306 



FOEEST AND STREAM. 



ships, and mapping the lakes and rivers within their limits, 

 we returned to civilization at the end of August by the 

 same route on which we went out, except that the return 

 voyage down Moosehead Lake was made in our batteaux 

 instead of the steamboat. 



Our last camp was on the neck of land connecting Mt. 

 Kineo with the main land, and the next morning we as- 

 cended Kineo and took the height of the precipice, which, 

 if I recollect right, was 800 feet; but all my notes and 

 journals of that and similar expeditions were destroyed in 

 the Chicago fire of 1871. 



On one of our surveying trips I slipped while walking on 

 a burned log and sprained my knee so severely that my 

 comrades were obliged to take me in a boat to the home 

 camp and leave me to rest and recover by myself. Before 

 leaving me they arranged that I should meet them in one 

 week at the foot of Eagle Lake, where they expected to 

 arrive at that time. One of the batteaux had been left 

 there on a previous excursion for them to return in to the 

 home camp, but as it would be uncomfortably crowded 

 with the men and instruments I agreed to come down in 

 the birch canoe and thus relieve them on the return voy- 

 age, the distance being about twenty miles. My solitary 

 week at the home camp I have always remembered as one 

 of the distinctly marked and peculiarly delightful experi 

 ences of my life. My comrades were ten or twelve miles 

 distant, and no other human beings within a hundred 

 miles. The sense of solitude was indescribably impress- 

 ive, and I revelled in the luxurious feeling of independ- 

 ence and freedom from conventional cares and restraints. 

 My lameness obliged me to keep as quiet as possible, but 

 I used to take my rifle and fishing rod and hobble down to 

 the lake shore and sit on the rocks and fish, or get into the 

 canoe and go on exploring voyages up the bays and inlets. 

 I improved the opportunity to put my camp clothes in 

 thorough repair, and found no difficulty in keeping my- 

 self busy in sedentary pursuits, and with the aid of dili- 

 gent rubbing night and morning with opodeldoc I got my 

 injured limb into serviceable condition, and before the 

 week was out found myself able to put in practice a pro- 

 ject which had occupied my mind all the while. On one 

 of my excursions I had discovered the mouth of a very 

 considerable brook, which entered the lake within a mile 

 or two of the main outlet, through which I must pass to 

 reach the Eagle Lake. Its mouth was much choked with 

 drift wood, but half a mile above it was a beautiful, clear 

 stream, well stocked with trout. My plan was to spend a 

 day there on my way down to Eagle Lake, and catch a 

 mess of fish for the boys, well knowing how gladly tney 

 would welcome such a change from the regular camp fare 

 of hard tack and pork frizzled on a stick. I started, there- 

 fore, early in the morning, and the wind being fair 1 found 

 a dry, light spruce pole, which I rigged as a mast in the 

 canoe, and with my camp blanket tor a sail, and a good 

 load of stones for ballast, I ran down the shore merrily, 

 and reached the mouth of the brook before ten o'clock. 

 Then I dragged the canoe over the drift wood, and paddled 

 up stream to a suitable point for camping, and then landed 

 and hauled up the canoe and got out my fishing tackle 

 and made my way carefully to a point a few rods above, 

 where the brook made a sudden turn, just above which 

 was a deep hole, with two great beech trees hanging over 

 it, their gnarled roots projecting from the bank. In this 

 pool the trout were lying in schools close together, and at 

 first bit readily at a piece of pork, with which I caught a 

 good many, but all at once, as if by common consent, they 

 refused to meddle farther with it, and I then caught a 

 number of moose flies, somewhat smaller than bumble 

 bees, and found they rose to them at once. Before night I 

 had caught so many that when cleaned and split they filled 

 a firkin, in which 1 placed them in layers with a little salt. 

