THE AMERICAN 



SPORTSMAN'S JOURNAL. 



NEW YORK, THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 1878. 



(No. Ill KiiIiob St., N. Y. 



For Forest and Stream and Hod and Ghm. 



0$0&(ifig the §S<iMli=joUi. » 



EVERY country to which the light of civilization has pene- 

 trated has its antiquity, middle age and modem time. 

 So even Minnesota, the State of the North Star, as we now 

 like to call it. 



In ancient time the country was in exclusive possession of 

 the Indian, the scene of his hunting exploits and savage war- 

 fare. To this our knowledge of that remote period is limited, 

 for the red man has no written history, nor hardly any tradi- 

 tion ; and about the pre-historic mound builders, or in regard 

 to that equally unknown mining population which once in- 

 habited the shores of Lake Superior, it is not our purpose 

 within the limits of this short sketch to offer any surmises or 

 suggestions. 



The middle age of Minnesota goes back two centuries. By 

 that time French fur traders and missionaries penetrated to 

 the country by way of the great lakes, and among the latter 

 Father Hennepin, who, in the year 1080, discovered the 

 great falls of the Mississippi, which, in honor of his patron 

 saint, he called St. Anthony. France now laid claim to the 

 land, calling it Northern Louisiana {La Louisiana du Nord), 

 continuing Tts nominal owner until the whole Mississippi Val- 

 ley, in the year 1803, came into the possession of the United 

 States by purchase. During this period, however, very little 

 progress was made. The scanty white population consisted 

 almost exclusively of Frenchmen and Canadians, who bar- 

 tered from the Indians their peltries, and most generally mar- 

 ried their daughters. 



The commencement of modern times in Minnesota is of 

 quite recent date, counting hardly thirty years of existence. 

 It was organized into a territory in the year 1849. About 

 that time Fredrika Bremer, the illustrious Swedish novelist, 

 visited the country, and the glowing description she gave of 

 the beauty of the land, its fertility, healthfulness qf climate, 

 «nd many other advantages, had the effect of inducing quite a 

 number of her country men— the writer of thisoncof them— to 

 come out here. Miss Bremer may therefore justly be entitled 

 to the distinction of having been the first Swedish emigrant 

 agent for Minnesota. Those who came here first found the 

 country as represented, and their letters to friends and rela- 

 tives at home soon enticed thousands to join their fortunes 

 with the infant territory. Their number is increasing year 

 by year, and the census of last year shows that nearly 200,- 

 000, or more than one-fourth of the whole population of this 

 State, are Scandinavians or their descendants born here. 

 And those who know the country cannot wonder at the pro- 

 pensity of the Scandinavians to make Minnesota their home ■ 

 for the most fertile and valuable regions of their native land 

 .are found here in rejuvenated and embellished forms. The 

 fertile plains of Skane, Ostrogothland and Upland, the rich 

 pineries of Smaland and Norrlaud, and the iron and copper 

 mines of Wermland and Delarne— all have their correspond- 

 ing representatives here— slum tiering, it is true, like the in- 

 fant in its cradle, but waiting impatiently for the magic spirit 

 of industry and enterprise to awake them into life. In those 

 early territorial times the settlements in Minnesota were 

 mostly confined to the country between the Mississippi and 

 the St. Croix rivers, with a few embryo villages in the valley 

 of the Minnesota River. Our State, as is now well known 

 by everybody, is divided in two almost equal parts by the 

 " Big Woods," a belt of timber stretching about 150 miles 

 north and south, with an average width ot sixty miles. 

 Twenty-five years ago the country lying west of the wilder- 

 ness was almost entirely unknown. But rumor told that the 

 finest part of the territory— the Kandi-johi* country, as the 

 natives call it— was to be found there, and an expedition, in 

 winch the writer took part, was organized to explore it. 



