Jose 1, 1883.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



363 



Many sad incidents of death by drowning will occur to the 

 minds of all of niy readBra; nevertheless I may relate the 

 unhappy fair of two young men "with whom 1 was ac- 

 qainted' These tinhappy victims to the inability to swim 

 were oui on a hunting excursion, and " hen crossing a small 

 pond in their canoe tltey weteupset, and hoth perished mis- 

 erably. TllOJ hoth wore belts heavily laden with carl- 

 d these probably kept them from coming to tlif 

 surface when once initni rsed. and so destroyed all chance of 



grasping the Cftnoe and making a, struggle for life. The 

 part of the country where this accident occurred is very 

 lonely, and llu-y might have hung to the canoe uutil ex- 

 hausted, and no help could have reached them. The water 

 was not over seven feel deep, and shoaled rapidly. Kmv, 

 a Rood swimmer could undoubtedly have saved himself, 

 either by swimming into shallow water, encumbered with 

 his belts, or he could have held his breath under water long 

 enough to allow of bis taking off his belts. The first thought 

 ol a good swimmer on finding himself thrown into the 

 water, is to secure a full 'breath beforegoing under, and to 

 hold his breath while under. Cur the man who cannot swim 

 is flurried, and of course lltterlj al ■■' loss 1" know what lo 



do. Me is helpless, iffocal icrificeA Tie- <o i jwjra- 

 mer is, under ordinary oin n instances, as safe On the water 



as he is on land. The person wlK) Cannot swim is, under 

 the same conditions, in imminent and constant danger of 

 death. Incoutrast to llic sad event just mentioned, is the 



experience of a person ol my acquaintance who is a good 



swimmer. He was reluming from a bunting excursion, 

 wlnn by some mishap ins bark canoe upset, and he and all 

 his Utensils WWC thrown into the river. He was not very 

 far from shore, and after swimming to land with his canoe. 

 he undressed, and returning to the spot, dived and recov- 

 ered his gun and all the olher articles of value, and reached 

 home none the worse for his accident. A. person who could 

 uot swim would, in the same position, have been drowned. 

 As before ..staled. 1 am aware thai in advising all who go 

 upon the water to ham to swim, 1 merely reiterate the ad- 

 vice of hundreds of writers, but I know personally many 

 wliocauuol swim, and I am aware that there are hundreds 

 of ■young' men in every large city who are ignorant of that 

 useful art. To all such 1 say, let not this summer pass and 

 leave you in criminal inability to exercise powers which 

 have in mercy and pity been given to mankind by a wise 

 Providence, Ekato. 



Sew Brunswick. 



SUMMER SPORTS IN CANADA. 



AS now is the time when the summer sporting and camp- 

 ing trips are generally laid oik, I give herewith a short 

 list of whal arc in my opinion the best places to visit. 



Beginning uu Lake Ontario, we . lir.-t come to the Thous- 

 and islands, which are, however, so well known that, little 

 need be said. For old sportsmen the Islands arc of course 

 too much, frequented, but there is still plenty of good bass 

 fishing, and many a pleasant day may be spent there. 



Rice Lake and the region and lakes thereabout are next. 

 in order, and as in the former ease, are old camping Out 

 places, and general I v well known to the sporting world. 



On Lake Krie. the sporting grounds of Long Point and 

 Poudeau, are still able lo give a tirsi-ckiss da\'s fishing 

 and shooting, but Ibe best points are all under lease, una 

 well guarded from the outside world. 



1 omitted to mention while talking of the Lake Ontario 

 region, that for parties wishing a pleasant camping place 

 with moderately good lisbing. and where the modern neces- 

 sities of life are'ali handy, the mouth of the Niagara River 

 is one. of the best places on record. Nexl in order comes 

 the flshmgtnd shooting grounds of the River and Lake St 

 Clair, called "the Plats" The River Bt. Clair, where it 

 enters the lake of the same name, passes for some miles 

 through a vast swamp of reeds orrice. which Swamp is inter- 

 sected by shallow channels in all directions. Owing to the 

 wet nature of the ground in the vicinity it is not the best 

 camping ground in the world, but if one can onlv tret a foot- 

 hold plenty of good fishingand duck snooting can be i'ouud. 

