66 
FOREST AND STREAM 
nothing to draw it with. But wo were in great straits and 
so, without loss of time, one of the Arab so dicrs laid off 
his rags and jumped down into the turbid pool. I browing 
him a leather bottle, similar to those used in the country 
some two thousand years ugo, he filled it, and, clambering 
up the nearly vertical walls, placed the coveted treasure 
within my reach. We found upon examination that the 
contents fairly quivered with minute animal life; but too 
thirsty to be fastidious, we made our teeth serve as a strain- 
er and eagerly, and 1 may say gratefully, too, quenched 
our raging thirst. One needs to travel in this country in 
hot weather to learn the value of pure, cool water, and to 
realize the full force of its symbolic use by the aacrod 
writer*. , , 
Greatly relieved and refreshed, we pursued our Journey. 
As we came in sight of the Dead Sea, we noticed that pe- 
culiar hazy appearance of the atmosphere reminding us of 
Indian Summer in our own country, and we found our- 
selves subject to that singular optical illusion sometimes 
produced by a very transparent and highly ratified atmos- 
phere, in which distant objects appear quite near. At a 
certain point, when we were some five miles distant, it 
seemed as if we were within half a mile of the shore. 
Reaching, at length, this most remarkable of ull the seas 
and lakes oil our globe, wo prepared to take a bath— and 
such a bath I can hardly expect ever to take again. I had 
previously bathed in numerous seas, lakes, and livers, but 
never did I enjoy such a bath as this. The specific gravity 
of the water is such, from its holding iu solution so large a 
proportion of salts (twenty six and a half per cent.), that 
one floats upon its surface like a cork. At the time there 
was only a gentle ripple upon the sea and being a good 
swimmer I at once struck out into deepwater. I soon 
found that I could not ouly swiin and flout with wonderful 
case but that I could actually walk in the water, sinking 
only to the armpits. Discovering Ibis fact, I made for the 
shore, and taking Dr. <J., one of our party, who could not 
swim, by the band, led him out into the sea where the 
water was many fathoms deep. At first he was quite re- 
luctant, to follow me; but be soon gained confidence on 
finding there was no danger of sinking, and he enjoyed the 
„bvel bath as much as if he had been an expert swimmer. 
Should the bather allow the water to get into his eyes or 
mouth iiu would suffer a considerable abatement to his en- 
joyment, on account of its extremely salt, bitter, and irri- 
tating nature. No fish can live in this sou, but various 
kinds of ducks abound here at cci tain seasons of the year. 
The water was as clear as ordinary sea water, its tempera- 
ture was agreeable, and it had an oily feeling; anil alto- 
gether, its action upon the surface of the body was such as 
to develop those pleasurable sensations pertaining to the 
sense of touch, accompanied by the most delightful exliili- 
ration. Of all the batiis in the world, give me a hath in 
the Dead Sea! The much vaunted Turkish bulbs of Alex- 
andria, Cairo. Damascus, and Constantinople (I can testily 
Iroin personal experience) are quite tame in comparison. 
