18S 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



LOot. 4. 1PS3. 



<§*« mid §iver J7s/*m#. 



ANGLTNO RKSOPTS.-We shall be glad to hare for publi- 

 cation notes of good fishing localities. Will not our corre- 

 spondents favor us until iiolcs of desirable points for angling 

 excursions? 



To insure prompt attention, communications shoidd be ad- 

 dressed to the Fo, est and stream Publishing Co., and not to 

 individuals, in ichosc absence, from the office matters of im- 

 portance are liable to delay. 



OPEN SEASONS. 

 The dicest or open seasons, printed in mrr issue of Aug. 16. has 

 been published in convenient pamphlet form, and will be sent to any 

 address, postpaid, on receipt of 10 cents. 



MY FIRST ADIRONDACK TRIP. 



A BOTIIOOU KISJijNISCENOre. 



IN 1875 I was siizcd with a desire to see the woods of 

 which 1 bad heard so much, and tin; only thing that 

 promised to prevent its fulfillment was the expense. I had 

 six weeks to spare, while the cash hud out for a summer 

 vacation amounted to only eighty dollars, which was thought 

 a fair allowance for a hoy, as I then was, but would it cover 

 an Adirondack trip? 1 learned that my friend Fred was also 

 in po-session of as much time as myself, and that, his cash 

 account equalled mine within five dollars. We joined 

 forces and conversed about, the Ad iron da cks, or ralhi r the 

 "North Woods," and concluded by strict economy we could 

 go in the woods and stay six weeks on our money" but if we 

 did it would have to do" all our own work, have no guides 

 and smoke no cigars. 



Out plans being formed, wc concluded to Start on the 

 'JCtli Of July, and the time soon came when, dressed in 

 our hunting costumes and armed with out guns, fishing 

 rods, revolveis and bowie knives, we made a very ferocious 

 Appearance to the timid and blushing maidens at whom we 

 did not dare look for fear they would faint. "We proceeded 

 to New York; there we were met by several of our friends 

 who went with us to the Grand Central Depot. They had 

 a great deal of sport at our expense, and fired puns at us 

 that would have made the inmates of the asylum for decayed 

 punsters sick. We blushed and kept silent. Finally a 

 change came over them; they thought they might never see 

 us again. We were going near that ferocious tribe of Indians 

 known as the "Saint Reds." They gave us sound advice 

 ou Indian warfare, told us to remember what "Buffalo Bill" 

 and "Texas Jack" would do under circumstances similar to 

 ours, and thought the only way to be on the safe side was to 

 take two gallons of fire-water for them; then they all 

 "chipped in" and presented us with a two-gallon jimmy full 

 of fire-water to pacify the red man. 



Arriving at the corner of street we got out of the 



cars and were somewhat puzzled to know how we were to 

 cany "Jimmy" without exposing him. We hit upon an idea 

 and wrapped him up in our army blankets, and as it fell to 

 my lot to carry him, I clutched the blanket, closely under my 

 arm, and we started off at a good" pace to catch 



While going art 

 the blanket drop a 

 badly cut to pieces 

 and seeing a police 

 take care of hi 



L. preferred walking. Our route was now direct through 

 the wilderness to "Old Man Arnold's," on the Moose River, 

 near the First Lake of the Fulton chain. We hired a pack 

 horse and put all our luggage, guns, fish rods, etc., etc, on 

 him. It required a great deal of skdl to arrange filj our 

 things on one poor old horse, but Fred, having seen the tiling 

 done on the "deserts of Arabia." he did it well, and gave us 

 all a lesson on horse packing. Our old nag looked well with 

 our tilings on his back, and it gave him au appearance o L 

 looking fat and heallhy. I really think old Jim felt proud 

 of his Toad as he started off. We had now to cross the. 

 Moose, and were fortunate to find the scow ou our side of the 

 river, and all got in and arrived ou the other shore in safety. 

 Not so with our horses, as my horse did not want to go any 

 further than one-quarter the "distance across, and old Jim, 

 when about two-thirds over, fell down and came near drown- 

 ing. We were in doubt for a long time whether we would 

 ever see our luggage again, but the old horse at last got out 

 without, the loss ol any of our things. 



