FOREST ANDISTREAM. 



339 



oHposfteJoefe?ali»ko outlet Ti is one of the htmdredor 



more tributaries that goto makeup the volume of West 

 Canada Creek. This latter stream is one of the most^ re- 

 markable Of Hit? many beautiful llowing waters of New 

 York, drawing from a. water sited nearly equal to that of 



the Hudson, converting at Hinckley's Mills, two miles 



above the celebrated falls of Trenton; millions of feet an- 

 nually ot the timber of its upper forests into marketable 

 lumber, and contributine; to llm .Mohawk, where it enters 

 that river, twenty miles below, a volume of water equal to 

 ils own above that point. Nowhere on the Melealf is the 

 hand of civilization visible. No settler's habitation lias 

 ever been seen on its banks. The bear, the wolf, the pan- 

 ther, and ihe owl form the population of the forest, and 

 the speckled trout sports in teeming swarms in its cold and 

 ' i' H-id waters. The voice of the hnnler, the trapper, and 

 the fisherman are occasionally heard here; but the lowing 

 of kine, the pnuiling of children, and the sound of church 

 bells newt it nob this lonely scene. This was Ibe paradise 

 to which our footsteps trended. 



K?<*y, July SQih. — The morning broke lowering, but 

 Hiere was no more rain. The drift of the clouds was to 

 the eastward, so that (here was promise of good weather 

 before the day should be over. When in camp on Sunday 

 we permit no unnecessary work to be done, and we aim to 

 spend the day as men brought up in a Christian land should 

 do; but a party e» route for the wilderness, like an army, 

 must move according to circumstances. It is from no 

 lack of reverence for the Christian Sabbath that we take 

 up our line of march today. If we wait we may not 

 have as favorable weather to-morrow. So at eight o'clock 

 A. M. we are packed and ready, for a start. Tlie supplies 

 and burgage go to Wilmurl Lake, two miles distant, by a 

 light lumber wagon drawn by two stout horses up a moun- 

 tain road, where the rise is at least 500 feet to the mile. 

 The party on fool precede the wagon. At nine we are at 

 the lake.Whcre Frank French, the warder of the. log castle 

 that overlooks that beautiful sheet, awaits us with bis large 

 boat. Wllmurt Lake is situated as nearly as a lake can be, 

 ill the top of a mountain. Ils waters are of crystal purity 

 and icy coldness, and its trout are the Bast of any in the 

 wilderness. The lake is, however, private properly, and 

 none are permitted to fish it but its owuers. We cross the 

 lake to the commencement of the trail on the opposite 

 shore. At ten we are packed for the camping ground, still 

 two miles distant. Five irood stout packers accompany us 

 to bear Ibe heaviest burdens. Each member of the party 

 shoulders bis owu traps wilb such else of the general lug- 

 gag '- as he can bear. Our friends, Babcock and Van Voorsl, 

 wuo are guests at French's, volunteer to accompany and see 

 us sullied in camp, and they, loo, shoulder packs. The 

 scene, as the fourteen heavily laden pedestrians defile 

 through the forest, singing-. "O, 'aint you glad we're going 

 in the wilderness?" was picturesque. At eleven o'clock we 

 were at Bnftfi Lake, a pretty sheet of water a half mile 

 long and a quarter broad, where we made our first halt. 

 The trail, to the foot of the lake, leading over jugged rocks 

 and through tangled wind falls, was a difficult one, and we 

 paused again to rest at the foot, Thence we tramped to 

 the .Melealf without further halt. We reconoitcred a little 

 for a good camping place and finally selected one on a 

 heavily wooded knoll between the two principal -pieces of 

 Stillwater, the stream immediately in front of the camp 

 being rocky rapids. A pretly view opens beyond the 

 stream on the South, On the" North the ground slopes 

 abruptly to the rapids. A cold spring stream, furnishing 

 Uh will) an abundant supply of the purest water, rippled at 

 (He Taot Of the knoll at the West. As by magic the sceue 

 is transformed. The blows of axes resound in the from, 

 and the leafy monarehs are soon falling around us. Our 

 habitation is to lie fifteen feet long by nine deep ill the clear 

 and eight feet high iu front. Well jointed logs form the 

 superstructure. The rafters are of spruce or balsam, and 

 the roof and the sides above the loirs of smooih spruce 

 hark. By four p, M. the structure is complete. The cracks 

 are well ehincked and stuffed with moss and a bed of sweet 

 hemlock houghs supplies the place of both floor and bed. 