From St. Paul and Minneapolis' we started, some twenty 

 in number, most of us on horseback, others in wagons, fitted 

 out with provisions, tents and camp equipments, others still 

 on foot, shouldering their rifles. Our route lay the first day 

 along the beautiful Minnesota Valley to Carver, then a village 

 with half a dozen houses, now a quite important railroad 

 centre. The lohowing morning we turned westward, taking 

 the "Big Woods.' A trappers path, which was soon lost, 

 and a compass were our only guides. Timber had to be 

 felled, swamps corduroyed, steop hills ascended, and the bone 

 and muscle of the whole party put to the severest test. But 

 nobody complained, none seemed tired. We were on our 

 way to the "promised land." It took ua three whole days 

 with our heavily laden wagons to accomplish this journev of 

 forty miles, which is now, in a comfortable railroad ear easily 

 made in two hours. Toward nightfall of the third day we 

 reached the western edge of the forest, and made our camp on 

 the bank of Crow River, a small tributary of the Mississippi. 



Imagine a heaving ocean in an instant being transformed 

 into dry land, and this land covered by a carpet of the richest 

 verdure, interspersed with flowers of every shade, the wild 

 rose conspicuous among the rest, but the blue waters of the 



* "Ka'irli julii " lire t..'u DaeUaa words, and mean "gathering place 



deep still here and there peeping through the rents of the 

 flowery expanse, forming crystal lakes of the most perfect 

 purity, and surrounded by groves of majestic oaks and maples. 

 Such was the scene which the following morning, from an ad- 

 jacent hill, presented itself to our view. Many a tine rolling 

 prairie, many a beautiful lake have 1 since then admired, but 

 this, my first acquaintance with them, will forever be remem- 

 bered. • 



This was the beginning of the Kandi-johi country, and in 

 this charming region, among such enchanting scenery, we 

 roamed about for several weeks, extending our explorations 

 up toward the source of the Minnesota River. Everywhere 

 the same waving prairie, sprinkled all over with lakes and 

 groves. The soil the same black, rich loam. And as for 

 game, speak about, a "sportsman's paradise!" If ever a re- 

 gion in the world deserved so to be called, the Kandi-johi 

 country in those early times could lay a just claim to that dis- 

 tinction, for surely in no place have I ever seen game more 

 abundant. Numbers of deer were seen and hunted every 

 day. Now and then a g tug of elk showed themselves in the 

 distance, but of these we did not, succeed in killing any. 

 The waters swarmed with wild fowls, ducks, geese and swans, 

 and of the latter I noticed, what I never saw anywhere else, 

 several pairs followed by their brood of cygnet?. The sharp- 

 tailed grouse on the prairie, and the ruffed grouse in every 

 grove, were found in the greatest abundance. In any of the 

 likes you need only throw a line to catch all that you 

 Wanted, and more, too, of pickerel, pike or black bass. Being 

 elected captain of the hunters, of whom there were several 

 good ones in our party, I had, after the second day, to issue 

 an order that not more game musl be killed than was wanted 

 for daily consumption. 1 feel confident that, with some 

 effort, the hunters of our party might have killed every day 

 game and fish enough to feed 100 men. But no human be- 

 ing, save our own company, was seen during the whole 

 journey ; no dwelling, no cultivation, no trace of the presence 

 of man. Everywhere the same almost paradise-like nature, 

 super-abundant in animal and vegetable life as issued from 

 the hand of the Creator, ready and inviting to receive the 

 crown of the creation. 



Longest we tarried at the Great Kandi-johi, a sheet of 

 water of indescribable beanly, surrounded by groves of the 

 finest timber. It seemed to ua hard to tear away from this re- 

 gion, and we made a resolution to make it our future home. 

 On the bank of the lake we marked out a town site, which we 

 called Kandi-johi City. Somewhat later we had the land sur- 

 veyed and purchased from the government, and the title is 

 still held by some members of the party. But the great crisis 

 of 1857, followed by the civil war, dispersed the old comrades, 

 and the intended town is not yet built. How correct, how- 

 ever, was our judgmeut, as to its adaptability for such a pur- 

 pose, is best. shown by the fact that, after mature delibera- 

 tions, the Legislature of the State have, on two several occa- 

 sions, decided to remove to this place the capital of the Com- 

 monwealth, a resolution that only the veto of the governor, 

 in favor of St. Paul, has prevented from being executed. 

