

FOREST AND STREAM. 



by the French at first, the fort, was also burnt by Minn in 



i. ii ■ i;,i iM.ni tin- riviiisii in wnn. Two years thereafter 

 rebuilt by Capt. Joseph SchlQSScr, of the British army, 

 who wns afterward promoted to Colonel arid died here. Some 

 fifty or sixty roils below when' we are now standing, rises an 

 old stone chimney, around which the French built, theirliarraeks. 

 ii it lire a few apple trees, the remains of the pioneer 

 orchard of those now world-famed Niagara County apples. 



Opposite to us, and lying near the Canadian shore, is Nayy 

 Island, held by the French in 1750, where their reinforce- 

 ments were lauded during the seige of Fort Niagara. Above, 

 and east, of this island, lying very" closely together, separated 

 i iv a small creek, are Grand and Buckhorn Islands. At 

 the mouth of this creek the French burnt the two vessels that 

 brought them reinforcements, and ever since this Creek, 

 bay, lias been known as Burnt Ship Bay. This place in the 

 Ing teems with perch, and all around the bars of Navy 

 ' bass arc abundant. These places are the favorite 

 of Buffalo people, more so than the Falls themselves. 

 ■ -,' i sles, sloping to lire water, these creeks and bays 

 indeed beautiful. Here one rests, that constant jarring, 

 roaring, rumbling water is below us, restrained and softened 

 the sound reaches us more like distant music. AVc are out of 

 the whirlwind and storm, into smooth, calm harbor. 

 .Inst above this old fort where we are standing are two 

 lands, Gill Creek and Stony, beautiful too in their 

 summer foliage of green. We pass on a few rods farther up. 

 and we eome to the remains of the old Store-house, once th« 

 ii ding-place of the tourist, before the network of railroads 

 spread out over the country. Only a few piles nov 

 remain, to which little skiffs are fastened, whose occupant 

 || busily enjoying the quick jerk and steady fight of th 

 plucky little rock bass. Another island — Corner's— in ou 

 front, invites our eye with its cooling green and undisturbed 

 quiet, Three miles above us is the village of La Salle. Toreach 

 Ll we pass through one continuous orchard of peach, pear 

 and apple trees. Here was built by La Salle the first vessel 

 thai floated on the tipper lakes. It is now the latter pari, of 

 April, and along the banks of this creek that empties its wa- 

 ters into Hie river area hundred boys, ragged, rosy-cheeked, 

 boys, with large strings of bass, perch and sunflsh. 

 One half of the number are true Niagara sportsmen, too young 

 yet to haul seine or shoot game out of season. Here too they 

 have a novel way of taking the black bass. Sailing a boat 

 close to the shores, layinglhe edge well down to the water, 

 they crowd the fisli who, Tor want of room, turn, leap, and 

 fall victims in the bottom of the boat. Forty odd, 1 believe, 

 lias been one successful evening's sport, in this way. 



lielurning we cross the Suspension Bridge and pass to 

 Chippewa, once a thriving place in the direct line of travel, 

 but now a "deserted village." with fine brick blocks crumb- 

 ling and wasting away. Nearly every building is a ruin. 

 Boarded up windows, rotten lintels, and fallen stoops give 

 one a subject for thought. How truly the lines of commerce 

 make or unmake us. No wonder we make a manly fight 

 rather than have these lines run around us. This is one of 

 Scott's earliest, battle grouuds. On the morning of the 4th of 

 •Inly, 1814, General Scott was ordered forward from Fort 

 Lrie to attack the British commander at Chippewa. He was 

 followed by Gen. Porter's volunteers and other reiuforee- 

 inents. Only Scott's brigade was actually engaged in the 

 battle, some thirteen hundred men. The British force num- 

 il about three thousand. On the morning of the 6th, 

 about 5 o'clock, the action began. The Americans were at- 

 tacked by the Canadian militia and Indian allies. A brilliant 

 bayonet, charge by Major Jessup in the midst of a destructive 

 lire from the British troops ended the battle, and the victory 

 was with the Americans. The Americans lost in killed, 

 wounded and missing, three hundred and twenty-eight. 

