353 



RECREATION. 



and again the captive broached, sending 

 up showers of water, but his gallant fight 

 was of no avail ; his sudden rushes up 

 stream to gain a little relief from the dis- 

 tressing strain were useless. Then he 

 would float sullenly down with the current, 

 but at the first attempt to land him he 

 would dash off with apparently undimin- 

 ished vigor. But each rush was shorter 

 than the last ; each effort weaker, and we 

 finally lifted him aboard. He weighed 2>Va 

 pounds, and every ounce was game. 



After resting and getting a drink at a 

 spring above the bridge, we proceeded leis- 

 urely up stream, taking turns at casting 

 but with indifferent success; the fish rising 

 less frequently as mid-day approached. 



When it was time for dinner we tied up 

 at a mossy bank. The Judge started a fire 

 and filled the coffee pot at a spring 

 while I prepared several of the smaller fish 

 for the pan. One who has never eaten 

 fish freshly caught, and cooked by one of 

 experience in such matters, and amid such 

 surroundings as ours, has missed much. 

 We were hungry, and the way fried fish, 

 baked potatoes and coffee disappeared 

 wasn't at all in accordance with the rules 

 of polite society. 



Dinner over and pipes lighted, we lay 

 down on the bank and the Judge told tales 

 of other fishing and hunting days until we 

 were lulled to sleep by the murmur of the 

 stream at our feet. 



About 2 o'clock we started down stream. 

 The rowing for the day was done, as the 

 current was sufficiently strong to move our 

 little craft with rather more speed than 



was desirable. Fish rose well and fur- 

 nished fine sport; and all weighing under 

 one pound were returned to the stream. 

 Thus, homeward at the close of a beauti- 

 ful day, the Judge and I have drifted many 

 times, ever feeling that we have found the 

 true fountain of youth, here on the Tippe- 

 canoe. 



I am convinced that small mouth bass 

 weighing 4 pounds are rare in this 

 latitude and particularly so in the upper 

 Tippecanoe, but smaller ones are plentiful 

 and in the autumn always in the best of 

 condition. They are lusty fighters and 

 breed here, almost undisturbed, in great 

 numbers. 



We have used with great success a fly 

 that is undoubtedly a killer and one which 

 I wish all bass fishermen would try. The 

 "Monoquet" is the joint product of a friend 

 and myself and named after the old In- 

 dian town, on the banks of the stream 

 we both love so well. The shoulders are 

 of red ibis feathers, the wings are made 

 entirely of buck hair, colored a bright 

 lemon yellow, legs of soft black hair, body 

 rather full, of dark green silk floss, all tied 

 on a No. 5 old fashioned Limerick hook. 

 It is a striking color combination and the 

 bass go into ecstasies over it. We use the 

 thick shanked hook as it does not cut out 

 so easily and rides without wobbling from 

 side to side. Attach this fly to a No. 1 

 or 2 spoon with enough small steel swivels 

 to make the weight % to y 2 ounce, and 

 you will have one bait that will prove 

 worthy of a velvet lined compartment in 

 your tackle-box. 



A NEW YORK BEAR. 



A short time ago while out hunting, a few 

 miles from here, Mr. Charles Ferris, a guide 

 of this place Lad the good fortune to run 

 across a large black bear arid kill him. 



AMATEUR PHOTO BY G. H. ORVIS. 



The bear measured 7 feet from tip to tip, 

 and weighed, dressed, 262 pounds. After 

 Bruin was brought to town several photos 

 of him were taken by the amateur photog- 

 raphers of the place, who felt it a privilege 

 to take even a snap shot of a dead bear, 

 though they could have no hand in slaying 

 him. One of these photos I enclose. 



Bears have been more numerous here 

 the past year than during any year pre- 

 vious for some time. Mr. Ferris has killed 

 14 bears about here the past few years. 



The number of deer in this vicinity does 

 not vary much from former years. Mr. 

 Ferris has an excellent hunting lodge a 

 few miles from here in a favorable deer 

 locality, and has proven himself an efficient 

 as well as companionable guide. 



G. H. Orvis, Fine, N. Y. 



