FOREST AND STREAM' 



147 



anguish— and this they may credit to their philosophy 1 , 



rather than stolidity. One thins; they cannot do, They can 

 never credit themselves with one generous gush of joy. 



Hoping. that you will receive that patronage from a gen- 

 erous public, which will insure success to your noble enter- 

 prise, we close, in the hope of sendiug you a better article 

 at no distant dav. M. 



, and had but 

 fftth this, the 

 and anxiously 



For Forest and Striam 

 GREAT PECON IC BAY. 



HAVING two weeks since passed a short, time at the 

 village of Pecnnic, and having, while there, fished 

 in the company of good men and true, au account of our 

 trip and luck may not be uninteresting to your readers. I 

 left your city in the company of Count Short), better known 

 to the readers of your companion in sporting matters (the 

 3hirf) than possibly to your own. The Count was suffer- 

 ing from that troublesome but not dangerous malady, "hay 

 fever." My other companion was Hairy Durelf. Dost 

 know him ? If not, allow me to introduce you. Imagine 

 a gentleman of eighty in years, but still in Heart n boy; 

 jovial looking and jovial in action; of medium stature, 

 clean shaven face, bright, clear blue eye, which age has 

 not dimmed, nor has ago changed as yet the color of the 

 iris of his eyes; hair white and soft," and plenty of it; a 

 good companiou — can tell a good story, and enjoys one 

 told by others; a good shot, even now; a lover of a hunt- 

 ing dog, and vou have "old Harry Durell." To every 

 shooting man in the vicinity of your city he is as well 

 known as was Hiram Woodruff to the lovers of the trot- 

 ter. Unfortunately, he also was sufleriug from the. same 

 nose-irritating disease as the Count. We were bound for a 

 fishing excursion in Peconic Bay. Bpott Rodman was to 

 be our host, and a host we found him. 



We arrived at Peconic late in the evi 

 little to say until after supper. Throi 

 fishing prospects of the morrow were eaj 

 discussed. Boat and bait had been se 

 gaged, and nought was to be done save to get tackle in 

 order, and adjust rods and reels for those who fancied pole 

 fishing, and gel ready lines and sinkers for those who chose 

 drop lines. Up betimes, we found breakfast read}', and 

 although eaten by artificial light — how r short the, days al- 

 ready grow — it was heartily eaten. The wagon awaited us 

 at the door, and hastily seizing our tackle wo jump in and 

 wrap ourselves in lap blankets and horse covers for our 

 two mile ride to the hay. A heavy sea fog was rolling in 

 from the ocean, and hung damp and dark over the salt 

 meadows. The only sound we heard was the shrill whist- 

 ling of a flock of "yelpers," and the more plaintive whistle 

 of 1he plover. 



Getting out at the port of New Suffolk, we soon have out- 

 horse in McNish's stable. NcNish is a jolly Scotchman, 

 Who has drifted here seaward, and now keeps and owns the 

 hotel which is the headquarters of all the fishermen and 

 duck shooters of this great bay, which bay is, in fact, an 

 inland ocean. Here we got our fiddlers, bait for blackfish; 

 shrimp for our kinglish, and a hard shell clam or two for 

 a change of bait if desired. Bon Webb was the captain 

 of our craft, and Ira Brewster Tuttle onr man Friday. 



Now this Ira is a "man to know — knows everything, too; 

 is as familiar with every nook of the bay aud Long island 

 Sound as the most of us are with our A B C's. He'can tell 

 you all the good fishing grounds of both waters. He can 

 sing a song, dance a jig, sail a boat, and, in fact, I do 

 not know what he can r t do, and, what's mote, do well. 

