FOREST AND STREAM 
195 
Why, I’ve got a hoy at home only nine years old that 
would lick that silver thimbled thing-umboh of yourn all to 
pieces with a bean-pole.” 
“Very likely, for I am not much of a fisherman.” 
“If you want tew ketch some fish why don’t you go 
down to the village and git that fishin’ minister to go with 
you, and show you?” 
“Fishing minister!” said Mr. F. with a merry twinkle, 
“who is he?” 
“Why, the Piscopal man—I don’t remember his name,— 
the man who’s built the new meetin’ ’us.” 
“0 .yes, I know. Is he a good fisherman?” 
“I know nothin’ only what folks say. But I’ve been 
told there ain’t a brook nor a hole within twenty miles that’s 
got a trout in it, but he knows where ’tis; and they say 
he’ll bring home more fish and biguns than any other man.” 
“What do you think of these fishing ministers?” said Mr. 
F. quietly putting up his rod. 
“0, I’ve nothin’ to say agin it. If they want tew fish 
let em fish. The ’Postles were fishermen, want they?” 
“So I have’heard. But, my friend, I have fished with this 
fishing minister, and I always caught as many troutas he.” 
“Ha! ha! ha-a! 0, sho! I never heard tew fishermen that 
would agree one could ketch more fish than tother could.” 
“But what I say is realy true.” 
“Well, well, I know nothin’ about it. I’ve heer’d tell as 
how he can preach as well as he can fish. ” 
“0 yes, he can preach certainly—in a way. But I fear 
his preaching is as much over estimated as his fishing. I 
attend his church, and I never hear him but I think I can 
preach just as well as he can. But perhaps I am no judge; 
come down some Sunday and hear him for yourself.” 
“Well, I will,” said the man after a pause. “You have 
apooty good opinion of yourself I see,” he continued, 
driving along, “but jist take my advice, throw that wliip- 
stick into the river and cut you a good pole and dig yer 
handful o’ worms and try them.” 
“Thank you my friend,” replied Mr. F. “I will think of it.” 
A few Sunday’s after as Mr. F. entered his church, who 
should he see but his new acquaintance occupying a con¬ 
spicuous seat in front of him. The man looked at him 
very attentively for a few minutes, twisted about some¬ 
what uneasily in his pew, and finally settled down into 
close attention. After the service was over, Mr. F. put off 
his robes and hastening down the aisle intercepted the 
countryman just as he was leaving the church. 
“Well, my friend,” said he, holding out his hand, “don’t 
you think I can fish and preach as well as the ‘-fishing min¬ 
ister?” 
“0 Lod!” said the man starting bacK, “I thought so. I 
don’t know nothin’ about yer fishing, but I must say you 
preached an uncommonly good sarmon fur one that come 
from a goose quill” Senex. 
For Forest and Stream . 
Jf “TWIN LAK ES TRO UT FARM.” 
T HE Twin Lakes are fast growing into favor as a camp¬ 
ing and picnic resort, and as there is but little of 
“civilization,” so called, on their borders they may be con¬ 
sidered sufficiently wild for either purpose. On the moun¬ 
tain tops near at hand are lakes as really wild and much 
less frequented than the Adirondacks or Maine lakes, and 
abundantly stocked with fish and game. It costs $2 80 to 
get to Twin Lakes station, via Harlem and Connecticut West¬ 
ern railroads, through ticket, and it will “pay” to come in 
the right season. Try it! 
To a few enthusiastic artists—as George Broughton, 
Homer Martin, Gay, r etc., and more enterprising anglers as 
H. K. Brown and others, they have long been known for 
their picturesque and piscatorial beauties, and of late even 
an occasional letter writer has been tempted to explore the 
length, breadth, height, and depth of one of the curious 
caves lately discovered on the lake shore in amaze of not 
quite pleasurable experience. 1 refer to Professor Rich¬ 
ards’ “Six Hours Lost in a Cave,” published in a late num¬ 
ber of Appleton's Journal. 
The “Twins”—“Waushinee” and “Waushining”—are 
located on the line of the Connecticut Western Railroad, 
some twelve miles east of Millerton, on the Harlem, and 
fifty-seven miles west from Hartford, They are on high 
ground, some 500 feet above tide water, and held in place 
by a range of hills that barely keep them from slopping 
over into the valleys below when the wind blows very 
fresh. From the highest of these hilltops one may over¬ 
look a great extent of scenery both up and down the Hou- 
satonic Valley, with the grand dome of the Toghkanie 
range, some 2,000 feet higher on the west, while a spur of 
the Green Mountains that trends, exceptionally, east and 
west, shuts in the view by means of the hills of Canaan 
and Norfolk. The Twins are “siamesed” together by a 
narrow, crooked strait, that is barely boatable in low water, 
which cuts through the natural causeway that long served 
as a highway, and now affords just additional room for the 
railroad and the “Twin Lakes station.” 
