FOREST AND STREAM 
945 
<& 
that Cumberland County miles never shrink. I reached 
the yacht at last, cold and hungry; but the cheerful fire 
and a cup of coffee soon restored me. 
Now let me say, that if a city sport is desirous of be¬ 
coming famous as a duck shooter, he can lay aside his 
comfortable ulster, draw on a suit of corduroy, “dead- 
grass color," which, by the way, he will find “ more 
cooling than a dose of salts :" get a chok-bore, load his 
shells with chilled shot, then roam around loose among 
the ditches and salt holes of a Jersey marsh, or take a 
mess of Cumberland County miles in a twenty-pound 
ducking-skiff. 
The next morning the sun arose clear and bright, with 
increasing wind from the West and lots of ice around the 
bow of our yacht, with diamond-like dots of spray cling¬ 
ing to the rigging. Let me re-mark just here, that Clark, 
our crack ducker, in one of his enthusiastic moods, while 
the weather was warm, said : 
“ I wish it would get cold enough to freeze the lmir on 
a dog's back, then we would knock the ducks,” Now, if 
knocking ducks through the dead-lights of a comfortable 
yacht’s cabin is the sportsmanlike manner of doing the 
thing, then our amiable friend may be counted in ; but 
I noticed that everybody had business inside this morn¬ 
ing.* Frozen oysters for lunch to-day. After the sun had 
been about three horns up, we cleared oif some of the ice 
and made sail, and were off again under a double-reefed 
mainsail with jib stowed. The yacht needs watching 
and careful handling. Every now and then a heavy 
squall comes sweeping across the ten miles of salt water 
and we lay clean down to our gunwales. Hope Creek is 
reached after a quick run, and we again come to anchor 
to find the place has been “shot out.” A muskratter, 
whom we met in the creek, informed ns that a steam 
yacht from Philadelphia (I forbear to mention her name.) 
liad been there a couple of days before with twenty-seven 
shooters, and six colored men to carry their guns to the 
blinds. These were some of our politicians, or city 
fathers, as they are called, on a marine lark, or private 
drunk. We found nearly all the available points con¬ 
verted into forts, each one large enough to hold half a 
dozen men and a basket of champagne. 
One day was enough here, and we are again on the 
move. AVe now make a long run, passing Port Penn, 
Salem, Delaware City, New Castle, PennsvUle, Wilming¬ 
ton, Pennsgrove, Grubb’s Landing, and Marcus Hook, 
and stretching away for Jersey again, come to anchor on 
our old veedbird anil rail ground, Racoon Creek. We are 
now only twenty miles or so from home, and this will 
he our last night out, for to-morrow we start for home. 
We have been gone three weeks, and yet home, with all 
its comforts and social surroundings, scarcel}* makes 
amends for the change from the free life we have been 
living; and when we shake hands and part from our 
comrades, we even wish the trip had been a longer one. 
Clark shot a beautiful mallard drake this evening, 
which he has had mounted, and it is the prettiest speci¬ 
men of its species I ever saw. Mayberry and Wilkins 
were stooling off the mouth of the creek about dusk, and 
saw flock after flock of brant slowly passing down along 
Hook Bar. They flew low, almost touching the water, 
but did not stop. Gunners from Chester and the Hook 
are on the alert, and long after nightfall the booming of 
heavy guns could he heard echoing and vibrating among 
the Jersey sandhills and along the islands of Christine, 
carrying to our ears the death-knell of hundreds of these 
weary, “ trading " water-fowl. Since our return I have 
been informed that one skiff boated 31. This, I‘ believe, 
is unprecedented in the waters of the Delaware. 
The next morning breaks bright and beautiful; the 
weather has moderated, but there is a splendid breeze 
from northwest. AVe up anchor and make sail again 
—no need for reefing—and the gallant Zimmerman, even 
with its flavor of sour krout and plodding slowness, steps 
out like a racer. Patton has all his cooking utensils 
scoured and cleaned, and the cabin is “tidied” up. We 
slum close to Morrison’s Island with the young flood. 
Chester buoy, famous as the rounding point in our yacht 
races, lies to our left. Thompson’s Point, Lodge’s Point, 
Billingsport, Red Bank and Gloucester are passed in 
rapid succession, and in two hours and forty minutes we 
are anchored abreast of Wilkens’ boat-house at Cooper’s 
Point. We step ashore and roll about among the fresh¬ 
water sailors, and there is a general hand-shaking all 
around. 
