Ootobkb 87, 1881.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



251 



Nebraska as a IIttntino Cottntby— Lincoln, Neb., Oct. 

 21.— Last, Monday, MeBSTrf. Webster, Tomson, Hallett and I 

 ■went out by the morning train to a small lake, or really a 

 marsh, near Ashland, a small town twenty-seven miles from 

 here, on the B. & M. R. R., and in a seven hours' shoot 

 bagged 120 ducks and eight snipe. The lake was so full of 

 ■weeds and rushes that a dog could not work, and we lost at 

 least half as many ducks as we got. There were thousands 

 of " mud hens," ami these Hying about continually bothered 

 the party no little, especially when the sun went down, and 

 made it difficult to distinguish them from ducks. The party 

 waded out into the water, and took stands l>y the muskrat 

 mounds that reared their heads above the water all over the 

 lake. The day was cloudy and cold, clearing off half an 

 hour by sunset, anil giving us a glorious western horizon for 

 closing the day's entertainment. All the ducks, but about 

 ten, were of the larger species. I am beginning to think 

 Nebraska is a better hunting ground than Mississippi. 



Sullivan County Game— New York, Oct. 21.— Editor 

 Forest and Stream: I notice in your issue of the 20 h that 

 a party has been sold in going to Sullivan county for ducks 

 and other game, wherein you disagree with him. I know 

 all about it, having visited Eldred twice. The fir.-t time 

 was from an advertisement in your p, per. I remained for 

 a week or more, and did not even see a woodcock, or any- 

 thing else, and got disgusted and came home. 1 rii d it 

 again, thinking perhaps luck was against rue. This tune I 

 remained two weeks and taw but one woodcock and a few 

 partridge, and a friend, myself aud a guide, with an excel- 

 lent dog, bagged in two weeks' time tut seven birds, and 

 bought all I could, which was six, making thirteen in all. 

 The fact of the matter is there is no game up there.— 8. P. 



GtlLLYKKMO. 



Camcing Out at Yorktown —One of the most attractive 

 points around the exhibition grounds to visitors is the en- 

 campment hotel kept by L. Y. Jenness. It embraces fifty 

 tents, accommodating from two to tlurty persons each, all 

 floored with planks at a sufficient elevation, and nicely fur- 

 nished and i ry, located on a hill several hundred yards north- 

 west of the Exposition and accessible from themaiu entrance 

 by Marietta avenue and the Western and Atlantic Railroad. 

 The cuisine is of the best, and there is a first-class dining- 

 room attendance from New York. The encampment was 

 brought here from Warwick Woodlands, Greenwood Lake, 

 Orange County, New York, a popular Eastern summer re- 

 sort, built up by the Greenwood Lake Impovement Com- 

 pany, of which William O. McD .well, a Gotham banker, is 

 President. In addition to the tents there are closed cam. 

 fortable frame rooms for t hose who prefer them. The en- 

 campment is handsomely arranged, with broa^l avenues, and 

 elevated plank waiks. It is inclosed by a high fence, with 

 only one entrance (through ihe office.), aud is thoroughly 

 guarded day and night. The novelty of this enterprise is at- 

 tracting considerable attention, and it is extremely popular. 

 The rates are the same as those of the Atlanta hotels, which 

 have been reduced sit ce the exposition opem d, and it is 

 specially to be commended for large parties or families.— 

 Exchange. 



Tub "Saxon" Gun Again— New York, October 24— 

 Editor Forest and Stream : My attention has been called to 

 an article in a recent issue of your valuable periodical, 

 headed "Guus Given Away," in which it was sated: 

 " It, must be a very green chap who invests in the 'Saxon.' " 

 Uelying upon your good sense of justice, and in the hope 

 that you will give the "Saxon" a hearing, I beg to state 

 that during the last month I have sent many hundreds of 

 guns out of this office in reply to mail orders, aud have sold 

 a great many across the counter. Out of this number of 

 guns I have had but eight guns returned, as my books will 

 show, and have received many testimonials as to its merits. 

 I do not pretend that a $5.50 turn is equal to a $40 gun, but 

 I do pretend, and am willing to prove, that the " Saxon" 

 breech-loader is a good, strong, reliable weapon, shoots well 

 and gives great satisfaction.— Wm. Harding, President Sax- 

 on Importing Co. 



