364 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



beyond doubt boats thnt do not catty for hire will be set 

 free from all needless restrictions. 



The trip described in these notes was made in a small 

 yacht chartered by tllO day. She was about 48 feet long, 

 and carried captain, pilot, engineer and fireman, yet the 

 cost for a party of four was only about the same as the 

 daily hotel board and passage tickets over ihe route; while 

 the ability to visit many points without remaining until 

 another boat should permit moving on, was a very great 

 economy of time and money. Of course much was soon 

 and orvjoj id thai the tourist is usually hurried past, or only 

 seen in company with a crowd that does away willi all the 

 romance and characteristic quiet of the wilderness. 



The captain was a useless party and did no service. 

 The pilot was needful. The llreman was a luxury, a mere 

 attendant, upon a hv/.y engineer ; one man could easily feed 

 the lire, and run the engine with less trouble than he could 

 got out of the fireman's way, so that two men, one a com- 

 petent and rare/til engineer, and the other a pilot well ac- 

 quainted with Ihe channels, could run a launch or small 

 yacht with ease, and keep her uuder way as many hours 

 per diem ns would be desirable. 



Not only are the rivers and lakes of Florida attractive 

 cruising grounds, but the inlets and estuaries of the South- 

 ern coasts Offer great inducements for the invalid, the natu- 

 ralist, the antiquarian and the sportsman. 



In the Spring when the sun begins to fall with a fierce 

 heat on Ihe rivers, and despite all said to the contrary, docs 

 render loo much exposure imprudent, the sea coast is 

 perfeel. The liner kinds of fish are in season, and many 

 beach and bay birds are. to be obtained. 



In April the sea bathing is safe and pleasant, and invalids 

 and well people will do a prudcnl thing who halt alongshore 

 and delay their return until such birds as the bobolinks and 

 orioles are with them, and not. risk the loss of all the benefit. 

 l)t a lOttg and cosily trip by coining on with the robins and 

 blue birds who are" beguiled by a few warm days into shiv- 

 ering through many a long, bleak storm. 



Your correspondent was later in the Spring one of a par- 

 ty to cruise about the mouth of the St. John and the Sisters' 

 Islands, and during the trip we landed on Fort George 

 Island, where we were kindly driven about by the owner, 

 who is engaged with a number of gentlemen of taste in 

 forming a" lit lie paradise. The Island is not large, about 

 eleven hiindred acres. The St. John's outlet is on the 

 south, Fort George inlet on the north, and the Sister's inlet 

 on the west. Seaward a densely wooded bluff eighty feet 

 high shelters from the ocean gales, and beyond is a superb 

 beach for driving, bathing, cricket or croquet. From Hie 

 bluff the view is of course very fine, and all Ihe commerce 

 ot the St. John's River passes hear at hand. The cleared 

 part of the Island hits a paltnello avenue that has no equal, 

 and the forest- are more varied than any thai are accessible 

 by drives. 



"Shell mounds supply material for fine roads, and many 

 drives are being laid out thai arc wonderfully beautiful. 

 There is but little of the dreary formal pine ; but huge 

 bearded oaks that are worthy of dvuidical homage, and 

 stately palmettos, east deep wide shadows, while orange 

 trees and flowering vines and shrubs till in the scene with 

 luxuriant bloom and foliage. At St. Augustine the beaches 

 are inaccessible to carriages, and distant by boats, but here 

 they are where one can turn to them from the shaded 

 avenues. The fishing is fine, to my knowledge, as my 

 fisherman took a thirty-five pound bass from my skiff. 



For lingering places for late March, April and May. 

 these islands supply just what all feel the need of. No 

 arrangements are .yet made for general accommodation, but 

 plans are maturing that, when executed, will supply a new 

 and valuable resort to already attractive Florida, and more 

 templing to vachtmen than any now existing. 



Returning "from this rambling disquisition upon drifting 

 in one's own craft, we come back to our own for Ihe time, 

 and tie her to the wharf at Orange Bluff, above Lake 

 Georce. Night has fallen, and we light a pitch pine fire, 

 and cook thereon while, enjoying the picturesque effect of 

 the rich, mellow light that illumines our boat against the 

 dark river, and brings out here and there a tree in bright 

 relief. Some burners joiu us, light their pipes, and take 

 their nightcap from our flask. The stories of a real 

 backwoodsman are always amusing, and awaken the com- 

 mon interest of all the craft. So it is la e before we ma- 

 ture plans with our new friends for a hunt together, and 

 they call their dogs and go to their cabiu, and we turn in in 

 the'yacht. Of the hunt in our next. L. W. L. 