 A bright lu<r tire is soon ablaze in front, and a hearty supper 

 of bacon, eirgs, crackers, and Bermuda onions having been 

 disposed of," we lay down on our blankets, with hearts as 

 grateful aud reverent to the kind Providence that had 

 placed these enjoyments before us, as any that worship 

 within cathedral walls. The grand old authems, "Old 

 Hundred" and "Coronation," are sung in concert by the 

 party, and then all compose themselves for sweet sleep and 

 pleasant dreams. 



Monday, July '21st. — After a quiet night's rest, unbroken 

 by howl of wolf or hoot of owl, we were up betimes. 

 Breakfast at six aud then the cam)) being fully formed, the 

 first, dress parade takes place, at which the following 

 "orders" are promulgated: — 



>EK NO. 1. — CAMP TOD11, US' TUE .METCAL!'. 



f.— The camp is clirlslencrt • done, Todd" in honor of oar uh-eiu mid 

 himcmed I'oniriuic Cfipiiuii \V. I). Toad, (.lie eltieient A. A. G. and P. a, 

 c.uf the i". r« ■■ Pino Ukeyartyuf 1871!. 



Ill llii position "i Fire! Assistant Cook, (the illustrious Ohief of 



the i;-:],.-dir).,n, >li,-i being . ■■,"',■',■ ;.m 'i.i.-i' tJoriU-, j iiitule vacanl bv 



.' .'. f i'ii|.'taiu Todd, will lie filled under tlic operation of the 



Oivil Slinks cuius as ml. ndmliiisWi-etl lijj (h« Oovetiiment of General 

 Criml. Until further order eucli nicnilvr of llic partv will, under the. 



"• i i he Chief i 'uok. jnfi'f.inu such d-.iiie* as Assistant Cook ae 



shall lie assigned hiai. urnl iio final rMpointmcnt of Assistant will he 

 .:. !■ except on llm basis of merit. The A. A. G-. will attend to (do dully 

 detail of dndi-uu-hers, ii.-kisl.ed by the L.'uiiidre J * ns Ci.ief Wiper. 



By order of I lie L'tdef of Expedition. 



J. h. Foote, A. A. Q. 



At eleven A.M. out' ears were saluted by sounds rare to 

 litis wilderness — the inerryvoic.es of young women. The 

 boys were at once formed *iu parade line to receive visitors. 

 Soon emerged from the thickets that surrounded our camp 

 n Iji-vv of I, looming girls. Tlley were the Misses Babcock 

 and Vat) Voorst, w bo were sojourning at. Wilmurt lake 

 Willi their fa! hers, our v.ilunteer aids of yesterday, and had 

 come two miles over Ibe mountain 1o make us a neighborly 

 call. Frank French accompanied them as guide, and young 

 Finnic Babcock Came also. The young gallants of our 

 party did ibeir prettiest to entertain their fair guests. They 

 staid to dinner with us, and a good dinner il was. The 

 competing candidates for assistant cook did SO Well that 

 they were all breveted as assistant cooks, and Capl. Foole, 

 for bis surpassing skill and cxpertness, was given linear 

 rank iu thai honorable office. 



Just as the- dinner-horn was sounded, there were two 

 other arrivals in camp, viz.: Mr. F. D. Farrcll, of New 

 York, with Giles Beeeraft as guide. They were en route for 



Little Rock and some unexplored lakes beyond. We bad 



i rarty of fifteen at our dinner-board— a parly greater 



iu number than had ever before assembled on the Mctcnlf's 

 banks — and a merrier party never gathered together any- 

 where. Our lady friends, with their escort, left us at four 

 P.M., much to the regret of all, ami especially of the 

 young brave of the parly, whose admiration for calico and 

 ribbons, evcu the charms of the wilderness could not abate. 

 This afternoon several of the party went out on the Stream 

 to tisb. Abbott, and young San ford Sherman had the honor 

 to open the dance with the trout. They came in early with 

 sixty-six in number. .Tag. Sherman and Green 8001) fol- 

 lowed with a couple of dozen, and Giles Beeeraft brought 

 iu sixty-six. Thus in a short time and with little effort we 

 had a two day's supply, proving the excellence of our selec- 

 tion for a fishing ground. Trout for supper— the first, we 

 had eaten ou the trip— royally cooked by Brevet-assistant 

 Green, with Itling accompaniments, from our bountiful 

 larder, and the meal was pronounced by all, "The best 

 yet." 



