:. 188a] 



FOREST AND STREAM 



11 



sou. After going nearly tw< | miles on the old track— the 

 deer stopping several times, as shown by the blood, hut not 

 lying down— I came to where it hud lain all night, under 

 the branches of a low, scruhby sapling pine, and whence it 



-■- L T,,ne. taking very short and irregular bounds: but 

 there were no wolf tracks within ten feet of its bed. A few 

 rods further on T found it dead, its jugular vein out, a few 



pounds eaten around the bullet hole in the top of its si I- 



ders. from which the blood was trickling, while its muscles 

 were still quivering as I reached the spot. The ravenous 

 animal had actually sprung upon its back and remained 

 there till the deer had fallen exhausted, its small size and 

 loss of blood rendering it an easy prey. Warned by my 

 former experience, I hung my deer by a gambrel securely 

 over a large li ml' in i scrubby pine, with its head nearly 

 three feet from the ground. On going for it a week after- 

 ward. I was thunderstruck to find nothing left but the sad- 

 dle; the wolf, by placing its fore feet against Hie tree, bad 

 succeeded in devouring the head, neck and fore shoulders. 

 1 had no idea, till then, how far a hungry wolf could stretch 

 himself. 



Tile howling of a pack of wolves is mournful enough at 

 anytime, but when heard by the. belated hunter or traveler 

 ttlone in the woods on a dark, cloudy night, and in one's 

 immediate vicinity, it is simply blood-curdling. There may 

 be men who can listen to it under such circumstances un- 

 moved, but the writer is not of that number. 



Besides its howl the wolf sometimes gives utterance to a 

 bark, which f have never heard but three times. . On each 

 of these occasions a man was the object barked at; and I 

 doubt if they sound this note under any other circumstances. 

 The tone is very deep, delivered slowly and deliberately, 

 and each time in exactly the same key, and is in strange 

 contrast to the rapid, rasping yelp of the coyote. I shall 

 never forget the first time 1 heard it, on a dull, cloudy Sun- 

 day in February, on the jVlnttawamkcag River, where I was 

 putting in my second season in a lumber camp. The "boss" 

 bad gone some way up the river to visit another camp, and 

 as some of us were lounging in the dooryard in the after- 

 noon we beard a deep bay, like that of a huge mastiff, per- 

 haps half a dozen times repeated, and we fell to wondering 

 what dog it could be, as there was no camp in that direc- 

 tion, nor any settlement for miles. It was apparently on the 

 river, and was nearly a mile from camp. In less than 

 twenty minutes the "boss" appeared, looking very white 

 and breathless, ami saying that there was a freshly killed 

 deer lying on the ice. nearly midway of the river, and an 

 enormous wolf sat on the further bank and barked at him 

 as he came by. 



Now, one of the crew had brought a buttle of strychnine 

 into camp, and had often urged me to put some of it in bait 

 for wolves, and go shares in the proceeds. He was afraid 

 to handle it, and as this was the first 1 had ever seen. I was 

 very shy of it myself; but here was; too good an opportunity 

 to be lost. Being totally unacquainted with the manner in 

 which the poison should be used, 1 committed the folly of 

 taking some fat pork from the barrel and. cutting it into 

 smallish pieces, put some of the poison into each: then 

 shouldering an old "light infantry piece," which was com- 

 mon property in camp, while my partner armed himself 

 with an ax. we started for the river. We found the deer 

 lying as described, a few rods from the further shore, a 

 noble buck, with his hinder parts frightfully mangled and 

 eaten; but there were no wolf tracks on the ice. We, how- 

 ever, found the tracks of two on the. hank, though there 

 were no wolves in sight. Following back on the tracks of 

 the deer we fouud that the wolves had overtaken it some 

 fifty rods hack from the river, and had torn great mouth 

 fids out of it, one after the other, till at last if had fallen 

 dead on the ice, and the wolves, always suspicious of open 

 views in the daytime, and probably seeing the man coining 

 down the river, had been deterred from following. Wo 

 deposited our poisoned pork on afferent parts of the carcass 

 and returned to camp. On returning alone to the spot, early 

 the next morning, 1 fouud that the two wolves had called 

 to the fea-st the largest pack known in that vicinity. Not a 

 vestige of the deer remained but the hair, and that was so 

 scattered and trampled upon as to be almost India 

 able. The pork they had utterly rejected. They had gone 

 up the river, and an old hunter who camped about five miles 

 above told me afterward that he counted the tracks of forty- 

 two where thev had spread out on a big meadow, that they 

 ate all the poisoned bait that he had out, and that he had 

 got seven, but lost as many more that he could not succeed 

 in tracking. 



