FOREST AND STREAM. 



hauling red-fish, the piscator can row homeward, aided by 

 the tide, catch cavalli or red-fish on his return, and at the 

 house indulge in a dinner or supper of the best, and at 

 night retire to sleep in a good bed. At Homosassa 1 thor- 

 oughly tested the jack lamp manufactured by the White 

 Manufacturing Company, Bridgeport, Ct., and can assure 

 the readers of the Forest ahd Stkeam that I found it 

 more than satisfactory. The old-fashioned lire pan is not 

 to be compared to it for convenience and efficiency. The 

 first pair of eyes I saw lighted up by the lamp looked like 

 stars of the first magnitude. To any and all who intend 

 engaging in night hunting I would say, provide a jack 

 lamp. For night hunting it is unequalled; for the camp it 

 is convenient and efficient, and for sailing or rowing at 

 night, it is unsurpassed. 



Three of the party decided to remain at Homosassa, and 

 the remainder reluctantly left the dock at 7 A. M. on 

 Thursday. After a pleasant ride on the mill-pond like sur- 

 face of the gulf for fifty miles, we reached Cedar Keys at 

 11 P. M. We left the Keys at 8 A. M. on Thursday,' and 

 arrived at Jacksonville at 10 P M. But one opinion was 

 expressed by those who returned, and that was, that the 

 dose might be repeated. In addition to the expenses re- 

 ferred to I will add six days' board at Homosassa, $12; 

 lodging and breakfast at the Keys, $1; dinner at Baldwin, 

 75 cents; fare from Cedar Keys to Jacksonville, $6. Total 

 for a ten days' trip, $3150, or $3.45 per day. 



Al Fjresco, 



THREE 



— ■— -- — — fr*-» ■ — - 



For Forest and Stream. 

 EXCURSIONS IN 1858. 



"OT that I denied myself the pleasure of a fourth the 

 same year, fori took another which was the longest 

 and most enjoyed, and will require a separate letter prop- 

 erly to report it. But the three winch preceded are natur- 

 ally grouped together, as occurring in the same general di- 

 rection, within six or eight weeks of each other, and as be- 

 ing alike brief, though very differently characterized. The 

 destination in each case was peculiar, as was also the sport. 

 The fourth was directly into the heart of the Northern 

 Wilderness; but the first, second and third were to places 

 along its northwestern frontier. 



I. I was walking in Genesee-street one day near the first of 

 June, when a friend, knowing my proclivities, announced 

 that a party was about to visit Redfleld in a day or two, 

 and inviied me to join it, which I accepted. That is a 

 kind of invitation I never knew how to decline, if within 

 the range of practicability. "Oh the fysshing companie 

 is the best companie." Who ever saw an angling party set 

 out on an excursion with other than hilarious countenances 

 and a merry glee? If they return otherwise it is enough 

 to account for the change that the sport is past and the en- 

 joyment over. I went home sooner than I intended, and 

 could think of nothing but getting my traps in readiness. 

 It turned out that my friend could not go, so that the party 

 consisted of three, instead of four — one whom I shall call 

 George, an excellent fisherman and citizen; another who 

 is entitled to be known by the name of Pickwick, having 

 many qualities in common with that redoubtable charac- 

 ter, and myself. I shall have occasion to speak of these 

 also in another letter. All things in readiness we were off 

 for Camden by rail, and thence by stage to Redfield. This 

 place is in a higher latitude than tJtica, and as we ap- 

 proached it the weather grew no less colder very fast; in 

 fact, the clouds were flaky rather than otherwise. The ho- 

 tel was kept then by a Mr. Munger. Having arrived in 

 the shades of evening, as soon as George was identified by 

 him the first inquiry was: "What brought you up here in 

 this snow-storm?" And yet he must have Known the true 

 answer; so George left him to his own reflections. It was 

 cold, the water was high, and the fishing none of the best; 

 still, we exercised not without reward. 