The Twins are about as unlike as two peas (marrowfat 
and sweet peas, for instance), Waushining being clear, cold, 
deep and nearly symmetrical, with an island of some thirty 
acres in its northwestern portion; while Waushinee is shal¬ 
low, long, and in shape not unlike a crook-neck squash, 
witii us outlet at the stem end, that winds down through 
the mill and furnace wheels of Chapinville, the forges and 
scythe works at Hammerton, and finally, after taking in 
several trout streams, finds its way into the Housatonic at 
Sheffield, some ten miles further north. Both lakes are 
well stocked with the fish usually found in this region, and 
vast quantities of pickerel and "perch are taken from the 
smaller lake during the winter, and many find their way to 
vour city markets through pot hunters, who are not quite 
unknown even here. The large lake—some six miles in 
circuit—has long been famous for its fine pike (pickerel 
they are called hereabouts), and fish of five to seven pounds 
weight being not unusual in the bygone days; but since 
the stocking of the waters with black buss, some years 
suice, the pike are not so plenty nor so large. The abun- 
ffant supply of bass, however, more than makes up for it, 
and during the summer afford rare sport to those experts 
who know the when and the how to take them. The ang 
jer who trusts to a light fly rod and fine tackle, with grass¬ 
hoppers and minnows for bait, may land from five to ten 
two pound fish in the course of a morning, and not find it 
boy’s play either; and when he gets a brace of them into 
hot water (never fry a large fish) an hour after, and done 
a [a salmon and served hot, with his eyes shut, his palate 
will hardly know that it is not really off the salmo genus he 
is feasting. Thus far the bass do not rise to the fly, but it 
18 hoped that they may be educated up to that pitch of ex¬ 
cellence. Very large perch are often taken in the deep 
lake, and a portrait of a sixteen inch specimen hangs in 
tlm studio where I write, together with the picture of a 
white fish twelve inches long, which was picked up on the 
beach a year ago, and is the only specimen I have seen 
fi'om these lakes, though I am told they have sometimes 
been caught when fishing for carp, which they somewhat 
resemble to the unpracticed eye. How they came here is 
a mystery, but it is said that some fishers from Albany 
threw away a lot of bait they had brought from the Erie 
Canal, and that that’s the way of it. Efforts are now be¬ 
ing made to stock the lake with salmon trout, for which its 
deep, cold water and rocky bottom is admirably adapted. 
Close around this lake region are numerous trout streams, 
that tumble down the sides of Toghkanie, or bubble up in 
copious cold springs along its base, which afford the angler 
fine sport: notably More brook and Bracie’s brook, in Salis¬ 
bury, and Bartholomew, Spurr, and Lee brooks, in Shef ¬ 
field, not to forget the Sages’ Ravine brook, that divides 
the two States, and can show the finest waterfalls, next 
after Bash Bish, in western Massachusetts. These streams 
are hardly large enough for the fly fisher’s best efforts, 
though the writer has taken well fed trout of two pounds 
weight from the Lee brook, and very good creels full in 
Sages’ Ravine and the More brook. 
Of game common hereabouts there is a sufficient variety 
—grouse, woodcock, quail, squirrels, and rabbits, not to 
mention mink and otter, fox, wild cat, and woodchucks. 
While I write, my window looks out upon numerous flocks 
of ducks on the just open lake, such as broad bill, shell 
drake, whistler, bufflehead, brant, black duck, and in short 
nearly every kind found on any fresh water, and in great 
abundance; and the air and our feelings are daily har¬ 
rowed by flocks of wild geese, that go “honk,” “honking” 
over our heads, or splash into the lake, always, of course, 
just out of gunshot range. 
To-day, March 25th, a woodcock has put in a first ap¬ 
pearance beside the little brook that sings past the house, 
and there is a good promise for quail, as numerous bevies 
were seen during the fall, and the winter has been quite 
favorable. 
Of pigeons we have had our full share, but as they are 
strictly birds of passage they must be taken flying. Since 
the advent of the Connecticut Western Railroad, numer¬ 
ous parties of campers out visit the lakes from Hartford, 
Pittsfield, and other near towns, and picnic parties are even 
more numerous, as many as five or six car loads of juvenile 
health seekers being left some days at the grove near the 
station, which affords ample shade, and, under the care of 
Herr Odenbright, adequate accommodation. The cave is 
always a place of great resort during the dry season, and 
to those curious in stalactite and stalagmite-y lore its many 
“marble halls” (limestone, by the way) seem to afford 
amusement as endless as are its but partially explored 
deeps. Boats may be had for the asking (price fifty cents 
per day) of Mr. Odenbright, near the Twin Lakes station, 
and on the large lake of E. Sherman Pease, the artist, ang¬ 
ler, hunter, and trapper, whose painting of pike and rabbit 
you so kindly noticed in a late number of the Forest and 
Stream. Piscator. 
