Jtjsb 80, 1884.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



427 



f lie water of the ponds is as clear as a mountain spring. 

 The trout rise to the fly in all the waters, and in all my expe- 

 rience I never saw their equal in fighting qualities. They 

 take the fly with a leap clear of the surface and contest their 

 final capture like a black bass, I need not tell any angler 

 that such a trout is fat aud solid, and when served on the 

 table opens red as a salmon and is the finest fish in the world. 



The camps are built to accommodate parties of from two 

 to ten, are made convenient and comfortable with stoves and 

 mosquito nettings, so one can rest undisturbed till late in the 

 morning or rjso at 4 A. M. and land twenty-live pounds of 

 trout before breakfast. Tlie table is served with sufficient 

 variety aud the food well cooked. The scenery and sur- 

 roundings ore peculiar aud enchanting. Sitting in your boat 

 on one pond you can count forty-two cone-shaped peaks of 

 hills and mountains around you, which are covered to the 

 summit with a dense dark growth of spruce, sprinkled and 

 dotted with the bright leaves of the birch, the two contrast- 

 ing colors producing an effect seldom surpassed in nature or 

 art, 1 was more than satisfied with my whole trip and its 

 results, and crave pardon if T am too enthusiastic over Tim 

 Pond anil Seven Ponds. M. 



Bromfield House, Boston, Jane 10. 



FISHING IN TEXAS WATERS. 



SOME two years ago my brother, stationed at Colorado, 

 Mitchell County, Tex.— at that time the terminal station 

 of the Texas Pacific Railroad — wrote for me to make him a 

 visit, and, knowing my fondness for fishing, he advised me 

 1o bring my tackle with me, as all the streams in his vicinity 

 were full of fish. T lauded in Colorado City, as it was then 

 called, on the first passenger train ever run into the town. 

 The car of Major Stocking, the terminal agent of the rail- 

 road, and that 'of his genial, jovial cashier, Charlie Harris, 

 made, part of our train. They were leaving Abeline to make 

 Colorado their headquarters. The ride from Abeline was a 

 long and tedious one, owing to the many construction trains, 

 loaded with material for the railroad, on the track and on 

 nearly all the side tracks. I was invited into the cashier's 

 car, and then the time passed more quickly and decidedly 

 more pleasantly, as my kind host was well fixed. He had a 

 good bed, soft chairs, a piano and guitar, and was no mean 

 performer and singer. Add to the above plenty of cigars 

 and tobacco, and I know you will say this was good enough 

 even for a fisherman. 



After a day well spent in witnessing the rapid extension 

 of the railroad toward El Paso, we formed a small party to 

 try the fishing in Morgan Creek, some six miles to the south, 

 and on the west side of the Colorado River, into which it 

 ran. We had a pleasant ride over a fine rolling prairie, 

 covered with good grass and small mesquite trees. Our guns 

 werepopping away sit jack rabbits, quail, and cunning little 

 prairie dogs which remained just a second iu sight, and then 

 with an elevation and quivering of their tails, descended 

 into their holes. As we neared Morgan Creek, I descended 

 from the wagon to find a good place to try our luck, aud 

 came upon a most inviting spot, a pool, apparently six or 

 eight feel deep, and extending some three hundred feet up 

 and down the stream. I quickly had a line out, and baiting 

 a good-sized bass hook with some bird entrails, I made a 

 cast. My line had just straightened out when my cork was 

 under in vigorous style, and when I gave the pull I found I 

 had hooked a good-sized fish of some kind, Up and clown 

 the pool he rushed. I let him have plenty of line, then 

 would reel in till he was off again. You may imagine the 

 excitement and delight of the party. They were soon at my 

 side. When nry fish was tired out, I reeled him to the bank, 

 a cotton hook was used in place of a landing net, and my 

 catch proved to be a four-pound blue cat. 



Now all was excitement. Every line in the party was soon 

 at work, and all were kept busy. Dinner was e'aten very 

 hurriedly and we went back to our lines again. Our catch 

 was about one hundred pounds of cat, buffalo, aud some 

 few drum. All anglers who have fished in southern streams 

 are familiar with this fish. It bites quickly and greedily, is 

 easily hooked, and soon tired out and brought to hand. ' On 

 our return, 1 was telling Mr. Coleman (lately of your street 

 department) about seeing beaver dams on this little creek, 

 and all the trees around barked by them. He insisted I was 

 mistaken, as he thought it too far south for beaver. Who 

 was right ? 