 Parts of the flats have been leased by clubs who have erected 

 club bouses at different points. 



We now eome lo Lake Huron, the shore of which for the 

 firstone hundred and fifty miles is, like the other lakes, de- 

 void of interest to the sportsman, except in a small way at 

 the mouths of the rivers. 



My idea, of a camping ground is a place wdiere one can gel 

 entirely' away from civilization (if such a thing be possible) 

 Without having to travel too far and undergo great, expense 

 or hardship in doing so— a place, where one can gel, good 

 fishingand shooting, good clear wafer to bathe in. where the 

 wild fruits of the season are to be found, and above all, a 

 place picturesque enough in itself to leave in one's mind 

 pleasant reminiscences of the sight as well as the sports en- 

 joyed there. 



With the exception of the first place mentioned above (the 

 Thousand islands), the region I have traveled over does not 

 to my knowledge contain one spot combining all. or nearly 

 all, the above advantages; shooting and fishing being abun- 

 dant, but the Character of the laud, generally reedy and 

 swampy, precludes the quieter pleasures of camping out. 



One hundred and forty miles northward from wdiere Lake 

 Huron enters the SJI. Cl'air Kivcr, and about twenty miles 

 above Southampton tor. as it was formerly and more properly 

 called, Liiiigeen), the coast-Hue changes from that straight 

 shore appearance with a few Openings, which ii has borne 

 from the foot of Lake Ontario, and again assumes the char- 

 acter it wears at the Thousand Islands: 



From Chief's Point, some fifteen miles above Langeen. 

 the coast line to Cape Hurd, some sixty miles distant., is cut 

 upwtthbays and coves in all directions, and the Fishing 

 islands run along it for some l wenty miles. The shore is 

 low, Toeky and covered with cedar, There is a plenty of bass. 

 pike and* pickerel fishing in the bottoms of the bays, and 

 capital trolling ground inside the islands for both sail and 

 row boats. Also good duck, bear and deer shooting in the 

 fall. 



This region, however, lacks two of the main requisites for 

 a complete camping ground, namely, pieturesqueness and 

 a .supply of wild fruits. From [rfUlgeen to Cape Hard one 

 can make a harbor every three miles. At Cape Hurd is the 

 entrance to the greatest 'and grandest of all fresh water bavs. 

 —the Georgian Bay. This bay contains within itself all the 

 requisites of a parted oaniping ground that I have men- 

 tioned, and, as far as my experience goes, is the onlv place 

 that does .mi. 



The Scenery as ouccuiers the bay from Lake Huron by the 

 Cape Hurd channel, is a fit introduction to .strangers. The 

 view of the Flower Pots, Cove Island, Bear's Rump and 

 the other islands of the group is really grand. Just around 



the cape is Tober Moray, the fiuesl natural harbor ou the 

 lato rly a mile long and a quarter of a mile broad, easy 



T ; deep water all over, with b oiks of rock to which 



The fishing in this neighborhood is good, [lass in large 

 quantities and pike and pickerel in the bays and coves, and 

 tip-top trolling for salmon trout on the shoals, as many a- 

 ten or twelve beauties ranging from five to twenty pounders 

 being sometimes taken in one af ternoon. 



However, we musl lish on still furlhcr to Hie famous 

 "North Shore." Talk about "The Thousand Inlands," why 

 for a stretch of 300 miles from Collingwood to the Bruce 

 mines at the entrance of the St.. Mary's River, the islands on 

 the coast arc simply innumerable. A man once started to 

 count them, but when he got to seven thousand had to give 

 the contract up as hopeless. One can take a si earner a I 

 Midland City drawing ten feet of water- and journey by a 

 protected pas-aig,- inside the islands for 100 miles or more 

 and then only get a glimpse of the beauties of tbii region 

 The islands 'around "here are all rock and very picturesque 

 indeed. On almost every island one can turn around after 

 partaking of the substantiate of a meal and pick a. cupful of 

 wild raspberries. Si ra wherries, huokltberiics. eurranls. 

 blackberries, and in the fall cranberries odUb. without mov- 

 ing from your camping ground. You are within reach of 

 the lines! bass, pike and pickerel fishing to be had on the 

 continent, and by the initiated HKiscnlonge can also be 

 taken. However, these fish, like the salmon front,, gener- 

 ally prefer deep water in the hot weather. An 

 marsh af the bottom of some of I he bays makes duck shoot- 

 ing prime- Bears arc also to be mi-l wilh.aud plenty of 

 deer on the mainland. 