[We wish to do Mr. Harding no injustice, and should have 

 contented ourselves with the simple refusal of the advertise- 

 ment of the "Saxon" gun which was oilered to us, had we not 

 been compelled by the wording of that advertisement, in other 

 papers to define our opinion of the gun in question. The ad- 

 vertisement falsely states that "the sporting papers generally 

 join iu praising the Saxon breach-loading shot-gun as one of 

 the most reliable sportingguns in the world." The "spoiling 

 papers" have not "generally joined in praising" the gun ; 

 and, because of the assertion that they did, the Pores r and 

 Stream took ore to put itself on record as not praising it. 



The "Saxon" gun is one style of a large class of fire- 

 arms which are, from time to time, worked oil upon the 

 public by means of specious and glowing advertisements. 

 These guns, sold under many minus, are all substantially 

 the same thing, being old muskets which are converted into 

 clumsy shot-guns. They are the same guns that are sold to 

 the Southern negroes aud at counfy cross-road stotes for S5 

 or $4, or less. The advertisements are all alike. We said 

 that the person must be "green " who isinduced by the adver- 

 tisement of the "Saxon" to invest in the gun. We will 

 explain why we said so. The advertisement asserts that 

 the " Saxon " is "a §15 breech-loading shot-gun for $5.01*." 

 This is not true ; the grade of single-barrel breech-loading 

 shot guus sold by reputable dealers is far superior to the 

 "Saxon," which is, therefore, in no respect "a S 15 gun for 

 $5.50." The advertisement asserts — "Our ngular price 

 is $15; in selling samples of the 'Saxou' at $5.50 

 each we are making an enormous sacrifice." As a mat- 

 ter of fact the same k'nd of gun is furnished by New 

 York parties to country storekeepers for 82.75 wholesale, 

 and retailed by them at $4 or $5. That is all tuere is to the 

 "enormous sacrifice." The advertisement says "every 

 part of it made of the very best material." The fact is that 

 it is made of very common material. The advertisement 

 says that " the improved patent breech makes it far sup rior 

 to * * * * any other breech-loading shot-gun in the 

 world." On the contrary, the action is an old one and has 

 long been superseded by improvements. Etc.] 



Chicago Notes -Chicago. Oct. 22 —The shooting has 

 been very bad here since I last wrote you on account Of the 

 warm weather. 1 was down on the Calumet, last Monday 

 shooting. 1 bagged nineteen jack-snipe, seven kill-deer, six 

 blue-wing teal, une wood-duck and eight mallards. Snipe 

 are plenty, but ducks of all kinds are scarce. There is good 

 shooting on Kankakee River. A party of twelve Chicago 

 sportsmen left for there this morning, to be gone two weeks. 



Rabbits are very numerous here this fall, and I anticipate 

 some good rabbit shooting this winter. We have had ten 

 steady days of rain this month, and everything is under 

 water. A great many snrf ducks have been killed on the in- 

 land rivers and marshes this season, which is an unusual 

 thing here, as they are generally only to be found on the 

 large lakes.— Ten Boek. 



Notes from Arkansas— Van Buren, Ark., Oct. 19.— The 

 celebrated poet and lawyer, Gen. Albirt Pike, with Richard 

 Thornton and others left this place Monday for a two weeks' 

 bunt in the Choctaw Nation, I. T. The General says that, 

 this will be his last Arkansas hunt, but his many friends pro- 

 test, and predict that he will come again. The weather has 

 been extremely warm till within the last few days ; there is 

 now quite a change, and we hope lor cooler still. The first 

 mallard of the season was killed to-day by our Sheriff, Wm. 

 Houck. Some small bags of teal have been made, but shoot- 

 ing as yet has been poor. v\ ith the approaching cool weather 

 we expect to have royal sport. We have quite a number of 

 splendid lakes within easy access of town, boats, etc., and 

 are fully prepared to give the ducks a warm reception on 

 their arrival.— Dick. 



Notes From the March to Yobktown— Yorktown, Va., 

 Oct. 19.— Found plenty of birds on the way down from 

 Washington, but having been delayed by the death of the 

 President had not sufficient tioie to shoot much where the 

 laws permitted. Expect to have a pleasant march t ack, and 

 to have a well provided mess. It is claimed that wildtur- 

 keys are unusually thick along the river near Hanover town, 

 below Hanover C. H. Expect to be able to report as to 

 facts at a future dale. "Circus" here almost a miserable 

 failure, save possibly the military and naval, which has not 

 yet come off.— U. S. A. 