In preparation for the camp fire to-night stupendous feats 

 of chopping, lifting and log-rolling were performed under 

 the engineeisbip of French, aud largely by the aid of his 

 strong arm a log weighing not less than a ton was im- 

 pelled up the hill and into its place for.a back-log. Its 

 fellow was placed on to;, and one but little less iu bulk 

 mounted on spruce andirons for a foresliek. Ample store 

 of dry balsam was piled on these, and we defied cold and 

 storm". "Early to bed " is our motto in the wilderness, and 

 before, ten o'clock the parly was snoring in discordant but 

 able-bodied concert. 



Timday, July 32(7.— After a night's sound sleep, the parly 

 rose "like giants refreshed ." With that tendency to bar- 

 barism which men are apt to feel when living a life close 

 to nature, we resolve ourselves into a band of Modocs. 

 We have no lava beds for our haunts; but this forest fast- 

 ness, with its mountain precipices, its treacherous morasses 

 aud its rushing waters, afford us an equally safe rel real. 

 with that in which the Pacific savages so long del the 

 military power of the nation. To be sure, we have uo war 

 paint; but the tar and linseed which we have brought to 

 ward off the attack of the musketoes, will answer for 

 facial decoration; a blue jay which Clark Bailey shot yes- 

 terdav furnishes the teal hers, ami if the boys continue lo 

 tear their clothes, us they have done the few days past, they 

 will soou enough come to breech clouts. Nothing is now 

 wanting to complete the transformation to savage life but 

 a new christening. This is readilv had. Behold, therefore, 

 iu all the paraphernalia of "big Injun," the. array, as 

 follows: Chief Modoc, " Captain Jack"— Sherman, Sen. ; 

 "White Stocking Joe"— Foote; " Smutty face Clarkcc"— 

 Bailey; "Hunky Jim"— J as. Sherman; " Shack Nobby 

 Ned"— Green; "Smokee-out Bill"— Abbott; " Schoncliiu 

 San fee"— Sau ford Sherman; "Steamboat Frank"— Young 

 Babcock. 



These names, like those of the true Modocs, have a per- 

 sonal significance, well understood by the members of the 

 party. Two of our jaunt y vouug braves, namely — Shack 

 Nobbv Ned aud Hunky Jim— went over to Wilmurt today 

 to return the young ladies' call. Nothing else eventful oc- 

 curred. Farrell aud Giles started after breakfast on their 

 trip of discovery and exploration; Foote and Bailey went 

 lo the stream to fish, and the remainder of the party 

 lunched and snoozed alternately till dinner time. For this 

 meal we had jerked beef, stewed, with eggs and crackers, 

 fried trout, succotash, stewed dried fruit, aud the never 

 absent Bermudas, with a cup of good strong tea for bev- 

 erage. "The best meal yet." White Slocking aud Smut 

 Face came iu at dinner time with sixty-two trout, and 

 Smokee Out brought in sixly more, soon after. So we 

 were still two full days ahead on our trout supply. At 

 nightfall our young braves returned, bringing iu two wel- 

 come recruits, viz.. Mr. 0. P. KirklamL, Jr., of New York, 

 and his nephew, Charles lUrkland Seward, of L'tica. They 

 were immediately adopted into the tribe, assigned places in 

 the wigwam, and christened respectively in the Indian 

 fashion as Bald Head Charley and Sandy Charley. Supper 

 over, a huge lire was built iu honor of the new -comers; 

 but what was meant, for joy was soon, alas, turned to tears. 

 A zephyr sprang up iu the north. Northern zephyrs are 

 not, as 'a general rule, bad things in July; but when your 

 camp is an open one, and facing due North, with a roaring 

 lire in front, they may make more discomfort Until Arctic 

 blasts. The inmates of the camp were soon smoked out, 

 and took refuge in the soft places of the surrounding for- 

 est. The smoke did one good thing — it drove the flies to 

 more congenial retreats, and so left us free from that pest. 

 Towards 'morning, as the lire burned down, the uneasy 

 slumberers, "laying around loose" in the forest, gradually 

 crawled back to ibe shanty, where, after a few hours' com- 

 fortable sleep, they were again equal to breakfast duty. 



Wednesday, July 33d.— A good square meal— "the best 

 yet"— fully restored the physical equilibrium. At eleven 

 A. M. we were honored with another call from the Wil- 

 murl ladies. They were accompanied this time by Mrs. 

