FOREST AND STREAM. 



FISHING FOR EELS IN FIJI. 



— — # ■ 



A correspondent writing from Fiji is furnishing; the Lon- 

 don Field with some very graphic letters regarding fish and 

 fishing in the principal of those distant isles of the Pacific. 

 We take the following from a recent issue: — 



"We sometimes fish for these fellows with a hand line at night, and 

 my servant tried one evening a lamp of dough for want of a better bait. 

 He felt something nibble, nibble at his line, and at last a steady haul; so, 

 returning the compliment, he hauled too, and presently landed a strange 

 fish, like a aiganrie English bream in shape. It was cooked and pro- 

 nounced Al bv all the household, and, encouraged by his success, P. tried 

 again next nigtit. Another rewarded him, and he fished on. Presently 

 a bite, and then a dead pull. Having a strong line and wired hook, he 

 hauled away, and dragged up an ugly brown eel. When he attempted to 

 seize it the creature turned and bit him across the knuckles, nearly clear- 

 ing two of the joints of skin and flesh! Fishing in Fiji has its dangers! 

 # After dressing his wound I sat up writing, the household having re- 

 tired to bed. I was interrupted by a young bo>itman rushing in, 'Oh, 

 please, sir, give me a light, I have got a big eel lik-j that which hit P. this 

 evening. He lies in my boat biting furiously, and I can't get him off the 

 line. I have jumped overboard and come for help.' He was dripping. 



We lit a lantern, ana, taking the big office ruler, adjourned to the bat- 

 tle-field. First Charley drew in the boat, at the bottom of which, 



" By the lantern dimly burning,'* 



I could see the enemy cruising about. He dropped in, and I passed in 

 the lantern and scrambled down. As socn as we approached him he 

 made »t Ciarley's naked feet. The young fellow made a spring, nearly 

 shot me out of the cranky little boat, and upset the lantern. As 1 stooped 

 to lift i the brute charged me. I had quite enough to do to save myself, 

 and, as f had dropped the ruler at the first surge, I had no weapon. The 

 ruler k-;,»i, rolling about with the rocking boat, sometimes just within 

 reach, but as I tried to seize it away it would roll! The eel was master 

 of the situation for the time, but at last Charley fetched him a crack with 

 the stretcher, and, having managed in a lull of the fight to catch the er- 

 rant ruler, I secoi dad the blow with a 'stunner.' The heavy ebony did 

 its duty, and the slimy brute lay quiet while Charley rained blows on it, 

 and finally severed his head from his body with hisxlasp knife. I never 

 saw a more savage, fierce beast; he fairly sprang at us, with his jaws 

 wide onen and Ms small- white eye gleaming ferociously. The way the 

 lad and I danced in that rocking boat, with the lantern, the ruler, and the 

 fish rolling at the botton, would take cleverer pens thau mine to describe. 

 Next evening, however, P. met with a more serious affair. He and my 

 son were out at the end of the pier trying for a big cod. Presently I 



doorway stood my servant, as pale as a she?t, and streaming blood from 

 his wrist. Seizing the ruler and some red tape I made a temporary tour- 

 niquet, poured half a tumbier of brandy down his throat, and carried him 

 off to a chemist, who luckily lives closo* to me, and is a good surgeon, as 

 all these men should be. Here we sewed np two frightful gashes, that 

 had severed some small arteries, just missing the main one of the pulse, 

 and thus causing the severe hemorrhage. After the wound was dressed 

 and the bleeding stayed we learned the following account of the acci- 

 dent. 



P. had hooked and hauled up the eel, about four-pound weight. Re- 

 membering the fight of the previous night, he had sw ung the brute round 

 his head, bringing him down with a thump on the boards; this was the 

 sound of blows I heard. The last blow dislodged -the hook, and then 

 the creature sprang at him and seized him by the wrist. How he got 

 him off he cannot tell, for the pain was extreme, and he was covered 

 with blood in a second, but he remembered dashing it down, and it 

 slipped a a ay between the interstices of the plankiDg. It was a very 

 narrow escape with life. 