We soon came to a place where a drove of midges, or what 

 tire commonly called "punkies" came and fed on us. 1 had 

 never heard of these horrible pesls before, and the surprise 

 was groat. It, wa perfectly awful. 1 would have given all 

 1 possessed to have been out of the Adirondacks. The pur - 

 kie is a peculiar animal. He is the size of a small fly, and 

 hites as you would imagine a crocodile to bite. One of their 

 peculiarities is that they always stand on their head when 

 i hey bite, their bill is very sharp, and when you have about 

 ten" thousand on you, it makes one a trifle nervous. They 

 are very fond of running into your ears, eyes, and nose, and 

 I found out by experience that the more you brush them the 

 more they bite. The, best way is to let them bite you until 

 they are tired, and in the course of half an hour they will 

 become disgusted and leave you. We made the he i > 

 their fastest speed, and soon left the punkies behind. 1 was 

 in the Adirondacks nearly six weeks, but, never saw punkies 

 again as bad as I did then. We came at last to Arnold's, 

 tired out, and 1 thought if this was a specimen of every -day 

 life in the mountains I had enough el' it. We had a good 

 supper, plenty of trout and venison, and after eating and 

 having a smoke, 1 felt a gieat deal better, but if Fred had 

 said let us start back for home to-morrow, I would have 

 gone without a word, fori was two-thirds sick, tired, and 

 felt that I had a mistaken idea of the Adirondack*, and that 

 it was a fraud. 1 went to bed early and left Fred telling 

 about his travels in the Holy Land. About au hour after 

 retiring I got up, and while coming buck to bed I heard 

 Fred say "You can imagine how hot if was, for it killed 

 three cainels and three Bedouin Arabs." I smiled a ghastly 

 smile, and wondered how many times 1 would hear that 

 while on this trip. 



[to be continued]. 



d a coiner 1 slipped and fell and, alas, let 

 id poor "Jimmy" was no more, he was so 

 we had to leave him on the pavement 

 roan coming, and knowing that he would 

 vo ran to the depot, not. caring to appear 

 as witnesses at the coroner's inquest. Our blanket was well 

 saturated, and caused us a great detd of trouble afterward. 

 After getting into the depot and purchasing our tickets we 

 had many minutes to spare before train time; there was a 

 vote cast" whether we should take a walk and it was carried 

 unanimously that we should. We started out, but did not 

 go far on account of small boys, they kept holloing the 

 "American Team has arrived, look out. "there's Gildersleevc," 

 pointing at Carpenter, etc. We soon had a large crowd 

 ground us ar.tl being all rather timid we beat a, hasty retreat 

 back to the depot. We began practicing economy from the 

 start and purchased second-class uckets for Utiea"; we took 

 the smoking-car, and after hunting around considerably we 

 were fortunate enough to Oud seats. 



We lighted our pipes and enjoyed a quiet smoke. Now, 

 Fred has been a great traveler for so young a man, 

 and knowing how he iiketl to talk about" his trip to the 

 Holy Laud, 1 thought it would be policy, as well as amuse 

 meat, to get him started. The, ouly fault I have to find with 

 him, is that he tells the .same old stories over and over again. 

 As usual, he began by telling about the climate of Asia, all 

 about the desert*, and the sirocco that his parly were caught 

 in, etc., etc. ; the way he ends this story is this; "You can 

 imagine bow bpt it was," (here a little laugh) "for it killeel 

 three camels and three Bedouin Aral's.' - The story is a good 

 one, and he tells it well, but having heard it about twenty 

 times before, 1 did not, appreciate it much. He also told his 

 other story of racing with one ol the Arabs of his parly, 

 beating him, etc. ; tills wflfl a short story, and 1 had only 

 heard it once before, so 1 really enjoyed it; but as soon as he 

 had finished he launched out on his "old, old story" of his 

 party being captured by a tribe of Bedouin Arabs, and the 

 only way they could get away was by strategy, for the Arabs 

 refused to take a ransom. The way they escaped was this: 

 "At night they with their guides surprised the Arabs and 

 took the Sheik aud three of his best men as hostages, and 

 held them at the point, of their guns and made them guide 

 them to Ismailiaand there let them go." Thisstory made my 

 head ae.'he, aud after hearing it through 1 confessed that I 

 was sleepy, and said 1 would try to go to sleep. 



