208 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



I Cm. ii. 1888 



was appointed to superintend the erection of the platform 

 and to perfect all arrangements on the grounds. The rules 

 governing the special classes will be. found in our issue of 

 September 27. 



After the tournament of the first day, the annual meeting 

 will be held a( the Metropolitan Hotel" where officers for the 

 coming year will be elected, and a subscription dinner will 

 follow. ' 



MY FIRST ADIRONDACK TRIP. 



A BOYHOOD BEMTNISCENOK. 



(Continued.) 



THE next morning we started early for our camp on 

 Seventh Lake, we three having hired a bout of Ed, 

 Arnold, then proprietor of the Forge _ (louse. Fred taking 

 upon himself the responsibility of guiding a parly to Hie 

 Providence Crimp on the Fourth Lake. The guides at the 

 hotel clustered around us. thinking, of course, we were going 

 to hire some of them, but we shoved our boat, off with 

 ■'Goodbye, boys, come up and see us and stay a day or two." 

 Fred knew our route perfectly. We bad seventeen miles to 

 row before reaching our camp, and took it very slowly, so as 

 to see all the tine points on our route. 



From Arnold's we had one and one-half miles to go on the 

 Moose River before coming to the First Lake. This lake is 

 two miles long and one mile wide, and is a pretty little sheet 

 of water. At I he head of it and at the foot of the Second 

 Lake is situated the, Stickney cabin, the property of Mr. 

 SUekncy, of St. Louis. He is a, fine, old gentleman, and has 

 made it' a point to be at his mountain home every su mm er 

 for the past twenty-five years. As soon as he arrives he al- 

 ways puts out his flagon the highest peak of the Bald Moun- 

 tains to let his friends and the guides know he has arrived. 

 The first thing Fred said, looking in that direction, was, 

 "Boys, Stickney is here. 1 see his flag." We stopped and 

 cave them the latest news, which was gladly received. 

 Stickney always biiea three or four of the best guides of the 

 Brown tract for the whole season, and never wants for fish 

 or vension. His cabin is large and furnished up verv nicely. 

 The cabin is situated between the lakes on high ground and 

 is alw&js free Irojn mosquitoes and punkies, and there is al- 

 ways u'deligkful breeze blowing. Wemade it a point to call 

 at the cabin when passing, anefwere always well received by 

 him or his family. 



The Second Lake is about the size of theJFirst, but has much 

 finer shores and the scenery is finer. The Third Lake is a 

 little beauty, being about a "mile long and a mile wide. At 

 (he head of it is situated the Buel or Grant cabin; no one 

 being tlmre we did not tarry long, onlv taking a short look 

 at it. From the Third to the Fourth Lake there is an inlet 

 of one-half mile in length. The water is very r clear and you 

 can see both lake trout and brook trout swimming through 

 it, and if a person has the inclination to fish it, he can catch 

 tiout very easily, as there is no brush to bother him. 



At, the foot of the Fourth Lake we left the other party. 

 We bid them good-bye, and with well wishes for their suc- 

 cess, we left them and soon came to the Snyder cabin, but 

 did not stop, as we were in a hurry; to get to the cabin of 

 Sam Dunakin and provision up. We were fortunate enough 

 to find Sam at home, and after getting our dinner, supplies 

 and another boat, we again started for the Seventh. It was 

 now getting quite late, but, Lyman pulled a strong oar. and 

 we soon passed the cabins of "Jack" Sheppard and Luw- 

 ri nee, and the camps of Geo. Ballard and the old Herkimer. 