Florida Gamk— Pensacola, Fla., Oct. 19.— Editor Forest 

 and Stream: I notice in your " Anawe s to Correspond?' ts" 

 that you state that " in no part of Florida can a man make a 

 living with his gun." It is a mistake; your informant was 

 wrong. Evidence • Last week the Shei iff of this county and 

 two other hunters took a trip to an old camp ground thirty- 

 two miles distant from the city by way of the railroad. 

 They remained there two days, and the amount of game 

 killed was viz., three deer, six turkeys and two hundred 

 and forty-nine squirrels. Plenty of doves and partridges 

 around the city. Weather still very warm. — Nic. 



Dkek Hounds in Maine. — It is reported that two or three 

 gentlemen belongirg in Bangor, together with a party from 

 Boston, headed by a guide who lives inVeazie, Me., a day 

 or two since went out to Lead Mountain, near tti ion River, 

 that State, to hunt for deer. The party had with them a 

 pack of valuable dogs. A State law forbids the hunting of 

 deer with dogs, and its violation so incensed the natives in 

 in Ihe vicinity of the mountain that they all turned out and 

 shot every one in the pack. One of the dogs, owned by a 

 Boston gentleman, was valued at $150. 



Connecticut Notes— Winsted, Conn., October 21, 1881, 

 — Oame in this section has been quite scarce this season, 

 with the exception of woodc( ck, which have been 

 as pleuty as usual. I can report several fine strings. 

 On Monday Messrs. Skinner, Bevins and Skinner bagged 

 thii ty-eight woodcock, and Tuesday Messrs Skinner, Bevln , 

 Skinner and Kirk bagged thirty more. Wednesday, Messrs. 

 Camp and Beskerlee bagged thirteen woodcock and two 

 grouse. The above are the finest strings I have ever heard 

 of being taken in this season.— Clifton. 



Columbia Countt, N. Y., Oct. 22. — I have spent the past 

 week here in Columbia county as the guest of C. W. Bost- 

 wick and G. Hills, of Hudson, N. Y., aud Dr. Jones, of East 

 Chatham, N. Y., three as thorough sportsmen as ever pulled 

 a trigger, aud I must say nothing was spared that would add 

 to the pleasure and comfort of myself and dogs. We have 

 enjoyed some excellent woodcock shpoting during the past 

 week, especially on the 19th and 20th— the flight birds stop- 

 ping here in goodly numbers. — W. H. Piheob. 



Indiana — North Vernon, Oct. 17.— Fall fishing is not first- 

 class. Several varieties of bass are the game fish. The ex- 

 traordinary drought of the past summer was almost extermi- 

 nation to the finny tribe. Hundreds of yards of the creek 

 beds were entirely dry. Here and there was a deep hole left 

 wbh water enough to preserve a few fish. In shallow places 

 hogs would overturn the stones where a stray fish might have 

 found refuge, and gobbled it up. It was discouraging. We 

 hope the flsh may come up from the larger streams. — N. 



Notss Feom Indiana— North Vernon, Ind , Oct. 17.— 

 The open season for quail and pheasants in this State is from 

 the 15th of October to the 20ih of December, and for wild 

 turkeys from 1st of November to 1st of February. For the 

 killing of a quail, pheasant or turkey out of season the pen- 

 alty is $3. Qiail are not as numerous this year as in some 

 other years. Turkeys and pheasants are always scarce. — N.£ 



£e& and §iver J/jishittg. 



FISH IN SEASON I\ OCTOBER. 



Black Bass, iRcropterua nalirwide-8 



anfl M. paUidvu. 

 Mascalonge, Edox nobilior. 

 Pickerel, iV«r rehmlatug. 

 Pike or Pickerel, Eoox luciw. 

 Pike-perch (waU-eycd pike) 



Stizobsthium ar>%erica.num, &'. 



gruetim, etc. 



fATKB, 



Yellow Perch, Perm lluvialilU. 

 Striped Bass, Roccus HneatUa, 



Willie Bass, Rooms cMytmpH. 

 KOCk Bass, Ambloplilee, (Two 



species). 

 War-mouth, Chanobn/ttuit antoxus. 

