FOEEST AND STREAM 



307 



nnd Waterbury's, and after a glorious dinner hour on the 

 nauk of Prince's hronk, quaffing its crystal Waters between 

 Sandwiches, add Inking a happy snooze under the shade of 

 some favorite old I rce, have again strapped on my creel and 

 slowly wended my way alongihe river, now and then pick- 

 ing out a 'beauty,' until heartily satisfied with the day's 

 sport, have reached Dimmick's bridge, meeting the team 

 that carried us to an early supper at the Fisherman's 

 Home." 



To many of those who in past years have visited this 

 favorite old spot, certain names will fall upon the heart 

 like the memory of delicious music from the lips of loved 

 ones it) dftye lang syne. 1 will only mention a lew of them; 

 Scvmour's and Corey's Bridge, The Meadows, North 

 Branch, with its slippery boulders, the Brick Yard, Petrie's 

 and Stouey Brook. Many of those who want there at an 

 early day have "traveled on." Still, every year finds not a 

 few of old time sportsmen, with rod and fly, tramping over 

 old familiar seenes.uot with the lire and ambition of youth, 

 but, nevertheless, with hearts as young and delights as keen 

 as when no spectacles were needed to tie a broken lrador 

 and no threads of grey adorned their heads. Not alone do 

 these genial old sportsmen visit these scenes, but every 

 year finds new names and new faces amongst the old. It is 

 true the "speckled beauties" are not taken by the basket 

 full as in days of yore, but enough of them still remain, 

 arid doubtless ever will, to induce the patient and careful 

 fishermen to visit the place lor years to come. My com- 

 panion on one occasion made the" remark, in which I fully 

 agree with him, that. "It was worth a journey to Redfield 

 to look over the beautiful scenes and breathe in the invig- 

 orating air, if we don't wet a line." 



The Fisherman's Home, with its cheerful dining room, 

 where the photograph of the six-pound trout so long 

 adorned the walls; the lower stoop, with its woolen seats 

 v, liera so many ."traps" have been displayed preparatory to 

 the day's sport; and the upper portico, over whose railings 

 "wet pants" have been so oft at evening hung, have fallen 

 to the all devouring flames, but many landmarks 

 Still remain lo make the old haunts attractive. 



How wildly and how far have I digressed from the 

 thought that induced the penning of this communication I 

 Begging your indulgence, I will return. 



One beautiful June morning, some four years since, a 

 party consisting of W. C. B.7 J. H. G. and J. L. G. made 

 one "of their visits to the loved old grounds and were soon 

 at home, in the familiar quarters that they for many years 

 had occupied 011 similar occasions. The former concluded 

 not to go out until after dinner, while the latter two de- 

 cided to visit the meadows of North Branch. A backboard 

 wagon, with lively team attached, soon carried us safely to 

 the point of attack just below the old dam and abovethe 

 alders, gome choice selections soon graced our creels, and 

 in the eddy that whirls under the roots of overhanging 

 trees just above the bridge, a careful cast was made and 

 answered by a gleam of gold, and fully two pounds were 

 instantly struck and spinning out the contents of our reel. 

 Two minutes sufficed to entangle stretcher, droppers, aud 

 leader so inextricably tn the roots that to land the prize 

 was impossible. A sigh of disappointment, a few minutes 

 of work seated on the bank, aud pnilosophy prevailed, and 

 we entered the meadows below the bridge, where hay- 

 makers were busy with their work. Almost immediately a 

 very square-built individual of the genus homo, dropped 

 his scythe aud came towards us. We had not studied 

 German then, and what he said was, of course, all "Greek 

 to ub." In order, however, to make himself understood, 

 he drew from his pocket— not a revolver— a pouch, from 

 which he took a rive dollar note, referring to it in words, 

 repeated pointings and rapid gesticulation. At last the 

 thought forced itself upon our unwilling minds that we 

 were required to pay live dollars for fishing through his 

 meadows, and upon our stoutly, and with some warmth, 

 refusing such an outrageous demand, he as loudly persisted 

 in exclaiming, "Nine! Nine!" At last we told him 

 flatly that he might go to any place he chose, hut that he 

 would never get nine dollars out of us. 



