



THE AMERICAN S PORTSM AN'S JOURNAL, 



Tenon, Four Dollars a. Ye 

 Ten Cents a Dopy. 



NEW YORK, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1878. 





For Forest and Stream una Rod Bl 

 MAXINKUCKEE, 



A H, here is a scene for a painter— 

 ^ A gleaming and glorified lake. 

 With iis framing of forest and prairie, 



And its etchings of thicket and brake ; 

 With Its grandenr and bo!dneas of headland, 



Where the oaks and the tamaracsgrow 

 A-leagne with the sunlight of heaven, 



And the spirit-like shadows below. 



Where the swallows skim over the surface, 



And quad' as Ihey toueh the clear wave ; 

 Where the robins seek out the cool waters, 



And warily venture to lave ; 

 Where the sandpiper toys wlih the plashes. 



And whistles his passionate note, 

 Ana the water bugs sail like a navy 



Of fairies for battle afloat, 



Where the blackbirds go noisily over, 



And the mallards wing iapldly by. 

 And the heron that flies like a snowflake 



Comes down from the clouds In the sky ; 

 Where the bobolink lights on the flag-blade, 



But so proudly and prettily sings, 

 Or watches askance the swift minnow 



That oat ol his element springs. 



Where the lilies a-bloom on the surface, 



Held down by their cable-like Btems, 

 And the tints of the bright cardinal is 



Have the semblance of loveliest gems ; 

 Where the mosses and festoons are hanging 



In the richest of fashion and fold. 

 To decorate submarine dwellings 



O'er pavenients of amber and gold. 



Where the soul of the mortal may worship 



In the freedom of unwrilten creeds, 

 Hearing; many and joyous responses 



Tu the music that comes from the reads ; 

 And where in my fancy I've pictured 



A temple that's builded so high, 

 It reaches In grandest proportions 



From the beautiful lake to the sky. 



—J. c. Burnett. 



For Forest and Stream and Rod and Gun, 



Mty and 



hnong 



t1u> 



ON Saturday, the 12th October, 1878, Foster and I started 

 from Sherbrooke at 4 v. m. At Scotstown we had tea, 

 and there embarked on the engine of the gravel train to go 

 as far as the end of the iron, our luggage having been de- 

 posited, dogs, rifles and all, upon the gravel plow. On the 

 same ear was an Iudian, his squaw and boy, two more dogs, 

 traps, a huge basket, nearly large enough to have contained 

 the party, but of which the conteuts were a mystery, a couple 

 of guns and a birch bark canoe. M. "Warner, the engineer, 

 behaved like a brick, and after arriving at Che gravel pit, and 

 taking out the loaded train and bringing it back to be refilled, 

 he kindly ran his engine and plow on to Spring Hill, where 

 we arrived about 11:30 the same evening. 



Bouting out T. W. Odell, who has charge upon a contract 

 at that point for some miles of road construction, wc stayed 

 the remainder of the night with him and the " boys." 



Stepping out early in the morning, we saw the Indian 

 family camped by the side of the track. Odell was going 

 over ihe same road as we for some distance ; so after loading 

 a wagon with our things, we started ahead to walk Bis miles 

 to John Boston's, where we arrived about 8:30, where John 

 and his estimable wife got us up a glorious porterhouse steak 

 for breakfast. While we were wailing for our meal, John's 

 little daughter came in and sang "Pull for the Shore" for 

 us. Just as we were going into breakfast our team of splen- 

 did "grays" dashed up. We gave the driver his breakfast 

 with us, and then drove up the Lake Road to Myers' Mills, 

 ■on Lake Megantic, some eight miles from Boston's, where we 

 arrived just at noon, watered the horses, paid the driver, and 

 .hired an immense canoe, into which we got our two boy oars- 

 men, another boy, ourselves, Fee— the dog— and our luggage. 

 It was pretty rough crossing the bay— some three miles. We 

 landed at the old "Pamy Camp," and " toted" our things a 



mile through the woods to Denisou Ball's, on Spider Lake 

 (so named from its resemblance), where we arrived a-t pre- 

 cisely 2 p. m. on Sunday. Then we returned throe times, 

 and finally managed to "pack" all our stall through. 



Den (or Dan, tis lie is always called) had gone oil a day or 

 two before with Mr. Ryan, of Megantic, so we helped to 

 bring in some wood, and Mrs. Ball got us up a splendid sup- 

 per—partridge, rock buns, tea with milk iu it, and a fine 

 three-pound trout slightly salted, etc., etc. After tea, at Mrs. 

 Ball's instance, we fired a couple of blank cartridges in quick 

 succession, as a signal in case Dan might be within earshot, 

 Not getting any reply, and after waiting a couple of hours, we 

 made up our minds to turn quietly in. Just at this moment 

 we heard Dan's signal to his wife — a single blow of the pad- 

 dle against the side of the boat. (Nothing will frighten 

 game more quickly than this— not even a gunshot — and great 

 care should be taken to avoid its occurrence.) "Whoop! 

 hurrah ! here's daddy and Mr. Ryan !" cry the five children ; 

 and going out, there they were after all. They had been de- 

 tained on account of the roughness of the lake, and had 

 waited for the wind to go down, arriving at about nine 

 o'clock. It was a beautiful moonlight night, so we went to 

 the landing to meet them. They had had " mighty " poor 

 luck, and only brought seven musquash, which were handed 

 over to Master Willy, the eldest boy, to skin. Then we had 

 another grub and talked over the prospects, and piled into 

 bed shortly after. 



