Auacsa' fi, 1880.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



We should add that the corresirondent wlio sent us the 

 Washington letter ci)pi«d it t'roui what lio believed to be 

 the original mamiscript, bought in AA'asiiin-Lon hy Mr. 

 .Jolin Dale, and now in that guntlem.'in'a jKHr-^eh^hidn. 



Mr. Lauioan'8 very readable sketch, published in this 

 issue, forms one of the chapters of a forthcoming book 

 by that author. 



AimiWiOAN Anns Abkoad,— The recent continued de- 

 pres,sion in the Birrainsham .-jun trade has caused great 

 anxioty among English mnmiFaeturers, and they liave 

 memorialized the govenmient for assistance, The result 

 of their petition has been that the government has de- 

 cided to issue large orders for guns and rifles within a 

 short time, and thus to give substantial aid to the gun- 

 making indu.stry. 



The Boston Daily Advertiaer makes use of this state of 

 tilings as a text for a very sensible discourse on the im- 

 portance of the arm-makmg industry in tliis country, 

 from which \n o extract the following : — 



T- ■ iu.iu for this depressi'm in tho Kna-ilsb fUii 



oblu 



th. :. . : . ii-r; that w,T.= t 



liah. TnoTu.ki^i sroTerura.- 



the frlcndsUip (iC Biig-lund, - I , 



munition mmle in Ihia eniinu., 



tliu most offet^tive reaislance, uuii i 



thctrflclottiat ronneriy would tin 



To tho Providenoe Tool Company 



Martini rifles were giroa— a couiract 



pany but\\'een nine and ten milli 



Arms Company, o£ Now Haven, obtained Jarga contracts for 



armaand oartridar es, and milUuna of onrtnd<.-Ci3 Tvoro also pur- 



Cbused from 111 e anion ifetalllo CHrtridp-e Coniptmy of Bridgc- 



_l.jmicai,SK V.J \eiv Kiiglaud 

 ^ iieen given to oUi England, 

 ontracts for (105,11011 Poatiody- 

 ivhich brought to the oom- 

 of doUai-s. Thu Winehcsti.T 



sort. 



S-OVB 



tr: 



Tlio total a 

 a niei) t for i 



uut Cipended in this c 

 iltions of war to 



uti-y by tbo Turkish 

 n its roetint striiKSle 



: ill this uoini- 



ili jasof cart- 

 i:-r:i' ;■ tUuQ troops 

 could be found Lu use them. 



The valuation of the national armory and arsenals and the gov- 

 ernment propt^rty at thoao plaoea amounted, iu 1877, to $11(1,000,000. 

 Jit 111. Li I, I 1.1 III arsenal thcro hits boon spent, up to December, 

 bSlii, I - mdafurthor cxpcndiluro ul 3:i,H3U,U0U, itisea- 



lii,:;i jLiircd to coniplelo this arsenal, eicluaive of 



the iJuc..o,-,,ii., i.idcUincry and shop tlxtures. Would it not be 

 better to aeU these government iiianufaoturing- establishments 

 and apply the proceeds to the purchase of th e needed armament 

 for sea-coast delonso? 



A ScaaESTiON for Kennel CLUnis.— In the British 

 Islands are thousands of dug fanciers who breed dogs 

 with the hope of producing atiinials of sucli sujjerior 

 merit as eventually, in one way or another, to bring in not 

 only a return for the expense of their rearing, but a 

 hand.some prollt beside. An EngUsh contemporary notes 

 that only a very few of tlie.se breeders ever succeed. To 

 establish a strain which ,sha.ll show a distinct lainily type 

 of excellence requires a large kennel and lung conliiitied 

 care and expense. One-dog breeders caniuit succeed in 

 originating strains. It is suggested that iusteaii of so 

 much misplaced and fruitless, because inadetiuate, eifort 

 in this direction, some of the larger kennel chjbs provide 

 themselves A\ith the requisite number of animals, and 

 then, under the supervision of a select and competent 

 committee, carry out tho experiments \\hich shall de- 

 velop by long and judicious management the strains pos- 

 sessing the approved qualities. In this way, also, many 

 of the mooted points as to inter-breeding, etc., may be 

 satisfactorily set at rest. 



