August 4, 1881.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



been and sympathize with them. The cold bath which im- 

 mediately followed our return to the regions of day was de- 

 lightful and refreshing, but the debilitating effects of the 

 great heal did not pass away until the following day. 



Returning to Car3on City wc took the stage for Glenbrook, 

 a little settlement on the stores of Lake Tahoe, from which 

 a steamer crosses the lake to Tahoe City, eleven miles from 

 Truckee. The stage ride from Carson to the lake was hot 

 aud dusty, and the sight of the mountains, absolutely stripped 

 of timber, was to me a very sad one. From miles and miles 

 of mountain the timber has all been cut off, until now (here 

 is nothing left standing but a few dead and rotting tree- 

 trunks. Springs have dried up and brooks gone dry, still 

 the work goes on, and unless some steps are at once taken to 

 check this wholesale destruction of our forests, the day will 

 surely conic when the water Bupply of the region, now none 

 too large, will be materially decreased. It is not as if the 

 timber were cut with judgment, the older sticks being taken 

 and the younger left to increase in size, and in the meantime 

 to shade the earih and diminish evaporation : everything is 

 cut down and in the most wasteful manner. Let us hope 

 that this will not continue. 



Lake Tahoe has been well called the " Gem of the Sier- 

 ras." It is indeed a beautiful lake with beautiful surround- 

 ings, but already they have commenced to atrip the moun- 

 tains of their tirnb.r and to defile these puremountain waters 

 with sawdust and the refuse of the lumber mills. Neverthe- 

 less, as a whole, the spot is stilt most lovely. The waters, 

 long famous for their wonderful purity, reflect the blue of 

 the clear sky above or mirror the dark-green hills and snow- 

 clad mountaius which on all sides surround them. Near the 

 shore, where the water is forty, fifty, or sixty feet deep, one 

 can distinguish very minute objects on the bottom, and can 

 see the trout swimming or resting quietly near the bottom. 

 These fish are caught for the most part either by trolling or 

 by hand lines, using minnows for bait. They are said to run 

 up to twenty-nine pounds in size, and captures of fish of over 

 seventeen pounds seem to be well authenticated. I was un- 

 able, owing to engagements in San Francisco, to try the fish 

 With a fly. 



The ride from Tahoe to Truckee is a delightful one and, 

 being taken in the evening when the sun is low and the shad- 

 ows long, we enjoyed to the lull the lovely scenery through 

 which we passed. The road follows the Truckee Itiver aud 

 runs for the whole distance through a beautiful pine forest. 

 The destruction of timber, so noticeable on the other side of 

 the lake, has begun here also, and before long the magnificent 

 forests through which we now pass will give place to an arid 

 waste, on which no green thing larger than a manzauita bush 

 will have been left standing. 



From Truckee to San Francisco is only about twelve hours 

 and, unfortunately, the most beautiful scenery on the ride is 

 passed during the night. We thus lose many of the most in- 

 teresting features of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and find 

 ourselves, when daylight breaks, on the level plains of the 

 Sacramento Valley, in a country which, though fertile and 

 in many respects interesting, presents to the eye no striking 

 beauties. 



Our stay in San Francisco is short. There are certain 

 things, of course, that one feels bound to do. A visit to the 

 Cliff House, taking by the way the beautiful Golden Gate 

 Park, should be made at once, and there are, near the city, a 

 number of places which should be seen. But San Francisco 

 in summer is not nearly so attractive as at some other sea- 

 sons, and besides, we have seen all this before, so taking 

 steamer we sail swiftly out of the Golden Gate and are fairly 

 on our way to the North. y . 



Victoria, B. O. 



