THE AMERICAN SPORTSMAN'S JOURNAL, 



NEW YORK, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1878. 



tNo. Ill Fulton St., N. V. 



For Forest and Stream and Mod and Gun 



an jjfike Superior. 



No. 1. 



" Forth upon the Giiclie Gnmee, 

 Ou the shining big-sea water, 

 With his flsbiug line ot cedar, 

 Of the twisted hark ot cedar, 



t'.n'll ja'i'.n ilu- !-lli; i.i-iil, N: 'lu;l. 



Mlahe-Nahmn, King at Ashes, 

 A' In bis birch canoe exulting. 



All alone went Hiawatha.'' 



THE excursionists of the steamer Keweenaid, who left 

 m Cleveland on Thursday, July 11, for a trip around Lake 

 Superior, spent Sunday, the 14th, at Mackinac, in the full en- 

 joyment of its pure bracing air, Its delightful drives apd 

 charming views, and on the morning of the 15th started for 

 the Sault St. Marie. As a party of fishermen were just pre- 

 paring to visit their pounds, some twelve or fifteen miles dis- 

 tant, we concluded to accompany them and sec the modus 

 operandi, notwithstanding it took us several miles out of our 

 direct course. We accordingly took in tow the tug and sail 

 boat belonging to the party, and in an hour or two arrived at 

 the fishing ground. The pounds are constructed at a consid- 

 erable distance from the shore, with which they aro connected 

 hy a long net or lead, coming in contact with which the fish 

 follow it up until ensnared in the pound, from which they are 

 unable to extricate themselves. The pound itself is a large 

 seine or net-work fastened to stakes driven in the bottom of 

 the lake, and is suspended from them at a depth of several 

 feet beneath the surface of the water. Arrived at the pounds 

 as yard after yard of the net was raised into the boats, bring- 

 ing into view only here and there a stray herring or a small- 

 sized whitefish entaneled by the gills lu u.e un-shea o£ the 

 net, we began to think it a water haul, and not worth the 

 detour we had made in order to witness it. But as the bottom 

 of the net was neared, a struggling, plunging mass of scaly 

 beauties came into sight, and were shoveled 'by the fishermen 

 into the boat. The catch was almost exclusively whitefish, 

 of splendid size and unrivaled flavor, as we soon had an op- 

 portunity of testing, our caterer having availed himself of 

 the occasion to lay in a supply for the steamer. I may here 

 remark that there is no fresh-water fish, and but few of the 

 denizens of the salt water, that can compare in flavor with 

 the whitefish of the northern lakes, especially when taken 

 from the clear cold waters of Huron or Superior and trans- 

 ferred to the table Within a few hours after his capture. 



Having laid in our supply of fish and waved a farewell to 

 ur fishermen friends, we steamed away for the Sault, where 

 we arrived on Tuesday morning, the 16th, after haviue tied 

 up for the night at a landing a few miles below, the channel 

 of the river being in some places too intricate and dangerous 

 to venture on during the night. 



The first view of the Sault St. Marie is picturesque and 

 novel. The seething, roaring turmoil of the waters of the 

 St. Mary River, as they dash with arrow-like swiftness down 

 the rapids, nearly a mile in extent; the Indians in their light 

 birch canoes engaged in taking whitefish in the struggling 

 mass of angry waters at the foot of the rapids, and the 

 Canadian town away in the distance across the river ; while 

 just at hand, on the other side, is the American city, wilh its 

 costly and elegant ship canal, now being expensively improved 

 by the government, and its general air of activity and busi- 

 ness, and its numerous vessels passing to and fro through the 

 canal. 



We had looked forward with considerable interest to our 

 arrival at the Sault, as it was to be the beginning of our trout 

 fishing experience on Lake Superior, and were no sooner on 

 shore, than, having engaged a couple of Indians and a canoe, 

 we put across the river, at the foot of the rapids, to try the 

 fishing in the streams on the Canadian side. The pull across 

 the river, which is here exceedingly rough and boisterous, in 

 so frail and ,ight a bark as a birch canoe, is highly exhila- 

 rating ; and while attended with no real danger, ia yet, ap- 

 parently, so hazardous as to make those of weak nerves or un- 

 accustomed to the water heartily wish themselves ashore 

 Indeed, the trip across the river just below the rapids, which 

 I made twice, was, to me, much more animating and excitino- 

 than the ride down the rapids, which is regarded as the thing 

 to be done by all visitors. 



