1274 
.. ^ 
similar result, and I gave up in disgust, sent away ail my 
plants, and have not indulged in floriculture since. 
But this is not “trout,” and I started with the intention 
of telling about the trout fishing, hut like an inveterate 
gossip have talked about, everything save the real subject 
of this article. 
If the salmon are abundant in their season, the streams 
absolutely swarm with trout the year round in uncounted 
multitudes. Every stream seems filled, and you cannot 
make a mistake. Throw your fly in any pool and you will 
“rise a trout,” In travelling through the country, which I 
did a great deal during my frequent tours of inspection, as 
we camped every night near some brook or pool, and as I al¬ 
ways carried hook and line in my pocket, even though we 
travelled in the lightest of “light marching order,” with no 
superfluities whatever, by cutting a light rod from the 
bushes on the edge of the stream I was soon rigged out, 
and in a few minutes our larder was supplied. Fine, big, 
fat fellows they were, too, and so anxious to be caught. 
By the time camp was made and fire kindled, my fish were 
ready for the pan, and afforded no mean addition to our 
travelling fare. A half hour’s fishing would supply fish 
for the whole detachment of fifteen or twenty men, and I 
often caught them of two or three pounds weight. The 
largest trout killed while I was in Humboldt was taken by 
Captain F. It measured twenty-seven inches in length, 
ancLthe captain, who is learned in such matters, assured 
me it was a genuine salmo fontinalis. He was returning 
from his ranche one evening, and as he crossed a little 
stream about half a mile from his home stopped his horse 
to let him drink. As he did so a heavy swirl at the upper 
end of the pool attracted his attention. Early the next 
morning he strolled ovei to the brook, and at the first cast 
struck the fine fellow. After a brief struggle he became 
the spoil of the gallant captain, on whose hospitable board 
he shortly after smoked, crisp and brown, a most delicious 
morsel. I regret he did not ascertain its weight. 
On one of my trips we encamped on the “Iuqua Ranche,” 
a fine cattle range, but which had been deserted for years 
on account of Indian incursions. Our camp was beneath 
the spreading branches of a clump of large trees on the 
hill. At the bottom of the ravine a little brook fretted 
along, though then but a tiny rivulet, it being the dry sea¬ 
son, with here and there a pool of some size. The detail 
sent to bring water reported to me a pool just alive w T ith 
trout. So, though pretty thoroughly tired out, and not 
wishing to disappoint the men, for I knew what they 
meant, I clambered down the steep declivity. I found the 
pool to be about five yards in diameter, and apparently some 
six or eight feet deep, the water clear as crystal, and not a 
trout in the pool less than half a pound in weight. The 
little ones had all been eaten up. As to their number, the 
best idea one can give would be to take a gallon of huckle¬ 
berries and empty them into a tub of water. The trout 
were about as thick as they would seem when stirred 
around briskly. I never saw anything like it. I cut a rod 
some six feet long, and, with a short, stout line, sat on the 
edge of the pool, with my feet hanging over the bank, and 
literally “yanked” out forty or fifty in almost as many min¬ 
utes. Many of them would have weighed over two pounds 
each. Having secured enough for our supper and break¬ 
fast—for we started before daybreak the next morning—-I 
ceased fishing; but there was no perceptible diminution in 
their numbers. The Iuqua Ranche (pronounced I-u-quay) 
is also a most excellent hunting ground. Elk, deer, bear, 
and California lions are abundant; also, the numbers of 
quail and grouse are unlimited. It was then a famous, 
though a dangerous hunting ground. 