Salmon i.'^ Caledonia Creek. — On account of the 

 Governor's veto to the animal appropriation bill for the 

 New York Fish Commission, there was not money 

 enough to do all the work, and to cut down expenses the 

 ponds of quinnat, Atlantic and land-locked salmon, which, 

 had been raised at the State hatchery at Mumford, were 

 turned loose in Caledonia Creek, where the fishermen are 

 catching them. These fish were from one to three 

 pounds in weight, and very valuable for breeders, and it 

 is much to be regretted that such a course was rendered 

 necessary. 



Surely the good work done by the New York Fish 

 Commission ia worthy of being continued, and it is to be 

 hoped that the Governor will reconsider his veto at the 

 earliest opportunity. 



— The Utica Game and Fish Protective Association hav- 

 ing formed itself into a strong body of energetic work- 

 ers, is now endeavoring to secure the organization of 

 local clubs iu the adjacent towns of Camden, Rome, 

 Paris, Sangerlield, Boonville and Trenton : and also to 

 secure iu other smaller towns a representation by mem- 

 bership. 



We are pleased to learn tliat the new association is in- 

 creasing in numbers and in strength. 



— The officers of the Blooming Grove Park Assot^iatiOn 

 for the year ending July .5th, 1881, are : President and 

 Director, John McGiunia, Jx-.; Vice-President, W. P. 

 Wharton. Directors : P. Fearing, C. A, Grimes, L. 

 Snyder, C. H. Read, T. C. Clarke, R. L. Ward, M. B. 

 Brown, D. B. MouzUly ; Secretary, T, W, B. Hughes. 

 The trustees for tho new issue of bonds are : P. M. 

 Wilson, Hamilton Busby, John Avery, 



— * — 



THE THOUSAND ISLANDS AND DOWN THE ST. 

 LAWRENCE. 



BY CHARLES LANIIAN. 



TO an old traveler, the idea of revisiting Lake On- 

 tario, the Tliou.sand Islands and the valley of 

 the St. Lawrence is replete with plea.3ant anticipa- 

 tions : and aside from their u« ii peculiar attractions, 

 Niagara iind Montreal cviiiiuit l.iul be ulTeotionatelv re- 

 membered, because of the wiirld of he:i,uiy which lies be- 

 tween MiMvii. Of ihe iive Kfeat iulund seas (which 

 shmil M I. I .: 1 V to the United Sta,te.s), Ontario, 



aliii _ ii ;i' ; , I- i!ot one whit behind its fellows 

 in II- III ii:i: .■.III' II - III [lossessious. Superior may well 

 be pi-ijii'l oi' its m:it.'!ile.s.s proportions, of its cotiper mines, 

 pictured rocks. Royal Island, Tlumcler Ca'pe, beauti- 

 ful tributaries and the Sault Ste Marie ; Michigan may 

 hoa.st of its Green Bay and great city of (Jbieagv,, and 

 her waters on tlio globi! are lieiniuH,! in 

 liticeut domain ; Huron, with it.s i ieor- 

 iw liar.«, the Islaiul of -Alaeliinaw. the 

 i'lii sr. Clair, and the river and city of 

 III occupy its central and com- 

 I I II I i^iie can well afford to let ex- 

 lii, jiraise while pointing to the 

 III of Outario it may be faid that 

 witliin ili-J. -. : ■ ili.? mingled ilio wat'er.s of all toe 

 greiii I'ilii -, M . iJid,;,.iat uf the depths eeiues forth tho 

 in... ' .III I I _;iiiiic-ent river on tli.^ ri.intiiient, noteven 



<i\- ' .'.Uirabifi and iUssiiiiiipi. 



Til. J I. II 'ill 111: Lake Ontario, originady called Lake St. 

