426 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[June 26, 1882. 



CAMP COOKERY, 



ROASTED TROUT — FIO PUDDING. 



XN your last issue I told your readers of a nice way for 

 cooking large brook trout. The article was printed pre- 

 cisely as written. Its absolute correctness pleased me very 

 much. One is not often able to tender to an editor such 

 unstinted praise on this point. My good humor prompts 

 me to say nothing savage about the "ridiculous blunder in an 

 editorial comment upon my note. Rather let me "heap 

 coals of fire" upon your head by communicating another 

 excellent method ol' woods cookery of brook u sfiad" — no, no, 



1 mean trout. Credit for it is due to Mr. Robert 13. Cable, 

 Elmira, whose ability as a railroad man is only equalled by 

 his success as a camp cook. The fish, undrawn, were 

 wrapped, separately first, and then in a body, in oiled or 

 buttered brown paper and the package lightly covered with 

 green leaves and put to roast in the hot embers, as potatoes 

 are often roasted. The delicate flavor of small trout cooked 

 thus is beyond description. But what will equally recom- 

 mend this method to anglers is the fact that when one care- 

 fully unwraps each Cherub he finds all the brilliant speckles 

 in full display as at the instant of his leaving the water. 

 And the skin will not cleave to the flesh, but peel from the 

 side in one piece like the bark from a young balsam in sap 

 time. "H. H. Thompson. 



New York, June 26, 1M83. 



In response to your call for "camp cookery receipts," 

 allow me to favor the outdoor fraternity with a capital 

 thing to "top off" on after a good square meal. The in- 

 gredients are very simple, but ft gives a finish to a dinner 

 that is inexpressibly grateful to the somewhat abused palates 

 of those roughing it in the woods. 



I .surprised a party of ravenously hungry Campers with it 

 last year, and gained thereby such'an enviable reputation as 

 a cook that I have traveled on it ever since. 



FIG PUDDING. 



Cut 6 figs into pieces («very level-headed camper carries figs 

 among his supplies), cover them with cold water, and let 

 just come to a boil over a gentle fire. Put into dish and add 



2 teaspoonfuls of sugar. 



Set \-i pint, milk on to boil; while heating, beat up 1 



egg; add pinch of salt, tablespoonful of sugar, and teaspoon- 



ful of corn-starch (or flour). Beat together, pour into milk 



as soon as it boils out; pour whole mixture over figs in dish. 



JStklla Maius. 



"PADDLE AND PORTAGE."* 



READERS of the Forest and Stream need not be told 

 ' that Mr. Steele has a decided taste for somew hat arduous 

 wilderness exploration and adventure. Earlier files of this 

 journal contain accounts of his Florida, Michigan and Maine 

 excursions. A few years ago an extended canoe tour of 200 

 miles through the Maine forests was described in a handsomely 

 illustrated volume, "Canoe and Camera." In the autumn 

 of 1880 Mr. Steele supplemented that trip by another Maine 

 expedition, fi om Mooschead Lake to the Aroostook River, 

 the. results of which are given in a volume which now 

 lies before us, " Paddle and Portage." Mr. Steele's new 

 book takes high rank among the beautiful books of the year, 

 and easily goes to the head of its particular class. In fact 

 we know of no illustrated book of American sport and travel 

 that can at all begin to compare with it. A portable photo- 

 graphic apparatus formed part of the author's outfit, and 

 Mr. Steele was successful in securing a large number of 

 superb photographs of scenery and camp life, from which 

 the illustrations of the boon have been engraved. 



The lonte over which this trip was made is at best a most 

 difficult one, and in the autumn of 1880 the hardships of the 

 expedition were greatly increased by the low water. Streams 

 were dried up, and instead of paddling their canoes, as they 

 expected, they had to drag them over the dry land. The 

 reader has not; many pages to turn before learning that the 

 "portage" was vastly out of due proportion to the "paddle." 

 and as we follow the party on their toilsome way, the query 

 naturally suggests itself, why did they do it? By dint of 

 much hard work, damming up streams and then floating 

 down a short distance on the volume of water thus secured" 

 sluicing beaver dams, and various other expedients, coming 

 meanwhile to the very verge of starvation, they managed to 

 literally "pull through." and finally emerged from the woods 

 after a journey of four hunched miles. 