A rather unusual case of voracity on the part of the 
trout was exemplified one day during one of our fishing 
excursions from the Post. We had ridden out to a little 
stream following through a mountain ravine, and one of 
the party came to me for a hook. At the same time he 
told me there was a trout in a hole under the roots of a tree 
near by—a pool left by the water—that had carried away 
his hook, and also that of another of the party. Hasten¬ 
ing over I tried for the fellow, and soon had him out on 
the sand. He was not very heavy, say a pound and a half, 
but very active, and had fought hard. After taking my 
hook from his lips, there were left five other pieces of gut 
protruding from his mouth, to each of which was attached 
a hook, imbedded in his throat. Some of the gut lengths 
protruded fully six inches beyond his mouth. We dissec¬ 
ted the fellow and extracted the hooks. My friend recog¬ 
nized and claimed his, as did the other. The remaining 
three came from where or whom we knew not. Evidently 
some one had been fishing there before us. How this trout, 
with these five hooks in his mouth, could have an appetite 
for mine, and take it, making the sixth, passes my powers 
of comprehension. A similar thing happened to me in 
Virginia a few years ago. I caught a fine black bass, or, 
as they call them there, a “King William” (not Kaiser Wil¬ 
helm; he would not be caught) in the river Dan one bright 
-afternoon, and a friend who was with me recognized the 
hook and piece of line protruding from its mouth as his 
own. The bass had broken his line that morning— metis, 
revenous a nos moutons. 
On another occasion, in the same stream, one of the 
party told me of a fine pool below, where there were three 
or four tremendous trout, which would take neither bait 
nor fly. Thinking he had been incautious, and let them 
see him—for these big fellows are wary, although trout 
were so plenty and so tame, shall I say, that usually it 
made little difference how incautious one ordinarily was— 
yet I always found the “choice specimens” wary and shy. 
So I went down the stream with my friend for about a 
mile, and carefully approaching a large pool of perfectly 
transparent water, peeped through the bushes, and there, 
far down in its glassy depths, were some magnificent fel¬ 
lows. The smallest could not have weighed less than three 
pounds. They had the pool to themselves; a little chap 
would have had no chance* there. Light as a feather, my 
fly drifted down on the gentle breeze drawing through the 
the ravine, alighting on the water as delicately as a tired 
moth. But the trout would not look at it. Seeing they 
seemed to be aldermanic looking, full fed fellows, I thought 
I would try my friend Prime’s plan, and appeal to their 
grosser natures. So I slipped a piece of worm on the bend 
of the hook, and letting it drop as if from one of the over¬ 
hanging branches, it gradually sank in the clear water. A 
monstrous fellow paddled lazily up, seemingly bumped Ids 
nose against it, and then, contemptuously turning tail, as 
lazily sculled away. I felt disappointed, and determined 
to have that trout if it took me a week to circumvent him. 
Sitting down at a little distance from the pool, and lighting 
my pipe—the “supreme solace” of the Arabs—I racked my 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
brain for some device by which to overreach or seduce the 
fellow. A bright idea struck me suddenly. Thinks I to 
myself, the fellow is disgusted at my parsimony; why did 
I iiot present him a dish that would “satisfy a lordly, obese 
old fellow like him? Why tantalize him with a morsel 
delicate and dainty enough, certainly, but only fit for some 
simpering young lady trout? So I acted on it. Going to 
my friend, who also was enjoying his “opium cum digitalis ” 
(Latin idiom for “pipe”), and reflecting gravely, I again 
borrowed his bait box. From this I selected a large, fat, 
active worm about six inches in length. Quietly stealing 
to the edge of the stream above the pool, I let my line 
gradually float down with the current until the bait was 
swept into the pool. A moment of breathless suspense, 
then a fierce tug, and behold! Mr. Alderman had been cap¬ 
tivated. I had him. He could not resist the green turtle 
soup (fat worm crawling over the bottom of the pool) so 
lavishly set before him. I will not weary you with details 
of the contest. In short, some fifteen minutes later the 
gentleman paraded his glistening sides upon the bank, a 
wiser and a sadder trout. He weighed nearly four pounds. 
