4^4 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Dec. 6, 1902. 
back to camp so as to prepare an early and bountiful 
dinner. The suggestion was made that we ought to have 
some of the old darky's good corn bread to eat with our 
big fish, and this met with favor. Careful search brought 
to light sufificient funds to buy the dinner loaf on the 
same terms as before, and we proceeded to cast lots, to see 
which two should go after bread, and which return to 
camp to build the fire and clean fish. The lot fell to Jim 
and me to go after the bread, and I was not sorry to get 
a pleasant tramp in the woods instead of doing a stunt 
cleaning fish. Jim had stopped fishing some time be- 
fore, owing to the fact that he had caught a large snap- 
ping turtle, which the combined eft'orts of the entire party 
failed to persuade to part with the hook. 
"Let him keep it, if he wants it that bad," said Jim, 
fesignedly cutting the line at the hook, after we had ex- 
hausted ourselves in trying to get it out. 
The others now began to wind up their lines, prepara- 
tory fo leavifif, but I was very anxious to discover the 
identity of a fisfi that had bitten at my hook several times, 
and so continued fishing. It was a peculiar bite, unlike 
that of any fish I knew, consisting of a series of short, 
snappy jerks, and a long gentle pull. Three or four 
times I jerked, thinking I had the fish, but failed to hook 
anything. Finally, waiting a little longer, I gave a hard 
jerk and the hook struck. I hoped it was something large, 
and the first pull looked as though I had my wish. The 
tough spring pole bent almost double, as I laid back with 
all my strength, but no fish showed. 
Easing up a little, the line was drawn smartly back, and 
greatly excited I again pulled with all my strength. I 
could platnTy feel a quivering and jerking, but could not 
gain any ground f-n the tug of war contest, although doing 
my very best. 
The other boys were now crowding up on either side 
encouraging mc to '"hold on" and "pull hard," both of 
which I was doing. 
Again I laid back with all my strength, and this time 
Avon. Oirt of the water and straight at me, wriggling and 
threshmg, came a large eel, the first one I had ever seen. 
It did not require the startled cry of "Snake!" raised 
by one of my companion, to mislead me. It never oc- 
curred to me that it could be anything else. I had been 
pulling straight in, and when the eel's hold broke and it 
flew out of the water, it was directly toward me. 
There was no time to rtm, or even to get to my feet. 
There was but one thing to do, and I did it. Rather than 
have the snake in my lap, I took to the water, pitching 
over backward off the log. 
Will, under the impression that I had lost my balance 
and was falling in, tried to rescue me, and very narrow- 
ly escaped going in too ; his hold on my foot breaking just 
in time to permit of his saving himself by a quick grab. 
The fifteen-foot fall and deep water had few terrors for 
me, but I did hope that the boys would intercept the 
snake, and not allow it to follow. 
Coming to the surface, after a long dive, I saw that 
they had my pole and were dragging the snake, as I yet 
thought it, to the nearest bank. Turning, I swam over 
and landed on the other side. Crossing back on the tree, 
I found the boys gathered around the eel, which Walter 
had identified. They condoled with me on my accident, as 
they thought it, and I told them no better. 
We were all greatly excited over the novel catch, but 
rather at a loss to know what to do with it. 
Eat it, of course, we said, but each one firmly deter- 
mined that he would not undertake to prepare it for 
cooking. After a little finesse it developed that not one 
of us would even take it ofl' the hook, and the line was 
finally cut, leaving about a foot to carry it by. 
As it was necessary for me to go to camp for dry 
clothes. Walter volunteered to take my place in gomg 
after bread with Jim, while Will and I went to camp with 
the fish. . „T , T 
As they were starting it occurred to Walter that per- 
haps our negro friend might know more about eels than 
we. and might possibly consider them a delicacy, so sug- 
gested that he carry it to them, as a present. This was 
agreeable to all, and we separated, Walter and Jim mak- 
ing for the cabin in the woods, carrying the eel and all 
our available coin, while Will and I returned to camp 
with the heavv load of fish and the fishing tackle.. 
Reaching camp, I changed to dry clothes, and Will hav- 
ing made up the fire, we set to work cleaning the fish. 
Practice had made us so expert in this business that 
we soon had the entire catch cleaned up and put away. 
Arranging all things in readiness for getting dmner 
without delay, we started to paddle across to where the 
boys would strike the lake on their return to meet and 
ferry them over. . , , . ■. 