 A jolly companion is this same Ira. The clam bait was on 

 Ira's fishing craft, and he and myself stole away in the 

 small boat for it. Before picking up the bait we descended 

 to the cabin of the little craft, and as the morning was 

 damp, and the air chill, took something to clear our 

 throats and keep out the fog. A little five year old apple, a 

 dash of lemon, aud a modicum of sugar, we found an ad- 

 mirable specific. So successful did we find it that, despite 

 the impatient shouts of our companions, we had to repeat 

 the dose. Gathering hastily the hard clad molluscs, we 

 rowed back to the craft which was to be our home for 

 the day. Her white sails flapped savagely, aud she sprung 

 from the loosened whip which held her, aa the ball from the 

 caunon's mouth. The breeze was fresh, and our ten mile 

 sail was a delightful one. The heat of the rising sun dis- 

 pelled all fog, and it melted into "thin air" speedily. As 

 Ira and Ben Webb attended to the boat, our party had 

 nothiug to do but lounge, and lounge we did successfully 

 till neariug our fishiug gronuds. Weakfish had left the 

 bay. The northeast storm of three days' duration, which 

 onl} r broke the day we left your city, had driven them off. 

 Bluefish and striped bass had not yet come, and our only 

 hope was the kingtish. Coming up in the wind the head- 

 way of onr craft is checked, aud our anchor dropped. The 

 first fish is the honor to be gained, and all lines are quickly 

 baited aud dropped in many fathoms water. The wind 

 dies away till scarce' a ripple shows itself ou the smooth, 

 deep blue surface. A shout from the Count, aud a frantic 

 surge upward, aud then a hand over hand pull, auuounces 

 a catch. 



"First, fish," he shouts. 



Ab, me! that I have to tell it. A cloud-compelling 

 sneeze— dire result of his catarrhal affection — interrupted 

 his steady pull, and the attention his nasal organ demanded 

 detracted from the duty he owed his fish. No man can 

 serve two masters. "Under which kiug, Bezonian," lish 

 or nose. The nose had it. His pull stopped, his hue re- 

 laxed, aud away sailed Mr. Fish, with no doubt slightly 

 lacerated jaws.'to muse on the uncertainty of bait. No 

 more "swim p" for him. I u unison with Dundreary, that 

 it bard it to say shrimp. That game 

 as the next in luck, aud auuounccd the 

 sr as the Count. The excitement was 

 sickly laudsmeu, and the ticklish mem 

 ,- answered each to each. Old Harry, 

 forty years' experience of the disease, 

 id to be unnerved, aud despite his so 

 uorous sneezes landed his lish. A beauty, too, of at least 

 two pounds weight. Aud what a pretty fish it is. Silvery 

 gleam its scales as it flashes from water to air, and the 

 dark, transversely barred markings seem but a change of 

 light as, swinging for a second, it turns and turns in the 

 sun. So a bird's plumage Changes in mid air as sunlight 

 or shadow falls across the varied color of feather and' of 

 plume. Scott, fishing with rod and reel, Speedily raises 

 from the depths fish after lish, hut all small, running from 

 a few ounces up to half a pound. 



Ira, hidden under the lee of the half dropped jib, sings 

 out— "Ah, boys, here he is! Look out there, Harry; haul 

 in your Hnel You'll foul mel Be careful, will youy 



fish no doubt fou 

 old pebble Durell 

 same in like mac 

 too great for thes 

 bfajie of their no 

 however, with hi 

 was too well 



Aaa-h! what a rusher! Look at that! Will you look? 



Of course we all looked and looked. Eyes fairly 1 started 

 from their sockets, and the Count and old Harry sneezed 

 in chorus, Ira danced around on that small forward deck 

 till all rang again. His rod, albeit a stout one, bent like 

 a lithe bamboo or a lance wood tip, and the savage rushes 

 of the fish were exciting in the extreme. Keeping his 

 sinister thumb firmly pressed down he reels as rapidly iu 

 as the vigorously struggling fish permits. Anon, with a 

 rush likeTi whale, the pull has to be relaxed, aud the reel- 

 ing in all to be done over again. Five, ten, twenty min- 

 utes elapse, and the excitement is ever on the increase. 

 Each and all (ell Ira how to do it. 



