704 
FOREST AND STREAM 
tion. Just ahead of us I descried a school of porpoises, 
rolling, tumbling, and basking in the sunshine. I headed 
directly for them to give the boys a better view of them. 
“Great Caesar 1” shouted Ed,'“what's that?” “Por¬ 
poises," X replied. • ‘ What's poor-pusses ? Doc, you can’t 
l'ool me, they're whales! There, see ’em spout, hear ’em 
blow ! Doc, don’t go any nearer, or I’ll get out! ” I saw 
that Ed was really frightened, so I bore away to leeward, 
while Frank gave them a parting salute with hisshot gun. 
The boys had it on Ed, then, bad. Passing Otter Creek, 
we were soon abreast of Horse Creek. The west shore or 
mainland, is now a high sandy bluff, clothed with forests 
of pine. The water is quite shallow for a long distance 
from shore, so we kept tire middle of the river. Opposite 
here, on Merritt's Island, is the hammock of Bethel Stew¬ 
art, and on the mainland the shanties of the settlers are 
scattered along, and we soon arrived at Eau Gallic. 
This place is twenty miles from Russell Point and forty 
from Titusville. There is a store and post office, and a 
fine building composed of Coquina rock, built for the 
State Agricultural College, but never used as such, X be¬ 
lieve. It was the job of a “ ring,” who laid out and built 
a fine city here, with broad avenues, parks, schools, 
churches, and hotels, on paper. There was to have been 
a canal, eight miles in length, connecting Indian River 
with the .St. John’s, via Elbow Creek and Lake Washing¬ 
ton. But the ring lost its influence with the State offi¬ 
cers, its hold on the State money bags slipped, it dropped 
the bubble, and it “busted.” Nothing remains but the 
nucleus of the scheme; the “College,” as it is called. 
The site is a beautiful one, and the location advantageous. 
It is opposite the foot of Merritt's Island, and the conflu¬ 
ence of the Banana and Indian rivers. There is a good 
depth of water close up to the rocky shore at all times. 
Should the contemplated railroad from Jacksonville via 
St. Augustine to Indian River he built, a charter for which 
was obtained last winter, Ean Gallie will become an im¬ 
portant point, and in my opinion will supersede Titus¬ 
ville. 
We spent, a few days in the vicinity of Eau Gallie 
very pleasantly. There was plenty of ducks, snipe and 
plover up Banana River, and excellent black bass fishing 
in Horse Creek, Elbow Creek and Crane Creek, all Wit!)in 
three miles of Eau Gallie ; while red fish, sheepshead and 
mullet were abundant in Indian River. In the scrub 
about the head of Elbow Creek, also within three miles, 
the sportsman will lind deer and turkies, though the 
latter are becoming scarce. With a good dog quail can 
he found anywhere in the settlement. In short, there 
was no difficulty in keeping the “ pot boiling,” for we 
always had enough and to spare. There, is a certain little 
fresh water pond near the foot of the island, where the 
ducks come in from the large waters to drink, and where 
I went several times with my gun and twenty-five cartri¬ 
dges, my pipe and tobacco, and rubber wading boots. 
After making myself comfortable in a snug blind, I would 
light my pipe and await further developments. Pretty 
soon they came, two or three at a time, sometimes half a 
dozen—mallards and blue bills. After shooting both bar¬ 
rels I would wade out and retrieve them, one or two, as 
the case might be, or the alligators would have saved me 
the trouble. Then I would resume my pipe, and my 
waiting and watching, and so on ad infinitum. As soon 
as I had bagged a dozen I would return to camp, but it 
would be no extraordinary thing for one to bagaliundred 
in a day, for they are coming and going all day long. 
This pond is not known to many, and the sportsman must 
find it as I did, by his own judgment and observation, and 
his knowledge of the habits of the game. 
J. A. He.N T SHALL. 
ONE NIGHT ON MANSFIELD MOUNTAIN. 
I N 1872, 1 visited Mansfield Mountain, and passed three 
days at the Summit House which is situated close 
under the nose of the two mile long giant face from which 
the mountain takes its name. It was a wonderful spot, 
with charming views, and I enjoyed every moment of my 
visit with the exception of one night. 
I was exp lormg the south era or “ forehead” end, and h ad 
been absent from the’ hotel all day long. In fact, it was 
fairly dusk before I thought of retracing my steps, and 
then for the first time 1 realized that a full mile of thick 
forest lay between'me and my supper, with uo trail to 
follow and only my knowledge of woodcraft to prevent 
me from passing the night among the whispering 
pines. 