Having trolled unsuccessfully across the river in the hope 

 of striking a trout or, possibly, a Mackinaw salmon, the 

 Namtegoose of the Indians, which we* were informed were 

 taken here, we put up our trolling tackle, and, with light fly- 

 rod in hand, began the ascent of what we then supposed to bo 

 distinct streams entering the St. Mary's River from the back 

 Canadian country, but which we ' ascertained about dinner 

 time, as we emerged into the broad stream above, to he only 

 small branches of the St. Mary passing around islands and 

 mingling again with the main river at the foot of the rapids. 



In vain, however, did we try all the allurements we were 

 masters of to entice the speckled oeauties from the swift 

 waters of the rapids, or the occasional more quiet pools we 

 encountered. In vain we changed our flies, and at last re- 

 sorted to the Indian expedient of attaching a worm to a fly. 

 hook, all, however, to no purpose ; and, discouraged at 

 length, we returned to the Bteamer with some dozen or fifteen I 

 small fish, none of them half a pound in weight. 



On our return to the steamer we made the descent of the 

 rapida, which, though pleasant enough, was not up to what 

 we had been led to expect from all we heard concerning it. 

 Late that evening we left the Sault, and about midnight 

 passed Whitefish Point, and entered on the broad bosom of 

 Luke Superior. As we write more especially with reference 

 to the fishing of that region, we will pass over the many 

 pleasant and interesting incidents otherwise connected with 

 the excursion; the visit to Marquette, Bayfield, Prince 

 Arthur, etc., not to omit mention of Duluth, of the Misaltee 

 Sea, made famous, by Proctor Knott ; the visits to iron 

 mines, copper mines and silver mines; the excursions of 

 our enthusiastic geologists, and the havoc they made among 

 the sandstone, granite, quartz, traps, etc. ; the gathering of 

 agates along the pebbly shore, where we all became children 

 again, and splashed barefoot up and down the beach, and 

 scratched in the sand and gravel until abundantly satisfied 

 with the curious and beautiful specimens we had gathered ;— 

 all of these form delightful reminiscences, and will long be 

 recalled with pleasure by all of those who were so fortunate 

 as to participate in them. 



It becomes us, however, to make especial mention of the 

 obligation we were all lmder to Prof. Nelson, of Delaware 

 College, Ohio, for his very entertaining and instructive lec- 

 tures on geology. But to return to our fishing : As to the 

 fishing along the south shore and northwestern shore as far as 

 Prince Arthur's landing, it may be summed up in the general 

 statement that there is no trout fishing worth naming, or such 

 as to justify persons in Stopping and exhausting their time and 

 patience in the capture of such few small fish as are likely to 

 reward their efforts. At every landing We made we essayed 

 the trout with unvarying want of success. 



That in the less frequented streams, at a distance, from the 

 towns, good fishing might be had 1 have no doubt j but in 

 none of the streams within a day's journey of the ordinary 

 stopping-point of the steamer is the fishing worth seeking 

 after. More or less small trout may be taken in all of them 

 by using a short rod and a few feet of line, with a lead and 

 bait, but no place Where you can fly fish with any expectation 

 of a return at all commensurate to the toil and labor incurred. 

 But while this is true of trout-fishing, some other kinds of 

 fishing are to be enjoyed in great perfection. We will many 

 of us long remember Pigeon River and its extraordinary pike- 

 fishing. Be it understood, however, that the fish taken was 

 not a pike at all, but the same fish known generally in the 

 Cincinnati markets and throughout the West as the Ohio sal- 

 mon, or jack salmon. Not that it is a salmon, either, any 

 moie than a pike, and has no resemblance to either except in 

 the elongated head and dental arrangement, which might be 

 remotely suggestive of the pike. 