I had carried my gun, thinking we might have to wait 
some time, and something might offer to shoot at. ihe 
other boys had not arrived at the lake when we started 
over, and we idled along enjoying the beauties of the 
view' up and down the long stretch of water. 
We were seated in the bow and stern of the boat, and 
as we drifted along well out from shore, I noticed a large 
water bird flying toward us from down the lake. Will 
had turned his back to me and was looking in that direc- 
tion, but had not noticed the bird. 
It looked like it belonged to the crane family, all neck, 
legs and wings, but had it been a wild goose, m season 
and condition, I could not have been more excited and 
anxious to kill it. ^ , • 1 
It was a big, strange bird, and I a boy, with sporting 
blood. Like the London Cockney and his friend: 
"Eh. Bill, 'ere a bloomin' stranger." 
'E is you soi 
? 'Eave a stone 'at 'im." 
Cocking my gun carefullv, so that Will would not hear 
and go to moving about, shaking the boat, I began to try 
to cover the approaching bird, intending to fire when it got 
near enough. , t u ^ ^ 
It was flying slowly and steadily, but I could not get 
satisfactory aim at it. , , ■ < 
Nearer it came— flying straight toward us— and higher 
and higher went the muzzle of my gun, as I jerked it 
around in my excitement, until the bird seemed about to 
pass over the bo'at, when, in desperation, I fired at a 
moment when my gun happened to be pointed right, and 
down it rame in a confused tangle of legs and neck. 
Will whirled around at the report of the gun, but before 
he could begin his inquiry^ the big bird crashed down, 
striking him a glancing blow on the side of the head that 
almost knocked him out of the boat. - 
Badly frightened, he snatched up a paddle and stood on 
the defensive until he saw that the bird was dead. He 
then invited me most cordially, in very forcible language, 
to lay down my gun and come to his end of the boat and 
let him knock a little sense into my head, frankly assur- 
ing me that a fellow who would shoot a big bird like that 
to fall on any one's head, did not have as much sense as a 
string of dead fish. 
It took me some time to convince him that I had shot 
the bird flying and could not know where it would fall, 
but peace was about restored when the other boys hailed 
us, having arrived with the bread. After all had duly ad- 
mired the bird, and speculated upon its usefulness as an 
addition to our larder, Walter and Jim gave an account 
of their visit to our colored friends. 
They had been as kind as could be, and seemed glad 
to supply the desired bread. They were delighted with 
the eel, and said it was the best of eating, and that the 
skin would certainly cure "de misry an' rheumatiz." 
The boys had a nice present in return for the eel, a 
dozen fresh eggs for our breakfast, which filled us all 
with delightful anticipation. 
Our dinner that day was one of the few meals we had 
enjoyed, when every one actually had as much as he could 
hold. "Thank goodness we don't have to lick our plates 
to-day," said Jim. 
As the next day would be Saturday and mark the close 
of our camping out. we concluded to devote the afternoon 
to a trip Avhich had been discussed several times, but not 
attempted owing to lack of time to devote to it. 
This was a voyage in our boat down the lake to the 
river, then by the river to the upper end of the lake, then 
on the lake to our landing, making the entire circuit 
We set forth after dinner, carrying both guns, feeling 
sure that we would see some small game and perhaps 
something in the way of big game, in the new country 
about to be explored. 
The plan decided upon was that two should sit forward 
with the guns ready to shoot any game sighted, while the 
other two paddled the boat, and whenever a fellow got a 
shot he was then to exchange places with one of the 
paddlers, thus giving all a share of the work and sport _ 
Jim and I drew first turn at the guns, and taking posi- 
tions well foiAvard — ^^vith Walter and Will at the paddles 
— we started off down the lake, paddling along quietly as 
possible close in to the bauK under the shade of the over- 
hanging trees. Jim was very excitable and was soon 
Avrought up to a high pitch by a commotion in a hickory 
tree that grew near the bank, caused by some squirrels 
that were disturbed in their afternoon lunch. 
We tried hard to get a fair shot at one of them, but all 
escaped. 
On down the lake we went, Jim and I almost breathless 
with excitement, starting at every rustle on the bank, or 
splash of fish in the water. In perfect silence we rounded 
a point and ran almost on a big blue crane standing in the 
Avater's edge. 
In a moment all was confusion, Jim and I springing 
to our feet and the other boys hissing out directions in 
excited whispers. 