We arrived at Utica at 6 A . M , and having three hows to 

 wait, concluded lo go over to Baggs's Hotel for breakfast. 

 While there we nu-t Mv. L., Who Was going in the woods, 

 and we invited him to join our party, tie consented, and 

 after breakfast we discussed our trip", etc. We arrived at 

 Booneville. the principal town of Oneida county, about 11 

 o'clock, and soon were off for the Fulton chain of lakes in a 

 wagon called a buckboard. These wagons are very hard to 

 riue in, especially over a rough road. We were nearly 

 thrown out two or three times while on our way to the Moose 



fioui Booneville, and 1 

 ; miles. 1 was feeling quite sick 

 emdacks were uOt going to be as 

 i lo myself, hut 1 said nothing 

 !iie at last lo Lawrence's, on the 

 iade a rest of two hours, got our 



River. The river is fitted 



thought they were very Ions 



and began to think the Aelu 



fine as 1 had pictured them 



about this to Fred. We cai 



Mooie Riytir, and there 



dinner and tasted venison lor the first time on our trip. 



After dinner 1 felt some better, but still very weak. Here 1 



found out we had to ride horse-back or walk fifteen miles. 



I concluded to try riding, anel hired an old horse, Fred and 



AN ANCIENT ANGLER. 



THE fishing days have almost gone, and among those 

 left will be many when the north wind raves or the 

 rain pours dowm, to that he who hath rheumatism in his 

 bones or loveth the comfort of his body more than fishing in 

 foul weather, will abide indoors, choosing then rather the 

 ingle than the angle. Having his tackle all made ready, the 

 sight thereof and the handling are no pleasure to him, but 

 only icmind him of his abstinence. Wow, to discourse with 

 a brother angler would be comfortable aud profitable, but if 

 there he no such companion at hand, he may, to some com- 

 fort and profit, commune with the fathers and brethren of 

 the angle through the medium of their books. 



One of the former, now long "with God," is perhaps but 

 little known as an instructor in the gentle art, or if so known 

 he is seldom mentioned as such. This is Gervase Markham. 

 who appended to his "English Husbandman" the ' Pleasvres 

 of Princes: or, Good mens Recreations, Conlayniug Dis- 

 course of the generall Art of Fishing, with the Angle, or 

 otherwise: aud all the hidden secrets belonging thereunto. 

 Together with"— but let us consider what is already set 

 before us, lest by venturing further now we become dis- 

 gusted with the pleasures of the prince and the recreations 

 of the good man before we have tasted the first course. If 

 one knew that snakes were to be sewed next, he might not 

 relish his trout. 



This little square book solidly bound after the honest 

 fashion of the old days, was printed in 1635, eighteen years 

 before the first edition of Walton came from the press. Of 

 its 377 pages onlv thirty-nine are devoted to angling, but we 

 are told in the ten short chapters, first, "Of angling, the 

 vertue, use and antiquity;" second, "Of the Tooles and Im- 

 plements for Angling;" 'third, "Of the Anglers eloathes an,! 

 inward qualities;" (was this a hint for Sailor Resartus?) 

 fourth, "Of the seasons to angle in;" fifth, "Of Baits in 

 generall, aud of every particular kind, their seasons anil use," 

 sixth, "Of Angling for every severall kind of Fish, accord 

 iug to their Natures;" seventh, "Of taking Fish without 

 Augles, and of laving Hookr-s;" eighth, "Ol preserving Fish 

 from all sorts of devourers ;" ninth, "Of ordring of Poutls 

 for the preservation ol Fish;" aud tenth, which is the shortest 

 and last, "Of the best Wales Lime." 



Thus he begins the first chapter, iu commendation of the 

 gentle art: "r-inue Pleasure is a rapture, or power in this 

 last age, stolne into the hearts of men, ami there lodged up 

 with such carefull guard, and attendance, that nothing is 

 more supreame, or ruleth with greater stiength in their affec- 

 tions, and since all are now become the sonues oT Pleasure, 

 and every good is measured by the delight it produce th, what 

 work unto man can be more thaukefull then the discourse of 

 that pleasure which is most comely, most honest, and giveth 

 most liberty to Devine meditation, anel that without all 

 question is the Art of Angling, which having ever beene 

 most hurtleslv necessary, hath been the snort or recreation of 

 God's Saints, of most holy Fathers, and of many worthy, 

 anil reverend He-vims, both dead, and at this time breathing." 



