The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-28
CAMPING OUT IN WEST pIRGINIx.
Catching Fish md TURTLES nnd SWIMMING uu
der the X nnnwhn Fails.


kANhwHA FALLS. July 2O.-Our canvas is
pitched on an island facing the smaller Of two
, in,is tnni empty into an immcnse basin Of
wafer whlch MS the whole nupltheatrc. The
island II sand, aud is covered with willows and
with trrn which looks very much like wild
cherry and under their protecting shelter our
cHmp Is pitched. We k,Tp two nrrs i'm almost
constant operntiun-onc in the culinary depart
meni h"lind the tent. by which we do our cook
ing I'll" other III front ui til" tent entranrr. TO
dry our blankets mud keep the mosquitoes nj
bay, The lUttcr have not troubled us ny yet.
We have met with great kindness from all
sides. everyhndy eNlnrlng great denl ~ curl
usity MS to what We really arc. We have been
set down Tor railroad engineers nnd survey
ors. Government whiskey gnugers. Communist
detectives. soldiers. and even professional basc
The hills are. imagine. about GOO feet high
from the river bed. rock ribbed and abrupt. rls.
ing ia picturesque grnndcur ono above tho
str"y: ~, ne r,iHc i9 9no ms opiy Gcen dc
mas grown II densc thirkot of young elm, nsh,
and other familiar trees.
Whatever may hc said Of the heads Of the In.
habiinnis, their lands at lenst are not level We
nr r lold TINT ,ar back IN various directions are
,lllin patches lying in between the hills that nrc
harmed. INC inhabitants whereof have little con-
ccption Of the outside wnrld and ARE visited
aione by hunters. thlnk we shall try and hunt
ono OF these curious abOdes up before we 10 and
valleys. '''
There are still n good many deer I'm the noun.
Wins. ana rigit back Of us, on Cotton Mountain
there. our good friend Ynil tells us there ia n
pair now. Zull Is the old fisherman who lent us
n
day-chcap enough He has told us many In
teresting stories about older times here. The
other morning he rowcd over and presented us
with large hucketiul " string beans. which
We heartily enjoyed. lie also prollercd in
formation in regard to fishing. at when the
boys have been very successful, capturing sew
rrdl very fine bnss. After properly cleaning
them j dredged EN- in corn meal. seasoned
with pepper and salt. and fried 'em in Mother
Hawkinss butter. They took immensely.
Mother Hawkins keeps an out Of the way inn
on TINS sllc OF the river. She supplies us with
fresh milk. iced huttermlk. butter potatoes
excellent reputation for veracity by quoting.
and all the black berries and apples we require
Tor nothing. Her land IL n patch about ten
miles square. rich In coal and / know not what
not mined as yet, would not mind having II
myself
The swimming Is grand. We take a shower
bath I'm the falls: batEo IN the falls. then a
swim. and finally another shower hath in tho
lallsl The natives were astonished. We
started in on one side and came out on the
other, going behind the falls and crawling
slipping and swimming along in the water and
over the Shiny rocks. This delighted them. and
VIZ nave had spectators nearly every day.
IL In rare sport catching turtles especially tina
swapping variety. They are well named. Tho
second one we tackled, wurlikc fellow gave
me a most unmerciful bite with his beak. While
he was laughing over it we got out the hook
aud secured him with n string. Another va
riety is the softshell. While swimming in tho
Tails one day we captured n very fine specimen
with our hands. chasing him into n crevice OF
tho rock.
On sunday evening and again this Saturday
morning we had genuine mountain storms hut
our canvas stood II brnvely. This IL B-t-d's
COOK day. lie gives US bean soup. corn dodgers,
mountain honey. stcwed peaches. and coffee.
his. dodGers IRE pron3uncccd a bonanza. The
the river. As long as we have plenty TO cot w
are perfectly happy.