 Lewis H. Babcock, mother of the young ladies of that 

 name before spoken of. Mrs. Babcock has visited at dif- 

 ferent times most of the lakes in this part of the wilder- 

 ness, aud is an enthusiastic lover of woods life. Site made 

 a visit to-day to Little Kock Lake, two miles north of our 

 camp, iiud oil her return in the afternoon the ladies took 

 their farewell. Shack Nobby Ned acted as their escort 

 back to Wilmurt, while Smut Face, While Stocking, and 

 Hunky Jim started up the stream on an expedilion lo Big 

 Hock Lake lo hunt for deer. Big Kock Lake is situated 

 three miles from our camp. To reach il the boys wade up 

 the Metcalf a mile till they reach (he mouth of Big Itoeiv 

 outlet, thence up the rocks that compose the bed aud bor- 

 ders of that stream to the take. The party lake two days' 

 rations, and intend to float for deer to-night. 



Thursday, JutyZith— To-day an accident, occurred which 

 caused some concern at first, but wdiieh the skill of our 

 muster mechanic converted into a triumph of art. The 

 spout of our family coffee pot melted off under the fierce 

 heat of our cam]) tire, and as cooking utensils are not nu- 

 merous in camp, nor the means of replenishing the stock 

 near at band, this was likely to be a source of no little in- 

 convenience. The damaged utensil was turned over to 

 Smut Face for inspection. Forthwith, from the depths of 

 his pack, he fished up a small lump of solder, which, by 

 801)16 kindly providence, he had been impelled to put there 

 while packing up his traps for the trip. A piece of spruce 

 gum from Ibe. bark of a neighboring tree furnished ibe 

 resin, a bullet mold made a serviceable pincers, and a raft 

 spike a soldering iron. In hair au hour, by Clark's skil- 

 ful manipulation, the spout was restored, and we were all 

 happy iu the possession of a serviceable coffee pot, 



There is nothing like necessity to stimulate Ingenuity, 

 and the woods is ibe school to furnish the stimulus. For 

 his success, "Smut Face," was immediately commissioned 

 "master mechanic of the expedition, lo bo obeyed and re- 

 spected accordingly," 



h'lidtiy) July 2!),A— The usual round of eating was gone 

 through with tc-dtiy, each meal closing with the unanimous 

 expression ou the part of all— 'The best we have had yet." 



Bald bead Charley, who previously to his adoption of 

 savage life, had been a distinguished member of the New 

 York bar, showed himself so efficient to-day in dish wash- 

 ing; duty, it 'being " his wash." that the dignity of dish 

 washer iu chief was conferred on him, with the approba- 

 tion of the whole party; and thus was it proved to the 

 world, in I lie face of its prejudices, that some good may be 

 got but of even a lawyer. 



Our chief to-day dropped his first line to the fish. The 

 communion, ion seemed most welcome, for he came in 

 before two o'clock with his basket full to the brim. He had 

 gone further down the stream than any others of the party, 

 and had struck a lift where the trout fairly leaped into his 

 basket. Others of the party from both up and down 

 stream also brought in large supplies, and the oamp was 

 kept still two days ahead iu its store of fish. 



Baling, fishing and sleeping are good things in their way; 

 but variety is tiie spice ot life, and we b; gan to want a 

 little of this sort of seasoning. Music has charms for any 

 situation, and it occurred to the fertile brain of our admiia- 

 ble Assistant Adjutant General, that with all the musical 

 talent in our party, we might have, with little preparation, 

 a band of music. Neither instruments nor performers 

 were lacking to a full orchestra, So, obtaining an invest- 

 ment from our chief of the office of "Band-master," 

 "White Stocking Joe," extemporized quite the most re- 

 markable band that ever played in this wilderness. The 

 cast was as follows : 



First Horn, (the dinner horn) White Stocking Joe. 



Second II urn. (from a bottle.) dipt. Jack. 



Mr.-! I'-niiiL'iiun. Shack Nohi.y Ned. 



-,.-.-., n.i i-i , i"_- i. 'Hi Sclionchln Saiit'oul. 



Triamile, (cross-cut satf) Smutty-faced Clarkee. 



Fir.-r Ketil,- Dm in. i cu in p kettle)..- Hunky aim. 



See.-md Keltic Drum, Kin iiulb Sinoket-out Bill. 



I'Miiluils, (:i pair of tin I'lntes) SI cam liout Frank. 



Hum jn la ct'OtiiB The remaining Modocs. 



