The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-09
VALLEY MEN IN CAMP.
SUNNY SIDE BRIDGE,
OuI-, august Z, 1871. J
To the Editor OF the Eagle.

the next morning ii reminded the doughty
| band OF colonies, majors and captains IN
! the same condition and position that the
first bray of the woody bronco had left
them the night before. Col Arkansaw was
the first 10 break the silence and said
that when camping in the mountains he
| generally went to bed with his boots on
and he slept on his stomach to prevent
cramps, which struck the balance of the
party as somewhat attenuated when he
had been braging the night before about
| the nice, clean sheets and soft, feecy
blankets he had brought with him. After
a somewhat meager breakfast, devoid of
trout, all but Capt. Kaw donned their
fishing apparel and started out to break
| the record
| At Z p. NJ. they are all seated around the
camp fire. Capt. Kaw has the floor.
| Since you fellows left this morning l have
been doing little investigating and
find things somewhat different from what
| one would infer from camp fire talk.
went over to Wasson's ranch and had a
| talk with Mrs. w, who, by the way, is a
very intelligent lady, an authoress, is
highly educated, and has lived here for
twenty years. Mrs. w. says it is ten
years since a mountain lion has been seen
with the naked eye in this vicinity. And
want to say right here l prefer good
cot or a blanket TO the way we
all put in last night. Now, bring on your
fish. | am ready TO be surprised. Well.
said Col. Arkansaw, l gave mine TO Da-
homa when | came IN. | am not Dragging
on the quantity or size, but If l hadn't
given away-my first reel full hold on
old man Draw it mild, and don't ring
that chestnut in on US. You ought TO be
just before you are generous. Mrs. Was
som said this morning in all her twenty
years experience that she had never met
man who wore waders and carried 6 OF
rod that could be relied upon, and l want
you fellows to understand | am onto you,
and have got to see the head, tail and
belly of the fish before / will believe you
caught them. OF course you can buy
them and then palm them off as having
been caught by you. / am willing to be
gulled that much when | am hungry II
| thought they had any canned trout
down at Del Norte | would send for some.
l understand that down at the Gap they
have trout three times day and canned
salmon twice a day. Ii l figure correctly
that is fish five times day. And still
that's only five times more than this camp
has them.
l think this camp is too small. We
ought to have more fishermen aud of a diff
ferent kind-these fellows that catch fish
sitting around a camp fire are no good. l
understand that Chisholm Banks will be
here tomorrow accompanied by Councillor
Minnesota and the explorer of Darkest
Riverside; that is, they will pass this way
on their annual paSs-I mean trip to the
happy fishing grounds up at Antelope
Springs. | hope you fellows viii prevail
on them to stop long enough to catch US
- ( 4 . .r hCir,
Banks has something OF a reputation as a
croppy and bass fisher, and he may be
able to take some of the shy creatures that
infest these waters This morning when |
| commenced my investigations | mad an
idea that there were not any fish IN the
river but | soon had that notion dissipated |
| went down to the mouth of Deep creek |
and stood on a rock. In thirty minutes | |
saw more trout than | ever saw before in |
my life and cannot understand how you |
fellows can wade around in the river with |
out tramping on them. Well, boys its time |
to turn in; | am sleepy as had TO lay |
awake all last night to protect you fellows |
| would like to know if any of you fellows |
know how to pray. think little earnest |
prayer would bring us some fish; be- /
cause if my memory serves me |
right it is mentioned some place in holy |
writ that loaves and fishes were furnished |
the hungry in answer TO prayer.
The next morning it was cloudy and the |
outfit having lost one nights sleep, slept |
until 10 a. m, and soon after team drove |
into camp with Chisholm Banks, Mime |
scah Councillor and tile Explorer OF Dark |
est Riverside. 1t being too late the boys |
concluded TO have an early dinner and fish !
in the afternoon. Capt haw said he |
would 90, but all the rods being IN use he |
was compelled to stay in camp. About
3 p. N. heavy fog spread 1
In nd ha
fishermen begangto struggle iii. First
came Lieut.. Walnut putting and blowing
Said he: Il had whale on my hook about |
an hour ago 1t was so foggy l couldn't
see the fish, but played him and reeled |
him until thought my arm would come !
eff, and Just when l thought | had him
worn out he snapped my leader and went
off like a streak of lightning" He hadn't
finished but moment when Darkest Riv-
erside put in an appearance, worn and dis
gusted. tell you, Capt. kaw. hooked the
biggest fish in the Rio Grande about
an hour ago couldn't see him for the fog
was terrible thick but the way he pulled
thought my arm would come off and Just
when thought | had him snap went my |
leader and he went off like a streak. He
had hardly done when Nenneecah Coun-
cilor came in and he commenced to relate
his experiment with what appeared to him
must to have been equal in size aud
strength to a sea monster and just as he
had him, as he supposed, drowned.
snap went his leader aud the !
fish went of like CREASED
lightning. Hardly had be finished his
tale of woe when in came Col. Arkansaw,
terribly excited, eyes bulging out, and ont
IF breath. 81 tell you, Capt. kaw. you
ought TO have been with me little while
ago | struck the biggest fish in the Rio
.irande. He was whale. | never got a
perfect view of him. but l saw his mouth
once and ii am judge be weighed Il
pounds, and his tail was 10 inches broad
could see he was yellow color, but be
vas game | never saw fish fight 50 in
ny life. The fog was bad but / kept him
we'll in hand and reeled and played
lim 10 the queens taste and
Just as l got ready to railroad him, snap
went my leader, and you ought 70 have
,een that fellow cut water. He threw
be doughty colonel finished when in
,ame Chisholm Banks. worn and dis
,usted. his creel was empty, but he car
led In his hand an old yellow helmet hat
.overed with flies and five broken leaders
langling froui it, and as the boys exam
ned the old hat each one claimed
us broken leaders and flies, showing
hat ia the fog they bad all
If them struck the same Old bat
md thought they had caught whals. |
The face OF Capt. haw Was a puzzle as lie I
-rasped the situation aud realized that an
,ther day must pass without brain food
Re was the picture 0i contempt but 20 dis
.usted be couldn't talk, but munbisd 70
.Ilaself an old hat cutting water an old
at game. 20 sCou rs 1O-juch head and
mouth showed he was q l4-pouude- and
Daly, be burst ont with, on. H.! is y
lie ali acd they cant tel. the truth
WAGON WHEEL GAP