FOREST AND STREAM. 
355 
the other boat, which soon came along, the oarsmen telling 
of an Indian who said “skittawaboo” to them, and acted 
as if he wanted to take their hair. 
A few more strokes of the oars and we landed at the 
fern''. Our long trip was over—a trip that was enjoyed to 
the "fullest extent oy every member of the party, and one 
which we all agreed should be taken again some day in 
company. 
Brainerd, Minnesota, June , 1874. 
For Forest and Stream. 
A WEEK’S FISHING AT WYANDOTTE. 
T HERE were two of us—the philosopher Diogenes and 
myself. Botli disciples of Izaak Walton, we had 
provided ourselves with a complete outfit in the way of 
rods, reels, and all the et ceteras appertaining to the true 
fisherman. Wyandotte Cave, with its surroundings of 
hills, valleys, and rivers, seemed to furnish the requisite 
attractions, and it became accordingly the objective point 
of our expedition. Wyandotte is in Crawford county, In¬ 
diana, about sixty-five miles below Louisville. The daily 
packets of the Louisville and Evansville Mail Line, which 
are,by the way,floating palaces, and the tri-weekly Louisville 
and Leavenworth packet—Sandy No. 2—stop at Leaven¬ 
worth, the nearest point by water to the Cave. The fare 
is $1 50. Probably the most convenient of these packets 
is the Sandy No. 2, a very elegant little boat, with gentle¬ 
manly and accommodating officers, which ends its voyage 
at Leavenworth, thus enabling passengers to remain on 
board all night. Leaving Louisville at live o’clock, all the 
boats reach their destination before midnight. Diogenes 
and myself embarked on the Sandy, and in the morning 
found ourselves at the little rambling town, with its scat¬ 
tered rows of houses, nestling between the hills and the 
river. The scenery at this point is exceedingly picturesque. 
On every side are to be seen blue hills, broken into gigan¬ 
tic undulations, with smiling valleys between, and a fairy¬ 
looking island, set like a jewel in the bosom of the Ohio, 
just wheie Blue River cmbouches into the main stream. 
The hill which overlooks the town is at least four hundred 
feet in height, and commands a magnificent prospect. 
There are two rival hostelries, each eager to furnish con¬ 
veyances to the Cave, five miles in the interior. The fare 
to the Cave varies from twenty-five cents to $1 for each 
passenger, according to the number of persons to be con¬ 
veyed. The competition is quite spirited, and with a little 
adroitness an excursionist can make his own terms. 
Although in many respects rough and forbidding, the 
road from the Ohio to Wyandotte is not devoid of interest. 
Diogenes saw in the overhanging ledges of rocks rare vis¬ 
ions of subcarboniferous fossils, while every now and then 
we had glimpses of dense copse-wood, with tangled vines, 
redolent with the odor of blossoms, and wild flowers in 
great profusion, while Diogenes talked learnedly about 
families and genera and species. When Lee appeared with 
his “spring wagon,” uncovered—a two seater, and a veri¬ 
table representative of the country’s means of transporta¬ 
tion—we found that the daughter of “mine host” of the 
Wyandotte Hotel was to be our compagnor du voyage. With 
true country artlessness she prattled away with perfect 
freedom about fishing, hunting, household economy, the 
underground wonders of the cave, and all the innocent 
gossip of the neighborhood. 
The approach to Wyandotte Valley is flanked by a mag¬ 
nificent range of hills, the highest of which is called 
Greenbriar Ridge. It looms up grandly to the light, stretch¬ 
ing out with its lordly arch almost as royally as Old Crow 
Nest or the Storm King on the Hudson. Vending along 
at its base were the clear waters of Blue River, glancing 
through the dense foliage of the trees, making altogether 
an exceedingly interesting picture. We were told that 
wolves had recently bivouacked in its recesses, and that it 
was not uncommon still to find the catamount and the wild 
cat, of which several had been killed the previous winter. 