After another pipe, I thought I would try again, but his 
friends were too wary, and would not be persuaded; so 
contenting myself with my single prize, as the evening was 
growing apace, I left for home. We had “the alderman” 
for supper. Some weeks later I made a special visit to this 
pool, arriving just at dusk. I used a large white moth, and 
before I left the pool was tenantless. I caught but five, 
but they were “whales.” They weighed from two and 
three quarter to four and one half pounds each. 
I afterwards killed a five pound grilse in a pool of the 
same stream, two or three miles farther up. He was land¬ 
locked, caught by the fall of the water, like my friend 
“the big trout,” in the last number. There was nothing 
remarkable about his capture, for I saw him before he 
struck my fly, and knew what I had to deal with. 
In all such cases the fish has not a fair chance, but it is, 
notwithstanding, grand sport to get a fine fellow on a seven 
or nine ounce rod, with delicate tackle. And yet it seems 
rather inhuman, too, for the invariable verdict is, “worried 
to death.” If the fish had a fair chance, to kill him would 
be a feat worthy of our venerable father Izaak. But to 
catch him penned up in a small pool, and have him rush 
frantically from side to side, like a wild bird beating its 
life out against its prison bars, until, wearied out, he gives 
up, and yields himself (he is not captured) to his van¬ 
quisher, although very exciting and fascinating at the 
time, yet it always leaves a tinge of regret. But after all, 
I must frankly say that, like the tippler who, on being told 
it was a sin to drink, replied that he had always heard, that 
sin was very fascinating, and that if drinking w T kiskey was 
a sin he liked to sin whenever he had a chance. So I like 
to catch salmon, even at such a disadvantage, and console 
myself and ease my conscience with the thought that per¬ 
haps the fineness of the tackle almost or quite counterbal¬ 
ances the odds. 
But I will cease, for fear lest some of your readers should 
accuse me of “romance,” though there are many more 
“yarns” of this kind in my budget. But what lover of the 
gentle craft has not hosts of such reminiscences? Nor 
shall I discuss the point as to whether the trout of the Pa¬ 
cific slope is the same, or a different variety from its east¬ 
ern brother. I have caught them both, with and without 
the red spots, and both light and dark in color, and always 
attributed these differences to the peculiarities of their 
habitat. They take both bait and fly readily, but brighter 
flies than those used east are the most killing. The red 
ibis, in these dark glens, was sure for a three pounder, if 
there was one in the pool. 
One of your correspondents speaks of the trout of Cali¬ 
fornia as being dull and heavy, and not to be compared 
with those of Maine for pluck and endurance. The sal¬ 
mon ditto. With all due respect for the “amor patriae” of 
the New Englander, I must differ with him. He certainly 
never fished in the Humboldt Bay country. If he will try 
the icy mountain streams and lakes of northern California 
and southern Oregon —;foi de chevallier —he will have no lack 
of vigor on the part of the trout to complain of, and will 
need all his science. That he may have the opportunity of 
testing it is all the harm I will wish him. 
Monmouth. 
For Forest and Stream.' 
TROUTING IN NOVA SCOTIA. 
- 4 - 
[Two weeks ago we alluded briefly to a recent trip made by some gen¬ 
tlemen to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, in which they did some “tall” trout 
fishing. Herewith we give a full account of the trip by oiie of their num¬ 
ber. We notice that we erred in stating that the steamer Linda sailed on 
Thursdays; we should have said Tuesdays. —Ed.] 
'iT^vN the 12th of May I started on my annual trouting 
V^/ trip to the “Bluenose country.” My friend G. was 
again with me; friend L., from Vermont, accompanied us, 
making his first trip. The route is by the sea-going steamer 
Linda, leaving Boston every Tuesday at twelve o’clock 
noon, or to St. John by boat or cars, and taking the same 
steamer Linda on Friday night at six o’clock. The 
steamer has good accommodations for about fifty passen¬ 
gers, and is an excellent sea boat, commanded at present 
by her owner, Capt. Clements. 
