The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-08-02

I rod, n good. stout lIae about Gfty Yards
long, and reel fastened to the rod Just at
the hand. wades out into the shallow WIS with
his bucket Of live minnows fast ening o
minnow upon his hook by piercing
il through his nose, and tossing the
begins. The black perch is a strong,
very active fish. aud frequently weighs from
SIX to ten pounds; is withal a beautiful
fish, and gets his living by proving upon
! the smaller individuals of the tinny tribe.
As the minnow, impcded by the weight Of
the anglers line. moves slowly through the
water. Sir Perch, lying under the shady
side Of some hidden rock, is attracted ut
once NV the apparently easy prey that floats
near him; he darts like a flash upon the
tstcd minnow, seizcs him by the middle,
and in another instant as off again. The
line is rapidly drawn from the reel, which
spins around with a whirl and q wliz. rare
| music to q fishers ear. MIR. Perch, having
| distanced any Of his greedy mates who may
| have witnessed his streak Of luck and given
| him n chase for the ervied morsel, finds q
| convenient place for lunch, he stops and
| turns the poor minnow in his mouth. to
| swallow him headforcmost, q la Jonah.
Now. no fisherman can tell ynu why
the perch prefers to swallow his prey
headforcmnSt. unless it is n providential
| provision for the anglers benefit but it is
| m u%udisputed fact, and this is the oppor-
| tau(ty;' cautiously tightening the line by
winding the reel. the experienced angler
gives his pole q sudden jerk, just at the
| right time and hooks his prize and now
for the grand linale"-the fish finding
himself y captive. darts to and fro, first
down stream, then back again from bank tc
bank. shoots TO the surface, cuts the water
| with his short back, making the line fairly
sing, then dives again into deep water; all
| the while his captor ~sl.illully paws out the
line or draws it in, gradually bringing his
victim nearer and nearer, seeing which the
| fish makes frantic efforts to escape. IT he is
a " big fellow he will leap high above the
water and shake himself. in vain efforts to
diSplace the barbed point thoush some
times he does succeed at this man9uvre).
Finally, exhausted and hall drowned, this
lord Of the stream is drawn to the feet of
| the delighted sportsman, and the prize Sc
cured.
In my humble opinion there is no finer
sport tnan this. and ifyou, MesSrs. Editors.
or any OF your Richmond friends, can find
time for n holiday, take the advice of your
correspondent and try it. You will find q
| plenty Of fish iu the waters of the HolSton,
cspeciallv in the North Fork, in the vicin-
ity of Saltville. And if you or anybody
else wish to SEE the fine stock I have alluded
TO in this and other communications, just
meet me ut the mex Wytheyille Fair, which
j. held early In October, when there will
probably he the finest cattle-show to be
seen in Virginia the coming fall. All in
t"rested are trying 10 make 1t so, and from
their programme and present prospects !
am inclined to believe they will succeed.
The great Southwest will arise in its might
and prove to the State that it is, indeed, her
right arm. 1t was said in ante 6eliun days
that "God had dom more for this section,
and the people less, than any land His sun
>hone upon" The fact was, God had done
So much that the people thought there was
no necessity for them to do anything but
they have walked up, and il you would
have evidence of tie fact so 10 WythYille
next October.
The corn crop is generally a promising
one in that section OF the State ut least it
| was Il fortnight ago.. The wheat is good in
| some counties /; much under the average in
others. The hay crop is lighter than usual
everywhere. TIE oat crop is very tiue in
some places III others much injured by
rust, and well nigh worthless. In tact, this
may, | think, be considered the most diSas-
| trous crop year we have had since the wal.
| Tobacco has not "stood' we'll. l doubt
| whether more than half 4 crop can be real
iZed. But the corn crop will keep uS from
! want. That is good everywhere l have
| been. ard will bear a large yield il dry
| weather in August does not cut it short.
But more anon. BoTETouRT.