 We stopped at the cabin of Mr. Pratt, of Brooklyn, for a 

 drink of water, and there met young Pratt and friends; they 

 had "Paul" and "Hick" Crego for guides, and finer men and 

 better guides cannot be found in the Adirondacks than Paul 

 and his son. Before we left they presented us with a large 

 piece of venison, which was gladly accepted. The Fourth 

 Lake is the largest of the Fulton Chain, being six miles long 

 and about two miles wide; it is a beautiful sheet of wafer, 

 and the scenery is grand, Bald Mountain showing at, its best 

 from this lake' the'shores are sloping and covered with ever- 

 greens, making it look like a gentleman's private grounds on 

 the Hudson. The cabins on this lake are all owned by 

 wealthy gentlemen who occupy them for two or three weeks 

 during the summer. From the Fourth Lake to the Fifth we 

 went through another inlet of a mile. The Fifth Lake is not 

 larger than a, common sized mill pond, but very pretty 

 neverthelss. Here we had our first "cany" or portage; we 

 had all our supplies, luggage and boats to' carry over We 

 concluded to leave Arnold's boat here and send it 

 back at the first opportunity; this saved us one trip over, 

 but we all had to double the carry. This one is three- 

 quarters of a mile long, and considered by the guides to be 

 the roughest cne in the Brown Tract. We came into (tie 

 Sixth Lake through a short inlet from the carry, but as e 

 lake it amounts to nothing except as a feeding place foi 

 deer. It is not much larger than the Fifth Lake, and is corn 

 pletelv filled up with lilies, which are good food for deer 

 Going up another inlet of a mile and a half we came into 

 the Seventh. The scene on the lake was lovely; the sun was 

 just going down, and it left a purple hue over the moun- 

 tains; there was not a ripple on the lake, or a living thing 

 moving. The stillness was awful, and we all felt solemn, 

 and did not break the silence for nearly ten minutes, when 

 Lyman said: "Boys, 1 have been almost over the entire 

 Adirondack region,' but have never seen anything that can 

 compare with this." The Seventh Lake, our home for four 

 weeks, is nearly two miles long, and is considered by all to 

 be the queen of the Fulton Chain, in the center of it, is a 

 large island, but it is never camped on because it has no 

 spring, otherwise it is a lovely spot. 



It was nearly dark when we got all our things up to our 

 camp and a fire started. The camp was situated near the 

 foot of the lake on a hill forty of fifty feet higher than the 

 water; it commanded a view of the whole lake anil was 

 generally free from mosquitoes and punkies. The camp 

 was built by a Mr. Mcrriman, of Philadelphia, about ten 

 years ago, is built of strong logs on three sides, leaving it 

 open in" front; it slopes from the top down to within three 

 feet of the ground, has room for six to sleep in, besides a 

 large space for dining tables and provisions; the top of it is 

 covered by hemlock bark it is a remarkably pleasant, 

 camp and* fixed up inside very nicely for guns, fish- 

 ing rods, etc. We soon had our supper prepared, and "ate. 

 like brave men, long and well;" if consisted of bread and 

 butter, pickles, coffee made by Lyman, and venison cooked 

 by Fred. 1 being the "baby" and having had no experience 

 in the art of cooking, they would not let me try. 1 in- 

 sisted, but they said they were too llufigry to have me fuss 

 oyer the fire, and likeh spoil everything 1 tried to cook. 

 Their objection was well founded, foi later when 1 did try- 

 to cook 1 did as they said 1 would. 



After supper we cut some large logs and put them on the 

 lire, and then got out our pipes and made our plans for the 

 morrow. About nine we wrapped ourselves in the blankets 

 and slept well. Next day we repaired the camp and in the 

 afternoon planted the buoys and fished. Fred caught a fine 

 lake trout, and I caught the first brook trout. An earlj sup- 

 per was served out, aud it was decided to float for deer that 

 night on the inlet between the Seventh and Eighth lakes. 

 Everything being ready, we started, Fred paddling and 1 

 sitting in the bow of the boat tinder the "jack." my never 

 having shot a deer gave me the right of haying the first 

 chance for one. Fred and Lyman acred very nicely about, it, 

 and insisted on my taking' that important position for Si 

 begitrner. This kind of hunting is very exciting. You are 

 seated directly under the •■jack."' and cannot move or change 

 your position without making a great deal of noise. Having 

 only about ten inches space" to sit in, in the course of ten 

 minutes you will find all the members of your body going 

 to sleep, 'and if will seem you will have to chaug'e your 

 position, aud to do^his you will work very slowly, aud just 

 as you think you are ready to move your body from one 

 Side to the other, or change your feet without any noise, 

 you will be surprised at the hubbub you are making, and 

 you will hear from the person paddling, "If you can't sit, 

 still we had better go home, for you have seared every deer 

 in a hundred yards of us." This ••floating for deer" is the 

 hardest and nil >st exciting work I ever did. Jf you do any- 

 thing at all at, it vou will have to make ft slat ue 'of yourself, 

 and let the musq'uitoes and punkies bite you to their hearts 1 

 content, for it is impossible to brush them off without, 

 making some noise. The atmosphere in the Adirondacks is 

 aolemnry still, and you will be surprised to find you can hear 

 !,: least sound a great distance. We had a good "jack," 