 Having finished just before night, I built a tire and cooked 

 my supper, and then stretched myself on my hemlock bed 

 for the night. Next morning, after breakfast, I resumed 

 my voyage, running down to the outlet with my sail. This 

 outlet, which is now dammed, as described by Dr. Thomp- 

 son, was then a very rapid stream, requiring skill in canoe 

 management to run through in safety. By the time I 

 reached Eagle Lake the wind had increased from the north- 

 west to such a degree that I could no longer use my sail, 

 but by keeping under the lee of the shore 1 made my way 

 till near noon, when I came to the entrance of a bay run- 

 ning up three or four miles, but not more than a mile 

 across at the mouth. The wind blew fearfully right down 

 the bay and across the lake, which was about two miles 



some tea tor my 

 do and having determined to make the attempt to cross, 

 I piled in a heavy load of ballast, hoisted my blanket, and 

 shoved off. By dint of hard paddling on the leeward side 

 I was rejoiced to find that the birch held her course better 

 than I had hoped, making but little lee way and shipping 

 but little water, and by the time I had got half way across 

 I felt easy and confident of success. But all at once my 

 mast snapped short off, and my blanket sail was the next 

 instant dragging in the water. I hauled it on board as soon 

 as possible, and resumed my paddling, but shortly found it 

 a hopeless tasK to try to reach the other side of the bay, 

 as the canoe, in spite of all my efforts, was drifting bodily 

 across the lake. All I could then do was to try to select the 

 best place to run ashore, and fortunately I was able to do 

 this on a sandy beach, where the waves were breaking, so 

 that the bows had no sooner touched than the whole canoe 

 was filled with water. I of course sprang overboard and 

 hauled her up on the beach as soon as possible, threw out 

 the ballast, and turned her over to empty her of water, 

 and was rejoiced to find she had received no injury. Then 

 I set about making myself comfortable, but thinking it 

 not unlikely that my comrades would be coming up the 

 lake in the batteau, I hoisted my blanket as a flag on a 

 nole which I stuck in the sand beside the canoe, to attract 

 their attention. Then I went a few rods back in the woods, 

 and, selecting a good spot, kindled a fire and busied my- 

 self drying my clothes and preparing a bed. This occu- 

 pied me till near sundown, wnen I began to think of sup- 

 per, and had just hung my kettle on the fire, and got ready 

 to fry some fish, when I heard a shout, and running down 

 to the shore found my comrades crowded into the batteau 

 and coming in shore to learn the meaning of my signal. 

 The wind by this time had subsided, and they landed with- 

 out difficulty, and upon learning of the provision I had 

 made for them they at once decided to go no farther that 

 night. Of course there was no end of fun and banter over 

 my mishap, but the trout supper was the object of prevail- 

 ing interest, and its enjoyment in anticipation, realization, 

 and subsequent discussion, afforded a degree of pleasure 



which can only be realized under similar circumsl ances, 

 when the simplest comforts of ordinary civlized life be- 

 come so difficult of attainment as to assume the character 

 of luxuries. 



I know not if a single one of my companions on that 

 expedition still lives. The two officers who were associa- 

 ted with me have been many years in their graves, but as 

 I recall the incidents of that Summer in the wilderness 

 their spirits rise vividly before me. I hear their quaint 

 jokes and merry laugh at the evening camp fire when re- 

 counting the occurrences of the day. I see the graceful 

 waving of hemlock boughs as the bright flame shows them 

 in strong relief against the surrounding blackness, and for 

 the moment I fancy myself once more young and active, 

 and enjoying the freedom of forest life; and as the vision 

 fades away, and leaves only in its place the realities of to- 

 day, I am still thankful for the possession of even the 

 memory of scenes and events with which I have so many 

 pleasant associations. H. W. S. Cleveland. 



Chicago, December 12t7i, 1875. 



THE BASS QUESTION. 



[From the Live Stock Journal.] 



IN reply to Mr. Yeomans' letter in our October number, 

 we will say that his complaint of the bass growing 

 scarce in the Columbia reservoir and the lake in Coventry, 

 after devouring the other fishes, is precisely what has been 

 reported of the Potomac, but which is now denied. 



The Journal has steadily opposed the introduction of 

 this fish where waters were to be stocked for food. As a 

 sporting fish it is good, but we have repeatedly asked the 

 question, to which as yet no reply has been made: "Where 

 is the bass fishery that yields thetons of food furnished by 

 the shad, herring, sturgeon, whitefish, cisco, and the lake 

 trout fisheries?" 



In answer to the questions of Mr. Yeomans, as stated 

 above, it is a disputed point whether black bass are de- 

 structive to all other fishes. We do not think tlyit they are 

 more so than pickerel or yellow perch (the ring perch as it 

 is called South), still too much so to be a profitable fish. 

 They will take a good sized minnow. The character of 

 the bass may cause the difficulty in catching; they are a 

 capricious fish, taking the fly readily at some seasons and 

 places, and in other localities refusing it altogether. 

 They are a Summer fish, and it is doubtful if they feed at 

 all in Winter; they probably hybernate. To find the 

 most killing baits in your locality you will have to experi- 

 ment. Try the artificial fly of different patterns, live min- 

 nows, troll with spinning bait; if your waters are large 

 enough use a sail or row boat and a spoon on two hundred 

 feet of line with eight-foot rod and reel, or if small ponds 

 throw the spoon near the weeds with a stiff rod and draw 

 it sideways from the bow of the boat, or skitter with ar- 

 tificial minnow. For still fishing, use the tail of a craw- 

 fish which is very killing; or better than all baits for this 

 fish,' go up a swift stony brook and turn over the stones, and 

 when you see a horrible looking creature about two inches 

 lono- and half an inch wide, with a head and pincers like 

 a beetle, body compressed vertically, six legs on thorax, 

 and a lot of rings on the body, with a fringe to each one 

 that at first glance looks like legs, color dirty brown, body 

 terminating in two short tails, with two small hooks on 

 each, pick him up, he is harmless; get as many as you 

 want, and if bass don't bite at that they don't want any- 

 thing, or there are no bass to bite. The above very un- 

 scientific description refers to the larva of the hellgramite 

 fly {Gorydalis cornutus), and is called by the name of the 

 "hellgramite" in Pennsylvania, "dobson" in eastern and 

 "hellion" in western New York, besides other cognomens. 