Allow me, now, to add a few words in conclusion. On 
a trip of this kind we are thrown upon our own resources 
for everything social, etc. We quickly learn that we 
are each dependent upon the other ; a selfish man is soon 
cured, or — he goes home. To make a trip of this kind a 
success, the whole party should—aye, must be a unit. A 
man must leam to accept the disagreeable with the 
pleasant; and it is wonderful how soon you get to the 
bottom of a man if there is anything light in him. He 
cannot conceal; it will crop out; and he is sure to re¬ 
turn to his friends socially and morally improved. A 
month’s trip of this kind will make a respectable man 
out of an indifferent boy. The great secret of all this is 
to adapt oneself to all the circumstances that may 
present themselves, and be careful to say and do nothing 
to hurt another’s feelings, even in jest. AVe were we 1 
supplied with_ reading matter, the most interesting of 
which were six months’ files of the American sports¬ 
man’s text-hook, Forest and Stream. Commodore. 
ZACA LAKE, CALIFORNIA. 
Wsgun and fired, and a large doe dropped. She regained her 
feet, and started along the base of the hill. We saw that one of 
her hind legs was broken, and so she could not olimb the hill, We 
had a young dog with us, and we turned him loose after her. He 
her about two hundred yards, and hayed her, and 1 ran up 
and shot her in the head, Now we were, in a quandary, for wo 
had left our pack horse in camp, and it was about live miles 
distant. We decided to carry the door in on our backs. We 
reached camp late in the afternoon, tired, hungry and dirty, and 
that, night wo were both taken sick, caused, I have no doubt, by 
the unusual exertion of packing the deer. The next two days 
were spent lying around the camp trying to summon up courage 
to try it again. 
The lake is nearly three thousand feet above the level of the 
?a, and contains some fifty acres. It is surrounded by tall moun¬ 
tains on all sides, and I think, from the general formation of the 
country, that it is the crater of an extinct volcano. Three feet 
from the bank the witter is ten feet deep, and in the centre of 
tiie lake no one lias ever been able to find the hot tom with the 
iattas and stake ropes that are brought aioug. The water is 
quite warm—too warm, infact, for trout to llveiu. There is no 
istble outlet, but the water never overflows, and never seems to 
get any lower. Some miles further down the coast I have seen 
jots of steam, coming up out of the earth so thick that I thought 
it was a camp-fire burning, and on going up to it found a large 
hole in the ground, and the steam pouring Out, and the oattle 
were crowding around it to keep warm. This, and the warm 
■prings that break out everywhere, lead me to think that the lake 
is of volcanic origin. 
Having fully recovered, L. and I started nut. After going 
about two miles we stopped under a tree to rest, and while lying 
in the shade two bucks came out of the brush aud walked almost 
within shot of us, and wont under a tree and laydown. We 
crawled around a small knoll aud then ran down a ravine until 
opposite to them. We then climbed the hank and soon came 
in sight of them. As they started to their feet We fired. The 
one I shot at fell dead; the other ran about fifty yards and 
stopped, when we both fired again, and down ho came. We fouad 
that L. had broken his deer’s leg at the first shot, and our two 
last balls wore within two inches of each other In his shoulder. 
We packed these into camp, which we reached about eleven 
’clock. 
The next day we killed three good deer—he two and T one; and 
the day following we took eurrods and lines, and started out to 
catch some trout in a stream that ran close by the camp, s Luck 
with us, and we returned to camp with fifty-two beauties. 
These trout, we were surprised to find, all had spawn in them. Our 
trout usually spawn In the spring, after the heavy spring fresh¬ 
ets have subsided, and naturally we were surprised to find spawn 
in them late in July. But spawn or no spawn, they were delicious, 
and the whole crowd made anieal oft them, and still had some to 
spare. 
All next day we were engaged in building fires and drying our 
superflous meat, so that in the long, wet evenings of winter 
might gnaw at a piece of “ jerky,” as wo sat by the fire and re¬ 
counted the hunting exploits of bygone days. 
The'following day we travelled all over the hills, hut failed to 
so a single deer, although the signs were thick and fresh. Flies 
and gnat s were very thick, and bothered us greatly, and I think 
must have driven the deer to seek somemore secluded place, 
where the flies did notahoundin such great numbers. 
While we were engaged In deer hunting L. was Bhooting quail, 
and every day brought quite a string. They were very plenti- 
tiful, and although they became very wild after being sbDt at 
much, still L. always brought in enough to make a good mi 
a day. The last day we stayed in camp F. and I started out 
for our last hunt. I can’t-begin to tell how far we walked that 
day. At last,havingalmoBt given up in despair, wo sawadeer’i 
head through the wild oats. On approaching nearer, a fine spike 
buck jumped to his feet, and was immediately shot through by 
TVs unerring rifle. The buck ran headlong down the hill, and 
wa were hurrying atter him I. saw the mate to him standing 
within thirty yards of me. As I hurriedly raised my rifle to my 
shoulder it went off into the air. I pumped in another charge, 
which went the way of the first. A third shotwas sent off in like 
manner, the deer all the time standing perfectly still ooking at 
As the third shot rang out he started, and ran the hill. 