The Dog on thb Island in the rapids at Niagara has 

 been joined by three other unfortunate curs, which, it is 

 claimed, have been purposely put there as an advertising 

 dodge by enterprising hotel proprietors. It is reported that 

 a recent attempt to rescue the unhappy dogs, which would 

 have been entirely successful, was frustrated by the inter- 

 ference of a gang of roughs, who openly blustered that the 

 dogs shou'd not be released, as they were a good lure for the 

 curiosity-seekers. An indignant visitor to the Falls writes 

 to the Buffalo Courur: " As a member of a society for the 

 prevention of cruelty to animals, I have to ask you, sir, 

 whether it is allowable that these helpless animals should be 

 imprisoned on a barren heap, bereft of all the liberty and do- 

 mestici'y to which they have been accustomed and brought 

 to the verge of madness in order that a set of showmen, 

 guides and hack-drivers may reap benefit from the credulity 

 of a defrauded public ?" If this is the truth in the case the 

 sooner the yelping canine castaways are released the better 

 it will be for all concerned in the cruel fraud. 



Pbbsonal.— Mr. T. B. Mills, of the firm of Wm. Mills & 

 Son, sailed last Saturday in the Baltic for Europe. He will 

 remain abroad several weeks and proposes to try some of the 

 famous salmon streams on the other side. 



Among those who called at the office of the Forest and 

 Stream during the past week were Messrs. J. B. Graham, 

 Secretary of the Toronto Gun Club ; A. McGregor, R. Mor- 

 rison, G. A, Burns, John Dill and S. Staneland, all of the 

 Toronto Gun Club and enthusiastic devotees of the sports of 

 | field and flood. We are always glad to welcome our old 

 friends and the latehstring of this office is always out; in fact, 

 the door is wide open for visitors from out of town. Give 

 us a call, 



The Savask Bloodhounds of the playbills, in the "only 

 original Uncle Tom's Cabin" are inoffensive beasts on the 

 stage. Just now we are reading of a hunt for human prey 

 m the northwestern forests of Wisconsin, where the gen- 

 uine article of bloodhound is employed to track the game. 

 Thisis savage business, although the exigencies of the case 

 appear to call for rough measures. But imagine the predica- 

 ment of an unsuspecting sportsman in those forests, mistaken 

 by the dogs for the outlaws. We shall take our turn for game 

 in some other section of the country if Wisconsin woods are 

 to be overrun with bloodhounds. Let us hope that the out- 

 lawed wretches may be cleared out, and the dogs with them, 

 before the deer season opens. 



That 'Possum promises to be perennial. The intere3t is 

 still alive, and when it shall have derrea%ed we shall for a 

 long time be ic uncertainty as to whether it is really dead or 

 only pretending to be. We had no though when we broached 

 this cu'inary query that the topic would prove so fruitful of 

 racy and entertaining writing. The lawyers especially ap- 

 pear to have taken kindly to the argument of 'possum hot 

 and 'possum cold. Two-thuds of the letters on the subject 

 have come to us from the legal fraternity. It speaks well 

 for the disciples of Blackstone that a large part of our gen- 

 eral correspondence is with them. We will trust our case 

 every time with a lawyer who has an intelligent appreciation 

 of the dignity and value of field sports. 



Dr. J. n. Hesshall and our correspondent, Mr. C. L. 

 Jordan, of Texas, are contemplating a Florida angling cam- 

 paign next winter, when the latter, we understand, will take 

 les>ons in the art of fly-fishing for the black bass. He is the 

 enthusiast referred to, if we mistake not, by Dr. Henshall in 

 his "Book of the Black Ba-s," who dubbed a bass-fly " a fish- 

 hook poetized," and thought the fish " should take it through 

 a love of the beautiful, if nothing else." 



Tub Leonbeeg Dog has gained much esteem among the 

 residents of St. John, Newfoundland. In our issue of July 

 21 we published a warm commendation of the breed, written 

 by our correspondent at that place ; and the high opinion 

 expressed by the writer of that article is shared by other 

 owners of the huge animals. 



Prairie Cuickf.n Shooting is the sport toward which 

 many scores of shooters are uow turning their eyes. The 

 season opens shortly in the West aud the reports of the game 

 supply are very encouraging. Elsewhere will be found notes 

 of some good centres for the sport. We shall be pleased to 

 receive regarding other resorts any information which will be 

 of practical benefit to our readers. 