This evening boiug the first of the organization there was 

 a grand serenade in camp. The band was complimented 

 in excellent terms, lrom a high stump, by Captain Jack, 

 who not being quite up in the vernacular of the Modocs, 

 spoke in High Dutch, which answered as well, and corres- 

 ponded admirably with the music. Such was the envy 

 which the performance excited among the other musicians 

 of the forest, that even the frogs ceased to pipe and the 

 musketoes to hum, and if there were any wolves within a 

 mile of the camp, they must have died of chagrin to have 

 had their own performances so completely outdone by a 

 company of mere tyros. R. V. Shekma.n. 



{To be continued.) 



The Red RrvEn Cotjntuy.— The Chatham New Bruns- 

 wick Admmx, published by D. G. Smith, Esq , formerly 

 editor of "Quii>," a sort of provincial Punch, is printing 

 some interesting letters from the Red River Country, Man- 

 itoba. We make a few extracts:— 



Two distinct classes of half-breeds are, in this region, 

 designated as English half-breed, and French half-breed. 

 A singular peculiarity seems to draw the distinction, the 

 English half-breed taking more after the white, and the 

 French half-breed more after the Indian. This would 

 almost seem a problem curious enough for a Darwin genius 

 to investigate for solution. Then, again, the English half- 

 breed seems to take naturally to the cultivation of the soil, 

 is provident and staid, withal, while the French half-breed 

 cares little or nothing for agricultural pursuits, and revels 

 in hunting the buffalo, galloping over the prairies, fiddling, 

 dancing, and horse-racing. 



The riding uniform of a French half-breed is thus des- 

 cribed: — "Fur cap, capote or cariboo shirt, leggings and 

 moccasins lo match, flint-lock guns, and mounted on rov- 

 ing little Indian ponies, caparisoned with a gorgeouslv 

 worked, beaded saddle-cloth, and beaded saddle. The 

 ponies never trot; a walk or a gallop is the invariable mode 

 of motion, except when racing, or chasing the bulfalo." 



Buffalo hunting begins with the setting in of Winter, and 

 dog trains with small earioles, .called also toboggans, are 

 used. The dogs are generally of the Esquimau breed, 

 and are called "Huskies." The dogs arc fed once a day 

 with fish, or about, a pound of pemmicau. This keeps 

 them in good condition. The inhabitants of Red River, 

 Scotch or half-breed, wear moccasins made of moose or 

 bulfalo skin, Summer and Winter. They are the fortunate 

 possessors of a splendid country. As regards the soil, it is 

 one of the gardens of the earth. 



A curious custom of Red River is, that on New Tear's 

 Day, whether at a wedding, a chance meeting, a dance, in 

 "culling," or otherwise, the men and women kiss each 

 other as the New Year salutation. From the highest to Ibe 

 lowest, Indian women aud white women used lo take the 

 kiss as a mailer of course, even from entire strangers. The 

 custom is becomiug obsolete, however. The adveut of so 

 many strangers is making reforms iu many ways. 



Tlie half breed, like his hnlf-brother the Indian, is gen- 

 erally an inordinate eater. An Indian and a half-breed sat 

 down on one occasion to lest, their gastronomic abilities on 

 a cooked lish, Weighing close on twenty-five pounds. They 

 finished it, leaving 7 only the head and bones. Not yet full, 

 they devoured a quantity of pemmicau— and yet seemed 

 hungry. A I a eilizrmV ball in the village, now town, now 

 citv'of Winnipeg, a stout half-breed sat at the supper table, 

 aud taking up a fork, deliberately transferred a wholeduck 

 from the dish to his plate, aud after totally demolishing it, 

 proceeded lo partake of his supper wilh a keen appetite. 

 ■»♦«■ 



Ciu.oii.u. for IIisADAOirB.— Dr. E. M. Nolan, in the At- 

 lantic Medical ami Surgical Journal, describes the follow- 

 ing cure of a very painful headache iu a lady. He dis- 

 solved fifteen or twenty grains of chloral iu very little 

 water, aud with the tip of a finger rubbed it upon one of 

 her temples uulil she could sensibly feel the burning, and 

 l he skin was reddened. The part rubbed was no larger 

 tbun a silver dollar. Tlie pain was entirely relieved and 

 remained so. This Doctor has also used this met hod of 

 applying chloral for headache with success iu many other 

 cases, sometimes rubbing on one temple, and sometimes on 

 both. No permanent sign is left. 



■*•♦■ 



An EruutAM fou "Lo."— Loathe the poor Indian. 



