66 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



crescmces resembling ihe claws of wild animals, and ap 

 patently the growtii of ages. Monstrous toadstools, and 

 rank poisonous looking flowers revelling in a dark luxuri- 

 ant growtii clustered about the roots, and underfoot a 

 carpeting of riciily nued mosses yielded to your slightest 

 pressure. In places huge granite boulders lay piled together 

 lorming arcnes over strange cavernous openings in the soil, 

 probably leading to the den of wolt or bear. No twitter- 

 ing biru on joyous wing, or chattering Squirrel leaping from 

 bough to bougb, cheered us wuh their presence. JNo sun- 

 beams glittering between the branches, and topping the 

 leaves wnu goiu unarmed, our sight. lu the gloomy twilight 

 horrid owls on silent wings, fluttered about like evil spirits— 

 Ik occupants of tiie dreary scene. Ou the decayed siump 

 of an old beech sat one of these harpies feasting on the 

 palpitating vitals of a hare, which he held tightly clutched 

 in ms laion^. For sometime we were quite at a loss as to 

 how we could best extricate ourselves fiom our unpleasant 

 dilemma. Listening attentively we heard what we thought 

 to oe tne tinkling oi a cow bell, but lelt doubtful about 

 putting any trust in it, the sound being imitated to perlec- 

 tion by tne moose-bird, which 1 knew to my cost, as on a 

 former occasion when retaining from a day's fishing with 

 a brother sportsman, now in oouth Airica, we were over- 

 taken by darkness in a dense lore&t, and l olio wed for some 

 time the tinkling of what we took to be a cow bell, but 

 "Which proved to be a moose-biid. Finding out our mistake 

 we naiooed, in hopes of being heard by tne friend at whose 

 bouse we were visiting. We Were heard and answered, 

 and led on from a comfortable tire on dry ground, until we 

 readied a swamp, when our friend tninkiug that some one 

 was mocking him gave up hallooing in reply to us, and we 

 bad to spend tbe night lu a dismal swamp. At daylight 

 wnat was our chagrin to find that we were within a few rods 

 Of the main road, fearing tnat the cow beii mignt also prove 

 a mere wiii-o'-tne-wiap, and lead us still deeper into 

 the mazes of the forest, we did not accept of its 

 guidance. Oace or twfee we had heard a strange sound 

 resembling the booming of distant cannon, bometimes 

 we could near it distinctly, then it would fade away like 

 tbe wind sighing among the trees, again we could hear 

 it at measuied intervals, and noting ine direction from 

 "which it came we leit convinced uuii it was the surf bieak 

 ing on tbe sea snore. As we bad utterly tailed to find the 

 old winter road and the prospect of our doing so was not 

 very encouraging, we decided upon trying to reach the 

 coast. 



After traveling for about a mile in the direction of the 

 sound, we could near the faurf breaking on the shore quite 

 di&anctly, and pusniug on with renewed spirits we at 

 lengtn arrived at a small bay and clambered down the 

 cliffs to ihe shore. 