The Car "Citt of Worcester" starts West on a shoot- 

 ing trip the sixth of next month, Mr. Jerome Marble, of 

 Worcester, accompanying the party. There is room, we un- 

 derstand, for four more in the company, and those desiring 

 to join the car should make early application to Mr. Marble, 

 at Worcester, Mass. 



Illustrations of many of tbe localities mentioned by 

 Mr. Fay, in his itinerary of a trip from Moosebead Lake to 

 the Main St. John, are to be found in Mr. Steele's book, 

 "Canoe and Camera." A map of the country is also con- 

 tained in that volume. 



Prairie Chicken Shooting. — A correspondent wishes to 

 secure, about the first of next September, board in farm- 

 house or hotel in Iowa, where prairie chickens are numerous 

 and of easy access from the house. Address A. P. V., this 

 office. 



The Illinois State Sportsmen's Association is holding 

 its tournament at Klienman Park this week. A report of 

 the proceedings will be given in a succeeding issue. 



Professor Huxley's lecture on "The Herring," which 

 we print to-day, is worthy of careful study. 



Tfta: Woodcock Season in this State opened last Monday. 



We are obliged to defer the sparrow poem until next week. 



AN INDORSEMENT ATE VALUE; 



THAT we Save the approval and good will ot the seafaring and 

 nautical portion of the community In our efforts to have the 

 sailing machine displaced by a healthier style of craft and yachting 

 elevated from baby's play on a mill-pond to the same manly standard 

 of amateur seamanship which tho sport occupies In British waters, 

 we have been convinced from the start. It Is with pleasure, there- 

 fore, that we give space to the. following Indorsement coining from 

 one of the moit experienced captains who ever sailed a fisherman out 

 of the port of Gloucester, Massaohuselts. To draw from a practical 

 seaman such lines of fellow-feeling Is enough to counterbalance a 

 hundred adverse opinions from sources far less qualified. Men who 

 "have been there "In earnest we have never known to hesitate In the 

 choice between a ship and a sham : 



Editor Forest and Stream : I have a great desire to write something 

 lor your yachlng columns. I would like to " shake the feller'3 hand" 

 who writes those articles m favor ot deep boats, whoever he may be, 

 and assure him that his efforts to have vensels substltut ed ror slabs arc 

 appreciated by one who has had the unpleasant experience of seeing 

 his vessel sprawled out on her beam ends more than once In a gale 

 and who feels that there Is as much need for a change of model In our 

 Ashing vessels as there is in our yachts. A Gloucester Captain, 



Wl Syoqtsmnn §onri$t. 



W 



TUB PROSPECTORS' DINNER. 



IS CAMP ON JAMES' PEAK. 

 B V J K B M E B It K N E T T . 



AIT, pard, until I load my pipe again 



The cold's 



A ad stir the fl 

 if lis tho tenth otJvroe ; ill tell you, then, 

 W.hat old Bill Job and 1 had once for dinner 



Ire the winner 



The lay-out 



We had a 



A dozon eggs wlihoutcn to 



! grub that 



't lily, but all thes 



Andt 

 And we 



s hungry f or 1 r. Bill and r 

 n' keeps the appetite 



that, you see, 

 isurprUn'. 



Aud fount 



And then we 



Corralled a 



i bet i 



i had a dinner i 



You oughter seen Bill play his fork and dirk, 



A-nllin' up tils engine like a stoker, 

 Until, to keep along, I had to work, 



Aud draw to fill, as players do at poker. 



we worked the lead as long ;i-. color snowed ; 



Cached every egg, and al] the meat and fritters ; 

 Then ambled on to strike ihe Boulder road, 



And stopped at Jake MeOamfa to get some bitters. 



For on the search wo never drink a drop ; 



It doesn't help in this yer kind o' tracing ; 

 But back among the ranches, then we stop 



And smile a little, 'cause it's kluu o' bracing. 



Jake took our measures, then he hustled round 

 To get up what we wanted, strong and Ble&Saritf, 



The while we told about the eggs we found 

 And had for dinner, 'long with Ash aud pheasant. 