The former of these, Diogenes informed us, was one of the 
Fdidm, with short ears and tail, and not the notorious pan¬ 
ther of the wilderness. However, we were reminded that 
a genuine panther had been seen in the neighborhood, and 
that dogs whose prowess had never been at a discount had 
come back from a contest in the dense thicket torn and 
' bleeding, and completely whipped. Sheep and hogs had 
mysteriously disappeared, and a pet deer had been spirited 
away to a cave, at the mouth of which a wolf trap had 
been set and a large catamount captured. It was a wild 
region, indeed, and Diogones grew enthusiastic at the pros¬ 
pect of adding something more recherche to his list of tro- 
pliis than an innocent black bass or an ungainly catfish. 
Wyandotte Hotel is near the mouth of the cave, built 
on the side of the hill, overlooking the long reaches of the 
river and the beautiful little valley which bears its name. 
It is kept by Mr. W. H. Conrad, a genial host, with an in¬ 
teresting family of girls and hoys, all of whom seem to vie 
in paying attention to their guests, and who contribute in 
many ways to make a week’s stay at the hotel exceedingly 
delightful. 
The northernmost flank of the Greenbriar juts out to a 
fine sheet of water, formed by an extensive mill dam, near 
which is an old mill owned by the Messrs. Rotlirocks, 
whose family own the cave and the land for many miles 
around. The mill is a primitive affair for grinding wheat 
and corn and for sawing lumber. 
Some gigantic elms threw a cooling shade over the river, 
and here we found a convenient fishing ground. Blue 
River is a beautiful stream, and at the time of our visit 
was quite clear, with occasional rapids, down which the 
waters danced and sparkled, reminding us of some of the 
mountain streams of the Alleghanies. It is rarely more 
than ten or fifteen yards in width, shut in on both sides by 
giant elms and sycamores. It would seem to be quite pos¬ 
sible to stock it with game fish, of which there are many 
representatives already in its waters. The warmth of the 
water, unfortunately, precludes the possibility of its ever 
having any trout, although in other respects it is well 
adapted for this admirable fish. 
We had provided ourselves with a supply of flies, hop¬ 
ing that the black bass might be tempted with the alluring- 
appearance of the brown hackle, but we soon found that it 
required all the delicate manipulation we were master of, 
with the liveliest of minnows, to induce them to leave 
their hiding places. The black bass ( Micropterus nigricans ) 
is a very capricious fish, and when he is not in the proper 
mood no amount of coaxing will tempt him to bite. Dur¬ 
ing the month of March the weather had been exceedingly 
warm, and a g-eat many bass had been taken; but now, 
even in the latter part of May, after several days of indus¬ 
trious fishing, we only succeeded in catching a very few. 
With a few feet of a rise in the Ohio the fishing would be¬ 
come excellent, and at this point hundreds couid doubtless 
be taken in a few hours. We caffght, also, a number of 
the rock bass ( Ambbplites aeneus —Agassiz), which is nearly 
as abundant as the black bass, and equally as game. The 
sunfish (Porno tu vulgaris) was quite numerous, and larger 
than we have usually found. Barring the multitude of 
bones it is not to be decried. To the infinite disgust of 
Diogones, we were exceedingly lucky in catching catfish 
(Pimelodus ), of which we found two species. As most of 
the species of this fish are exceedingly active, taking the 
line with a vigor worthy of a better ’fish, it would hardly 
seem to deserve the anathemas of Frank Forester and his 
followers. In some of the long, deep reaches of the river 
the pike was said to abound, which doubtless makes sad 
havoc among the lesser fry. While we were fishing a pike 
nearly four feet in length was caught, and several others 
still larger had been taken a day or two before. A few 
miles above one over seven feet in length had become en¬ 
tangled in a mill wheel, and was taken by hand in a dis¬ 
abled condition. It is a pity that these voracious monsters 
cannot be exterminated. Another destructive fish was 
found in large numbers—the bony pike ( Lepidosteus ), with 
its long, hard snout studded with -rows of sharp teeth. 
