The Republican journal., 1904-09-29
fACk NUMBERS.
CoNCEKNING DEVILS RIVER.

CONCERNING DEVILS RIVER.
Its name would not suggest it, but it
is fact that the most beautiful fishing
stream in the southwest is Devils river
which flows through all elongated oasis
and cactus covered region i'll Texas Dor
dering on the Rio Grande.
The scenery along Devils river ex-
ceeds in picturesqueness that of other
rivers of far wider fame. 1t has its
source in great spring which seems
to burst right out of huge rock. The
flow of water is augmented by other
springs at intervals along the stream
for distance of about 100 miles.
1t has all the characteristics of a
mountain river. The water is clear and
pure. The course of the river is, in
places, over rough mounds of rocks,
where it forms swift rapids, while at
other spots the bed broadens and a
placid lake is formed. These lakes are
often from 800 to 400 yards wide and a
quarter of a mile long.
The valley of the river ranges in
width from a few hundred yards to a
half mile. A continuous grove of giant
pecan and cottonwood trees lines the
banks and extends on each side to the
limits of the valley, where the towering
walls of the canon rise hundreds of feet
above their topmost branches. These
trees are the home of myriadS of song
birds of beautiful plumage.
Devils river is so remotely situated
that comparatively few people have en-
joyed the rare sport of fishing in its
waters. Comstock is the Quitting
point for most of the fishing parties who
visit the stream. 1t is fifteen miles
from there to the river. The road to 1t
is rough.
The river is so full of fish and they
take so readily to the hook that one
soon becomes tired of the sport. Black
bass, blue cat ard perch are the princi-
pal fish caught. There is a spotted
bass, whicll is commonly called trout
but most of the fishing is for black
bass
There are times when the fish bite
better in the still, hot hours of the mid
die of the day, but for personal comfort
the best time for the sport is in the ear
ly hours of the morning and evening.
1t requires deep wading to catch the
bass. They have ravenous appetites
for minnows and they gulp down the
hook strung with from one to three min
nows often at the first throw. They are
not so gamey as the blue cat but it takes
hard work sometimes to land a bass
that weighs from 3 to pounds.
There is very little fly fishing done III
Devils river. a boat is necessary to
successful fly casting and boats are a
scarce article i'll this remote region.
\ party of sportsmen from Ell Paso
who have been camped on the river for
several weeks have q canvas boat, and
all their fishing has been done by fly
casting They have found this method
highly successful New York Sun.
There was time when fishing in
Devils River would have been ex-
tremely unhealthy so to speak. That
was in ante bellum days, when it was
the headquarters of hostile Indians.
The trail over which they drove cattle
and horses into Mexico crossed this
stream near the travelled way to Fort
Davis, one of the frontier posts, and
here, too, was one of their camping
grounds. The country for miles about
is treeless and arid, and the valley of
this stream was veritable oasis The
writer, then paymaster's clerk in the
service of Uncle Sam, twice visited
Devils River, on the regular paying
trips" to the posts beyond. Our outfit
consisted of an ambulance, a covered
wagon drawn by four mules, and two
army wagons drawn by six mules each.
one for our baggage and supplies-for
most OF the time we camped at night
and cooked and ate in the open-and
the other for All escort Of five or six
privates with their equipments. A
brother clerk and myself rode in the
ambulance, on the sides of which were
hung two double barreled guns and two
Sharps carblnes, while hung from our
belts were trusty Colts revolvers, army
size. In the Indian country we slept
with the belts Oh and the carbines at
our side. Our team when in use by a
former paymaster had been attacked
by Indians on Devils River and one of
the mules bore the mark of an arrow
wound received at that time. The pay
master and his clerk had narrow
escape for their lives.
Indians rarely attack an armed party.
You may pass through a country in
tested by them and never see them. A
little protuberance on distant hill
may be all Indian on the lookout but
as it is motionless and remains so as
long as in sight, you can never be sure.
As the country is treeless save in the
infrequent valleys where streams flow
there is little opportunity for ambush,
but there are places on the trail where
hills come close to the road and behind
these the Indians lay in wait 10 dart
out upon the unsuspecting travellers.
Some times they will thus head off a
team which is in advance of the main
party, cut the traces and drive off the