22 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[August 9, 1883. 



THE CRUISE OF THE SAIRY GAMP. 



TUTS far the Hairv Gamp lias brought me in safety, dud 

 without wetting me once. The Sairy. 1 may remark, 

 is a Ruahtou canoe, weighing just lOi pounds. 



And it is not that I may boast of cruising tin: lightest 

 canoe ever built of cedar, that I paddle such an eggshell by 

 river and lake, through the Northern Wilderness. Not for 

 the cheap notoriety that leads a man to tempt the ocean in 

 a ilon . Rut 1 have been testing light canoe 1 ? for years, and 

 my experience may be of some value to the future canoeist, 

 who contemplates a lone cruise with the double blade. We. 

 the "outers," who go to the blessed woods for real aud rec- 

 reation, me prone to handicap our pleasures in the matter 

 of overweight; gvras, rods, duffel, boats, etc. We take a 

 deal of stull" to the woods, only to wish we had left it at 

 home, ami end Ollt trips by l.'aving dead loads of impedi- 

 menta in deserted camps. 



I should be "lad to see this amended. 1 hope at no dis- 

 tant day lo meet independent canoeists, with canoes ^eigb- 

 ing 30 pounds OT less, at every turn in the wilderness, and 

 with no more duffel than is absolutely necessary. 



I met the Sairy at Booneville; also"my old friend, Si Hol- 

 lidny. whq contracted to laud her at .Moose River without a 

 scratch, and he did it, though he came within an ace til 

 capsizing. At Moose River I staid several days, fishing. for 

 brjok trout, testing and practicing canoe and paddle, like- 

 wise trying to brace up weak muscle, which sadly needed it. 

 1 found the canoe much stauncher and steadier than I had 

 been led to expect. Her maker had warned me that he 

 would not warrant her for an hour. "She may go 

 to pieces like an eggshell," he said. He had tested her with 

 his own weight (110 pounds), and she closed in at gunwales 

 an inch, or more. He advised, bracing har. and he thought 

 with me and my duffel aboard she would onlv lie two or 

 two and a half inches OUl of water at center. "He budded 

 hetter than he knew." She does not close in perceptibly at 

 gunwales, aud she litis full five inches rise above water when 

 on a cruise, with her skipper and light cargo properly 

 stowed. 



The only part of the cruise to be dreaded was the 13J 

 miles of muddv, rorkv trail between Moose River and the 

 Fxwge House, called tile Brown's Tract Road." [ dared 

 not trust, her on the buckboards, aud I hardly felt like 

 making suen a carry at the start; but I did it. 1 started be- 

 fore 5 A. ML, and made the Brat three miles bravely. Began 

 to weaken a little. <Jot some breakfast and wenl on. At 

 the "sis mile itve' fell beaten. Buekhoard cainenlong with 

 patty. EartJ got >>ar to lift and admire canoe. Driver said 

 if 1 'would leave my knapsack at the tree he would fetch it 

 in on his return. Lett it gladly. 



Weni .hi and go| caught (n drenching thunder storm. 

 Crept under canoe until it passed over. Road a muddy 

 ditch. At the ''eight-mile tree" caught another and harder 

 storm. Kept sulkily on, too mad and demoralized lo dodge 

 under canoe, Arrived at "ten-mile lieu" pretty much tired, 

 and slopped (■! V. ML) to gel some tea and lunch. I-Yli it 

 to tie the hanie-t c.iav I bad ever made, and wished 1 had 

 gone ill by Jones's Camp and the Stillwater of Moose Uiver, 

 as I h.-el always done on previous trips. 



.lust then along came Ned Ball, a muscular young guide, 

 and though be had four hounds in charge, lie volunteered 

 to hoist the canoe on his head and carry it in. "It don't 

 weigh more.'n a stovepipe hat," he said. 



The last three aud one half miles of road were much bet- 

 ter, and at 8 P. IT. I arrived at the Forge House, wet, 

 bruised, and looking like an ill-used tramp. Some dry 

 woolens, much too large, with a bright tire in front of the 

 hotel, a night's rest, and -a good breakfast brought mc around, 

 and "paradise, reached through purgatory." was attained. 

 Paradise meaning Brown-6 Tract, and purgatory the twenty- 

 iive and one half miles of wretched road between Boon- 

 villc and the Forge House. Thai is bow the admirers of 

 Brown's Tract put ii. 