The'destination is Yarmouth, a cozy little town on the 
bay side of the Cape, and is only 240 miles from Boston; 
somewfiiat nearer than St. John, N. B. The population of 
the town is about 5,000, which is one of the nicest and 
most comfortable towns for early summer visitors that I 
know of—no hot broiling days, nor cold, damp nights, but 
a quite even temperature. The inhabitants are social and 
hospitable to visitors and strangers. I predict that should 
pleasure seekers but once turn their course that way it 
would soon become a very popular resort. After one has 
looked the town through, and made some very pleasant 
acquaintances, many of whom will give you proper direc¬ 
tions, you can select your route (mine was determined be¬ 
fore leaving Boston)—one route up the bay coast, as far as 
Digby, with numerous salmon and trout streams, the other 
the Tusket, with its three branches, all of which are good. 
By consulting the county map, you will observe that 
Yarmouth county is nearly one fourth water; every lake 
and river contain in their season salmon and trout. The 
land lies comparatively level, and on the borders of the 
rivers are many acres of meadow, overflowed by high 
water. The Tusket, with its branches, feed and supply 
the lakes. The best fishing is in the rapid portions of the 
rivers, between the lakes, and in the large pools at the foot 
of the rapids. After selecting the route, and if you are t 
camp out, purchase all your stores at Yarmouth, and denenH 
upon your boatman up river to furnish all the cookin' 1 
utensils, and to make camp and do the cookings Boatin 
is indispensable if you desire the best sport May anfi 
June are the best months for trout; June and July for sal 
mon. Boatmen are in demand during the month of Mav 
on account of the “run of herring,” called there gaspereaux 
which are taken in great numbers, and constitute one of the 
principal articles of food for the inhabitants. The main 
river is good fishing if at sufficiently “low pitch ” and 
holds out for late fishing, and the only portion where one 
might expect to kill salmon. The western branch affords 
nice sport; the trout, however, are of a smaller size aen 
erally from two to four to the pound, with an occasional 
“pounder.” In a large pool above John Ranard’s mill at * 
the foot of the rapids, salmon might be taken if one was 
not too early in the season. I choose the southeastern if it 
is free from anglers. The trout are of a larger size and 
one is sure of getting a boat at the Forks by writing a week 
beforehand to Capt. S. Gardiner, or to Cyrille Doucetoe 
(the only place to put up at the forks), for either the south¬ 
eastern or the main river, up or down. The boatmen you 
cannot rely upon to point out the choice spots in the falls 
or pools. They are no anglers. You must exercise your 
own best judgment. They will put the boat where'you 
wish, and are quite expert in holding it in the rapids with 
a single pole. 
I found it greatly to my advantage to take a small rope 
seventy-five yards long to anchor the boat at the head of 
the falls, and fish slowly down, letting out the rope as oc¬ 
casion demanded. By this system one can carefully fish 
over the whole territory, and greatly relieve his boatman. 
The larger fish we found at the head of the falls and at the 
head of the pools. The falls, with two or three excep¬ 
tions, can be passed in the boat by hard poleing by the 
boa! man, with your assistance. 
Robert, one of our boatmen, was constantly getting wet 
or drinking hot tea, either of which would bring a sudden 
rise of his right leg, a French yell, and a close gripping of 
his jaw—sure symptoms of a jumping toothache. We ad¬ 
ministered (free of charge) cayenne pepper, salt and alum 
pulverized, tar and oil, Parr’s linament, and kilex—the 
three last being black fly poison—in regular order, but the 
thing wouldn’t let up on Robert, so he promised himself 
faithfully that if God spared his life another week he 
would walk to Tusket, fifteen miles from the forks, and 
“upturn some of them roots.” I told him the story of the 
tooth carpenter in the Adirondacks, related in the Forest 
and Stream of April 9th, when a happy thought struck 
him that old Lapstone, the cobbler, might give him “ease 
and comfort.” So as soon as we landed at the forks, the 
boat unloaded and hauled out, Robert was missing, and 
nothing was heard from him until the morning, when he 
appeared very cheeky on the right side, and with a band¬ 
age over his head. Upon inquiry after the offending molar, 
he said, “he stop dat ache last night, but had a wusser one 
now.” Said “he thought if a city chap could stand a pair 
of Adirondack bullet moulds, he, an Acadian, would not 
flinch at a pair of cobbler’s pincers.” So he went to Lap- 
py’s shanty and made known his trouble, when Lappy sat 
him on the floor between his legs, back to him, and putting 
his left hand on Robert’s head, and his right knee against 
his cheek, to serve as a chock (fulcrum I think he meant), 
he then applied the shoe pincers, braced up all around, then 
yanked and twisted, “and something come, I tell ye.” 
