The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-06-08
BACK TO NATURE.
DELIGHTFUL FISHING EXCURSION ON
SAVANNAH RIVER.

Mr.. ]. W. Morrah Entertains Party at
Cherokee lodge-Notes by the Way.
There is pleasure in the painless wood
All the agencies Of the twentieth century
can not extinguish in man the tendency to
return to the habits of his primitive ances-
tors. Whether to supplement an humble
meal or to rove over the dark continent IN
quest OF animal specimens, or whatever
the pretext, the real actuating force is the
love Of sport.
No matter how engrossed man may he
e in his business or how far removed ne may
be from the hauntS Of nature, he needs only
a hint from those more favorably located,
to induce him to get out with his gun or
rod. Such an opportunity was aiiorded a
small party last week through the kind
ness OF MIR. ]. W. Morrah Of Mt. Carmel.
Responsive to Mr.. Morrah's invitation.
Hoa. ]. P. Cary Of Pickens, Mr.. Padget and
Sheriff King OF Anderson, and Mr.. w. W.
Bradley OF Abbeville, with Mr.. Padget's
two sons Frank and James, and Billy
Bradley thrown in for good measure, went
to Mt. Carmel on last Thursday afternoon
to enjoy fish on Savannah River. The
party was met at the train by Messrs D..
w. Morrah, Calhoun Harris and Bradley
Morrah, and Immediately preparations
were made to move toward the fishing
grounds some five miles distant. Messrs
Walter Gown and Robert COwan, IN com
mand Of small fleet OF boats, each OF
which was manned by trusty black, had
gone ahead to place the trot lines, and
bate some hundred or so set hooks:
In a little while the party arrived at
Morrah's Ferry where men, boys, horses
and conveyances were carried across to
the Georgia side in q large ferry boat.
The method Of propelling this boat IS IN
itself interesting.
A wire cable about an inch in diameter
is stretched across the stream on when
two ordinary we'll whirls, set In frame,
move from side to side. Ropes attached
to each endof the frame were also attached
to each end OF the boat. The river Is very
swift at the crossing, which fact scientific
ally applied, enables the ferryman to
take the flat from side to side without
the use OF pole or paddle. All that is nee
es Sary in crossing it Is for the ferryman 10
shorten his line in the direction he is head
ing and then sit steady In the boat" the
force OF the water does the rest.
Cherokee Lodge, which was our destl-
nation, is located on slight emlnence,
overlooking 400 acres OF perfectly level
the ferry on the Georgia side. The drive
to the lodge was not without interesting
features To the right Of the road was
pointed out the fragment OF large In
dian mound that was almost destroyed in
the freShet OF two years ago. Mr. MORAN
has in his possession specimens or oeautl-
full Indian pottery, some plain and som
representing human figures. He has bits
OF clay shaped like money in different
sizes, and burnt very hard. On one Of
these there are characters somewhat like
the Roman characters V. He has also
Indian bones, fragments OF skulls, and
many rother interesting relics, washed
from the mound by the freshet OF 1908.
Right at the mound the river begins to
bend and 1t makes almost perfect semi,
circle. Mr.. Morrah's lowlands are located
in this semicircle. Though the base OF the
mound was fully 80 feet from the level OF
low water the entire mound was washed
away. The main current OF the stream cut
across at this point, and in siDgl freshet
deposited white sand four feet deep over
fully 80 acres Of land.
South OF the landing on the Georgia
side, some hundred or more yards is what
is know as the "Hominy Pot. Here the
water on one side Of the river Is running
north while that on the opposite side is
running south. This place is notorious as
having furnished watery grave for more
negroes than any section OF any stream
in the State An old negro (half Indian
named Bob Partlow is said to have had a
fondness for this as burylng. ground.
His last effort to put one away there,
however, cost him his life. He knocked
the negro out OF abateau but ne was young
and active and he came up, got in the ba-
teau and cinched with Bob. They fought
in death struggle to the bank and then
for three quarters of mile to a house
near by. The negro was rescued and Bob
was sent to the penitentlary In Georgia
where he contracted consumption, from
which he finally died. He had already
served term in the South Carolina
Penitentiary.
Cherokee Lodge was built and fitted up
by Mr. Morrah purely for the accomoda-
tion OF his friends. 1t contains two beds
several cots, plenty OF chairs, tables,
stove, cooking utensils,--in fact. about
everything necessary to lodge the sports
man comfortably. Hunting and fishing in
the neighborhoOd are all that could be de-
sired. On the night OF our arrival there
were few extra furnishings in the way
OF ice and other things brought up from
OF fried chicken and healthy slices OF boiled
ham, coffee, ice tea, corn bread and
biscuit, with chocolate cake to wind up on.
The entire meal was prepared In the
building by cook who lives near by, and
whose business is to serve without queS-
ton all those who stop in the lodge. Be
fore day on the following morning two OF
our party In small boats went to visit the
set hooks. One Of the trot lines had brOk-
on, and washed down stream, but from the
other they took twenty odd pounds OF blue
cat, weighing from pound and half to
three pounds. They remained away for
so long that some Of those who stayed
by the STUFF expressed doubts about get
ting any fish. Billy Bradley, who had got
, ten peep at pile Of fried chicken in the
dining room, said he didn't see any use Of
worrying about fish with SO much fried
chicken in sight.
The fish were all prepared and cooked to
turn. Never has there been more delight
full fish placed upon table and never has
fish received more undivided attention
from those sitting at table.
After breakfast we divided into parties
Of two and three to each small boat. The
boats, four in number were pushed and
piloted by colored men who have spent
their lives on the river. Their skill in
handling water craft could not have been
surpassed even by the Cherokee Indians
whose canoes doubtless wound in and out
Of the very caves and eddies that were
visited by us. We, halted and tlshed in
every shady nook, going up one side OF
the river and coming down on the other.
Mr.. Carey bears the distinction Of having
caught more fish with hook and line than
anyone else in the party. Awhile before