 Pomoxys nijromaeulututi. 

 Bachelor, Pmiwxyx annulariji. 

 Chub, Semotilin coTporalU, 



SALT WATER. 



Sea Bass, Ccniroprintia atrariiu. 

 Striped Bass or Rockflsh, Hooctts 



lineatus. 

 While Perch. Morone americana, 

 Blueflsh or Taylor, Pomatomus 



Kaltatrix. 

 Scup or Forgle, Sknotcmus argy- 



rops. 

 Pollock, PoUachius carbonarius. 

 Tautog or Blacknsh, 1'autoga 



onitos. 

 Spanish Mackerel, Cybium macu- 



lalum 



Weakflsh or Squetague, Cjmoscyon 



regalia 

 La Fayette or Spot, Lwsto-amxobli- 



qvMos. 

 Channel Bass. Spot or Rednsh, 



SoUenopfi ocellatwt. 

 k psnead, Archoaargu* pmbato- 



crphaluti. 

 Klngnsh or Barb, Mendalrrvt 



nebulosus. 



Bond's Rowing Geajs.— We have in our office some sam- 

 ples of Bond's now rowing gear, which will bo found to 

 meet the wants of many. As a rule, canoes and sporting 

 boats are loo narrow to pull from the gunwale, aud some ar- 

 rangement is required for rowimr which cm be got rid of 

 when not in use. To this end W. E. Bond, Cleveland, Ohio, 

 has devised a very neat arrangement, combining several ad- 

 vantages sure to be appreciated. The rowlock is supported 

 in a light and neat iron outrigger. The legs of the latter 

 are supplied with adjustable hooks, by means of which the 

 outriggers are attached to suitable castings screwed to the 

 gunwale inside, and their height regulated by a thumbscrew 

 to suit each individual and the depth to which the boat may 

 be sunk. They can he quickly unshipped or turned inboard 

 to drop down to the boat's aide out of the way. The row- 

 lock itself has a swinging brass band of semicircular section 

 pivoted within the arms of the rowlock, so that raising the 

 oar to feather is accomplished by this band swinging about 

 its pivots, thereby obviating all noise in pulling, a fact 

 which the hunter will not fail to value. This arrangement 

 facilitates the art of rowing very much and serves as a rest 

 from which to "scull" without tiring the wrist. The work- 

 manship of these outriggers is the very best, for they com- 

 bine strength with light weight and sightliness. The shoul- 

 ders of the row'ocK are accurately fitted to those of the 

 socket, and the latter, being two and one-balf inches deep, 

 prevents all rattling generally accompanying the swing of 

 the oar. The gear ranges from eight inches to twelve inches 

 in length and in price from $3.50 to $4, and can be had 

 direct from the manufacturer, W. E. Bond, Cleveland, O. 



There are some kinds of tlsh, comely In appearance, bold btters, and 

 rattier successful tormenters of fine tackle, whleh are styled "game 

 flsh" and angled for as such, but which by no means deserve the 

 name and reputation. Such customers may possibly " pass In a 

 crowd," as the shabby gei teel frequently do among the masses of hu- 

 man society. But the superior qualities and attributes of the irue 

 game flsb are readllj detected. Define me a gentleman and I wlli de- 

 fine you a " game" fish ; "which the same 'la known by the company 

 he keeps, and recognized by his dress and address, features, 

 habits, lntelUgence, haunts, food and manner of eatlrg. The 

 true game flsh, ol which the troul and salmon are frequent- 

 ly types. Inhabit the fairest regions of nature's beautiful 

 domain. They di Ink only from ihe purest fountains, and subsist up- 

 on the eholcest food their pellucid streams supply. Xot to sa.r that 

 all fish that Inhabit clear and sparkling waters are game flsh : tor 

 there are many such, of symmetrical form and delicate flavor, that 

 take neither bait nor fly. But a is self evident that no fish which In- 

 habit foul or sluggish waters can be " game flsh." It Is Impossible 

 Irom the very circumstance ol their surroundings and associations. 

 They may flash with tinsel and lawdry utilre ; they may strike with 

 the brute ioree or a blacksmith, or exhibit the dexterity of a pi Ize- 

 flghter, tut theh: low breeding and vulgar quality cannot be mistaken, 

 Their haui.ts, their very rood and manner of eating, betray theh 

 grossness.— Charles Hallock. 



