130 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



its rugged grandeur. It is a Mecca to many families of 

 Jacksonville in Summer, as they enjoy the wildness for 

 which it is so famed, as well as the refreshing snow-cooled 

 breezes which sough the picean forests at all hours. Sev- 

 eral pretty mountain tarns, which fairly swarm with deli- 

 cious trout, are convenient, and amid their charms dreamy 

 anglers can hook pleasure and fish all day long, while the 

 Nimrod finds an abundance of deer, black bears, rabbits 

 and kindred game about them, so that he can satiate him- 

 self with sport and delicate pabulum in a short time. The 

 best period for visiting the lake is July or August, as the 

 ' snow is then melted, the tall, green grass carpets the for- 

 ests and furnishes a succulent dinner to the horses, and the 

 many varieties of berries that grow at such an altitude are 

 fully ripe. A person can extract as much health and pure 

 pleasure from Crater Lake and its vicinity as he can from 

 any portion of the continent, provided he loves manly sports 

 and grand scenery. Our party remained there only one 

 day, as we had thoroughly explored the place in that time, 

 and were anxious to exchange the rare, chilling air of the 

 mountains for the soft breezes of the valley. We stopped 

 at the Rogue River Falls for an hour or two on our return, 

 and enjoyed their picturesqueness. They leap down a 

 height of nearly two hundred feet, and send masses of 

 spray, tinged with the prismatic colors, soaring upward in 

 tapering showers. We returned to Jacksonville in the even- 

 ing, and there I bade adieu to my pleasant guides and took 

 the stage for the north. I occupied a seat with the driver 

 in order to learn the names of the most prominent scenes, 

 for I have found, as a general rule, that those Western Je- 

 hus are not only thoroughly acquainted with every 

 landmark on their route, but are also full of pleasant an- 

 ecdotes .* 



This one I found to be an exception to the rule, for my 

 utmost endeavors could illicit only monosyllabic responses, 

 so that I was compelled to depend on my own observation 

 for any facts I might glean. 



*This is called Lake Majesty, Volcano Lake, and other names, so I 

 gave it this name thinking it the most appropriate. 



John Mortimeb Muktiiy. 



For Forest and Stream. 

 VIRGINIA BARBECUES. 



BY THADDEUS NORRIS. 



"OUR article entitled "Clam bakes and Barbecues" in 

 your issue of September 9th, has awakened memo- 

 • ries of many happy occurrences in the Old Dominion in 

 "days of Auld Lang Syne," and why now in the decline of 



life 



"Should auld acquaintance be- forgot 

 And never brought to mind." 



So let me refresh my recollection of old incidents and 

 old scenes and describe as well as I can the different kinds 

 of barbecues in which I have participated, and firstly — 



The little squirrel barbecue. — This was an occasion on 

 which there was less hilarity, or I might say, less noisy 

 mirth than on any other, but one in which true sportsman- 

 ship was involved, and with the addition of a dinner that 

 could not be surpassed. Two or four might engage in a 

 barbecue of this kind. If four, there was a trysting place; 

 generally a cool spring in the forest or by its margin, 

 where we would meet at noon. If two, any spring so lo- 

 cated that we might come upon it at that hour. 



June, July or August were the proper months; for the 

 new litter of squirrels were then young, when their flesh 

 had that crispy tenderness and flavor that can scarcely be 

 equalled by any other game. The pair that hunted in 

 company were generally equipped, one with a squirrel rifle 

 and the other with a shot gun. For when the dogs "treed" 

 the game would frequently seek ' the topmost bunch of 

 leaves, where the least wind would sometimes prevent he 

 of the rifle from drawing a steady bead, and the shot 

 would, of necessity be conceeded to the "scatter gun." 

 We started always early, sometimes before sun rise, and as 

 a uniform rule were mounted on sure footed horses, that 

 would "stand tire." 



Squirrels do not stir much, at least in the Southern 

 forests, after ten o'clock, when a trail soon becomes cold, 

 and the sport slackens, or temporarily ends by noon. This 

 is the time of rest for men, horses, and dogs. So we halt 

 at the spring, loosen our bunches of squirrels from the 

 crups, take off saddles, hitch or hobble our nags, and pre- 

 pare to cook dinner. 