And the Sanv was safe on the lakes ai last, without, check 

 or scratch. I paddled her about the hair first lakes of the 

 chain. Practiced getting into and out of her in difficult 

 places, and best of all, caught all the speckled trout I wanted 

 Bitting in her at the Springbok's, This mode of fishing I pro- 

 nounce the culmination of piscatorial sport With'aonc- 

 poiiinl 1 1 nut on the hook it was not necessary to yield more 

 than a vard or two of line at the start, and then play the 

 fish to a standstill by the easy movement of the canoe', reel- 

 ing up to about ten feet of line, leading the fish about as one 

 pleased, aud let him tow the canoe until he turned on his 

 side utterly exhausted, and refusing to raise a pectoral in 

 defense of his life. Then gall' him by sticking a thumb in 

 Lis open mouth and taking him in. 



I had a very fair amount of this kind of sport, and came 

 to have a deal of confidence in the Sairy as I learned her 

 light but re.iable ways. I visited the camps, picked up old 

 acquaintances, was fed daily on trout, got up belter muscle, 

 and, best of all, gained health witli every day's exercise and 

 sport. I Found new camps on all the lakes, while the old 

 camps were enlarged or improved, and fishing. I am pleased 

 tusav. much better than when I was here l wo , ears ago. 



This' v be owing to restocking the lakes and stream.. Ai 



fftte, I have seen thrice as many trout during a little 

 more than two weeks' stay in the woods as I saw iu twice 

 the time two years since. 



In spile of the exceptionally gold, wet summer, spoilsmen 

 and health seekers are enjoying the woods most satisfac- 

 torily. Willi at least live mil of oven si\ who come lo this 

 region for health, the improvement is decided and speedy. 

 I have personal knowledge of some cases that seem almost 

 marvellous; but there is a case here aud there, mostly asth- 

 matic, with which the cool, damp air docs not agree. I 

 know of two such cases. But I have conversed with a score 

 who have gained in health to an extent that exceeded their 

 most sanguine expectations. 



There is some complaint about the winged things that bite 

 and Sting, Black Hies were bad early in the season, and 

 inosquitues, as well as punkies, were Lever hungrier or 

 plentier. To the iaan -who prepares himself for the North 

 Woods by getting up a pelt like a cellar grown potato sprout 

 and then runs a, clipper over his head to give the insects a 

 fair chance, no doubt they are a Constant torment; espi chilly 

 if lie is too (esthetic to use his fly medicine copiously, or so 

 cleanly as to wash it oil every day 



An for myself —even on Brown's Inlet— they pars ™ e by 

 as if I were a hot griddle. On starling in I established a 

 good, substantial glaze, which 1 am not fool enough to de- 

 stroy by any weak leaning to soap and towels. 



I once published the recipe for insects in FOSEBM vni> 



Stream, hut will close by giving it once more. It is as fol- 

 lows: 3 oz. pure tar, 2 oz." castor oil, 1 oz. oil pennyroyal, 

 Simmer together thoroughly, apply copiously, and don't fool 

 with soap and water tilfyou are out of the woods. 



Nkssmck. 

 ■R.wjcette Lake. July 87, 



UP AN ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN. 



ON a bright day in June our guide and party of two 

 stepped into his large boat which we call the "Uncle 

 John," and soon were speeding up through the Fulton Chain 

 of lakes for a trip to the top of Black Mountain, on which 

 is one of the signal staiiotis of the Adirondack Survey. 