I find that 1 have already made this article too long, with- 

 out touching on the stories I started out to tell. 1 must, 

 therefore, reserve them for some future, number. 



jjaujb. Penobscot. 



THE CHANGE IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



Twenty years ;igo it was truly a hold man who would, in 

 broad day fight, drive away from his door dressed in a shoot- 

 ing suit and with dog and gun in the wagon, and in this 

 city the reputable men who would ignore public opinion to 

 that extent could easilv be counted on one's lingers, almost 

 on the ringers of one hand. The inborn love of held sports 

 is strong, and there have always been a few who would in- 

 dulge in them, even in the face of public opinion; but in 

 the (lavs of which 1 write it was noticeable that the men of 

 position and influence who indulged in this kind of recrea- 

 tion would manage on these occasions to get off in the 

 morning before their neighbors were up, or else they were 

 careful to have the dog and gun tucked well out of sight, 

 and tide away in their business suits, carrying their hunting 

 clothes under the seat. 1 think those who remember those 

 days will agree that 1 have not overdrawn. 



But wind a change.' Our best; citizens arc no longer 

 ashamed to lie called sportsmen. A line setter or pointer is 

 seen on the well-kept front lawns of our finest, residences, 

 and the owners entertain their guests by showing them their 

 "new breech-loader.'" Men of the highest social position 

 count it no disgrace to belong to a sportsmen's club, which 

 occasionally holds a "ladies' day," when refreshments and 

 ice cream ftre dispensed! and the ladies spend the afternoon 

 under -In big tenl n atching their husbands and fathers 



break glass halls and clay pigeons. And they are heard to 

 remark, "lan'l it just lovely down here':" "'l don't wonder 

 the men enjoy this sort, of thing,' 1 etc. 



And what' a change, too, in shooting and fishing para- 

 phernalia: is it not wonderful'; How we older ones did cling 

 to our old muzzle-loaders, and as one after another fell into 

 line, those who held back would say, 'Well, I may have to 

 come to it, but 1 can't quite see it yet." How hard it was 

 for Uncle" Nathan Harrington to give up the "old um- 



,1, RShensedtO call it, a gun which he, had used for 



thirty-five years, and which had probably dealt out death to 

 more foxes than has been killed by any other man in the 

 State. He would say "the old gun will 'last me as long as 1 

 live;" but when he saw his associates knock over foxes at 

 sixtv and seventy yards when he had no confidence in the 

 "umbrella" Rt over forty, he "had to come;" and what 

 would "Uncle" Nathan have said twenty years ago if a man 

 had walked into his shop and ordered a five-ounce "split 

 bamboo?" 



But I need not continue the story; it is familiar to us all. 

 And HOW I think we shall all agree that our good friend, 

 the FOBEBT and Stream, lias done much, very much, to- 

 ward bringing about this happy state of things. 



I well remember the evening! when iti the meeting of our 



club during the firsl ; il i dstencc, more than nine years 



ago, a. member made the motion that the Fouest ats'o 

 Stream be added 10 the papers in our club room. The 

 paper was then less than a year old. and probably not a half 

 dozen copies weTe taken in this city. Now there is scarcely 

 a sportsman who feels that be can do without it; and on 

 this its tenth anniversary let us, sportsmen of Worcester, 

 unite in the following sentiment: TheFoREST .an Stream, 

 in the future as in the past, may it be always found standing 

 boldly for all that is just and right pertaining to sportsmen's 

 interests, and long continue to enjoy that measure of success 

 it so richly merits. K. 



WoiicKSTEii, Mass.. July 80, 1883. 



