80 Fishing in North Carolina. 



Bladen counties which obtained notoriety from 

 the fact of its having for a long time harbored 

 the Henry Berry Lowrey gang of robbers and 

 murderers. It is a mile or more in width, and 

 a considerable stream sluggishly meanders its 

 way through the more than forty mile length of 

 the swamp, that abounds in big jack, big chub, 

 fliers and blue bream. The swamp is densely 

 wooded with cypress, and the -young trees grow 

 so thickly that man cannot make his way with- 

 out the aid of an axe. The stream, varying in 

 width from ten to forty yards, and generally 

 deep, is enveloped in almost impenetrable gloom 

 at midday. An occasional chirp of bird, call of 

 water fowl, intonation of frog or cry of squirrel 

 is all the relief one gets in this awful solitude. 

 The darkest night adds no uneasiness to the situ- 

 ation, except the wise remarks of the big owls. 



The dwe^Uers along the border of this water- 

 land are a deservedly simple people. They hunt 

 and fish for a living and work for pleasure. 



They are hospitable in exchange for the dol- 

 lar. I abided with them several weeks and mixed 

 freely. There are deer, raccoon, 'possum and 



