Nov. 3, 1882.1 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



269 



Lowetj, (Mass.) Spohtsmex. — The country surrounding 

 Lowell was in the early history of the town, considered good 

 hunting ground, and in spile of the work-a-day life peculiar 

 to a manufacturing city there were not wanting men fully 

 appreciating the opportunity presented. Some of the older 

 sportsmen of to-day reaall the name of Governor Buttrick, 

 Nathaniel ami William Jones, Jefferson Nie.kless, Jake 

 Lakin, James Call f. [saiah la ighion. Ahijah Cutler. William 

 TS T . Owen, David Oekington and s host of others, whose ad- 

 veiituii.s »nv wont 10 be discussed around the winter fire, 

 and are ~till the subjei i of entertaining an< cdote. Many of 

 them have passed on to the "happy "hunting ground." but 

 others still retnaiu and even now take an active interest in 

 the exploits of others. There are probably in the neighbor- 

 hood of 300 men in Lowell who mighi dislike to have the 

 word •'Sportsman" follow their names in the directory, mil 

 who nevertheless enjoy an outing for a day or mote, taking 

 rod or gun, with a gusto which would entitle them to the 

 term. As a rule they ore men actively engaged in business, 

 to whom occasional Outdoor recreation is a necessity, and 

 which sends them .back io their exacting duties better pre- 

 pared for the wear and tear of business 'ife. They are men 

 engaged in trade, in manufacturing and various professional 

 callings, Some of theni prefer the contemplative pastime of 

 angling, some the more active and exhilarating sport of secur- 

 ing feathered or furred trophies with the. rifle or shotgun, 

 while others are equally at home in cither occupation. How- 

 ever brusque these men may at times appear when harassed 

 with business, they all have a genial side which becomes ap- 

 parent the moment they Btatl on a vacation excursion. The 

 writer has in mind a man of whom it has been said in homely 

 phrase— "You can't touch him with a ten-foot pole," who 

 is the veriest bpy when he gets awaj with his rod or gun, 

 and in- is sure to bea* home with bis gome a modicum of bis 

 boyishness Tbere'is an organization hearing the euphoni- 

 ous title of the "Wild Goose Glub," coroposedpartly, at least, 

 lit' Lowell gentlemen, who own :i tract of land in the vicinity 

 of the Rangeley lakes, who annually visit those waters iii 

 ones! iif iish and game. I'aint tnurniurlngs of the good 

 lames had at that encampment come fr.au that distant locality, 

 tun as tltcj go Eor lie- express purpose of unbending no one 

 ever dared" accuse ihein of going on a "ln-nder." The ma- 

 jority ol Lowell sportsmen, howevi r. do not find il necessary 

 or convenient to go so far for sporf and the smaller game, 

 though the exadi iocality of their hunting ground is somi 

 thing not necessary lo. make public, rears ago — twenty or 

 ln-.r-' -tic \uuroiis of tin- dav would go over into Dracut 

 and return with a hog well tilled with woodcock. Now one 

 can have i!n- same opportunity to liuiil provided Hie owner 

 of the laud does not inlcrfer. 'hul the chances for securing 

 game are greatly diminished; and the same is true of most 

 kinds of e.-rin . though forsoiae reason foxes are more plen- 

 tiful llian they w- re ten or fifteen years ago. Still good 

 marksmen and those acquainted with the habits of game are 

 rewarded with a Fair allowance of game on their incursions. 

 The more successful of I he hunters are specialists, who not 

 only study the habits and learn the haunts of certain species 

 ol birds or animals, bin have dogs trained for hunting that 

 game exclusively One niembi r of the gun club rarely shoots 

 anything but rabbits, and has two beagle dogs with a sharp 

 Bconl for the game. Another has a preference for woodcock 

 or partridge, and he has a pointer which thoroughly under- 

 stands his master's preference, Others slil) have hounds and 

 ignore everything bm foxes, though neither would probably 

 refuse .in occasional shot at anything which might challenge 

 it. It is believed that the magnanimity of the true spoils- 

 man pervades every Lowell gunner. If a fox gains his hole 

 in a lair run noi one of them but would scorn lo dig him 

 put. They would oof take a fish unless with a hook, nor 

 resorl to deceptive tricks to entrap game. With most of the 

 Lowell sportsmen an annual trip to the seashore in the autumn 

 is something rarely omitted.. Here ihey find plover and 

 other marsh birds, 'waterfowl, hXk:.—J,owcII Daily (Mirier. 



