17 Chatham 8t. (Cllyllall feqr.) 
^ishitjg in $corgi;t 
T SUPPOSE that most, if not all, the readers of Forest 
A and Stream know what a “camp hunt" is. A half 
dozen gentlemen, more or less, taking tents and provisions 
guns and dogs, go into the woods and mountains, camp 
I ll,erc for 11 few d »y 8 »»*• hunt. Camp fishing is much the 
I same, except thut you substitute nets, rods, and lines for 
I guns and dogs. The gentlemen of the Southern Stales 
from time immemorial have been in the habit, at the proper 
seasons, of making up smnll parties and going off into the 
woods for a week or more to hunt and fish. Very fre- 
quently excursions are mudo to the coast or some of the 
islands fringing it, and sea fishing and turtling are enjoyed. 
When going to the islands for a "camp fish" it is called 
“marooning." This is more especially the case on the 
(iulf const. It is a pastime almost peculiar to this section 
of the country, rich and poor alike indulging in it; for the 
facility of access being so great, the distance being so 
small, and the transportation of the impedinunUi so easy, 
these trips are a very common method of recreation. Once 
or twice during the year most of the men of business or 
I leisure contrive to get nwny for a few days on a hunt or 
fish. Very often they go but a few miles— the hunting or 
Ashing ground being so near— for populous, well settled 
and cultivated as Georgia is, in very many places a mile out 
of town is "Into the wilderness," with ouly a farm hero 
1 and there, often a dozen miles apart, beyond. Near or far 
ii..wcvcr, they go, and a merry and healthy time they muke 
of it. In the days gone by it was very seldom that a gen- 
tleman visited a planter for a few duys that he did not get 
L up such a hunt or fish for his entertainmeut. They are 
still very popular, and deservedly so. 
A few days ago a little party, consisting of Gen. II., 
Capt. 15. , Commodore G., and myself took the morning 
train on the Western and Atlantic Railroad for the hill 
country. We had discussed the matter many times, but 
the backward season and the heavy rains had compelled us 
time and again to defer our trip, and several who had in- 
tended to huve gone with us were prevented by business 
engagements from joining the part/. Fiually, we con- 
. eluded that "rain or shine" we would delay no longer, and 
| accordingly the four above mentioned took the train. We 
carried with us some tent-flies for shelter, au axe, hatchet, 
I spade, auger and nulls, some bread, bacon, a boiled hum, 
bird, suit, pepper, pickles, coffee, sugar, and Worcester- 
shire sauce, with coffee pot, frying pan, gridiron, kettle to 
boil water, some tin cups and plates, knives, forks, and 
spoons. Besides our blankets each had a hand bag con- 
taining a rough suit, underclothing, towels, soap, and 
brushes and comb. Each man took his rod, lines, and 
hooks, and Gen. II. took his nets — small gill nets; for, as 
we depended in a great measure on our "catch" for food, 
uml feared the water would bo in poor condition for fly or 
bait fishing, (which proved to be the case,) we resolved "to 
muke assurance doubly Bure" and provide means that we 
could depend on under any circumstances to supply the 
birder. I should also have mentioned that we took with 
Us 11 hkely negro lad ns cook. After a pleasant ride of 
some four hours through a fertile, well cultivated, lovely 
ftjid picturesque country, passing Kenuesaw and Lost 
lountains, we arrived at Gordon county, and the conductor 
very kindly stopped tho train and droppud us and our bag- 
8ige near our proposed enmp. He had intended to have 
stopped within a fow yards of the place, but by an error of 
o engineer carried us about a quarter of a mile beyond. 