■»«»» 



KEELS AND CENTRE-BOARDS. 



Boston, January 2, 1875. 

 Editor Fouest and Stream:— 



A few weeks since, in an article on Keels va . Cell tre-bnnrds, a corres- 

 pondent lias stated that centre-boards are faster than keels. Now, as an 

 admirer ot keel boats, I protest against any decision being made, in the 

 natation of speed, until all the facts are impartially stated. 



Of what does our fleet of keel boats consist? When a centre-board 

 boat gels old and leaky, or is too slow to obtain a reputation for speed, 

 her owner begins to think of comfort, has his centre-board and case re- 

 moved and a keel put on. By this change a much greater amount of 

 room is obtained. Of every ten boats built, not more than one, on an 

 average, is a keel. In boat building, as in everything ■ else, practice 

 makes perfect. From his experience in building centre-boards a builder 

 learns to improve his model and attain greater speed. So few keel boats 

 are built, however, that the art remains almost at a stand-still. 



\ few second hand centre-boards audan occasional keel boat mnko but 

 poor representatives from which to form an idea of the speed of the mod- 

 el. A disposition to return to keels seems to be gaining ground among 

 our yachtsmen. When as much attention is given to the building of 

 keels as to that of centre-boards, a much fairer estimate of their relative 

 bpeed can be made, The superior sea-going qualities of keel boats are 

 unquestioned. 



It is hardly fair to argue from a single instance, but, the following case 

 mi»hi be made an exception : In the Fourth of July Regatta of 167,) the 

 White Cap, a victor for many years, Shadow, and many others, forming 

 perhaps the fastest fleet of boats ever assembled in this harbor, were all 

 beaten by a keel boat—the Esparance. This one race shows that a keel 

 boat can have a great amounlof speed. Respectfully, 



Sheet Anchor. 

 ■*»«- 



Woodbk Shits— The Philadelphia Ledger says: Of 

 wooden sailing vessels we understand that in English and 

 continental ports, the American ship and bark that are pro- 



jeMsoing quftUties ana strength of const/ uci ion arejtll 

 Shs'tr favor, so that they outrank the wooded Racing 'hips 



,'.<''„)! otter nation. 



Jafionnl iSfuMmes. 



—The following are th 

 enter the arena in 1875 K 

 championship pennaut hel 



ATLANTIC. ATHLETIC. 



Kcsslcr, e. C'lujpp, c. 



Kosemau. l>. MclWidc, p. 



Crane, 1st b. An«on, 1st. b. 



Patterson, M b. Fisler, 2.1 1), 



Nichols, 3d b. Sutton. 8d b. 



?, professional nines which will 

 i contestants for the association 

 1 by the Boston club since 1871; 



Harlow, s. 

 P.ihor, I. f. 

 Clack, c. f, 

 Boyd. r. f. 



Cassidy, sub. 



Fore-, _. 

 Halt, 1. f. 

 Eggter, f. f. 

 Return, r. r. 

 Senseuderfer, i 



White, c. 

 Spalding, p. 

 O'Roill'Ico, 1st b. 

 names. 3d b. 

 Schiller, 3d b. 

 <!. Wright, s. :--. 

 Leonard, 1. !. 



11. Wright, o. f. 



McVoy, r f. 

 ib.Baals, sub. 

 Maiming, sub. 



Allison, c. 

 Bond, p. 

 Mills, 1st, b. 

 Burdock, M b. 

 Ferguson, 3d b. 

 Carer, s. s. 



York. 1. f. 

 Kemsen, c. f. 

 Cummings, r. f. 



Hicks, c. 

 MiitUlews, p, 



Start, 1st b. 



Wis, 



. M b. 



Seer, 3d b. 

 Gnrhardt, s. e, 



Ilatfleld, I. f. 

 McGce, c. f. 

 GecVncy, r. f. 

 Booth, sub. 



Snyder, .. 



Fisher, p. 

 Mack, 1st b. 

 Addy. 3d b. 

 Fulmer, 3d b. 

 MoQeary, s. s. 

 McMullen, 1. f. 

 Meyorlo. 