 Stopping at Tom Clark's, formerly thcDunnakin Camp, 

 we found that his daughter, a bright, happy girl of thirteen, 

 had arrived from "outside' the day before, and thinking it 

 a good opportunity to lei the young lady see the country 

 from an elevated standpoint, she was invited and became 

 one of our party. Mrs. Clark, in her motherly way, thought 

 that where' there were BO many mouths there should be 

 plenty of provender, and though' assured that we hud | leutv 

 of lunch for all. she insisted on adding to our stores, and I 

 believe would have kepi on adding till now if we had not 

 hurried Oil to our boat and got away, so waving tin adieu we 

 started, 



On up through Fourth Lake. Oh I what a pleasure! The 

 lake itself a gem, with its waters waked iuto life by Ihe gen- 

 tle breeze; here a tall mountain with its scarred side showing 

 the native rock protruding and seeemingly ready to strike 

 off into the lake. Yonder a secluded" rock-hound cove, 

 w heme we have more than once taken splendid specimens 

 of the beauteous trout. There stands Elba, rockv and sul- 

 len, around whose front I have often trolled successfully for 

 salmon trout; beyond Is Gulf Rock, a solitary spike of rock 

 Standing about four feet above the sin face, and away oJT 

 in yonder bay on the south is a spot which has to me a very 

 precious memory, for there 1 lir.-.l ttampeil in Brown's Tract 

 many years ago with a dear friend who has gone away from 

 earthly camps and homes to the rest for the weary beside 

 the "stream clear as crystal. ' Away beyond we pass ihe two 

 Cedar Islands, and gets hail fnmi Johnny Van ValKenburgh 

 wllo is busy landing "lakers," and soon run up on the sand 

 beach at the head of the lake. Making a landing and haul- 

 ing the boat Up into the brush, we set. to work lo divide up 

 the provisions so as to give every man ns much as possible to 

 carry, and leave as little as possible foryourself; there's a 

 knack in doing that. Then, all being arranged, we made the 

 start up the trail ; 1 have gone over quite a tew trails and 

 carries in my life, and have learned one lesson which is 

 worth remembering — "Don't rush too much at the start and 

 vim will come out fresher at the end "—this is very common- 

 place advice, but try a little traveling through the woods, 

 and over trails and portages, and you will find that nine out 

 of every ten men will star! off with a hurry and dash, which 

 very soon knocks the wind out of them, and when the .lis 

 tance. begins. to lengthen out they are used up. Start out 

 with an easy "take-your-time" gait, as though there was 

 nothing to hurry yon; kci p jogging alone an d you will gel 

 lo your journey's end just as soon, and a great deal fresher 

 than voui ■ driving, rushing man. 



We found the trail in good condition. Some big trees had 

 fallen right across the path as I'uc.v always will do and there 

 were places that wine slightly damp, and others where some 

 bard climbing was necessary, but (here were offsets to all 

 these drawbacks. There was a beautiful rippling stream 

 runniug close to the trail, and what is more enticing to a 

 lover of nature? I confess Unit I was guilty of turning 

 aside more than once to go down arid get a look at some 

 beauty spots on the little brook. Theii the views, through 

 the woods, old but always new. Again we would stiike a 

 bubbling spring and with one voice the party would cry 

 "Let's take a drink!" Aye! drink hearty, boys and girls, that 

 ale won't go to your head. Finally the tug comes as we near 

 the top and begin to see the blue sky above and around us; 

 but patience, perseverance, aud steady work, did the business 

 for us, and we emerged into amass of fallen trees through 

 which the fierce lire hadswepl, leaving the trunks blackened 

 and charred and the earth underneath like an ash heap, bin 

 passing by these unpleasant features we pressed on until the 

 signal station is reached and then we unloaded and U si 

 (in (he way across the summit just where the survey parly 

 camped, our guide picked up a silver coin which would at 

 least buv him a fragrant segar 



The male members of the party cliinbeii ihe signal station 

 and with the aid of a good glass' bad «Qme line views of dis- 

 tant points. Yonder away io tic east we took in RflmiCtfe 

 Lake on which we could see a steamboat moving along 

 toward Ed. Bennett's; further east we saw Blue Mountain 

 With its Ugly white scar on its face. Almost at our left is 

 Seventh Lake, on which a parly were trolling, and sweeping 

 around, we look in Sixth, then fourth, and others oJ the 

 Fulton Chain, also the signal stations on Blue Mountain, 

 White Mountain, and Bald .Mountain, and away off yonder, 

 fai in the east is Momn Maiey. our most elevated piece of 

 real estate in the Empire State. 



Having viewed the landscape, we thought of a pew 

 way of carrrviiig our lunch, and wondered at our simplicity 

 in 'not thinking of it before-thai was lo .jusl divide it up 

 into equal parts and each ol the parly to stow it away in the 

 receptacle provided by nature tor Buch— and, acting on the 

 suggestion, the carrying of that lunch was dispensed with 

 from that lime forwani. at least as far a- I could see. and 

 after taking a good n St, and a farewell look at all the point- 

 Of interest, we started down the trail again, and without any 

 verv startling adventures on Hie way we reached our boat in 

 safety and were soon on our way homeward, On Fourth 

 Lake we took three lake trout with our tiolling tackle and 

 landed al Duumikin Camp iu time for, and ready tor supper. 