Before I could raise my gun to shoot, Jim ran to the 
bow of the boat, and leaning forward toward the big bird 
flying slowly awa}% fired both barrels of the gun — which 
be had not raised to his shoulder — down into the water, 
just missing the side of the boat, then turning around he 
commanded, begged and implored us to pull hard as the 
big bird was hit, declaring that he saw the feathers fly 
in a cloud. 
He was promptly disarmed and relegated to the gal- 
leys. A squirrel was the next game sighted, which, when 
shot, feil in the water. We waited patiently for it to come 
to tile surface, not knowing that it was one of the few 
animals that did not float in water when killed, until our 
patience was exhausted ; then concluding that it \yould not 
be in a condition to do us any good by the time it floated, 
we left it. 
Two more squirrels were treed a little further on, which 
•were killed so as to fall on the bank. 
The most interesting event of the trip was seeing a 
-water turkey, which we approached quite near, in slip- 
ping around a point. None of us knew then what it was, 
but our surprise was great to see it dive from a limb and 
go under the water, scarcely causing a perceptible ripple. 
We stopped the boat and watched for it to come to the 
surface until we finally concluded that it had wittingly 
or nuAvittingly drowned itself. 
This theory was strengthened in our minds by seeing 
what we believed to be a small twig shaking as though 
disturbed at its lower end, which was under the water, 
and we concluded that the unfortunate bird had dived 
and become fast in some sunken drift. 
We learned later that the supposed moving twig was 
in reality the bill of that strange, snaky-looking bird called 
the water turkey. Near the lower end of the lake the boat 
passed under an overhanging limb that extended out 
about on a level with our -heads. Walter and I were 
forward, with the guns, and as we reached the obstruc- 
tion, and leaned forward to pass under it, both dis- 
covered a large moccasin snake lying directly over where 
the boat would pass. It was too late to change the course 
of the boat, or shoot the snake. Knowing the habits of 
these snakes, I felt sure that it would drop from the limb 
as soon as disturbed, and concluded to be out of line, if 
possible. Dropping my gun, I dived under the limb and 
scrambled to the front end of the boat. Disturbed by 
the boat, or my sudden movement, the snake rolled off, 
falling behind and directly in front of Jim, who sat in the 
seat just behind us. Jim had leaned forward so as to 
escape the limb, which caused the snake to narrowly 
miss falling on his head, and land immediately under his 
face. 
Springing to his feet, he found himself swept by the mo- 
tion of the boat against the liriib which the snake had 
vacated, and with the idea of "any port in a storm," im- 
mediately sprang up on it. Will, seeing the snake, and 
not caring to try conclusions with it in such close quar- 
ters, with rare presence of niiud followed Jim's example 
and sprang into the tree. 
The limi), not strong enough to bear their weight, let 
them both down in the water, but they were better off 
than we were. One paddle had gone overboard, and the 
snake was between us and the other one. 
It seemed to. feeb that it was not welcome, and made 
two or three unsuccessful efforts to go over the side, while 
Walter and I crowded into the bow of the boat, as far 
away as possible. 
Walter had held on to his gun, and I urged him to 
shoot the snake, but fortunately he had the good sense 
to refrain from doing so, knowing that such a course 
would Avreck and sink the boat. Taking a wiser and 
safer course, he drew out the ramrod of the big gun, 
which was almost as thick as an ordinary walking stick, 
and armed with this weapon attacked the snake. 
Before he could deal a killing blow, the enemy con- 
cluded that it could climb the side of the boat, and doing 
so disappeared under the water. 
Jim and Will were only wet to their waists, and we 
v/ere all glad that the adA^enture ended as well as it did, 
for as the moccasin snake was known to be both vicious 
and venomous, our danger had been real. Re-embarking 
our two companions, we resumed the voyage. Near the 
mouth of the lake we treed two more squirrels, both of 
which were bagged, and on the trip up the riv^er we killed 
two small ducks. The ducks we knew as whistlers, or 
fish ducks, and were by no means highly prized by local 
epicures, but in spite of this, and the fact that it was out 
of season, we considered them great prizes. 