Matters were approaching a crisis quite rapidly, when one 

 of his co-laborers came up and explained that he wanted 

 change for a five dollar bill, which we very gladly furnished 

 him and proceeded on our way rejoicing. J. L. G. 



Auburn, 2foe. 20, 1874. 



———♦♦* « 



For Forest and Stream. 

 TRIALS OF A SALMON FISHER. 



MAINE and the Adirondacks have suffered for several 

 Springs from my perseverance as an angler, but this 

 year, induced by an advertisement in your journal and per- 

 suasions of a friend, I leased one of the smaller Canadian 

 salmon rivers, and perhaps it would be instructive or amus- 

 ing to some of your readers to hear my experience. 



Leaving one of our pleasantest watering places early in 

 July, I gathered together my numerous fixings in New 

 York preparatory to starling. In looking over the map for 

 the easiest way to Quebec, I unfortunately ran across an 

 advertisement of the "Great Passuinsic through route to 

 Quebec." Their time-table looks, at least it did to me, as 

 if the trip could be made in twenty-four hours, whereas 

 two night changes were required, involving no little incon- 

 venience. After leaving Quebec, three day's sail on a 

 steamer, with a twenty-live miles drive brought us to our 

 destination. "Now for the exhilarating sport of salmon 

 fishing !" was my first thought. My first pool was devoid 

 of salmon, with -a great deal of half-burnt birch bark on 

 its banks; the next was adorned with a catamaran, or log- 

 raft, showing the inventive genius of our near neighbors; 

 in the third, the best pool on the river, we found three 

 genial Bluenoses amusing themselves with the spear I 

 Strange infatuation of these simple countrymen ! they 

 knew we had the lease of the river and would arrive that 

 day. They had placed ti sentry on the lookout down the 

 river expecting us lo come rip with the canoes, but having 



expert 

 before, 



so we hi 

 gamo fo 



river gu 

 My ft 



:-d the pleasure of being poled up a shallow river 

 ,'e had shown oui preleienoo by being driven in; 

 d the pleasure of capturing ihree poachers, (a new 



me.) It is needless to say that we discharged our 

 .rdian for willful neglect of duty. 



id, who is a first-class salmon fisher, said that 



after all these depredations, we must give the salmon pools 

 a rest by not fishing for at least a week or so. As far as 

 living was concerned, we had all the salmon we could use, 

 as we had confiscated the fish taken by the poachers. My 

 experience in mosquitoes has been very extended. I have 

 had blood extracted on Jersey Flats, Louisiana Bayousi, 

 California Ranches, Cuban Plantations, and Jamaica Peon, 



but nowhere have I seen the same audacity or persistency 

 as in the insect that inhabits the Wilds of New ISrunswick. 

 Its Rong is the most unmusical I ev»r heard. Baths of 

 penny royal or creosote weie only a slight preventive. 



At last after three tedious days we were blessed with a 

 slight rain, w'.'ich raised the river some inches. Our hearts 

 were cheered the next evening by seeing salmon in all the 

 pools. Toward evening my friend, who wanted to give 

 me ail the snow possible, said, "Pitch in!" 1 had passed 

 the two previous days in practicing with my salmon rod, 

 and had become so expert that I could throw out fifty feet 

 without getting it gnarled more lhan every third time. 

 Putting on my English wa ling pants, (I had all the hit' st. 

 improvements,) selecting some of Forest of Tulso best Hies, 

 I waded in up to my waist and began thrashing the water, 

 but being auxious lo get near the centre of the pool, with 

 doubts of being able to cast that far, I waded in a little 

 deeper. I wish I hadn't ! I trod on a slippery stone aud 

 lost my halanee. The air in Jhe panls look my feet up 

 and I passed an agreeable five minutes learning the steps of 

 a new dance, sometimes with one foot 0.H the botioin, 

 oftener with both higher than my heart. Oh, Jimminy ! 

 wasn't the water cold ! I did not mind the cold water so 

 much as seeing my friend and the guides on the bank 

 laughing at me. Some oue saug out, "Dive for them ! 

 that is tho surest way to catch salmon." My good nature 

 gave way under such circumstances, and I am afraid I used 

 some hard words in reference to salmon fishing, &c., &c. 