 Many, however, are those who firmly believe that sooner or 

 later Kandi-johi will be the capital of Minnesota. 



After some time our stock of provisions commenced giving 

 out, but what did we care? Venison, even without currant 

 jelly, broiled goose, mallard or grouse, although innocent of 

 oyster stuffing, and baked pike or black bass, even if the 

 horse-radish sauce was wanting, was good enough fare for old 

 Minnesota hunters. But at last, even the salt and flour and— 

 worst of ail — the tobacco was at an end, and with reluctance 

 we returned to the settlements. J. S. 



Bt. Paul, Wis. 



For Forest and Stream and Rod and Gun. 

 y RED SNAPPER FISHING. 



' In a recent issue you published some remarks regarding the 

 snapper of the Florida coast, and furnished your readers with 

 a scientific description of the fish, from the pen of Mr. Ooode. 

 I propose supplementing the article by a few remarks regard- 

 ing the habitat and capture of this fish. Having visited the 

 banks on more than one occasion and lauded, or, more correct- 

 ly speaking, decked the crimson beauties, I can give an 

 opinion, as did Capt. Bunsby. To the piscalor who can ad- 

 mire one of the most beautiful of the denizens of the deep, 

 and appreciate a long pull and a strong pull, I will say, engage 

 in mapper fisniug. Visitors to Florida, who enjoy sea 

 fishing, miss their sport when they fail to engage in the cap- 

 ture of the Luljanus Uackfordii. 



This fish exista in great quantities along the eastern and 

 western coasts of Florida. Its habitat is rocky banks or rotten 

 coral bottom. This bottom exists in patches of greater or less 

 extent around the entire coast, and wherever found, if the 

 water is of a suitable depth, there is the home of the snapper, 

 grouper, yellow tail, hamialun, porgy, grunt, and sea bass. 

 Near Peusaeola, at a distance of seven or ten miles from land, 

 banks exist and excellent fishing is obtainable. Off Cedar 

 Keys, twenty miles due west from the outer or sea buoy, a 

 rocky bottom will be found and .superior snapper and irrouper 

 fishing secured. Off the mouth ot the St. Johns River, in a 

 course from E. to N. E. in from eleven to fourteen fathoms, 

 banks are found where fish of the varieties referred to exist in 

 immense quantities, and where they can be hooked as fast as 

 lines can be baited, and made to reach terra Jirma. On these 



banks sea bass and the other small fish referred to abound ia 

 greater numbers than at any point along the coast of the 

 United States. When snapper are not bitins, the ardent fish- 

 erman can find continuous employment, if he uses light lines 

 and small hooks. On one occasion I used a light line with 

 seven hooks, and almost the moment the sinker reached the 

 bottom I commenced hauling in, and until I became tired of 

 the sport I landed from four to seven sea bass, rangtDg from 

 three-quarters to two pounds, at every haul. For the gratifi- 

 cation of those who have been in the habit of fishing on our 

 northern banks, and who have quietly condemned the bait 

 stealers, it affords me pleasure to state that they will not be 

 troubled with bergalls on the Florida banks. The only cap- 

 ture to be grumbled at will be an occasional shark from two 

 to three feet in length ; but as these pests make excellent bait 

 they arc not very objectionable. 



To feel the hie of a twenty-five pound snapper at a depth 

 of twelve fat horns, and to experience the sensation of "pullDick 

 and pull devil," of fish and fisherman, will cause a feeling 

 never to be forgotten. As they are pulled and firstseen at the 

 depth of several fathoms, they look like silver and not larger 

 than the hand. As the fish nears the surface his tints deepen, 

 and as he struggles to escape at the surface and displays bia 

 rich crimson tints, as the fisherman braces himself for the ef- 

 fort of lifting his prize to the deck, the sensation experienced 

 is — well, I won't Mlempt to describe it. And when he ia 

 landed on the deck, and his rich crimson scales and glowing 

 eyes are exposed to the sun, the suceessfid fisherman will ex- 

 claim, " What a beauty !" 



