914, he forsook his trade os a miner to tako up arms for his country, and twenty-four hours later he would havo . 1. . . ... , been glad to be back at his civilian ob- uLs Rrcat trouble was that he hni1 a rooted oblectlon to dlclnlln In Hv . . ... .... ' Iorm or sal'e. aitnougn m his favor it must bo urged that this objection was passive rather than aggressive, and usually accompanied by a smirk ct am'se(1. If injured, tolerance at any correction. When moved to feelings be'ond control ho took ref ugo In tho language of his forefathers, which was Perhaps as well ulnco n l"stood ot It. i T.he drafl '" "e" ravelling .slnco early morn and It was now close upon 6 at night. They hnd arrived In nil I varieties of garb, mostly by now ron-! dered unrecognizable by the prevailing mud, but Taffy's was tho most con- splcuous nmnng this motley of curious 1 raiment, for a startling check en- veloped his person. It was one of those checks that you could have com- 1 . . . .11 "'"."'"y01' '",on "e .t.wv, uiini, u i. . mm iM'anir ii u . , J " "'""iV" " J U fhTh"" BT,P ,hU,- KV"'T "!!m h' drP witticism which would draw n roar roar of lnughtcr from his companions, but him. Ills laugh, which In tho past his general tone denoted n decided had often been heard nt Inappropriate lack of approval of things of the mo- moments, was now welcomed on fre ment. quent occasions lu themselves enlcu- Twelve to u bell tent was the order, luted to mnke for depression. His kit accordingly Taffy was bundled In with t nt Itkspoctlon proved to bo Intact, eleven others und left to his fatn for while ho hod developed a hnblt of the time being, Thn following morn- j fnthcrlng tho test ot his section, til ing he wns arraigned before his com-. eluding tho corporal, In n manner pany commander upon n charge of quite nmnzlng. "causing a disturbance nfter lights Ilo was a perfect magpie In the nut." Evidence In the shape nf a manner In which he stowed away black eye being ehll!td by "otic or things likely to come In hnndy at the eleven i ther occupants of the tent, hlnek moments, and that witty tongue It was explained to THffy that, while n 'of hl wngied every moment nf i' militant spirit wns to bo encour.iueil. i,ij ;S olll.ers Penan to view him he must not practise the arts of war . with u more lenient eye and oven the upon his comrades for so trivial n mat- sergeant major grudgingly allowed ter as lack of breathing room, which, 1 that "thcro might bo good In the fel- THE HARPOON which are unreasonable," said Mr. Coles the other day, "keep the Ameri can people from eating millions of tons of perfectly good sea food which they might Just as well have as not. "Out tn Australia the scientists are making the effort of their lives to get tho natives of the Antipodes to eat blueflsh, yet they are making heavy weather with It, despite the fact that they are continually telling that we Americans are so partial to such fare. Likewise we have been throwing away menhaden as fertiliser In this country when that fish, properly cured and smoked, Is an good aa If not better than the finest herring. "Now It's the same nonsensical squeamlshnesa that we have about sharks and rays. I consider that moat sharks are a perfectly good fish for eating purposes. This last summer I tested them quite considerably, for I ate nine varieties of them and about ten kinds of rays. "First, tho shark Is a much better and cleaner fish than most people know. Onco In n while we find some Individual that develops the scavenger traits or takes to man eating, and hav ing once got a taste of human meat looks for more, but on the whole tho shnrk Is aa cleanly a creature as the lobster or ns that highly esteemed anl mal from which we derive our Smith- field hams. "Why, sharks are quick, clean eaters. They kill their prey In the open, and they live off the choicest food fishes that come their way. The hammerhead shark, for Instance, makes his meals almost entirely off the Span Ish mackerel. Other kinds follow up the sting rays, and what Is better In flavor than those same rays? "However, seeing Is believing, and the Droof of the food is largely in the eating, I spent two months and a half this last summer experimenting on my own responsibility regarding the edlbll Ity of certain kinds of flsh, and I am convinced that we have been missing our chances of having plenty of good, cheao food, "Sharks are often especially good to eat. I know of no more delicious meat than that of the small dogfish, whlcn Is canned theso days and much relished at that under the name of grayflsh. I have hauled these smooth dogfish aboard my boat down at Morehead City on the North Carolina coast and A BAD 'UN, ROSE TO FAME ho alleged, hnd started the rumpus. "e was namonisncn. Tho samo day he took exception to j his dinner, which perhaps was not al together to he surprised at, since camp culinary nrt wns in no sense highly developed in those days. As the fault oould not be adjusted to his satisfac tion he struck and refused to go on the subsequent parade. "No food, no work," was his motto, and his attitude I at company oltlce the following morning 1 a one of "sticking up for his rights," , ' I"' '"'"" i.iainiy i.r mm. am no count In mitigation, and so, helng fed . up with tlie army, lie decamped, re- nialning nbsent until ho wns nppre lieniled by the civil police. Now this sort of thing, If Indulged In to excess, breeds retaliatory meas ures, ns happened in Taffy's case, Crlmn after crime wa registered ncnlnst him until, when the timo of emliarkation for France arrived, his conduct sheet was easily tho worst In the bnttnllon On tho actual sea Journey he mnn- aged to lose his rifle, nlso his cop nnd his water bottle, whllo his uniform, which hnd been Issued to him brnnd new a week earlier, was positively filthy. He had by now become the bano of his, company sergeant mnjor's existence, whllo his platoon ofllcer shuddered nt th very thought of what ........... ... ...... "mll1 happen to tho fellow under real ,i I tin ill. I ui in. w"' , ' " fur tut tho prophets wero all con- nded nnd days went by without further fnults being recorded ngnlnst