 We do not know the range of thi3 insect, but find it in 

 the limestone waters of New York, under fiat stones in 

 swift streams. 



In this connection we would refer to the communication 

 of Prof. M. G. Ellzey, one of the Fish Commissioners of 

 Virginia, who being both a naturalist and a sportsman, his 

 opinions are entitled to great consideration:— 



THE PREDATORY HABITS OP BLACK BASS. 



I have noticed that many writers have taken the ground 

 that black bass {Gristes salmoides) will in time destroy all 

 other sorts of fishes which may be found in the waters 

 into which they are introduced. My interest as a sports- 

 man and my duty as a Fish Commissioner of Virginia, 

 have led me to examine the question. I have repeatedly 

 fished in the upper waters of the Roanoke for two years 

 past, where bass have been plenty for many years, and 

 find the usual varieties of catfish, suckers, sunfish, chubs, 

 minnows, etc., existing in great abundance in the same 

 pools in which I have been in the habit of catching the 

 bass. I have recently observed the same thing with re- 

 gard to Goose creek, "a large tributary falling into the Po- 

 tomac near Leesburg, in which I have fished ever since I 

 was four years old, having been born upon its banks. 

 Notwithstanding the presence of great quantities of bass, 

 the white chub, sunfish, stone-roller, etc., have never been 

 more abundant in that stream than now. Notwithstand- 

 ing what has been said and supposed, the bass fishing on 

 the Potomac has never been better than this season, nor 

 have the smaller varieties of fish appreciably diminished 

 in that river. In almost all the streams tributary to the 

 Ohio these fish exist, along with great abundance of other 

 sorts, and here they have existed ever since the discovery 

 of that country. It is, therefore, plain that as a general 

 thing these fish are incapable of exterminating other sorts 

 in the open waters of running streams. In confined ponds 

 the case may be different, for in such places there are few 

 weeds, rocks, shoals and other places affording protection 

 to small fry from the attacks of their predacious enemies. 

 Nor is the black bass by any means a pond fish, but during 

 the whole season, from early Spring to late Autumn, is 

 found in the rapids, only retiring to deep still water at the 

 approach of Winter. The Gristes nigricans, on the con- 

 trary, scarcely exists in running streams, and is by nature 

 exclusively a pond fish. Very inferior in every respect to 

 the former species, it is nevertheless often confounded 

 with it. In some waters, at certain seasons, this fish can 

 scarcely be taken with a hook, and may in small lakes and 

 ponds so diminish the supply of other fish as to spoil the 

 fishing, being itself a very capricious biter. But the 

 Gristes salmoides is truly a game fish, and may always be 

 taken with certainty either with minnows, crayfish (or 

 crawfish), small frogs, or with the artificial fly. Fly fish- 

 ing for them is scarcely inferior sport to fly fishing for 



trout. Nor do I believe any one need fear that they will 

 exterminate other fish inhabiting the streams with them. 



M. G. Ellzey. 



t , -«*4» 



lX KELTS AND SMOLTS. 