Just then F. sawhim and shot, him through. He was hit very 
hard, and began staggering off, and I, thinking he would get into 
the brush, called to F. to shoot again. He fired and shot under 
thedeer, who then ran over the hill. Wowent downtlierav 
after the first deer, and started it up, and pur dog started after 
him. Dog and deer went over tho hill, and as we were hurrying 
after them we found a large pool of bloodwhere tho second had 
laid down and been jumped up by the dog, and had run into the 
brush. Soon we heard the dog hark, and following the sound, 
found the doer at bay. As soon as we hail despatched it 
started back for tho other one; but after searching about a hour 
gave it up, and started hack to cam p with one. 
Next day saw us, at its close, camped in the San Ophire Cation, 
within twenty-five miles of Santa Barbara, and by four o’clock 
next day wo were home. E. C, T. 
the artificial process, and shipped to the trade and con¬ 
sumers during the winter months, has been a common 
article of commerce in this country. It is quite lawful to 
buy, sell or possess them in Canada throughout the close 
season if they have been lawfully caught in open season. 
The same rule exists in England, Our fishery laws pro¬ 
vide a “lawful excuse” for their possession, and it is the 
duty of the owner to produce proof of legal origin if re¬ 
quired. This department adopts a system of granting 
certificates, which bona fide traders find it beneficial to 
observe. The same plan might apply to exportations 
from Canada. No doubt this new enterprise of sending 
Canadian salmon to English markets at a time when the 
sale of Balmon assumed to be caught in Great Britain is 
prohibited by imperial statutes and local regulations, will 
necessitate the adoption of cooperative means to prevent 
evasions of those laws, without at the same time depriv¬ 
ing Canadian dealers of the advantage of English mar¬ 
kets in winter time, and the British constimer of the ben¬ 
efit of a desirable variety of fish food. How to accom¬ 
plish this requires some consideration. Meanwhile it 
would be very unfortunate if hasty prejudices should 
arise on the other side, or that illegal practices should 
prevail on this side of the Atlantic, to defeat the venture 
of Canadian traders, and to deprive British consumers of 
any benefits attending competition and an enlarged sup- 
fly. There is a possibility that “tricks of trade” may 
iave something to do with the present aspect of the case 
to which Dr. Buckland draws attention. 
Ottawa, Nov. tilth. AV. F. AVhitcher. 
f 
m 
Trout in the Jordan.— A mill-dam is in process of 
building on the River Jordan, Michigan, and the anglers, 
who visit that famous stream for trout and grayling, 
will he pleased to leam that efforts are being made by 
energetic members of the guild to secure the erection of 
a McDonald fish-way. There is good reason to think 
that the fish-way will be built, and the fishing preserved. 
The Jordan is far too valuable to the residents there, to 
be thoughtlessly destroyed as an angling stream. A 
valued Chicago correspondent, who has had the foresight 
to see the threatencd^destruction of his favorite fishing 
grounds, and enough public spirit to act vigorously, and 
at once writes in regard to better protection of fishing 
waters:— 
It is no use talking; we must come to the same system 
adopted in Europe, if we want trout fishing. The streams 
must be better protected; and, though it may be con¬ 
trary to the spirit of the institutions of this free country, 
yet in time the rights of land-owners against trespass¬ 
ers will come to be recognized and respected. 
There will be no need of eating liver-fed trout, if clubs 
can lease and control streams that are the habitat of 
trout. I know a stream, mentioned sometimes in the 
English Fishing Gazette, that for twenty-live years has 
been a fine trout stream, and always will be, though run¬ 
ning through public lands. 
’ Fish Culture in Illinois—J acksonville, III., Dec. 3 d, 
1879.—The thing uppermost in my mind is the game and 
fish interest. If only a few of our wealthy men had the 
same desire as I have, every body of water in this Stato 
would abound with good game fish, as I believe there is 
not a body of water anywhere (that does not dry up) but 
what there is a good fish that is adapted for it, and if I 
live long I expect to see my anticipation realized. There 
is a good deal to be done in this line, and first of all, net¬ 
ting must be stopped in all inland lakes. AVhen a boy in 
AYisocnsin, before nets were put in the lakes, I could 
catch a mess of good fish with a single hook and line in 
fifteen to thirty minutes—as much as I could carry. I 
want to see those times back again. Fish can be raised 
(where there is water) easier than anything else, but it 
is useless to tell you anything about this—one who knows 
so much. ~ _ G. H. 