There are several kinds of eels here in the rocks and stones under the 

 pier, and two in the fresh water. These fellows grow to a great size. I 

 have beard of one as thick as a man's thigh. The sea eels are some- 

 times very prettily mottled with brown. Lately I was watching a rush 

 of danlfa from a big fish. It was low tide, and many of the little fellows 

 sprang on shore; escaping from one foe, they became the prey of an- 

 other. As they tumbled about in the rocky little pools and between the 1 

 intersacea of "the stones, half a dozen of the mottled eels rushed 

 at and seized them; and here I witnessed what I never before 

 suspected. I saw an eel constrict a fish as a snake does its prey, in its 

 convolutions, and. fastening its teeth in the fish's head, it drew it through 

 the folds of its coils and swallowed it." 



jjjwhUttg %nd Routing. 



■ - ■■ * — 



AM communications from Secretaries and friends should be mailed no 

 later than Monday in each week. 



* 



HIGH WATER. FOR THE WEEK. 



Date, 



Oct. »!.. ...... 



Oct. 22 -. .. , 



Oct, 23 



Oct. 24........ , 



Oct. 25.. 



Oct. 26 "... 



Oct. £7 



Boston. 



H. M. 



5 11 



9 



10 



19 



15 

 12 

 2 

 45 

 25 



New York. 



E. 



M. 



1 



57 



3 



5 



4 



5 



4 



58 



5 



47 



6 



81 



7 



11 



Charleston. 



H. 



1 

 2 

 3 

 4 

 5 

 5 



M. 



it 



19 

 15 

 12 

 2 

 45 

 25 



The Resolute, Dreadnatjght and Vesta.— The third 

 of the Hatch series of matches was sailed last week, when 

 the Resolute contended against the Dreadnaught and Ves- 

 ta, over the outside course around Cape May lightship and 

 return. As there is a material difference in the construct- 

 ion of these yachts, and as at least one of them has a ce- 

 lebrity which is almost world-wide, a description of them 

 may not be inappropriate. The Resolute is a centre-board 

 .schooner, built in 1871 by David Carll at City Island. In 

 length she is 114 feet over all; beam, 25 feet 1 inch, and 



8 foot depth of hold; tonnage, 208 tons o. m. The Reso- 

 lute has not participated, except as a spectator, in many 

 of the regattas of either of the clubs to which she be- 

 longs, her owner preferring to keep her in cruising trim to 

 the nuisance of tearing to pieces in preparation for racing. 



The Vesta is also a centre-board schooner, built by the 

 same party in 1865; her length over all is 102 feet; beam, 

 25 feet, and depth, 8 feet 7 inches. The Vesta attained 

 celebrity in the memorable ocean race to Cowes, participa- 

 ted in also by the Henrietta and Fleetwing, being at that 

 time owned by Mr. Lorillard. The Dreadnaught is a keel 

 schooner, built in Brooklyn by the Poilion's in 1871; her 

 length over all is 117 feet 11 inches; beam, 24 feet; depth, 



9 feet 7 inches. Her original owner was Capt. Samuels, 

 who sailed the Dauntless in her ocean race against the 

 Cambria. She was purchased from him by Mr. Stockwell, 

 of Pacific Mail notoriety, and from his hands passed into 

 those of Mr. C. J. Osborne. There is no finer specimen of 

 yacht building afloat than the Dreadnaught, and with all 

 tli'- ~* equal, probably none of her size possessing greater 

 speed, 



THE RACE. 



On Tuesday of last week the racers got under way at 

 noon, and proceeded with a fine breeze to the lightship to 

 prepare for the start. The ocean tug Cyclops had been 

 engaged to tow the yachts from the club house anchorage; 

 but this was found to be unnecessary. Mr. E. S. Chapin 

 and Mr. J. H. DeMott as the judges representing respect- 

 ively the owners or the Dreadnaught and Vesta, were on 

 hoard the Resolute, which vessel was represented by Mr. 

 J. P. Williams on the Dreadnaught, and Mr. W. f E. Green- 

 leaf on the Vesta, At 8:53 P. M. a gun from the Reso- 

 lute signalled the yachts to make for the line, from which 

 all were distant . about three miles . At 4 :2 :45 the Vesta 

 luffed around the lightship followed by the Dreadnaught 

 at 4:3:55, and the Resolute 4:4:20. At the time of the start 

 afresh taeae was hip wing from KI.W., and all the 



yachts seemed to be going through the water at a very 

 rapid rate. The Resolute was sailing remarkably well , 

 logging, it is said, llf- knots, and more as the wind in- 

 creased. In half an hour she was abreast of the Vesta, 

 and at 6 o'clock had passed the Dreadnaught and taken 

 leading position, the latter having passed the Vesta some 

 time before. At 7:30 Bar negat Light was passed, and at 

 11 o'clock the wind hauled to the north, and main hooms 

 were^jibed over. The Vesta had gradually fallen astern, 

 but before the lightship on Five Fathom Bank was 

 reached had regained a position close to the Dreadnaught. 