i at once recognized the place as the scene of a former 

 excursion in qu st of wild ducks. 1 knew the ground suf- 

 ficiently well 10 be aware of tue fact that if we followed 

 the shore tor about two miles, we would be able to regain 

 the main road. Although pretty well fagged out, we had 

 no time to rest, as the uue was using rapiuiy and darkness 

 creeping on apace. It seemed that we were getting out ot 

 the ir>iug pau into the hie, or in our case read water, 

 as on reaching a prominent headland, we discovered that 

 the tide had stolen a march upon us, and we had to double 

 t »e cape, walking to our knees in water. On reaching terra 

 fi na we found our&elves in a regular cut de mc between 

 two headlands, 'there was not a moment to be lost, 

 aua we started at racing speed along the beach with our 

 dogs at our heels, But the advancing tide was again 

 victorious, and the surf rolling in huge waves over a mass 

 of lock which had become deiached and fallen away Irom 

 tJie mainland, ban ed our progi ess. We were both good 

 swimmers and by abandoning our guns and game, we 

 might; swim around the cape, uut 1 was not sufficiently fa- 

 miliar with the ground «--n the other side to warrant me in 

 encouraging my mend to risk. it. The only alternative 

 left was to try and hud a place in the cliffs which we could 

 scale. In this we signally failed. The cliffs rose clean and 

 smooth lor lully 1UU leel above our heads, without present- 

 ing sufficient lootholds tor a cat. Some ten feet above the 

 shore there were one or two places where we might get 

 standing room, out a& there was evidence of their not being 

 above high water maik, it would have been mere folly to 

 risk it. We weie at our wits end. lasting my eyes aboui 

 i» despair of finding any way of escape 1 noticed a reef of 

 rocks jutting out into the bay; the end nearest the shore 

 was covered with sea weed, but at the extreme seaward 

 end the rocks rose to a considerable height, forming what 

 I afterwards learned was called the Thumb \Jap. They 

 looked ury and weie comparatively above high water mark. 

 This seemed the only chance lelt us, and we determined to 

 try it. The tide was rising rapidly and even now washed 

 our feet, and the surf almost carried our legs from under 

 us as we gained the slippery, weed covered rocks. With 

 great difficulty, and in constant peril of being washed oft, 

 we clambered irom rock to lock, encouraging each other 

 and accompanied by our faithful dogs, w bo casting wist- 

 ful glauces into our faces, seemed to enter into and sympa 

 thite with our mutual danger. At one point we thought 

 that we would have to abandon our guns, but W. succeeded 

 in gaining a secure footing, ami 1 passed them up to him. 

 After desperate exertions we reached tbe highest pinnacle 

 of our eyrie, and completely exhausted we seated ourselves 

 on the bare rock. Eex was with us but Gipsey was miss- 

 iag. Looking down from our peich, in search of her, I 

 saw her swimming for the rock upon which we were seated. 

 Sue must have lo*t her footing and slipped into the water. 

 To attempt lo reach her was a perilous undertaking, but 

 with the assistance of W. 1 determined to try it. Creep- 

 ing down the rocks as far as practicable, 1 Jay out at full 

 leu jtli, W. bracing himseli and grasping my leg to prevent 

 my slipping off. The moment 1 put out my hand the in- 

 telligent animal swam to it, sud allowed me to drag her 

 up. And all of us rtacheu our perch again in safety. 



It was now sundown, and our little ruck was completely 

 suirounded by the tide. On the shore where we had stood 

 a few moments ago, the waves were rolling in and spend- 

 ing their fury ou the old cliffs, recalling in the most vivid 

 manner Tennyson's beautiful: 



"Break, break, break, at the foot of thy crags, oh! sea." 



Foi weary hours we sat upon our airy perch. The first 

 hour was one of intense anxiety to us as we were not cer- 

 tain that we might not be washed off by the surf if the 

 wind rose. Fortunately it Was perlectly calm, and with 

 delight we hailed ihu first indications of the tailing tide. 

 V\ hh a leeling of im xpiesMble relief we tilled our pipes 

 and chatted over the a. i ventures of the day. As soon as 

 the tide permitted, we came down from our pinnacle and 

 walking along tbe beach for two miles we found a break 



in tbe frowning cliffs, which we were able to scale and in 

 a few minutes reached tbe main road. 



P ASSAM AQTJODDY . 

 «»«»■ — 



THE LTJN EN BURGER'S MISTAKE. 



TKUE or false, that amusing story of Uncle Dan'l and 

 the Mississippi steamboat in Clemens and Warner's 

 delightful "Golden Age," has a parallel in a Nova Scotian 

 ttadition concerning the truth of which, if we are to be- 

 lieve its possessors, there is no shadow or shade of doubt, 

 being "raal fact— every blessed bit of it." 



It is not generally known nowadays that tbe first steam- 

 ship which crossed the Atlantic— the Savannah, of Ameri- 

 can build, launched in 1817— was also the first to visit 

 Halifax, after her return from Europe. Two fishermen, 

 father and son, from the neighboring Dutch settlement of 

 Lunenburg were plying their vocation on that memorable 

 occasion. All the day had been calm, but luck poor; and 

 nightfall found them with only half a "fare," drifting off 

 tbe entrance to Halifax harbor, and tbe guiding light of 

 Lambro twinkling in the distance like a star. 



"Hans," said the father, "you 'member now vat I says. 