TROUT IN THE CONNECTICUT LAKES 



Mi/ Dear Fwest and Stream; 



I had almost written "Dear Spirit, ' as in the olden time, 

 and as the words meet my eyes, the memories of the old 

 office in Barclay street come back thick and fast; and 1 see 

 again the familiar figures of the "Tall Son of York," with 

 his clear blue eves and his flowing beard: of jolly and genial 

 John Richards, and active. Dick Hayes, while Frank For- 

 ester, and Phil Anthon and the "Doctor," and "Long Mas- 

 sachusetts." and Albert Pike and a score more, make their 

 appearance in the sanctum, and recall the days when they 

 were all in the land of the living, and the "Old Spirit" was 

 the only sportsmen's oracle. 



It makes me think of the years which have passed, since I 

 first entered those doors, and which have thinned my locks, 

 and grizzled my beard, as well as hardened my hearing, till 

 I can no longer hear the cluck of the ruffed grouse among 

 the underbrush by the side of the grassy wood-road, or listen 

 for Die bark of the gray squirrel" among 1 he oaks. Still. I 

 can wield the rod and cast the line as deftly as ever, and 

 have just returned from a ten days' vacation on Connecticut 

 lakes,' and Dimond Ponds, and the. trout streams of Upper 

 Coos county, where I have plied the oar and paddle, and 

 waded the fivers, with as much zest as I did forty years ago. 

 though I could hardly make the time over a long "carry" 

 that i could in the days gone by. 



And, by the way, I am glad to see that what you have 

 called the " Forester gush" has died out; for though his 

 sporting stories, oil of which I have, are admirable in their 

 way, he was hardly reliable authority on fish and fishing, 

 and all his, works of" that class are tinctured with that love of 

 the social gla--s. which has worked incalculable injury to 

 many younger men, and which finally brought him to an 

 untimely end. 



I am 'right, glad to see that Forest axd Stream takes 

 strong ground against the persistent introduction of the 

 whiskv-boltle, as a necessary ingredient in every account of 

 a fishing excursion. I have been there, and know what, I 

 am talking about, and for the last dozen years a rubber 

 drinking-cup in my pocket, and the springs and streams, are 

 my sole" resource, whether for lish or game. 



The young men who have perpetrated the "gush," of 

 which you have spoken, could never have seen poor Herbert, 

 or they* would not have written of his manly form, or his 

 commanding presence, for though tough antl wiry, and a 

 good shot, and a keen sportsman, he was what, in Western 

 parlance, would have been called "an or'nary looking little 



cuss." 



However, enough of this, I set out to give you some notes 

 of my trip to the Connecticut Lakes, which was unfortu- 

 nately delayed so long by pressing business matters, that I 

 did not have the success 1 expected, though I lived on trout 

 all the time for ten days. 



Starting for the north on the morning of July 8, by the 

 Boston, Concord ev. Montreal Road; Groveton Junction, on 

 the Grand Trunk, was reached at 6:80 ]?. XL., and after a 

 delay of half an hour, for the train from Portland, we got 

 to North Stratford at 7:30. Supper was next in order, and 

 that being supplied in the most satisfactory manner at the 

 Willard House, Hiram Blanchard's six horse stage-coach 

 Look us in. and deposited us safely at the doors of the fisher- 

 man's headquarters, the Parsons House, at Colebrook. at 

 10:80. 



Heavy thunder showers in rapid succession were the order 

 of the day for the 4th of July, and the morning of the 5th, 

 but in the afternoon of the latter day we started for "the 

 Dimonds," to be overtaken by another shower just as we 

 got there, aud kept awake part of the night by a succession 

 of the same. 



Friday morning early, we tried the fly on the upper pond 

 for two hours without success, the heavy rains having driven 

 all the dies off the water, and no fish were inclined to rise. 

 In the afternoon we tried the lower pond, with the same ill 

 success, only getting half a dozen two ounce trout with the 

 worm, the 'fly being useless, and returned thai night to 

 Colebrook. 