The sun had passed the meridian when we reached the 
hanks of the Jordan. We were soon stripped for a fresh 
water hutli in this famous stream. The effect of the Dead 
Sea water upon some of our party, who did not lake the 
precaution to wash it off with fresh water, as did the wri- 
ter, who obtained for this purpose a small flask of water 
from a brackish spring just before reaching the Dead Sea, 
was such as to excite ratlior lively and somew hat amusing 
efforts in the preparation for a second hath. We were 
speedily disrobed and out in the middle of the Jordan, 
bathing in its cool, refreshing waters. 1 chanced to turn 
my eves towards the shore, ami what should I see hut two 
of the Bedouiu soldiers just in the act of beuding over the 
garments of the Rev. S., a chaplain in the United Slates 
Navy, and one of our party. At once I suspected them of 
an intention to rifle the pockets, and kept my eyes fixed 
upon them until they looked towards me and saw that they 
were noticed. They turned ami went away. But it was 
too lute. Before I saw them they had evidently secured a 
part of the plunder they were after, aud at the instant 1 
saw them were Just on the point of taking more. The 
chaplain, on examination, found that a valuable gold watch 
was missing. Although we did not actually see them take 
the watch, wo were just as fully convinced that they took 
it us if wo had seen them. They indignantly denied the 
theft, and under pretence that the watch was lost before 
we reached the liver, manifested great anxiety, apparently, 
to find it, and went all the way hack to the Dead Sea pro- 
fessedly iu search of it, hut uo doubt really for the pur- 
pose of more effectually concealing the evidence of their 
mean trcuchcry and guilt. There seemed to he no sure 
inode of redress, and the watch was never recovered. Sub- 
sequently, we had reason to suspect that our owu drago- 
man, who turned out to be a dishonest rascal, was con- 
cerned with the soldiers in the robbery. Thus it was that 
we fell among thieves in goiug from Jerusalem down to 
Jericho, as did u certain man some two thousand years 
ago, “who was stripped of his raiment, wounded, uud left 
half dead." ' 
After the excitement of this unpleasant little episode had 
somewhat subsided, we sat down on the bank under the 
shade of a weeping willow, and took our noonday luncli. 
There was a deep, eddying pool just in fiont, into which I 
threw some crumbs of bread, winch were eagerly taken by 
some kind of fish. The water was turbid, which prevented 
my seeing what kind or size they were. I felt a stroug de- 
sire to capture a specimen of the finny tribe from the Jor- 
dan and expressed my regret that I had not supplied my- 
self with fishing tackle lor the purposftheforo leaving 
Jerusalem. One of the party replied, “\\'h> vee, Doctor, 
1 wonder that such a fisherman as you are iTUl hot think to 
bring along some hooks and lines." I fell ttfl%confessed 
that "it was a great oversight. It would have given me so 
much pleasure to have caught even a single fish in this 
river ot world wide fame, so frequently mentioned iu the 
Book of books, and so intimately associated with the sacred 
incidents aud early history of Christianity. 
We were at the reputed ford of the Israelites, who, after 
forty years of wuuderiug iu the wilderness, crossed over ut 
this very spot to enter upon the possession of their long 
sought promised laud. Here the devout pilgrim comes 
from ull pails of the world to bathe his weary limbs in 
Jordan’s sacred waters. In view of these circumstances, 
with such a throng of interesting associations aud memo- 
ries crowdiug upon you, was it any wonder — I submit the 
question to any man of practical experience aud true sym- 
pathy iu such matters — mat an augler's enthusiasm should 
Oe kindled, aud that he should he led to muke a dosperute 
effort to capture, by some sort of hook or crook, one or more 
the scaly denizens of that historic stream, whose mystic 
aters retired at the approach of the ark of the covenant, 
were parted -“hither and thither" by the prophet’s mantle, 
and were consecrated by the baptism of the world s Re- 
deemer? Was it not consistent with the strictest propriety 
that I should covet a fish from the Jordan; that I should 
exclaim, O! that I lmd Peter’s hook, with which lie caught, 
under his Master’s guidance, the fish in whose mouth lie 
found the piece of silver for tribute money V I would try 
my luck at this spot. Perchance I might take a fish of the 
same kind, for these waters mingle with the waves of the 
beautiful Genessarette. Had I eveu oue of the old nets of 
Zuuedee, unsportsmanlike as it might seem, I would try the 
plan of the old fisherman of Galilee, and gather in both 
good and bad, so I might obtain an ichtliyc specimen for 
examination. ... , , 
Just as 1 was at the point of despair a lmppy thought 
came to my relief. It occurred to me that when I was a 
small hoy I had caught trout with a pin hook from my 
grandfather's mill pond in iny native New England. Why 
could I not use a similar implement now? Iliad in my 
pocket a small pin cushion, containing some black pins. 
I took one, and bent it into the shape of a genuine Kirby. 