 After numerous hot potions my genial spirits were revived, 

 and I enjoyed my fa tit pas as well as any one. 



At last file long wished lor day armed. One afternoon, 

 while fishing in one of our best pools, 1 was rewarded. 

 The day was perfect, with breeze enough to keep a ripple 

 on the water, without disturbing the enjoyment of the dies 

 (black). I had been casting for an hcur oi so, more or less, 

 (by the way I have calculated it takes 783 casts to every 

 rise, at least it. did inc.) So, feeling the necessity of the 

 enlivening effects of tobacco to enable me to continue, I 

 made a long cast, letting my fly sink while I was filling my 

 pipe. As I took the first puff, I began drawing in. f was 

 frightened by what I thought was a new boding spring ! 

 The next moment I struck something that appeared to be 

 solid, when up into the air went a "beautiful salmon, it 

 appeared to my unaccustomed gaze like a good sized whale. 

 For the next five minutes the fish equally divided his time 

 between Hie water and air, with rather a partiality lo l lie 

 latter. The strain of a sixteen feet rod began to tell; so, 

 gathering himself up he started on a rush with the im.pei.us 

 of a 100 pound Parrolt shell, taking out a hundred yards of 

 line. I checked him just as he was about entering the 

 rapids. Now began the labor, (aud labor it is.) Afier the 

 first five minutes of excitement, the weight of the rod in- 

 creases at the rate of a pound a minute. At the end of 

 twenty minutes I would gladly have said, "Give us a rest, 

 old fellow !" About this time the salmon began thinking 

 the same thing. After careful manipulation, it was brought 

 within reach of the gaff, but clumsy handling of it gave 

 my tired arms five minutes more work. At last my prize 

 was gently reposing on the mossy bank of the river. What 

 satisfaction, after a severe tussle, to see your opponent 

 finished up ! It was a magnificent fish, weighing not quite 

 twenty-one pounds. I have caught large fish, but never 

 did I feel the same satisfaction as when 1 landed this one, 

 (my first salmon.) I was fuliy repaid, even for my trip on 

 the Great Passumsic through route to Quebec. Our river 

 was not a success. With low stage of the water aud par- 

 tiality of our neighbors to fish diet, we were only rewarded 

 after persistant fishing, with twenty-two salmon, of which 

 I had the pleasure of taking nine in out of tho wet. 



Could not the sportsmen of this country combine in offer- 

 ing a reward for the successful extermination of the insect 

 pest? My friend says it would not do at all, as we come to 

 the woods to get hardened, and nothing hardens one so 

 much as to be bitten by mosquitoes, black lies, Heas, guats, 

 no see-ums, &c, in rotation. Hoping to have a belter two 

 weeks' fishing next Summer, I am, Mr. Editor, i&c. 



II, L, G. 

 .»•» 



For Forest and stream . 

 HOW WE S AVED T HE BRIDGE. 



IT was in March 187 — that a party consisting of Lawyer 

 L., Col. H., Ben It., his sou and the undersigned, dis- 

 embarked from the evening train at the little town of 

 Vincennes. Snipe was the principal sport that we had 

 come for, though of course we would not refuse astray 

 duck which might come in range. 



It was about midnight, if I remember rightly, when we 

 got out of the cars. We hired a conveyance for us and 

 our traps, to take us to the hotel. When" we arrived at the 

 mansion we found it enveloped in complete darkness. Not 

 a light was to be seen in, or anywhere around the building. 

 Repeated knocks on the door, given lustily by our Jehu, 

 soon brought tho night-capped head of the barkeeper to 

 our thankful vision. 