Diogenes has perfected a plan for their extermination, and 
it is therefore hoped that future piscators may escape the 
annoyance to which we were subjected. A water dog, 
with very little of the canine in his appearance, was also 
added to our list of nondescripts. It was quite distinct 
from the animal caught in the western waters, and called 
mud devil by the fishermen. Diogenes considered it a 
lucky “catch,” and made a careful drawing of it on the 
spot. He declared it to be a rare specimen of the family 
Amphiumidce. 
A visit was made during our stay to the famous Wyan¬ 
dotte Cave, which in many respects is a rival to the Mam¬ 
moth Cave of this State. Monument Mountain, 175 feet 
in height, with Wallace’s Grand Dome oveveacliing it 
fi&y or sixty feet above, has nothing to approach it in the 
far-famed Mammoth. It is about thirty miles in extent, 
and it would require more than the space of this article to 
give merely the names of the places of interest. No one 
visiting this part of the country should fail to see it. 
The utterly secluded life, and the pastoral habits of the 
people who dwell in the neighborhood, may be imagined 
when we were told that three exceedingly handsome young 
ladies, whom we met, belonging to a family of consider¬ 
able wealth and influence, had never been but a few miles 
from their native Wyandotte Valley. They are sweet, 
guileless children of Nature, whose dream of innocence 
and peace it were a pity to break with the realities of our 
false outer world. Like Wordsworth’s Lucy we thought 
of each— 
“A violet by a mossy Stone 
Half hidden from the eye! 
Fair as a star, when only "one 
Is shining in the sky.” 
Board at the Wyandotte Hotel is but $7 per week, and 
every attention is paid to guests with a genuine good will, 
which makes up for the lack of many of the conveniences 
and comforts found at more fashionable places of summer 
resort. It is the quietest, pleasantest place we know of for 
a fishing or hunting excursion in this region, and it will be 
a matter of regret with the genuine lover of such sport 
when Wyandotte should become more staid and fashion¬ 
able, and less fitted for a week’s recreation in the woods. 
Louisville , Ey., Jane 5, 1874. 
htioiml fflariimes. 
Secretaries and fmends*of Athletic, Base-Ball, Cricket and other out¬ 
door Clubs will kindly mail their contributions not later than Monday in 
each iceek. ^ 
—The Boston cricket club, which recently defeated the 
St. George cluo of this city on July 10th, played against 
the base ball eleven of the Boston Red Stockings, and the 
ball tossers beat the cricketers in handsome style. This 
speaks well for their games in England next month. The 
Boltons were disposed of for 28 in their first innings, the 
“Reds” scoring 50. In the second innings the cricketers 
scored 54, which the base ball players offset with 93, there¬ 
by winning by a score of 143 to 82. The cricketers found 
Marry Wright’s medium paced twisters as bothering as 
they did George’s “pacers.” 
—The second eleven of the Manhattan Cricket Club and 
the Staten Island second eleven played at Staten Island, 
July eleven. The latter won by a score of 76 to 67. 
—On July 9th the newly organized Mechanics Club of 
Orange, defeated an eleven from Newark, in a one inning 
game by 70 to 40, on Orange street, Roseville. 
—The Atlantics played the Live Oaks, of Lynn, on Fri¬ 
day, and though the Chicago nine only defeated the Lynn 
amatuers by 12 to 4, the Atlantics beat them 20 to 6. 
—The Chelseas defeated the Nassaus in an exhibition 
game played at Oneida, N. Y., last week by a score of 19 
to 17. The Nassaus afterwards defeated the local Oneida 
club (the Ku Klux) by 19 to 10. 
—Up to Saturday, 111 of the 280 games to be played in 
the professional arena up to October 31 had been finished, 
leaving 169 to be played within the next three and a half 
months, or about fifty games a month. This number the 
clubs cannot play within the specified time. 