The fish was the Luciopereiis of the ictbyologists; but as 

 scientific names seem almost as unreliable as common ones, 

 we believe this latter euphonious title has had to give way to 

 the uncouth name of Sitsastedion—the fish being a true 

 perch and not in any manner allied to the pike or the salmon 

 family. 



When our boat came to anohor in the bay off Pigeon River 

 (which, by the way, is the boundary line between the United 

 States and Canada), understanding that there wore extensive 

 falls and rapids a mile or two up the river, we took our Indian 

 and canoe and started with the view of ascendina to the rapids 

 and trying for the trout. 



Throwing over our trolling tackle as we ascended the river, 

 when about a mile above its mouth and a short distance below 

 the rapids, m water ten or twelve feet deep, our trolls were 

 struck simultaneously, and on drawing in we found on each a 

 fish weighing about three pounds. 



Though satisfied that tbey might be taken in numbers in 

 that particular locality, we were at the time intent only on 

 trying for trout farther up among the rapids, and not regard- 

 ing Luciojierca as game under the circumstances, we passed on 

 at once to the falls, where, having fished faithfully for an 

 hour or more without a rise, except from a stray pickerel, 

 who in the absence of trout no doubt thought himself justi- 

 fiable in picking up any flies lying around loose, and whohim- 

 se.f was picked up iu consequence, and being informed by 

 our guide that he had never known trout to be taken in the 

 river, we put up our fly rods, and rigging up a couple of bass 

 rods with artificial minnows, determined to try back down 

 the river for the mis-named pike. As I fully expected, no 

 sooner had our trolls reached the locality where we encoun- 

 tered the fish on our upward trip than they were again vora- 

 ciously taken, and two fine fish brought to hand. After this 

 the biting was fast and furious, and in an hour we had, per- 

 haps, twenty fish, varying from two to four and a half pounds 

 in weight. 



The horn- having nearly arrived for the departure of the 

 steamer, as announced by the bulletin at the office, we hastened 

 to reach her ; but finding that their plans had been changed 

 and that the steamer would remain all day, we informed others 

 of the locality of the fishing, and during the evening a hun- 

 dred or more fine fish were taken. The fish were so vo- 

 racious and eager that they would often seize the troll when 

 merely dropped quietly over the 'side of the canoe as you 

 would a bait. I am f idly satisfied that had we gone early in 

 the morning provided with proper bait, or even without bait, 

 we could in a few hours have taken hundreds of them, the 

 fact being that they bit so eagerly that it in a measure de- 

 stroyed the sport, and an hour or two was as long as one 

 cared to take them. 

 1 may here state that these fish seem to abound in all the 



larger rivers along the north shore. A day or two after our 

 Pigeon River experience, while accompanying my wife in a 

 canoe for a mile or two down the Kowinistiquia River, we 

 took several of the same species. 



When returning in the afternoon to the stream from the 

 mouth of the river I directed my Indian to pull for a short 

 distance along the shore of the bay, and in so doing took a 

 Mackinaw salmon, Salmo amothystus, of two or three pounds 

 weight, a fish that for symmetry of form and brilliancy of 

 color rivals the speckled trout. Pisoatob. 



Smilt St. Marie, August 1. 



THE BOW AND QUIVER. 



BV KETjKA. 



'"pHERE are so few healthful recreations in the open air 

 ■*- of which women can partake without being charged 

 with encroaching upon the domain of the " lords of creation ' 

 and incurring the imputation of being unfeminine, that it is 

 not to bo wondered at that archery should be rapidly increas- 

 ing in popularity among our countrywomen, Besides its 

 beneficial effect upon the health, too, it is an elegant amusej 

 nient, developing as much grace as can he displayed in actua 

 dancing, far more than the' modern sleepy quadrilles or the 

 indolent glide. Before going into the merits of our subject, 

 a slight sketch of what is known of the bow and arrow in all 

 ages may not prove wholly devoid of interest to my readers. 