. 8 nL ' c c8situted our “toting" the baggage to the spot we 
selected for our camp. 
b y il0n Wc at ‘irted the day wus chilly and rather cloudy, 
JU . 118 We “eared tho mountains it bccume brighter, warmer, 
" ' ‘l“he clear. A heavy rain the previous night 
a e everything clean and fresh, but alas I spoiled tho hike 
r fishing with rod and line. Wo left tho truiu about half- 
tWL ‘lvo, and while one of tho party wont to hunt up 
bout tho othors selected u site for a camp and trans- 
coi a i 110 l,aggllfie - Wo found this last heavy work. For 
“vonlonco of haudliug on tho cars wo had packed the ar- 
ticles in empty flour barrels and boxes, and it was no joke 
to carry these through the hot sun over a very rough road 
for even a quarter of a mile. Pulling off a tent rope, we 
cut poles, and slinging a barrel to its centre we placed ’ the 
ends on our shoulders and trudged off. In this way in 
about an hour and a half we got everything to camp. We 
selected for our camp ground a little sandy knoll covered 
will, short grass and pine leaves, and shaded by a small 
clump of very pretty pines. It was a perfect gem of a 
camping ground. The ground sloped in every direction 
and in addition, the soil being sandy, insured us a dry, 
comfortable camp, while the pleusant shade of the pines 
made it agreeable outside of our tent as well as in it. Fifty 
yards to the right a fine spring of excellent water bubbled 
out of the hill, and some thirty yards to the front lay the 
lake. 
Our first proceeding was to select two trees a proper dis- 
tance apart, and suitably situated. These we trimmed up 
until the lowest branch was some niue feet from the ground 
Wc then cut a stout pole and laid it from tree to tree, rest- 
ing it on the lower branch. Over this we threw a ’large 
tent-fly, and stretched and securely fastened it down with 
pegs. Across one end we then stretched a smaller fly, 
tying the centre to the pole, and bringing the ends over the 
other fly. The front we left open. The top of oue of the 
boxes, properly manipulated, was soon fastened to the 
front tree, and gave a resting place for brushes, combs, 
etc., and was a gre<»t cymfort. We next selected two other 
trees ubout ten yards directly in front of our tent, and, 
trimming them up and fixing n pole as before, stretched 
over it a fly, awniug fashion. Under this wo placed our 
provisions, and also used it for n dining room. A couple 
of old boards wo found near, when placed on top of the 
barrels, made au excellent table. We then built a fire be- 
tween the tents, spread our blunkets, stowed away our 
bags, and were ready to commence fishing. (Not *.— Always 
muke your camp before you begin to hunt or fish.) Mean- 
while, the boat had been hunted up and brought around, 
but was found to be so unsteady that she could not be used 
for setting the nets. This was a poser, for the water was 
so muddy that rod flshiug would not amount to much. So 
we concluded to wait. It would have done you good to 
see our gallant General, (we dubbed him "General” because 
he was the biggest— he weighed from sixteen to twenty 
stone— man in the party,) paddliug about in the tottlish, 
narrow skiff. Sixteen stone is no joke in a canoe a foot 
wide, but the General is a veteran, aud did credit to his 
training, so no accident huppeued. 
A year ago another of our party was on the same lake, 
but in u skiff much shorter and narrower thun the one 
above alluded to, (we found her bones high and dry, 
smashed to pieces, where the floods of Winter had carried 
her.) While very carefully, gently, and gracefully pad- 
dling to a spot that looked as if some choice specimens of 
the finny tribe were likely to have made it their habitat, 
one of his companions called out to him quite suddenly. 
Turning his head around to answer the hail he lost his bal- 
ance, and, still graceful, disappeared beneath the waves. 
Verb. sap. You may imagine the rest. Meanwhile, two 
of us took the boat, aud, having caught a few minnows, 
proceeded to set some small lines, three or four feet long, 
tying them to the ends of branches which overhung the 
water. These wore baited with the minnows. The others 
of the party while we set these hooks were busily eugnged 
in fishing, for our supper pretty much depended on -their 
success. As soou as we returned we also commenced fish- 
ing. We could see the trout (bass) leuping here and there, 
but after diligently Ashing for about an hour and a half I 
found I had lost four hooks, which had caught ou logs or 
roots that I could not see owing to the muddiuess of tho 
water, but had not yet had one bite. My companions, 
however, were more fortunate, and we had quite a nice 
mess of "brim" by sundown; so our supper was secure. 
The set linos added a "red horse" or two aud a half-pound 
trout (bass.) 