Mir 



•. r. 



ah. 

 sub. 



Tligtiiim, c. 

 Zcltlein, p, 



Glenn, lath. 

 Peters, 2d b. 

 Wurrmi, 3d b. 



Devlin, s. s. 

 Hiues, I, f, 

 Biebiski, c. f. 

 Hastings, r. f. 

 Keerl, sub. 



st. units. 

 Miller, o, 

 Bradley, p. 

 Dehlmiuij 1*1 b, 



Bntt.iu, 3d b. 

 Fleet, 3d b. 



Pearce. s. s. 



Ctithbcrt, I. f. 

 Pike, c. f. 



Chapman, r, f. 

 Waitc, BUO. 



Barnes, c. J. Miller, SO. to. Prait, I. f. Lf.pham, -lib. 



Golden, p. Goldsmith, 3d b. tjuiun, c. f. 



Simmons, 1st b. Riley, s. s, Baker, r. f. 



— According to the averages of earned runs and base hits 

 prepared by the scorer of the Athletic Club of Phila- 

 delphia, Mr. TvIcBride of thai, Club takes ihe lead in the 

 pitching record of the season, Bond being second and 

 Spalding third 



— Base ball on the ice was a feature of the Winter sports 

 on Prospect Park, Brooklyn, on January !)th, 



played 

 selected by Bar 



a score of 30 to 

 of the cold and 

 the players to li 



orth 



end of the 

 nd Bunce, tin 

 i afivi 



i-ge lake 

 former sid 



I'ipi 



be played, wl.e 



two strong tens 

 ispeel Pai 



re only two outs to an inning, and five in- 

 le. Next Saturday the return match will 

 Mcssra Bnrnic and Bunco hope to present 

 i ball players and skaters. The large lake 

 has been set apart for the Winter for Ihe 

 jxclusive use of Ihe curling, tee boat, and base ball clubs, 

 no skating being allowed on the lake except by those en- 

 gaged in the games. 



—The St. Oeor-e's Cricket Club has elected the follow- 

 ing officers for the ensuing year:— President, John 0. Oale; 

 Vice President, Georce F. Green; Secretary, W. K. Bow- 

 man; Treasurer, C. Vinton; Executive Committee, W. B. 

 Bowman, B. II. Moran, .1. B. Sleigh, ,!. T. Soulier, V. Sat- 

 terthwaite. 



—Curling has been fully enjoyed ni the Park lakes 

 Since January 8th, I lie following contests having taken 

 place: — 



January 9— St. Andrew vs. Ivanh.ic, at Central Park 

 ■• ' M-Ncw York vs. Thistle ' ' 



ml I 'ark 



York, i 



311—13 



s-J :,:; 



si— ast 



'•15-32 

 lis -si 

 ■13-31 



" 11 — St. Andrew is. Burn*, at Central Park 



—Brooklyn has an Ice Boat Club and the scene of their 

 sailing and racing is the large lake at Prospect Park. The 

 club members own four boats, viz.-: — .Mr. Culyc-r's Icicle, 

 Mr. Decker's Flyaway, Mr. Chndwiek's Lady of the Lake, 

 and Cnplain Hall's Nondescript, On Saturday, January 9, 

 the club had its first race of the season, Ihe contestants be- 

 ing the Icicle and Lady of Ihe Lake, each sailed by l heir 

 respective owners. The prize was a club pennant. Soon 

 afterwards the wind became too high for safe sailing, and 

 the bonis went into harbor. What with the thousands of 

 skaters on the inner lake, the lee Boat races, and the base 

 ball match on the large lake, quite an attractive scene of 

 Winter sports was presented at Prospect Park on Saturday 

 last, the weather and ice being very favorable. 



—Messrs. A. B. Purely, Robert Waller, Jr., and W. Iselin, 

 amateur athletes, tried I heir speed at the Mott Haven 

 grounds last Saturday. The competition originated in a 

 bet of $50 between Pnrdy and Iselin lhat both Purely and 

 Waller could boat Iselin in a hundred yard run, the three 

 to start together and make it Ihe best two out of the three. 

 The. principals went into training to prepare themselves for 

 the event. The contest proved Mr. Waller to be ihe most 

 fleet footed, he having won the two first heats, while Mr. 

 Iselin beat Mr. Purdy. The last heat was run in llf 

 seconds. 