 At 1 o'clock A. M. on Wednesday morning the Resolute 

 jibed, and heading to the eastward, rounded the lightship 

 eleven minutes later, with half the distance accomplished. 

 The Dreadnaught and Vesta each went to the eastward of 

 the lightship, and rounded from the other direction, the 

 former at 1:20:15 and the latter at 1:24. From this 

 point the Vesta was in trouble. First, her main topsail 

 was found to be nadly torn, and later in the night, or 

 rather day, the leach of her foresail parted close to the 

 gaff, and before the sail could be taken in it, was badly 

 torn. The delay of patching and rebending effectually ex- 

 tinguished any chance she may have had in the race. At 

 about 2:40 A. M. the wind died out, so that the yachts 

 made but little headway. When Barnegat was reached 

 the Resolute was about six miles ahead of the Dreadnaught 

 and the latter twelve miles ahead of the Vesta. Here the 

 Dreadnaught, which was inshore, caught a breeze from off 

 the land that carried her up to the Resolute, and' at 4:30 

 she was leading by five miles. From that time throughout 

 the long day the yachts were becalmed, and at nightfall 

 the Resolute was nine miles to windward of the Dread- 

 naught, and the Vesta had drifted out of sight of both. 

 At daybreak on Thursday morning the Highland lights 

 were to leeward, the Resolute and Dreadnaught being 

 about four miles apart. A most exciting race now en- 

 sued between these two, resulting in the Dreadnaught, by 

 very skillfully luffing when close to the lightship, passing 

 the mark by a shave less than one minute ahead of the 

 Resolute. The official time given was as follows: — 



Arrived. Actual Time. 



Dreadnaught 6:18:15 A.M. 38:14:30 



Resolute 6:19:53A.M. 3§:T5j33 



Vesta 8:47:38 A. M. 40:45:06 



The Resolute is - entitled, according to the New York 

 Yacht Club rules, to an allowance of 8m. 54s., and on this 

 allowance wins the race. The cwner of the Dreadnaught, 

 however, claimed that the rules only applied to races 

 sailed over the regular regatta course; but the judges, af- 

 ter many consultations, decided on Friday in favor of Mr. 

 Hatch. The victory of Mr. Hatch affords general pleas- 

 ure, for the plucky manner in which he issued his chal- 

 lenge and sailed the match; and although two of the races 

 were against him, his fine yacht has done herself much 

 credit by vanquishing such worthy antagonists as the 

 Dreadnaught and Vesta. 



— The proposed ocean race between the sloops of the 

 Seawanhaka Yacht Clab, tor Captain Center's $500 cup, 

 will not be sailed this season, there being no entries. The 

 prize certainly is handsome enough, but the course — around 

 Cape May lightship — perhaps a little too long. 



— Mr. Roussell, the owner of the keel sloop yacht Eu- 

 genie, has issued a challenge, open to any sloop yacht, ex- 

 cept the Vindex, to sail twenty miles to windward and re- 

 turn, from the lightship, on the same day that the Mohawk 

 and Dauntless sail their match. Mr. Roussell proposes to 

 sail for $150, to be divided among the winning crew. It 

 is a sportsmanlike challenge and is worthy the attention of 

 the owners of such boats as the Addie, Vision, Sadie, Ac- 

 tive, Undine, Orion and others. 



The Champion Scull Race. — On Saturday last, at 

 Pittsburgh, Evan Morris and Henry Coulter rowed a five- 

 mile single scull race over the Hutton course for a stake of 

 $1,000 and the championship of America. Coulter man- 

 aged to take the lead at the start, and at the end of the first 

 mile he was three lengths ahead . After rounding the stake 

 boat, however, Morris made a spurt, and passing Coulter, 

 crossed the line first a length ahead. Time, 35m. 20s. 



—On Friday last Messrs. R. W. Rathburn and W. E. 

 McCready rowed a two-mile race on the Harlem River for 

 the championship of the Athletic Club. McCready took 

 the lead at the start, and kept it until three quarters of a 

 mile had been accomplished, when Rathburn passed him 

 and won by fifteen lengths. Time, 14m. 40s. 