J. R., Jr. 



Companions Wanted.— Editor Fmrst nod Stream.: I in- 

 tend leaving here about the 1st of September for a trip, via 

 Lake Megantie ami Moose River, to Moosehead Lake, and 

 shall be glad of a companion or two, in addiliou to the two 

 or three Frieuds who accompany me from here. Each one 

 must "paddle his own canoe," as we shall not take a guide, 

 Very large trout are caught in the upper Moose River, and 

 as yet it' has been fished only by trappers, lumbermen arid 

 parties. The only difficulty apprehended will be 

 from low" water in the upper river, the route will be from 

 here, to Megantie. Lake by International Railway seventj 

 mites, i lie nee on the extension of the International twenty- 

 ,. rn Mouse River. (A learn will carry traps over 

 Ihe road from Megantie.) Thence by the river to 

 and from there bv'rad to Bethel, Me., or some other station 

 On r,he Q, T. Railway. Mr, Brosseau, of Sorel. Quebec, 

 with a couple of Indians will make- the trip about the nth 



inst., returning by the Dead or Magallowav rivers. I shall 

 spend the last week in August in the vicinity of Spider Lake 

 and Hathan Bog.— D. Thomas (Sherbrooke. P. Q.. Aug. 8, 

 18*3. 



POST-PRANDIAL CHAT. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I note that the last number completed your teDth year, ami 

 I presume that as you next weak enter upon vonr second de- 

 cade, congratulatory speeches would be in order were a suffi- 

 cient number of your old friends present in person, and suitably 

 situated. But as many of us ifor I shall. I think, establish in'v 

 claim to be entitled to say us in the connection) are widely- 

 scattered, and we must content ourselves with a flow of ink 

 instead or roason, and feast at our own tables, probably on 



imething more substantial than soul. 



I regret that I failed to keep the ruu of your career close 



tough to prevent my occupying my present situation, wheh 



a fri 



a I of 



-er oi the boy's at- 

 ors of the prinei- 

 opportunity. 

 oraer, ami fortu- 

 tuled in using the 

 i Stream with its 



almost." Well, anniversaries give opp 

 tion to all in any way responsible for 

 prise in whose honor the feast is spn 

 at a birthday, eulogize them 

 tninments, and at a wedding feast tl 

 pals have, if thev choose to improve 



At these last-named feasts gifts 

 natolv for me in this instance, if I 

 analo-v. the till wedding of the For 



readers, and giits d ie>; beailvernor golden. Tin is the 



currency, and my gift shall be a tin mirror, so brightened 

 that ere it leaves, "me 1 will take a good loo'; at my own re- 

 flected image, and describe what I see from my own point of 

 view, and that makejs it easy; for it's a ureal deal harder not 

 to get one's self into a letter, than it is lo use ihe "I" pro- 

 fusely. 



I will review niv connection with the Forest A.vn Stream, 

 which goes back- oV its birth. Nearly eleven years ago I got 

 into a correspondence with Mr. Mullock upon a point pre- 

 sented in bis "Fishing T "ist." An acquaintance lev letter 



grew up, and one dav I received word from him that he had 

 il in hi- mind to establish a paper which should he devoted (,, 

 —and then followed the platform on which to this dav. with 

 slight modifications, the Forest aud Stream has stood. As 

 one of the preliminaries, he desired to secure a corps of con- 

 tributor-. Would I, ioin that corps.' As at that date I had 



finally, through the skillful application of well-directed com- 

 pliments to my style, eta. flattered into :.cr,ui, - 

 when one day trecefved a message, "The affair is fixed, the 

 paper is to be established, suggest a name and keep your 

 promise," I felt as though 1 were in for it. uud went at it 

 The anxiety and care which I expended in getting up. cor- 

 recting, revising and ha viiu friends Lsten t" my first news- 

 paper article, published Is Vol I. 



