104 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[March 11, 188O, 



Tituavillo, are all good [plat 



being near Malonethev are overrun 



to death soon alter flu- seasons opr 



vicinity Of St, Regis and oilier lak 



neighborhood. . . . The old Northw 



uing across the Lower St. Regisdistri 



or northwest and southeast, is not. in 



foot-path, except at the western end. 



army of the war of 1812, when the) 



Point tp Lake Ontario, and has grown up with bushes 



and filled in with fallen trees bo as not to be passable 



with a wagon. Albert Cornish. 



r game and trout, but 

 i and fished and hunted 

 i'Ti. ohesame as it is in 

 res and ponds in that 

 est Bay Road, mul- 

 ct from east to (Vest, 

 iw in use, only as a 

 It was built by the 

 ' went from Ci 



DULLIN G FOR TROUT. 



DURING the summer of 1S57 the Rockbridge Alum 

 Springs, in Virginia, wore crowded with distin- 

 guished visitors from all parts of the South, who came 

 there principally to drink of the health-giving waters. 

 The town of Lexington, seventeen miles distant, always 

 sent its quota, on special occasions, such as ball nights, 

 concerts and excursion days, to Jordan Springs, ten 

 miles south. Among the many who represented the col- 

 lege town at, the springs, and who were sure to be there 

 the. latter part of every week, were John Letcher, amem- 

 ber of Congress at that time, and T. J. Jackson, a pro- 

 fessor in "the Virginia Military Institute. These two 

 gentlemen were constant and steadfast friends then and 

 in the squally days that came after, and their chief 

 amusement while at the " Rock Alum" was derived from 

 the pleasure of rolling ten-pins — a game both gentlemen 

 were very fond Of. The alleys were situated on the edge 

 of a. creek bearing the name of the springs, and at the bot- 

 tom of the towering Mill Mountain ; and herein honest 

 John Letcher and the modest Professor enjoyed them- 

 selves in an innocent way. 



The principal hotel in Lexington was kept by a wag 

 named Mann, a jolly good "fellow, a prime favorite with 

 the students and "most of the townspeople, a ad al- 

 waysready to bet on any point there was the slighest dis- 

 pute about. This latter talent of his was the magnet that 

 drew the young students to Mann's Hotel ; and one even- 

 ing, while a parly was sitting in the capacious office, the 

 subject of trout fishing was broached, and as it was well 

 known that Rockbridge Alum Creek, two or three miles 

 above the. springs, was alive with those delicate fish, the 

 conversation naturally drifted to that spot, and great 

 were the stories told in regard to it. Among the many 

 exaggerations. Bill Mann said that lie had caught eighty 

 trout in one hour in said creek, and could perform the 

 same feat over again. This was pooh-poohed, of course, 

 and resulted in a student offering to bet a dinner for ten 

 that such a. fishing feat was impossible, stating that he 

 was willing to lose the wager if Mann would bring back 

 eighty trout, and give him his word and honor that said 

 fish were taken out of the water in the space of an hour. 

 Now, the tact is that Bill Mann never performed what he 

 said he had. hut spoiling for a bet of some kind, he threw 

 out thi3 proposition as a bait, and getting a bite, was 

 bound in sell-defense to try and win. 



k.The following day Bill Mann hitched up his team of 

 trotters, and after a ride, of a few hours' duration ar- 

 rived at the Rock Alum Springs, and after registering his 

 name lie meandered out to make a call on Charley Hunt, 

 to whom he revealed the secret of his sudden visit. Hunt 

 vowed that he could not assist him, but advised him to 

 make a 

 aUey. 

 entrano 

 part in 

 during, 

 " spares 

 asked lv 

 Letcher refei 

 feasor, Bill Mai 

 purpose of win 

 one hour, and 



r-He^n-nt"" 1 



therateofeigl 



" m 



1 John Letcher, who was then in the ten-pin 

 nn repaired, and was greeted on Ids 

 rginia welcome, and invited to take a 

 h. n going on, which he accepted, and 

 loathing spells between " strikes" and 

 1 the Congressman of his mission, and 

 3 and advice in the matter ; but John 

 red him to T. J, Jackson, saying: "Pro- 

 1 has come over from Lexington for the 

 ing a wager by catching eighty trout in 

 i you are a devoted follower of Walton, 

 v "be able to tell him in what part of tho 

 , ,Y,i -. that they will nibble at a hook at 



,1 .-','■ 1. ,,,,]■ a as very seldom known to laugh ; 

 e<ii. coming from his intimate friend Letcher, 

 smile, as lie never was known to fish, and 

 ire. about Rock Alum Oreek— except that part 

 rings, where trout would only live long enough 

 blockade On their way to the James — than a 

 tr York, for fishing was not, his forte ; and ho- 

 nest John intended a joke at his expense. 