Canaan , Connecticut,March 25, 1874. 
For Forest and Stream. 
TRESPASS AND GA ME LAWS. 
I AM glad to see that you are agitating the absolute ne¬ 
cessity of more harmony in the game laws of the va¬ 
rious States, and doing away with the so many incongruities 
in them. And when you suggest a national association as 
the remedy, you hit the nail squarely on the head. For a 
long time it has been a favorite idea of mine. In my hum¬ 
ble opinion, our entire system for the protection of game 
should be revised. I would suggest:— 
1st. That each State should have an association com¬ 
posed of delegates of the various clubs, chartered by its 
legislature and endowed with corporate powers, and to it 
should be delegated all matters pertaining to the enforce¬ 
ment of the game laws in the same manner as is given 
to the “Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals” 
for the enforcement of its laws.. 
2d. Do away with those useless things—game consta¬ 
bles—and let the State association appoint its agents in 
every district; his pay to be so much out of the fines as the 
association may determine on; all suits he may bring to be 
in the name of the association. 
3d. Increase the penalties for violating the laws so much 
as to deter those disposed to, from violating them; and in 
every instance where the offender has not property to sat¬ 
isfy the judgment, and will not pay the fine, let the body 
be attached. 
4tli. Let two-thirds of the fine go to the State association, 
or to whoever may bring the suit, the remaining third to 
go to either the school or poor fund of the county. 
5th. Prevent railroad and express companies from trans¬ 
porting game from one State to another during the close 
season'under a heavy penalty. 
6th. Let a national association be formed, to consist of 
delegates from the various State associations, and to meet 
annually, whose duty it shall be to harmonize the present 
conflicting provisions in the laws of the various States, 
which now enable their being evaded so easily, and to cor¬ 
rect whatever may from time to time need it. 
7tli. Pass a good trespass law, protecting the owner of 
the land from lawless and reckless injury to his property. 
That something must be done, and that at once, for the 
preservation of game, is apparent to every sportsman, as it 
is but too evident how rapidly our game is diminishing. 
Our present condition is one of chaos. A glance at your 
table of close seasons—in No. 8 of this volume—will show 
how conflicting are the laws of States in contiguity to each 
other, and consequently how much more of harm than of 
good they must be productive. 
Unfortunately, the majority of sportsmen are too apa¬ 
thetic on this question, caring merely for the gratification 
of the present, and regardless of the future. There are 
those who realize the condition of things, and admit that 
something must be done, but are not willing to do anything 
themselves, depending on others doing it, though expect¬ 
ing to profit by it themselves. 
What we want is unity in purpose and action, and last, 
though not least, a little less selfishness. Every sportsman 
should remember that he is one of a community, and be 
ready at all times to contribute his quota to the benefit of 
the fraternity at large, and by so doing he would be con¬ 
tributing to his own good, as what benefits the body at 
large benefits him. 
This selfishness has had more to do with this very incon¬ 
gruity among the laws of States in contiguity to each other 
than may be imagined. Happily, it is getting less, the evil 
7 ; 
working its own remedy, and it is to be hoped will in time 
be entirely eradicated. 
By a closer union we could influence legislation of a 
proper and advantageous character. As we are now, it is 
often left to those who, knowing nothing of what they are 
legislating about, make a bungling job of it, generally do¬ 
ing more harm than good. 
The abolition of the office of game constable, and in its 
stead the State association appointing its own agents, 
would be productive of much good. In most instances 
they are entirely indifferent to the violation of the law, and 
are themselves often either parties to or actual violators. 
I know of instances of such being the case. 
As local clubs cannot be depended on for enforcing the 
laws, as there are often too many personal interests inter¬ 
vening, the only thing is to leave it to the State associa¬ 
tions. By doing so, and increasing the penalty and the 
emolument to the informer, so as to make it worth the 
trouble, a more rigid enforcement would be instituted. 
The penalty, being heavy, would of itself deter many. 
That the body should be attached, and the culprit impris¬ 
oned, when there is no property to satisfy the judgment, 
would be just, as the majority of those who pot hunt are 
irresponsible. 
It is imperative that we place some restrictions on the 
railroad and express companies as forwarders, for they are 
the most able auxiliary the pot hunters have, as by carry¬ 
ing the illicit game they enable them to violate the law. 
One provision I forgot, but which is important, and that 
is the abolition of sectional legislation. * The law should 
cover every part of a State, and not exempt portions of it, 
as it does now. 
A good trespass law I am in favor of, the owner of the 
land, I think, being entitled to the same protection of his 
property as any other person. But of this, with your per- 
mission, I will speak more fully in my next. 