 The result of this battle was very gratifying to the American 

 people. 



This is the latter part of May, we spend the afternoon here, 

 and have not done extra well unless w r e have at least two 

 hundred perch each to show for our sport. 



About two miles and a half below this battle ground, and 



be Falls is the battle ground called Lundy's Lane. It 



is more often visited because of its near access to the great 



hoi els, and towers here are erected for the sight-seer. Few 



look upon it as the scene of a great battle, but, think of it as a 



mere skirmish ground. It was, however, before our great 



rebellion, the most sternly contested bit of ground in America. 



It. was four o'clock in the afternoon of the 25th of July that 



Scott, led his brigade from camp, and after a march of two 



indes and a half came up with the enemy posted on this 



ground. They had a position of great strength, defended with 



nine pieces of artillery. Around this battery the battle raged. 



After Col. Miller's "I will try, sir," the battery was capt mcd. 



The British made three desperate charges afterwards to regain 



their guns in the darkness. The last struggle for mastery was 



fi :n fill I laud to band, friend and foe iiitermiugled, but the 



■Means were determined to hold what they had so desper- 



',iiiied, and the. British were again forced to retreat. 



Dg the night, the Americans were ordered to fall back : 



they were unable to take the captured cannon with them, and 



:i| left the smaller pieces down the* hill. In the morning 



the British recovered their guns and claimed the victory. 



Seven miles below the Falls is the village of Lewiston, op- 

 posite to which stands Queenstown, during the war of 1813 a 

 fortified British post,. The ride to Lewiston along the banks 

 of Hie Niagara is superb. Below you in the deep gorge rolls 

 Niagara; every minute the waters and banks are changing. 

 There is a panorama passing before the eye, and every paint- 

 ing is a picture ou a grand scale, and when on the brow of the 

 mountain you pause, what a grand sight breaks on your 

 view! The river like a great serpent in view for seven miles, 

 the lake beyond. At your feet the spires and homes of Lewis- 

 ton look like minature toys. Rich agricultural lands with 

 their fine, orchards and happy farm homes are stretching away 

 for miles. You have been at Niagara and yet. not, here ; per* 

 li.il', have gone to Europe for such a set ne as this, which 

 nowhere in the world is surpassed. During the war of 1812 

 Lewiston was occupied by the " Army of the Centre " under 

 Gen. Van Rensselaer, and under him on the 13th of October 

 Eoughl tie- liattle of (Queenstown Heights. Capt. Wool, 

 alter several desperate charges, succeeded in carrying the 



ligl and driving the British down the hill. Soon after 

 lien. Crock arrived aud attempted to gain the heights again, 

 but his troops weie rbiven back in great disorder, and he fell 

 mortally wounded. Again the Bril ish returned to the charge, 

 am were they driven back ; reinforcements having ar- 

 ■ ,i ' t hem in the afternoon they renewed their exertions ; 

 the Americans were almost exhausted with fatigue; their 



■ iltion mostly spent, and their reinforcements refused to 

 .tush the river to their aid. and a surrender was all that was 

 left to the brave men. The fine monument across the way 

 was reared to the memory of Gen. Brock. 



Still farther below us and seven miles from Lewiston, where 

 the river joins with Luke Ontario, is Fort Niagara, The roads 



are fine, and it is a quiet, pleasant drive. You pass through 

 the village of Lewiston and behold one of those quaint frontier 

 towns of " ye olden time." All the. years thai, have broghtu 

 us up to our Centennial has the village slept, and decayed like 

 Rip Van Winkle's gun. Perhaps there may be another story 

 and a different one to tell when we come to our second Cen- 

 tennial. 