Ikdiana. — Fairland, Oct. 24, '82. — Our quail season 

 opened on the 15th iust., and many sportsmen, I am told, 

 have availed themselves, of the open season to have a bout 

 with the birds. Hut most of them have been disap- 

 pointed, I imagine, the birds being, for the most part, en- 

 tirely too small to shoot. Out of three full broods I myself 

 put up in the last few days, three were entirely too small, 

 two of them only ehirpers, no larger than a full-grown 

 P.issi'i' dom-:n!ifiii, while the third covey may be full-grown 

 by the first week in November. Not a solitary quail have I 

 seen since the open season — except in charge of young- 

 chicks — large enough to afford spoil to a real sportsman. 

 What a commentary is this on the wisdom of our last Legis- 

 lature, or rather the influence that caused them to change 

 the open season from Nov. 1 to Oct. 15. A much wiser 

 course, in my opinion, would have been to prohibit the 

 shooting of quail for at least, two seasons, lo give our favor- 

 ite: little game bird a chance to recover from the late hard 

 winters. The last winter was very mild, and a great g 

 was made, i think; but it will require several mud winters 

 and a general observance of the game laws to make the 

 shooting as good as it was in the autumn of '77. Hares and 

 squirrels are reported abundant, the former, in fact, a nui- 

 sance on many farms. — C. W. W. 



Gaivestom Notes. — Galveston, Tex.. Oct. 25.— With 

 our first norther wildfowl have arrived in great numbers. 

 Tin" honk of the wild goose is now u familiar sound. 

 Already the sportsmen revel in their anticipated sport. The 

 market hunters are al work. One of our largest dealers has 

 received one consignment of four hundred pairs, while the 

 lesser lights are quite busy disposing of large numbers. 

 With the exception of the canvas-hack and redhead 1 have 

 Boen all of the duck family thai make our bay their home 

 during the winter. These will abound in another month. — 

 Nkmo. 



New Yokk. — Wayne County, Oct. 2.8. — The quail season 

 has opened with more birds than 1 ever saw. It is no un- 

 usual thing, with a brace of good dogs, to find as many as 

 two hundred birds a day, The summer having been wet 

 we have . reryt als growth of weeds and grass, which 

 makes tnewalfang very fatiguing. The shooting will not 



he good before the first of December. Wc have had 1 e 



light, frost. — Snap Bhot. 



Tennessee.— Savannah, Oct. 25.— The prospect for sport 

 is fair, although June rains have somewhat diminished the 

 number of quail. Was out. for first time this season, one 

 afternoon last week, and bagged nine, shooting over n 

 puppy. No frost as yet to kill the weeds, and the weather 

 being hot and dry, renders it difficult for the docs to find 

 the birds. Beech, oak. and hickory mast unusually plenti- 

 ful, and the prospect for ducks mid geese seems good, al- 

 though, owing to the warm weather, few wildfowl have 

 come in yet. Dec! and turkeys are reported in larger num- 

 bers than usual within easy* distauce of the town. Wild 

 pigeons have begun to come in small flocks. — Wn,L. 



New Yomc- Bay Shore, L. I., Oct. 25.— Broadbill and 

 coots still continue to come in the bay in large numbers, and 

 the prospects for shooting were never better. There are a 

 good many widgeon in the bay toward Layville and 

 Patchoguc, but I have seen none here yet.— B. 



Virginia Quail.— Amelia C. H.. Va., Oct. 19, 1"82.— 

 Our season for quail opened on the 15th. The majority of 

 birds not even half grown as yet. Sport will be first-class 

 later, say by Nov. 10. — F. 