Monday morning -up bright and early. Foster and I slept 

 like whipping-tops in one of Mrs. Ball's comfortable beds (in 

 a home-made bedstead of Dan's handiwork). As Dan had to 

 go to Myers' mill for flour and supplies for the house before 

 we left for the woods, I decided to accompany him and help 

 to " pack " things back through the woods from the other 

 lake. So, after a jolly grub at daybreak— 6 a. m. — we started, 

 Mr. Ryan in his boat on his way home, Dan and I for the 

 mill in one of Dan's boats. 



Sendus la we found three coves from Vermont, waiting to 

 get Dan to guide them in the way tbey should go. After 

 some " talkee-talkee " they left for Rush Lake, at the head 

 of Megantic Lake, and we saw no more of them. I succeed- 

 ed in finding and purchasing a stone pitcher, some matches, 

 and a piece or two of maple sugar. Mr. Myers had another 

 piece of maple sugar, which he would not sell, as he was 

 keeping it as a present to the bishop. 



Dan got his buckwheat flour, 105 lbs., in a bag, making a 

 pretty '• soggy pack," as he expressed it. Before crossing we 

 rowed up the shore a mile to call upon Mr. Ryan en passant, 

 and I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Ryan for the first 

 lime in their comfortable home. Their house stands upon a 

 high bluff overlooking Lake Megantic, and the view is grand. 

 Tfiere we were cordially welcomed and entertained with vari- 

 ous good things which were most acceptable after our hot 

 pull. We then returned to our boat, recrossed the lake to the 

 Old Pamy Landing, .where the road to Balls leaves the lake 

 shore. 



At Mr. Ryan's we obtained a crock of most beautiful butter, 

 and ou making up our packs across the lake we discovered 

 that Mrs. Ryan had quietly slipped a huge loaf of home- 

 made bread into our basket (I take this opportunity of thank- 

 ing ber). We "toted " our unwieldy packs upon our backs 

 through to Spider, had dinner, tied up poor "Fee," as we 

 took him for partridgo and ho would frighten any deer we 

 might see, got our things together and we all throe left for 

 Upper Spider at noon ■ stopped at Dan's camp on Spider 

 River, took some blankets, etc., of Dan's, and then proceeded 

 in the boat as far as the water would permit. Here we de- 

 cided to spend the night, but before dark we carried our 

 heaviest packs up to an old lumber camp about half a mile 

 further up the stream. There we left them and returned, 

 had supper of baked beans, boiled mutton and toast and a 

 huge tin cup of tea, and feel better, thauk you. 



We are now lolling around the fire smoking, this find Mon- 

 day evening, waiting for the moon to rise to try for a deer 

 down the stream and pay a visit to a camp of two trappers, 

 Messrs. Hoyt and Nagle. After being out about four hours 

 we returned, colder than charily, Dan with a wet limb which 

 he had thrust into the mud. 



While down hear the lake we distinctly heard a moose 

 close to us, near enough to hear his feet making a sucking 

 noise as they were withdrawn from the mud. This began to 

 be exciting. The moon was very bright, but his majesty was 

 among the thick alders and we didn't get a shot at him, much 

 to our chagrin. We ateo heard a deer in the bushes at another 

 point, but did not see him either. Next morning we were up 

 and off betimes, Dan carrying a load of steel traps. This 

 looked like business, and so it proved before night, as I shall 

 relate further on. After trudging about setting traps and 

 seeing several partridges, which Dan forbade shooting, we 

 stopped at a likely looking spot for lunch. Dan had seen 

 fresh sign of moose and offered to bet fifty cents that we 

 would see a moose before night. Had we token him up we 

 should have lost the wager. Shortly after lunch we separated; 

 Dan and Foster taking one direction, I another by Dan's ad- 

 vice. They kept up the stream ; I went off at right angles 

 through a horrible windfall and swamp to a clearer place be- 

 yond. There I stood for some minutes perfectly quiet, gaz- 

 ing about. Soon I fancied I saw a dark object among some 

 dead trees about a third of a mile distant. For a while it re- 

 mained perfectly stationary, then 1 thought it had moved a 

 little, then I was sure of it. It was either a bear or a moose ; 



find it was some time before I could make out. in what direc- 

 tion it was going. Approaching me it certainly was, as I 

 soon saw, and then I perceived the huge antlers of a large 

 bull moose— a magnificent old fellow. He was coming leis- 

 urely along browsing upon the fireweed. The wind was 

 blowing almost directly from me to him, and fearful lest he 

 should scent me, I made my way as quickly as possible to one 

 side, out of the line of the direction of the wind. This in- 

 creased tho distance between us, and I several times lost sight 

 of him among the rocks and bushes, and hope died within, 

 me. However, he reappeared. Between me aud the point to 

 which he was going was a lot of dead-fall timber, a brula 

 (brule, i, e., fallen trees through which fire has run), making 

 it impossible for me to head him oil before he should reach, 

 the heavy woods, and I soon saw I must put faith in my 

 sporting Snider for a loDg shot. Nor had I any time to lose. 