The party consisted of five persons, the author, Mr. Lyman 

 B. Goff, of Pawtuckct. R. I., the two guides, Hiram and 

 John Mansell. and the Indian guide, Thomas Nichols. The 

 guides proved to have been well chosen; they were reliable, 

 hardy men, and won the good opinion of the tourists. 



The hook is chatty and enlivened by frequent "jest and 

 story." Its preparation has been a genuine labor of love, and 

 from the frontispiece to the finis its artistic work has been 

 under the constant supervision of the author, who certainly 

 may feel just pride in the appearance of the volume. Of the 

 large map, 20 x 30in., accompanying the book, we have 

 already spoken. It was compiled by Mr. Steele, and is the 

 best map of the country published. 



Below we give some brief extracts from the pages of 

 "Paddle and Portage." 



"We spent three days on Echo Lake hunting and trapping, 

 and added three beaver to our collection of furs and stock of 

 provisions, which latter was now rapidly decreasing On 

 breaking camp we explored (he outlet of the lake, ami find- 

 ing the stream very dry, were obliged to build dams in order 

 to sluice our canoes through this country to the Mansumrriu 

 Lakes below. 



" 'I tell you that, water is cold,' said John Mansell, as he 

 waded ashore after putting the last mud and sioue upon a 

 dam opposite the camp. "You don't call this a canoe tour, 

 do you, Hiram V I should call it going overland to New 

 Brunswick. Never did see such a dry time in my life.' 



"The water having greatly increased during the night, we 

 loaded our canoes and placed them inline above the dam, 

 each man, with the exception of the Colonel, being in his 

 customary position. 



* "Paddle and Portage," from Moosehead Lake to the Aroostook 



River, Maine. By Thomas S>«lg<,viek Steele, author of "L'anoo and 

 a tmera," Maps of Mahie, etc. With over sixty illustrations and map 

 of the canoe ooui-ses of Northern Maine. Boston: Kstes £ Luuriar, 

 1888, Prioe, $1.50. ^ 



" 'Are you all ready?' yelled the Colonel, standing on the 

 top of the dam below us. 



" 'Ready!' was answered; and with the blade of his paddle 

 he threw the mud and rocks to the right and left, and the 

 pent-up waters of three days' detention swept us down the 

 stream a long way on our voyage. The Colonel, dashing 

 through the w T oods, regained his canoe at a bend in the river. 

 But gradually the waters receded from under our barks, and 

 we were again forcei' to take to tie.' stream and lift our canoes 

 over the cruel rocks, until we reached a broad expanse of the 

 river below. This pond was the result of an enormous 

 beaver dam four feet high and one hundred feet wide. 



" 'We better set our traps,' said Nichols; 'many beaver 

 here; me catch some to night, a family of nine,' the Indian's 

 accuracy regarding the points of woodcraft being at times 

 wonderful. 'But we cannot proceed without water,' said the 

 Colonel, observing the stream very dry below. 



' ' We therefore, set our traps and cut the dam to the width of 

 over ten feet, through which the water rushed with velocity, 

 and floated us quickly to the Third Mansungun Lake. We 

 were detained only by a few fallen trees, which the axe in 

 the brawny hands of John Mansell soon cleared. Before it 

 was light the next morning the Indian's canoe was far away 

 on the lake for an examination of the traps; he soon returned 

 with four immense beavers, whose aggregate weight fell not 

 short of two hundred pounds. 