The prospect was not a pleasant one, as I was entirely 
unprepared for camping out, having no matches to light 
a fire even, and being ravenously hungry and very 
tired. 
It was with much care, therefore, that I began my home¬ 
ward journey, noting every “ sign ” about me and avoid¬ 
ing all detours that might doflect me from my true course. 
My progress, however, was necessarily slow, and those 
gloomy gnomes of the mountains, the black shadows, soon 
began to creep from the caves and the thickets where they 
had lain hidden all day long, and dog my footsteps, while 
the hoot of the lonely owl or the far away cry of some 
home going loon were the only sounds which broke the 
almost oppressive silence. With unpleasant freshness 
came to my mind stories which I had read of men who, 
lost in this wild section, had wandered for days until res¬ 
cued by parties from without; and of others whose sad 
fate was only guessed at from the bits of clothing and 
bleaching bones found insome lonely ravine months after 
they themselves had been forgotten. 
I am not easily frightened, but these sombre recollec¬ 
tions added to the deepening darkness about me, and it 
was at last with a positive shiver tha t I noticed hew short 
a distance I could see.before me, and howragged and un¬ 
familiar seemed all the ground about me. Was I already 
lost? . , 
With the horrible possibility which my mind now for 
the first time admitted, came a new danger; “I lost my 
head"; that is, fairly frightened, I forgot all rules of wood¬ 
craft and dashed wildly off in a new direction, running, 
stumbling, falling, bruising myself upon logs, roots and 
stones, crying, shouting and completely unnerved, until 
at length utterly exhausted I sank almost fainting upon 
the damp ground. 
Now, indeed, I was lost 1 
For a time I lay motionless, slowly recovering breath 
and reason, for it was a momentary craziness that had 
attacked tiie; then at last I slowly arose and leaned 
against a neighboring tree. 
“ What litter folly 1” Imoanerl: “ all that was gained by 
care and prudence is now lost, and it only remains to pass 
the night in the forest. Fool that I am, my punishment 
is deserved 1” 
What were my equipments for camping out? I took a 
mental inventory. A light suit of eloths, rough shoes, a 
felt liat, a small knife and a revolver; no blanket, no 
no matches, no food. The sum total was seriously 
lacking. 
“ I cannot and will not freeze norstarve,” here, said I 
aloud, “while my strength lasts": and I shivered in the 
Bharp, chill air. 1 ‘At least, I can make the effort to find my 
way out of this wilderness at some point, and •! will 
travel directly north.” 
So reasoning, having first examined several of the trees 
about me to decide which way my course lay, for forest 
trees always accumulate moss upon the northern exposure 
of then- trunks, I resumed my laborsome journey, moving 
slowly and with great caution lost 1 lose, my footing 
among the treacherous stones and roots or again mistake 
the direction in which I desired to travel. 
And meanwhile upon leaden winged moments the time 
passed. It was very dark, there being no moon, and the 
thick pines and hemlocks hiding the feeble stars overhead. 
Occasionally aal crashed through some thicket or stumbled 
across a rocky spot a darker shadow would flit between 
the trees and the lonely hoot of astartled owl would ring 
out upon the night air : again, as I paused for breath the 
soft fall of padded feet came from the dim aisles about 
me, and once or twice a pair of gloaming eyes blazed 
through the darkness near me, then as I moved they 
would disappear and all would grow silent and blade again. 
1 kept one hand upon my pistol, yet homing that I might 
not be called upon to use it, for it was of too small cali¬ 
bre to do more than wound any animal that might attack 
me, and a wounded wild cat or panther would be far more 
dangerous than one with a whole skin. 
At times I rested my weary body, trying to estimate 
the distance already travelled, and how much still re¬ 
mained. Then with fresh courage, although faint and 
feeble, I would renew my tenable journey. 
For terrible indeed it had now grown. Rest as Often 
as I might, and argue with myself as I would, the truth 
still remained ; it was almost midnight, I had travelled 
many miles and must be entirely away from my hotel, 
aud I was fast becoming exhausted. A few more weary 
steps, a few more staggering falls among the brush and 
logs, a few more desperate efforts, to rise and I should find 
my strength gone. Then, what then ? I shuddered. 
