The Indianapolis journal., 1885-09-13
THE "POCKET LAKES"
A Locality that Rivals the Far-Famed Lake
Region of England.

"B. E. P. in New Albany Ledger
An article published few months since in the
American Angler from the pen of Jap" our
fellow -townsman, describing the glories of Lake
Gogebic, Mich, set US to wondering how many
Hoosier anglers and lovers of the picturesque of
nature in the rough, who go miles from home in
search of the wherewithal to crafty their long
lngs, know that in our own lndiana-in Point
township, Posey county-there is one of the
most wildly picturesque spots on the face of the
globes We do not speak from experience, never
having seen all the beautiful Of nature, but
surely in that region known as the Pocket"
where five small lakes, Hovey lake, Green lake,
Green Bay lake, Grand lake, and one other
smaller lake, the name of which has slipped our
memory lie like silver mirror to the sky and
woods, there is something to attract the atten-
tlon of those who have stood amid the granduer
of Yosemite or tie far-famed scenery of Switzer-
land
Of these FIVE lakes Hovey lake is the largest
1t is about four miles long and two miles wide.
The lakes lie near the Ohio river, and empty
into It, being connected one with another, and
extending in a southwesterly direction Hovey
lake being nearest the river They are separated
only by low marsh lands or bottoms" which
are covered with cypress trees and underground,
and when the Ohio is On a high" they form one
vast lake, stretching ont over the surrounding
country. AS matter Of course, there very
few permanent residents the houses for the
most part being constructed on the box
system, of rough boards and puncheon
cupied during the corn-raising season;
as soon AS the corn is 'laid by" in the summer
the farmers return to their homes in the hills
or high grounds, until corn gathering time.
Near the lakes the land is not cleared and there
are acres and acres of pecan orchards and mul-
berry trees. 1t was early summer when we
visited the place, and we Staid week in one of
those temporary houses situated in the heart of
pecan orchard, and within stones throw of
Hovey lake. One hundred yards from the house
trees SlOO0 q tbickly
laced so closely that the sun light scarcely pene-
trated enough to make it more than twilight
even at midday. The mulberry trees We're
loaded down with large, ripe, luscious fruit,
which, however, was tasteless and fiat, owing to
the dense shade in which in it had ripened.
Now, we do not claim to have much knowledge
of fish, but we were with boating party on the
lake one afternoon, and we had no idea that the
Ohio river contained SO many fish as we saw
that afternoon in that lake. It was literally
alive with them; twice we rowed through them.
schools" of them, several of them being four
feet long; and striking the ski with such force
to make the shock perceptible to all. 1t was a
still day and fish which looked to be at least three
feet long, frequently jumped out Of the water
and fell back with splash that could be heard
half way across the lake. There were nets set
in several places. One method employed in
catching the large fish is that called Juggling"
The fishers take number of jugs, cork them
tightly, tie a line several feet long with hook
and bait attached to the handles, and drop
them on the water. An empty Jug if
tightly corked, will not sink, and when the fish
bites he is unable to keep the jug under water.
and the fishermen follow them up in boats until
they tired out, when they easily taken
AS before mentioned. the wild loveliness of
these lakes. and the surrounding scenery is equal
to au artists dream. The trees with clirging
vines and MOSES, squirrels leapiug from limb to
limb, shy rabbits darting from their hiding
places and scamperng away through the rust
ling leaves longlegged snipe wading in the edges
of the lake where the water is shallow. and
mosquitoes-penty of them--as large-we we
were going to say as large as humble bees but
we don't like to exaggerate. They would bite,
however, as we can testify from personal
experience
In the shallow parts of these lakes large num-
bers OF cypress trees, common to marShy land,
growing right up out of the water The
trunks are ridged and furrowed by the action of
the water, some of them being worn into the
most curious shapes, in particular was per
fectly square In our estimation this is one of
the most delightful places to rest for few
weeks to those within the boundaries of our own
State who are bookSworn and weary, for those
who are unable to incur the expense that would
attend trip to Lake Gogebic some such famous
resting place. You can readily imagine yourself
beyond the pale of active. modern civilization
There is everything to aid the delusion-the
primitive style of living, the log schoolhouses
which serve the double purpose of school-house
and meeting house" the quaint style of dress.
the aversion to city folks" even the daily stage
and ''maif man." the long rides to 'meetin'" in
the two-horse farm wagon, the crowd around the
church door, who stare at the strangers the
dogs which lie under the seats and bark loudly
when the amens too fervent 1t is so restfui,
so different from the turmoil Of everyday life.
that one feels as if they had gone back half
century to the good old days that our grand
mothers knew"