FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



209 



members of the party had left for home. 

 At Big lake we met a party of hunters and 

 fishermen from St. Paul and Minneapolis, 

 and another party from Freeport, 111., who 

 had been farther North, hunting. They 

 reported a good time and game plenty. 

 Our party, as re-enforced by the St. Paul 

 crowd, was composed of A. E. Perry, P. H. 

 Mead — both old sportsmen — John/Thomp- 

 son, Orle Elfes, and Cliff Nickerson of 

 Becker; we made up the hunting team. 

 The fishing party was from Minneapolis, 

 and included the well-known sportsmen, 

 John Mack, M. A. Clark, Al. Stoddard, 

 Steve Brown and Al. Dunagal. 



On Sunday morning, October 10th, both 

 parties struck out for the locality where 

 sport promised to be most abundant. The 

 hunting party, of which I was a member, 

 left the house at 4.30 a.m., going by team 

 10 miles to Mud lake. This lake is from 

 3 to 12 feet deep. Three feet below the 

 surface lies a thick mat of bed grass, on 

 which reeds, rushes and wild rice grow 

 profusely, in patches or spots, and between 

 them, are water ways. These lakes seem 

 to be a natural feeding ground for wild 

 ducks, geese and brant. Although it was 

 raining and snowing, we endured the 

 weather for the sake of the sport, and 

 bagged a large number of ducks. The 

 Northern flight was just beginning, and 

 the birds were numerous. 



This is as nearly a sportsman's paradise, 

 as any region in the United States. Fish- 

 ing is excellent. Ducks, geese, brant, and 

 ruffed grouse were found in abundance, 

 also black, gray and red squirrels. Farther 

 North, large game was reported plenty; 

 so that anyone with a desire for sport 

 would be well repaid for time and money 

 spent in that part of the country. 



If the laws of the state, in regard to the 

 preservation of game are enforced, there 

 will be good hunting and fishing for years 

 to come. 



ON THE SUNK LANDS. 



Albion, Fla. 



Editor Recreation: While engaged on 

 the geological survey of Arkansas, in 1859, 

 I visited the " sunk lands " of the St. Fran- 

 cis river, near the town of New Madrid. 

 The sunk lands are the result of the great 

 earthquake of 181 1, and the name is ap- 

 plied principally to a depressed area cov- 

 ered by the water of the St. Francis river, 

 which stream passes through it, forming a 

 lake 25 to 30 miles long and 54 to % mile 

 wide. Outside of the lake are lines of 

 sunken land, 8 to 10 feet wide, and at that 

 time one to 3 feet deep. In one direction, 

 East of North, these sinks extend 40 or 50 

 miles. 



The same condition exists in Tennessee, 

 on the opposite side of the Mississippi, 



where Reelfoot lake was formed by the 

 damming up of the Obine river. 



On both sides of the Mississippi, the 

 trees sank with the land, and are still stand- 

 ing and growing, as though never dis- 

 turbed. In the lakes, the trees were killed 

 by the water, and most of them were stand- 

 ing when I saw them. At Deep Landing, 

 the head of navigation for steamboats that 

 ply from Memphis, the water is 10 to 15 

 feet deep, yet so clear, that pebbles on the 

 bottom are distinctly seen. 



The lake was full of game fishes, such as 

 black bass, white bass and large bream. 

 We could take, in half an hour, enough fish 

 to supply the camp for a day. 



We secured a guide and explored the 

 lake in cypress canoes, called by the natives 

 swamp buggies. Along the shores of the 

 lake, and of numerous small islands, called 

 hummucks, wild rice was growing in great 

 profusion. Immense flocks of wild swans, 

 geese and ducks were feeding on the rice. 

 It was too early in the season to shoot 

 them. The guide told me the feathers and 

 down-covered skin of a swan were worth 

 $5- 



Between this lake and the Mississippi, 

 the land is covered with a forest of cotton- 

 wood trees, and an undergrowth of cane so 

 dense as to be impenetrable except along 

 the paths made by wild animals. At the 

 time of my visit elk, deer, turkeys, bears, 

 panthers and wolves were abundant. As 

 we paddled along the shore of the lake, we 

 saw a large panther stretched on a limb 

 of a cottonwood tree. Soon after we 

 passed a bear with 2 cubs. They looked at 

 us a moment, then leisurely walked into 

 the canebrake. A little farther on, we saw 

 a herd of 50 or more deer come to the 

 shore and drink. Throughout the day's 

 journey in our canoe, we saw numerous 

 flocks of wild turkeys. Indeed, at the time 

 of which I write, it was impossible to find 

 a region so bountifully supplied with game 

 of all kinds, as the sunk lands of Arkansas. 



Old Timer. 



CARRITUNK NOTES. 



August 17th: I started for Mike Marr's 

 camps, at Indian pond, to meet Senator 

 Williams and wife, of California. The 

 same day reached Ellis' pond camps, where 

 I, with Mr. Nichols of Madison, took 38 

 trout on the fly, in one hour. 



August 18th: I arrived at Marr's, where 

 I found Mr. and Mrs. Williams awaiting 

 me. I remained there with them 21 days. 

 In that time they took 150 trout, the largest 

 weighing 2^ pounds. 



September 10th: Mr. and Mrs. Williams 

 returned to Fairfield, Me., where they re- 

 main for a few weeks prior to their return 

 to California. When I arrived, Mr. Marr 

 had as guests, Dr. C. W. McConnell, and 



