The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-12-20

falls. provided you keep in the trough
of the falls, and speed through the
exact channel near the white side"
So, all elbow grease was turned on
and our boat led, flying down. the
dashing current, with Richard and me
pulling her with all speed possible,
and that. added to the mad rush of
the stream at the rate of fifteen or
twenty miles an hour, carried JUS
down the trough, bursting through
rough, whitecapped waves which
with water, and we shot out below
like an arrow.
Shooting the Shoots.
This is shooting the shoots in re-
atty; nothing artificial about it, which
makes it all the more exciting. All
the fleet came through and rounded
up with us on the white side landing
below. The river below the falls is
very deep It was here that Judge
Carter and party were capsized sew
eral years ago. and came near being
drowned. ] don't think any of them
could ever explain how they got out,
and, from all accounts il was a close
call.
Old Windsor. our cook. with the
commissary wagon and our camping
outfit. had reached. the spot ahead of
us. Tents were up, fires built, and
soon the air was filed with the appe-
tizing odor of frying fish. 1t was not
long before a hungry, tired party was
seated around the rustic table, laden
with, fish. squirrel and many dainty
things. The contented crowd felt as
though they owned the world; that
all was well, with no cares in sight,
and plenty to eat.
All were merry that night, as the
men smoked their pipes, while the
ladies related their experiences around
the fire, and the colored men, with old
pipes of strong odor, around the cook s
fire. Dragging over their bosses" and
laughing away the time until, over
come with drowsiness. they fell
asleep. The old cook came up, stat
ing that he had forgotten to tell us
that when he landed on the, spot that
evening with his wagon, he flushed
three wild turkeys out of the pines
over our heads, a fine gobbler and
two hens, giving the direction in
which they flew. The cook made
great boasts to the ladies about how
he could cook turkey, promising, If
we killed one in the morning, he
would prove his. skill as steward. It
L
tend to the killing early, while the
ladies should rest until breakfast call.
Basqed the GohbIer.
Next morning as the day star noti-
fed us the eastern light was coming.
Fred and were tramping the palmet-
to hats tow ards the east. for. our tur-
key. After separating, killed the
gobbltr. To the astonfshment of all,
we returned at sunrise into our camp,
with our fine turkey. After a good
breakfast the party rounded up our
feet on the Indian side" below the
falls, where the waters were eddy.
Here shell-crackerss Dream and many
other fish were caught in the old
southern style, with keen straight
poles, and fine silk lines. It was like
fishing to see several poles bending
and trembling at the same time under |
the strain OF fine FISH. The little fish
er-maiden did not fail to catch her |
share; she furnished amusement to
the crowd, for she never failed to
speak the joy of her heart. and all
the way down stream the child would
point out "a beautiful pic !
ture IN nature. II was pleasure to me, |
as well as to others, to see the bright |
child SO enraptured by the loneliness |
around her. All the river below the |
falls furnished pleasant and profitable |
fishing grounds.
Our camp the next night was on the |
bluff of beautiful small stream |
where it emptied into the ChipoIa. |
This was permanent camp, and the /
next day for dinner large welI-baked |
turkey adorned our table. OF course |
every one will admit that the flavor
of wild turkey is far superior to that
Of the tame. Windsor. the cook, was
quite elated on account of the many
compliments paid him by the party
who enjoyed the change of diet, as
fish were forgotten for the present.
The camp was in an ideal spot un-
der a large cedar, whose bending |
branches furnished splendid shade for
ALL For miles in each direction the
fishing was all we could desire, quite /
~ere Mt from open waters because the
tall trees on each bank furnished |
shade all the day for fishermen, and
instead of being in the broiling sun.