We were all so much pleased with our success, and enjoyed 



miles south of Colorado, and emptying into the Colorado 

 River on the east. After a charming ride, similar in every 

 respect to the first, we reached Champlain Creek near the 

 ranch of Mr. West. As it was near night we selected a place 

 for camp a few hundred yards below this ranch- We sent 

 our driver up to the house to see what he could buy for our 

 table, and upon his return we found the traditional story of 

 "no milk or butter in Texas" was not true, as he brought us 

 a bucket of good rich milk, one of buttermilk, and three 

 pounds of sweet, well-made butter. This was a rich treat 

 for us, and with some topknot quail killed on the road, 

 made us a royal supper. For once in camp, I saw coffee at 

 a discount. While our cook was getting supper for us, I had 

 commenced fishing, expecting the fish to bite as freely as iu 

 Morgan Creek, but to the great surprise of all, we did not 

 get a nibble, so leaving our lines set we went to supper. Re- 

 turning to my line after supper I found I had made a catch, 

 and drawing in, found T had an eel about a yard long. Prom 

 then till bed time, our party caught seven eels but not a bite 

 from anything else. 



We were up early the next morning to find plenty of 

 cream on our milk— I made a cream punch, which all pro- 

 nounced ambrosial. After a good breakfast, we began to 

 fish m earnest, using liver and~bird entrails for bait. We 

 tried every pool down the creek to its junction with the 

 Colorado, but not a bite rewarded our efforts. We found 

 the stream sirmiiar to Morgan Creek, full of deep pools, 

 varying in depth and length, and having the appearance of 

 good fishing places. We heard afterward that some pot- 

 hunters had been using dynamite there. 



Just before reaching the mouth of the stream and in sight 

 of the Colorado River, I witnessed a battle royal between two 

 large hawks. They were on a sandbar, fighting away, all 

 covered with blood and dirt, and looked as if they might 

 have been at it for some time. Our approach did not frighten 

 them in the least, and they kept on striking and clawing 

 each other until we shot them. I never saw so game a battled 



We were now on the banks of the Colorado River, where 

 Mr. E. found a deep pool, at the side of which were two 

 large sandstone boulders, one perpendicular and one hori- 

 zontal, resembling the back and seat of a chair. Tne bot- 

 tom one was about ten feet square on top, and from this we 



had fine fishing, the cat biting as freely and greedily as they 

 did in Morgan Creek. We were greatly annoyed by the de- 

 testable garfish — they would seize our bait, but a few flops 

 and the hook was out of their hard, miserable bills. About 

 4 o'clock we came to a deep pool, with sandstone boulders 

 at each end and a hard sandy bottom, where we all enjoyed 

 a fine salt bath. I neglected to say in our preparations for 

 this trip we had to take with us a keg of water, as the 

 waters in Champlain Creek aud in the Colorado River are so 

 salty we could not use them. 



We now had our 100 pounds of catfish, ranging in size 

 from one to four pounds, and a few eels. On our return we. 

 got a shot at some antelope, but they were too far off. 

 Shortly after, I saw a young rabbitt dancing around on his 

 hind legs iu a circle, and when I spoke of it Charley H. at 

 once said it was being charmed by a snake, and so we found 

 it as we drove up. A shot from our Winchester cut the 

 snake in two, when the rabbit sank to the ground, exhausted. 

 We. found it half covered with slime, as if the snake had 

 been preparing for his meal. 



I may be wrong in calling the birds spoken of above quail ; 

 they were exactly like our Bob White, only larger, and all 

 had the "topknot." 1 read in the Forest and Stream of 

 Jan. 81 an article headed "California Quail in Confinement," 

 which spoke of a pair sent, to Texas from New Mexico. Now, 

 if they are the same, I saw hundreds of them in Mitchell 

 county, Texas. 



At this, the close of my letter, I wish to give my testimony 

 to the kindness I received everywhere kf Texas. The pas- 

 sengers on the train, from Dallas out and return, would 

 compare favorably with the people met on any train from 

 Maine to California, and the much-abused cowboy I found 

 kind and ready to help us. A heavy blanket, forced on me. 

 by one of them at Colorado City, added much to my comfort 

 on our little excursion to Champlain Creek. ' Jay. 



[There are several species of topknotted quail in Western 

 Texas. The Gamble's partridge is perhaps the one referred 

 to by our correspondent. This resembles in most respects 

 the California valley quail, having the club-shaped, forward- 

 directed plumes. The Masseua quail and the scaled partridge 

 have a full crest more like Bob White's.] 