“Well, Robert, did he get the tooth?” 
“No, not ’zactly, but he got all the ache, and more than 
half the tooth.” 
I recommended a charge of powder to complete the job. 
The inland fishery laws are generally well observed, or 
have been for the past three years, and the people now see 
and receive $ie benefits. During the month of May the 
herring run up the rivers to spawn; the salmon May, June, 
and July. There is no legal obstruction to any river. 
Weirs, traps, and nets are to be set only on sides of rivers, 
and at considerable distance from the falls. On Friday 
night, and until Monday night, every fishing device must 
be removed, and dipping suspended, giving the fish unin¬ 
terrupted course and right to their spawning grounds. 
Muskrats are very abundant. One is hardly out of sight 
of them in still water. Beaver signs -were plenty in the 
neighborhood of Gull Lake and the English Mill. I saw 
two houses, and took several sticks of freshly cut poplar 
from them. Partridges and ducks are very numerous. 
Moose signs were fresh and plenty at Gull Lake. 
W e had such excellent trouting on the southeastern that 
my friend L. went back on the return trip of the Linda, 
having but one day’s sport. He however has promised to 
take another trip the coming season, and take the “wim- 
min folks” along and stay a month. 
The next day my friend Mack, of Yarmouth, who ac¬ 
companied us on the trip, returned home, taking a nice 
lot, among them many two pounders, which were exhibi¬ 
ted in the hotel there a short time, and our credit (angling) 
fully established. This display brought up to us Rev. Mr. 
Campbell and Capt. H., at night, and a very pleasant even¬ 
ing was spent relating fishing stories and passing free jokes 
upon the cloth. Next day the parson and the captain went 
up lake Mispah, and were completely drenched by the fre¬ 
quent showers; yet they enjoyed it to the fullest extent, 
and apparently with great satisfaction. The parson was 
very near sighted; so much so that he could not always see 
his fly. His “best hold” seemed to be when the trout was 
fast.' They returned home with a basket well filled. 
We caught somewhat over 500 during our stay of a week, 
which were as many as we could eat, supply the f aTaii y 
table, give to our immediate friends, and take home. H ie 
flies mostly used were, this year, the large Montreal, an d a 
small salmon* fly with blue jay wings: last year, m audi¬ 
tion, the yellow fly; the larger the fly the better. 
After the herring spawn they return to the sea, the youn^ 
following late in the fall, which are followed > down river 
by a hungry shoal of silver eels. The inhabitants mak 
calculations to secure cue barrel of herrings, salted, ant 
one barrel of silver eels, salted, for each member ot tn 
family, which, with what potatoes they raise, give them an 
air of independence. Asking Robert which of the tv 
was best he said:—“When you eat gaspereaux you . 
eat much, but when you eat silver eels you have sometin 0 . 
Salmon fishing is free in all the rivers in the coua £ 
Taking everything into consideration, I prefer ^ arl £ Q t ., r 
county for trouting to ny place I know of, and s h aU _ •> 
it yearly. 
*In the paragraph referred to in top note as being printed two weeks. 
since, we printed Salem fly.—E d. 