< Ipposite to Port Niagara, which is now garrisoned by one 

 company of L'. S, troops, are Port Mississmiga and the village 

 of Niagara, the latter an older settlement than any on the 

 American side of the river. A newspaper was published here 

 as early as [795. in 1702 the first session of the Parliament 

 of the Upper Province was held here. It is a beautiful loca- 

 tion and quite a, summer resort. A inileabove is Fort George, 

 now a ruin, at one lime during the year 1813 captured by 

 Scott and his followers. 



Here are bass and perch in abundance, and also at Lewiston, 

 and when the herring are running there is business for all, 

 they will fight a good battle and must be handled with care 

 on account of their tender mouths. Hiijam E. GniFFirrr. 



BASS AND SHAD IN THE SUSQUE- 

 HANNA. 



SOME seven years ago a party of gentlemen interested them- 

 selves in the stocking of the Susquehanna River with bass, 

 and by their exertions raised three or four hundred dollars, 

 with which they purchased at the Potomac river, about the 

 same number of black bass, and introduced them into the river 

 at this point. At the same time a law was passed by the legis- 

 lature prohibiting the catching either of bass or Susquehanna 

 ssdmaii (Lutiop&rca anwrimna) for three years. From the ex- 

 piration of that time the catch has been abundant, increasing 

 with each year. The bass has become the monarch of the 

 stream, devouring or extirpating most of its finny rivals. 



In 1878 the State Game Association presented to the legisla- 

 ture a general game law which was passed, but in the transcrib- 

 ing of it, the word " out-line " was inserted, and the bill in this 

 shape was signed by the Governor without this change being 

 discovered. A large number of both bass and salmon has been 

 destroyed by this means. Last year this defect, was to be cor- 

 rected, and other amendments to the general law passed, but 

 the legislature adjourning a month earlier than usual the bill 

 fell for want of time. Next year it will be changed without 

 doubt. 



There are several points on the river where bass fishing is 

 better lhan at, others. Clark's Ferry Dam, Dauphin, Cove, 

 Pockrille, Middletown and Conway's Falls are among the best. 

 On a good day from thirty to sixty pounds can be caught by a 

 skillful angler. 



Last winter there was an immense ice gorge in the Susque- 

 hanna above Columbia, and when the thaw came if forced its 

 way through the dam at that place, on the York County side. 

 making a break at one place of two hundred feet. Through 

 this fish way t he shad have passed up the river in large mmibers. 

 The water has been too high for successful fishing; but at 

 Newport, on the Juniata, thirty miles above this point, the fish 

 have been arrested by another dam, and have, been caught, in 

 great, quantity. 



Newport, at the time when shad fisheries flourished, was one 

 of the most important places on the river. After the fresh 

 shad supplied all the demand they were salted down, and be- 

 came a valuable article of commerce. The people along the 

 river are greatly interested iu the revival of the fisheries, and 

 the catch at Newport this season gives the greatest encourage- 

 ment. Public opinion on the subject will demand that the ob- 

 struction in the river be removed. 



A committee of the legislature were in Columbia this week 

 inspecting the fishway that was constructed several years ago 

 by the State. The committee has pretty generally come to the 

 conclusion thai the fishway is a failure, it being evidenl to them 

 that the shad had come through the break made by the ice, but 

 (he commissioners will give I he fishway another trial. They 

 have appointed efficient water bailiffs to watch the fishermen 

 at Columbia, who have been in the habit of shingling the fiver 

 below the dam to frighten the shad and drive them back into 

 their own nets. The bailiffs have made a number of arrests, 

 and the Offenders will be tried. The break in the dam is 

 the only way for shad that has been successful since it 

 has been constructed, and the test of this is that they are never 

 caught at Ibis point or above it, unless there is a break or 

 freshet. ScsfjcEiiAXSA. 