Of the use and virtue of angling he well and quaintly 

 writes: "For the use thereof (iu its owriQ true, and iinabuttrd 

 nature)" the italics aie not his, "carrieth in it neythcT rout 

 oiisncsse, deeeipt,uor anger, the three maine spirits which (ever 

 in some ill measure) ruleth in all other pastimes, neyiher are 

 they alone predomiuent without the attendance of their sev- 

 erall handmaids, as Theft. Blasphemy or Bloudshed, lor in 

 Dice-play, Cards, Bpwles-or any sport where money is the 

 goale to' which mens minds are directed, what ran man- 

 avarice there be accounted other than a familiar robbery, 

 each seeking by dees ipt to eouztri and spoyle other of that 

 blisse of meatus which God hath hestowcei lo support them 

 and their famileesV * * * But, in this Art of Angling 

 there is no such evill * * * tor the greatest thing it 

 coveteth is, for so much labor a little Fish, hardly so much 

 as suffice Nature in a reasonable stomache, foi the Angler 

 must iutice, not command his reward, ana that which is 



worthy millions to his contentment, another may buy for a 

 groat e in the Market, His deceipt woik' th no't U] on men 

 but upon those creatures whom it, is lawfull to beguile for 

 our honest, recreations or needful! uses, anel for all rage, aud 

 fury it must he SO great a stranger fo this civill pastime, that 

 if it come but within view or speculation thereof it is no 

 more to be esteemed a pleasure, for every propergooel then of 



the very instant failetb, showing unto all nun that will 

 undergo any delight therein that it was first invented, (aught, 

 and shall forever be maintained by Patience only. Anil yet 

 I may not say only Patience, for her other three' Sisters hive 

 likewise a commanding power in this execise." These sis* 

 ters arc Justice, Temperance and Fort itueh 1 , whose powers 

 are set forth. 



Deeming it necessary to prove the antiquity of angling 

 ("lor all pleasures, like Gentry, are held to btt most excellent 

 which is most Auncient")he nanus -cine to whom (he inven- 

 tion is attributed by some writers I ut say.-: "The invention 

 "i iii An <" AnglmjJ istraly s>avt} to cnTJOe from (he tonnes 

 of Seth, of whirh Noah was most principal. Thus yon sett 

 it is good, as having no coin r< n» with evdl, worthy of use; 

 iu as much as it is mixt with a (High full profit, and utOSt 

 auncieiit. as being theieereation of ihe : iir.-t Pad iarbes. where- 

 fore 1 will now proceed* to the Ait it selfe, and the in- 

 to attaine it." Awaiisoose. 



BASS AT "THE FLATS." 



THE September fishing has been excellent throughout 

 Michigan^ Hon. Fred L. Weils, of Port Huron, told 

 me a few days since that lo the suipiise of n sithmU of that 

 place excellent strings of black bass and n iiiu. , . . j 



muscalonge had been taken iu Black River, which runs 

 through the town, and which bus until lately been conaid 

 eretl a, poor stream for fish. Last Saturday a Mr. Cudy took 

 a muscalonge weighing iwenty-lhtce anel one half pounds, 

 another party took a thirty -five-poundor, and in fact splen- 

 did spoil has been had right along lately iu that heretofore 



Black bass have been taken in large numbers at the flats 

 during the month, also numbers of silvtr bass. The w i her. 

 while drifting down a channel a few days since, came upon 

 the largest and liveliest school of the latter he ever saw. 

 They were jumping and feeding, and the wat< i ■ 

 with them. Anchoring some filly feu above then!, and 

 attaching two hooks to my Hue, I baited with small tjti ins 

 and cast into the boiling wafer, and no sooner did my I'm. 

 touch it than I had two lighters fastened, and quickly landed 

 them. For half an hour i reeled them in as I, i isnr 

 rod would allow, often hooking two at a time, ami if 

 did not seem to make any difference whether both Looks 

 Were baited or only one, as the lish were so eager Unit H eiic 

 was hooked others would grab at anything they saw. Twice 

 my punter conic near dipping up three at It time, one 

 being on each hcok ami the, other having hold of the siukery 

 only letting go just at the boat. I took ou: twenty odel in 

 about an hour, aud stopped because I had had enough of it. 