♦ 



The following instructive correspondence appears in the 

 London Meld of Dec. 4th. Let our fish breeders pre- 

 serve it: — 



Sir:— There can be little doubt that the preservation of 

 kelts after a certain date is a mistake. In an ordinary 

 season, and when the natural flow of water during the 

 Spring months carries most of the spawned fish down to 

 the sea, little mischief is done; but occasionally, as in 

 such a season as 1875, an immense number of foul fish lie 

 about the pools of a river and eat up everything within 

 their reach. I suppose it may be accepted as a fact that 

 what is called a well-mended kelt, either male or female, 

 has flourished upon food of some sort. Now what can 

 this food possibly be, except what has been fairly intimated 

 by your correspondents during the last few w r eeks? After 

 spawning, kelts must and ought to be protected. They are 

 then, as eveiy salmon fisher knows, weak, deformed, re- 

 pulsive in appearance, and altogether incapable of escaping 

 the poacher. If Nature allows it, and there is a good 

 flow of water, they soon drop down to the sea, are out of 

 harm's way, and instantly begin to recruit for their suc- 

 ceeding voyage up the river. On the other hand, perhaps 

 the river is almost dry; large, long, deep pools afford a 

 convenient asylum for days, weeks, even months. From 

 these lairs they issue, and, I firmly believe, live on their 

 children and grandchildren. How many times has every 

 rod fisher rued the destruction of some favorite and valua- 

 ble fly, a good casting line, perhaps even a strained rod, 

 owing to the voracity of these wolves of the pool, well- 

 mended or otherwise. But I will not further allude to the 

 annoyances the rod-fisher has to contend with in conse- 

 quence of the late migration of kelts. I am, however, 

 convinced, after an experience of many years, that there 

 should be some date fixed for the termination of their an- 

 nual preservation. A well-mended kelt after tiiat date 

 would be good for your gillie, if not for yourself, and you 

 would have some small satisfaction in landing and killing 

 a stout, strong fish, which you may very possibly have 

 taken for a clean one until it is actually on the bank and 

 cut into. I maintain that more good than harm is done 

 by killing such a fish. He and his numerous allies have 

 been doing unmeasurable mischief, and at least he does' 

 not return to do more. A friend of mine is now just re- 

 turning from a certain northern river. I wonder how 

 many legally clean fish he has killed, and how many ova 

 those legally clean fish contained! Rest assured that, in 

 any season, very little mischief could be done by killing 

 kelts after a certain date, and in many positive good would 

 accrue from the practice. But I would allow the gravid 

 fish of October and November to go up their rivers in 

 peace. A. R. T. 



Sir-.— That smolts and also much larger fish are not too 

 big for kelts to eat, I think the following will prove:— 

 Early this Spring I went to fish a deep "catch" on the 

 Verniew. When just about to throw, 1 saw a trout of, I 

 am certain, much over half a pound — indeed, I believe him 

 to have been nearer a pound— taking some small duns as 

 they came down the stream. I stopped a moment, hoping 

 he would swim off, when suddenly a large kelt dashed at 

 him and carried him away in his mouth. I saw the trout 

 for a moment out of the water in the kelt's mouth, and 

 noticed both the long hook on the lower jaw of the latter 

 and his lankness as well as the color of his scales. I am 

 therefore sure, though he took his prey across the middle, 

 he was not a pike ; 



The trout was on the top of the water, and the kelt 

 came at him, not with a run, but a regular head-and tail 

 rise, in tne way a salmon so often takes a fly. 

 \f H. Owen Johnes, Conservator of the Severn. 



Trederwen House, Llansaintffraid, near Oswestry, Nod. Wth. 



[Nothing could be more to the purpose than the ahove 

 case. Similar instances have been mentioned within our 

 memory in the Field years ago, and no doubt when atten- 

 tion is called to the point there will be no lack of con- 

 firmation.— Ed. 



The Last of the Pennsylvania Elk.— In the Quaker 

 State is an Elk county, so named from the abundance of 

 Elk that once roamed its forests. Some six years ago the 

 last of this race passed away — exterminated by the market 

 hunters. A. correspondent of the Germantown Telegraph 

 tells the history of the exploit in the following words: — 



"Six years ago, we had in our woods the only wild elks 

 left in the State of Pennsylvania, (seven in number.) They 

 had been hunted hard for two Winters, but had escaped 

 the hunter's rifle. I saw the fresh foot-prints of these 

 noble deer in the Summer. One old bull had a track as 

 large as a two-year old steer. But a deep snow fell in the 

 following March, and after it came a light rain, this freez- 

 ing on the snow formed a hard crust. Then came a halt 

 dozen worthless half breeds, from the Indian Reservation 

 in the State of New York, with dogs and snow shoes. 

 They found the poor half-starved beasts yarded in the 

 deep snow. The men and dogs could run on the crust, 

 but the elk, trying to escape, broke through up to their 

 backs, and in this way soon became an easy prey. I hey 

 took out one (a calf) alive, the rest they killed for their 

 hides, taking but little of the meat. Thus perished tne 

 last of a noble race— the last elk I believe in the State oi 

 Pennsylvania." 



The same writer says that by the change made last Win- 

 ter in the game law, by which the close season for hunting 

 deer was restricted to the two months of September and 

 October, hundreds of deer have been saved to Elk and ad- 

 joining counties. More deer have been killed in Decem- 

 ber heretofore than in all the rest of the year; many oi 

 them having been taken by steel traps set in their runways, 

 the animals beating themselves to a jelly, rendering the 

 meat black and unfit for use. 



—An honest California farmer sent to the Illinois State 

 Fair the heaviest fleece of wool on record, its total ^eignt 

 being a trifle over fifty pounds. The Wool Growers As- 

 sociation had it scoured and weighed. There proved to De 

 thirty-eight pounds of grease and dirt in it and two pouuua 

 of burrs, so that it was a case oi more fleece than wool 



