The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-10-16

HOW this Amusing "sport" 10 Carried On
In France.

In France.
A correspondent of the London 81.
James Gazette writes: Catching craybsh
may not be a very noble kind Of sport,
but the French manage to get much
amusement from It, Moreover as they
have acquired a taste for these. fresh
water members of the lobster family
they have an excellent motive for cap
turing them. They are considered
dainty dish to set before a gourmet; CON
sequently, although crayhsh abound III
many of the streams, they are by no
means cheap in Paris.
A franc goes but little way towards
making a presentable show OF them on
a table. Such is the demand that they
are now becoming scarce. except at ioie
distances from the capital. IL is IN
Southern France that the conditions are
most favorable to the life OF cray lsh.
Here. in districts where the streams are
not dried up in summer, they are ire
auently very plentiful. Like trout, they
are difficult to please; the water Wlele
they are found is always clear, WIN
quick movement, and they prefer streams
the beds of which are covered VIII
rather large stones, because these ahVru
them convenient hiding places. DuIins
lairs that it needs patience to catch them
there; but at night they are very greedy
and adventurous, and little knowledge
of their habits is all that is required I'M
der favorable circumstances In order 10
I'LL basket with them.
In Southern France. where during the
fiery months of July and August night is
the time when people enjoy life most,
pleasure parties are often made mp for a
nocturnal expedition across the fields
and along the skirts Of the woods. Two
or three families who know one another
intimately start off together in a joyous
band as il is getting dark. taking with
them a few bottles that are not empty,
and other provisions for light meal
under the shining stars. Sometimes
they even take a pot with them to cook
the crayfish over fire Of sticks on the
bank of the stream. The party, however,
with whom / went fishing did not carry
enthusiasm quite so far. The expedition
started from a picturesque village on the
banks of the Dordogne in Perigord, 10
which a few families who are not fash
ionable" repair every summer to battle
and fish. and to lay up fresh store OF
health, all at a very small cost
The last flush of purple has left the
calm river. and the night-crickets are be-
ginning to shrill from the poplars and
willows. We leave the shadowy village
under the castle-crOwned rock, and as
cend one Of those narrow side valleys
that appear to have been slashed out OF
the wooded hills and rocky cliffs which
hem in the DOrdOgne on both sides from
the mountains of Auvergne until the
open plains of PerigOrd are reached. we
stop at a small farm and talk with the
bare-f0Oted peasant-owner, VINO can
scarcely speak a word of French. lie
offers TO join our party; and his proposal
is gladly accepted. for he knows al the
holes where the crayiish are most likely
to be found. AS he fills up his time with
poaching, he has, moreover a taste TOT
sport. If any one wants a hare or par
fridge, whether it be in July or Deem
Der, he and his mongrel dog VIII huInof
this persons taste.
In the bottom of the valley is long
reach of water-meadow, where the herb
age, although lately cut, is again luxu-
RANT Here, in daylight, is all the green
ness of spring, whereas elsewhere the
land is parched by the long summer
heat and drought. Now the long grasses
and flowers look strange and fantastic
in the faint light that comes from the
stars. which is sufficient, however, Tor
us to see where we are going. On the
margin of the little stream the masses
of hempagrimony can be easily distln-
guished as we'll as the tall lOosestrlte,
angelica, and meadowsweet; although III
this uncertain light they are more ike
flowers of dreamland. And now. as the
lanterns flash strikes the water. the
heritage, and the dropping leaves of the
chestnut wood which we are skirting,
all present-except the peasant and the
fishermen of the Dordogne, who look at
everything with a practical eye-agree
that to pass the summer nights In slumDeI
is absurd and wrong.
The two men who have undertaken ia
do the least pleasant part of the WORK
before us proceed to bait the net with
pieces of meat-none Of the freshest
which they have brought with them.
These nets are simply small wire hoops
about a foot in diameter with piece OF
netting strained over them. The meat Is
tied to the netting and then sprinkled
with turpentine, he odor of which is sup
posed to render the bait irresistible. How
fish can smell under water is not very
easy to understand; but every one who
has caught crayhsh in the manner here
described knows that they have a very
keen olfactOry sense or something that is
equivalent to it.
When a piece Of meat is thrown into
a stream where there are crayfish. in a
few minutes they detect its presence
several yards off, and may be seen sid
ling towards it at their best speed from
various directions. The nets being baited
they are lowered into the stream by the
string fastened TO the centre, at dis
tances of twenty, thirty or fifty yards
Some half dozen having been thus low
cred the more enthusiastic members OF
the party bare their feet and go into the
water to catch the crayfsh according tc
the simplest of all methods. Where the
stream is shallow the light of the Ian
tern reveals the dark and elhsh forms
of the quarry scrambling over the stones
and sand plainly enough; but the usher
must make an expert dash at them with
his hand or he will lose the prey.
Ladies' have sometimes the courage tc
tuck I'D their skirts and enter the water
but. whether from coquetry or genuine
nervousness. they imagine that all the
large crayhsh are making an onslaught
upon their toes, and startle the peaceful
night with their shrieks for help. AS q
matter of fact, one does get nipped some
times rather sh irply by these small but
very pugnacious shell-hsh. When the
nets have been lying in the water about
half an hour they are pulled up with q
rapid movement and laid upon the bank
There are crayfish upon each of them
sometimes a dozen or more. They are
picked off and thrown into basket, anC
then the nets are lowered again.
WHY JACk WEPT
The Girls Had Changed His Den Into 6