Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-08

and hauled ashore before the spring
breakup. In these little houses the
fisherman spends his days and nights,
for they are very comfortable, being
banked with snow and furnished with a
stove and bunk. A movable floor-bsard
gives access to the fishing hole beneath.
This is the hatchway to noble common
cellar, reaching from Wood Creek to the
Richelieu in length, and in width from
Vermont to New York State, stored with
plenty of food and drink of the whole
soonest. 1t must be cosy way Of fish
ing, and, thought, would suit me for
if, as it seemed was to get no fish, |
might SO take my bad luck comfortably
and shut out from prying eyes, keep it
unknown to any but myself and the fish.
Ny new acquaintance told me much of
his affairs. OF his luck in fishing at all
seasons, of the money he had earned in
haying and in chopping, and Dragged of
his wonderful horse
'He worse more as hundred dollar
f you want heem go slow, he go sloW !
4 you want heem go fas', jus de same
Vas, SIR"
OF our withered neighbor he said,
"He got too hole. Wen all got hole lax
heem, ah been dead great many year
go !"
He used the shortest rod | ever saw
employed, it being only about foot in
length, with a slender cross-piece more
than half as long, to wind up the line
upon when not in use. When he had
hooked fish he tossed this aside and
pulled it out hand ever hand. He said
that, besides perch, smelt, aud blue-nsh,
they occasionally caught pike-perch
eel, as he called the ling and believed it
to be. If this theory will help settle the
vexed question of the generation of the
eel, the scientists are welcome to 1t, if
they will only give credit therefor to my
friend Joseph Gerard of Vermont, com,
monty known as Joe Gero.
The perch and smelt swim deep for
the most part, and are usually fshed for
little off the bottom. Worms are the
best bait for perch but after one smelt
is caught his eyes are used to lure his
fellows. 1t is said that these Cham
plain smelt do not visit salt water, though
they might if they would; but they have
the cucumber smell and taste Of those
taken in tide.waters. The salmon-her-
ring, lake-herring, or whatever lie is who
here bears the name of "blue- fish. is q
recent conner to these waters for, from
all 1 can learn, he was unknown here till
within ten or twelve years. 1t is posi-
BILE that the supposed Ewhitefsh turned
out here some years ago by our Fish
Commissioners were these. No one can
deny that he is very handsome fish,
symmetrical in form, and, when first
taken from the water, Of beautiful moth
er of pearl hucs but MS to his goodness
opinions differ The flesh is rather soft,
and has its share of bones, but is of rich
flavor When lie bites he comes close to
the surface for the morsel of fat pork or
bit of his brothers belly that 10 offered
him, with aconstant gentle motion. When
he is seen to take the bait, the angler
strikes at once, or it is spit out. He is
very shy, perhaps through beinga stranger
fisherman's shadow or sudden motion.
The ideal angler has quiet ways and,
observing that my third and last fellow
tisherman-if had right to claim such
fellowship-kept to his post MS steadfastly
as en- Esquimaux to a seal-bole, never
wasting a motion, | was attracted to him.
He ptoved to be q Waubanakee of st.
Francis, plying the gentle art here in the
war-path Of his ancestors One fishing
here two hundred years ago would have
needed to keep at least one eye open for
something more than fish, but both his
little black ones were intent upon his
line. From our low stand point the
rough indented shore Of Split Rock
Mountain showed only as straight ics-
line, and it seemed MS if war party
might slip by unseen behind the round
of the world. Over there passed many a
one to and fro in the old days, ,-Iroquois,
Waubanakees, and whites; notable among
them, with q. bloody page in history, that
OF De Ste. Helene ard Pc Mantet, French
and Indians, creeping like paTtherr to-
ward doomed Schenectady, then return
ing, with blood and pillage.
This famed great grandson Of those
panthers looked peaoeable and kindly
enough, but was at first as tacitCrp as
slow to be drawn into conversation as the
Ssh to the companionship which 1 desired
of them /, bCt, batting with tobacco and
lunch, at last drew sol*e talk from him.
He told me that he and few OF his peo-
pie We're wintering in a neighboring vii
lage, making baskets and bows and ar
roTe They found but little sale for
these, and, tor. went of something better
to DO, he had come a-hsh;rF Years be.
fore had known some of his people, and
through him l learned somewhat of my
old ac1uaintances. One of them was
Swasin Tahmoui, rho doubt not was
the Tahmunt Swasen of Thorcau's maine
Woods, and Of whom / was surprised tc
hear that he had gone to the happy
hunting gfCunds by the tire-water way
| for when | knew him be would not touch
whiskey and was very pious. He used
to sing hymns to me in Waubanakec, aud
always said grace before his musquash
meat. Wadso, who many years ago hac
told me the Indian names of all these
streams, ha' elao gone thither, but by t
better path. His father still lives, the
Oldest man of his tribe. lie commanded
the Waubanakee warriors at the battle o.
PJattsburg, My new acquaintance lac
ieshed his war-arrows, having served IL
NoW York regiment in the late war, anc
he looked AZ if he might have done gool
service. ] wondered If then any Of the
old savagery had been awakened in him
if the war-whoop had risen to bis lipI
when his regiment charged, or If he ha'
been tempted to scalp a fallen foe.
heard OF Caughnawaga in one of ON
Vermont regiments who, when reproach
ed for kicking wounded rebel, justiiie,
himself by saying, "Me list to Kill um !!
That was setting forth the truth with I'M
pleasant plainncss.
The ice is now whooping like 4 Legion
of Indians. Its wild mysterious voic
vopld first be heard faint and far away
then come rushing toward lis swlfter thai
the wind, with increasing volume O
groans and yells, till it seemed as if tn
ice was about to yawn beneath us and de
your us. The fish quit biting, AS wei
they might, with u pother overhea
enough to frighten a hungry saint froI
his meals. If had been alone | shout
have fed to the shore but, seeing m
companion undisturbed by the uproar,
4 al La