We draw from capacious saddlebags, first the flask and 

 lay it in the spring, then our roll of buttered bread or bis- 

 cuit, and cold ham thinly sliced, our pepper and salt and 

 raw middling— in polite parlance, now called "breakfast- 

 bacon"— the use to which the latter it applied will be de- 

 scribed anon. The first and all important thing in the 

 programme is building the fire. The best place is between 

 two large logs laying, say two feet apart, in the absence of 

 which, forked sticks as large as one can manage to cut 

 with his pocket knife are. sharpened, and stuck rectangu- 

 larly into the ground where the fire is to be made, the 

 forks of these corner sticks being in the same plane and 

 eighteen inches or so above the surface of the ground. By 

 the time a good bed of coals has accumulated, the squirrels 

 have been dressed, and it is a little interesting to a novice 

 to witness the dexterity of an old woodsman, who with a 

 slit in the belly and a notch in the skin across the back, 

 and then inserting the thumb and fingers of each hand, 

 with a vigorous pull denudes and disembowels the little 

 rodent. After washing and seasoning them properly they 

 are "spitted." This is done by sharpening, and then 

 hardening under the ashes, the ends of stout switches of 

 sufficient length to reach across the fire. A switch is 

 thrust through the flank, belly and shoulder on one side, 

 and another switch on the opposite side of the squirrel; the 

 sides having been spread out and distended. Two poles 

 are now placed longitudinally on each side of the bed of 

 coals, the ends resting securely i n the forks of the stakes at 

 each corner. The squirrels are then placed side by side 

 over the fire; the ends of the switches on which they are 

 spitted resting on the poles. As soon as they are heated 

 through and through, the basting begins. This is done by 

 laying a slice of middling in the belly of each squirrel if 

 the bellies are uppermost, or over their backs when they 

 are turned, (four or five turnings are necessary) or the mid- 

 dling may be "bunched" on the end of along stick and 

 used in that way. The squirrels should be cooked slowly, 

 and for this reason it is sometimes necessary to spread the 

 ashes or a sprinkling of earth over the coals, the", same be- 

 ing removed to give them a final browning. They should 

 be buttered as soon as they are taken off, and gashed a lit- 



tle with the point of a pocket knife that the juices may 

 flow and combining with the butter make the meat more 

 succulent. Young squirrels thus cooked with a slice of 

 ham as a condiment, and the cold buttered beaten biscuits, 

 is a dinner fit for a King; aye — "betther still sir-r" — fit for 

 an honest hungry hunter. 



Three or four hours are thus wiled away, and it may be 

 a nap indulged in, until the squirrels are again out of their 

 holes and nests, and running; on the ground, leave fresh 

 trails for the dogs. The old squirrels, which are easily 

 distinguished, especially if they are males— are taken home 

 to make soup of next day, and they make good soup, or to 

 give away to one's neighbors. 



Frequently through the Summer there were squirrel bar- 

 becues, where a goodly number would meet at some well 

 known and more accessible spring, and there was a more 

 elaborate cuisine and more jollity. 



There were also barbecues, as described by "Captain," 

 with a "fish fry" as an adjunct, where neighboring farmers 

 and country store keepers would contribute and attend. 

 Where long rough tables and benches were extemporized 

 and crockery borrowed for the occasion. Where longpits 

 were dug and much wood burnt in them to produce coals 

 over which fat spitted muttons, shoats, and chickens, 

 and squirrels were roasted, and hams and squirrel soup were 

 boiled*; the latter well seasoned with onions and smoked 

 middling. Where there was sometimes a little speech mak- 

 ing, always card playing, and not unf requently quarter races ; 

 for what was a young Virginian in those days without his 

 horse? I fear that one of the sequences of "the late on- 

 pleastness" is that such meetings are not so frequent as of 

 yore. 



"The most delectable of such gatherings, however, was 

 the "Ladies Barbecue" — the "Dancing Barbecue," where 

 matrons and maidens who danced were invited to attend, 

 and at which no one could accuse Virginians of being ar- 

 istocratic. This "institution" descended to newer States, 

 of which the Old Dominion may be called the mother; to 

 Kentucky, to Tennessee, and other States where an "institu- 

 tion" of another sort has been wiped out. This kind of 

 a barbecue was the most enjoyable of all. . Ladies came 

 in fine carriages, and in all sorts of two and four wheeled 

 vehicles, and on horseback. There was the level, well 

 beaten earthen floor beneath the wide spreading arbor of 

 green boughs, with benches and chairs around the sides; 

 there were dinner managers with reel ribbons, and floor man- 

 agers with blue ribbons in their button holes; there were ne- 

 gro fiddlers, and negro cooks, and negro waiters, in all their 

 "pride, pomp and circumstance;" there were reels, and 

 cotillions, and jigs; and most glorious of all, the pretty 

 graceful girls. Can I ever forget them? Are such gatherings, 

 still extant? I pray that they have not entirely gone out 

 with the "institution." Why should they? 



fa}\ §mltn\£. 



NEWFOUNDLAND 



For Forest and Stream. 

 NOTES. 