At last, having clambered over a great mass of rocks, 
my course began suddenly to descend, and I stopped, de¬ 
termined to have ono more long rest and then to make a 
last effort to reach civilization. If unsuccessful, I must 
halt and try to sleep until morning. This passed through 
my mind as X sat upon the shelving side of a great rock, 
trying with distended eyes to pierce the darkness about 
me : my back aching and tired, and my feet bruiBed and 
bleeding. 
As I continued to gaze into the night it seemed as 
though the mountain sloped sharply away before me and 
I felt that unexplainable dread which comes over one, 
when standing upon the brink of a precipice. Stronger 
and stronger this feeling grew, until with a shiver that 
began at my spine and crept all the way down to my toes, 
I drew myself slowly backward up the face of the great 
rock, fearful lest by some fatal step, I might hurl myBelf 
into the yawning gulf below. 
In this way aud with much care, I had nearly reached 
the top of the boulder, when an unexpected sound, a half 
grunt, half growl, which seemed to come from my very 
side, star-tied me, caused my blood to stagnate and my 
hair to rise upon my head; and with a shudder I felt 
every muscle in my body relax, my hands lose their grasp 
upon the rock, and with a shriek I slipped across its 
smooth surface and shot, downward into the darkness ! 
How far 1 descended I knew not, but my outstretched 
arms and nervous fingers grasped at the bushes and 
branches which brushed by me as I rolled and tumbled 
down the mountain side, and with a wild energy bom 
of despair, I clutched at last a great log, wound myself 
about it, and for the moment was safe I 
Regaining my breath, I cautiously raised myself into a 
sitting position and peered into the night about me. 
Blackness of darkness covered everything, and no outline 
of either mountain or trees met my longing but baffled 
gaze. It might he a mile to the oarth beneath me, for 
all that I knew. 
From the slight trembling of my perch it was evident 
that it extended over some abyss, how deep I dared not 
imagine. Every motion produced the slight oscillations, 
audit was with an agony of fear that I attempted any 
change of position, for what if the log were insecurely 
fastened at the other end, or old and weak; what if it 
should break beneath my weight? 
I bowed myself once more and wrapped my armsabout 
it, so faint that 1 dared not sit upright, so filled with an 
intangible dread that my brain reeled. Was this to be 
the end ? Was I to starve like a magpie upon a perch and 
here remain, a skeleton astride a log overhanging some 
wild cliff far up the lonely mountain side ? I laughed 
wildly 1 Horrible ! 
How long consciousness remained I know not; my 
memory cannot bridge those fearful moments, and hap¬ 
pily I have no recollection of what passed after I mounted 
the log, except that at Borne l ime or other sleep came and 
1 wandered in a dreamland of demons who hurled me 
shrieking over stupendous precipices into unfathomable 
depths with yells of rage. 
At its usual hour the morning sun crept slowly up theeas- 
tem horizon and peeped at the mountains. One brilliant 
ray, glancing shimmering from a little lake among the 
woods, struck me fairly in the face, and with a start I 
awoke, opened my tired eyes, rubbed my aching limbs and 
looked about me. 
The long ridgepole of a log shanty extending far out 
beyond the building itself toward the shelving rocks of 
the mountain side, formed my seat, my feet dangled with¬ 
in twenty inches of the earth ; four or five swine were 
rooting not far away, and the cheery whistle of the cow¬ 
boy rang out on the morning air behind all. A dozen 
rods to the left stood the Summit House, the blue smoke 
of the breakfast fire curling upward from its wide- 
mouthed stone chimney. . 
I had passed the night astride the ridge pole of Iho pig 
pen of my own hotel! 
I have never been lost since. F. E, Hamilton. 
(Culture. 
THE FISH CULTUmSTS’ CONVENTION 
AT CHICA GO. 
[FROM our special correspondent.] 
October 2d. 
Mr. Editor .—Have been attending Convention to-day, 
and enclose you report of proceedings for bolh days, so 
far as a general report can be given. 
The attendance has been small. At this morning’s 
meeting, until adjournment at 1 o’clock, twenty-eight 
persons were present. During the first meeting there 
were more present. But the Convention is composed of 
men who know what they arc talking about. Their ar¬ 
guments are earnest, and to the point. The discussions 
were earned along fairly, and without any dogmatism ; 
each conceeding another's views as equal to his own, 
and all tending to one grand point: “ The preservation of 
our inland fisheries.” 