"Now, Ira, snub him, old fellow; turn him now; he'll 

 stand it," as the lish pauses for a moment, Before hec.au 

 act on the advice, off he goes again, We wonder what 

 maimer of lish it, is, and speculation is seen in the eyes of 

 all. Anxiously the moments speed by, and if only that 

 fish had come "to our hook how quickly we Would have had 

 him "comfortably settled for life." The thing was becom- 

 ing monotonous. * Ira evidently thought so, and once again 

 his pull commenced. Slowly, hut, steadily and surely, fool 

 after foot of line was reeled home, aud we all peered with 

 anxious looks through fathoms of water. A yard more 

 home, and a streak Of morning light flashes like a meteor 

 through the blue. Steadily the pull is kept up by Ira, We 

 all crowd to his side to watch the rush of this three feet 

 long denizen of the deep as he approaches the surface. 

 Ira looks as if the fate of nations depended upon his suc- 

 cess. Nearer and nearer becomes, When great heavens, 

 What a roar! The Count and Harry sneezed in concert. 

 The half drowned, half submerged fish, at this unearthly 

 SDunfl, with one half expiring rush snapped the line as if 

 it, were paper twine, and sought fresh fields and marine pas- 

 lutes HEW, Ira sank savage aud exhausted against the 

 mast, while the prettiest scene of mutual crimination took 

 place between the three. " 'Twas you that did it. It was 

 n't. I say it was!" Well, this lish' was no exception to all 

 the rest, * 'Tis ever the biggest fish you lose, and the best. 



Fishing after this exciting episode was tame indeed, and 

 the few dozen small kingfis'li we took did but little to sweet- 

 en our soured tempers. " The catching of a dogfish by 

 Seott, and a, loadtish by the Count, was' the last weight that 

 disabled the already suffering camel. Up anchor, stop 

 fishing, aud all hands vote for a sail. All wanted to be 

 sailors — no more fishermen iuthat party. So jib and main- 

 sail are hauled to tautest strain, and as our little ten ton 

 yacht parts the water with her how in musical murmurings 

 Ben steers a Straight course for the further side of the bay. 

 The sun slowly sets in a blaze of glorious color, while al- 

 ready the silver softening light appears at opposite points. 

 The breeze is scarce six mile-, an hour, yet how lovely it all 

 is. We are bouud for Canoe Place, situated at the head of 

 Shinnicock Bay, on the South Side. Arriving at the fat- 

 side of Peconic Bay, and dropping anchor once again, our 

 small boat comes into requisition, and Capt. Ben lands us 

 all on the soft sandy beach. The island here is a scant 

 half mile wide, and a walk of that distance over the sandy 

 dunes, . scarce held together with bunches of wiry beach 

 grass, brings us to Buddington's. Hefe is the paradise of 

 duck and goose shooters in late November. Live decoys 

 are owned by every lishing farmer, aud their clamorous 

 honk, honk, was already announcing the coming southern 

 rlijlii of the B. Cohwlensix. Here our worthy Recorder, 

 John K. Hackctt, renews his youth season after season. 

 The hotel is scarce a hundred feet from the bay. A long, 

 low, rambling looking building, it looks of the sea, salty. 

 Small panes 0x0 still' give scant light to hall and to room. 

 Every where is sand and salt. Huge heaps of oyster and 

 clam shells stand as ornaments on the sandy beach used 

 for a lawn, as flowers do duty elsewhere. A row of trees, 

 basket willow, stand as sentinels between tides and house. 

 The low wash of water is heard unceasingly. From a rip- 

 ple to a roar, as the wind blows easily or angrily, the tran- 

 sition i.s great. The foliage of the willows shows white 

 gauze-like, lace-likc, as the dried spray here leaves its salty- 

 deposit. 



Our supper here was clam fritters, and cooked as only 

 those who arc brought up on the beach can cook them. 

 To say justice was done to those fritters is to say but little. 

 Six hungry men made sad havoc, and a new pile of shells 

 attested to the prowess of our company. Adjourning after 

 supper to the cover of the low-hung, pillar-supported 

 porch, the age of old Harry Durell was brought up for dis- 

 cussion. The topic was scarce started ere an old salt 

 stepped up and stated lie was just as old as Harry, and 

 marked down four score. Heavens, how these old vines 

 cling to life, aud to earth. Scarce through with this, when 

 along comes another youngster of a year's more growth. 