 Mann, as far as my being a disciple of 

 ,, yon my word, sir, that I never read ids 

 book i.i my life: but I have stood on the bridge and 

 gazed on the water for many moments, expecting to see 

 one of those silver; 

 conversation at tl 

 never yet 



but this sp 

 made him 

 knew no in 

 near the B f 

 to run the 

 man in New 

 lievi rig thai li 

 he said : " M 

 Walton, I gi 



uiv eves I: 

 if those a 

 doubt but. 

 Ibis wa 

 was no do 

 especially 



dleld \ 



1 kind 



■out I ustve h 



eard s 



1 mu 



ah about in 





id I ( 



eclai 



e that I've 



rhe nearest 



ipproa 



oh tc 



a fish that 



hat I would 





vatei 



-snake, and 



of trout vo 



u are 



aftei 



I have no 



', ie , 



■kson in such 



Ml was not pt 



find n 



*™ 



v that there 

 ., and more 

 it, theafter- 

 rd to trout, 



as the seq 

 Sitting 1 

 game, was Ma 

 trout fishing i 

 catching then! 

 ing thai, tin gi 

 BOlation or km 



then I- - 

 ■kLew 



1 the 



vie. 



quiet inspector of the interesting 

 who was thoroughly informed on 

 sek and the different methods of 

 eafing the conversation., and see- 

 after trout did not find much con- 

 .,_ .11 that quarter, Mark stepped up, 

 saying: "I beg your pardon, gentlemen," and, turning 

 to'Biil Maim, continued, "if you are anxious to get eighty 

 trout in one hour's fishing you can do so sir ; but f re- 

 quest that you continue your game, and this evening, in 

 Charley 1 1 lint's, vou shall know aU about the fishing. 



Ibis voluntary advice from a stranger seemed to he sat- 

 isfactory to Mr. Mann, and the game, of ten-pins went on 

 until nearly dusk, when the party went to their respeo- 

 fcivexooms preparatory to supper. . , 



There was at this time a protessional hunter named 

 Hostetrer at bhe springsiu a twofold capacity— as a show- 

 man of trained ,ii:d:es in day time and a hunter ot bears 



by night. I ' n >dd oharacter, who looked upon 



everything in the Lightof business ; sporting aa a pastime 

 ....,',., ,,.,... i.-l, 1 1. but he knew the favorite haunts 

 ot the deer hears and the trout better than any person iu 

 that locality. To him Mark I^wis spoke of the eonver 



salion in the alley, and got his promise not to mention 

 his mode of catching trout even it be was engaged by Ma'. 

 Mann. While Hosteller and Mark I ,ewis were biting the 

 end of the last strawberry iu their iitlep, Bill 

 tercd, and after an introduction ami a few words E 

 planation in regard to the locality where troul were 

 abundant, an agreement was entered into wherein Bill 

 Mann was to gi ve Hostel.l er Sf 1 1) if eight y trout v, ere OS Ught 

 in one hour. Ten dollars to the hunter was a mountain 

 of wealth, and the next morning lie was on hand bright 

 and early. Bill Mann showed himself with a fancy rod, 

 silver reel and a box containing any number of different 

 colored flies in his hands; and at this novel appearance 

 Mark and the hunter naturally smiled ; but the secret of 

 their smile they kept to themselves, and as they jogged 

 along up the banks of the creek the witty hunter kept the 

 other two in a state of excitement by bis wonderful varus 

 about trout fishing and hunting the"" varmints" that the 

 mountains above were full of. After a wall: of two miles 

 they came to a spol where the creek widened into a large 

 pond, or small lake, the water of which was as- clear as 

 crystal, and the nimble fish were sporting about as thick 

 as locusts, hiding themselves under the rocks at the near 

 approach of the human step. AU around Was solitude, 

 the very sky being shut out from view by the thickness 

 of the foliage. 



" Here we are, gentlemen," said Hosteller, and imme- 

 ately thereon Mr. Mann commenced to rig the end of bis 

 fine with a purple fly : but Hostetter ended that; amuse- 

 ment by saying: "Put that foolish new-fangled notion 

 away. You came here to get eighty trout i 1 1 one hour : 

 now I'll save you all that trouble by catching them my- 

 self, and to save any dispute, when I enter that water, 

 time me." 



Thereupon Mr. Hostetter divested himself of bis boots, 

 and, after rolling his pants up as high as possible, took a 

 piece of common twine out of his pocket, and making a 

 running noose on one end entered the silvery pond, say- 

 ing, " Pull out that watch." 