George and Pickwick brought guns with them, and 

 their attention was turned to shooting. I heard Pick- 

 wick deliver himself as follows: "Now, George, the pig- 

 eons are alighting in that field. I want you to take this 

 blanket and your gun and go there, and be a stump. You'll 

 get some of them." But George did not wish to be 

 stumped in that fashion, and declined. After a while they 

 sauntered forth with their guns, while I took my rod. In 

 the course of the morning, meeting George, we were sur- 

 prised to hear in a neighboring woods very frequent reports 

 or discharges. "Mr. P. must be finding game — possibly a 

 roost." "Oh, no," said he, who knew the man better than 

 I; "he came out to shoot, and shoot he will, at nothing or 

 at something." At length the firing ceased and Pickwick 

 appeared, unattended by a single feather. "Where's your 

 game?" we asked. "Oh, I have'nt shot anything," he an- 

 swered; "I only fired to hear the gun go off. I like the 

 music so." But I saw him, while there, bring down a pig- 

 eon on the wing as well as it could be done. And this re- 

 minds me to say that 1 caught the shooting fever from my 

 companion, to which, in early life, I was very subject. 

 George saw me then and there bring down a pigeon on the 

 wing three times in successive shots. I know that this is a 

 light affair in these days of wonderful shooting and bulls- 

 eye hits at long ranges; but it will do for an amateur — one 

 who has never yet reported himself as used to powder. 

 Yet in the long run I see an host of witnesses rise up more 

 against than for me, in the form of squirrels, gray, red 

 and black, partridges, plover, snipe, ducks, woodcock, 

 crows and pigeons- The last time I fired a gun I killed 

 two out' of three ducks, and brought them home before 

 breakfast. I remember when, with a party, having choice 

 of rod or gun, I chose the latter, and six gray squirrels 

 was the result. But in the North Woods, unless one leaves 

 the water courses with some peril of confusion, there is 

 surprisingly little temptation to carry a gun. A deer I de- 

 cline to shoot; amuskrat I don't want; a loon I could'nt 

 hit. I never saw one shot in my life by any body. I 

 might bring down an owl occasionally, but there is little 

 to reward one's extra efforts in going to the woods loaded 

 down, as well as loaded up. We all shot pigeCms and we 

 all caught trout. I remember taking a large trout in a 

 meadow near the house— in full sight of it, and not many 

 rods away; and one day I followed down a tributary 

 stream, taking as many as I cared to take. The weather 

 daily improved while we were there, and we returned with 

 plenty and to spare for friends and neighbors. 