 There is no entirely authentic history or tradition relative to 

 the invention of the bow. Plato ascribes it to Apollo, by 

 whom it was communicated to the Cretans. The first men- 

 tion of it occurs in the book of Genesis, xxviL, 8, 1760 

 B. 0., where Isaac bids Esau take his weapons, "his quiver 

 and his bow," and go into the fields to get him some venison. 

 Isbmael, also, we read in Genesis xxi., 20, "Grew and dwelt 

 in the wilderness and became an archer." Indeed, repeated 

 allusions to this ancient weapon of the Jews occurs in the Old 

 Testament ; Jonathan presented his bow to David (I. SamueW 

 xviit, 4); "The archers hit and sore wounded Saul" (I. 

 Samuel, xxxi., 2) 1055 B. C. Astor, of Amphipolis, having 

 been slighted by Philip, King of Macedon, at the seige cf 

 Methone, 353 B. O, shot an arrow, on which was written, 

 "Aimed at. Philip's right eye," which struck it and put it 

 out. Philip threw back the arrow with these words: "If 

 Philip takes the town Astor shall be hanged." The conqueror 

 kept his word. In the Greek mythology, and in the ancient 

 Oivciau and Egyptian sculptures, are various allusions to, 

 and delineations of, the bow. Records of archery have also 

 been traced in many Persepolitan, Macedonian and Parthian 

 antiquities. The Chinese had this weapon. One of their 

 proverbs says: " When a son is born in the family, hang the 

 bow and quiver at the gate ;" and their great sage, Confucius, 

 wrote a treatise on archery. 



All the eastern nations seem to have used the bow as a 

 weapon of warfare, and practiced archery as an amusement in 

 times of peace. Iu Persia equestrian archery was much prac- 

 ticed, and shooting at the popinjay was a favorite recreation. 

 The Arabs were skillful archers. In Chinese Tartary both 

 sexes were equally expert in the use ot the bow. The Ma- 

 nilla Indians, the Caribbee Indians, the Demerara Indians, 

 the natives of Florida and the tribes of North America, as 

 well as South America, all were very expert in the use of this 

 weapon, though of course, at the preseut day, it has been 

 superseded to a great extent by the most approved fire arms. 

 The Scandinavians were likewise expert archers. Homer 

 makes numerous mention of the bow. In his Iliad (v. ix., I. 

 152) Pandarus is thus described, aiming an arrow at Mcne- 

 laus: 



" Now, with full force the yielding horn he hendp, 

 Drawn to an arch aud Joins the doubling ends ; 

 Close lo his breast he strains the nerve below, 

 Till the barbed point approach (Qe circling bow ; 

 Th> Impatient weapon wliizzeBon r.he wing, 

 Sounds ihe tough horn and twangs the quivering string." 

 He mentions the Locrians as being 



" Skilled from far the flying shaft to wing." 



Again, in the Odyssey, wo find the suitors of Penelope 



vainly endeavoring to bend the bow which Ulysses had left 



at home ; and the hero himself, disguised as a "beggar, having 



obtained permission to compete with them, thus proves his 



" One hand aloft dlBplnycd 

 The bending Uorue, and one toe strings essayed, 

 Prom his essamig baud the string, let ily, 

 Twangs short 'and sharp, like the shrill .swallow's cry. 1 ' 

 iEneas, too, is made to introduce archery when celebrating 

 the anniversary of his father's funeral. We read that the 

 armies of Alexander the Great were chiefly composed of 

 archers. Plato, who was a great advocate of archery, and 

 was desirous that qualified persons should be appointed by 

 the government to teach the youth of Athens this art, men- 

 tions that the standing guard of the city numbered among its 

 force one thousand archers. Livy makes mention of the skill 

 and prowess of the Cretan archers. Plutarch signalizes the 

 defeat of the Romans by the Parthians, and ascribes it to the 

 manner in which the latter galled the enemy with their ar- 

 rows. The Huns were likewise skillful archers. The Ro- 

 mans as a people were not skilled in the use of the bow, al- 

 though many of the nobles and several of the Roman Em- 

 perors practiced it as an amusement. Herodian speaks of the 