Prince Rupert, Sir Humphrey Davy, and other distinguished 
anglers did not disdain to muke their own fish hooks in 
curtain cases, and why should not I, an humble member of 
the angling fraternity, do the same, especially in such a 
shift us this? But what was I to do fora line? Then I 
remembered having given to one of our party some days 
before a short piece of black patent thread to mend his rid- 
ing whip. I called for this, and unwinding it tied it on 
the hook. Our dragoman carried a double barrel shot gun, 
aud from him I got a few shot for sinkers. But the line 
was yet too short lor any practical use. Careful searching 
brought to light a piece of cotton twine around a paper of 
crackers purchased at Jerusalem. Splicing this to the pat- 
ent thread made a line of quite respectable length. Cut- 
ting a tamarisk stick for a rod, I tied on the line, and with 
some feeling of triumph called the attention of my com 
panions to the result of my efforts at improvising fishing 
tactile under peculiar difficulties. As I held it out for their 
inspection they evinced a deep interest in my success, but 
ventured to express their doubts about my being able to 
catch fish with such rude tackle as that. Wliat if it did 
not come quite up to the ideal standard of our over-nice 
modern anglers? What if the rod was not as delicate ns 
the eight ounce Norris, or as elastic and graceful ns Leon- 
ard's split bamboo? What if the line was not of silk, with 
lender of finest gut, or the hook of tempered steel, con- 
cealed by a gaudy fly, and minus a reel? Iu spile of all 
these drawbacks I was bouud to make it answer my pur- 
pose for capturing a fish. 
In view of the temporary and frail character of the 
tackle, I instructed one of our parly, H. A. Ross — who, by 
the way, is an uucle of the abducted aud long-sought Char- 
ley Ross— to stand at a certain point at the water’s edge so 
as to lift the fish gently up the bank in cose I should he so 
fortunate as to hook one. For a fly I put on a piece of 
bread, and, stepping out on a willow root extending over 
the water, I made my first cast in the Jordan. No sooner 
did the bread touch the water than u fish seized it. I 
brought him gently around to Mr. Ross, who lifted him up 
the bank, and our much coveted specimen was secured, 
Much pleased, I made another cast, and took a second fish. 
At the third cast I hooked a large fish, uud in my efforts to 
land him lie straightened out the hook and escaped. How 
could I help exclaiming, What a big fellow that was! All! 
we always lose the biggest fish! But, nothing daunted, I 
tried it again, and had my third trophy safely landed. Suf 
fice it to say that within fifteen minutes from the time I 
made my first cast I had caught seveu fine fish, six of them 
being not less than ten iuches long. After I caught the 
seventh one I could not get a bite, or see the sign ol an- 
other fish, although I had no doubt there were plenty left 
in the pool. This peculiarity ol suddenly ceasing to notice 
a bailed hook has been observed by other anglers iu fishing 
for carp. The cause is not easily explained. Mustaplm, 
our dragoman, assigned as the reason in this case that the 
fisu had found out that a Yankee trick was being played on 
them, and they would not be fooled that way any more. 
He said he Itud never seen a fish caught there before; often 
been at the same spot with travellers, and he and the other 
Arabs expressed surprise at our success. The fish were all 
of the same kind, and evidently belonged to the carp fam- 
ily (Cypriniita), uud were without doubt a species of bream, 
the Cronus nilolicus. It is a common and abundant species 
in the Jordau aud its tributaries. I saw the fry of this 
same species in great numbers iu the fouutain of the Saltan 
at Jericho, and subsequently procured and ate the same 
fish on the shores of “deep Galilee." I indulged the fancy 
that this was the identical species, one of which, caught by 
Peter, furnished the tribute money for his divine Master, 
aud the same that were taken in such multitudes when, at 
his bidding, the net was let down on the right side of the 
ship by the disciples. But whether this he so or not, one 
thing is certain — iu our case it proved to he a most edible 
fish. 