The grand "bonspiel" came off at Hamilton Bay, 



Canada, last week, 92 rinks, 368 curlers— the largest gather- 

 ing of curlers over brought together on this continent. Ice 

 splendid, weather cold, no confusion, and everything satis- 

 factory. Canada East got a total of 1,103 and Canada 

 West 1,115, winning by a score of 13; close play. 



—The. Canadian Curling events of 18o> include the series 

 of contests for the Governor-General's medals, the rules for 

 which are as follows:— All the regularly organized curling- 

 clubs of Canada who may wish to compete, to do so during 

 Ihe week beginning Sunday the 17th, and ending Saturday 

 the 23d January, according to rules (printed separately,) 

 and the two clubs who make the highest scores to play 

 against each other two rinks, according to the rules for 

 District Medals of R. C. C. C. (vide page 12, R. C. C. C. 

 Annual for 1874,) on some covered or open rink, which 

 may be fixed upon as nearly as possible equi-distant from 

 the competing clubs. The match will be played during 

 the first fortnight of February. Returns of the score, with 

 the following information:— State of Ihe ice, whether 

 played with "granite" or "iron" "stones," whether played 

 on "open air ice or in a covered rink, to be sent on or before 

 the 30th January, to Capt. Fredk. Ward, A. D, G, Govern- 

 ment House, Ottawa. 



—The contest for the Gordon Medal and the Champion- 

 ship of the AY est will take place, in the city of Detroit on 

 January 19th. Each club west of Albany belonging to the 

 Grand National Club is entitled to send one rink, and only 

 one, to compete for Ihe medal. Those clubs who intend to 

 be represented will please inform Peter Young, Esq., 

 Detroit, of the fact, so that they may be notified incase 

 (here is' no ice in Detroit at that time. The Western Match 

 between the north and south of Scotland take place imme- 

 diately after Ihe Gordon Medal Match. 



,-The Red Jackets ui Toronto beat the Toronto Curling 

 Club l<wf week, davit* .* majority of seventeen shots. 



—t)n the 29th ult. His Excellency ihe Governor-General 

 of Canada, played ft single-handed bonspiel With Mr. Hut- 

 chison, of Ihe Public Works Department, Ottawa, for n 

 sack of flour, to be presented by the loser lo Ihe Protestant 

 Orphan Home. The result at ihe close stood four points 

 ahead in favor of His Excellency, the game being 21 points, 

 three pairs of stones each. 



minimis 



TrtE PitoFEssioNALS in Bkooki.yn.— The scores of ex- 

 hibition games played by New York professionals in 

 Brooklyn "last week terminated on Saturday night. The 

 full score of ihe tourney is as follows i 

















i 



Name. 



i 



I 



i 



% 



6 



3 



1 



Is 





s 



> 



p 



K 



s 





a 



Gamier 



_ 





i 







1 



-» 



Tlalv 



Rudolph,! 











1 















2 





















1 



1 



Cbassy 





















J. Dion 

















— 







Games Lost 



n 



a 







2 



1 





6 



The pia.y, as a general thing, was not up to the mark of 

 the New York tourney, but it was a tine exhibition. The 

 best run of the tourney was Daly's 181 In his match With 

 Rudolphe, and the Host average "was 14J .made by Gamier 

 in his match with Daly, Viguaux making the ncxi best 

 average, 13. 1. Gamier showed the best play, and he bore 

 off the honors. 



The Amateur Championship of Long Island, — On 

 January 15th the game for Ihe throe-ball championship 

 between Pikett and Pfaunkuckcu is to be played at 

 Samuell's room. 



G.vrtNiF.rt's Last Challenge. — Albert. Gamier, under 

 date of January 6, challenges the winner of the match be- 

 tween Vignaux and Rudolphe for 1 he American French 

 championship No. 2. This is for ihe medal held by Vig- 

 naux, antl has no reference to that other match between 

 Rudolphe and Yignaux for the cup held by Rudolphe. 



The Game in .Iersev City.— Randolph, winner of the 

 local champion cue presented by G. E. Phelau, has been 

 challenged by Norman Rowe, and the game is to be played 

 on Friday night of the current week. The winner of the 

 pending game has been challenged in advance. 



Prairie and Forest. By Parker Gilmore: Harper & 



Bros. 1874. 



