The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-10-10
PERSONAL "REMINISCENCES OF AN
OCTOGENARIAN.
BY DIR. GIDEON LINCECUM.
CONTINUED.

The greatest camp and the one at which
we iarried the longest, was on the High
tower, river fifty yards wide, and no where
over knee deep. We waded for miles in
its rushing waters, fishing Of nights with
torch and gig, and bow and arrow. We
considered ourselves we'll paid for wading in
it's March cooled waters. The big strings
of large white suckers, not SO large speckled
trout, and large, red, nearly orbicular
perch, weighing nearly six ounces, and
feeling as firm as beef steak, astonished
the South Carolina movers who were tIav-
cling with us.
We remained at this High tower camp
ten days, and my mother, who was great
for stopping at outlets, had the negroes to
make scaffold for her, and keep big log
heap burning. from whence she could
obtain constant supply of live Goals to
put under the scaffold, which was OVERLAND
with sailed venison and fish, and by her
knowledge of such matters, keeping the
temperature not to cook but to dry the
articles SO exposed. That was profitable
camp, for we left it with dried meat enough
to supply our cooks for two hundred miles
Our next camp at which we remained
awhile, was on Canoe creek, a wild unfre-
quented country that lay along the foot
hills of some very lofty mountains. The
game was so abundant here, and so easily
taken, that l felt like it would be right to
make that the end of my journey. The
pleasures arising from the sportsman's life,
especially in the uncontaminated fresh will
derness in such a picturesque country as
that was. An extensive district of such
level valley country, densely coated with a
full variety of very tall forest trees, vines
and shrubs, producing lavish amount OF
all the nuts, grapes and berries belonging
to the latitude in which it lay. Another to
the ardent sportsman's delightful consider
alton was the frequent occurrence OF clear
creeks and rivulets, that came dashing
from the splashing cascades in the rocky
gulches of the lofty range of mountains
that formed its northern boundary.
These beautiful transparent streams were
full of variety of the gamiest kinds of
fish, 1 had never heard of fly then, but
they would rise to the grasshopper, cricket
and little frog; but with the greatest rush,
to the good, big splaw legged spider that
runs on the ground before you with his
entire family packed on his back:
The mountains too were full of game.
My brother and myself went into the noun
tains one evening just at sun down, and
very silently built little camp fire, where
we slept till daylight. We left our camp,
and slipped out on the top of the noun
tain, intending to 60 in different directions
on its ridge, but before we had separated
the roar of the numerous wild gobblers
surprised us so that we both stood and lis
tened. In all directions, was to be heard,
nothing but one continuous roar. My
brother sat down, saying: We don't want
but one piece of them and this is as good
a stand as any," We kept ourselves con-
cealed; saw them fighting and chasing each
other. Many of them came near enough
and we had fair chances to shoot, but we
concluded the amusement was too good to
break it up yet and besides we knew the
turkeys would not break up till towards
o'clock. We sat still in our hiding place
awhile longer; until a pair of old gobblers,
who had been fighting long time not
more than fifty yards distant got their
mouths locked and were both pulling back
like they were trying to tear each others
jaws off. My brother said nov is our
time, be quick, you take the right and let's
see if we can't both fire at once and cut off
their locked heads. 1 was instantly ready,
and bang went the rifle, my brother said
he discovered he was a little behind and
didn't fire. But the surviving warrior was
thrashing away on his headless victim, in
the full confident courage that he would
conquer, if he had not decapitated the foe
himself, which he doubtless thought he
had.
REMARKED, they were such equal matches
in the fight, 1 think they are the same
weight-shoot him and we'll see. He shot
him, and at that moment, flying from the
half hounds and ours, and military guns of
our travelling companions, came rushing up
the pass through which we had succeeded
in gaining the mountains top, fifteen or
twenty deer. They were frightened at
meeting US in their only outlet SO badly
they didn't know what to do. They were
all in amongst us, and we amongst them,
kicking and striking and following, with
empty guns in our hands. My brother
says: Well, we've been all our lives in
what we thought good hunting countries,
but this takes the dilapidated linen."-
That country possessed many things be-
sides that delights the Industrious lover
of sport-bears, panthers, beavers, cata-
mounts, wildcats, coons, woodchucks, and
woodcocks bouncing up every where in the
thick woods, but what is very valuable
accompaniment to the other fine sport was
the great number of bee trees to be found.
Indeed the country being good one as to
water, soil and timber, game of every de-
scription was so abundant and the sport sc
fascinating that it was with an effort that
Twas finally able to tear myself away from
it.
My brother and myself had, during the
few days we remained at that camp, several
other cases of rare sport with curious and
incredible success, from the report of which
shall let you escape.
My handsome young wife, with her two
la fxUn hal
other six months old, and the negroes were
all healthy and happy, and when l made
the inquiry as to how would this wild,
uninhabited wilderness do for home, the
reply was: 81 don't think we shall find a
BETTER" and the negroes Joined her and
said: " Whar all dis good timber is we can
soon knock up nice house close to some
O. desc good springs. shoa." But the fates
had cast the due. The very next morning
we struck our tents and journeyed onward
until we reached Tuscaloosa, which we
found full of people just landed, mostly
from Tennessee, and they were telling
timber and hastily building up town Of
poles and clap boards, and such people
had never seen any of that type of the
genus before. They were large men gen
orally, full fieshed, and having the appear
ance of having been we'll creased with hogs
lat. coarse IN conversation, the tenor Of
their discourse seemed to hang upon the
idea that they were afraid the people might
not know it, or if they did, they might for
get it, that they were not only able but
damned willing to whip anybody that
might be fool enough to come in their way.
l remained in the town, but my father
and his family continued their journey
down on the Black Warrior river ten miles
below, where he built and cleared a cane
brake farm and made crop.
There were in the tewn a set of young
men who came out to explore the country
and Tuscaloosa being at that time the only
place where provisions could be had, these
men made that place the home point, from
whence they went out and returned.
1t was pretty good game country, like
myself, all had guns and fishing tackle
along, and getting acquainted-for like
attracts like-we formed sportsman
club and were soon ranging the wild cane
brakes, which had many bears as we'll al
much other game. Tuscaloosa has wide
bottoms, which at that time were densely
clothed in the largest cane | ever saw in
any country. The old Indian town of Tush
cab loo-sa lay mile or more below where