This region is very easy of access, the Northern from 

 Toronto or Hamilton landing you at lleuefauqeishcnc. and 

 the Midland from Toronto or Porl Hope taking you to 

 •'Midland City," both places beina at the southeastern and 

 of the '-north shore'' chain of islands. Guides and boats 

 can be procured at either place for moderate sums, say one 

 man-and a 25-foot sailboat for $1.50 or $2.0(1 per day, tvod in 

 an hour or two you can he camped in a spot where- you can 

 live for a monlh without seeing anyone, except perhaps a 



1 spent a month in the Mtiskoka region canoeing and port 

 aging, and I cannot speak too highly of the trout fishing 

 and deer shooting in the early spring and winter, but the 

 difficulty and expense ol reaching the good grounds makes 

 it beyond the reach of ordinary camping parlies, (.-specially 

 as in pleasant camping weather deer shooting is Out of sea- 

 son, and the (rout, lie too low to be templed with Hie llv. 



I spent parts of one or I wo seasoj s on Lake Superior, bu1 

 as that region is as yet far ahead of the- prc?enl wants of the 

 campers-out, l will not say anything more than that fishing 

 and shooting of all kinds are good." 



For the past ten years or so 1 have generally made one of 

 a small party camping out or fishing for a month or I wo. 

 We generally used sailboats, from twenty to thirty feet long 

 to convey ourselves and stores, but as Hits necessitated pitch 

 ingtents'and a great .leal of trouble loading and unloading 

 thejioats, we determined to get a boat large enough to hold 

 us all comfortably and safely. 



Last winter 1 purchased and had fitted out anew the 

 class "A." schooner vac-lit Explorer. This large yacht is 

 some 60 feet over all,"l6 feet beam, and feel depl hof hold 

 has a forecastle for the crew and a large poop cabin with 

 six bunks .and there is room for thirty "more large berths 

 below decks. She carries foresail, mainsail, staysail, jib, 

 jibl.op.sail. and main and foregatf topsails, and has a large 

 roomy yawl capable of carrying fourteen or fifteen peopie. 

 She will be used by her owners for a mouth or six weeks 

 cruising in the season, and as thev are uot wealthy men will. 

 during the balance of the season, 'be open for charter to any 

 party desiring her on any of the lakps (American or Canadian 

 sides) al a charge of $1 per diem each She can call for 

 parties at any port desired. E. Lewis. 



A NATURALIST IN WASHINGTON 

 TERRITORY. 



TO the ardent sportsman or more patient naturalist, Wash- 

 iugton Territory' presents a field of adventure and study 

 unequalled in this country, perhaps in the world. Her mag- 

 nificent rivers and grand' old forests, ixev mountain peaks 

 and beautiful valleys, are a source of wonder and admiration 

 to whoever beholds them. It was my privilege lo make one 

 of a party lo explore this wonderful region dining the sum- 

 mer of '82, and the pleasure I derived from It forms one ol 

 the pleasantest recollections of my life, while the many rare 

 birds and eggs which I obtained, and the curious habits 

 noted of those of which little is known, has well repaid 

 me for many hardships and privations. 



About forty miles north of the Columbia River there 

 empties into the Pacific a large body of water known as 

 "Giay's Harbor." it is a line bay, living about twenty miles 

 long and fifteen broad, and with the numerous large rivers 

 that empty into it, drains a wide section of country. It was 

 through tiijs section that I spent nearly a year collecting. 