—The Atlantic professional nine visited Lynn, Massa¬ 
chusetts, on July 10th, and there played with the State 
amateur champions—the Live Oaks—and won by a score of 
20 to 6. The Live Oaks played the Cliicagos a game 
marked by 12 to 4 only. 
—The value of having a change of pitchers in a nine, of 
opposite styles of delivery, was strikingly illustrated in the 
match played in Philadelphia last week between the Girard 
College nine and the Americus nine. The College team 
closed the third innings with a score of 12 to 5 in tlieir 
favor, and the game became too one sided to be interest¬ 
ing. In the fifth inning3 Toner was substituted for Ful¬ 
mer as pitcher on the Americus nine, and the result was 
that in the seven innings which followed the College boys 
only added three runs to their score, while the Americus 
gradually pulled up their score to even figures, and then 
won by one run. The score was as follows, eleven innings 
Americus.0 1 4 1 5 0 0 3 1 0 1—16 
Girard College...8 4 5 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0—15 
Time, 2:15; Umpire, Mr. Nolen. 
—On June 20th a remarkably fine game was played at 
Oberlin College grounds, Ohio, in which the Freshmen of 
the college beat the Seniors by 7 to 4 only. 
—The record of the Yale club up to July 14th is as fol¬ 
lows:— 
PROFESSIONAL, GAMES. 
April 18, Hartford.12; Yale. 
May 6, Hartford . 6; Yale. 
May 27, Atlantic. 8: Yale. 
.June JO, Atlantic.15; Yale. 
June 12, Hartford.17: Yale. 
June 21, Athletic.. II; Yale. 
June 30, Hartford. 7; Yale. 
July 1, Hartford.. 9; Yale. 
July 3. Baltimore..15; Yale. 
July 4, Baltimore. 7; Yale. 
July 6, Mutual..21; Yale. 
AMATEUR GAMER. 
May 9, Flyaway. 5; Yale. 
May 30, Nameless. 9; Yale. 
June 6, Knickerbocker. 5; Yale. 
June 29, Princeton. 1; Yale. 
July 1. Princeton. 3; Yale. 
.July 13, Harvard.—; Yale. 
2 
4 
3 
12 
8 
8 
0 
8 
4 
6 
1 
15 
16 
9 
16 
11 
—The record of the professional championship contests 
up to July 14th is as follows: — 
Club. 
Games Won. 
Lost. 
Total. 
Boston. 
. 28 
7 
36 
Athletic. 
. 22 
10 
32 
Mutual. 
. 16 
15 
31 
Philadelphia. 
. 13 
15 
28 
Chicago. 
. 11 
15 
28 
Atlantic. 
. 9 
15 
24 
Hartford. 
. 8 
15 
24 
Baltimore.... 
. 5 
21 
28 
Total. 
. 113 
113 
231 
—The record of games played to July 14th by the cham¬ 
pionship nines is as follows:— 
July 7—Athletic vs. Atlantic at Philadelphia. 5 to 2 
July 7—Haitford vs. Philadelphia at Hartford.15 to 2 
July 8—Chicago vs. Baltimore at Chicago. 9 to 1 
July 8—Atlantic vs. Philadelphia at Brooklyn..11 to 5 
July 9—Philadelphia vs. Mutual at Brooklyn. ... 6 to 5 
July 10—Hartford vs. Mutual at Hartford.13 io 4 
July 11—Chicago vs. Baltimore at Chicago.i7 to 12 
July 11—Athletic vs. Philadelphia at Philadelphia. 8 to 7 
July 13—Atlantic vs. Hartford at Hartford. .6 to 2 
July 13—Chirago vs. Baltimore at Chicago.13 to 6 
July 13—Boston vs. Athletic at Boston. 7 to 6 
—The base ball tourists are to leave Philadelphia to-day 
—July 16th—in the American Line steamer Ohio. The 
pluyers of the party are as follows:— 
Boston. Athletic. Position. B 
J. White .T. E. Clapp Catcher 
A. G. Spalding J. D. McBride Pitcher 
J. O. Iiourke W. D. Fisler First base 
R. C. Barnes J. Battin Second base 
H. C. Shafer E. B. Sutton Thiid base 
George Wright W. H. McGeary Short stop 
A. J. Leonard A. W. Gedney Left field 
Harry Wright J. F. McMullen Centre field 
C. L. McVey A. C. Anson Right field 
G. W. Hall T. Murnan Substitute 
T. L. Beal A. J. Reach Substitute 
S. Wright. Jr J. P. Sensenderfer Substitute 
J. F. Kent H. Gurmene Substitute 
Mr. Alfred H. Wright goes out as scorer and correspond¬ 
ent. The programme of the tour is as follows: 
July 30. Athletic Vs. Boston, at Liverpool. 
