Brookings County sentinel. (Brookings, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1890, 1882-06-29
FISHING IN THE JORDAN.


My tents were pitched among the olive
trees ON the banks of the east branch of
the Upper Jordan, only q few rods be-
low the mighty springs at Banias, the
ancient Cesarea Phillippi. The Jordan
rises from various great springs in the
west and southwest sites of Mount Her.
mon. The western branch, which comes
down the gorge between Hermon and the
Lebanon range, flows practically south
ward from its source till it comes out on
the plain above the waters of Merom.
the Banias branch springs out of the
rocky mountain side, at that village, de-
scends the declivity in a torrent, re-
ceives the flow OF the great spring of Dan
three or four miles below, then joins the
west branch and the river pursues its
course, widening into Mermon, and rest
ing again in the Sea Of Galilee. The
sun was an hour above the western hills.
SO I took out light rod and book Of
flies and small spinners, and went up to
the spring where the waters began their
course. What fish might be in the river
and what flies TO Use 1 knew not. But
it is very certain that if there be any
game fish in any river or lake judicious
use Of flies or spinner will bring them to
hand. The cavernous opening in the
precipitous rock of the hill, out of which
the spring once flowed, has crumbled,
and the clear water gushes and bubbles
out in countless little springs among the
debris. Remains of pagan worship are
numerous, for the Romans, as we'll as
their Greek and Phenician predecessors
in power, had cultivated here the rever-
ence and worship OF the gods Of the
water, the woods, and the lower regions.
Turning my back Oh the myths,
began to whip the stream where the va
rious oczings of the fountains gathered
in somewhat smooth flow for little.
There we're a host Of small fish not
three inches long and at every cast
would take one or two. But these young
descendants of the sacred fish Of olden
times we're entitled to respect and were
carefully restored. / have always re-
GREETED that l made no careful notes of
the characteristics of the fish l took in
the sea of Galilee and in various parts of
the Jordan. then supposed that they
were known to the books spd catalogued.
/ have since found that no one has de-
scribed the various families, and i. is q
subject of manifest interest. Ithen only
said to myself: "These seem to be some
of the small fry OF the perch family, I"
and I began to follow down the stream
seeking larger fish. From the very
start the river began a series of white
plunges, winding on its course, dashing
itself into millions of sparkling bubbles,
too gay and evanescent to be called foam,
pitching, tossing furious. There were
no place for use of spinners, fly OF bait.
Never was more noble torrent. Cross
ing it was impossible. Down, down,
down, l followed and followed, content
for the glory Of such a cataract was
worth enjoying. Still the sun went
downward also over Lebanon and the
night was coming. Close by the bank
of the stream / come on q group
of Arabs, six men surrounding a
small fire of a few stalks of grass
and weeds. They welcomed a stranger
with frank cordiality, and pressed me to
share their evening meal, which they
were then and there about to eat. 1t
consisted OF tough fiat cakes of bread,
roasted snails and Jordan water. The
snails were roasting in the ashes, big, fat
fellows, the shell nearly two inches in
diameter. Roast snails are not at all to
be despised. / had eaten them before. l
ate them with the Arabs now, and some
where l have two or three of these giant
shells, kept as a memorial of the hospi-
tality of Lebanon Arabs to a strolling
angler. High overhead the snowclad
summit OF the Sheik Mountains, Her
mon of old, was glowing in the light of
the sun, which had gone down beyond
Sidon on the waters of the great sea. A
deep gloom seemed to be pouring into
the southern view, where, away between
the ranges of hills, the gorge deepened
downward beyond Capernaum and
Chorazin and Bethsaida, toward the sea
of death. A cold wind swept down,
making the Hermon dews seem icelike
instead of soft. Slowly, rod in hand,
without fish, l climbed the hill toward
the tents among the olive trees at
Banias. The red hight faded ON Hermop.
1t was dark before reached home; for
tents are homes, though they be move
able homes, and all our homes are at
best but camping places.