The channel of the harbor is broad and deep, and, dividing 

 several miles from its entrance, forms the north and soutn 

 channels, the whole center, as well as the sides, being iin 

 inense flats covered by the tides. These flats are the chosen 

 resort of thousands of aquatic birds, and gulls, terns, peli- 

 cans, cormorants and hosts of smaller birds literally cover 

 the sands, and when disturbed rise in a perfect cloud, their 

 shrill cries being audible for miles. Here they have congre- 

 gated from time immemorial to rear their young among the 

 adjoining rocks aud marshes, undisturbed by spoilsman or 

 collector. 



One afternoon after a long walk over these flats in search 

 of new specimens, but without, success. I crossed the south 

 channel in my krudin. (Indian canoe) and landed ou the main 

 shore. Sitting down ou an old log to rest I heard a peculiar 

 whistle, and turning around, observed half a dozen birds, 

 which had evidently just alighted on the sand, f immediately 

 recognized them as the aomewhal rare black turnstone 

 (-■: >-■■'■:.■■ ■Hilniiwtphiila), not a single specimen of which 1 

 bad as yet obtained. They did not seem to notice me, and 



the beach, and then, if everything seemed s-.V.:,,V i'a-v. 

 I urn them over. Woe to the "unfortuuat inseel thai I < . i < I 

 concealed itself there, for it was gobbled up in "the twiutc- 



iing of an eye.'' While thus busily engaged, a large hawk 

 came sailing past, and frightened them before 1 couhl. secure 

 i liii from the canoe. To say that 1 was disappointed 

 would but feebly express my feelings, and as 1 watched them 

 gradually fade from my sight, 1 determined to follow at all 

 hazards, 'so 1 shoved the canoe in again, and after a hard 

 paddle of about two miles, landed on the flat once more. 

 Hundreds of birds were lo be seen in every direction, but no 

 tstones. 80 I started down the edge of the Water dragging 

 canoe after inc. t soon discovered the objects of my 

 •oh quietly feeding among a large flock of- red-breasted 

 snipe, but they had no notion of letting me get within shot, 

 my repeated efforts to do so only causing them to fly greater 

 distances. 



The tide had now turned, and was fast creeping up over 

 the Bat, and having ceased to drag my canoe, it. was now 

 almost out of sight. Al extreme high tides the water, I 

 knew, would reach a depth of six or eight feet., and wl al- 

 cver 1 was lo do must be done quickly, so 1 tried coarse 

 shot at long range, and bad the satisfaction of seeing one 

 bird left struggling on the sand. I hastened forward to 

 -secure my prize, but before 1 could reach it a large gull 

 L. occi&mUdix) suddenly swooped flown and seizing the still 

 struggling bird in its bill, flew off with it iu triumph. I 

 recovered sufficiently from astonishment to send a parting 



diol after it. but without effect. 



The habits of this variety of L. arg&ntotuS are somewhat 

 peculiar. If undistuibed they will sit or circle around for 



hours near OUT p. and the 'moment we would leave they 



would gather by the dozens, aud, amid a perfect chorus of 

 screams, would carry off bread, crackers, aud even large 

 pieces of meat. All bough I bad specimens ready to be 

 skinned, and others drying in the air, they never seemed to 

 molest them, and I could not account for'it at that time. I 



have also s.-enilie-a- birds pursuing the smaller species of 

 Limicolai, and especially ibe surf bird (ApJiriea virgalti), with 

 the p.isisio.nev of the pigeon hawk, never for a moment 

 slackening their speed, until the .frightened bird fell an easy 

 prey to their rapacity, and was carried off iu their bill. 