-•»— 



A ''H RTY-THR1E POIND MASCALONGE. 



TTBLLO, captain, which way ?" This was the query 



JUL I put to a good-looking young man of about 

 thirty on the 7th ins'., us I was descending the bank 

 of Lake Erie, in our fine city of Brie, with oars over my 

 sin ulders, trolling line and gaff hook in hand ready for a 

 short row and troll. The person addressed was genteely 

 dressed, an entire stranger to me aud I to him. He had a 

 good rod and Une, a bucket full of live minnows and crabs, 

 and replied: 



"To breakwater and thence to South Channel pier for 

 ba«s." 



Seeing my oars, trolling line and gaff, he looked as if he 

 would greatly prefer riding to walking, the disiance to his 

 fishing point being Ihieeauda half miles by land aud. only 

 two miles by water. I informed him that I was going out 

 for a troll, aud if he was willing to go as slow as 1 desired be 

 was welcome to ride and I would land him at his destina- 

 tion. He embraced my offer and in five minutes more we 

 were rowing in one of ihe fiuest bays anywhere to be found. 

 The west wind was too high forgo.id trolling, and our course 

 being east there was but little rowing pecessary; only a little 

 guiding of the boat. 1 took the oars for a mile, trolling all 

 the time with the liue in my teeth, in which manner I have 

 landed many a fine mascalong", pike, black-bass and wall- 

 eye. Iu a fow minutes we were at "the channel.'' The 

 stranger, Mr. R., look the oars and my line was transferred 

 from mouth to hands. I requested him to keep close to the 

 channel and to low very slowly, as the wind was carrying 

 us fast enough. Then, with my good, finely-feathered, 

 kidney-shaped, Buel No. 2 spoon, brightly silvered outtide 

 and as brightly red inside, with nioeiy to a hundred feet of 

 small liueu line ou', I tried my best, to induce a bite, but 

 doubtful of success owing to rough water, 



Mr. R. had rowed but two or three minutes when I had a 

 most decided and unmistakable strike, a bite like the pounce 

 of a liou on a rabbit, and the instant it to, k lie hook ihe 

 fish showed its majestic form by a leap of lour ieet in the 

 air. " Thunder !" exclaimed R., dropping 'he ears, "That's 

 a big one; you'll never get. him with that line." Attending 

 to my line, I replied: " Yes, it's a large one; keep the boat 

 steady — perfectly so, and wht never I bring it to side of 

 boat haul in oar from ihat side," Then I had that indescrib- 

 able delight of the [roller. Like a tiger hooked lo ihe cud 

 of a small cord I had a mascalonge and a good one, fast to 

 ray small liue, leaping, shaking, darliair, diving, struggliug 

 desptmtely and like a hero to get losse Ua! 'l was fine. 

 He fought well, splendidly, took short splurges and long 

 ones, while I kept the line taught all the time, only giving 

 just slack enough not to strain the line loo much, not know- 

 ing how well the fish was hooked. It ioi k twenty minutes 

 to get it within twenty-five feet of Hie boat, where it stopped 

 for a moment, being two feet under the water, and where i;., 

 tremulous witt excitement, had a good view of It, and where 

 I, satisfied before, whs fully convinced of its being a really 

 large fish. I gave it no rest; woiked it to side ol the boat 

 and struck it with gaff, but, owing to rough water and 

 pitching of the boat, the gaff, instead of taking it under the 

 gills as I designed, bit the siile of its head aud glanced off. 

 It turned quickly, made a splurge or dive of thirty feet, aud 

 during the next ten minutes it plunged and fought most 

 gamely, going backwards aud forwards, right, and left, up 

 and down, leaping out of the water twice, diving three 

 limes under ihe boat andus often brought back until finally, 

 and I should say thirty minutes from taking the hook. I 

 brought it to the side of the boat, gaffed and lifted it in. It 

 marie most vigorous leaps to get out, but I held on with the 

 gaff until 1 pHssecl the wire end of my strong fish rope 

 through its chop*, tied it to a rib in the boat and ihus had it 

 secure. 



R. particularly requested thai it be kept at my end of the 

 boat, and in fact its ponderous jaws, with their ore and a 

 half inch teeth, looked sharky. The. three hooks were well 

 fast near the junction of the jaws. It measured four feet 