"The Still Hunter," by T. S. Van Dyke, is in course 

 of publication with Fords, Howard &Hulbert, of New York, 

 and will he out, on or before Dec. 1 . 



£tn and $iver Jj[ishittg> 



Open Seasons. — 8/x table of open wamnjfor rjam.e anil fnh 

 in isme of July 20. 



FISH IN SEASON IN NOVEMBER. 



Striped bass (Eocltfixlu, Raeem 



?,la- 



,i, ■hilly 

 ,',l„t",' 



1 I:,. 



White buss. fiocais rt ;•;/.<,.; i.x. 

 Reel; bass, Aiyltloplitt-s, 2 Kpei-i 

 War-mouth. Chauitilnyllus ,-,,. 



Crappie (Strawberry bass, et 



l'uiuo.i-i/.* nicrnnuini.liUnx, 

 Bachelor, />.»». i.r.vs annularis. 



3 pike) Stt- 

 nwm. 

 perch, Perm fluviatilis. 



SALT 



Striped bass, BOCCUS linyahis. 

 White perch, Morone americana . 

 Tautogorblackfish,Ji«Hffiyiii>io7/ti 

 BlueflsB or t&rlor, Pofnatomvs 



Matrix. 



9" This table is general. For special laws in the several States,. 



tablo o£ Open Seasons in issue o£ July 80, 



bii.T.iTAN County.— Monticello, X. Y., Oct. 26.— Rab- 

 bits and squirrels very plenty, with a fair number of ruffed 

 grouse and woodcock. Good rabbit hounds and bird dogs 

 with guides can be had at reasonable rates. To sportsmen 

 enclosing stamp I will give-any desired information. — Oiias. 

 F Kent. 



* * Not that a true angler ever passes the line which takes 



him Into the land of ailment and decrepitude. It is the glory of the 



•t that its disciples never grow old. The muscles may relax :iml 



the beloved rod become a burden, but Hie fire of enthusiasm kindled 



youth is never extinguished.- Unti-i/e fMticson, " Plea.sv.rvs of 



Aiu.ilmt.i." 



WITH HACKLES AND GENTLES. 



FIFTH PAPEB. 



•'Gentle stranger," have you seen 



An an gler pass this wsy— 

 A Diue-eyed lad, of graceful mien, 



Attired in drab array? 

 A creel upon his back he bore, 



His boots gemm'd o'er with dew; 

 And on his head a cap he wore, — 



He had a rod quite new." 



OF how many readers of the Forest and Strew might 

 the above be the description when they first essayed to 

 ply the "gentle art!" 



Buoyant, with health and hope, untrammelcd with the cares 

 of life, and rejoicing, like bird and bee, in the fragrant air of 

 a spring morning — forty and more years ago we had a spring; 

 then it was not a warm, a murky transitional period only, but 

 a very enjoyable and evident fact! We, you and I, "gentle 

 st ranger, "were wont to go afield like the ' 'blue-eyed lad" of the 

 quaint old song. It is sweet to recall those days, to look 

 back upon them from the stormy, thorny pathway ol 

 mature* years and to marvel at the zest and innocent 

 pleasure which walked, hand in hand, with us through 

 leafy lane and daisy-dappled meadow. The frosts of years 

 cannot nip and sear these memories, and the dreams that 

 came to us, as wcquietlyangled, are dear to us still, although 

 alas! very few of them "have been realized. 



Once upon a time — it seems like yesterday, although it 

 was very many moons agoue — I planned a "fishing day," and 

 till it had dawned and ended, my anticipation run riot and 

 every hour was counted. 



In one of my rambles I had found a brook in which I had 

 surely seen a few trout of respectable size and, with due respect 

 to the game laws, had waited only for the "close season" to 

 end ere I tried to bring them to creel. In those days I had 

 not learned the awful dullness of waiting, nor the full mean- 

 ing of Milton's line, "They also serve who only stood and 

 wait," which the passing years have taught me. If ever a 

 fisherman's outfit was overlooked and in perfect order, ray 

 ow T n was then and, like the arms of a videtle, everything 

 was in readiness for the very moment when I should start 

 for the untried water. In these prosy days il seems strange 

 that so much enthusiasm can be beaten aud squeezed out of 

 one as the time flies and the "crow's-feet." trace one's visage! 