II." A few weeks later, George, Ego, and son, entered into 

 partnership for a few days, to engage in the bass catching 

 business. Our destination was the Fox and Grenadier 

 Islands, in Lake Ontario, which we approached by the way 

 of Chaumont. There, engaging the services of a captain, 

 with his revenue cutter, we took to the bay, enjoying a 



fine breezy sail across k to the very narrow isthmus or sand- 

 bar, which separates it from the great lake. There, of 

 course, all hands disembarked, and tugged away at the boat 

 to bear her forward to broader waters. She soon walked 

 them like a thing of life, so that in due time both Pox and 

 Grenadier were overtaken. Nor were these the only things 

 we overtook; for our friends of the bass family were there 

 in vast numbers, in schools and out of schools, eager tu 

 show every attention to what appeared to be the wishes of 

 their guests. I fed them on that occasion with spoon vic- 

 tuals, making use of a choice Buel, which did great exe- 

 cution, leaving nothing to be desired in its place, and find- 

 ing me incessantly as much to do as I could possibly at- 

 tend to. So also with George and son. Whatever there 

 is of delight in bass fishing — large, strong, numerous and 

 gamey — we experienced on that occasion. They are in- 

 deed prizes worthy of the sportsman's steel, or whatever 

 he fishes with. They are not slow, dull, sluggish and in- 

 ert, like a variety which I shall speak of presently, but ac- 

 tive, spirited, brave; and the way they shook their heads at 

 us at the surface of the water, when they discovered that 

 by hook or crook, they are not their own, and "that things 

 are not what they seem," I have seldom, if ever, seen sur- 

 passed. We sailed around those islands repeatedly, al- 

 ways followed by live stock, seemingly anxious to come 

 aboard, whom we accommodated as best we could in such 

 laudable desire, till finding our arms sufficiently exercised 

 for the day with their pulling and jerking, we stepped 

 ashore. A house was there, such as it was, where we tar- 

 ried for the night. As the shades of evening closed around 

 us we were supplied with a change of game. Bats were 

 plenty on the island and appeared to offer battle; so tak- 

 ing up the cudgels we attacked them, and rested standing 

 after the long sessions or Hie day. The bats are artful 

 dodgers, but we laid low some of them, till darkness inter- 

 fering, and not knowing what to do with them, we de- 

 sisted. By the way, that Buel spoon did equal execution 

 the next season, when I was with the Walton Club on the 

 Pulton chain of lakes. More pounds of fish were claimed 

 for it by my guide than were brought to camp by any 

 other tackle; audi have it in my power to demonstrate 

 that this opinion was generally concurred in. It rests 

 now, after a career of usefulness, at the bottom of Hem- 

 lock Lake, Livingston County. Even there it brought 

 several white trout ashore, besides pickerel. I lost it by 

 an act of gallantry. I had just before left the one house 

 there, and had commenced to troll- A lady followed to 

 the shore, to whom I beckoned invitingly, to know if I 

 might have the pleasure of her company, Receiving an 

 affirmative, I returned too directly, not allowing for the 

 length of line, so that the spoon sank to rise no more, be- 

 coming inextricably fastened down. Reqwiescat in p®Ge\ 



III. In the morniug our business was bass fishing again till 

 satisfied, when we returned to Chaumont. There the part- 

 nership which had been was dissolved for the present by 

 mutual consent. George and son went home, while Ego 

 pushed researches farther northward, and brought up at 

 Alexandria. 1 took the steamer at Cape Vincent, and so 

 passed through or among the Thousand Islands, charmed, 

 of course, and delighted with the scenery. Mr. Crossmon 

 met me on the boat pleasantly, as his manner is, and I 

 abode with him. It is due to him to say that he was kind 

 and attentive while I was his guest as he could be, aud it 

 is well understood, and loug has been, that he is a genial 

 man. He soon named a guide for me — one of the best — 

 named Westcott, with whom I had several very successful 

 adventures. It was good to be there. The views from 

 his Gibraltar were enough amply to repay one for a visit. 

 How admirable, as a river, is the vast St. Lawrence, roll- 

 ing a volume of water to the ocean sufficient lor a thous- 

 and noted streams, around a thousand lovely islands; and 

 the water is as fresh as it is copious. Not like the Missou- 

 ri's turbid tide, but rather di inking water of the rain of 

 heaven. If the course of true love does not run smooth, 

 the Father of Waters should be apprized of it; for it is 

 said his course is much more troubled and worried after 

 marriage— i. e. after Miss Ouri becomes Mrs. Ippi. 



I devoted a day to fishing for pickerel, dining on one of 

 the islands, and then resting over, the evening and the 

 morning were the second day. On the latter occasion we 

 passed on five or six miles down the river, tarrying over 

 night with a farmer, whose house was on the right bank 

 of the river. As soon as 



"Aurora, now fair daughter of the dawn, 

 Sprinkled with rosy light the dewy lawn" 



we took to our boat again, and commenced thinning out 

 the pickerel. The result of the two fishings was about 

 fifty of these slimy denizens of the water. One of them 

 weighed eleven pounds, and in Utica was called a maskal- 

 onge; but I heard no such name applied to it on the St. 