 and I could see ahead of us for fifty yards. The point of 

 floating for deer with a light is this:' Leer generally feed at 

 rigid on the lily-pads. Having a strong lh.lil thev - 3 it c U 

 a considerable distance, and having as great curiosity as 

 women, thev will know What if is, and will prick up "their 

 ears and watch it approach them. They will stand until 

 you get within thirty or forty feel of them, providing you 

 make no noise. It would seern that you would always get 

 your deer if you should shoot at one. but yon try it and see 

 'how easy it 'is to miss. All the time you are approaching 

 your deer you are going at a fast rate of speed, and the 

 motion of the boat will cause you always to shoot, over the 

 deer's head two or three feet.' The person paddling has to 

 keep the bow of the boat directly on the deer, for if if should 

 see the shape of the boat oi even your shadow, it would 

 leave you before you could raise your gun to your shoulder. 

 By keeping the light directly on it of course it cannot see 

 only darkness beyond. 



After taking my position in Hie boat and promising not to 

 make any noise, I began to tremble, although 1 tried hard 

 to resist it, and thought Unit I was making an ass of myself 

 by shaking as if in an ague fit. Every bird that flew from the 

 shore was magnified into a deer, and the gun would go up. 

 If a frog jumped into the lake a quickening pulse would 

 magnify ii into the tread of a buck. This feeling 1 have 

 never mastered, and to-day it amuses the guides. 



We were very unfortunate in floating, and Fred anil 1, 

 after Lyman left us, floated live or six times, he always 

 giving me the shot. The trouble was thai, we were too 

 late for the floating season. As soon as they begin run- 

 ning dogs the deer seldom come in the lakes to feed, but 

 1 wanted to shoot B deer badly, so after tiring Fred out 

 paddling me around, 1 entered into an agreement with 

 Paul Crego to paddle me up to a deer, it he gave mo a shot 

 at it 1 was to give him -S5. if he did not he " was f ... Kieeive 

 nothing. We' went twice without seeing anything, and be 

 said it was no use to go any more us the deer did not now 

 feed on lily-pads, so I thought 1 had to give up the idea of 

 shooting my deer in that manner: but Paul wanted the 

 §5 quite baolv and one might before I came away told me to 

 come t o Sa m Dunuk in's cabin . aud we would go from there aud 

 see what we could do. At the appointed hour 1 was ready 

 aud we started out. The night was very cold and in a short 

 time I was so cold that 1 could hardly stand it. 1 suffered 

 about an hour before 1 said anything, and then jiroposed to 

 go back. He had his eye ou the §10, for I had increased 

 hint $5, and would not go back and in a short time a heavy 

 fog came up and we could not see ten feet ahead of us. 1 

 was tired and cold and told Paul he should have $0 if he 

 would go back, but he said the fog would go away and to- 

 night we would surely get a deer. He then said we had 

 better go on shore and stretch our limbs for a short time; I 

 Consented and we WBnt ou shore. The tog instead of going 

 awav came ou thicker, and when we had again got into our 

 boat, we could not see our hand before, us. f wanted now to 

 go home worse than ever, but Paul did not want to; in a 

 short, time 1 began to feel very sleepy and was very much 

 afraid 1 was going to drop oil', so I pinched myself, counted, 

 and did everything I could do to keep awake, but it was no 

 use , and in a short time 1 was sound asleep. 1 must have 

 slept two hours, at least, and all this time Paul thought, 1 

 was watching. 



1 was afraid at first he knew I had been asleep, and when 

 I found out he. had no idea 1 had been "snoozing" 1 fell bet- 

 ter, tor 1 would not have had him know il for considerable. 