§m mid §wt[ JBJmig. 
FISH IN SEASON IN DECEMBER, 
FRESH WATER. 
Black Bass, Micrnpteriv) salmo- I Pike or Pickerel, Esaxlucius. 
Wes; M. nigricans. Follow Perch, PcrcaMveecam . 
Sea Boss, Sciomops oceltatius. \ White Perch, Btorone afn&'ieaua. 
A PARTY consisting; et six ladies and gentlemen left Santa 
Barbara early one morning in J uly, l’or a hunting and fish¬ 
ing camp on the ZacnBanoh. The first day was very worm, and 
our horses not being used to long journeys, we only reached the 
Gnviota Pass in time to make oamp heforo dark. The camp was 
astir and lire burning brightly by four o’clooknoxt morning, and 
before six wo were on the road again. This day was much 
warmer than the last, and there was nothing to relieve the mon¬ 
otony of the drive until at last We reached .the Zaea Canon. 
Hastily swallowing a few mouthfuls of food and a cup of strong 
ooffee, early the day following we shouldered our rifles mid 
started up the creek in the direction of the Jake. We had hardly 
gone half a mile before we saw a large buck standing on a ridgo 
looking at ns. We tried to stalk him, but. lie started before we 
got within gun-shot of bim. We walked several miles up the 
creok until we had climbed up a steep trail for nearly a mile. 
Just as we Touched the top, and the lake mot our view, a band of 
deer started up the hill. F., who was ahead at the time, raised 
Unbound and Unseasonable Salmon Sold Abroad.— 
Canadian Fish Commissioner AV. F. AVhitcher takes offi¬ 
cial notice of the complaint published in London Land 
and Water, whose editor is a government inspector of 
fish, that unwholesome salmon from Canada were lately 
sold illegally in Liverpool, in the following letter, which, 
besides correcting a false impression, adds some sugges¬ 
tions which well deserve consideration in the United 
“ States, as well as in Canada and Great Britain. AVe refer 
to what ho says respecting cooperative measures to pre¬ 
vent evasions of law. AVe have ourselves already had a 
great deal of trouble with the question of the right to sell 
in close season such game a.nd fish as have been legally 
killed in open season :— 
Dr. Buckland correctly assumes that no Canadian sal¬ 
mon liver is now legally open for nets. Our fishery laws 
forbid netting salmon after the 1st of August in Quebec 
and Ontario, and after the 15th of A ugust in New Bruns¬ 
wick and Nova Scotia. Therefore, any freshly netted 
fish marketed after those dates would be subject to con¬ 
fiscation as being both illegal and unseasonable. Of 
course there can be no such tiling as “ clean, fresh-run 
fish oauglit in Canadian rivers in October; but salmon 
preserved in snow and ice, or frozen in a fresh stato by 
Primitive Opinion of the Grayling.— As an indica¬ 
tion of our progress in modern fish lore, we present the 
following excerpt from an old letter addressed to the 
Editor of this paper by a Michigan correspondent. It 
will be perceived that the writer, by his little fling at our 
references, was actually jealous of the little grayling. 
Tliink how much the poor despised creature is talked of 
and lauded now 1 The letter, which is dated at Detroit, 
May 12th, 1874, says,— 
“ The Michigan grayling that you appropriate columns 
for, is little less than a poor mixture of common perch 
and herring ; little game—a good biter at good bait, but 
mighty poor at fly.” 
This does not accord with good Dame Berners, who 
wrote as follows, as long ago as 1495;— 
“ The grayllynge, by a nother name callyd ombre, is a 
delycyous fysshe to man’s mouth. Aud ye may take 
hym lyke as ye do a troughte.” 
FISH SWALLOWING FISH. 
. Boston, Dee. 23d, 
Editor Forest and Stream 
Ouo plouesant summer afternoon, I was sinmllng- npou the shore 
ot a pond, down on Long Igland—way idowu—whore Mr. Hal look 
has, I trow, many times and oft, cast a line, watching the play ot 
swallows as they skimmed just over the surface of the water 
shortly before sunset. About a hundred yards out wu* a bed of 
lily-pads; and os the swallows skirted i f, occasionally a rood sized 
ripple could he seen, and sometimes a break from Hie edges inilf- 
Oiiting fish there. This fastened uiy attention to the partioulaj 