The elegant little camp hotel of Mr. Rolfe, at the Dimonds. 

 was burnt by some villainous incendiary last, winter, but 

 Mr, Martin B. Noyes has put a very nice little wooden building 

 On the site, for a dining-room and kitchen, and has a small 

 encampment of large wall tents around il, well fitted with 

 comfortable beds, and lean cordially and confidently recom- 

 mend any sportsman to him. and to the care of Mrs. Noyes. 

 and inform them, that although mv luck was poor, one of 

 the gentlemen who was with me, and fared no better, filled 

 a large basket one day last week, while I was up at Connec- 

 ticut hake. .. 



From ( 'ohbroke on Sat nrday. July 7, by stage to First 

 Lake House where there is a first-class little hotel, with such 

 appointments, and cookery as are seldom seen in the back 

 WODds and after dinner there Ned Norton with two young 

 gentlemen from Boston and New York, and the writer 

 started in foi Second Lake, taking a "huekboard ' to the 

 edge of the woods. Hero another tremendous thunder 



shower overtook us. and we look refuge until it was over m 

 a friendly bam, the last one in the Stale, where we speut an 

 hour and a half, and then slinging our knapsacks over our 

 boulders started in for the five miles tramp to "Uncle Tour's 



Cabin," and a tramp it was. The wood road used by the 

 lumbermen in the winter, was a running brook part of the 

 way and ankle deep in mud most of the rest, but we reached 

 camp before dark, and "Uncle Tom" soon had a good hot 

 supper of fried trout and mealy potatoes with wild slraw 

 berries to wind up with, ready for us, and we then slepl "the 

 sleep of the just," or of the tired sportsman, which is pretty 



Th 



and* and rain eonlinin d on 



was spent quietly in camp. 



rain until breakfast, and after 



d up the East Inlet to the 



i, built bv the Connecticut 



center of which had been 



I. The stream was swollen 



zen trout, at the dam aud reached 



t fifty, from six to Icn inches 



■nted' this afternoon by two more 



much the same thing 



Sunday morning, and the day 



On Monday 1 tried the flies in 



that meal, Norton and 1 start 



remains of an enormous da 



River Lumber Company, th 



washed out by the spring floe 



and turbid, but we got a doze 



camp at 3 P. M.. with abo 



long. Our party was augl.. - 



gentlemen from New York, and the next day one of them, 



Mr. G.. went up the Inlet again with Norton, while Mr. W. 



and myself tried the stream below, which connects with 



First Lake. 



"We got a dozen fair trout in all, all taken below the dam 

 at the outlet, and not another bite did we get in two miles, 

 but Norton and Mr. G. brought in a fine basket from their 

 trip, one of them weighing one and a quarter pounds. 



Wednesday Mr. G. went up the Fast Inlet again, milking 

 another good score, and \V ", and I tried the North Inlet 

 which comes from Third Lake. Neither of us having ever 

 been up this stream before, we didnolgolar enough to 

 reach the best ground, but we got back to Camp at two 

 o'clock with sixty trout, but none over 6 oz 



Thursday AV. and I took the East, Inlet, and got another 



lair lot. one reaching 1 ! 1 1 is., 1 several of from 13 to 1-1 oz. 



and in the afternoon 1 came out to First Lake aud took the 

 stage for Colebrook Friday. Saturday was devoted to 

 "Sims' stream," with poor result from too high water. 

 Monday to Dimonds again, fourteen -J lb. trout. Tuesday to 

 the "Capen" brook— "no good." Trout, too small to be 

 worth catching. Wednesday home again. 



The whole trip was a highly enjoyable one. but the fishing 

 was sadly marred by the continuous heavj, rain still I had 

 all the trout I wanted to eat, and got two or three dozen 

 safely down country to my wife, who begins lo think she 

 will go with me next year, though she never took such an 

 excursion in her life, 



And now, a word about localities and routes. 1 have no 

 desire to interfere with anybody's kettle of fish, but have 

 been quite amused by some lifters in Forest ami Stream, 

 recommending North Stratford and the Percy House of that 

 place, and advising parties to come by the Grand Trunk 

 Railroad. 