 Ven you zee von lighthouse dwinkle ash dat shost now, vy 

 dot means haze; uud haze means von fine night, und py- 

 and-py a leedle gloudy. Und in gloudy und ealm vedder 

 der visch pite like Sharks. Dis fare so leedle ve got now 

 not vortb dakin' in, Hans; zo ve stays out all night, und 

 goes home in der mornin' mit her full to the kuunel, my 

 zon— vat you dinks?" 



"All right, vauer," said the obedient Hans, in ready ac- 

 quiesence. 



Hours went by. A brisk rally, in which the bites came 

 so thick and fast that our fishers scarce had time to clear 

 their hooks for the next cast, had passed, leaving their boat 

 with room for but little more, and the Dutchers were 

 dwadling over their cold lunch like men who know that 

 they have plenty of time and can afford to luxuriate, when 

 suddenly appeared on the dusky horizon, as to the elixir- 

 seekers of Bulwer's "Strange Story," a vast and solitary 

 eye of fire." Its rapidity of approach over the becalmed 

 waters excited tbe wonder, and then the fear of the ob- 

 servers. When at length the grimy, uncouth hull and outre 

 rig, the huge black funnels, uisembogueing vast volumes 

 of red-illuinined smoke, the tierce flash of molten slag and 

 cinder pouring from beneath the sponsous into the hissing 

 sea, coupled with the thunder of the paddles, the loud 

 pant of escaping steam, and dismal clank of the engines 

 burst upon eye and ear, their terror was complete. They 

 fell upon their knees, but their frozen tongues refused to 

 utter tbe confused appeal lor mercy and protection that 

 took part shape in their bewildered souls. And thus they 

 remained until the awful apparation drew abeam, then 

 passed astern without sign of notice, and with undimin- 

 ished speed closed rapidly in with the land. Then our fish- 

 ers, hopeful of having escaped observation, recovered their 

 suspended speech. Hans was first to break silence. Witb 

 a long breath, he ejaculated rather than asked:— 



"Mein Gott in HimmeJ, father I Vat ish dat?" 



Slowly the answer came in bated breath:— "Sh-h, ton't 

 spoke zo loudt! Hans, my zon, dat ish der tuyfel." 



Hans cogitated. Freseutly the monster disappeared 

 behind Lambro Head. Then Hans grew bolder, and skep- 

 ticism began to rear its "brazen front" amid his thoughts. 



"Fader! You dink zo dat dings vas the tuyfel vor sure?" 



"My zon I \at else coodl it pe?" 



"Veil, fader, I dinks it might pe Oldt Ponybarty. He 

 knows the plack art, you know, and b'raps he made der 

 tuytels make him dat concern to get off St. Helena mit, 

 und now bees gomiu' to kill der Euglishmens, und plow up 

 der citadel, purn der town, und zink der fessels." 



Hardly were the words uttered than the awful shriek of 

 the steamer s whistle raved among the hills, and tore the 

 silence asunder. Down fell the Dutchmen— this time prone 

 among their fish— but when the unearthly scream ceased, 

 Hans cautiously raised his head. "M«iu Gott!" he ejacu- 

 lated, "is it gomin' pack for us?" 



"Bray, my son, bray," responded the old man. "I can't. 

 It ish der tuyfel, poy— nopoddy but der tuyfel can snore, 

 Uud grunt, and fissel all in one breat' like ash dat!" 



"Veil, I s'bose it must pe," conceded Hans, "cos I bear 

 der beeples always say dat the tuyfel is comiu' to Halifax. 

 But I don't nefer hear somepoddy tell dat he vas goin' to 

 pring all bell mit him, pesides." N. W. Beckwith. 



For Forest and Stream. 

 NOTES FROM TENNESSEE. 



Nashville, Tenn., August 5th, 1876. 



IN the early times of Middle Tennessee, the territory at 

 present occupied with bright grain and waving corn, 

 was densely thronged with tall, grim sentinels of the 

 forest. It was populated by a tribe of aborigines, through 

 whose agency the heavens were often illuminated witb the 

 flames arising from the huts of auven'urous settlers, the 

 work of whose ready and willing hands and quick brains 

 was destroyed in a short time. Cereals now grow upon, 

 and handsome residences mark, the spots where the eaith 

 drank the red life-blood of hundreds of brave, hardy men, 

 against whom the savages waged a tierce warfare. In the 

 turbid waters of the Cumberland and its numerous tribu- 

 taries, tbe noble buck slacked his thirst and laved his feet. 