The paper read by Geo. H. Jerome, on “ The Fish Farm 
and its Appropriations,” was well received by the Con¬ 
vention. Tiie paper by Mr. Shaw, of Iowa, was a caro- 
fully-written statement of wliat a few men can do to- 
,ward keeping up the natural supply of the streams and 
creeks running into tiie Mississippi. This paper was re¬ 
ceived with great favor, and ordered published. Its 
statements are so clear and forcible, that it allows Mr. 
Shaw to be an enthusiast in preserving fish, and not a 
fish-breeder for dollars and cents. Here I would remark 
The impression Mr. Shaw leaves on the mind is, that he 
is one of the leading spirits of the Convention. He is 
evidently a ready thinker, and sound in his ideas in any 
point under discussion. Though not a graceful speaker, 
Ilia opinions carry weight with them. He is a wide¬ 
awake, go-ahead Western man. 
Mr. Booth, of Chicago, was present, and gave some 
valuable information and statistics regarding the whole¬ 
sale destruction of whitefisli. An interesting discussion 
followed. One gentleman gave an outline of the nets 
used for catching whitefish. Opinions differed somewhat 
as to the best means to prevent the annihilation of these 
fine fish, but all agreed that the lakes are being exhausted, 
and some means must be devised and Congress memorial¬ 
ized to pass a law to protect these fish. 
All the gentlemen taking part in the discussion are 
alive to the fact that the whitefish are surely being fished 
out, hut how to overcome the opposition of those who 
have invested hundreds and thousands of dollars in fish¬ 
ing outfits is the all-important question. 
Home other papers were read in the afternoon session, 
hut the time was too short to admit of any discussion. 
The Convention adjourned to meet again in Chicago, 
subject to the call of the President. D. 
Among other papers read before the meeting was one 
written by Dr. Theodore Garlick, of Bedford, O,, and 
read by Mr. Fred. Mather, on “ The Birth of Fish Culture, 
in America;” “Brook Trout Culture,” by Mr. F. H. 
Douseman, of Chicago; ” “ The Uses of Coal Tar in Fish 
Culture,” by Mr. Fred. Mather. A talk was given by Col. 
McDonald, of Virginia, on “The Virginia System of 
Fish-Ways ; ’’ and Mr. E. B. Paxton had a discussion of 
“The Detroit River Fisheries." Among the papers which 
could not bo read for lack of time, was one by Prof. G. 
Brown Good, entitled “ A Biography of the Menhaden." 
This inaugural meeting will we hope bear excellent 
fruit. The new Association has started strong, and with 
a display of wisdom. In Seeking Congressional action a 
difficult task has been instituted, but the meeting went 
about it in a way which seems to promise excellent re¬ 
sults. 
We shall publish an abtract of all the papers next 
week. Since the meeting we have received personal 
visits from some of the Fish Commissioners who were 
present, and they seem to feel as if good would come on’t. 
E. A. BRACKETT to LIVINGSTON STONE. 
Winouester, Muss., October 3,1878. 
Mr. Editor Tn your Issue of the 2d Is another card from niy 
friend, Livingston Stone, In regard to California salmon dying 
after spawning, and calling upon the writer of the Massachusetts 
Fish Commissioners’ Report of 1877-8 to retract his statement and 
“ rescue him from the imputation of giving utterance to such au 
utterly stupid and senseless speech." 
As author of said report I should he happy were It in my power 
to relieve Mr. Stone from the unfortunate dilemma In which he 
is placed from malting wjiat he is pleased to call “ an utterly stu¬ 
pid and senseless speeoh," and still more from the folly of ap¬ 
pearing to deny statements made over his own signature and 
printed in the United States Fish Commissioners’Report; hut I 
can Only do so by assuming that tho articles in Baird's report 
signed Livingston Stone were written by some other person. As 
I promptly answered his first card, will yon he kind enough to 
reprint my letter of May Stth, or forward a copy to him. 
Yours truly, E. A. Brackett, 
Massachusetts Commissioner of Inland Fisheries. 
The New York Archery Club.— The movement tend¬ 
ing toward the organization of an archery club in New 
York City is making rapid progress, and a number of 
good names have already been sent in to our office. A 
meeting of those interested will he held at the Metropoli¬ 
tan Hotel on Saturday evening next at 8 p. m., when 
preliminaries will bo arranged. We understand that a 
suitable and convenient out-door range has been secured, 
and that negotiations for in-door practice during the 
winter months are ponding. 
—Our readers' attention is called to the advertisement 
of Messrs. Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co., who are now 
publishing in monthly parts the best work extant on the 
subject of “ Dairy Farming.” 