My advice in this to parties from New York, either 50 bj 

 rail to Springfield. Mass., in the evening, so as to start up 

 the Connecticut River R. R. at S A. M. the next morning, 

 or lake the New London boat at 5 l J . M.. and so over the 

 New London Northern road, connecting with the same train 

 at Brattleboro. Change at Wetls River to the Boston, Con- 

 cord and Montreal R. '«., aud go by that to Gieveton Junc- 

 tion, where you take the Grand Trunk, reaching North 

 Stratford to supper. Get that, at the Willard House, right 

 Opposite the station, and you will find Mr, Moses, the land- 

 lord, a good fellow and a good fisherman; but go on Straight 

 to Colebrook, and at the Parsons, House you will find Mr. 

 Bailey ready to attend to all your comforts, and put, you on 

 the track of the best fishing. 



If early enough in the season visit, the Dimond Ponds and 

 you will' be sure of sport, William T, Keyes is a reliable 

 guide, and elm take you anywhere, even up The M.ay.illowa.v 

 if you wish. 



One day's ride by -.tage will lake \on lo Second Lake, 

 stopping at First, Lake tor dinner, and getting Mr. Smith to 

 send you in by huekboard, but, if yon have good legs you 

 had better ride only to the woods, and walk the five milt,, in 

 to camp, where you will find Capt. Tom Chester aud his 

 helpmate "Harding" glad to welcome you, and willing and 

 ready to make you comfortable. Here von are sure of trout, 

 either lake or brook, in the lake and inlets, and "Uncle 

 Tom" appreciates the situation when he says that 'he find- 

 that those who have been there once always come again 



From Colebrook you can reach all these points in B 1 a] 

 or go through!, Dixville Notch to Clear Stream or Errol 

 Dam, and so to the Rangcley,, while at Noil h Stratford you 

 are, just a little too far off to do it easily 



I have written this more hastily than 1 liked, for I want 

 it to reach you with my congratulations lor the closing 

 number of your twentieth volume, and as the, legitimate 

 successor of the dear old Sjiiril, with whose reminiscenci 1 

 began, may you alway- keep up with the times, may your 

 lines lie cast in pleasant waters, and your shadow never 

 grow less. 1 remain, yours ever, Vox W 



MANCHESTER, N. H. 



IN RE FOREST AND STKEAM. 



What more suggestive words to the lover of nature, or to 

 the sportsman, than those above writ'.' Everybody loves 

 them in a greater or less degree, and if the tongue does not, 

 tell of them they surely are "in the mind. The impressions 

 formed, ay. and the healthful rambles taken in forest and 

 by stream in childhood, are recalled in later years and tend 

 to keep the heart young and the life pure; aught that does 

 this is a blessing to every soul and the influence salutary to 

 all. The review of a life, whatever or n lar-i svei I hat 'life 

 may he. is an interesting and instructive study. All lives 

 are' made up of little thing's— "trifles light as air"— yet each 

 one has its influence and the aggregate of each, for good or 

 ill. is to all apparent. This sum of all is the height Whl ice 

 we look back upon the past, and like an. outlook from a 

 mOUIttllin-top, we see a varied landscape, of 



■ room and verge ehOUgh ' 

 in all directions, from which we turn with joy or grief, as Un- 

 case may be. 



Moralizing thus far I gladly turn to Fokkst and Sti:;;am 

 and wish it "good luck' r iis it begins another e.enade of in- 

 fluence and usefulness. The aim aud purpose of even pub- 

 lication should be to give its readers the. best, and purest text 

 Lie in whatever line its thought may be din-eicd. A 

 paper devoted to field sports exclusively hafi a niche to till 

 which is unique, and. if kept, to a. high standard of excel- 

 lence, should be more aud more appiec.iaicd by thOfcfi v. ' 

 afield in quest of fur. tin or feather. To elevate and parity, 

 to be neither loo "light" nor too !r; n ^ivHJl it 



plaeeont.be library table, 01 on h >., indow -.,11. n, 



loomed to the distant camp-fire I rel< 



around the. hearthstone, -nouf tor a high order 



of talent in all connect.:, I ,;,, 



Tie- Pokkst am. Stj at and 