Eighteen gentlemen, including the writer, left Jacksonville 

 on a steamer and found themselves in twelve fathoms of water 

 and ubout as many miles from shore, before Old Sol poked his 

 nose above the horizon. The second cast of the lead furnished 

 unmistakable evidence of rocky bottom, and overboard went 

 tho lines. They scarcely reached bottom before the cry of 

 "Snapper I" " Snapper!" was heard, and a crimson beauty 

 graced the deck. All were soon engaged, forward, aft, star- 

 board and port; with each it was a tug, a yank, a few yards 

 of line hauled in, followed by an unwilling surrender of a por- 

 tion, a repetition of such proceeding, the approach of the 

 crimson fish to the surface, the landing of the prize and an 

 exultant smile. For a few moments all went merry as a mar- 

 riage bell, and as they were landed the shout of "Snapper" 

 could be heard at various points; but a change occurred. 

 Each man labored as though the number captured depended 

 upon his exertions, and no breath or time could be spared to 

 cry " snapper " or to indulge in fishermen's chaff. At the ex- 

 piration of les3 than two hours the whistle sounded up lines, 

 for we were compelled to cross the bar at a particular stage of 

 the tide. The fish were biting rapidly, but blistered fingers 

 and tired arms induced all to quietly submitto the warning of 

 up lines. 



Kn mute for home, noses were counted — not sea bass, por- 

 geys, and other small fry, but fish worth counting— and we 

 found that the party had captured one grouper, weighing 

 351bs., two of 181bs., and 208 snappers, averaging 251bs, the 

 entire catch weighing about two and a half tons. One gen- 

 tleman landed twenty, one eighteen and two sixteen each. 

 One of our young piscatorial athletes decked three braces as 

 easily as he would the same number of catfish or perch. 

 Some of your readers will probably ask, " Why was it that 

 a greater number were not captured if they were biting free- 

 ly V" To such I will say, it takes time for a line to descend 

 seventy feet, and the hauling up of a righting snapper a cor- 

 responding distance is no joke. After three or four have 

 been landed, tender fingers become blistered, and festina Imte 

 becomes the rule. After half a dozen have been lauded the 

 business becomes, if not monotonous, exceedingly disagree- 

 able for abraded fingers, more especially when they are treated 

 hydropothecally with salt water. 



In the "Sportsman's Gazetteer" I find the following: 

 "The snapper seems to be a wary fish, and requires finer 

 tackle and more careful fishing than most coast fishes." This 

 language will apply to the mangrove snappers of the southern 

 Keys, and to those of the Indian Elver, but is not applicable 

 to the Lufjanus llaeitfordH, so plentiful along our coast ia 

 from ten to fourteen fathoms. All that is necessary to cap- 

 ture these fish is a strong line, a sinker, weighing from 

 eighteen to thirty ounces, and from two to three large and 

 strong hooks. Mullet bait is preferred by many, but I 

 fancy shark for bait. The flesh of a young shark is white, 

 and owing to its toughness is difficult to remove from the 

 hook. Bait that is not easily stolen is a consideration when 

 fish are biting rapidly and a line has to be hauled up twelve 

 or more fathoms to re-bait. When feeding, snappers are 

 good biters, and anything in the line of cut fish bait ia wel- 

 come. 



11 is surprising to me that Mr. Blackford, or some of the 

 enterprising fishermen of the North, tlo not utilize our well 

 stocked fishing grounds during the winter season. Fish ex- 

 ist in unlimited quantitl s, ice is very cheap, and we are sel- 

 dom troubled with storms during the winter months. The 

 hotels and boarding houses of our city would consume quite 

 a quantity of sea fish if they could be obtained. The cities 

 of Savannah and Charleston, and the ci'ies and towns of 

 Tennessee, Kentucky, and of tho interior ot Ci 

 South Carolina, would furnish good markets. One steamship 

 leaves Fernandina weekly for 'New York, and four 

 leave our river weekly for Savannah and Charleston, connect- 

 ing with steamships for Baltimore, Philadelphia, Now York 