Reaching the upper entrance to the lake, we stopped for 
a short rest, beaching the boat on a sandy point, and once 
more saw the big blue crane, or another of the same 
species. It was discovered when some distance off flying 
lazily up stream toward us. Walter and Will had the 
guns, and we all crouched down in the bottom of the 
boat in great excitement. Slowly the great bird flew, fol- 
lowing the stream, until almost abreast of our boat, when 
the two gunners sprang up and dischare^ed both barrels 
of their guns at it, without so much as rufiling a feather. 
With the exception of Jim, who j'et felt the humilia- 
tion of his failure to bag it, we were dreadfully disap- 
pointed at not adding so great a prize to our bag. 
The shooters each made long and detailed explanations 
of the remarkable escape of the bird, but as their hands 
shook so that they could scarcely reload the guns, it was 
very evident that intense excitement was the real trouble 
with their shooting. 
As we approached the boat landing we were hailed 
from the opposite side by the boy's cousin, who had come 
back to spend the last night with us. He was verj'- wel- 
come, especially when we found that he had brought two 
loaves of bread and a large package of cakes. It was a 
positive orgie in camp that night, as we cooked nearly 
everything we had, and ate to the point of delightful dis- 
comfort. Fish, squirrels, ducks, eggs, bread and cake at 
one meal seemed verging on extravagance after the sea- 
son of dearth of variety through Avhich we had passed. 
An honest effort was made to work up some feeling of 
sadness appropriate to the occasion of the last night in 
camp, but though the talk was all right along the line of 
how awful hard it was to give up the freedom and de- 
lights of camp life and return to the monotony and re- 
strictions of civilization, there was an imdercurrent of 
hilarity among the mourners that argued somewhat 
against their sincerity. In spite of every effort, our con^ 
versation would drift around to home, and we would be- 
gin to plan pleasures incident to the return with eager 
enthusiasm. Especially did our discourses grow eloquent 
Avhen the discussion turned to thp subject of the one week 
ago despised home cooking. 
■'And pie!" said Will. "Why, fellows, it seems years 
since I tasted pie. I'll bet I could eat three whole ones 
by myself." 
"Three?" said Jim. 'T could eat a dozen; and as for 
boiled custard, and rice pudding, I could eat — as our lit- 
tle cowboy used to say — -I could eat a slop bucket full." 
It was late bed time before we could manage to cease 
discussing the sad prospect of returning home, .aind we 
were up and at it early the next morning. 
There was not much on hand for breakfast, which was 
soon disposed of. and then — although we had given our 
teamster express instructions not to return for us until 
late Saturday afternoon — we hastily packed up every- 
thing in readiness to start home. 
Fishing, a boat rifle, and a short hunt were, in turn, pro- 
posed to pass the time until the wagon came, but none of 
us seemed inclined for these pleasures, although entirely 
out of provisions. Our visitor had started for home early 
in the morning, and so we had no element of variety to 
help the time pass. 
From sunrise until well past noon we sat around our 
dismantled camp, straining our ears for the first sound 
of the vehicle that was coming to tear us away from all 
the delights of camp life, and drag us back to hated con- 
ventionalities, and were beginning to feel, and show, some 
signs of very realistic impatience when it finally hove in 
sight. 
We certainly were good actors to hide our sorrow s,i 
well, and welcome the good old colored individual with 
such apparent shouts of welcome. But when he handed 
out a l3asket of dainties sent us by loved ones at home, 
and requested us to "Des pleas' eat a little bite while I 
feeds de bosses," we loved him, honestly and sincerely. 
The return trip was as pleasant as such a sorrowful 
journey could be to four impatient boys, and if we were 
reluctant to return, and did constantly harp on the perfect 
delight of camp life, our welcome was cordial. We were 
the envy of all the other boys, and our narratives were 
eagerly listened to whenever we would tell of our week 
of glorious freedom, and especially Avhen we would dwell 
on the fact that we literally lived all the time on fish and 
game. There was one very unpleasant incident of our 
homecoming, which had to do with the hog mentioned 
heretofore. It seemed that the hog owner had read the 
signs better than we thought and instead of scaring us 
to death, had considerately A'isited our parents and al- 
lowed them to settle for the hog. Our respective paternal 
ancestors settled with us, imposing terms, each as seemed 
him best, and the days of our first camp were "Gone, alas ! 
like our youth — too soon." 
Lewis Hopkins. 
% 
Take inventory of the good things in this issue 
of Forest and Stream. Recall what a fund was 
given last week. Count on what is to come next 
week. Was there ever in all the world a more 
abundant weekly store of sportsmen's reading f 
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