The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-10-17
For the Hsrn-r aud Mechanic
cHmpses Of aanch-Ltfe In tho
Indian Terrftory.

With the progress of civiliZ,t on the
Indlan tastes with m.sie .t .iis nec->-
sarily change. Many nj the time
honored customs and sports IN which,
even a few wear. he -nthusia.ticanN
ioined. are now not only afsandoued.
islt seen, scarce remembered. and II 80
spoken of, only IN terms OF Indifference
Among the most novel OF those Ia
which NV attention has been directed l.
that of Fish Poisoning" From the
term, one would doubtless lnler all such
meat must be unfit Tor use; this - not
the case, a. the fish are only made
drunk and. left TO themselves, Gall ex-
crpt the smaller onesl. soon
from all bad effects. Those caught BY
this method are in no Wa injured since
the effect of the drug is but temporary.
and only 10 admit OF tie sport OF shoot
ing them.
The evening previous to the day
agreed upon tor the occasion. the par
ticipants in the sport begin to assemble.
| each with bow and arrows and pouch OF
| .b~uck-eyes," or bundle of devils shoe
string." The former were for a long
time used exclusively. but owing 10 Their
scarcity in many part. OF the country.
| anu tne uIstONtEN osVb u ioiSt'
quantities. the later answered the same
purpose. the devils ~hoe siring sno"
generally substituted. This j. the long
yellow roots of a plant very abundant
throughout this country. but which l
rave no recollection OF ever seeing else
where. Neither can l give its botanical
name. having seen only the o
Fires are built upon the banks of the
stream. and the early part of the night
is spent in games and dances. which. in
former times. were interpreted with
various ceremonies or nominations.
wholly unintelliyible 10 the spectator.
OF these there are often quite . number
from the white settlers throughout the
country. who by invitation and through
curiosity are drawn To the spot.
Often il is not until long after mid
night that they begin work in earnest.
The preparations are as follows: The
party divide some taking charge of the
..~buck-eyes.' or "shoe strings" which
must all be thoroughly pounded or
rushed between stones, and then
strown thickly upon the water the rest
to 90 up the stream for a considerable
distance to drive the fish down to II.
This is lone by some in by some III
boats and canoes, who with oars, sticks
and bushes. beat the water with all pos
sible violence; others jump into the
stream aud by diving and swimming do
| their share in startling and driving the
lish from their beds among the rocks or
meath over-hanging banks; and last.
though not least in Importance, would
MENTION the well nigh d~istracting yells
or whOOps. such as only an Indian can
utter. and in which on such an occasion
all Join. Two or three hours must
elapse before the poison begins to take
effect !; aud the interval is ~variOusly
spent some return to their games and
dancing. Others wrapped in their blan-
kets throw themselves upon the ground
to pass the willie in sleep or rest, Others
still remain upon the banks to watch
and give notice of the first appearance
of floating fish upon the water. The
announcement is but a signal for a gen
eral rush to the banks with bows and
arrows-and the shooting begins. a
good size fish suddenly rises t. the sur
face, turns upons his back, and a halt
dozen arrows are quivering i'll what
seemed an apparently already dead
body floating down the stream. Anoth-
tl duu dIOlIltI IlStS. anu Soou tlC III
face of the stream is thickly covered
with floating ashland the excitement
increases with every shower of arrows
until with emptled q%uivers they pause
for the double purpose or gathering in
the spoil and collecting the arrows. OF
course plany of the latter are lost-not
so much from erring in aim, but in
wounding fish that still have the power
to 90 under the water even if but CO die
among the rocks with the arrow point
deeply buried in its body. Those of the
fish worth taking are slowed in the bot
tom of the boats. while the smaller and
less desirable kind are thrown back into
the water. AS soon as this is accOmp-
lished the shooting begins again the
party gradually moving down the stream
until either their wants are satisfied,
they tire of the sport, or they reach the
point where the stream empt.es into
some larger body of water. Usually
the place chosen for the ~''pOisoniny' is
in some creek emptying into a river.
TO BE CONTINUED.