TROUT IN MAINE. 



THE Maine trout fishing season is proving one of the most 

 satisfactory for many years. All reasonable sportsmen 

 are returning satisfied with their success. This may he ex- 

 plained in two ways. A strong sentiment in favor of saving 

 the game fish, instead of wasting them, is opening the eyes 

 of all true sportsmen and leading them to be satisfied with 

 moderate catches — enough for the table while in camp — 

 while the Maine law has effectually stopped much of the 

 transportation, and hence the desire to fish for the market 

 or to send home. On the other hand, the fishing in the 

 Sebago waters, the Androscoggin lakes and Moosehead has 

 proved unusually good. A geutleman who has visited the An- 

 droscoggin lakes every spring for twelve years, and is well 

 acquainted with guides and the sportsmen who usually visit 

 these waters, has just returned from a nine-days' trip to 

 Richardson Lake, and feels compelled to consider it one of 

 the most pleasing he has ever made. Parties are returning 

 daily from Moosehead highly pleased with their success. 

 The) r report trout enough, but their enough is less than 

 formerly. They are learning to appreciate the woods, the 

 mountains, the forests and camp life more than ever, and to 

 be satisfied with trout enough to eat. 



But for some reason unexplainablc, unless the good work 

 of restocking and the benefits of protection are being felt, 

 the number of fish taken thus far from the Maine waters is 

 greater than ever, and the size is certainly larger. Some re- 

 markable trout have been taken from "the Androscoggin 

 waters. The catches from Oquonoc and Mooselucmaguntic 

 lakes have been remarkable for size of trout, some of which 

 have already been noted in the Forest and Stream. But 

 lately comes Richardson Lake to the front, with a perfect 

 sample of the male Salmo fontinalis, or brook trout, weigh- 

 ing nine and one-half pounds. This noble trout was caught 

 last Wednesday from the upper end of that lake and imme- 

 diately brought to Boston, where it was displayed in Apple- 

 ton & Litchfield's window on Washington street. It drew a 

 crowd of admirers and is probably the largest specimen of 

 the charr on actual record, with the exception of the great 

 fish taken from Mooselucmaguntic Lake at the Upper Dam, 

 Sept. 29, 1880, weighing eleven pounds, and now in posses- 

 sion of the Smithsonian Institute. Other fish are mentioned 

 of various weights, from nine to ten pounds, but no absolute 

 record of them is at hand. The nine-and-a-half- pound fish 

 had the hook on the under jaw well developed for a trout 

 in June, and the red on the sides was more like fall and the 

 spawning season than the spring. 



Among the other remarkable catches this spring may be 

 mentioned the landing from one cast four trout— one for 

 each fly. The trout were not large, to be sure, but probably 

 weighed over four pounds. Mr. Stewart, of New York, is 

 reported to have landed at the Upper Dam two trout, at one 

 cast, the united weight of which was sixteen pounds. This 

 same Mr. Stewart went into the lakes as soon as the ice 

 cleared, and was to stay till about June 20. His skilled rod 

 has supplied many an unlucky fisherman with a handsome 

 trout or two, while the tables of the most of the hotels and 

 camps in the vicinity can testify to his bounty and skill as an 

 angler. 



What the late fishing may be is a question. At the An- 

 droscoggins the case is doubtful. At the Upper Dam, which 

 controls a flowage twelve feet on Mooselucmaguntic, the 

 work of drawing off the water, preparatory to rebuildin°- 

 the entire woodwork of the dam, has begun. ' The lake will 

 be drawn down to the lowest possible limit, and probably 

 remain so till early winter, since the work of rebuilding 

 cannot possibly be completed in season for any rains which 

 would fill the vast expanse of lake before the late fall. 