DESicntrcriox of Fish bt Poi.mjteo Waters.— Our corres- 

 pondent, " T. Films," of Alleghany City, Ta., writes, under 

 date of May 7th, recording an instance Of destruction of fish 

 by polluted water, quite serious in its character and extent, 

 We quote: 



"Last week the plug was drawn from a large tank of am- 

 monia water at the gasworks at Little Washington ; the fluid 

 ran slowly into Catfish Creek, killing quickly countless num- 

 bers of fish. One boy discovered thirteen under one board ; 

 the largest nine inches in length. As soonaa the effect was 

 ascertained, a man was sent to have the water shut, off, which 

 was done. Only two feet had been drawn, while six times 

 ibal, amount, remained in the tank. It is believed I bat, every 

 fish in Cattish Creek was killed, and all, or nearly all, in Ohar- 

 liei's Creek for half a mile below the mouth of Cattish. 



The same thing was done a number of years ago, when I wo or 

 three boys lost their lives, it is supposed by swimming in the 

 , il waler. Suit is to be entered immediately, we 

 understand, byt.he Fish Commissioner of this city against, the 

 gas company. The streams iu this country were Stocked un- 

 der his supervision. The gas company plead ignorance of 

 the etfeels of ammonia water on fish. This may palliate their 

 Offense so far as the public sentiment goes, but WiJl be no de- 

 fense iu the eyes of the law." 



, ,, 



to Prof, Baird from Louisville, Ky., taken in the Ohio River 

 at that place. We have, an interesting letter for next week 

 ou this subject from Prof. Baird. 



—A line salmon, weighing 12 pounds, has recently been 

 taken in the Connecticut River by Charles Sills. 



EXPERIMENT "WITH LOBSTERS. 



Chahiestowx. N. If.. May lo, 1877. 

 i FonF.sT asd Stream: 



On Thursday the PJth of April. 1877, I received from 

 Messrs. Johnson & Young, Boston, thirteen full grown living 

 lobsters in good condition. They were immediately placed 'in 

 a tank containing thirty gallons of ocean water. 



The water in the tank was kepi agitated >un\ tcrated by a 

 constantly revolving wheel. The object of this experiment 

 was to ascertain whether lobsters could lie kept alive long 

 enough in close confinement and away from the ocean to sur- 

 vive the journey to California. The results of the experi- 

 ment were very gratifying. All the lobsters lived ten days, 

 and six of them lived fifteen days. As the journey to Cali- 

 fornia requires only seven days this leaves a very encouraging 

 margin. 



I give below the daily progress of the experiment. 



April 19, first day.— Lobstersarrived at noon at die Co'd Spring Trout 

 Pond-, Charlcstown, New Hatupehlre, anil were placed in a lank con- 

 taining thirty gallons of ocean water. 



April 20, second day.— Lobsters doing well. 



April 21, third day.— No change. 



April 22, fourth day.— No change In lobsters. The waicr tias become 

 somewhat discolored, riueed some tlsli and beef in die tank for the 

 lobsters to feed upon. 



April n, fifth day.— Lobsters appeared a little weaker. The water 1 1 

 agood deal discolored, and has a strong odor of asphaltum, with which 

 the Inside of the tank is coated. At noon took out fifteen gallons of 

 the old water from the lank, and replaced It with the same quantity of 

 fresli ocean water. Removed the rteh, which 1 found the lobsters had 

 not touched. 



April 24, sixth day.— Lobsters seem stronger and livelier, and even 

 in belter condition than when they first arrived. 



April 25, seventh, day.— Lobsters stronger than ever. Pot in four 

 gallons of fresh ocean water. The lobsters, u" taking Ihe actual journey 

 to the Pacific coast, would be due to arrive ai San Francisco to-day at 

 5:30 r. X. 



April 26, eighth day.— Water looks quite tool to-day, and lias alight, 

 milky tinge. One large lobatet climbed over the side of the lank to- 

 day. Returned him to the tank, ami added two gallons of fresh pecan 

 water. 