■ ♦ ■ 



Philadelphia, Oct. 18, 1875. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



The Fall review of the Schuylkill Navy will take place at Turtle Rock, 

 Fairmount Park, on Saturday next, at 4:30 P. M. This will be virtually 

 the wind-np of a very active boating season, nothing else of interest 

 being likely to come off unless some of the enthusiasts get up a race for 

 Thanksgiving Day. * Sculls. 



■ ♦ 



Yale Fall Races.— The Fall regatta of the Yale Uni- 

 versity Boat Club took place on Saturday last on Lake Sal- 

 tonstall, the attendance of students and New Haven citi- 

 zens being large. The first race was between the six-oared 

 shells of the law school and the class of 77; distance, 

 three miles. Thelawschool crew, composed of V. H. Met- 

 calf, (bow)C. Ives, J. W. Westcott, A. A. Canavan, J.B. 

 Ward, R. H. Johnson, (stroke.,) won in 19m. 27s. 



The next was a barge race, two miles, between the Fresh- 

 men crews of the Academic and scientific departments, the 

 former winning in 13m. 33£s. The victorious crew is as 

 follows: J. B. Clarkson, (bow) B. S. Keator, F. A. Stokes, 

 W. S. Asay, A. L. Holmes, F. E. Hyde, (stroke) E. S. Row- 

 land (coxswain). 



For the single scull race there were three entries: H. 

 Livingston, '78; T. A. Vernon, '76; and W. A. Ransom, '78. 

 Livingston was the winner, doing the two miles in 15m. 

 26fs., Vernon's time being 16m. 38is. and Ransom's 16m! 

 50fs. The last race w r as the most exciting of the day. It 

 was hetween six-oared shells of the law school and classes 

 of '77 and '78. '77 was victorious, doing the two miles in 

 I3m. 18fs. It is said to be the first race ever won by '77 

 hence the names of the winning crew should be handed 

 down to posterity. They are, F. J. Stimson, (bow) C. L 

 Alvord, C. S. Mervine, A. W. Cole, W. W. Colin, E. c! 



Coake (stroke) Atwater, (coxswain). Mr. E P.Howe 



acted asstarter and referee, and R. J. Cooke. as timekeeper 



—Yale students are being stirred up on the subject of 

 athletics, and the students of '77, '78 and '79 are appealed 

 to to spoil the monopoly in prizes which '76 is likely- to es- 

 A meeting between Yale and Harvard, similar To 



the yearly contests between Oxford aud Cambridge is nm 

 nosticated. ' p °a" 



Harvard.— In referring to the election of a new capta' 

 for the University crew, the Crimson says : — 



"The election of a man who has never rowed on the TJ ■ 

 versity crew t# the position of captain of the crew markka 

 new departure in our boating affairs. The leaf which w 

 are about to turn will, we trust, be brighter than the last 

 one. For the new captain of the crew we can confldenilv 

 promise that his sole idea will be the conscientious discharge 

 of the responsible duties committed to his charge. Hebe 

 lieves in having only those men in the boat who are (to use 

 his own words) 'heart and soul in the crew,' and he will en- 

 deavor to find five men in the University who have, beside 

 the requisite amount of muscle, a sufficiently high 'idea of 

 the trust confided to them to exert themselves to their ut- 

 most, both before and during the race. 



In the crew of last year there was more lack of enthusi- 

 asm than of muscle. The men went through the regular 

 routine of work laid out for a uuiversity crew, but they 

 thought more of going to Saratoga and of wearing their 

 University hats about Cambridge than they did of wmni a£ r 

 the race. This feeling the new captain intends to keen 

 down. The object of the crew will be to win, and if h e 

 succeeds in picking out for his crew men who will enthu- 

 siastically devote themselves, mind and body, to the work 

 we can begin to cherish hopes of victory." 



The Fall scratch races were rowed on the Charles Rivet- 

 on Saturday last, the course being one-half mile and re- 

 turn. The first race was for. single sculls, the boats coming 

 in as follows: Danforth, 1st; Weld, '76, 2d; James, 8d 

 Weld, '79, 4th; Lemoyne, 5th; Denton having fallen out 

 of the race. 