 Trees, which are now frequented by the agile squirrel, de- 

 ceitful oppossum and pugnacious raccoon, were formerly 

 the retreat of the shaggy bear and Qerce panther. Wolves 

 were plentiful in several counties, how known as such, but 

 then not designated by such an appellation, as the organi- 

 zation of the State was prevented by the many serious ob- 

 stacles presented in the way of Indian massacres and 

 destruction of camps. Volleys were fired upon persons 

 ascending or descending the Cumberland, and the whizz of 

 the leaden messengers of death was succeeded by many a 

 death shriek, and often replied to in such a determined 

 manner that the pale moon looked down upon the inani- 

 mate forms of red men, whose acts had been rewarded 

 with bullets fired by those, many of whose relatives had 

 fallen by the hands of painted warriors. 



Since the settlement of the greater portion of this part 

 of the proud old Volunteer State, the destruction of game 

 of all kinds has been prosecuted with such vigor, that but 

 a limited quantity is now left. Thanks to a wise legisla- 

 ture, a law lor the preservation of game in certain coun- 

 ties was enacted. It provides that deer shall not be hun'ed 

 or killed from March 1st until September 1st in each year, 

 nor other game from March 1st until September 15th. The 

 excellent effects of tbe law are visible among enlightened 



sportsmen, although there are many possessors of guns in 

 the rural districts who recognize no law in that f e8 nJ? 

 but continue to bag game out of season. Having r es E 

 among the bills and valleys so, long, they do notconskS 

 that a oody of men can prohibit them from hunting ^ 

 on their own premises. It will, in all probability fo5™2 

 remain a mooted question, whether or not a farmer cm h 

 prevented from hunting certain game on his farm d urine 

 the time forbidden by law. Still, the intelligent farm"! 

 have observed and felt the necessity for such a law S 

 already and willing to abide by it. The feeling f unUv 

 which usually dwelis among sportsmen, and connects them 

 with a bond of respect and admiration, does not exist herp 

 as much as it should. However, that will, in all Ukeli 

 hood, be appreciated by all, and the wants supplied bv » 

 more thorough organization. * * 



There is not, according to my opinion, a better wav in 

 which to enjoy life, than in the delightful occupation of 

 rambling through the woods inquest of the nimble squirrel 

 or through a field, following a trusty pointer in search of 

 partridges. It is while doing this, that one can comrnunp 

 with the beauties of nature, and breathe the pure fresh 

 air of heaven. The sport is exciting, and the warm' blood 

 courses through every vein, making one feel invigorated 

 and thankful io an all-wise Providence for the pleasutes 

 provided for His creatures. Fmx 



HUNTING AND FISHING IN VIRGINIA. 



^ Bekkblet Spbikm, Ya., Aug. %it 



Editor Forest and Stream:— 



As I am In a quandry, I must get yon to help me oat. The letter I 

 wrote, aud which you published, has been the cause of my getting » 

 number of letters of inquiry in reference to the hunting in this country 

 Some of these letters have been in the post office tduee Jane, directed to 

 P. Clayton, (withont the Pendleton attached) and the Post Master only 

 gave them to me this morning, which I hope will be a satisfactory excuse 

 to the persons who wrote for my not having answered them before this 

 In answering the many letters of inquiry that I have received I have 

 thought that through the medium of yuur paper I could answer all at 

 once as the inquiries are generally the same. 