" 'Me footed two more,' said the guide, exhibiting the 

 webbed feet of the animals in corroboration of the fact; 

 'but they r very quick — they get away. I see dam we cut 

 last night, and it now just good as new. ' 



" 'Good as new!' we echoed. 'Impossible.' 



" 'True as me stand here,' said Nichols, at the same time 

 glancing anxiously into the stewpan, to see if we had left. 

 him any beaver meat for breakfast. 'Beaver, they fell tree 

 in night ten inch thick, gnaw it in lengths three feet long, 

 plant, them at cut, and heap with much bark, mud and 

 sticks. _ Build dam up in one night. No think it myself, if 

 not see it with own eyes. You go see, too.' Astonishing as 

 it may seem, the Indian was perfectly correct in his state- 

 ment. 



"After our toil on Osgood Carry and the stream below, we 

 rested over a week on "these Mansungun lakes. The third 

 Mansungun Lake, on which we first camped, is five miles 

 long and two wide. This is connected by a narrow outlet 

 with the second Mansungun Lake, which is about the same 

 size as the other, while the first or lower lake is the smallest 

 body of water, being about two miles long and one wide. I 

 fished and hunted in short excursions from camp, and, with 

 tomograph over my shoulder, I was constantly in search of 

 the picturesque. Nichols had discovered a brook (the name 

 of which we afterwards learned was Chase), tumbling down 

 the side of a mountain near our camp, and as falls were a 

 rarity on the route, I spent half a day in this gorge. About 

 this region we had rare success in our hunting and trapping, and 

 w r ith many skins stretched on the drying hoops about camp, 

 and fresh animals coming in to add to the stock, our 

 quarters gradually assumed the appearance of a Hudson Bay 

 trading-post. " 



" 'If moose so near,' said Nichols, one day, 'me better 

 make horn and call moose to-night; no try, no get him.' 



"We thought this a good scheme, and with the approval of 

 all the Iudian tramped off into the woods, and soon returned 

 with a large piece of birch bark. Shaving the edges with his 

 knife, he warmed it over the fire, and proceeded to roll it up 

 into a great horn two feet in length, tapering it from six in- 

 ches to one in diameter, and fastening the eda'es with wooden 

 pegs. ^ 



"Nichols and I were the only ones who went out on the 

 hunt. Preparing ourselves after the evening repast, we 

 stepped into our canoes at 7 ;30 o'clock. It was not a remark- 

 ably severe night, but as I knew I should be obliged to remain 

 for a long time in almost motionless position, I took precau- 

 tions to wrap up extremely well, and before I returned, the 

 nigt chill had penetrated through it all to the very vicinity ol 

 my bones. 



" 'Most ready?' asked the Indian, as in this clumsy and 

 uncomfortable attire I rolled, rather than seated, myself in 

 the bottom of the canoe. 'Yes; all ready, Nichols!' and 

 throwing the birch moose horn into the craft we paddled out 

 into the lake, with the best wishes of the rest of the party 

 from the shore. 



" 'If we hear a shot,' yelled the Colonel, with a look of 

 dubiousness, 'we will add an extra log to the fire.' 



" 'And cut up the balance of our salt pork,' added Hiram,, 

 'for moose steak is a little dry without it,' 



"It was a clear night, and so still that the blows of an axe at 

 camp could be easily heard two miles across the lake. The 

 bright October moon was gradually creeping down the 

 western sky, but shone enough to light us on our way many 

 miles. 



" 'She shone upon the lake 



That lay one smooth expanse of silver light; 

 She shone upon the hills and rocka, and east 

 Within their hollows and their hidden glens 

 A blacker depth of shade.' 



"The tall hemlocks that fringed the shore threw their shad- 

 ows far out into the lake, and in these reflections the guide 

 paddled from point to point. 



"A slight rustle behind me, and the Indian draws forth 

 the long birch horn, dips it noiselessly in the water, and for 

 the first time in my existence I listen to the weird sound of 

 the moose call. 



