The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-05-11


other.
But oysters are mot the cnly boast Of Cedar
Keys. Sea trout, black fish, sheep heads and
red snsppers have helped to celebrate the fame
of that noted place, and the shade. of Izak Wal
ton would have haunted me had passed through
without cast fer some Of them.
While the rest were stiil lingering around the
festive legs, though impatient to do more harm
toshell fish, slid away, though must admit
with no elastic step, to an old wharf, with a
hook and line kindly loaned me, and for bait
piece of mullet soon edged up to q sociable
disciple of st. Crispin, who much preferred
hook at the end Of his line to bristle. He was
short of bait and gave him some. He proposed
that We both put our fish on the same string,
which implied q sort of partnership, to which
l readily asseated. He gave me instructions Is
We made oar casts. Long experience had made
him skilled in the popularity of the sport. He
said the Meth wind had driven all the fish swsy
except tho trout, and they would be scarce aud
shy, bat said he would fool some of them sure,
and so he did. Every few casts he brought one,
which be would let spin through the water q
few times and then land him in quiet way,
always with some words of commendation for
his beauty. Our string heightened rapidly. as I
thought, though he said it was wasting time to
stay when they were 20 scarce and sluggish. I
thought I studied the art closely. initiated
the best I could every motion of my master, but
somehow the fnny rsscals knew the difference
and almost always took his hook in preference
to mine.
Al the sun declined the cold north wind, to
which We were exposed on the old pier, made us
chilly. and he said it would not pay to fool away
ones time longer at such dull sport, so he pulled
up the eaptives, which had been spls-hing in
the tide below, and threw them down on the
planking little way off, to make division of
the spoils. 1t was q beautiful sight. There
was score of the kicking beauties, bright and
silvery, speckled over with black radial spots,
weighing from two to five pounds. A true trout
beyond all doubt, almost identical in appearance
with those taken In Utah Lake, except that the
coppery stripe along the sides was wanting. But
they were lovely to look at, and in contenpla..
ing their beauties quite forgot the oysters of
Cedar Keys. A beautiful oyster! A lovely
clam! charming lobster! A honey of crab!
These for those who make gods of their bellies.
But n beautiful speckled trout charms the eve
as the wild song of the forest bird charms the
ear. The feast of the eye or the ear is more
elevated and enn obling pleasure than the feast
of the stomach The swine and the alligator
are organized to enjoy the latter feast as much
as the biped gourmond, but only he who is fash.
Toned after the image of God himselfis endowed
with the faculties which enable him to enioy all
the elements Of beautiful sights and sweet
sounds, though these two are appreciated to a
certain extent by some of the lower orders, but
1 must think that just in the proportion of this
capacity are they elevated towards humanity.
stood wrapped in admiration for long time
making every subject before me distinct study,
till the impatient cordwainer could be no longer
restrained, but must make the division, and he
off with his share. He would have given me
half, though he admitted I had not eau vht AS
many AZ he had but that made no difference
when gentlemen went cat0Ot. But this would
have been absolute robbery, and I would not al.
low 1t. He had kept no count of our separate
captures but had, and the truth of history
compels me to say to you, though somehow was
ashamed to say it to him, that had during the
whole time taken but too of the fish. In many
lands have fished, and taken many kinds Of
fish, and like most devotees have always claimed
some skill, but somehow that day was dull
and stupid and could not get the hang of the
trout at Cedar Keys. 1 finally settled the divi.
sion BY picking up four Of the fish, saying that
wa ~ many as felt like carrying to the house.
Then, thanking my late partner in business, l
laboriously made my way through the deep
yielding sand to my temporary house So end.
ed my feasting and my fishing at Cedar Keys
The party was large aud the hotel was small,
without sufficient beds for all. Mr. and Mr..
Turner accepted an invitation to 20 into the
country mile and half where they Jared
sumptuously. The ladies we're all turned into
one room With several beds. where they h d n
jolly time. judging from the talking. singing
and laughter which kept the house in an uproar
till neur midnight. Some o. the more active
gentlemen filled the vacant beds up stairs, while
Capt. Stoddard, DR.. Gray aud myself, being
young and used 70 rouvhiug it. com posed our.
selves upon the Larlor floor, where We made a
good night. sleep.
Let the give one word to science. When
washing in the tin basin on the back .toop in
the my, was dclis h,etl TO re. three striped
piss, "h"ut M big "A wood chucks. Distinct
yellow stripes extended the whole length of