 So taking a hasty aim I pulled trigger and had the satisfaction 

 of seeing the huge brute give a heavy lurch forward and drop 

 in his tracks. I crept cautiously closer, knowing well how 

 formidable a wounded moose is, and found him still breath- 

 ing and making an effort to rise, but failing in it. I hid my- 

 self behind a rock with a spare cartridge in my teeth ready in; 

 case of a charge, and in one of his huge efforts he managed 

 to raise himself half up. At this moment I fired a second 

 shot, but he lay tail toward me and the shot did not kill him 

 outright ; he still breathed but did not attempt to rise again. 



It was now just fifteen |minutes past two. I was to meet 

 the others at the Beaver Dam at three, and besides it began to 

 rain ; so, after deliberating, I made up my mind there was 

 nothing for it but to shoot him through the neck at the "atlaa 

 joint " next the head and put an end to him. I was loth to 

 have to Ate the two latter shots, but at that time I was not 

 aware of how true the aim had been in the first instance. 

 This stretched him out lifeless, and I then found that both 

 shots had taken effect immediately behind the shoulder, but a 

 couple of inches higher than desirable, just above the heart : 

 both were fatal, but not instantaneously. I then went to 

 meet the two at the dam. I arrived first, and, as the others 

 approached on the other side of the stream, I heard Dan say, 

 "Hullo! here's Ned— in first!" Iu answer to his inquiry 

 what had I shot, I pulled out of my pocket some of the beau- 

 tiful long mane of the moose and allowed it to fall into the 

 water, being careful to avoid showing any feelings of joy or 

 excitement, well knowing with what contempt any such 

 weakness is regarded by the trappers. I merely remarked, 

 " I've got him, Dan." 

 " So you have, sure enough." 



And so we then returned to our quarry. Dan cut his throat 

 and partially dressed him, and we " streaked " for camp in 

 order to get in before dark. The others had less exciting 

 sport, though probably more fatiguing. While watching for 

 game tbey saw several partridges in the trees close by. The 

 birds seemed to be aware that shooting them was strictly for- 

 bidden by our guide. 



Wednesday.— Raining ; started from camp at seven a. m, to 

 where our meat lay ; skinned the "critter " and cut him up ; 

 dined royally on choice moose steak and tenderloin. Then we 

 each loaded ourselves with the meat— in all 130 pounds, of 

 which Dan shouldered about 70. This we carried by means 

 of a thick stick thrust through the enormous lumps and thrown 

 over one shoulder. It was rather "a moist, uncomfortable 

 body " to have on one's back, and nothing between to protect 

 one's clothes. However, the guide " toted" his in this way 

 and his example was enough. The walking was none of the 

 best, and the load seemed double the weight when we arrived 

 at the boat, some four miles off. 



Foster and I then went back to camp, and Dan paddled 

 home with the meat for the use of bis family. 



Next moruing, when we two reached the spot where the 

 moose lay cut up with the raw skin thrown over it, the day 

 had turned out very warm, so we set about carrying tho re- 

 maining three-fourths of the animal (which weighed some 

 1,100 pounds as he walked, so the guide said) down into the 

 woods out of the hot sun, fitted up some poles, and prepared 

 to smoke him. 



The whiskey-johns kept hopping about as bold as could be, 

 picking up pieces of raw meat. These birds resemble the blue- 

 jay, and are the very personification (a terrible word to bring 

 out into the woods, as Dan quaintly remarked) of impudence, 

 and while Foster and 1 were at work one of them came and 

 picked a bit of meat off the former's boot. 



While idle in camp on Sundays the lumbermen amuse them- 

 selves by killing these birds in the following way : A pole ia 

 thrust through the side of the log camp, leaving but a short 

 portion of tho pole inside. Upon the end outside is tied a 

 piece of meat. In a second or two a bird is sure to alight,. 

 when the short end of the pole within the camp is struck a 

 violent blow with the back of an axe, which kills the bird and 

 throws its body high into the air. This is called " bird flip." 

 At 2:30 Dan returned just as we were preparing 'dinner r 

 after which, as fast as he slashed out the steaks with the new 

 kuife I had given him, we hung them over the fire, and be- 

 fore dark our task was completed. A portion of the shoulder 

 was useless, having been so mutilated by the bullet, which 

 had partially flattened itself in passing through the body of 

 the animal, and which we found next the hide on the op- 

 posite side^ We then brought iu wood for the night, had tea, 

 and lay talking till eleven i\ m. 



Friday opened fine ; however, the day turned out showery. 

 We skinned off the hocks and pasterns and then breakfasted. 