The second race was between four-oared boats, with the 

 following crews and positions: Martin, '77; Katzenbich" 

 '79; Page, '77; Price, '79, inside; Wells, '78; Wells '??' 

 Weld, '79; .Gale, '79, second; Bird, '77; Brown, '77- Up' 

 ham, '77; Ives, '79, third; Raynor, '78; Powell, '77;Pres- 

 ton, '79; Earl, '79, outside. The start was even. The 

 Martin crew won by several lengths. 



The next race was for double sculls, but proved a fizzle, 

 Denton and Danforth pulling over the course at leisure. *' 



The concluding contest was between four six-oared boats 

 manned as follows: First boat — Wiley, '77, stroke; Per- 

 kins, L. S. S., 2d; Hastings, '76, 3d; James, L. S. S., 4th; 

 Riggs, '76, 5th, and Lemoyne, '78, bow. Second boat-- 

 Loring, stroke, Martin, '77, 2d; Crocker, '79, 3d; Preston, 

 '79, 4th; Katzenbach, '79, 5th; James, '79, bow. Third 

 boat— Wells, '76, stroke: Wetmore, '75, 2d; Wells, '79, 3d; 

 Morgan, '78, 4th; Upham, '77, 5th; Jacobs, '79, bow. 1 

 Fourth boat— Thayer, L. S. 8., stroke; Bancroft, '78, 2d- 

 Littaner, '78, 3d; Wetherbee, '78, 4th; Page, '.77, 5th; SMI- 

 leto, '75, bow. This race was well contested, andwas won 

 by the Wiley crew. 



Dartmouth.— The students of Dartmouth held their 

 Fall athletic sports on the 13th and 14th instants. The 

 most important event was the rowing match between the 

 Senior and Sophomore crews, in six-oared shells, over a 

 two and a half mile course. The Seniors took the' lead fit 

 the start, but were passed by the Sophomores, who came 

 in first in 14m. 85i:3. The Seniors, .however, claimed a 

 foul, which was, after much discussion, allowed, and the 

 race rowed over again on Friday afternoon. On this occa- 

 sion the Seniors also took the lead, but retained it to the 

 end, winning in 14m. 52-£s. 



Trinity.— A race was rowed on Saturday last between 

 two six-oared boats of the Trinity navy. The distance 

 was two miles, and the crews composed as follows, the 

 first two numed being short two men through sickness:— 

 Uppercrew— Prout, stroke; Sherman, DuBois, captain; 

 Rutherford, bow. Lower crew— Ebberts, captain and 

 stroke; Potwine, Bredin, Deuell, Roberts, Scott, how. 

 Referee— B. E. Warner, '76. Judges— Professor G. 0. 

 Holbrooke, J. D, Tuckerman, '76, W. V. Chapin, '78. in 

 endeavoring to clear a schooner the boats collided, and in 

 the melee the stroke of the upper class crew lost an oar. 

 The referee decided that the foul was the fault of the 

 lower class crew, and gave the race to the upper crew. 



fatiotml Igagtimez. 



the professional arena. 

 —The contest for the professional whip pennant is 

 nearly~over, and the closing record of Nov. 1st will find 

 the Boston Red Stockings possessors of the pennant for 

 the fourth time. This year the Athletics will occupy sec- 

 ond position, and as for third place, the fight is now pretty 

 close between Hartford and St. Louis, the former occupy- 

 ing third place, when the record was made up— Oct. 18th 

 — as will be seen by the appended table:— 



Club. 











. | 





















. '.XI 1 





p 



a 



c 



3d 



p 



SO 



3 

 o 



■2 1 « 



S .8 



3 13 



"3 



2 



.„ 



< 



-, 



r. 



3hIU 



^ 



Boston , 



Athletic 



Hartford 



St. Louis. 



Philadelphia ] 



Chicago , 



Mutual 



•-I 8| 7\ 7} 



•i 4 i 



4 •! 



4, 4, 



4 5! 



2 Ol 



6i BllOl 



71 7\ 6| 



4| 31 81 



5 5' 6 



...I 7| l| 

 3 Li 2i 



5 3 LI 



14 



n 



23 



18 



ir 



13 



Games Lost | 6l l9l t J4|g5ro0l3tM _J^ 



This table does not include forfeited games. 

 The record of all the games lost and won in the arena 

 since April 19th, and up to'October 18th, is as follows:— 



This week the Chicago and St.- Louis clubs play thetf 