 Durell was waxing wroth that any one could carry age as 

 well as he, in spite, of his sneezing affection, when our, 

 landlord, Buddiugton, who was at least sixty-five, heard 

 the discussion, and stepping up said, "wait till I call 

 fattier." Answering to his call, an old gentleman, little 

 the worse for wear" walked from the parlor to the piazza 

 steps, and was introduced to us. Upright and erect,, with 

 hair and beard as white as white could be, and somewhat 

 supporting his crectness with au ivory cane, stood aa ag- 

 gregate ot ninety-four seasons, aud good at least for a 

 dozen more. Here was richneess — four men wdiose united 

 age was three hundred and seventy-five years. The expe- 

 riences of these old veterans as they talked to each other, 

 and warmed to the recital, was a treat indeed. This youth 

 of ninety -four summers eclipsed the lad Durell by fourteen 

 years, and snuffed him, for the lime, completely out. As 

 be told us afterward, when revived, "Hum, ninety-four, 

 eh; don't believe it; noL a word of it." 



The moon had now riseu, and gave light sufficient to 

 guide us across the sandy hills. After making all arrange- 

 ments, such as securing live decoys, &c, for a Week's wild- 

 fowl shooting later iu the season, we hastened to our an- 

 chored craft,' Ira and the Count dropped behind, anxious 

 to renew acquaintance with the fair Ida, who had waited 

 on the clamoring crowd at supper. A damsel as fair in 

 face and lovely of form as the mythological nymph of the 

 ancients, her charms bad stricken thorn both. As time aud 

 tide, however, wait for no man, so we had to leave the 

 curly-locked priestess ot Canoe Place, and Start ou our 

 voyage homeward. The sail back over the bay was a glo- 

 rious'one. The stars, in their brightness rivalled the moon. 

 The wind was fair, and from the right quarter. Laying 

 our course on the start, Ave kept it, not having to make a 

 Single tack in the twenty mile sail. The water w-as phos- 

 phorescent with millions of auinmlculus. Each passing 

 ripple flashed back au answering gleam to moon and to 

 star, and equally as brilliant. The Count, Ira, and Scott 

 early sought the cabin's bunks, but old Harry Durell aud 



your correspondent boldly stood the heavy dew for ilia 

 sake of the beauties of the night, and lying stretched at 



length on the vessel's deck gazed and thought- 



Above the- Blobplng World." 



nil vault 

 x rolls, 



Fid- Form and Stream. 

 A GAME REGION. 



WE have just arrived at, Bismarck, Dakota Territory. 

 Our party has travelled 1,300 milos down the Mis- 

 souri River in four-oared boats. During the trip many 

 buffaloes, mountain sheep, antelope and elk were seen; 

 also a great many beaver and a few minks. The buffaloes 

 were crossing the river in many places in the mountains, 

 and they appeared to be partially demoralized. Some of 

 them stood on the river bank looking at our passing boats, 

 others galloped up the steep mouutaiu sides, and several 

 small bands jumped into the river and crossed, galloping 

 away from the river bottom into the mountains, leaving a 

 cloud of dust to mark their trail. One large hull lost his 

 footing aud rolled down a mountain side raising a cloud of 

 dust, which partially concealed him. 



Elk were heard whistling in many places, aad at one of 

 our camps they were whistling so near as to awaken me 

 g the night. There is splendid hunting- 



several t 

 to lie had 

 not for th 

 wdieu tli 



■elshell and Mis 



then 



scalps 



ca. if i 



offer; 



the Mn 

 good Indians 

 ish to and lei 

 straggling white's 

 The only really good Indians on the Upper Mis 

 those which are wrapped in blankets and put-up on poles 

 on the hills for au indefinite period. A short lime ago 

 two men were murdered and burned at the .Mussel- 

 shell on the Missouri River; another man was found in a 

 decomposed state lashed to a tree at the forks of Milk 

 River, and several others are missing. One man wa,s 

 chased and had four bullets put into him by Indians at 

 Fort Peck, and he told me he thought, the Indians wdio 

 shot him were some of their own Indians, tbat-they were 

 feeding at the agency at Fort Peek. A friend has just 

 come iu from a hunt, and he tells me the Indians have just 

 run off his two horses which he left but a short time while 

 hunting. His scalp would probably have gone with the 

 horses if he had been with them. 