We reached Jericho that evening, and pitched our tent 
by the side of the stream whose hitler waters were sweet- 
ened by the prophet. We had the fish cooked for our sup- 
per, and they were pronounced excellent. The hook aud 
line devised under peculiar difficulties, and which served 
so well its intended purpose, I have ever since valued as an 
interesting souvenir of ray visit to Palestine aud the Jor- 
dan. I at once honored it with a place in my porlcmon- 
naie, where 1 have carried it ever since. Knowing the in- 
terest aud pleasure that true anglers take iu examining all 
novel, improved, and efficient varieties of fishing tackle, I 
propose to cuclose the precious relic for the curious inspec- 
tion of the able aud honored editor of Fouebt and Stream. 
I call it a precious relic, implying that which remains after 
what has been lost. I was going to say, I send you the 
idculical hook, line, and sinkers; but there is a liUle stub- 
born fact which stands in decided opposition to such a 
statement, and thereon hangs a tale, which 1 will venture 
to relate us u brief sequel to this ulieady too length}- com- 
munication. 
It was during the subsequent Summer, while spending a 
few weeks iu the vicinity of Lancaster, New Hampshire, 
that a i^irvy of tour took a pleasant drive up the Connecti- 
cut VuU*y,|uus*iiig through Colebrook to Dixville Notch, 
that wildl(|mdeso!utc mountain pass which is regarded by 
some geologrets os more Alpine in its character than any 
oiUer pass ol the New Euglaud mountains, uud whose 
grandeur has made it quite latnous us a place of resort for 
bummer tourists. Tiio party- consisted of the Rev. R. 
Newton, whose sermous to childiou, published iu so mauy 
languages, have given lum a world wide fame, Mrs. K.. 
with her friend Mm. B., and the writer. On the second 
day wc reached the Notch, entered its Titanic gateway, aud 
examined with emotions of awe and wonder the wild con- 
fusion of rocks and the impressive and mysterious devil, v 
tion. Wc had taken our ample lunch with that enjoyable 
relish which comes from a morning rule and pure moun- 
tain air, and had barely turned our horses’ heads towards 
Colebrook, when we halted to admire the beauty and drink 
of the ice cold water of a swift bubbling brook. R Was 
one of the head sources of the Mohawk River, which enq, 
ties into the Connecticut at Colebrook, and in whose waters 
that enthusiastic angler, the late Rev. Dr. Pratt, of Plii| fl . 
dolphin, for many Summers cast his fly with so much suc- 
cess. It had such a trouty look that I betrayed a wish for 
the opportunity to try my skill, when I)r. N . expressed hi, 
surprise that I had not duly- prepared myself to take back 
a fine mess of trout for our supper. I had not anticipated 
such an opportunity, and had made no preparation. 1 
collected that I had my Jordan hook and line in my porie 
monnaie, and at once resolved to test its efficiency with i|, e 
Salmo fontinalis. Suitiug the action to the thought, 1 n n | 
it to the end of an aider rod, and put on the hook a piece of 
roasted beef for bait. The stream crossed the road just in 
front of the horses, and stepping cautiously to the bridge 
I dropped the hook just below. Quick as a flash it was 
taken by a flue trout, and he was safely landed. The hook 
was dropped again, and another wus taken, and yet an- 
other, until five were taken from that spot. Encouraged 
by such success, Dr. N. ami myself went up the brook a 
short distance, leaving the ladies sitting in the carriage the 
meantime, and, marvelous as it may seem, in about half 
an hour I had added twenty-two more to my catch, making 
a fine siring of twenty-seven trout, sufficient, as we judged, 
to make a supper for 'four hungry tourists. Well satisfied 
with our prize, we drove on until we came to where the 
stream crossed the road again. Just at t lie upper side ol the 
bridge was a deep, shaded pool that looked so inviting [ 
could not resist the temptation to try the virtue of ihe 
Jordan tackle once more. With bailed hook I carefully 
approached the spot, when no sooner had it touched the 
water tliau the pool seemed fairly alive with the speckled 
beauties. One noble fellow was instantly hooked, but iu 
my effort to secure him he broke the line near the hook, 
and lost both hook and trout. I had rather have lost a tm 
dollar nolo than the pin hook that did me such good service 
under such peculiar exigencies in parts of the globe so re- 
mote from each other— taking carp (bream) in the sucied 
Jordau of Palestine, and brook trout in the sylvan Mu- 
hawk of northern New Hampshire. The hook was goue 
beyond all hope of recovery; hut I consoled myself with 
the thought that it was lost after a hard struggle in a nol N- 
cause. 1 duplicated it as nearly as I could with a pin from 
the same cushion. 