 Lawrence. With all the natural charms of this region, all 

 the felicities which belong to it, and all the success which 

 attended my piscatorial efforts — such, I suppose, as I could 

 not hope for again — I yet must pronounce this style of 

 fishing very unsatisfactory to me as a sportsman. To sit 

 for hour s, having comparatively nothing to do, positively 

 nothing in the way of skill or activity, watching the clumsy 

 tips of two clumsy poles, which the boat holds and not the 

 fisherman; to observe a jerk on one of them; then first to 

 lift the *pole aboard and lay it down; next to pull in a 

 clumsy fish, who makes no objection to the operation, but 

 comes forward like a stick or log; to hit him on the head 

 and place him in a basket, long, slimy, and repulsive, is 

 not at all my beau ideal of the art of angling. With no 

 fault to find in the matter with any one or any thing, I am 

 quite content to relinquish this kind of sport forever. 

 Even while on the ground I sighed for the North Woods, 

 and would gladly have taken a short cut to them away. 

 One who has enjoyed the pleasure of managing a speckled 

 trout weighing two or more pounds, with pliant rod and 

 spinning reel, amid his native haunts, and landing him at 

 length in beauty, covered with attractions, need not yearn 

 much to catch a pickerel. Amateur. 



UUca, Deo. 11th, 1875. 



THREE 



WEEKS IN 

 WOODS. 



For Forest and Stream. 

 THE MAINE 



WE were to go to the north woods of Maine. Imag- 

 ine us, then, all prepared at the foot of Moosehead 

 Lake, and on board the steamer which was to carry us 

 some thirty miles towards the north pole, and there leave 

 us to shift for ourselves. While gliding over this charm- 

 ing inland sea, we will lose but little time if we introduce 

 our guides in form. 



Uncle John steps out from the admiring crowd which 

 has already gathered around him on the forward deck. 

 Long white hair and beard give him a venerable appear- 

 ance; a somewhat stooping form would seem to indicate 

 that age had already undermined his strength ; one eye was 

 all he could "go" on anything, for the other had been 

 placed on the retired list some time since . A greenhorn 

 would decline to believe that when he looked "at Uncle 

 John he saw before him the most renowned hunter of the 

 Moosehead country; a man who had, by mere woodcraft, 

 conducted the surveying parties who ran the township 

 lines through what was then literally a pathless wild ; who 

 knows every hill, stream, pond, and brook in the State so 

 well that he not only can name them every one, but can 

 tell the direction of all from any stand-point he may choose, 

 and the distance of each from the other; and moreover, 

 we verily believe there is not a good "hole" for trout in the 

 Maine waters unknown to him. As for strength and skill, 

 he acknowledges no superior on shore or in a birch, which 

 he manages like a toy, and in which he will go where any 

 living man, white or red, can float. 



Ike, our other companion, is a giant, physically, for to 

 his six feet and odd inches of length he adds breadth and 

 brawn enough for a Hercules; so straight that he bends 

 over backward, with an eye like a hawk and sinews like 

 iron; quick-tempered, but good-natured, a jolly good fel- 

 low, and true as steel. Born, reared, and educated in the 

 woods, it is only necessary to state that he is a pupil of 

 Uncle John's to place him in a rank second to none. As 

 for ourselves, we are modest. 



The outfit which we found to answer all requirements, 

 combining what was absolutely indispensable with the least 

 possible amount of weight, consisted for each of an entire 

 suit of very heavy flannel underclothing, a heavy blue 

 flannel outside shirt, an entire suit of "moleskin," or cor- 

 duroy, a rubber coat, woolen socks, (an extra pair conve- 

 nient), stout shoes, felt hat, rubber blanket, and two woolen 

 ones; a wall tent for ourselves and a shelter for the guides, 

 a small cooking apparatus,, a shot gun apiece, one rifle, 

 ammunition, a fly rod and tackle for each, and an opera 

 glass apiece, with a few groceries. 



Our rcute was that known as the "Baker Lake Route" to 

 the few who know anything about it, and is reputed the 

 wildest and hardest one in the State. As we were the first 

 party who had been over it for years, and as our guides, 

 before they reached the end, had repeatedly declared that 

 they would never come o^er it again, we concluded that 

 the reputation was a just one, the more especially as F., 

 who has seen all the head-waters in Maine, declares that he 

 has taken no trip whieh can compare with it for hard 

 work, long carries or portages, quick water, and no water 

 at all. 



