The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-05-09
Angling I'm swan Creek.

Mr. Melville Williams, of this county and
| CAPTAIN James Hardware Andrews, OF Muir
1 freesboro-who has "wet hook IN nearly
1 all the famous fishing pools IN America
started from Columbia for Swan Greek on
| Monday morning of last week, IN the rain.
| They trusted that the rain had made the
/ creek little muddy, and in good fishing con-
dition. In passing over long stretch OF I'M
! inhabited barren country, they came across
! solitary newly dug grave immediately on
the roadside. 1t is Impossible 10 describe
| the sensation of loneliness produced by such a
grave in such piace-nOt even DUMB ami
NAL was to be seen for miles around. Capt.
| Andrews frequently attempted to express the
| solemn aud impressive thoughts produced on
| his immobile mind. Why any human being
should have been buried away out there, was
| a mystery to our sportsnlen. Iney learned
on Swan a short history OF the grave. 1t
| seems that party of raftmen returned 10 the2r
| homes in Bedford county, several months
ago, from the mouth of Duck river, where
| they had taken big raft, and they lett one OF
| their number, a negro, sitting up against an
! oak tree on the roadside. The weather was
| extremely cold, and in week or two he was
| found in the same position, frozen to death.
| The negroes of Swan creek assembled, and
| buried him where he was found They
| knew nothing of his history until sometime
afterWard another freshet came, and brought
the same raftmen on another raft, VINO made
enquiry about certain negro, VINO, tney SAID,
had been left sitting beside tree In the bar
rens. The description suited the man found
and buried on the roadside. His home was
in Bedford county.
The anglers reached G. W. StantlPs, on
the banks of Swan, and stayed all night, after
catching some of Marsh Johnson's favorite
mnnows, the "steel-back." Next morning
they went up the creek to Mr.. Grlmmett S,
and fished above and below j. n. Smith S
store-iust above Blue Buck. Some. nice
trout and perch were caught, and Jim An
drews was happy. About ten O'Clock w. ID.
Timmons, of Columbia, and Maj Douglas, of
Franklin, arrived from Centrevllle. Major
Douglas showed the party all the good tsh-
ing holes, and made himself as clever and
entertaining as man could. Indeed, he is a
prince of clever fellows. He told the Column
bans how to fish like Claggett and Marsh
johnson, two renowned fishermen OF Hick-
man county, who have large leaden ball
with hole bored in the centre, for the line to
work through, a live mlnnnow being able to
go where it pleases. Those gentlemen laugh
at corks as old-fashioned and belonging to the
age when fishing was done with wheel-bands,
In the afternoon of Tuesday another party
came from Maury, consisting of Messrs.
Clark Tindall, Walter q. Tindall, Preston
Fleming, Mr.. Walker and Mr.. Fulton. They
went above Stan6lrs dam, and struck nest
of black perch near fat rock, and the Messrs.
TIndall caught them almost as fast as they
could put their hooks in,
Swan is one of the prettiest streams in the
South. 1t is as clear as cry stal, and consists
of deep pools and Shoals-the latter keeping
the former live and fresh, and delightful
resort for the dainty trout. Several years
ago certain man, wishing to have all the
sport to himself, persuaded many owners of
land along the banks of this beautiful stream
to post it-he paying the expenses-in Or
der to keep anglers from Maury county away.
To hov
their lands posted, and those who consented
do not enforce the law, except Mr.. Briggs,
whose permission has to be gained before
fishing can be done at his mill.
Marsh Johnson's accomplished and estima-
bic wife is said to be successful trout angler.
She and Mrs. Street, of MurfreesboIo, once
caught one Of the finest strings ever carried
into Centrevile.
But we are losing sight of our Maury coun-
ty fishermen Wednesday evening caught
nearly all of them in the rain under Stantll's
bluff, where the tremendous peals of thunder
resounded and reverberated with terrific
force. A piece of spent lightning struck Mr..
Tindall on his left arm, but only stung him
for few moments. Uncle Dick Smith ro-
tund colored man who accompanied Mr.. Full
ton, was IN tall timber during the storm,
camped out on the bank of the creek. All
night he was in mortal dread of being washed
away or having q tree blown down On
him. Said he, Il orter staid at home, | ort-
a niger hai1't no business goin fshin no.
now. Thursday morning both parties start
ed home, and got along very well until they
reached Cathey's Greek, which was "boom-
ing" Dir. w. J. Strayhorn sent some deli
cious buttermilk, etc, out to the Columbia
party, and his brother tried all the various
lords to see if they could he crossed. Final
ly, he found place that was not swimming,
ami the cavalcade crossed over safely two on
each horse. They arrived in town at o'clock,
P. NJ, and ate refreshing supper at Walkers
Restaurant.