The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-07-12
A Chapter on Angling.
by C. F. SEYMOUR.

with few trifling exceplions--and as the
good nature and lberality of anglers are
world-iamous, | propose in this letter 10
diffuse little of the articles among my read
ers.
II is well TO premise that am mere dab
sler in the gentle art My experience in
the way OF fish hooks is of limited charac-
Ter. have not yet overcome the difficulty
Of catching myself, before essaying the fish.
am invariably the first hooked, and the
last. Urtil my line is fairly in The water,
experience no personal security, and when l
get bite, mus, confess il is not unattended
with personal apprehension. There is an
impossible amount of science required in
pulling ont big fish, which rather dislresses
me. II is perhaps an open question whether
I catch the fish, or the fish catches me, mas
much as the former, as general thing, re-
gains his lbert, quicker than regain mine.
The theory of angling reduces itself 10 this
formula: Ist. Extracting The hooks from
the tail OF your coat, where, by perversty
of their crooked nature they invariably fix
themselves; I'd. Unlyirg impossible knots
| in running tackle; Sd. Rescuiug the said run
ming tackle from The loving embrace of six
foot weeds 4th. Trying 10 catch fish 5th.
I Trying hard 10 catch fish, 9Th. Managing
a bite; 7;h Catching fish 9Th, 9th, lO!b,
lIth, ard 12th. Landing him.
This lake has some reputation Tor lis fish
ing. II the natives are 10 be believed, every
thing that ever Il am can be caught in it
You ask if there are any trout; the answer
is, "Not hereabopts, but plenty a few miles
down." The same with salmon you have
only 10 get into deep water wherever that
may be) and you can pull 'em up at every
Two or three seconds. intend 10 inquire if
any whales have been seen taken here late
ly, and fully expect the answer will be, Not
here, but plenty few miles down the lake"
There is one great advantage in this invaria-
Bile answer If you should happen TO have
bad days spor, il is easily accounted
for-you havn'i been far enough down the
lake.
There is, fancy: plenty of fish 10 be caught
if one can only take them while they are in
the humor-a difficult thing TO DO. Bass of
large size are continually being talked about.
| myself have Dragged about bass weigh
ius four pounds 10 every one who was not in
The secret. An ambitious and INSCRIPTIONS
native has recently raised his weight pound,
so that for The honor OF New York, my next
quotation must be six pounds.
The most perfectly disuactng occupations
have ever attempted is catching the bats.
Grasshoppers are used here nearly exclusive
y. They are found among the high grass
everywhere, but around most plentilully in
| The churchyard. Thilher went with tin
box, pair OF speclaces, and a superabund-
AMI faith in my own agility. The process of
catching grassbopper may seem 10 the SUI
per6cia and hippan, trivial matter But
l., Sir, who have undergone it, am prepared
10 pronounce it one of ihe most absorbing
and intense occupations in the world Any
one can dig worm. You have but 10 turn
| up The soil and grasp the object of your re-
| searches; il may squirm more or less, but it
cannot get away, But with grasshopper it
is entirely different. You have TO contend
with power-the power Of flocomoiion-and
in addition 10 that, an intellectual force
which will not be coerced, and loves free.
dom.
| The way secured few grasshoppers
was this: Having wiped my speolacles SO as
10 secure good vision, crept stealhily in 10
the high grass. Immediately lu eniy or thir-
ty grasshoppers darled upwards in as many
directions. BY The time | had considered
which one 10 pursue, they bad all disappeared.
Another step or two produced a similar re-
suit, but instead Of reAectiug this lime, sur
rendered myself TO instinct and followed him
who first caught my eye. Now il is not easy
10 follow grasshopper, for he dives into deep
places where you cannot find him, unless you
have been accustomed 10 extract a needle
from the historical bottle of hay; and he pos
sesses also the happydacully of changing his
With the best of intentions, however, you
creep up 10 the spot where you saw him
alight; sure enough he is there, running along
blads Ct grass; in the face of such an en-
couraging lac; that you bend your fingers in
10 good graspins position, anu make a
grab: you perceive at the same instant that
a grasshopper has made bolt, but faith be-
ing strong in the human breast, you donoi
apprehend il is yours. So rising slowly inio
an upright and rather proud position, yon
begin 10 draw out threads of grass one by
one, firmly persuaded that the residum will
be grasshopper. Presently the idea occurs
10 that if auch were the case. your captive,
being gifted with very strong hind legs.
would surely use them. A cloud of suspi-
cion crosses your brow, and you determine
at any sacrifice to investigate the truth. With
heroic Intention you slowly unbend your fin
gers, and at the last critical stages when
thought is suspended by they very breath