"Charlie, cum right down heah," said our Jehu, "heahs 

 some gemmen bin waitin' moreu an hour for you." 



"Dat is all right," replied a voice iu the upper regions; 

 "veil, vait und I cume." 



We soon obtained an entrance, but were disappointed to 

 hear that there was not a vacant bed in the house. We had 

 telegraphed from Cincinnati when we started, but the tele- 

 gram had not been received. We passed the night with 

 biliiard playing and arose (?) ready for the work we had 

 before us. We drove out to the fields iu which we were to 

 shoot, loaded up and started. The first rise of the day was 

 to me, a fine brace of snipe. Bang 1 Bang ! but not. 

 bagged. "Better luck next time," awaited me,' for I killed 

 my pair in fine style. But I must on to the end of mi- 

 story. We had fine sport all day and were returning home 

 when we came near a long trestle work on the O. and M. 

 railroad. We were obliged to wait ashort time until a train 

 went thundering by, Ave noticed Unit the engine gave out 

 an unusual amount of sparks as it passed. As we were 

 crossing the bridge Col. H. saw a small column of smoke 

 rising from the center of the bridge. He jumped out of the 

 wagon and ran to the spot. 



'The bridge is on fire I" he shouted to us. 



Jumping out of the wagon we ran to the place where H. 

 stood trying to stamp out the fire with his feel. The fire 

 was almost in the centre of the bridge, on one of the large 

 beams which ran transversely in the bridge. The beam was 

 so situated that the oil iu the engines passing over woultl 

 fall on it. In lime this accumulation was very great, and 

 a spark alighting in it, a blaze was the immediate result,. 

 When we first saw it the hand could easily cover the space 

 occupied, but it was growing with dangerous rapidity, 



What to do no one seemed to know. There were three 

 drinking cups in the party, but it was so far lo the end of 

 the bridge, then down to the water, that it would lake loo 

 much time to get so little water. At the end of the bridgo 

 was a small house in which buckets and tubs were kept in 

 case of fire, but. the door was locked and the keeper, as we 

 afterwards found out, was lost in the pleasant occupalion 

 of shooting snipe. But something must be done, and that 

 something quickly or the bridge is doomed. 



"Bet's kick in the old door of the house," said the Col- 

 onel; "if wo don't get a bucket we can do nothing " 



The door proved to be less strong than we had imagined, 

 and a few sturdy kicks burst it open. As we entered, the 

 first thing visible was a row of buckets filled with water. 

 Seizing one each, wc were soon at the conflagration. A 

 dashing of the contents of our buckets on tho blaze soon 

 extinguished it. Wc. arose from our labors only to be con- 

 fronted by the bridge keeper, gun in hand and fully equip- 

 ped iu the usual manner. On learning the cause of the 

 trouble, he dropped his gun, and rushing frantically to hia 

 house brought out a couple of buckets and dashed their 

 coi tents on the now extinguished blaze. 



"The company pays me to watch and put out fires and 

 I'm a-going to do it." Algona. 



DISEASE IN TOWN AND COUNTRY. 



IT has been the question of the times whelher sanitary 

 regulations in our cities, and even in the counlry, have 

 been such as the magnitude of the subject demands. Wo 

 are much surprised to know that so little, inquiry is made 

 by parties whose business it is to know how men live, and 

 why they are so prone to mortality in places where the 

 common observation would find only the elements of 

 health. We believe much good to be the result of the 

 proper remedies for the various ills that flesh is heir to, 

 and in the prompt use of the resources of the mineral and 

 vegetable world. We would by no means put out the fires 

 of the chemist, or overturn the laboratory of the skilled 

 pharmacopist. We would give the disciple of Galen and 

 the gatherer of roots, herbs, and plants, their proper place 

 in the world— would say to the allopath and tho homeopath, 

 Go work in the vineyard of the world. Nor would we end 

 our suggestions here. We believe a still greater good will 

 be had from the examinations into the physical and natural 

 causes which undoubtedly are the prominent first causes 

 of many of the diseases which men suffer, bolh in city 

 and country, and which to the faculty, learned and un- 

 learned, are sealed from their knowledge. 