 The fog was as thick as ever and I asked him if he knew 

 where we were; he said he did not, and thought we had been 

 going around iu a circle for about an hour. I here began to 

 get afraid aud thought if we should run on a flouting chunk 

 our chances of getting to shore would be very slim. Before 

 1 n-ot asleep we were on the Third Lake and 1 thought we 

 were still I bene and was very much suiprised to hear him 

 say "1 Ihink we were foolish to come in the First Lake.'' 1 

 had no idea we were there, but concluded to keep still and 

 not confess, and he rowed around for about ten miuufes aud 

 said: "I cannot tell where we are; if I could only find Dog 

 Island 1 could take a course and row straight home." Just 

 then we came lo the island, which was very fortunate, and I 

 thought he could not find the way back and want 1 

 there all night, but he said now he could go directly to 

 "Sam's," aucl after rowing a short distance out, iu the lake he 

 took his course and rowed, 1 thought, directly for the Forge 

 House. I tried to make him believe he was going wrong, 

 but he informed me that 1 would know more about the 

 WOOdS if 1 had been there twenty years, as he had. 1 was so 

 positive he was going wrong that f bet him two dollars, but 

 he did not want to bet. I insisted on it so. he did, i wanted 

 very much to take the conceit out of him, but instead oi do- 

 ing that I lost my two dollars, for be went Straight for the 

 camp and never made a miss, Howie, could do it will 

 always remain a mystery to me, for i; was impossible to see 

 six laches from you. 1 was verv much afraid we would nm 

 in something am tried mj est to gel aim toffljashoro, but 



be rOW?d biH best. 1. never cure to go through a night, like 



that, again, and I would not do it. for all the deer in the 

 Adirondacks. We got in about, :i A, M.. and Paul slewed 



me to my room, where I soon undressed and was in 



to get, into bed when I thought of winding my •, ra1 [i l 

 lighted the caudle and was thunderstruck to fincl h 

 in the room with Fred but with a si range couple, 1 grabbed 

 my things and made for the door in a hurry bul rail 11 

 chair in my haste and knocked it down, waking up the old 

 man. I rau out in the hall and tried to find a 'room to hide 

 in, but was not quick enough. The old man bad me by the 

 neck and was choking me while trying to explain how il 

 happened. I finally broke loose, and he did not know 

 whether to believe it was a mistake or not. and half thought 

 that lie had captured a burglar. Fred's room was at last 

 found and in the morning" the proper explanations were 

 made. 



[to be continued.] 



IN THE BERKSHIRE HILLS. 



THIS summer I spent, my vacation among the Berkshire 

 hills, in Western Massachusetts. No more deli iltfu] 

 spot can be found among our New England ami Middle 

 States than these southern Berkshire hills. While the scenery 

 lacks I he rugged grandeur of the White Mountains, it pos- 

 sesses many and varied ehurms, which fully compensate for 

 the loss. Pure air, delightful drives and views, varied points 

 of interest, good living combined with moderate prle , lias 

 justly drawn an ever-increasing crowd to this locality. 



Fair trout, fishing can be found in the si reams in the town- 

 ships of New Marlboro, Sandisfield and Monterey. The 



streams are all accessible. Of course the iislrine i I : 



better in the spring than when I was there in August. Then 

 forty trout to a day's fishing would be a fair avarj _ 

 August the streams were low and tine, and the weather COld 

 and even frosty, SO we made an average of about twenty 

 fish. On some of the streams the fly cun be used with good 

 success; ou others the streams are so overgrown as to make 

 bait fishing a necessity. Some spots are overgrcrn so much 

 that no fishing at all is possible, which on the whole is 

 rather fortunate, as it. helps preserve the streams. The fish 

 rarely run over a pound in weight, and from that size down, 

 more being taken about seven to nine inches long than any 

 other size. 