partaken of the cooked steaks wrth much relish. "The spring shark fish or the V,n shark Is almost free from odor and is one of ths most wholesome and tooth, some fishes In ths world. Sharks can be used as we do blueflsh, mnckurel or pompano and are as good; other varie ties of the genus, such as the mir.ia shark, the cub, the sharp nosed shirk and the sand bar have some odor, hut they can be readily treated so that they become very presentable ami in vltlng. ' Where thero Is a notlre,ii,0 smell I have "found It possible to over come It. "Cut the meat Into slices nlmut three-quarters of an Inch thick, salt it heavily for thirty minutes, tin- n Punk the salt out, parboil again sllctuly, wash and remove surplus wnter with a cloth or by hanging up the meat tu drain, then cook and servo hot. Tho meat of these varieties can be fried or, better still, baked. For the oven i recommend a Spanish kind of dre.ini; made of onion, tomato, mustard, vine gar, sugar, potatoes and plenty of pep. per." Mr. Coles, for the sake of sclenc and for the reduction of living rostn, has been trying all the ray family Especially does he commend ths smooth skate as without odor and con taining excellent food. Tho clear nose skate or briar ray he finds has a flavor similar to that of shrimp. The small electric ray, supposed tn have currents about him with which he can knock a man down, Is ptroni; only potentially, for Its flesh Is praised by Mr, Coles as beyond compare for fine savor. Likewise he gives high ap. proval to the small devilfish ns well worthy of the attention of an epicure. All these varieties of sharks and rays Mr. Coles would see canned and mar keted. Pood Resource Overlooked. "I can conscientiously suggest to my fellow citizens,' said he the other day, "that they can eat these creatures, for I have tried every one of them. Aftfr catching; the specimens I would hav some of the flesh cut off, and with my own hands I would cook It In a per fectly clean aluminum vessel which had been specially sterilized and mads ready. " 'See here, men,' I said to my crew, 'you watch me for twenty-four hour after consuming the new diet, nnd If there are no 111 effects I guess you can pitch In yourselves.' "They always waited nnd by nnd by they tackled this food nnd soon wo had guests at dinner where we served omi of these delicacies we had been testlnc I was perfectly willing to take th chance. I had been trying to go with Col. Roosevelt ns nn officer In his di vision which might have gone tn France, but as long as It did not I wa serving my country In somn measuro by testing out the food supplies and Increasing the same." Mr. Coles obtained the cooperation of the Rurenu of Fisheries In his work nn the North Carolina const and through it distributed hundred pound portlonj of shnrk meat on Ice to Individuals nnd dealers who were disposed to tako a chance with It. He has nlso been In touch with the United StateR Food Ad ministration on the same subject. Ml his Ideas on this subject have met tho approval of Col. Roosevelt and recen'h they were Issued In tho form nf i statement, after a conference at vhn 'i the Colonel presided. At the p im meeting there were also present Pr V A. Lucas, Dr. John T. Nichols nnd ur Flavel S. Luther. That many of these practical gas tronomic experiments of Mr. Coles's will bear fruit there en be no douht He Is' as patient an investigator -h Izaak Wnlton wns an angler, mid I philosophy of life has always 'wen ti do the work his hands find to ilo w h ! all his might I He has been gathering dc.'1h I which aro good for little prc- ns curiosities, and yet at the same t 'ir he has collected a vast fund nf 'Hh I lore which he believes will at this time stand the nation In good stead LlK his English predecessor, Russell Jor dan Coles, by vocation tobacco do-iler and by avocation Ichthyologist, he not worry over trifles ns he proc-. along the road of life "to Tottenhim High Cross." Ho combines bis bus -npss and his pleasure, for he nukes play of his work and work of lilt, pl.iv Above nil else n cheerful, hnppy man Is he, thankful as was the good JMs cator of old, "for stomach nnd meat and content and leisure to go tlvhins " low If he'd only give It n chance to como oui.- The battalion lay. shrouded In t'' cold mist of an e-arly morning nuit,rg tho order which would send them i' battle, for It was tho morn of Looj Taffy's company was In support nf "A," but when they came up two ir'n utes later tho former had melted aw v as wheat before the sickle. Tin- s porting company fared little bet"- but curiously enough Taffy s .' '. t came through almost unscathed, ex cept for the corporal, who w.is t tarly In the advanco ity general . r sent Taffy carried on ns lender. "d quickly had his bit of trench cm- - j dated ngalnst tho inevitable .oi-'-r annex This came at f o'clock in t'm r -nlng, when ten men held cm 1 kn p- m denth to an advanced strong i which hnd become Isolated th-T h fnlluro on the part of sections mi right to keep touch. How such things happen It im possible to say, for had te ;t beon pressed with any roscihit-.w i small post must have been - whelmed ut the first rush Three- i i In varying stages of col'.npse found when a relieving fcrr -pushed up half an hour later .c' ferlng from grievous wounds n was left alive of the gallant tc-n Taffy's case was pitiable in t e treme. His left nrni hung ti-o his side, nnd blood, which hnd i ' ntod the featurc-M of tils llvnl f.c . still oozing slowly from a J.iKs-e l nbovo the temple, while his c . had been literally but tied off hi.- by the bursting of a shell close- ! . ' the pain must have been torture Ho was moved away Willi a ties.s that was touching. Tho ( himself wished the Wnlshimin spend .us he was cnrriecl p.c-t ' q larters to the e!resing station t had already become known wh i that hacl s.n ed the sltualtoii His suhseiueiit rec-o cr. nnd tlture with the nistliiRul-hul c .Medal for his services are tint which he Is not n little proud, 'n' Ihln'Tnt which ho ne cr cn,i--es i . vol, so he will tell you. is thnt a whole five weeks In l-'rnc n - never a black murk ugainst hi nnm- fetVU.'i