'Ugh— ugh— ugh— oo— oo— oo— oo— oo— ugh— ugh ! 



'Three plaintive 'ughs,' then a | rolomicd bellow, com- 

 mencing m a low tone, increasing in power and volume to 

 the end, and followed by two notes like the first. It rolled 

 across the lake in every direction, was tossed from mountain 

 tops _ to the inmost depths of the forests, echoing and re- 

 echoing. Then all was hushed, and we waited in silence the 

 result. The stillness was something overpowering. We held 

 our breaths. At times, however, it was harshly broken. 

 Away toward the distant shore some sportive animal would 

 splosh in his gambols at the water's edge, or a muskrat could 

 be distinctly heard gathering his evening meal; then the 

 prow of the canoe would graze the rashes or the lily puds 

 with a suddenness thai was startling. 



"Noiselessly the Indian plied his paddle, and we crept 

 silently on in the shadows. Again the hom was raised to 

 his lips, and there came forth that strange midnight call, so 

 melodious to my ears. This was repeated again and again 

 for six successive hours, neither of us exchanging a word 

 during the entire time. 



"At last the stars alone cast their reflections in the glassy 

 lake, and although from a distant mountain side we at last 

 received an answer to our call, we could not draw the animal 

 to the water's edge. 



"We had paddled over ten miles. It was now 2 o'clock in 

 the m»rning, and we returned to camp. I was too stiff to 

 move, and the Indian lifted me from the canoe to the shore, 

 while I realized that I had experienced all the pleasures of 

 moose hunting — save the moose. " 



"A council was held, and at the suggestion of Nichols, 

 we at last decided to build sleds or 'shoes' for our canoes, 

 and drag them through the bed of the stream twelve miles to 

 the Aroostook River. 



"Little by little our provisions had given out. First the 

 sugar, then the hardtack and coffee,"" while potatoes and 

 Indian meal had been a thing of the past for many dayiS 

 The trout had left the summer pools for their spawning 

 beds, and notwithstanding the state of om- larder, we had no 

 time to asoertain their whereabouts. Occasionally- we shot 

 a duck or partridge ; w-e added plenty of water to" the stetf r( 

 to make sufficient for the pany, and in consequence had au 

 unsubstantial meal. For many weeks we had subsisted 

 almost entirely on the flesh of beavers, but now, being in 

 haste, we had little time to set our traps. 



"On the 20th of October starvation almost stared us in the 

 face. Our breakfast this day consisted of the last portion off 

 beaver flesh and a cup of tea without milk or sugar. 



" T believe I'd give ten dollars a mouthful for another 

 meal like that, 'though it's only an appetizer,' said Hiianr,. 

 arising from the frugal repast, 



" 'Hiram,' remarked the Colonel, 'puts me in mind of aa 

 Englishman I met some weeks ago at the Tremont Hotel, 

 Boston. The gentleman sat at my table, and for four morn- 

 ings in succession I had noticed him call for dried herrings 

 and coffee, of which he made his entire meal. I was won- 

 derfully interested, and on the fifth morning, to satisfy my 

 curiosity, T had the audacity to question him: "I say, my 

 friend, you must excuse me; but do you eat those herrings! 

 from a medicinal motive, or because you really love them 1 

 "Well," he answered with a drawl.' "1 don't exactly lam 

 them, but along about 11 o'clock in the morning there creepr- 

 over me such a glorious thirst that 1 wouldn't take fifty dol-' 

 lars for it.'" 