Mark Lewis was not surprised, because he had seen the 

 same operation performed before ; but Bill Mann looked 

 on this queer proceeding with eyes and Mouth open. 

 wondering what the next act would be. He had not long 

 to wait, for the moment Hostetter entered the water, he 

 ran his left hand in under the rocks, which frightened 

 the fish, making them swim out, aud as sure as fate one 

 would get his head in that noose which the hunter held 

 in his right hand, which no sooner done, than " Old 

 Hoss" — as he was affectionately called — would jerk him 

 up and throw him out on the grass, when Mark Lewis 

 attended to the comfort of the victim by placing him in 

 a basket lined with sedge. This operation was continued 

 with a lightning rapidity, and at last Hostetter. with face 

 covered with persiration, looked up as if resting himself, 

 and said : " Have vou kept; tally, Mr. Lewis? " 



'• I have." answered Mark, '-aud there are eighty-three 

 in the basket, now." "How is the time?" asked 1 i 

 and the answer came back from Bill Mann, " Five seconds 

 to spare." 



Getting out of the wider Hostetter dried his limbs iu 

 the wild grass that was around there in abundance, and, 

 redressing, the party turned their faces toward the hotel. 

 "Old Hoss" carried tho basket, aud between intervals 

 Bill Maun ventured to ask the term or name of that kind 

 of fishing. 



"Dulling, sir ; and it is the only safe way of fishing in 

 this creek, for flies they won't touch, and the shade of a 

 rod frightens them." 



" Well, I must say." remarked Mr. Mann, " that this 

 Style of fishing is expeditious, but a more barbarous pro- 

 ceeding I know not of, for it does not give the trout a 

 fair chance." 



"Nevermind about that," replied "Hoss," "fishing is 

 no pastime to me : lime is, however ; and whenever you 

 make another bet of this kind, he sure and go a-ch 



After a pleasant walk the two miles were" covered and 

 the Springs were again reached, when, turning the 

 corner, who should be seen standing on the porch of the 

 hotel but Professor Jackson and Honest John ;.■■.. 

 Bill Mann, in his blunt way, sang out: "Come, Pro- 

 fessor, and see the snakes." 



A second invitation was not necessaiw, and, when 

 Professor Jackson looked on the innocent darlings in 

 the basket, he exclaimed : " Bless ray soul ! these are not 



the kind of fish 1 sawwhile standing on the bridge. They 



are beautiful !" 



Bill Mann's wagon was brought, before the door, the 

 basket of fish placed under the seat, and, before driving 

 away, be placed the promised note in Hosteller's band, 



and the latter in company pf Mark Lewis made a call 

 upon the pet snakes in the glass cage, who were found 

 doing so well that another call was made on Charley 

 Hunt, who enjoyed the story how Bid Mann caught the 

 trout. 



That night, in Mann's Hotel, Lexington, a party of 

 itudenta sat down to a supper won by B 

 themselves amazingly iu listening to his great exploit ; 

 but if there are any of said students alii 

 now for the first time how those fish w BTi caus 

 It is hardly necessary to say that the modest Profet 01 

 'as afterward the celebrated Stonewall Jackson : Honest 

 John Letcher, the first war Governor of Old Virginia : 

 and Bill Mann, Captain of the famous Bockbri. I : 



lery, Mark Lewis and Hostetter served an apprentice- 

 ship, the former as scout aud blockade runner, and I be 

 latter as sharpshooter under the modest Profe 

 as for Charley Hunt, the mixer of delicious juleps, he 

 became the mixer of other delicacies while first officer 

 of the Fayette Artillery. 



Fishing is as good as ever iu Rock Alum Creek, but 1 

 hope that the barbarous practice called "dulling" has 

 gone out of fashion. Speruy. 



The gun and fishing-tackle stores report good business, 

 and tins is a good indication that sportsmen are prepar- 

 ing for the opening of the season. The trout fishing in 

 New York State opens April 1st, and we are advised that 

 the evont, will be duly celebrated by the u.-ual Fulton 

 Market display of trout. From ffeueral reports, it inav be 

 predicted that the summer and fall before us will be unu- 

 sually favorable for sport with bed and line and gun and 

 rifle. The columns of the Fokest akd Stream this week 

 contain much information as to resorts and routes lor 

 sporting excursions. These reports will be found more 

 reliable than the ordinary guide books. 



sMjifnnil r §hiow. 



LOOKS OF REFERENCE* 



AVERY gratifying evidence of the increasing interest 

 in natural histnty, so-called, in tlu's country, is the 

 frequency with which we receive inquiries from readers 

 for books of reference to aid them in their studies. Some 

 Of these questions conic to us in very puzzling shape, and 

 indicate clearly enough that their propo 'dors have very 

 crude ideas as to tho scope of the term atural history. 

