The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-07-26

us say we wished we could pit
of the rattles had six segmt
Rattlers don't usually infest the
bottomlands near the river, but
this particular bottom was high
and unusually dry and was hemmed
in on two sides by rivers, the Mis-
souri, and the Cheyenne. We were
mighty glad we hadn't camped
out on 1t as we had planned when
We had put In the evening before.
We showed off in the face OF a
high headwind and for the first
time on the voyage we didn't be-
grudge the loss of speed nor the
inconvenience Of navigating in the
face of 1t. The day promised to be
scoreher and that breeze would,
at least. give us a chance TO breathe
normally. The first crossing was
dangerously rough so we decided
to stay close to the east bank. But
at nine o'clock the wind died as
suddenly as 1t had come up and
the sun really settled down to do
= little roasting.
Thermometer Climbs
BY one o'clock the Thermometer
told us that it was a hundred and
five and there Is positively no
shade on the river. At that, we
think the darned contraption un-
der-rated the situation. Louise,
after spending half day doing lit
tie but wiping off perspiration.
suggested that we think of cool
things. like the green slopes OF the
Cascades. the glistening peak of
Mount Tacoma. or the blue waters
of Puget Sound. That worked for
awhile, but when we looked up to
find the bleak hills of South Dakota
glaring at us, we were brought up
so sharply that the contrast was
too much, and we decided Ii was
best to suffer the heat in unthink-
ing silence.
Toward the middle of the after
noon we toyed with the Idea OF
going ashore and throwing up a
camp in the cool-looking cotton
woods, but we found they weren't
very much cooler than the river.
and the minute We stepped ashore
out would come the mosquitoes.
This country is right at the fagrend
of a seven-year drought and just
where the mosquitoes have been
able to breed is a mystery. They
don't lay their eggs in the river
or any other moving water and the
Missouri has very few bayous in
its upper reaches. The greatest
mystery of all is what they live
on when there are no people
around. 1t seems to US that the
greatest boards are in spots de-
serted by both people and animals.
Farmers Turn Fishermen
We are getting in the section
where there are great many COM
mercial fishermen and we must
have passed half score OF them
in the last 20 miles before Pierre
Channel cat fishing In the Missouri
In a paying proposition during the
summer season. Many farmers, I'M
able to raise crops because of either
drought or grasshoppers, have
turned to the river for their liveli.
hood and. though no fortunes are
made. many of them have beer
able TO keep the wolf from the door
while they dragged the cats from
the river. In fact, many Of those
on the relief roles are supplement.
ing their income with fishing dur
ing leisure time.
Freshly caught catfish brins
anywhere from 20 to 80 cents q
pound. dressed, depending upor
how far the market Is from tn,
river. We talked with several mer
who fish only on week-ends ans
lney toiu Us tnai u "aS nOt hii
common for them to catch from 81
TO 100 pounds Of fish that woulS
net them a handsome profit 70
what would otherwise be leisure
time.
We stopped momentsrily at
camp of biologists. but We couidn'
find out just what they wer'
geoIogizing. No one was there ex
cept a sleepy-eyed farm youth VIII
didn't even know the meaning 0
the word. All ne knew was tina
he was supposed N watch tn
camp and not let anyone. least o
all river rats land here he locke,