The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-03
THE COLONEL GOES A-FIsHING.
Popularity of Angling I'm the south.
The Negroes share in the sport.


The Negroes Share In the sport.
From the New York Post.
Fish of all descriptions, from the fine-ha-
vored trout to the less-prized "silvers' and
mud-fish, are as plentiful in the creeks and
lagoons of our southern states as the
leaves along their banks. In the country,
during the spring and early summer, ev-
erybody goes a-ishing. white and black,
young and old, rich and poor; and fish
dinners, "hsh-fries" family outings. and
picnic parties at which whole neighbor-
hoods assist are the order of the day.
Small darlies in tatttered garments of div
ers descriptions, their kinky heads barred
in the sunshine, angle for hours in shall
low creeks. and engage in grave contro-
yersy as to certain localities. of bait to be
dug from the rich earth of the rice-patch
or searched from beneath the bark of
fallen logs.
Dem groundwork keep more fresher,"
asserts one of these small judges.
"Minnow am de best, man. Dem big
fish snap at minnow!" decides another.
DE gentleman colonel what comes to de
mill ishin' alters git me to hunt sawyer
fur him. l BELIEVES sawyer mex fine bait,
contends a spry youngster.
Corks, big and little, suddenly become of
immense. value on the plantation, and the
thoughtful boy who has been shrewd
enough to save up stray corks all winter
finds himself In an enviable position. Fish
hooks, too. are at a premium, and the boy
who is able to purchase a new hook and
line outright is looked upon as nabob by
his less fortunate companions. The plan
tation negro regards the streams and millr
ponds of his neighborhood as a never
falling source of sustenance, and early
learns to familiarize himself with the
haunts and habits of the fish within them.
When he fishes, he fishes for purpose.
He enjoys the sport hugely, as he enjoys
everything that savors of amusement, but
he eoYets the FISH for food.
1t seems to have been especially ar
ranged by Providence that the season
when fish are easiest to get should be the
time Of the year when the negro is work
ing the hardest on his farm and stands
the most in need of animal food-a time
of the year, too, when he has spent the
little surplus money left from his last
harvest, and is dependent on his landlord
or the merchant who has undertaken to
tide him over until the next autumn. Thus
II is that fishing-nets hang on the garden
palings of most negro establishments, and
iointed canes Of various lengths and sizes,
each with a heavy weight appended, dan
gle from the limbs of trees in front of the
cabin doors. The negro whose exchequer
does not admit of his owning a net resorts
to strategy to obtain his fish supply. He
seeks out some secluded turn of the creek,
rendered unpopular by the thickly inter-
woven vines which canopy it, and in the
hush of early morning empties part Of
the contents Of his mealsack on the water
The fish flock greedily to the spot, giving
him ample opportunity to catch them
Plantations possessing a well-stocked fish
pond always have an oversupply of negro
tenants, and the negroes on adjoining
places walk miles to enjoy a nights fish
ing after having worked hard all day The
negroes capacity for physical endurance
where amusement is concerned is unlim-
tied.
rs you all gwine fshin' tonight" the
ploueh-hand asks of a dusky cotton-chop-
per, as both repair to the well for water
and the girl pauses with the dripping gourd
In her hand to tell just how many are go
ing and where. The following Saturday af-
ternoon Saturday afternoon is a holiday
on the plantation she may be seen leaning
against a cypress of sweet gum tree on the
margin of the pond, one of a long line of
anglers whose poles project out into the
stream Often the protruding canes are so
thick that. could the fish realize the we'll
planned campaign organized against them
they would flee to any possible retreat.
Even in midstream they would not be safe,
for ALI SOrIS OIL peTliOuS lOOhiuS craft Ol
the canoe type are padded out into the
water. and dusky forms sit quiet there ang-
ling patiently from that point of vantage.
A bateau that did not leak would not be
understood by a backwoods negro The
constant battling out that a leaky vessel in
wolves is a preconceived part of the expedi-
ton, a process for which he provides &C
cordingly.
AT this time of the year the captain, the
II all - s- 4l,r,
colonel orders his horse at one or two
o'clock in the morning and sets out for the
fish-pond most convenient to his planta-
lion. He wants to be on the ground at day
break. that charmed hour when the fish
bite best. and when all the infinitude of
sentient things are first stirring into wake
fulness. If the colonel has fish-pond on
his own place" he does not need to rise so
early. but he counts night ride of ten or
twelve miles, through swamp and wood
and field. along rooty, rain-washed roads.
as nothing when compared with the delight
of his favorite sport. The way lies trough
nasture lands, trough numerous "one-
horse" and "two-horse" farms leased to
negro tenantry. I'm the sweet O the year"
the planter on big scale alters his pasture
fence every now and again, contracting or
enlarging the enclosure to accord with his
mans for summer planting The farmer on
a small scale in like manner changes the
location of his oats or potato patch, and
both take liberties with the neighborhood
road.
whats 1t now, Sanchez" questions the
colonel as the vehicle comes to a halt.
'De road am shut up, sah," replies the
driver. looking blankly at the new rail
fence that blocks the way. 4 low dey
done fling de road out cen de field, or
carry It down cross de branch"
A night on which there Is no moon. in
the thick obscurity of a pine forest, IS