 LouiH i~ 17:..' miles, width 50 miles, its level below Lake 

 Erie 3a ( feet; elevation above the Atlantic 363feet,and its 

 greatest depth more than ."jO fathoms. In the summer 

 time a Si^il upon its waters, in either the American or 

 Britisli steamers, is deli,ij,litfal. the winds being generally 

 cool and invlK'-'raling, and the sickeiuiig gronnd swell of 

 the ocean sirnplv an iinaginavy experience. The very 



Iters seem to 

 'X and sunrise 



• tlie mystical 

 Tih..riv,. It is 



• 111 iiM:-i^\ and 

 '■iiiliv lV.i- the 

 icrted tliat at 



claim 



th.' 



by a 



nor 



gum 



tnd 



dau- 



iLei 



D:^tn 



ir. 



m 



;;;-\ 



est. The fifi^t attraetiv 

 Niagara, v.diicli was fc 

 destroyed l\v the Seorc 

 taken and rebuilt by th 



clouds whicli hang over its sparkling w 

 have a purity of their own, and its sun.« 

 revealing!* are enhanced in their beauty Ij 

 lore of tho aborigines wlio once people.l it 

 also noted for its beautiful ilhisioi^s of i 

 for its oi;casional water spouts; awl ei-jj 

 peculiarity of the tides— fur if 1i;is 'leeiiat 

 intervalsof aliout seven 31 ;ir ir •.,- li.-rs rise to an un- 

 usual height and then sulj iili- 1.1. ihijr ordinary level— 

 a phenomenon which has never li.r.in explained. It may 

 also be stated in regard to this lake that, like its four 

 great confederates, it is never entirely frozen over during 

 the winter months, and tliero have been times when ice- 

 boats have gone from Toronto to the mouth of the Niag- 

 ara, a distance of forty miles, in the incredible short 

 space of less than an hour. One scene, expeiienced many 

 years ago, with whicli it is associated in my rniud, caii 

 never be forgotten. It was midnight, and we were near 

 enough to the northerji r,liure to know that lanil was vis- 

 ible in that quarter, and the picture consisted of a sky 

 lighted u]j liy a Ir.uning fi.rest, combined wdth a new 

 moon shining in the marvelous beauty, wdiile directly in 

 fi-ont, and half way tip Die zenith, a purple aurora was 

 crHjUetting witli a retinue of clouds. 



l;\ tlitm.- vdio tr.avel fur ini'i.rrnation, and not merely 

 tolLiIl tinje, the two l.'MiJ routes fromthe western to the 

 tarii, will be found full of inter- 

 >yA on the .southern siile is Furl 

 m!.:-.! by La Salle in Kili.s, partly 

 Indians in 1(17.5, subsequeutly 

 French, captured by tire Eng- 

 hsh in n.jO, acquired by the United States in 1796, recap- 

 tured by the English iu iNbi, and restored to our flag in 

 1815; and if its dungeons could recall what they once 

 knew, wo might learn many a sad and roniatic stoiy 

 connected with deeds of heroism anil suU'ering in the 

 olden time. And then come, in their turn, as we travel 

 eastward, the goodly towns of Oswego, Saokett'sHarbor 

 ■ind Cape Vincent, all noted for their special attractions. 

 The railway which passes along the northern shore of 

 Ontario makes us acquamtcd with the cities of Hamilton, 

 Toronto and Kingston. 



Tlte first has an exceedingly fine location, and is a 

 business rival of its older neighbor, Toronto. 



The second, founded by ,Simcoe in 1793, wtts formerly 

 called York, and as the conmieroial and intellectual me- 

 tropolis of Upjier Canada commands universal respect. 

 After tlie fatigues of travel I know not a better place 

 than this goodly city in which can be spout a more 

 peaceful and restful .Sabbath. Indeed, I was glad to 

 learn that its inhabitants appreciated their blessing in 

 this respect. And in having such a preacher among them 

 as the Rev. AViUiam S. Rainsford, the cuniteuf St, James' 

