HUNTING AND FISHING GROUNDS AND PLEASURE RESORTS. 
are plentiful at times, but don’t tarry 
long. ‘There are a great many fur-bear- 
ing animals throughout the entire region. 
Swans and geese tarry awhile—some- 
times all Winter. A full and detailed 
description of this quarter of the State 
would make this article too long. 
Northwest Arkansas extends from 
Black River westward to the Indian Ter- 
ritory. Immediately on emerging from 
the Black River bottom, going west, one 
comes to upland, then hills, then moun- 
tains. The surface is diversified, how- 
ever, and there is some prairie. Water- 
fowl are not so abundant as in the part 
first described. The country is better 
settled. There is, however, a broad ex- 
panse of waste land, unbroken wilder- 
ness, and of course abundance of game. 
Inseasous when the mast fails in the low- 
lands and “ hits ” in the hills, deer, bear, 
and turkeys are found here ~ without 
trouble.. The streams are rapid and 
clear, and fishing bears a closer resem- 
blance to sport. Black bass, jack sal- 
mon, striped bass, pickerel, and all sorts 
of perch are found. There: being more 
small grains raised than in other parts of 
the State, quail are consequently more 
abundant. 
Southwest Arkansas lies between the 
Arkansas River and the Louisiana. line, 
extending far enough east to embrace 
the town of Hot Springs. It is moun- 
tainous in places, but has more water 
courses than the part just described. In 
the matter of game it resembles the 
Northwest, but has also some waterfowl. 
The fishing is reported not so good as in 
other parts of the State. There are, 
however, localities that form an excep- 
tion to the general rule. 
The southeast part of the State lies 
south and east of Little Rock, having 
Lower White River for its northern 
163 
boundary. It aboundsin quail, turkeys, 
deer, bear, and has a fair supply of wa- 
terfowl. It has immense canebrakes and 
some extensive prairies. On the latter is 
to be found as good prairie chicken shoot- 
ing as the United States affords. The 
area, however, is limited to the two coun- 
ties of Prairie and Arkansas Here are, 
also sandhill cranes. Plover and snipe 
in countless millions in their season visit 
these prairies. In the river bottoms 
close to these prairies are immense cane- 
brakes, where deer and bear may be 
found in large numbers. 
To an unstinted abundance of game, 
which by judicious legislation is capable 
of being fostered and preserved, or even 
increased to any desirable extent, may be 
added a Winter climate as near perfect 
as any in the-Union—just cold enough to 
lay insects'and reptiles, and warm enough 
to make it pleasant to be out all day 
long. “Surely thesé afford a most'potent 
reason for the most’ abounding’ thankful- 
ness, The’ stranger sportsman will find 
in Arkansas a ‘generous’ old ‘fashioned 
hospitality, which while it “vaunteth not 
itself,”.is none the léss sincere. In a 
word, genuine old» Virginia hospitality, 
with the ostentation, the wind, the “old 
Firginyah,” left out... The people of the 
State are Southern in their manners and 
habits of thought; but they have imbib- 
ed much of that ‘‘ broad spirit of free- 
dom,” and possess in an eminent degree 
the ‘game ” qualities attributed by Irv- 
ing to the frontiersmen of the West. 
Plain and unassuming, but hearty and 
cordial—rough, it may be in exterior, 
but sound at heart; there are no people 
among whom the sportsman, whatever 
party or creed, or if he have no party or 
creed, will feel more at home. 
In touching upon the river system of 
Arkansas, it will not be necessary to be 