the 



i-ith 

 ide. "I 

 ifortable 



ittei 



ad i 



, pro 

 comf 



. ead time afte 



One gets over that sort of thine;. In forty minutes this letter 

 must go, and the editor, proofreader and compositor must 

 amongthem decipher, correct and punctuatejbut they have 

 had plenty of practice, and mj friend Reynolds, who sue- 



d'd llalloekin the editorial chair.. assures nwthat he keep, 



one man for the express pn:|." - ■' ributions 



into shape, and that tiller an unusiiallv prolonged and severe 

 attack, that man disappears for two oi three dav-. [thas 

 been suggested that, like the mongoose, aftercamb it with a 

 cobra, he knows of something "good to lake." and i-ri- pre- 

 vents serious complications Il ihe saiie- man eM.-; 1 during 

 hallocfs career he must have gotten well impregnated wi! I' 

 that something, for alter working out the African mine by 

 S'-Uie descriptions of wild lishing among the KaoO-. and a lit- 

 tle yarn, which was so generally disbelieved that 1 don't care 

 torevivediscussioubvnamingit,lendeavoredjn(|uit' •- serii sol 

 letters to wrestle successfully wit h such phrases as '• OU a ftt 1 sc a .. 

 erispatur, Ccdista eonvexa, : tardus. au&Stron- 



eiams, benr.it crab* and s, ; , urchins ill I hose namos-aire now 

 minted correotb it will be the first lime, and the man has im- 

 proved). These letters came from the headquarters of the Fish 

 Commissfon. "nee clear of the strain mcidenl to this accumu- 

 lation and dispensation of . science, my field enlarged, and (re- 

 member 1 am establishing a claim. [' have dropped in. ai von 

 from lime t • tin.-- from all over the world, ineliidin 

 man's land. Alaska. I haven't time lo look no a lis! 1 



have somewhere, i.ut I remember of contributing papers 



founded on adventures the world over, that is r China, 

 Formosa, Japan, South America, West indie-, Oceanica, 

 Europe and Alaska, can be. so considered. 



During this long period many change-; have occurred in 

 your office, but none which have, altered my relations with 

 the paper, or the esteem which I have for it. The editorial 

 chair changed occupants, mv friend Halloek found some 

 wider ti.-ld to develop his pent-up energies and talent, and I 

 Hear has been able to spend much of his time in the real forest 

 and on the actual stream, instead ol in the hot eii -,- otliee, 

 idealizing the same; but for the printed announcement, the 

 change would not have been at lirst noticed, for with the new 

 rigime 1 found no evidence oi mv being a stranger, and with 

 Reynolds at the helm, the steadfastly upward eottrse was con- 

 tinued, and in the language of the Chinese, in which I once 

 evolved for you a travesty on "Casablanca": 



Tlint nighlee time, lie come chop-chon, 



(me young man ffalltee, no can stop. 



Moskee cdk>< niakee ice, 



He got that flag witl) chne - 

 Topsi'l ■• ' 

 Upward and onward the paper lias soared gathenug momen- 

 tum, and is low well established in the regards and uei ities 



of thousands. 



Wiih the heartiest wishes tor your continued SUCCfiSS, 'Old 

 that you may continue to go up, uveiywaj except lin.me ,.i> . 

 Ianfyoursteadf.i.-l friend. I'lsi.co 



.s,.iii-oi.K. Va., JulySl, 1883. 



I'TisreoV forty minutes did not suffice to bring his letter to 

 hand in limo for our last issue] 



Editor Forest oad Stream: 



1 regret exceedingly that oirounista.nc.es orevonted me send- 

 nv aum\ersai-v eongratolattons in time, but which I trust 

 you will tie none the less pleased to receive, at thi- 

 ll ( e from none of your numerous friends 

 :..,,], more ai u i ritj i I. u from me, who have derived not only 

 pleasure from the perusal of the Forest and Stream, hut 

 benent in ways quite too numerous to mention in this hasfcj 

 note. 



The exclusion from rem- paper of all that was not gentle- 

 manly and proper, the i etc ■■■< I advt T leuta that 



would mislead your patrons, the exposure of fraud-, whether 

 men or merchandise, aud the 



aud sentiment of your, editorials, eouiiuend the Forest ajwj 

 STSEAM to the public, and have made it s periodical good and 

 indispensable tor "family use.'' 



I know- the anxieties aud perplexities you had in earner 

 days. I know of the sunlight, ami gratification that came to 

 you as you attained a sturdier growth, and I. too. with you. 