Leaving Greenville, a little village at the foot of Moose- 

 head Lake, at about four o'clock on the afternoon of Sep- 

 tember 18th, we steamed up the lake against a miniature 

 nor' wester, and landed at the northwest carry at about 

 midnight. Here our woodland life began, and it was with 

 rather a feeling of newly-acquired responsibility that we 

 saw ourselves thrown entirely upon our own resources by 

 the severing of the last connecting link between us and 

 civilization by the departure of the "Governor."' No time 

 was lost, however, in speculation as to our future; each 

 went at once to work at his allotted task, and in a short 

 time, by the friendly light of a bright, full moon, a de- 

 lightful camping ground was found, everything arranged, 

 and we in the arms of Morpheus. 



At daylight next morning we were in our canoes, and 

 soon a pair of ducks and a "musquash" gave us our first 

 game, as well as our breakfast. A short paddle up the in- 

 let, and a carry of about a mile and a half, brought us to 

 Penobscot waters, a lakelet in the Seboomook meadow. 

 While passing down the outlet of this pond, leading into 

 the west branch of the Penobscot, we passed over the first 

 beaver dam we had seen. While paddling up the dead 

 water of the west branch we were at liberty to enjoy the 

 varied tints of Autumn foliage. In this latitude Winter 

 sets in early, and already the forest had begun to assume 

 the crimson aud gold, which blended with the varieties of 

 the evergreen and the still untouched leaves of the hard 

 wood growth, gave some of those gorgeous color pictures 

 for which the American woods are so justly noted. The 

 perfectly smooth waters of the stream, reflecting with the 

 exactitude of a mirror the forms and tints on the banks, 

 heightened the effect greatly. Having reached Big Island, 

 we went into camp, and while the guides were preparing 

 for the night's rest, we went off for trout, and after about 

 an hour's fishing counted some thirty six, all told, averag- 

 ing three-quarters of a pound, the best strike being one 

 whereby two fish, aggregating a pound and a half, were 

 taken and landed at oue cast. The favorite fly at this sea- 

 son, and in this water, seems to be the "green fiy." The 

 red ibis also took well, while the Long Island favorite, the 

 brown hackle, was scarcely noticed. In short, a gaudy fly 

 is a killing fly in the upper Penobscot waters in Septem- 

 ber. At this camp Ike set out a trap for beaver, and caught 

 one. From here two days' hard paddling, poling, and 

 pushing brought us to a point where we left the Penob- 

 scot, and, carrying some three miles through the woods, 

 reached the St. Johns pond, and the first of the St. Johns 

 waters. This is easily related, but oh! the untold trials of 

 a carry! We remained in camp on the St. Johns pond two 

 days, on the second of which our party started out in 

 quest of caribou. F. and Ike went to the Abercognatic 

 bog, near the head of the west branch. After hunting 

 about for some hours, they paddled down through the bog, 

 when. F., by means of his glass, discovered some caribou 

 dead to leeward of him. He landed at once, and by dint 

 of much crawling, creeping, and running, managed to 

 get to leeward of them, and was fortunate enough to 

 find cover just where he needed it. The caribou, advanc- 

 ing slowly, had meanwhile come up to within what our 

 hunter considered shooting distance . This animal possesses 

 a great deal of natural curiosity, and the knowledge of this 

 fact induces the hunter, whenever he can get a shot at one 

 and kill, to lie quiet, and remain hidden after he has fired; 

 for though the rest of the herd will run off, still if there is 

 no sight or sound of the enemy to be had they will soon 

 return to try to discover what the trouble is with their 

 companion. In this manner, as many as half a dozen may 

 sometimes be killed from the same point, simply by the 

 hunter observing the precaution of lying perdu. F. then 

 being in position, waited till the game came within range, 

 and then, ignoring the stalking policy, stepped boldly forth 

 from his concealment and fired at the leader, a splekididolu 

 buck, dropping him in his tracks dead. The other; two, a 

 cow and calf, at once took up the line of march, an\d were 

 rushing off at a great rate, when a second shot f jrom * ♦ 