First.— 'I he way to get here from the North and East is to Baltimore, 

 thence by Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, 123 miles to Sir John's Bun, a 

 station on the B. & O R. R. and two and a half miies from this place 

 which is reached oy si age Second. — It is 461 miies from Cincinnati by 

 B. & O. R. R. Third.— Board can be gotten here from $6to$;7per 

 week" At most of the country houses they will charge $6, some of them 

 $10, and the hotels $12 and $17 per week. Tue fare in the country ig 

 plain but good. Tne hotels first-class. My suggestions to thOHe who 

 wish to come, is to rent a tent 12xl4 feet with a good ny and and plenty 

 of blankets (.also India rubber) aud pitch the tent nea. some farm house 

 where they can get their meals and have everything quiet and to them- 

 selves; also a change of good stout clothing, coarse heavy boots, ag^od 

 gun, energy and endurance. With tnese success will follow, pi ovided 

 the parties have the coolness necessary, aud can shoot at all It i» 

 no child's play to hnnt in this country. One must be determined to 

 take hard aud fatiguing .ramps and obey the instructions given by those 

 who know the habits of the game, and the reward will more than pay for 

 the effort. I took my first hunt yester ay, since the expii ation of the 

 game law. I must have seen 80 or 40 ruffed urouse, a number of squirrel* 

 and two foxes. 1 killvd six ruffed grouse, six squirrels, and one fox, ai 

 much as I wish to kill and have to carry on a hot August day; and thi» 

 was done over green dogs, one of them a cocker, six months old, present- 

 ed to me by Mr. C. H. Raymond of your city. I have chosen tue natut 

 of Mark for him and when I get anything uncommon out of him I will 

 give you hi* pedigree and record. I think he will make a fine turkey and 

 grouse dog if he ever gets over the scare of being brought here by ex- 

 press. He evidently was jerked and hauled about by the Express 

 Agent, and It require* all the gentleness I am possessed of to get him to 

 come to me. W« have quite a number of gentlemen here at the hoteli 

 who are doing some Ashing. Mr. Latrobe, of Baltimore, and Mr. Biddle, 

 of Philadelphia, have been quite successful with the art ficial fly. Mr. Bid- 

 die took a 4J pound oass the other day with a fly, the first one of that size 

 that has ever been taken about here with artificial bait. Parties of two or 

 three go nearly every day and bring in from 20 to 50 to each party, rang- 

 ing from half to two pounds apiece. From the first of September until 

 January the hanting will be very good. The woods are filled with game 

 and the hunters are bringing in to the hotels deer, turkeys, grouse, and 

 squirrels. One day the hunters brought in nine wild turkeys. I have 

 just been called upon by a young man of the village to tell me that he was 

 after a fine flock of turkeys, but conld not kill any, so I must go and try 

 my hand at them as they are only a mile or so from town. 



P. Clayton Pbndlitok. 



—— - ♦ 



— A Convention of the American Fish Culturists' Asso- 

 ciation will be held at Judges' Hall, on the Exhibition 

 Grounds at Philadelphia, on the 5th, 6th, and 7th of Octo- 

 ber. At the close of the convention it is the intention to 

 give a banquet, at which the entire bill of fare will be of 

 all kinds of fish found upon the Pacific or Atlantic coast. 



: ■*♦*. 



— An extensive propagation of eels is carried on at Co- 

 macchio, near Ferrara, Italy, not far from the mouth of the 

 river Po. Extensive ponds have been hemmed in and par- 

 titioned off by a labynnth of dykes, sluices, and canals, 

 into which they ascend from the sea when very young, and 

 where they are detained for about five years before arriving 

 at a condition to be taken. The average annual catch ex- 

 ceeds $250,000 in value, and the whole town is engaged in 

 the Industry under systematic control. Most are roasted 

 and the flesh packed for exportation. Some are simply 

 pickled or salted, and others dried. 



■ ^»»» 



CONNECTICUT RIVER SHAD FOR CAL- 

 IFORNIA. 



We have been favored by Prof. Baird with the following 

 report of the shipment, by the U. S. Commission of Fish 

 and Fisheries, from Holyoke, Mass., to the Sacramento 

 river, Cal., of 100,000 shad under the charge of Messrs. 

 F. N. Clark, and T. H. Bean. It will be observed that the 

 transportation was most successful, the fish arriving m 

 good order: — 



Mr. F. N. Clark left Holyoke, Mass., on Tuesday, Aug. 

 1, at 7:30 p. m., with 9 cans (100,000) fry, and 2 water cans. 

 Temperature of water at Holyoke was 75°. This temper ■ 

 ture was changed gradually until the cans ranged from /" 



T. H. Bean joined Mr. Clark in Cleveland, on Wednes- 

 day, August 2. Left Cleveland at 7:40 p. m., Wednesday, 