I regret to say that the fishing in one stream, which used 

 to lie very fair.'l found this summer to be very poor, and 

 afterward learned as a reason, that a man in one of the vil- 

 lages, having started a trout pond, set all the boys around to 

 catching trout for him, which catching I know was no', done 

 in a legitimate manner. At last accounts he hud some 5,000 

 trout, in his pond, all of which had been taken from two 

 small streams near bv. The majority came I com astroani 

 v, hid) is c miie'' m i oyer u mile and a half iu total length, 

 and with an average width of eighteen inches. 1 only tell 

 ibis to show the amazing fertility of these small streams and 

 what fishing might be in these Eastern States it' it only hud 

 a fair chance. 



There are also a number of small lakes within a lev trifles 

 of one another, in which fair bass fishing cun tie found, 1 

 did not have much luck myself, owing to various causes. 

 Of pickerel thereare a great plenty, «nd 1 caught many good 

 strings. The fish are of ah sizes, from five pounds down. 



Thev are mostly caught, bv skittering, though ea\ I 



strings bay? been -aught bys(ill-nsl:iT:g with live '.si 

 Buel, near Great Harrington, is leased by (he State, fishing 

 being allowed only from July to November, and n permit be 

 iug necessary, which, however, can be obtained I", 

 from the two men who let boats. 



The bass fishing in this lake is quite. good. One gentle- 

 man caught this summer in two days' fishing ?o pounds, his 

 largest Bah weighing p| pounds. 



Good hotels at moderate prices can be found at Great Car- 

 riugtou, Sheffield or Canaan, from which any point cun be 

 reached by teams, though it would lie better for the spoils- 

 man to go to the mountain villages oi New Marlboro or Mill 

 River, where he will also find good accommodations at $1 

 per day. The Housatonie Railroad publishes a eery good 

 guide of the region, and an excellent map of the cOUl ) ', 

 be obtained by writing to the Berkshire Life Insurance Com- 

 pany, at Pitts'field, Muss. Any farther information can be 

 obtained Of Mr. J. X. Tuttle, New -Marlboro. Mass.. -who 

 keeps un excellent summer hotel. Peko ■ i e. 



THE TARPON AGAIN. 



Et.W<n- Fon-i-t and K'ream: 



1 inclose a fish story that I can vouch lor, us Mi Williams 

 is an acquaintance of mine and formerly resided iu Syracuse. 

 — Onontiaua. 



The Tully Times publishes a letter from Mr. Com. Wil- 

 liams, who went from Syracuse to Jacksonville, Fla... two 

 years ago, describing the exciting l apture Of :i gamy denizen 

 of the briny deep. The editor ot thi / g - l he dimen- 

 sions of the fish scale mentioned us three sod one-fourth by 

 two and one-half inches. The letter reads.; 



You will find inclosed a fish scale taken from a tarpon 

 that it was my good fortune to capture not Jong since. 1 

 say I captured," but had not my oarsman. Bam, bee" SB 

 experienced fisherman, possibly and probably I should not 

 be writing of capturing the fish", but my obituary would have 

 appeared instead. 



The tarpon, or Jew fish as it is sometimes called, is one of 

 the gam v fellows, none more so iu fact, on &J 

 coast. They resemble the bass in shape, having mercury 

 colored black, drawn silver sides, and burnished si - .. 

 side. They arc a beautiful fish, and when rushing and durt 

 ing through the water they remind one of chain lightning. 

 To •'kind' 1 sucha fish requires experience, presence of mum, 

 steady nerves and a strong muscle. 



We started down the St. Johns River from Pilot Town 

 at break of day, and twenty minutes of steady pulling 

 brought us to the jetties, just inside of which is considered 



good' fishing ground, and our success proved the Opt - 



the assertion- The tide was selling in— great white- 

 capped waves were chasing each other anil breaking on the 

 bar not more .than half a mile below, while the 

 our little boat constantly dancing. 1 thought how keenly 

 Tally fishermen— Crofoot, Smith, Tail, Wooster, Arnold, 

 Btrall, and many others— with whom 1 liave fished on Tully 

 lakes, would enjoy the rare sport, and lheartily wished one 

 or all of them out there with me on the broad Atlantic. 



There is to me a grandeur and sublimity in the unceasing 

 and ever changing motion of "old ocean's wave,-.." Their 

 sullen roar as they sweep on with irresistible ami 

 force fills the mind with .solemn lorebenliugs of thai ffaj 

 when the heavens shall roll together a« If 