 It is manifestly Impossible to name any , ogle work that 

 will enable the reader to gain an adequate conception of 

 the whole scope of biology. The most that, we can do is 

 to give a short list of works which they may profitably 

 use in commencing their studies, and, as they advance in 

 them, to recommend the student to specialists in various 

 departments who may be willing to advise them further. 

 It is an unfortunate fact that very many scientific works 

 are 60 costly as to be beyond the reach of the average 

 reader, but this cannot bo said of most works recently 

 published in this country. Most of the works enumer- 

 lelow can be obtained from any book-seller, or if 

 not known to the ones applied to, they can at all events 

 he obtained by the intending purchaser by writing to the 

 publisher. Government publications can often be ob- 

 tained through the Congressman of the district in which 

 the person desiring the book resides. 



We have divided the list to make it more easy of refer- 

 ence. 



Mammals.— Prof. S. F. Baird, "Mammals of North 

 America." "Pacific E- R. Explorations and Sur- 

 veys," Vol. Vlfi, 1857, Washington, D. C, Govern- 

 ment Printing Office. 

 Dr. Harrison Allen, "Monograph of Bats of North 



America," 1864, Philadelphia, 

 Coues and Allen, " North American Rodentia," 1S77, 



Washington, Government Printing Office. 

 Coues, "Fur-bearing Animals " (N. A. Mustelhhi:), 1ST,. 



Washington, Government Printing Office. 

 Caton, "The Deer and Antelope of North America," 



1S7S, Chicago. 

 There are other works, some of them illustrated, which 

 are rarer and more costly than those mentioned above, 

 but the student, with the information which he can 

 obtain from any of those cited, will be in a position to 

 select for himself what, he wishes further. The books 

 to which we have referred contain, moreover, the lat- 

 est information that we have on the various groups of 

 which they treat. Interesting papers on mammals are 

 to be found scattered through the various Government 

 Reports and supplementary publications that have been 

 issued in such numbers within the past few years, as- 

 well as in tho various publications of scientific societies; 

 Turning 00 ' I ' the ttext class of vertebrates, we find 

 g the literature devoted to 



Birds. — Baird, Brewer and Ridgway. " History of North 

 American Birds " cS Vols., including o M I i i ,,. 



Birds," so called). Washington, 1874. {A i til 



mite devoted to the "Water Birds" was to have 

 completed this work, but the cost provin» grran r than 

 ' it lias never been issued;' We have 

 efforts have, been made to print the 

 y private subscription, and trust 



understood thi 

 fourth volume 



may be success 

 Coues, " Key to 

 Agency, Sal 



North American Birds," Nan, 

 , Mass., 187-?l (Indispensable to the orni- 

 thologist or collector). 

 Coues, '" Birds of the Northwest," 1S74, Washington, 



D. C, Government Printing Office. 

 Cones. "Birds of the Colorado Valley," part 1, Wash- 

 ington. 1878, Government Printing Office. 

 Cooper, '•"Ornithology of California." edited by S. F, 

 Baird, Vol.1, " Land Birds," University Press, Cam- 

 bridge, Mass., 1870. (Oidy one volume "issued i. 

 Ji Ib, of c mi -I. hopeless to attempt to enuniei 

 portion of the special ornithological papers ami local lists 

 which have been published, nor is it worth while to refer \ 

 at length to the well known, but costly, illustrated 1 

 works like the originals Of Audubon, Wilson, Bonaparte, 

 Swainson, Richardson ami others. Cheapej ' 

 of most of the latter have been published. Any ouol 

 who desires further information with regard to this sub- ! 

 joct can easily satisfy himself by referring to ti 

 Biological bibliography which accompanies Dr. Coues' 

 •' Birds of the Colorado Valley." 



It is scarcely necessary to say that the literature of 

 reptiles is much less extensive than that of the birds. 

 A few works, however, may be quoted. 

 Reptiles. — Holbrook, "North American Horpctology," 

 5 Vols,, Philadelphia, 1642. (A superbly Ulustrated 

 work). 

 Bairdand Giroid, " Catalogue of North American Rep-I 



tiles," Part I Serpents, 1803. 

 Aga-,b„ "Contributions to the. Natural History of 

 North America," Part n, North American Testudi- 

 tiata, 1857. 



I neck List of North American Batrachia and| 

 Keptilia." Cope, " Partial Catalogue of the i M 

 Blooded Vertebruta of Michigan,'' 18(14-5. 

 Many minor papers in Govenu and else -| 



where. 

 North American Fishes.— Ionian, "Manual of Vorte-ll 

 brutes." Jansen McClurg & Co.. Chicago, 1879, (Con-fl 

 tains imperfect bibliograph 

 Ct;xi"KAL Zoology — PacS tial of Zoology,'! 



New York, Henry Holt * Co.. 1870 (Other wanualsf 

 by Tenny, Nicholson and Orton;. 