Your plan for field trials, to be held by each State, and 
by the national association, I like, and if carried out w r ould 
be productive of much good to both the sportsman and the 
dog One good effect it would have would be to eradicate 
the miserable mongrels, which it is so common to see those 
claiming to be sportsmen exhibiting dogs that “can’t be 
beat.” Mohaw'k. 
New York, May 4, 1874. 
—-- 
For Forest and Stream. 
HOW TO SHOOT AT LONG RANGE. 
NUMBER six. 
I RECEIVED a letter the other day from a Canadian 
friendj who is a capital rifle shot at all ranges. He 
said that in reading my letters he observed that I seemed 
to stand in wholsome awe of the Irish team, and would 
like to know what their practice had been. Thinking that 
the information might interest others as well, I have copied 
from the last report of the National Rifle Association of 
Great Britain the scores of the winning eight men in shoot¬ 
ing for the Elcho shield for the last twelve years as fol¬ 
lows : 
They always shoot fifteen shots at 800, 900, 1,000 yards 
each, making 360 shots in all. If all of them had been 
bulls eyes, highest number of marks 1,440, average 4 ; 
centres, highest number of marks 1,080, average 3 ; outers, 
highest number of marks 720, average 2. The winning 
team actually did make as follows : 
Year. | 
Won by. 
Points made. 
Average 
1862 ... . 
England. 
890 
2.48 
3.00 
1863. 
England. 
1082 
1864. 
Scotland. 
967 
2.68 
2.92 
3.25 
1865. 
England. 
1053 
1866. 
England . 
1170 
1867. 
England. 
1097 
2.04 
1868. 
England. 
1166 
3.24 
18K9. 
Scotland... . 
1149 
3.19 
3.34 
1870. 
England. 
1166 
1871. 
England. 
1204 
3.34 
1872. 
England . 
1183 
3.31 
1873. 
Ireland. 
1195 
3.32 
The actual score in detail, as made by the Irish team 
last year was as follows: 
THE ELCHO SHIELD. 
( 186 . 2 .) 
COMPETED FOR BY ENGLAND, SCOTLAND AND IRELAND. 
Eight competitors on each side. 
Distances, 800, 900 andl,000 yards; No. shots 15 at each distance; Rifle*, 
any; m. w. 10 lbs.; m. p. t. 3 lbs.; H. p. a. s. 1,440 marks. 
Won by Ireland with 1,195 marks. 
Score made by England, 1,175 marks; by Scotland, 1,128 marks. 
800 900 1.000 
Ireland. Yards. T'l Yards. T'l Yards. T'l G'd 
Marks. Marks Marks. T'l. 
* Young....344434444344334 55 444333323342443 49 424433432434444 52 156 
tMilner....044443444444444 55 313444334443434 54 342432324344233 46 155 
}Rigby, J..343444344333444 54 344334323323434 48 333434433344434 52 154 
§Rigby, W.423333344444443 52 444433233343443 51 434443244333334 51 “ 
|| Wilson... .334444444342344 54 0334233244 3424 45 324444424424444 53 152 
T Joyce.343333344343433 50 033433332433344 45 344233442433423 48 143 
**Lloyd.. ..443343434424443 53 333233322334334 44 334324340434423 46 “ 
** Johnson.034444444443434 53 343323332323342 43 444234003324243 42 138 
426 379 390 1,195 
Average. 3.55 3.16 3.21 3.32 
♦Worcester, tlrish R. Association, tlrish It. A. §Insh R. A. |Ul¬ 
ster R. A. IfUlster R. A. **Irish Rifle Association. 
It will be admitted that this is good shooting and hard to 
beat. The men who can beat it can only be found by 
constant practice at. the required ranges. But Creedmoor 
is the only place in this country where any number of 
persons can find such ranges, targets, and systems of mark¬ 
ing easily accessible. It takes considerable time and money 
to establish such ranges, and it is not probable they will be 
established elsewhere in time for this challenge match. 
Therefore, it appears clear that although the Irish challenge 
is nominally given to the whole United States the condi¬ 
tions of the case limit it in reality to those persons to whom 
Creedmoor range is accessible; 
What we believe is necessary, therefore, is to induce as 
large a number of persons as possible to practice regularly 
at Creedmoor at the match ranges, and to induce them to 
do so we would suggest the propriety of asking for sub¬ 
scriptions to raise a pool by which small prizes may be dis¬ 
tributed every week, not to one or two only, but to all 
who can make over certain averages, say above 25 
T. C. C. 
—The Nassau Boat Club have been practicing in their 
new English-built, four-oared shell, and are satisfied with 
the purchase. This club will row a match in six-oared 
barges with the Harlem Rowing Club on Monday, May 11. 