Returning to camp we found a bright fire blazing and a 
good bed of coals. All hands turned to, aud in a trice tho 
fish were ready for the pan and merrily “suzliug” over the 
fire. I had brought a little bottle of butter for a start, and 
we afterward got plenty of both butler and milk from a 
farm near by. Our bill of fare for supper was fried fish, 
broiled fish, fried bacon, bread aud butter, pickles, excel- 
lent coffee, etc , and— mustard!" How we did eat! The 
pure mountain air and the exercise we had taken gave us 
excellent appetites. Panful after panful of fish disap. 
peared until finally, having "satisfied the inner man," we 
laid down around the fire, aud, lighting our cigars, in- 
dulged in a lively talk. Few things are more pleasant than 
the talk around the evening camp fire afler a hard day's 
hunt or fiah. What stories are told; what jokes arc 
cracked. The ball of conversation is tossed from oue to 
the other, rapidly caught, and merrily passed along. All 
are interested, and lime passes by unheeded until "the wee 
snia’ hours" are reached, uud some one, suddenly remem- 
bering that we must rise early to morrow, looks at his 
watch aud exclaims at the lateness. This night, while 
gayly chatting around our fire, a contraband, who was rec- 
ognized by one of the parties, stepped into the firelight, 
and, after a short conversation, was dispatchad for a couple 
of plank, (which were a mile or two off,) for we hud de- 
termined not to be beaten ou the boat question, but fish 
our nets in spite of fate. So "Dave," the contraband, was 
dispatched for the lumber. Meauwhile, we "sat and 
smoked and talked, and talked and smoked and fat" uulil 
about ten o'clock, when Dave, accompanied by another de- 
scendant of Hum, returned, bearing between them the de- 
sired plauk. In a trice the old boat was drawn out of the 
water, and, taking off odr side, we proceeded to add our 
plank to her bottom alongside the others, fastening them 
with strips which ran from side to side. While we were 
getting things ready for action one of the party cut an old 
grain sack into strips about three inches wide and dipped 
them into some melted fat. They were then allowed to 
cool, aud being doubled we placed them between tho 
planks of the bottom, which were rough aud unplaned, 
uud keying them up, the cleets were nuiled on. The sides 
were fixed in the same way. This made the bout as "tight 
ns a drum," and the rough plank answered perfectly. This 
was the idea of the Commodore, whose duty it was to su- 
perintend the caulking of the little vessel. A board nailed 
ou either eud and one in the middle for seats, and our boat 
was finished. By two o’clock A. M. she was in the water 
and Capt. B. and myself made the round of the lake and* 
examined our lines before retiriug. Gur reward was not 
great, for the terrapins, which were particularly abundant, 
had been before us. Rebaiting our denuded hooks we re- 
turned to camp, and, afler replenishing the fire with enough 
logs to last till daylight, we turned iu, and were soon sound 
asleep. 
The first thing I saw the next morning was Capt. B. 
standing before me sbnking a three-pound trout (bass,) and 
asking me how I would like it for breakfast. By the time 
I had made my toilet the fish was ready, aud I breakfasted 
sumptuously. We all breakfasted, for the early risers had 
taken only a cup of coffee and a sandwich before they left 
camp. The scene around the camp fire, where all except 
myself wero busy preparing breakfast, was very pictu- 
resque. Oue big fellow iu a gray shirt and a broad-leafed 
hat was frying the fish in a long-handled frying pan; an- 
other in an equally picturesque garb was broiling some ba- 
con; yet another was cutting tho bread, and was also en- 
gaged in concocting some superb coffee. The boy was 
busy preparing the fish for the pan. I think oue of tho 
most pleasant and picturesque scenes is when the party at 
the camp are gathered around engaged in getting up-a 
breakfast or supper, especially the latter; the bright 
fire lighting up the brouzed features of the party, and 
touching with a gleam of crimson or a flash of gold the 
well-polished tine or glittering knives as each one busily 
hurries to nnd fro, performing his share of the work. Our 
pnrty was happily constituted. Wc had no drones, aud 
each seemed to vie with the others iu doing all he could for 
the pleasure and comfort of the rest. Our servant had a 
sinecure. His principal business was to wash the pans aud 
plates, dress the fish, and keep up the fire. Although a 
cook in a somewhat famous restaurant iu Atlanta, truth 