As an illustration of our true position in this matter, we 

 restate that physicians are often baffled in their efforts to 

 produce a cure" simply from the lack of a true knowledge 

 of the inducing or predisposing cause of the malady of 

 their patient. 



A young, strong man was strickeu down with typhoid 

 fever.* Why should he have it? But he had it, and the 

 learned doctor was greatly puzzled to know why he should 

 take sick in the midst of such healthful surroundings. His 

 case progressed, and was considered under the head of 

 doubtful ones. The old gray headed physician was indeed 

 much puzzled. He thought much, but it seemed to no 

 effect. His patient still grew lower and lower, notwith- 

 standing he lived among the green trees nnd clear, bracing 

 atmosphere. "Something new must be tried," said the 

 physician. You are right for this time, venerable disciple 

 of old Escul aphis. Something must be done, and that very 

 speedily, or you will lose that young man. 



After a few moments' thought, our old friend came to 

 the conclusion that it would be prudent for him, before lie 

 proceeded lo extreme measures in this case, to call in the 

 services of a young doctor recently settled in the village. 

 It was with much self-denial that he finally consented to 

 peu a note to the other doctor to meet him "in professional 

 consultation. (Some M. D.'sare jealous and narrow mind- 

 ed; and why should they be?) tie accordingly came, and 

 our old time physician gave him a measured aud dignified 

 welcome. In his opening question to him, and his reasons 

 for sending for him, he took occasion to remark: "This 

 case, I admit, has •baffled my own expectations. At first it 

 exhibited none of the later alarming symptoms. I had no 

 fears that it would not yield in time to lhe usual remedies. 

 This is a healthy location, and why should it be so obsti- 

 nate a case as it is?" 



"I have read," said the young M. D., "that when all the 

 outer surroundings are healthful, we must look lor a nearer 

 or secret cause, for secret cause there must be." 



"No," remarked the old M. D., "I do not read so much 

 or so many new books as you do. I have not tho time; my 

 patients demand all my lime." 



They commenced a thorough search into the probable 

 cause of the illness of the patient. After a careful search 

 in and about, the house, they proceeded to the cellar, where 

 the secret enemy of health lay self-evident in some ten 

 bushels of rotten potatoes. They adjourned to the sitting 

 room, when the old doctor said — 



"Well, what do you think of my treatment of the young 

 man? (no allusion to the rotten potatoes.) Would you add 

 anything to my formula?" 



"You have well managed the case," said the young doc- 

 tor. "Only oue addition need be made; and continue to 

 carefully nurse the patient and his cure will be sure." 



"Thank you, Dr. Jones, thank you; please write your 

 additional prescription, and I will have it administered." 



The young doctor wrote upon a slip ofjpaperai follows:— 



"Willi the least possible delay have "uiai. pne vt rotieu 

 potatoes in the cellar removed, and strew half a pound of 

 chloride of lime over the bottom of the cellar." 



Ir was done, and the young man speedily recovered. 



This brings us to the consideration of a great agricultu- 

 ral question, w.iich has occupied much of our personal at- 

 tention and observation as a sanitary power for the preven- 

 tion of many diseases for some thirty years. We believe 

 that for many years past, iu scarcely any of our great cities, 

 has the proper consideration been given by the constituted 

 authorities to the simple and not cosily appliances for ihu 

 comfort and health of the masses of the citizeiiB. The im- 

 portance of this subject, added to the expressed request for 

 our views upon the sanitary bearing of the question, and 

 the use of trees in our cities, has induced us to place our 

 thoughts and observations before trie leaders ot Forest 

 and Stkkam. In our next paper we shall give the results 

 of our observations, illustrated by cases oi well known 

 and authenticated lads. We shall show that with the hor- 

 ticulturist, the agriculturist, the florist, iiiid landscape gar- 

 dener, rest, a responsibility none the less impor.uui or inex- 

 cusable for not being known. Olupoo Quiix. 