A tenderfoot was snoozing in a chair, 

 And when he heard us talk of eggs it raised him ; 



lie seemed to think we had 'em then and there. 

 'Tween me and you the racket kind o' dazed htrn. 



" Begpardjn, men," he said, and stopped a spell; 

 " It 'pears to me, sirs, it I understand you, 

 You have some mountain quails' eggs hete to sell ; 

 If so, I've got the ready cash to hand you. 



" These quails, the ptarmigans, arc scarce, you know, 

 And scientific men down East, who rate 'em 

 As very curious birds, they want to show 

 That by some care they may domesticate em. 



" And now, If you've the eggs, here's what I say : 



I'll give you— well, ten dollars each to set 'em, 

 For that's the price I'm authorized to pay." 



Then put In Bill : " Wny, darn It man, we've et 'em V 

 'Taint any use to tell you how we swore, 



Nor liow we laughed, although It wasn't funny. 

 Then Bill declared he'd go and get some more, 



But, sir, he's never cited to get the money. 



In fact, we haven't seen him since that day, 

 And though at clunbin' he was no beginner, 



It's my opinion, pard, he's gone to Stay, 

 And all because we h»d them eggs for dinner. 



A JOLLY FISHING PARTY ON KEUKA LAKE. 



THE true time to go to a " summer resort." is when no- 

 body else is summer resorting, and therefore d i tho 

 knowing ones junket ''all in the im-rrie month of May" or 

 saunter in September. Curled calmly up in home hammocks 

 during the fiercely beating heat of July aud August, they 

 can placidly smile at the antics of the ''madding crowd" 

 who wildly tear from pillar to post, sweltering in steam- 

 boats, baking in Pullman cars or huddled in hotels, making 

 half-burnt offerings of themselves on the red-hot altar of the 

 insitiab'e sun ! There is a mon»rch-of-all-l-survey feeling, 

 too. in being the first or last guest at a country hotel, a cer- 

 tain distinction in being the only one. You have a di-solately 

 grand sensation as you kick >our heels through marble cor- 

 ridors haunted by the rustling ghosts of last season's Worth 

 iiownsandthe phantoms of dead flirtations. The exquisite 

 flavor of this feeling is intensified if you arrive a few days 

 ah ad of your own small and select party who are comb g to 

 fish with you, and you get well acquainted with the clever 

 captain of thesnnirt little steamer whi. h runs upon the l»ke, 

 and you find out just where the best fishing is, and you learn 

 Ihe first names of all the boys on the dock, and get all the 

 local fish stories pat on the end of your tongue, and "know 

 the ropes" generally, and have a heaping store of shiny bait 

 in an old starch box with lumps Of ice to keep it den>l and 

 dainty for that twenty-pound salmon-trout you're going to 

 haul in sure as fate to-morrow, when the hest and julliest 

 fish commissioner in the world arrives, with his spectacles 

 and his tackle and his jovial comrades. 



The first guest is like the first swallow, the first baby, the 

 first flower. He is a conquering hero. He doesn't know 

 exactly whether ho feels more like Christopher Columbus 

 stepping ashore or Adam I. in the gaiden. Ui. consciously 

 he takes the pose he has seen Christy adopt iu the drop cur- 

 tain of the Grand Opera House where he is ''shooiug" the 

 Indians into the proscenium boxes and planting the flag in 

 the sand. Tho first guest, is as the long-lost brother of tho 

 cheery landlord, and the pretly hostess smiles kindly and 

 even graciously pauses at hia table to see that he is well 

 served". On him the waiter beams and widely grins ; on the 

 bar a shinier polish comes upon the burnished glass ; in hi9 

 honor the shy chambermaid criuipeth her long 1- cks by can- 

 dle-light in ihe silent watches of the night ; and as with 

 lordly tread he lead* the way to the dining-room through 

 the echoing halls, his now newly arrived friends paltering 

 meekly after him, why, for the moment he is " a bigger man 

 than old Grant." 



The first week of fragrant May last saw Seth Green the 