OFF Cape Freels, a long, low cape, with a ridge of hills 

 to the back. Yonder are the Perfume Islands, and 

 there is the Charge Rock; I believe that is near where we 

 were before. But it is not now as we were, but as we are, 

 and aswa are overhauling the Wadham Islands fast, I don't 

 want to bother the general reader with sailing directions, 

 etc., matters nevertheless which are so essential to safety 

 at sea or running along a rugged coast. These islands are 

 called, I believe, after a Col. Wadham, but how long ago it 

 is since he was here we know not. The largest island is 

 called Peckford, one and a half miles long. Copper Island 

 is the nearest to the main land; it is high and bold, too, 

 just like the copper formation. The other islands are com- 

 posed more or less of a slaty rock, and are low and tame 

 in outline. The upper Wadham is furthest seawaid. It is 

 a long, low island, with a pretty high, long hummock at 

 one end. Here is situated the light house. These islands 

 extend in a long, somewhat curved chain, and are as the 

 advanced guard of the north, being six in number. The 

 chart will show that there is a great deal of bad ground for 

 sailors about here, but so there is ashore in far more civi- 

 lized places than the Wadhams. We call the mainland 

 from Cape, Freels to Gander Bay Head the straight shore. 

 But what a shore. Hear the roar of the great sea billows 

 as we have in the dead of night, or see the white foam 

 glistening in the sunshine. The pretty green verdure clad 

 Penguin Islands are off this shore. Here lived the pen- 

 guin, now alas! no more, being driven from us by the mon- 

 strous monopoly and rapacity of untrue humanity and the 

 want of stringent game laws. So were the mackerel driven 

 from us; why people actually used them as manure for the 

 land, so I am informed, as they now use the caplin. What 

 a piece of nonsense and daring misuse of God's mercies. 

 However, the neglect of the laws of nature brings the pun- 

 ishment. We approach the entrance of Stack Harbor 

 Tickle. Evening shades come, darkness comes, but we 

 beat through under our pilot. I cannot say in scenic truth 

 that the view by day is pretty, but it is romantic, and fires 

 one's attention. Theie is no seasickness here. The water 

 is too smooth, and of times there is a quiet rest; a glassy 

 sea lashes the storm outside, still we are safe here, and the 

 wavelets play musically on the sides of our little boat, or if 

 at night, lull us to sleep if we care not for the deck with 

 the sailors chatting and enjoying a pipe. This tickle is 

 formed by the island of Togo on the east side, and by the 

 mainland" of Notre Dame Bay and the islands on the other. 

 In fact, casting our eyes away to the west we see nothing 

 but a host of islands and the mainland; and yonder is the 

 intricate Dildo Run, which should in no case be attempted 

 without a pilot; neither should the Stack Harbor Tickle, 

 Seldom Come By, or vernacularly, Selly Come Bayer, a 

 fine harbor in the Swend of Fogo. It is a great shelter for 

 Labrador vessels in the Fall of the year when bound home. 

 This Stack Harbor Tickle is called the Inside Run, in con- 

 tradistinction to that outside Fogo by the barracks, Little 

 Fogo Islands, etc. North Bacaliew is in sight. This name 

 is a perversion for another, signifying cod fish, which by 

 the laws of this country are legally recognized as fish, for 

 which we as Newfoundlanders have the highest respect. 

 That little island yonder is Gull Island, a mere rock, but it 

 marks the entrance to Twillingate. There are a great many 

 gull islands on our coasts, among others that one of sad 

 memory, Gull Island of Cape John. The squalls come 

 quick and strong off the highland of Burnt Island in beat- 

 ing into Twillingate. But then they make people quick. 

 They are great teachers. It is fine to see the noble boat 

 give way and rise again. However, stand by; let go the 

 anchor, and there is Twillingate, the capital of the North. 

 Jlarbor Grace, July 6th, 1875. c. 



Fish Culture in Virginia. — We noticed in a recent 

 issue the fact that fish culture was hereafter to be carried 

 on in Virginia in connection with the State colleges. We 

 have since learned that Mr. Fred. Mather, of the United 

 States Fish Commission, has been detached for duty hi 

 Virginia for the season of California salmon to superintend 

 the State hatching house. We can. congratulate the Vir- 

 ginians upon this appointment, as Mr, Mather, besides 

 being a genial and popular gentleman, stands in the fore- 

 most rank of fish culturists. His contributions to this pa- 

 per have been noted for their sensible matter-of-fact spirit. 

 We note that the Fish Commissioners have already met 

 at Blacksburg and procured a site for a hatching house 

 which is to be immediately constructed and employed in 

 hatching several hundred thousand eggs of California 

 salmon presented by Prof. Baird. By the middle of the 

 month the Virginia Military Institute will be similarly pro- 

 vided. The Richmond Whig alludes to this subject as fol- 

 lows : — 



"The hatching house, near Blacksburg, will be under the 

 direct supervision of Prof. Ellzey, of the Agricultural and 

 Mechanical College, and that at Lexington in charge of 

 Col. McDonald, one of the Professors at the Instituted At 

 both institutions the art of fish culture will be introduced 

 into the regular course of studies, and the zeal and science 

 of Profs. Ellze}^ and McDonald guarantee success. 