 Cathedral, they are fortunate beyond the counnon lot, lu 

 this coimection, one of the sentiments I heard him utter 

 in the pulpit was to this eflect : That he believed there 

 were more Cin-istiau [leople in Western Canda than in 

 any part oC tlie world he had visited, '■ but," he continued, 

 ••can it bo said witli truth that they tire all that they 

 should be in politics and trade?" There are several 

 handsome public buildings in Toronto, The diives in 

 its immediate vicinity ai'e ri,.l cspeciailv inl,.irestin._r but 

 by going twenty, tlinl.y or iurty miKs liie ...j.orlsniaii wdl 

 find bcautifid lakes, wliere ihe Jit-hmi; and wild f.nwl 

 shooting are most enj.jyable, espHCially at 1/ake Conchi- 

 ching. With regard to Kijigston.formeiiycallr.dCatarac I ni 

 by the Indians and by the French Frontenac, itisnot only 

 a place ol' some coi:iimercial importance, but ranks next 

 to',' III. n I !i.- -T.trniglh of its fortifit;ation3. And it is 

 iron. ,;ii I I I I cioellv that the tourist hegms tho pas- 

 sagi.', f;- -1,1 -ibi.iu. thr.ju-li tho Lake of the Thousand 

 Islands and dov, n the rap,d.i of the St. Lawrence to Mon- 

 treal. As to the scenery along the northshoreof Ontario 

 it is tame and uninti-rcslm.:;'. 



That portion of the grcr 1 . i -. "-y;.-y , , ,- , ,^,|,ies under 

 our notice has a width iii 1 ndslroni 



Kingston a distance of 11 I 1 lotnl num- 



ber of islands here coller(. 1 1: - i, ,, I ii, ranging iu 

 their area from a tVwv feel to many acres, the iairest of 

 them bearing the name oi' WoJfe Island. They "arc of 

 every imaginable shajie ; abottt equally divided between 

 the two nationalities ; some of them low and covered 

 with woods, while othei-s are skirted with rocky ledges 

 [ and bluffs, and ornamented with fantastic vines ; and 



where they have not been despoiled and desecrated by 

 the band of man are tmiversalljr beantifnl, .As the 

 sti^amer pursues her intricate coitise bci > ■ i .1,1 . the 



traveler wonders how she can ever e^c I 1 mnd- 



iugdanger.s, ami when lie|ja.^ses into v.hm, 1-. 1,-1- 1 beai.l' 

 liftil bdic, he experieTices a ^cns.■ o!' relii-f. To describe, 

 tlicsn islands mimitelv nujstalwavs I.e as difficult or im- 

 possible iL:; f.j depict tliose of Lalw George or the Thimble 

 Islands of Long Island Sound, but while their charms are 

 linked with the sea or a mountain land, those of the St, 

 Lawrence seem to bo the very children of the sky. In the 

 level and far-reaching hoiizon which completely sux'- 

 rounds them, there is something marvelously impressive, 

 and I have fancied that after nature had finished her 

 work in this particnlar region, site deemed it well to 

 draw aside and put out of sight all the high mountains, 

 and remove far hence tiie roar of the weaves on the shore 

 of tho ocean. Here, during the summer nights, no 

 S'^nnds fall upon the ear save the.«oft music of the flow- 



. , waters, and the weird voices of the owl and the loon. 

 With the approach of dawn, birds without number, the 

 kingfisher and bluebird, the blackbird and robin and 

 lliekcr, the coot and the duck, come forth from their 

 hiding places to resume the duties of their happy livep, 

 and at the sunset liour the islands, as you look upon 

 them, appear like gems encircled in halos of crimson 

 or gold. But alas ! their virgin splendor is rapidly pass- 

 ing away : the simple hearted Indians, with their camp- 

 fire's ancl canoes, have been superseded by the selfish and 

 savage white men with their villas and yachts and other 

 niodei-n abominations. 



It was among the multitudinous islands of this river 

 that the poet Thomas JMoore conceived the idea of his 

 rnung Canadian Boat Song, although the actual scene 

 of the poeiu was ;it tlie mouth of tho Ottawa, and with 

 it are connected the foiiowing particulars : As he was 

 passing down the river in a canoe with his fellow- 

 traveler, his boatnurn entertained him with a song, a 

 portion of which he jottcldoAvn upon tho fly-leaf of a 

 ik ho was then reading, jMany years afterward, while 

 ting a friend iu Dublin, he was informed thatayonng 

 y was tiien in the city who possessed tho original of 

 his Boat Song, and he was greatly surprised. He remem- 

 bered that the book in question had long before passed 

 out of his bands, but it was news to him that his travel- 

 ing companion had spirited it av.'ay, and subsequently 

 given it to a friend in Dublin. The'poet asked to see the 

 volume, and it was shown him by the fortunate owner, 

 who had received it as a gift from her father, who had 

 received it from his friend, the poet's traveling compan- 

 ion. When his eyes fell on tho well-remembered lines, 

 as the story goes, hi^ gazed upon them so long and earn- 

 estly that the lady said ; "0, Mr. Moore, I hope you do 

 not wish to take tlu in from me; they are so precious!" 