 They would run about one to one anel a quarter pounds 

 average weight. That same day 1 lost the lather of all black 

 bass, had him up to the boat twice, anel he frightened my 

 vunter so he fell on his knees in prayer, but alas (he fish got 

 away. The old, old story, you know. Delta. 



Detroit. Mieli., Sept. ,J8. 



ABOUT KINGFISHERS. 



]\ FT total score for five years to date foots up ISO fish 

 1*_L thieves of the above named type. For evidence iu the 

 ease 1 have saved most of the wings (none for sale), and have 

 a goodly pillow made from the feathers, that 1 itlti i i i 

 in my camping excursions, which are v, ,■■. , , 

 careless linguist some lime said, "It takes a deal uf op to 

 make a little sugar;" but he could base illustiated his idea 

 of quantity far more forcibly if he had said, it lakes a pile 

 of kingfishers lo get feathers enough for a pillow— 100. It 

 anyone doubts thin solemn declaration, try it, The car- 

 casses are fed lo the fish, and thus the poor devils appropri- 

 ate their whole business outright to a different put | 



what, was intended when they started out on their foraging 

 expeditions. I have an idea thai, a niilow of this Sort used 

 iu camp will carry with il a bit of consolation ; that il will 

 be a little luminary to light up recollections and impart a 

 glow to the romance of snoring away a nighl in Us I 



ness; besides, the head may rest a little easfcl than on a pile 

 of brush, a pair of boots, or ou aspidei turned bottom Side up. 



lvalue this pillow very highly from a financial ,-i dpoinl 

 (This is also not for sale.) As: uuui.g thai a man values his 

 time worth $2 per day. he starts out to shoot kingfishers for 

 a living, and bags one every three days, which would be 

 good work here, each bird costing $0. This multiplied by 

 400. the number required to do a good pillow, uq.ua 

 for the pillbW, and as the birds Stay with us ahum, 200 days 

 of the year, it will require exactly six years to dp thj 

 Dou't you see how figures swell V W hose head is so heavy 

 that it can't lind repose on so valuable a ncord as fhisf 

 Whv the African diamonds are nowhere. 



I get these birds by shooting aud with small sh-el leaps set 



arottnd my fish ponds, A kingfisher is shy and i 



himself powerfully smart, but his strength is in hi- eul 



ness, and he is just as apt to get_ into the wrong p I 



rest of us. Bet tfyo or three round stakes around i 



there are no trees very near, fir set ihem in the v.: , 



iug a few fevt out of water: fasten a small steel nap nnnlv 



to the top, By regulating the cntth Ol laich make (he jaws 



set low aud the pan high, otherwise they wdl hghj 



jaws instead of the pan. Set, the trap, cramp irjn 



around close to the jaw, and hoe corn till you hear a famous 

 squalling, such as a' kingfisher never makes when he it eotu- 

 in" up out, of the water with a favorite hybrid iu his fish - 

 stabber. These birds prefer a stake or a cray on a stump, 

 nvc-r or near the water, and if a thirty-five cent steel trap 

 happens to grace fhe top of it, they ;oe sure fo sot their illus- 

 trious feet in it. 



Some old smarts are exceedingly intellectual, anil take (he 

 hint at first, hut their gaslreiioniieal machinery w oiks ,-o 

 furiously aflei having looked down ou what is lo them, at 

 least, a tine display of speckled beauties (.1 forget, uutel not 

 say that), their eagerness to appropriate the aforesaid specks 

 to" home consumption superinduces incipient can 

 and the invariable result is their elegant waidrobe,, find their 

 final resting place m my famous pihnw. 



It is tail- to presume that a bird will eat one fish per day. 

 A young birel before leaving lire ue,,l w ill eat all Uie^ fish an 

 oil! pair e-an bring it, he the" same mure or less, 

 will be reasonable by lies ping our figures « Uliiii reason, and 

 wc will be disappointed it we aie i.ot disappointed in the 

 result. Although a pair of biieis may produce four young 

 each year, we will make uo account w it; but pj£ufl}in£ 



