FOREST AND STREAM. 



299 



We have now made a fair commencement on the Lower 

 Susquehanna, and will be ready at any moment to receive 

 some more from you. 



Dr. Slack tells me he will make a deposit at the head 

 waters of Conacocheague early next week. He will not 

 have so long to keep his fish in a single water, and I trust, 

 therefore, he will be as successful as we have been. 



I have bespoken Mr. Watt's good offices in the care he has 

 taken of those placed in his neighborhood, and we shall no- 

 tify the people of Cumberland county to respect everything 

 they catch in the Canadaguinnet that looks like a trout, and 

 return it at once to the water. I remain, very truly yours, 



James Worrall. 

 To Hon. Spencer F. Baiiid, Washington, D. C. 



—J. Newton Nelson, Esq. , of St. John, New Brunswick, 

 in enumerating the lakes in the vicinity, writes some plea- 

 sant little paragraphs. He says : — 



I have often thought how lonely would be the lakes and 

 streams if it were not for the beautiful inhabitants of their 

 waters. I have seen an extensive salt lake in the Bahama 

 Islands that would cover hundreds of acres, but not a liv- 

 ing thing dwelt in it. Its surface was blood red, and to the 

 gaze of the stranger all appeared like death— so quiet, so 

 inanimate; not even a feathered songster near its shores. 

 The low moanings of the wind whistled through the thatch- 

 trees, and seemed to sing a dirge half weepingly. But I 

 am to tell you of our own familiar waters, teeming with 

 life, and around the shadowing forests of which thousands 

 of little birds tell their tales of love. Thank God for the 

 .birds and their enchanting melodies! 



Tracey's lake, twenty-eight miles from St. John, is a de- 

 lightful sheet of water. It is here Edgardo and myself 

 oftentimes go. Near its cozy beach is a comfortable house 

 to put up at. This lake is about one mile long by h; If a 

 mile wide. A charming island, shaded by spruce trees, 

 adorns its bosom. A bar extends from its uppermost point 

 about two hundred yards out towards the centre of the 

 lake. Two of us, on the 17th of June, killed on this spot 

 106 magnificent trout. The trout in this pond are seldom 

 over a pound and a half in weight, but they are lively, and 

 will fight to the last. We might have nearly doubled the 

 quantity by remaining another day. 



Riley's lake, Saddler's, McCracken's, Chambers', Lerrio, 

 Bal's, Beaver, Deer, Latemer, Long's, Spruce, and Lake 

 Lomond are r all fine waters to fish in, and vary from seven 

 to twenty miles in distance from St. John. With the ex- 

 ception of the white trout family of this latter lake, the 

 fish of all these waters are of the very finest class, being 

 handsomely formed, brightly spotted, and of an exquisite 

 reddish salmon color. They exist in pure limpid depths, 

 where no sluggard fish would enjoy himself. 



Lake Lomond is a delightful resort, being only eleven 

 miles from St. John. It consists of a chain of three lakes, 

 and in extent covers fully 2,480 acres. It contains the red 

 and white trout, both of which are taken at three and four 

 pounds weight. It is surrounded on the west side by an 

 amphitheatre of high hills, and in some places by perpen- 

 dicular cliffs. On its eastern shores a road extends for 

 miles, and here the view is not only pleasant, but perfectly 

 charming. » 



The Ben Lomond House looms up prettily at the foot of 

 this lake, and the proprietor is a great big Yankee named 

 Bunker. He keeps a well supplied table, and I have often 

 smacked my lips over his English ale. His little blue 

 painted boats grace the fishing cove near his premises. 

 There is also excellent stream fishing near St. John, such 

 as Mispeck stream, Nerepis, Radcliff's, Collins', and lastly, 

 Garnett's Creek. Here, in one day in 1860, a friend and I 

 took 168. Of course very many of them were small, but 

 yet a goodly morsel for the pan. 



Now I most particularly wish my readers not to suppose 

 by any means that I am a good fisherman. I am not. I 

 fish because I love the sport. The exercise and pure air in- 

 vigorates me, I know, and I thank it in a great measure for 

 the good health Fam blessed with. A few months ago a 

 friend and I were fishing Tracey's lake. We whipped the 

 smooth and sometimes rippled surface most ardently, but 

 not a rise could either of us get, and I consider Edgardo 

 (as far as I may be a judge) to be a very fine and persever- 

 ing fly fisherman. I at last became wearied, and resorted 

 to bait. This I tried in vain. We were in a cove, the 

 shores of which were fringed with long grass and white 

 lilies, about four feet tall from the bottom. The trout were 

 jumping in hundreds at something. Neither of us could 

 capture any. Finally, Edgardo tripped up one by the tail. 

