SOUTHERN INLAND FISHES. 37 1 



with their limited opportunities, will enable^ them to better enjoy 

 their excursions to the north and east, where the field is wider 

 and the varieties of fish more gamy, if not more numerous. The 

 fishes of the south, however, afford a valuable contribution to the 

 larder ; and yielding some sport as well as food, attract the atten- 

 tion of fishermen of the poorer classes, who may be found at all 

 times angling in their primitive methods. Still-fishing with bait is 

 perhaps their most scientific method ; nevertheless they have con- 

 siderable knowledge of the habits of the finny tribe, and manage 

 to lure or oust them from their hiding places by all manner of 

 contrivances. 



In the extreme south, and indeed, in Missouri and Tennessee, 

 as well, the low swamp lands are interspersed with lakes and tra- 

 versed by bayous which are inhabited by innumerable fishes of 

 low degree, beavers, otters, turtles, alligators, and the like. The 

 swamps are frequently inundated during the winter and spring, be- 

 coming vast seas of water, obliterating all landmarks, and render- 

 ing it impossible to locate the lakes and bayous. When the water 

 recedes, there is left a deposit of mud which takes some time to 

 dry. The principal growth is cypress and gum, both sweet and 

 black, the other trees being killed by the deposit. As soon as the 

 swamp dries the fishing begins, and continues good as long as it 

 is in that condition. As soon as tha heat of summer has thoroughly 

 warmed the waters of these lakes, and has somewhat reduced their 

 volume, the season for "muddying" begins. The appliances foi 

 this sport are very few and simple. They consist of several cotton 

 hoes, gigs, a dip net or two, or, in default of that article, a basket 

 attached to a light staff, and some splunges. The last-namei 

 articles are made by inserting a hoe-handle into a hole bored h 

 the centre of a piece of pine plank, eight or ten inches long, and 

 five or six inches broad. 



After reaching the lake, the negroes, who do the muddying, 

 enter it with their hoes and splunges and wade along, stirring up 

 the muddy bottom as 'they advance. In a very few moments the 

 perch commence to jump out of the water, and a large and game 

 fish, styled in this section a trout, makes its appearance at the sur- 

 face. Now is the time for the gigs to come into play. Many use 

 the three-pronged gig, resembling the representations of the tri- 