July 31. Boston vs. Athletic, at Manchester. 
Aug. 1. Athletic vs. Boston, at Sheffield. 
Aug. 3, 4, 5. The English Twelve of 1872 vs. Eighteen 
of America, at Prince’s grounds, London. 
Aug. 8. Athlhtic vs. Boston, at Richmond cricket 
grounds. 
Aug. 6, 7. Prince’s Club Eleven with professionals vs. 
Eighteen of America, at Prince’s grounds, London. 
Aug. 10, 11, 12. Athletic vs. Boston and professional 
nine vs. Paris players, at Paris, France. 
Aug. 13,14. English Eleven vs. Eighteen at cricket, at 
the Oval, London. 
Aug. 15, 17. American vs. English, at cricket, at Shef¬ 
field. 
Aug. 18, 19. American vs. English cricket, at Notting¬ 
ham. 
Aug. 21, 22. American vs. Irish, at Dublin, cricket and 
base ball. 
Aug. 24, 25. American vs. Scotch, at Glasgow, cricket 
and base ball. 
Aug. 26. American vs. English, at Huddersfield (Las* 
elle Hall). 
Aug. 27. Sail for home. 
The Paris trip may not take place, in which case they 
will play a match at the Surrey Club grounds. 
—On July 10th Captain James Ward of the Chicago Base 
Ball Club, had his right leg amputated above the knee in 
order to save his life from the poison of a malignant abscess, 
occasioned by the decaying of the bones of the leg. 
lew $3itbUcations. 
Publications sent to this office, treating upon subjects that come within 
the scope of the paper , will receive special attention. The receipt of all 
books delivered at our Editorial' Rooms will be promptly acknowledged 
in the next issue. Publishers will confer a favor by promptly advising 
us of any omission in this respect Prices of books inserted when 
desired. 1 
The Rhine. A tour from Paris to Mayence hy the way 
of Aix la Chapelle. By Victor Hugo. Boston : Estes & Lauriatt. 
In this translation of Victor Hugo we have one of the most charming, 
interesting, and spirited books of the day. This translation does full 
justice to the author, and in its ample pages he is as ever true to him¬ 
self. In his tour of observation along the picturesque meanderings of 
the Rhine the same versatile genius, the same vivid, poetic and express¬ 
ive narration gilds this delightful pleasure trip with a beauty rarely 
known. This story is told in all its minor, as well as grander parts, 
with a finish and an artistic power possessed by few translators of the 
present time. No wonder he enjoyed a trip up the Rhine, or that his de¬ 
scriptions sometime glow as with rays of goldan light. 
“Born where blooms the Alpine rose, 
Cradled in the Boden see, 
Forth the infant river flows, 
leaping on in childish glee; 
Coming to a riper age 
He crowns his rocky cups with wine, 
And makes a gallant pilgrimage 
To many a ruined tower and shrine.” 
Full to the overflowing with beautiful, forcible and really poetic de¬ 
scriptions, noble thoughts and aspirations, is this last book upon the 
Rhine, we reluctantly lay it aside, heartily commending it to each and all 
of our readers. 
—The Military Committee of the Connecticut Legislature 
visiteu Meriden cn Thursday last for the purpose of locat¬ 
ing a rifle range. Exact position of range as yet undecided. 