Near the Sweet Grass Hills, Montana, we found twenty- 

 seven dead Indians. They were scalped and some of them 

 had several bullet-holes iu their heads. Some of the dead 

 Indians had dug pits with their knives iu the prairie, and 

 others had enlarged the mouths of badgers holes so they 

 might get to them and be partly shielded from their enemies 

 builetsr 



The battle had evidently been a long and hard one, as 

 several kinds of cartridge shells were found in the pits by 

 the dead Indians. Their entire scalps of the victims had 

 been removed by the successful party, which is unusual, 

 as but a'portion of the scalp is generally taken. I shall be 

 in St. Paul iu about three days; shall go from there to the 

 Big Woods of Minnesota to hunt and trap specimens for 

 mounting. Very truly yours, 



Bismarck, B. T., Oct. 1, 1874. J. H. Batty. 



Deek Hunting by Steam. — A SchroonLake correspond- 

 ent of the Keeseville Republican tells the following deer story : 



As the steamer Effingham, en. route for our usually quiet 

 village, laden with summer tourists and pleasure seekers, 

 was plowing her way through the placid waters of the 

 lake, and when opposite what is kuown as Eagle Point, 

 one of the engineers, Jesse D. Smith, who, by the way, is 

 always seeing something, suddenly discovered a deer walking- 

 very leisurely from the point into a dense thicket a few- 

 rods from the shore. This information was at once given 

 to Capt, Pet. Russell, who, under the excitement of the 

 moment, gave orders, put on all steam, aud the steamer was 

 headed direct for Schroon, intermediate landings not noticed. 

 On arrival at Schroon the steamer Libbie was fired up, and 

 manned by men and dogs. Proceeding to Eagle Point at a 

 rate of speed that would have shamed the renowned John 

 Gilpin, in due time the point was reached, the dogs put on 

 track, but strange to relate, the dogs, although of good 

 blood, utterly refused to take the least notice of it. We 

 are told that Johu D. Burwell, of theOndnwa, "was so dis- 

 gusted that he threatened to shoot one of the dogs, which 

 threat would have been doubtless carried out, only lor Jess 

 Smith, who saved the animal's life by his timely inter- 

 ference. The engineer, followed by the party, then started 

 in pursuit, occasionally stopping to make sure they were 

 on the track. Here let me say that among the party, and at 

 this stage of the game, who took the lead iu the chase, was 

 Mr. Jim Cheney, nephew of the famous panther hunter, 

 John Cheney, ot the Adirondacks. We understand Jim 

 made the remark: "Uncle John has beeu in worse places 

 than this. I have the Cheney blood in my veins. — Follow!" 

 After an exciting chase of a mile and a half, they came 

 upon what they supposed to be a deer. If possible, imagine 

 the surprise, chagrin, and appearance of the engineer, and 

 in fact, all the party, when ou neariug the beautiful buck 

 it proved to be a yearling steer belonging to Mr. A. Scott. 



— Murat Halstead thus tells how the King of Denmark 

 goes salmon fishing, (or potting,) iu Iceland: — "The King 

 took a ride of live miles into the country yesterday and 

 caught salmon . The process of fishing in which lie in- 

 dulged is not difficult. The river flows in several channels 

 over its bed of lava, and is dammed so that the water runs 

 into large boxes, making a slight tall. The hole is guarded 

 on the inside against exits by long, converging sticks, and 

 the adventurous fish, swimmiug up the river, find the little 

 water fall flashing before them, and seeming to come from 

 a pleasant pool above, jump it with force sufllcieut to 

 pluuge them into the box; and there they are safe as mice 

 iu a trap into which they have crawled through sharp wires 

 that yield them admission readily, but forbid return. The 

 salmon's -Well-known power aud gameness in jumping 

 water falls gives rise to this contrivance. The King caught 

 the salmon by inserting iu the trap where they were taken 

 a basket net ou a pole aud scoopiug them out. In this way 

 fifty-one were captured duriug his visit, the largest weigh- 

 ing twelve pounds and a half. When his Majesty was 

 Weary of landing out the fish he passed the spoon uet to iiU 

 son." 