Mr. Gilmore ts a rovinj; Englishman, Who writes pleasantly upon 

 sporting subjects, and With less of what Lowell culls "a certain conde- 

 scension in foreigners," than most of the Bull family tire able to com- 

 mand. He has, as we gather from his books, hunted and fisiieil through 

 North America, from 'Maine to the Rocky Mountains, and appreciate* 

 the great variety or game to be found on ihi- continent. Btsdescrtp- 

 lions of bliilsanii ben-us are generally accurate, and are written in :i 

 lively manner, lie 19, we Ibinfe, the lirst European who is willing to ad- 

 mit the superior size and qnolity of many of our animals overthoaoof 

 Europe. Most writers adhere to the theories of Baffon, «s To the infe- 

 riority Df animal life in Aineiica, ignorant that the facts aratheothci 

 way, and that many of our caruivora are larger and licnvi. ihe beasts „f 

 chase and the game birds more numerous in specles-and more valuable, 

 and tliut in Ihe sporting and edible usbes. we surpass Europe «- much in 

 cxoellenceof quality as in variety of species. .Mr, Gibn.ire's remarks 

 upon the salmonidai we think open to criticism; ind.'.-d his eonoltlttiooe 

 are wholly erruneous. lie sees no difference between the Canadian sea 

 trout and that of Europe, though the former is a red spotted Bab and the 

 latter not. From his description or our brook trout, which he thinks is 

 the European char, we opine he must have had a sea trout before him 

 when he wrote, since he describes "a back of marker, I, green." This 

 idea of our trout ljcing u char, he probably got from Colonel llardv 's 

 "Forest Life in Acadie," from which also he has taken the best of the 

 illustrations of his book. He seems to thiuk that the American brook 

 trout has usually been confounded with the European species, and men- 

 tions a young naturalist from Yale who supposed them lobe, identical. 

 A very young naturalist he must have been, since Agassiz. as long ago as 

 1850, wrote that all the species of fresh. WOt« fishes In .Nor; h America 

 differ from those of Europe. 



In the Western States Mr. Gilmore : 

 unSescrlbed fishes. One— the paddle- 

 Oihjn f<!liu>n, Eiicen; another, the doe 

 which may be found in the books. Im 

 Father Hennepin, who saw it in Lake I 

 that it was the devil." 



Mr. Gilmore, being a good angler, appreciates I lie value of Critic black 

 bass, which perhaps lie rates too high, In preferring it as a table flsh to 

 the brook trout; as a game tish, pound for pound, it is probalily as dif- 

 ficult to handle. The cut which he gives ns of Ihe bighorn 



inks, sol 



, Poly- 



and "thought at. first 



igh, but in their shape 



■l(lll„ 



the horns are big e: 

 the ibex. 



Mr. Gilmore is rather fond of showing bis seieniiiie kn.mledg. 

 trast to the ignorance of the Americans, and sometimes his o 

 fault, as when be writes SiUtM farlo and Wapiti,. He write, 

 quail, or partridge, as ihe oitys, which is doubtless its scicntiB 

 but why it should be paraded for every day wear does noi app, 

 be consistent he should have described his prairie hen and [, 

 shooting as the pursuit of the Ciiptdo and the Bonasa, sinoe 

 those birds fly under various local names. 



>n they belong to 



MAGAZINES. 



The Maritime Monthly, a magazine of literature, .science 

 and art, published atSt. John, New Brnnswick, enters with the January 

 number upon its fifth volume. It is a creditable exponent, of the pro- 

 gressive characteristics of the Dominion. The leading paper in the num- 

 ber before us is on the "First Courts and Eaily Judges of Now Bruns- 

 wick " and its general contents are varied and well written. We. cor- 

 dially commend this magazine to our readers. It will familiarize our 

 sportsmen with some of the most attractive resorts, in the world, and 

 draw nearer together the people of two adjacent countries having strung 

 commercial affinity. Terms, S3.-J5 per year. Address StarUln 

 St. John, N. B. 



The. Galaxy for February is replete With a choice, assort- 

 ment of good things, and they are so varied that they must suit every 

 phnseof mind. The Galaxyhss assumed Ihe nioho of Excelsior, jndg- 

 Ingfrom ns strong effort ts secure t.lm best wriiafs. 



The Olippfv Almanac for lSTS is about as interesting a 



, ,.,, , ■ ■■ haee r&auved. It i-onUin--. many f»et«, 



(b4*otB*»!W<J ■■ 



