PUNTA KASSA TO CALOOSAIIATCHIE. 293 



old Isaac we would advise him to drop a strongly geared 

 spinner overboard after leaving the islands, for if disposed 

 he can have his time fully occupied in landing cavalli 

 ranging from two to twenty pounds. During our ascent 

 of this stream we daily and hourly regretted the absence 

 of a Grains (fishing spear), for we felt tempted to capture 

 some of the large pompano that exist in countless num 

 bers in this stream. We have seen a dozen of these 

 huge fellows &quot;breaking water&quot; at once within fifty 

 yards of the boat, but as they refused a bait their cap 

 ture was impossible. 



Late in the afternoon we reached the Caloosa- 

 hatchie telegraph station, forty miles from Punta Kassa. 

 At this point the line crosses the river, and the wanderer 

 can communicate with home for the remarkably low 

 price of two hundred and fifty cents. We received more 

 than a. hearty welcome from the gentlemanly operator in 

 charge. Disposed to keep our teeth moving, we pur 

 chased from this gentleman two bushels of excellent 

 sweet potatoes. Here we met a son of old Ireland, and 

 were favored with a true Hibernian welcome, and an 

 invitation to visit his residence and see the &quot; ould woman 

 and the bairns.&quot; He stated that he had two acres of 

 superior sugar-cane under cultivation, and that he was 

 about to make his first attempt at the manufacture of 

 sugar. He assured us that if we would favor him with 

 a visit he would present us with stalks of sugar-cane 

 fourteen feet long. Ascertaining that his residence was 

 two miles distant, we were forced to decline. The pop 

 ulation of the locality consists of three families, includ 

 ing that of the operator and our Irish friend. Irishmen 

 are to be found everywhere, and are ever ready to ex 

 tend the hand of welcome to the wanderer. We deeply 



