I'm reading a biography about George Washington written by Ron Chernow. It's really good. Recently, I came across a couple parts that made me laugh. GW kept a journal where he kept track of things. He didn't really tell how he was feeling or expound about the big important things that were going on in world events, he mostly told what the weather was like, what he bought or sold, or what he hunted. He was an avid hunter and one day his journal says, "killed five mallards and five bald eagles." I don't know why, but that made me laugh out loud when I read it. Take
that, majestic national bird!
I also read a blog about GW (see the sidebar) and today's post features a tackle box of George's. He liked to fish for fun, and also he had a pretty successful commercial fishing venture going at Mount Vernon. The blog post also tells us that when Washington was in Barbados when he was 19, he enjoyed some fishing time and he caught a shark and a dolphin.
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Ohhhh, he didn't, did he?
Yes, he did. |
Later that trip he caught small pox and pleurisy.
:-)
ReplyDeleteHe caught a shark, a dolphin -- and then later he caught small pox and pleurisy.
:-) I like that.
Pearl
obviously there were lots of things going around that could get caught back then!
ReplyDeleteSo different today, isn't it. I am not what I think of an animal activist but it jolted me to read about GW shooting the mallards and eagles that I watch today and enjoy so much. I know that years ago people hunted and hopefully it was just to bring home the bacon so to speak. But a shark and a dolphin? Did they eat them? Yikes.
ReplyDeletePearl, Thanks! And thanks for commenting! I read your blog!
ReplyDeleteEva, No kidding!
TechnoBabe - It must have been so different! I wonder if GW did eat the eagles and dolphin. I guess shark is pretty tasty. I love GW but now I'm worried I will come across something about how he like to catapult puppies for fun or something equally as disturbing.