On our arrival at the Parsons House, at Colebrook, that 
evening, I handed the trout to the landlord, requesting 
him to have them served in his best style for our supper 
The result proved that they knew how to cook trout at 
tlmt hotel. Never were trout better cooked, or eaten with 
a better relish. The eminent divine positively declared 
that he had never enjoyed such a dish of trout in all hu 
life, and with his opinion we all agreed. These were the 
trout caught with the Jordan hook. 
For Forest and Stream 
GEESE ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 
A T the mouth of the Au Sable and extending aim ; 
Champlain for about three miles is a large marsh, 
affording numerous lurking places for wild fowl, and, m 
years when^lhe wateMs high and the marsh covered ihn 
ing October and November, the different varieties t 
ducks and Canada geese have visited it in great number.'. 
We had been stopping at a farm house about six mil - 
from ihe lake, during the early part of November, and ha I 
hunted the ducks with good success, hut only two or three 
geese had we killed, aud, as only a few days in ter vein- 1 
before we must leave the happy hunting grounds, we 
decided to take one more turn at them. Our plan was t" 
hunt them by moonlight. We felt very confident of suc- 
cess, and pictured in our minds our boat loaded with geese. 
We started «ut about three o'clock in the afternoon, and > 
three mile walk brought us to the river, where we were t" 
take a boat for the remainder of llie distance. The river 
at this point is broad and smooth, and in sti iking contii't 
with its course about two miles farther up, where roan - 
and boiling it plunges amid walls nearly two hundred U : 
high, aud often hut fifteen feet apart. 
About four o’clock we reached the lake and rowed out 1 
short distance to look for ducks, then resting on our nan 
we surveyed the scene before us. Across the lake, wlii< h 
is here twelve miles wide, the peaceful vales of Verni" 
extended to the base of the Green Mountains, Ml. Mnnslii M 
and the Camel’s Hump towering above the rest. Not i >' 
away Mt. Trembleau, the Eastern terminus of the Adin > 
ducks, rises proudly from Champlain, while peak a f t > i 
peak follows in succession, and “Old Wliileface," with a 
cap of snow, the herald of the approaching Winter. Ik" 
and there on the lake were large flocks of duck, while plover 
rau to and fro on the sandy shore; so running ashore, " 
bagged some of them, and then decided oil our arrany 
ments for the night. We were to stop with two young 
trappers in their bough-house, up the river. I was to g<» 1 1 
a long point about a mile distunt and watch for the gn- 1 
to cotnc in from their inland feeding ground. The Don, 
my companion, went lo another point about two miles 
away, as it was uncertain where they would sleep for the 
night. About dusk I left my boat in a curry Horn the 
river to a large marsh and walked lo the end of the poinh 
where I concealed myself iu a clump of hushes. 
The darkness had now come on, uud a deep gloom set 
tied on the marsh, when in the distance the mournful lionU 
of the geese broke on the still night air nearer and nearer 
until they were overhead. The sky seemed black with 
them. After sweeping around willi a wide circle several 
times they suddenly went into the luke with a splash, n" 1 
far from where I was. Wheu they had sported about uu<l 
relieved their fatigue of the day- by the cool lake, they 
swum to land, and slowly and majestically, one by ou« . 
came out aud marched in single file uloig the shore with 
their lofty heads erect. I could have killed some, hut i") 
instructions were to seewhero they stopped for the night 
aud report. At last when all were in line they extendi' 1 
for nearly hall a mile, ever and anon uttering their mourn- 
ful cry. Then they uguin entered the lake, and I cri'l’j 
cautiously away and entered the dark woods; hut here 1 
encountered difficulties, for I frequently stumbled on tN 
brush and fallen timber. 