We hear it is the purpose of the Commissioners to erect 

 similar establishments next year at the University and at 

 the Hampton Academy, so that all four of the State insti- 

 tutions may be employed in disseminating a practical 

 knowledge of this useful art, and, by sending forth an- 

 nually a corps of experts, diffuse the knowledge to every 

 corner of the Commonwealth. Nothing eould better tend 

 to impress the whole population with the importance, not 

 only of propagating, but also of protecting fish. 



We are glad to see that the Forest and Stream, the 

 foremost fish and game paper in the Union, appreciates 

 fully the programme initiated by the Fish Commissioners 

 of this State in combining fish culture with the State Col- 

 leges. That movement by our Commissioners insures flsli 

 culture as a permanent fixture in the State, and with com- 

 paratively little cost, after the construction of the hatching 

 houses. The two hatching houses at the Agricultural Col- 

 lege at Blacksburg and at the Military Institute, already in 

 rapid process of erection, will be run at very small addi- 

 tional expense, and will every year send forth a corps of 

 experts, who, when supplemented by the University and 

 Academy, will disseminate the art in every neighborhood 



in the Commonwealth," 



^.♦ < ». 



HATCHING APPARATUS AND THE 

 HATCHING HOUSE. 



■ • 



\/ BY ICHTHYOS. — NUMBER ONE. 



FROM well authenticated accounts Pinchon and Jacobi, 

 in giving the world the novel and tin natural process 

 of artificial fecundation, were but reviving a lost art. Th^re 

 seems to be no doubt but that the ancients propagated fish 

 artificially, and during the dark ages, the transition period 

 from ancient to modern civilization, the art and all know- 

 ledge connected therewith was lost. It is satisfactorily 

 known through reliable Chinese historians that they have 

 continued to propagate fish artificially for nearly four thou- 

 sand years, and that a large percentage of the people of 

 that densely populated empire derive their subsistance 

 from food obtained from an immense water area. In an- 

 cient Egypt, if fish were not artificially produced, particu- 

 lar attention was given to their natural increase, supervised 

 by officials appointed by the reigning potentate. Lake 

 Moeris, which stretches in its longest direction from north 

 to south, is supposed to have been excavated for an im- 

 mense reservoir, and is three hundred feet deep. The 

 water is introduced from the Nile by a canal. The curreut 

 sets for six months into the lake from the river, and for the 

 next six months into the river from the lake. While it runs 

 out to the laks it returns a talent of silver daily to the royal 

 treasury from fishes taken; but when the current sets river- 

 ward, the returns sink to one-third of a silver talent, an 

 annual revenue equal to $500,000. If the Romans did not 

 produce fish artificially, Lucuilas had immense fish ponds 

 at Tusculem which were made to communicate with the sea 

 by means of canals, and also were fed by streams of fresh 

 water. Oysters were cultivated successfully by Sergius 

 Orata in the Locrine Sea. We know further that in Lake 

 Tuscaro, Italy, oyster culture has been carried on since its 

 occupation by the Romans. It is a matter of surprise, 

 when we consider the value of aquaculture, that so much 

 tardiness is manifested by many States of the Union in 

 giving this great industry the proper aid its importance de- 

 mands. Artificial fecundation, if rightly applied and taken 

 advantage of, as it may be with but slight expense, is the 

 greatest of all modern br-nisons to the human family. As 

 a food resource the modest beginning made by the discov- 

 erers of this art, and improved, upon by one and another ot 

 the eminent pisciculturalists of Europe and America, we 

 can plainly see foreshadowed an industry that is destined 

 quite soon to become one of vast proportions on this conti- 

 nent. It appears from an approximation of the total value 

 of the maritime and inland fisheries of the world, that -in. 

 the aggregate they amount to nearly $150,000,000. When 

 we consider that fish culture on this continent is only ten 

 years old, how vastly may these figures be swelled in ten 

 years more, when the impoverished and exhausted i n {^ 

 waters of our country are made to teem again as in ol d£ 

 times, when the red man held sway. In connection wit 

 the discovery of artificial fecundation Pinchon and JacoD 

 invented the first hatching apparatus of which we have any 

 authentic knowledge. The trough was a rude one, like tn 

 plain troughs in use at the present day. We are told tn ^ 

 was placed by a stream, nearly filled with coarse sand 

 gravel, upon which the spawn was spread; the ends we 