 I held Sbpost mortem on it, and found its stomach crammed 

 full of winged ants, like pismires, just as I have seen a 

 partridge's crop gorged with high bush cranberries. We 

 might have fished for a week at this rate, and we would 

 have labored for naught. The trout were glutting them- 

 selves on these insects, charging ferociously in among the, 

 rushes. By accident, we jigged about a dozen, and then 

 the shades of evening drew her sombre curtain ever the 

 little inlet. 



— Here follows a sketchy account of hake fishing through 

 the ice in winter, a pastime Avhicb lias its attractions as 

 well as others : — 



Our coasts are now frosted with the snows of firm win- 

 ter. The mercury rests a little above zero. Let us go for a 

 drive to the banks of the Kennebeccasis River. This is 

 the magnificent sheet of Water on whose glassy surface 

 many a bard battle has been decided with the oar. It is a 

 little sea of itself, and flows gently into the St. John's 

 River, not fur above the wild" roaring falls. Its shores 

 westwardly consist of high roliiug lands, with here and 

 there a farm, environed by spruce trees and the shady ce- 



dars. Opposite is the handsome and wealthy village of 

 Rothesay. A frowning, perpendicular Cliff stands to bare, 

 naked view. It is called the "Minister's Face." A fearful 

 looking precipice it is. The parties who named it could 

 have had but little respect for their parson. Directly in, 

 Close to this cliff, great hauls of hake are often taken dur- 

 ing the winter months. I have long since abandoned this 

 cold, freezing sport, but will endeavor to. describe its mys- 

 teries and pleasures, if such they are. Four of us, with 

 horse and pung, drive down upon the ice near Torrybum. 

 We are thoroughly clad with heavy overcoats, warm moc- 

 casins, and oversocks. Fur caps are pulled down over our 

 ears, and around our necks are long woolen mufflers. Our 

 hands are encased in mitts, with an extra pair in our pockets 

 to relieve the wet ones while fishing. Our lively horse 

 spins rapidly over the cracking ice, for the day is cold, and 

 the ebbing or flowing of the blue tide beneath causes the 

 thick crust to crack, crack, sometimes quite sharply, but 

 there is no danger at all. We have three feet, as it were, 

 of solid terra firma under our horse's heels. After a brisk 

 trot of about two miles we halt, and "toss up" to decide 

 which" two of us are to go for wood and trees. Half of 

 our number are soon off a few hundred yards up shore. 

 The wind sweeps for miles the glistening surface, and 

 piercing are the blasts scattering the snow drifts about. 



My companion and I immediately set to work with our 

 slices, which consist of handles or poles five feet long, fit- 

 ting into sharp chisel-like instruments, a foot in length by 

 three inches wide, sharp and keen. We cut eight holes 

 through the crystal floor, and I assure you we feel no cold 

 or. chills till this is accomplished, for hard work it is, and 

 more particularly with such thick ice. This duty per- 

 formed, we plant spruce twigs in the freezing heaps of 

 newly made chippings close to the openings. On these we 

 band our lines, using fresh herrings foi bait. Down they 

 sink, and we stand shivering around-, beating our arms and 

 waiting for our twigs to bob. 



Hurra! up come our wood choppers with a huge load of 

 trees and stumps. A shelter is formed, and we gladly take 

 possession of its lee. A roaring fire breaks forth, and we 

 are comparatively all at home, or, as one might remark, "A 

 nice thing on ice." A twig bends low with a jerk. One of 

 us grasps the line, which is more like stiff wire — up, up, 

 and a fine hake, or perhaps codfish, comes to daylight. At 

 this not very wonderful feat we drink the newcomer's 

 health. This, however, proves certain death to our guest, 

 who becomes in five minutes after his appearance on top as 

 stiff as a brick. 



An ordinary take in this way to four men in one day is 

 eight dozen. The hake is very sweet flavored, and when 

 served up hot, with an abundance of good butter and pep- 

 per, might make the most fastidious smack their dainty 

 lips. A steak is broiled, a cup of strong coffee made, and 

 I tell you, patient reader, that a fellow like me would put 

 down on such an occasion a goodly amount, such as would 

 raise "Ned" with a victim of indigestion at first, but a few 

 days at this exercise, and a few doses of this medicine, 

 would cure him, I think, and put quack mixtures to flight. 