 I would not have believed it then — 1 have to, now, however! 

 Nathless, almost within reach, I keep ray rods, my creel. 

 my lines and fly hook, as of yore, and if they are used less 

 frequently they are suggestive, and often lead me a long way 

 into the past, through green fields and by "still waters. " 

 There is nothing lost and much gained id keeping one's 

 favorite rod, gun, dog collar, or riding whip, here and there, 

 pendant from the bookshelves, over the fire place, or in a 

 cosy corner! Don't, agree with me "gentle stranger?" 



The day at length came, and proved auspicious as lo 

 weather, and off I Started for the "beck." I had to cross a 

 river, full of ignoble fish, and having done this, to walk a 

 long way through field and wood to the "deeps," where I 

 had seen the trout dart at my erst-while incautious approach. 

 Ah, how my heart bounded and my spirit leaped within Un- 

 as 1 caught 'the gleam of water running through the secluded 

 meadow. I halted and nervously arranged my tackle, and 

 by the time my "leader" was fully ready for a "cast." I 

 was on the very tip-toe of excitement. ( "'aut.ionsly, quietly, 

 I made my virgin cast, and soon my fly — au old-fashioned 

 palmer-hackle of the smallest size— falls like a leaf on the 



water, and floats like a leaf down its mimic tide. I waited 

 and grew anxious lest the beating of my heart should alarm 

 the- ti-.li. il seemed to throb SO hard aud so loud. Not a rise 

 as yet. I walked slowly clown stream for a little, seeing 

 nothing but my tempting fly, oblivious to all save my quest. 

 A.h, how many flies have 1 'watched since then on 'the less 

 quiet stream of Time -cai imnn/ 



At length the Fates were kind to my youthful zeal and 

 hopes, ami a "rise" convinced me that the stream was not 

 desolateas to fish— a rise and to my fly. I struck, not, I 

 trow, as would have the competitors al 'the late tournament 

 in Central Park, bwi,mimbllf tlirtu! I hooked the fish, which 

 seemed to me a heavy, as it proved to be a lusty, one. I 

 H' I i" practice the theory of lly-fishiug that. I had been so 

 ii tag and thinking" about. In some degree I did. I 



doubt not, lujl I smile at mis far-off day. as T think of my 

 anxiety and efforts lo land the fish. Eventually I did suc- 

 cessfully do so. instantlv broke his neck— "always kill your 

 iish as soon as cough I "—and in my delight, kissed I he pretty 

 lifeless little trout lying so like a jewel in my trembling 

 hand, My scales gave its weighl as half a pound, and I 

 reverently wrapped iho trophy in [eaves and laid him in my 

 creel, which Began tn feel heavy Again I cast, hoping to 

 get, m -in;, rate, annate to make upabrace, although I 

 longed to show my fish to the loving sceptic? at home, and 

 was ch-itiug to taunt them with "I knew there were trout 

 there." 



Another rise, but I was too nervous and lost the fish. 

 Again I deftly (at least I thought so) throw Hie fly and re- 

 solve to be calmer. I think of Holton's words to his beloved 

 scholar and try to imagine him by my side, when I was 

 startled by a toad rush id my fly 'which disappeared! 1 

 struck aud felt life at the. end of my leader — it seemed a 

 "heavy weight" and evidently "hound for a "steeple chase" 

 right across country. The plunges of that fish were, to inc. 

 past all conception, and I gaveuphopeof landing him more 

 than once! My "good luck" — which has since oftimes de- 

 serted me— more than my skill "enme to the fore"andsaved 

 the playful fellow for me, aud I had the coveted brace of 

 well conditioned I rout. The last was a trifle less heavy than 

 the other, but in better flesh and stronger. 1 tied another 

 fly and cast in a larger pool, but my effort was not rewarded. 

