Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-05-21
LOCAL AFFAIRS.

morning last d party OF SIX started on an
expedition to the wilds of Licking Creek.
Taking a conveyance to Minehart's run,
FIVE miles from Lewistown, the party then
shouldered knapsacks, tent, fish baskets,
bags, axe, hatchet, &C., and proceeded on
foot through the Gap, up and then doEn
pretty steep mountain, and thence to the
creek, where, new site having been Sc
lected for camp, fire was built, the tent
erected, hemlock branches prepared for
bedding, baggage unstrapped, and other
preparations made for nights rest. By
This time the appetites of the party being
we'll sharpened by the wholesome exercis-
es of the day, coffee was soon boiling aud
sqndry trout, just caught for the occasion
by the editor, transferred to the frying pan,
aud, as may be conjectured, no one there
envied the suppers either at the National,
Lewistown, Uncle Dams, or any other place.
The party retired early, aud went to sleep
with the music of the whippoorwill ring
ing in their ears. On Thursday morning
some fishing was done, with tolerable sue
cess, though no one stuck to it very closely.
In the afternoon one who had been unable
to accompany the party the day before ar
rived, and as usual soon made himself use
full by inventing a bark table as we'll as
sundry other fixtures. With the exception
of seeing one of those long, shiny snakes
called racers-measuring We should judge
about seven feet-which lay before us as
We jumped down from urge fallen hem
lock, nothing remarkable occurred this day.
We debated for some time whether the
black scamp was tory and therefore de-
served knocking on the head, but knowing
the animal to be almost harmless so far as
man is concerned, we finally concluded to
let him live and follow his vocation of
hunting birds, toads, &c, for after all he
is no worse in this respect than most other
animals, majority of which live by des-
tToying some part of the living creation
On Friday morning FIVE Of the party
turned to fishing in carnest-two going
down and three up. Taking the old path
to the forks, the editor and his two com.
panons walked up to the branch, where
the two decided to explore new ground
through the gap where this stream comes in
to the main creek. From their report, it rises
near the top of the mountain, and is sue
cession OF falls over rocks with numerous
small pools, in which trout are abundant,
though small. The editor trudged on up
the main stream, with his dog for company,
and commenced fishing about mile above
The morning was favorable, and for few
hours the fish bit well, so we'll that the
basket strap over his shoulder began to
give an unpleasant sensation, whereupon he
concluded that dinner would not come amiss.
Turning down towards camp, throwing a
line in occasionally in some inviting pool,
We got on an island which the floods had
swept clear of brush, leaving covering Of
fine sand several inches deep; we fshed its
shores, and when about to leave it, 10, there
lay, coiled up, South Cardinals hated Iem-
Llem, rattlesnake. Of all poisonous
snakes we fear these least, as they generally
lay IN open spaces, give notice when you
come near, and are so easily killed that a
small stick will disable them; but ever since
this Internal rebellion commenced, under
the patronage of this deadly reptile, We
hate them, and when knocking one on the
head feel like smashing southern cut.
throat. 1t had Is rattles. On arriving at
camp, our basket was found to contain 81
trout, fair proportion of which were from
. to III inches long. The others also were
pretty successful. On Saturday morning,
after rather slim breakfast, the provisions
having been almost exhausted, the tent was
struck, knapsacks packed, and with between
two and three hundred trout the mountain
vas recrossed on foot. Again taking the
carriage at the run, few hours brought us
to town, without single occurrence to mar
the trip. The weather was remarkably
pleasant, and we dare say the whole party
would be ready to make another, did time
and opportunity permit.
ssA We hear Of > general smashup
last night about two miles west of the
Narrows crossing, by freight train break