 Dyspeptics, try it. 



Enough fish caught, we haul up lines, pack into our 

 pung, and away, away over the slippery road to shore. At 

 McGowan's Claremont House we stop to warm up and feed 

 the horse, and again jingle on over the broad marshes to- 

 wards home and St. John. 



— Chris. A. Robertson, of St. John, New Brunswick. 

 a gentleman to whom American sportsmen are annually in- 

 debted for favors, has just leased the south west branch of 

 the Miramichi River for nine years. A note from him in- 

 timates that some of us anglers " seem to think that we 

 have merely secured the river to make money out of it by 

 subletting it to the Americans. We got it for ourselves, 

 and yet we do not object to letting gentlemen occupy it 

 wdien we don't want it. We do not solicit patronage, but 

 will not prevent any stray gentleman sportsman from cast- 

 ing a fly. Some appear to think $2 per day per rod too 

 high; well, every day I have fished on that river it has cost 

 me $20." 



— We observe by the St. John, New Brunswick Globe 

 that the prospects of a good season for the fishermen is not 

 veiy bright just now. There is no demand from the Uni- 

 ted States, as the markets there are stocked and money is 

 not plenty. A considerable cmantity may be taken for bait, 

 but there will be a great excess for which a market is 

 wanted. Notwithstanding the "advantages" of the Wash- 

 ington Treaty, the exportation of fish has not been large. 

 The "catch" of fish this season is good, and the market 

 house is well supplied with codfish, haddock, and herring. 

 Prices are moderate, the latter selling for twelve cents a 

 dozen, and the former from fifteen cents to $1 each. 



—We called attention, editorially, to the subjoined circu- 

 lar some three weeks ago, but are pleased to notice it again, 

 and do what we can to aid the praiseworthy efforts of our 

 officials to stock our waters with fish. The offer is a lib- 

 eral one, and should be seized by all persons engaged in 

 pisciculture : — 

 Editor Forest and Stream : — 



Sir: — Any person in the United States or Canada wishing 

 to experiment in hatching salmon trout or white fish spawn 

 will be sent a few hundred spawn on receipt of fifty cents 

 to pay for the package, by addressing the undersigned. I 

 think that every lake, river, and pond can be made to 

 abound with fish. 



In 1872-3 I sent away 218 packages. 1 would like to 

 have those to whom I'sent salmon"" trout spawn publish 

 their experience in the papers in their locality, so that 

 others may be benefited by it. Seth. Green, 



Superintendent N. Y. Fishery Commission. ' 



ifecAesfer, N. F., November 21, 1873. 



—Messrs. Finsch and Linderman, who visited the United 

 States last year to investigate the condition of the fisheries 

 and fish culture in America, have, according to the Deutsche 

 Fischerei Verein, presented an exhaustive report to the Ger- 

 man Minister of Agriculture. While in this country they 

 examined the leading fish breeding establishments, among 

 them the fish nurseries of Mr. Stone, Dr. Slack, Seth 

 Green, and Mr. Brackett. They speak in the highest terms 

 of the courtesy shown them, and descant on the great pro- 

 gress made in pisciculture in the United States. A consid- 

 erable portion of the report, is .devoted to the study of the 

 American oyster. 



Oregon Salmon Fisheries.— It has been stated to us 

 that at one, and perhaps the largest of the fisheries on the 

 Columbia River, 32,000 cases, viz: 21,000 Mb. cans and 

 11,000 2-lb. cans of fish have been put up the present season. 

 About 200 barrels and 100 kits of salted salmon have been 

 put up at the same place. 



The next place down the river has done almost the same 

 amount of business, and the fishing standing next in order 

 of capacity to those mentioned, has put up and sold 22,000 

 cases, viz: 15,000 of one-pound and 7,000 of two-pound 

 cans, and 200 barrels of 200 pounds each of salt salmon. 

 Also, there have been put up 100 kits of fifty pounds e? eh, 

 of salmon bellies. 



It is estimated that another fishery, about as large, has 

 put up 20,000 cases, of forty -eight pounds per case. Some 

 of the fisheries pack the" salmon in barrels more than in 

 cans, and occasionally one does no canning business at all. 

 Such a one has put up 16,000 barrels, salted, 600 barrels of 

 which go to Germany for smoking purposes. To save 

 cooperage, tierces of 300 pounds each are sometimes used in- 

 stead of barrels. 