 Retracing my way to the first casting place 1 met with 

 belter success, ami two brace and a half soon reposed beside 

 the first notable brace in my creel. 



"At length he, grew hungry" — and so did I. I was quite 

 satisfied, too, With my catch.) aud SO wended my way home- 

 ward iii a mood which all anglers will recall, whose memo- 

 ries of youth arc not wholly drugged and forgotten. To 

 such 1 will not try totgil how proudly 1 hire my trophies 

 home. Imagination and retrospection may do -it' far belter 

 than my poor pen. In conclusion, however, I must add 

 that after Urisflrsl taste of fly-Ashing— 



* * * * "to cas 



a Mv line well 



Become my cntei 



est wish ; 



1 si;-..-..-. ■ 



sinae lo excel 



Ami cheat the ni 



able fell, 



Now trout anttgra 



•lin<; I iniehl. kill, 



it gloomy was th 



o day, 



•\n.l salmon also a 



my will 



Became an easie 



- prey. 



"Now Hies and pal 



tiers I would dresF 



A<umtto insects, 





And all t licit- vari.. 



■ gUfisS - 



Their u-.-.-s -.-.-, It I 





So now, the perfeo 



t angler. 



With rod. and Iii 



e, and hook, 



1 sheen each notes 



wrangler 



To fish the murmuring brook." 



Without th- assurance expressed in this last verse I must 

 confess T still love to "fish the murmuring brook," though 

 that first brook of blessed memory is far away and never 

 ruo.e may be fished by me. O. W. R, 



CAMPS ON THE WAY. 



rv— TEOtrrao on the trtbotabtbs oi- titpi manistique. 



" On pass the hours : the camp fire bright 

 St.-. ps the near leaves in bronzing light, 

 And shit" tin;.', plays o'er the figures laid 



In the geu--:-i.iH glow, on the grassy shade. 



— Frontenac. 



TI1E morning after our return from the Pictured Rocks, 

 wc made the earliest start possible for Munising Sta- 

 tion, but the earliest there would have been wretchedly late 

 at any other place. In the first place that pious friend. Cap- 

 tain .Jim, was 8 cause of detention. The night before, after 

 dumping oui camp stuff on the beach, he had unceremoni- 

 ously seized the oars, Sunday as it was, and rowed away 

 without his wages, rather than assist us with our stuff up a 

 steep bank. When the morning came, it came without the 

 Captain, and we had half a miud to "save the money for 

 him " ourselves. Oscar and I, however, swallowing our in- 

 dignation, made the tour of the wigwams and at last found 

 the particular one thai housed the Captain, who was at the 

 moment lounging around his mother's cooking stove. We 

 did not pay the. navigator just then, but told him that if he 

 Wanted his money he had better come to our camp for it. 

 and then wc threaded the trails that led through the thick 

 brush and out of this village of Chippewas back to our 

 own lodge. 



In the next place, the fact of our befhg short of supplies, 

 was a source of delay. Munising boasts bill One Store, and 



the prdprietor thereof bas a way of not opening his - ore i 



no matterwhat may' be the hurry . I' ■ e U .T,,,,,er : and that 

 particular morning the store was not opened as soon as wc 

 would have had it. 



However, wc felt no ill will toward the tardy merchant, 

 for the longer we hunt around the store door waiting for the 

 clicking of his rusty lock, the longer we bad Captain Jim 

 hanging around, wailing for bis "two dollars per day, 

 Sundays included." 



At last our supplies were bought, and Jim was paid off. 

 aud Frenehy bad our elesls auiTboxes piled upon his little 

 wagon, utid OUT toes were turned toward the railroad. 

 Oscar drove the cob a roundabout way, while Frenehy and 

 | tool a shortcut over the hill, with 'Ed. following in the 

 distance, and we met the little learn on the high ground 

 above the little, old town, Our cartman was a good Indian 

 hater, and I must confess that it did me good to hear his 

 maledictions on the whole tribe; for Jim, who was esteemed 

 as one of the best, of all the Munising Indians, had so per- 

 sistently shirked all labor during the days we bad him itj. 