"But tins was no time for story telling, and we imme- 

 diately set to work on the 'shoes' for the canoes. The> 

 guides soon felled a number of tall cedars and dragged 

 them into camp. Then we split them into boards ten raH 

 in length, half an inch in thickness, and tapering from four 

 to two inches in width, the broadest extremities lapping oaei 

 another at midships. Sixteen of these strips were necessary 

 for each of the three canoes, and were fastened to their bot-t 

 toms by being split at the edges and drawn tightly together 

 with strips of cedar bark which ran through tho-slits, and 

 passing upward were tied securely to the "thwarts. Thus 

 the graceful form of the birch was lost in the rough outline' 

 of a boat. For four days we labored incessantly at ouri 

 task, and from the splitting of the great logs to the 'finishing; 

 of the wood, had as tools only an axe and "a penknife 



"Fortunately partridges proved abundant, and on these? 

 we subsisted during our forced encampment. A fine ottqr< 

 four feet in length was shot near camp, but his flesh proved { 

 too fishy for us, half-famished as we were. A large hawk* 

 frightened by our voices, dropped from his talons a trout, ol 

 over two pounds in weight, suggesting to our minds Israel - 

 itish experience. 



"At last the 'shoeing' of the canoes was accomplished, 

 and repacking our luggage, we paddled down the dead water 

 of Mansungun Stream, and passed falls five miles below. 

 Although the morning was lowery, we little thought we had 

 selected the worst day of the entire torn' for the "passage of 

 the river; but so it proved. Soon the heavens grew dark, tbel 

 birds sought shelter in the wooded depths, the wind howled i 

 among the tall forest, trees, and the raiu, beginning first with 

 light showers, increased at last in volume to a perfect deluge. - 

 In the midst of this we were obliged to disembark from ouri 

 canoes and drag them through the rocky bed of the river, 1 

 and the good results of the 'shoeing' at once became mani-.l 

 test. 



" 'You look out for the bow, me look out for stern,' yelled ' 

 Nichols, as crowding my canoe forward over the ledges of ' 

 rocks and through the shallow water of the stream wepushecfcl 

 onward, followed by- the remainder of the part}-. 



"We soon realized that we were in for hard "work. Mile- 1 

 after mile we dragged the canoes, at one moment plunging f 

 into some unseen hole almost, to our waists, the next infant > 

 striking a ledge with hardly sufficient water to cover our ] 

 feet, while the rain poured in torrents upon us. It was! 

 water above and water below, and when we were thoroughly I 

 wet. it made little difference from which source it came. Oc- . 

 easionally we reached water sufficiently deep to float us a short I 

 distance, but after a few trials we found it less fatiguing to 

 remain in the stream all the time. I pulled and hauled until 

 every muscle seemed strung to the tension of a fiddle string, 

 and "before the end of the ordeal I felt like a beast of burden. 

 So did the others; but we never grumbled. A common 

 feeling inspired us with the idea that it was heroic sport. 



"After nine hours of toil and discomfort, through diluent- J 

 ties that lasted for twelve miles, we reached the"mouth of J 

 the stream, and camped at the junction of the Ma i 

 and Milnoket rivers, our hardships forgotten iu the firs; sigffl 

 of the Aroostook waters. 



"But for the cedar splits protecting the canoes, they would 

 hardly have withstood this rough experience, as the. kniie- ; 

 like rocks had left deep impressions on them. Our rubber 

 bags had shielded our tents and blankets from the ii 

 of the storm, but the tourograph had been floating unob-J 

 served in two inches of water, which destroyed a number of • 

 the plates, changing them from the 'dry' to the 'wet process' J 

 of photography." 



Down the St. Lawrence RrvER.— Upon and after June 

 SO. a steamer will leave Clayton, N. Y., at the head of the 

 Thousand Islands, at 6 A. M., upon the arrival 

 through steamboat express over the Utica & Black River [ 

 Railroad, which brings passengers leaving New York at ti | 

 P. M., and Niagara Falls at 7 P, M,, the previous eveuing. 

 The entire day is passed upon the comfortable shad 

 of the boat amid the superb scenery of this grand 1 1 

 Montreal is reached in time for supper. ""Messrs. Leve & 

 Alden, the well-known tourist agents, are the genera 

 of this route, and full particulars, with deseripth 

 may be had regarding this trip at either their Boston, New 

 Y r ork or Philadelphia offices. 



