Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-07-29
Correspondence OF The Star.l
AADNoT's PLANTATION.
MaFnraN

hear from me semi oc castOnaltv while in Texas
and would have written from New Orleans or
Galveston, but feared that my letter might have
proven like q twice told tale. However, now
that am here in a country TO which our Wash
Lngtonians are to great extent strangers,
propose 10 send You No. 1, OF a series OF letters
L am here rustic ating. the guest OF Mr. Price
w. hadhot, one OF the wealthiest OF the planters
oi ,lls county, and the sou Of one Of the oldest
settlers OF Jasper county.
EASTERN TEXAS.
This section Of Jasper county, Is as fine a
country as have ever visited. IL IL essentially
cotton country, that product being the most
certain and direct source OF profit. but corn
hourishes here, and for fruit aud vegetables il is
almost unsurpassed, There is also much graz
ing done in this county, (tne cattle now COM
handing from ten 10 fifteen dollars per head \
AZ well as some rice and sugar planting. But
Texas is the salubri'y of the climate. and the
purity OF the water, and these are items OF some
considerable consequence in eastern Texas.
CHEAP LIVING.
Living here costs comparatively nothing the
best board in the village OF Jasper Court-house
in the best hotels being obtained tor two and A
half dollars per week, and anv man can earn
more than living here by the leas; effort
Land is obtainable on easy terms az prices VARY
ng from Fifty cents to perhaps twenty dollars per
acre.
ABOUT THE FREEDMEN.
There are many freedmen here and they cet
along most hsrmoniously with the white plant
els, many OF whom were their former masters
Most Of the freedmen work on shares. though
many are employed at stipulated prices. aud
they are all well clad, well fed and comfortable
looking. They want for nothing. thev are
honestly and charitably dealt with, aud when
have seen them handling their gold anu silver
(the only currency kno-su here) have wished
that some OF the "sOup house brigade, of W ash
hgton could see how happy aud content the
freedmen were here. While they are at work on
shares their credit is good until the crop is har
vested.
ISDEPESDENCE DAY IN TEXAS.
But il wa. not my intention, in setting out. to
eulogZe the merits Of Jasper county and Eastern
Texas, but rather to describe TO you how spent
the glorious Fourth of Jaly. Not being I'M a
country thickly settled enough 10 indulge ia the
firing OF cam on, the stree ming OF buntIny and
the eNplo>r n OF fr, -cTao keis. accepted an i'm
yitaton 70 me a party Of old Texas hunters on
a"GSk-fry" On the Fourth. The party rendez-
voused at place called Smiths Mil, the ruin
OF the old mill built when Texas was an inde-
pendent republic marking the spot.
GRAND FISHING EXCURSION
AT daylight We were ready, our horses sad
died and we started equipped with the ordinary
fishing tackle, the inevitable Texas saddle bags,
a large edUct (male Of coarse cotton and about
the size @ an ordinary piilow-case with pocket
at either end and made TO rest on the horses
baCh,) and an ordinary fishing rod. 1 arrived
with my IIiends and hosts, Hadnot ani Han
cock, at the mill aud introductions speedily
followed. Being rot well yersed in the pisca-
torisl art L kept quiet and awaited develop
II LIS.
The NAN WHO HAD BEEN TO GALVESTON.
Our master OF ceremonies was a nstive-born
Texan named Childers, man who has been
great hunter and fisher all his life, ami who
never saw the inside of a city until about two
months ago, when he was induced to visit Gal
weston. We commtn need fishing in a little
flt. of Nh 10 nm OH ppfl
making the fishing places almost inaccessible;
and from ihs rest number OF logs that had
been washed all along the bed of the stream en-
tangling our hooks, and the fact that its great
est depth was not three feet, we went TO work
with some difficulty. However, We commenced
hauling in the little perch and catfish, VARYING
IN length from three 10 seven inches AT the rate
OF one every minute or Whereabouts. Il thought
this was rather small business Tor Texas but
Kept quiet en that score.) L constantly heard
the remark OF getting enough bait, ;" which
did not exactly understand, a. 1 knew we had
fishing worms enough to last us all dav where
We were. In the course Of half hour Chill
Gers remarked that We lad :. bait enough" we
wound up our lines, and a iive-minutes' walk
brought Gs TO the bank Of the Angelina river
our re al fishing ground We had now a supera-
bundance OF small fish, which 1 soon discovered
were really for bait Childers' lines were then
produced, with hooks attached to the number,
perhaps, Of one hundred, and set out in the
Angelina, "a stream about sixty wards in
width,) the shcre ends being attached TO
twigs, branches, &c. This brought us up to
very near time 10 prepare for dinner, aud We
began TO fear We would have TO make n r,eal
oEt Of our small fish, when two of Childers'
little sons came in with three trout. (seveu
eight or nine pounders.) and a small catfish
weighing about seven pounds.
a FAMOUS FISH FRY.
trort, the catfish and some OF the small fry
furnished the material for our meal. Every one
Of the party now went vigorously TO work. The
wallets were unpacked, the cotfee-pots, irving
pans, meal, salt, corn bread and bacon were
produced, lire was speedily kindled, and in
less than an hour We threw ourselves down on
the grass TO as fine meal as 1 ever enioyed in
my life. And such coffee, strong enough for the
most fastidious FTenchman, and OF a ilayo. of
perfect richness.
CATTIHG TO SOME PURPOSE.
And the catiish;-denounoe the genus catfish
if you will, you ignorant denizens of Washing
ton, whose only ideas OF the catfish are derived
from the Shiny. mean, dirty, greenish-yellow
things that infest your pet nuisance. the pestife-
rous canal, or even from the channel cats of a
couple pounds weight that you occasionally get
from the Long Bridge, but such things are no
more to be compared to the fine blue-bellied,
rich and savory catfish of the Angelina weigh
ing sometimes as high As hundred pounds)
than Tom Thumb is to be compared to Tom
byer. hfteen FOUNDER Is looked upon as q
small fsh, less than that as very small and jnsig-
nincant. Our dinner was enlivened BY the Jokes
OF me Texans, all aimed at the worthy Chiiders,
the occasion OF his late rrst visit to citv' Din.
ner over, we proceeded to visit the hooks, and
then the sport commenced.
WHERE rs ANDREW HANCOCK
Catfish and the very largest trout we're hauled
IN to An extent that would make the ewes of old
Andy Hancock dance with delight, and tempt
nim almost to make the fishing grounds Of Texas
ms nome. L was perfectly delighted with the
novelty and the exciting features of the whole
snali, and was most happy ct being treated so
Aimdiy by people to me entire strangers
linus we spent the evening plying up and
down the river inspecting our hooks, and a
eoodiy harvest We reaped. Night approaching,
we repaired TO the shore, and there the game
vas divided In regular Texas style; but not
oeang family man in Texas, 4 did not take
any, calculating to feast ON that which fell to
the lot Of my host, which did that night at
supper to my stomach's content.
FISHING IN THE ANGELINA.
This fishing in the Angelina only yields good
sport when the river is rising, and at certain
stages Of the water. Sometimes parties return |
with rs many fish as their horses will conve- |
niently carry, and, in fact, il 10 common thing
for parties of ladies and gentlemen OF Jasper
county to 70 to the hshing grounds and remain |
two and three days, camping OUT The climate |
TEE COTTON PICKING SEASON.
30 much for 6sh stories I Am very much pre- |