The latest estimated value of the salmon canned and 

 salted this year is $900,000, and this estimate is made by 

 one engaged in the business. Five new large canneries will 

 be put up for next year, beside the increase of the older 

 ones. —Portland Bulletin. 



§£hot §un and §iffe. 



« 



GAME IN SEASON FOR DECEMBER. 



Moose AlcesJMchis.) Caribou, Tarandus Rangifer.) 



Elk or Wapiti, Verms Canadensis.) Red Deer, Carious Virginianus.) 

 ga?P 1 * 8 ' common Brown and Grey.) Squirrels, Red Black and Gray ) 

 Wild Turkey, Mdeaffns gallopato.) Quail, Ortyx Virginianus.) 

 Ruffed Grouse, Bonasa umBetkts,) Pinnated Grouse, Cupidoria Cvnido ) 



All kinds of Wild Fowl. 



{Under the head of "Game, and Fisn %n Season" we can only specify m 

 general ter?nsthe swera* I varieties, because the laws of Stales vary so much 

 that were we to < attempt to particularize we could do no less than publish 

 those entire sections that relate to the kinds of game in Question Thii 

 would require a great amount of our space. In desiffnamff game we are 

 guided by the laws of nature, upon icliich w , , 7? , is founded /and 

 our readers would do well to provide themselves with the kiws of their re- 

 spective States Jor constant reference. Otherwise, our attempts to o*si*l them 

 will only create confusion . ] ■* n 

 « 



—We learn from Geo. Gelston, Esq., the secretary and 

 treasurer of the Currituck Club, that in the unfortunate 

 affair at Currituck which we reported last week, Mr. Car- 

 rmgtcm's gunner shot himself accidentally, and the' coroner's 

 jury rendered a verdict to that effect. Mr. C. and his gun- 

 ner were seated three feet apart in their "nest" among the tall 

 grass, and Mr. C. was in the act of shooting a canvas back 

 duck when the report of his companion's gun was heard al- 

 most simultaneously, and turning he comprehended the 

 fatal catastrophe at once. An investigation showed that 

 the accident was caused by one barrel of the gun a'oin^ off 

 while the other was being loaded, a circumstance oMoo 

 frequent occurrence by far. The muzzle must have been 

 within six inches of his head at the time. One barrel was 

 emptied, and the other had simply powder and wad. The 

 gunner was in the act of pouring in a handful of shot when 

 the gun went off. 



—The "Bald Eagle of Currituck" returned from his 

 stamping ground about ten days ago. During a nineteen 

 days' banging with his "thundering eight-bore," he killed 

 594 ducks, of which 213 were canvas-backs, 11 swans and 



18 geese. ' 



-Gen. Messcrole and H. M. Smith bagged a swan last 

 week down on "Long Island's sea-girt shore" whose wino- s 

 measured eight feet from tip to tip. This goodly specimen 

 is being stuffed and mounted. 



-_Our correspondent,Mills, reports killing sixty-eio-ht Eng- 

 lish snipe in three hours, at Winnebago Marsh, Wisconsin 

 October 24th, all single birds, ground clear, wind strong 

 northwest; twelve guage breech loading gun; two do«. set 

 ter and spaniel. He says : "The large coveys of chickens 

 found in Iowa will fully demonstrate the superiority of the 

 breech loading guns for this work. I have to note three 

 scores made from single coveys, respectively; 11 14 and 



19 at a single point from the first stand, all Single birds 

 re-loading my own gun. In either case not more tnan four 

 or six could have been secured with the muzzle leader 



-Our correspondent, "Luke Tripp-" tells of the outfit of 

 of a swell sportsman whom he met out on the plains near 

 Fremont, Nebraska. The gentlemen in question, Mr M 

 hailed from Chicago, 'and was wont to take a two month's 

 cruise every year after prairie chickens. "In the first 

 Phace says Luke, "he had a magnificent tent, about fif- 

 teen feet in diameter, plenty of robes and blankets, two In- 

 dia rubber beds, and sevefal-pitiows, and a pair of bellows 

 to blow them up to comfortable proportions; also an India 

 rubber bathing tub. He employed three mcn . one to loo £ 

 after the dogs, guns, ammunition, &c, one to cook and the 

 other to drive and take care of the horses; his huntW wae 

 gon was complete; underneath the hind part was a We 

 wire box to put the game in, and underneath the fore mrt 

 a large zinc reservoir for water; on the sides of the box 

 were bracked for guns, and under the seals closets for 

 ammunition and an extra large one for the whiskey jug 

 Mr, M. had also plenty of provisions both wet and dry and 