1 now beat a hasty retreat, and received a thorough wet 

 ting before 1 could secure my canoe, which was now an- 

 chored several hundred feel from the shore, and returned to 



In conversation with the Indians ot this section (Ohinooks) 

 iliey have told me of some very large birds that at long in 

 tervals of lime, visited the harbor. From the closest ques- 

 tioning 1 concluded that thev could be no less than the great 

 wandering albatross (J), anilaun), the occurrence of which 

 on our coast lias been considered as doubtful. I always 

 kept the closest watch for these birds, and one day iu Sep- 

 tember, after a protracted southerly slorm, I observed, 

 among a large company of Bouap irt's gulls, four birds that 

 quickly arrested my alt ntion; their pcculi-.tr manner of 

 flight immediately proclaimed them as albatrosses, and from 

 their great expanse of wing they could be nothing less lhau 

 I). tSKvhtux. Hastily seizing my gun and shell belt, 1 rushed 

 to the beach and was quietly paddling my light canoe in 

 their direction. They were 'fully a mile from rue, aud not- 

 withstanding my utmost efforts to g\t within shot, they 

 turned and heading out to sea were soon lost to view, while 

 t returned disconsolate, not beiug tully satisfied as to their 

 identity. 



Some weeks after this, while walking on the ocean beach, 

 1 discovered a large bird partially buried in the sand. It 

 was very much "decomposed, and I had some difficulty in 

 getting it stretched out on the beach. There could be no 

 question in regard to its idcntity.it was a 1). ttulan* of 

 large size, measuring upward of eleven feet in alar extent. 

 Whether it had met its death on or near our coast, or 

 drifted from some southern sea, I could only conjecture. 

 It was too far gone for a Specimen, sol contented myself 

 with securing the skull, which is uow in my possession. 

 These arc the only instances of its. coming under my obser- 

 vation, but I am now satisfied that it does occasionally visit 

 our coasts. 



The humming birds of this section are one of its most inte- 

 resting features. You sec them everywhere. In the open 

 glades of the forest, or its darker recesses, out, ou the bare 

 sands of the ocean beach, and even far out to Sea, the whir 

 of their wings is heard, or their tiny forms are seen for an 

 instant as they dart away. The rufous-backed {tkluxphm-us 

 ;-«/V/.si, aud the oal'iope (St<-/lula cqttiope), are the most abun- 

 dant, although we occasionally secured specimens of several 

 other varieties, and numerous nests and eggs. The nest of 

 the last named .species is a tiny affair, and different from all 

 that have ever come under my Observation in being made 

 entirely of bright green moss, ll is almost i n variably placed 

 at the 'extreme end of some low branching tret- or 'sapling, 

 and so perfectly does it correspond with the leaves, that It 

 is almost impossible to discover*. These little birds hare 

 all the pugnacity of our Eastern representative of the group, 

 and attack birds Of ten times their size, driving them away 

 by the very violence of their attack. 

 ' f will close this article by a short, account of the habits of 

 tlie brown pelican {Pdccinivs< fwatx), which were a source 

 of much amusement, to us. They frequented the harbor in 

 great numbers. Every morning we would see them in com- 

 panies of from twenty-five to one hundred coming in from 

 the ocean, and af dusk as regularly returning again. One 

 company of about twenty invariably alighted on a point of 

 sand about a mile distant from our camp, where their singu- 

 lar actions, observed through a telescope, excited our curi- 

 osity. Concealing ourselves one morning before their 

 arrival in a Convenient thicket, we watched them without 

 being ourselves seen. They were all young birds with a 

 single exception, aud he was a. while-headed old chap who 

 evidently prided himself not a little on his looks. They 

 arranged themselves in a row with the regularity of soldiers, 

 aud then the old fellow- walked up and down in front of 

 them several times, finally putting himself at their head. 

 They all marched into the water and swam off to commence 

 their regular a vocations of fishing. Here again it wa laul 

 able to watch them. Thev would sail along a few feet 

 above the water, each bird being attended by about a dozen 

 white-headed gulls (A, belclutrii). The mom'enl the lish was 

 Seen, down WOUld go the ponderous head, ami the bird, with 

 wings half closed, would strike the water with a Splash that 

 could be heard for a long distance. This was tin- oppor- 

 tunity for which the gulls had been wailing, and the moment 

 the poor bird came to the surface, ihey surrounded him like 

 a. swarm of bees, alighting on bis back, flapping their wings 

 in his face and otherwise "so troubling him that he was Ere- 

 qael M Unable to elevate his head, without doing which a 

 pelican cannot swallow, and in self-detense would drop the 

 lish, which was immediately carried off by his persecutors. 

 Kai.lakai.la. 