April 28, ninth day.— No change. 



April la, teuthday 



iug to-day. Gave in 



April 30, eleventh 



ak and fall- 



al e 



-The lobsters appeared to have ben lighting. 

 Six of Uiu larger lobsters were dead, all ol' which wcie found 10 be 

 more or less injured by having been crushed by the claws of the others. 

 Water had a foul odor to-day. Found Unit they had not eaten any of 

 the beef which had been giveu them. Removed the beef and gave them 

 eight gallons ol sea water. 



May 1, twelfth d.iy.— The remaining lobsters arc Id good condition. 



May 2, thirteenth day.— Lobsters weaker. 



May B, fourteenth day.— Lobsters weaker. 



Hay 4, fifteenth day.— Lobsters still failing. 



May 5, sixteenth day.— Only one ur two lobsters with any life in tueni. 



Mav B, seventeenth day.— Lobsters all dead. 



Lll INoSTOX .SlONE. 



SOME SOUTHERN WOOD NOTES. 



Lawtowii.ii;. i'Ia., Feb. IS, 1STT. 



With a varied and rich fauna there is no part of the United 

 States whose natural history is so little known as that of the 

 South. I impute this to three causes : 



I. That our educational system looks alone to the study of 

 the classics and the higher mathematics, without reference to 

 the ultimate end of both— Science. 11. 'that to a singularly 

 acute perception, the Southerner unites feeble powers of ac- 

 curate and close observation. III. The want ol' a great 

 journal like the l'"hi:-r and Stuea.m, which unites til 



I popular mode ol stating facte, with the unerring dciiue- 



lio 



t pe 



I must add, also, another reason tor this deficiency in re- 

 corded facts in natural history iu the South, ft has l»rn a 

 hard struggle with us all to keep the traditional wolf from the> 

 door. Many a fact would have been recorded ,- many a 

 pleasing "wood-note wild," horn accomplished pen-, would 

 have enriched the pages of journals like yours, hut, lor the 

 hard toil necessary 10 procure even ihe noee.-sari.-s of life. 



Oanoantejlorestiw. 



About the lime when you of tlie North Land think of 

 putting on another overcoat; about the time when you heap 

 ihe glowing grate high with sparkling anthracite ; about, the 

 time "when you draw close about the cheerful blaze and call 

 for that Old, old iimphnid; when the mellow light dimci-s iu 



Ihe darksome halls of the cobwebbed bottles— say ni ' 



first, of February, some soft, balmy morning— we, of Ihe 

 South Land, are' awakened by soft, plaintive notes thrilling 

 upon the lambent air. 



These eome from the throats of a little lady and gentleman, 

 dressed iu the prevailing fashionable color -deep blue null red. 



"The blue birds have Come, papal" isthe gleeful announce- 

 ment from several Utile ladies and gentlemen, "who crowd into 

 my bed-room to render me fully certain of 11 fact of which 1 

 have been lazily and dreamily conscious for the hist half hour. 

 Yes, the blue hints have fiOhJCj »ml wilh ihciu come blue 

 skies and soft airs, which have stolen their fragrance from isles 

 deep set in far-oil' seas, whose sweetness Ihe robber— wind -- 

 could not all steal. The hist, business of the blue b 

 us is te make himself a special policeman, for he is a pugna- 

 cious bird. A certain territory is allotted to each 

 when they hud that bluejays, shrikes and jorces arc much too 

 plentiful for safety and comfort, they call 'in the neighboring 

 pairs, by a process similar- leaving out tlie blazing cioss— to 

 that, which they adopt in (he Highlands. A messenger is seal , 

 Usually a female, to bring in all the old detective hi 

 Ffyuohc-like reputation. They come and range themselves 

 along the line of fence inhabited by the felon birds. These, 

 as if aware that they are to be routed in Ihe most II 

 manner, skulk under the bushes; and the chief villain among 