 No, uideed.'' lie replied, "I do not, but if you knew what 

 thrilling remenujrances of a hajjxiy past the contempla- 

 tion of tills page pio\okes, you would not wonder at my 

 feeling. Since I wrote these lines I have been going bo 

 fiist down the rapids of life that I owe you much for en- 

 abling me to live, though but for a few minutes, in the 

 past, and I shall long remember this pleasant meeting." 

 The poet then authenticated the hues, explained how and 

 where they were written, that they were adapted to an air 

 which the Canadian boatmen often sang, but that the 

 music was as much his own as were tlie words and the 

 plaintive imagery. 



But there is another name connccteii with these 

 islaiuls which no American can mention witliotU a thrill 

 ofjileasure and of pride— that of (Jeorge W, Bethune. 

 He Avas a genuine angler, after the type of dear old Izaak 

 Walton, and Avaa wont to visit the Tbousiind Islands for 

 liarfs and inaskahmge fishing. On one occtision he asked 

 his boatman where he was in the habit of going to 

 church, and the man told him '■ Nowhere," as there was 

 no church in that region. On the very next Sunday he 

 took steps to inaugtu-ate a Sunday-school, and by his 

 sagacity he induced a non-professing but very worthy 

 lady to take cliarge of tho school ; but, during that va- 

 cation, be did much hy his own preae-bing and teaching 

 to help the cause iu which he laid cdisted. His next 

 step was to secure ;i missionary foi- that new field, who 

 was supported there for three years td the expense of the 

 doctor and his friends. Throtigh his iidluence there were 

 no less than ten oilier schools established among the 

 islands, and alter tlu v bad been supplied with books an 

 enthusiastic oM Kcntienian wrote to a friend that if Dr. 

 Bethune could hear tie.' children singing out of their new- 

 books ho would think that angels had come from heaven. 

 The final result was that a beautiful little church was 

 erected at Alexandria, liav, which the founder was wont 

 to call Ids " Pet child of tlte Thousand Islands," and in 

 which, tifter his death, -vvas erected a beatitiftd tablet to 

 his memory. And what a blessed memory 1 



These islands have also been the scene of thrilling ro- 

 mance. From their great number tmd the many chan- 

 nels among tliern, they afforded an admirable retreat for 

 the insurgents in tho last Canadian insurrection, as well 

 as for I lie American sympathizers with them, who, under 

 the iiuestionable name of patriots, sought only to embar- 

 rass the British Coxeriunent, In hSoa, a band of men, 

 headed lij- one Johnson, took refuge among these Islands, 

 setting all autliorities at defiance; and provided with 

 boats of surprising lightness they committed tlie most 

 audacious oiilra'.es both np and down the river, and baf- 

 fled all i.ursuit. Thestory istold ,of one of them that, 

 whcii lie was oblige-il, from close pursuit, to separate 

 from his band, his daughter, with a devotedness and 

 courage that was inimitable, supplied him and herself 

 w 1th the necessaries of life in these aolitary retreats, and 

 took him in her canoe from one island to another under 

 co\er of the night. 



To enjoy Lake Ontario and the Tliousand Islands iu 

 their perfection, the totnisi should have one or two com- 

 panions, be well supplied with books and fishing-tackle. 

 and remain ammig them for a month or more. Of 

 course, when pressed for time, the steamboat trip must 

 suffice : but iu that case the jjleasure is nearly counter- 

 balaiu^ed by the annoyances. In the first place the boats 

 are generally crowded, and the variety of people a Uttle 

 flit too proiniscuuiis, an.l the YaukecdJauadian fashion 

 of " including meals ' in tlie passage ticket, makes any 

 kind of comfort impossible, E\'en your statexoom is 

 made, common projierty, and you may'have a cut-throat 

 for yom- sleeping companion ; and unless you are willing 

 to play the part of a Cincinnati quadruped you cannot 

 get anything to eat, and, in any event, nothing that you 

 I can enjoy, 