Some anglers of long experience in this- vicinity believe that 

 great numbers of trout will be driven into Trout Cove and 

 that the fishing there will be excellent. But the danger 'is far 

 greater that the flowage will not be put on again till after 

 the spawning beds are established in what then is tunning 

 water at the mouth of the in-running streams, and that the 

 flowage then coming on will destroy a vast amount of trout 

 in embryo. It is a great pity that any manufacturing 

 interest should have the damaging of the best trputine 

 grounds in the world at its disposal. Richardson Lake, be* 

 low the Upper Dam, will probably be kept more than 

 usually full of water the most of the season, unless a long- 

 continued drought should require the water to be drawn off 

 for the factories at Lewiston. „ 



Joseph Jefferson, the renowned actor, has had some rare 

 sport with the landlocked salmon at bis camp on Skiff Lake 



in New Brunswick. Travel by the Eastern aud Maiue 

 Central Railroads to the fishing resorts has been excellent 

 thus far, aud with good promises for the shooting season a 

 good year will be made. The stage and buckboard travel 

 into the Wilderness is better arranged than ever this year, 

 and later in the seasou the mountain roads are to be im- 

 proved. The little steamers on Moosehead, Oquonoc and 

 Mooselucmaguntic lakes are running regularly and pron 

 as ever, and the steamers on Richardson and Umbagog lakes 

 are pleasing the public much better than for the prist three 

 seasons. SPECIAL. 



Boston, Mass., June 16. 



^ [It is reported that Mr. George W. Dillingham, of New 

 York, while trout fishing at the outlet at Moosehead Lake, 

 Me., on Wednesday last, had the remarkable luck to strike 

 four trout at one cast, whose united weight was ten pounds, 

 and was so fortunate as to succeed in landing them all. 

 There were, with him at the time as witnesses of his wonder- 

 ful leaf Messrs. P. O. Vickerv of Augusta, Me. ; R. L. Reach 

 of Providence, R 1., and G. J. Geer, Jr., of New York city.] 



THE NEWFOUNDLAND CODFISHERY. 



ITS EARLY HISTORY IN NORTH AMERICA. 



r p HE first result, and the chief result of the discovery of 

 I North America and Newfoundland by John Cabot, in 

 1497, was the immediate establishment by Europeans, of a 

 great fishery around Newfoundland and the shores of the 

 Gulf of St. Lawrence. England claimed the northern por- 

 tion of the American Continent by virtue of this discovery, 

 but strange to say, England made no use of the illustrious 

 achievement; for half a century she sent no fishing fleet to 

 North America. Hardy French sailors, Normans and Bre- 

 tons, were the first Grand Bank fishery; in poor, frail little 

 fishing craft, not half the size of a New York pilot-boat, 

 these bold, adventurous toilers of the sea, dared all the perils 

 of the great unkuown ocean of the west. At first they came 

 alone to face the fog banks and the icebergs of Newfound- 

 land in quest of cod; but as early as 1504, we have an 

 authentic account of their fishing expeditions to the New 

 World; a few years later they were joined bv the Portuguese 

 and by the Northern Spaniards from the Ba'sque Provinces. 

 The manner in which these foreign fishermen took possession 

 of the Newfoundland fishery, is a curious episode in our 

 North American history; not only were they the first to 

 catch codfish on our coasts, but they were the first whalers 

 and seal killers, and more than a couple of centuries later, 

 when England began the northern whale fisherv, Spaniards 

 had to b« taken on their first trip to teach English seamen 

 how to kill whales. 



The explanation of these remarkable events in the history 

 of commerce is not far to seek. It seems difficult for us now 

 to imagine England with almost no commerce, and to think 

 of a day when Englishmen were not sailors, but four centu- 

 ries ago this was the true condition of our great mother 

 country. In the reign of the seventh Henry and for a hund- 

 red years afterward, she was only slowly following her for- 

 eign competitors in the great Transatlantic codfishery. It 

 was the pursuit of cod in Newfoundland that first drew 

 English mariners from their narrow seas, and tempted them to 

 brave the dangers of the Atlantic; and England's maritime 

 power and the vast commerce of our race, whose ships now 

 whiten every sea, had its birth and its real commencement in 

 the Newfoundland fishery. Lest many of my readers should 

 doubt this statement, I will quote from the records. In the 

 reign of Henry VII. we have an account of only two voyages 

 made to North America by English vessels. In the reign of 

 his successor, the virtuous' King Hal, we have only one* and 

 as late as 1578 Antoine Parkhtirst, a merchant of Bristol, thus 

 writes of Newfoundland : "There were generally more than 

 100 sail of Spaniards taking cod, and from 20 to 30 killing 

 whales; 50 sail of Portuguese, 150 sail of French and Bretons 

 mostly very small, but of the English only 50 sail. Never- 

 theless," he adds, "the Englishmen are commonlv lords of 

 the harbors where they fish aud use all strangers' help in 

 fishing, if need require according to an old custom of the 

 country; which thing they do willingly, so that you take 

 nothing from them more than a boat or two of salt in respect 

 of vour protection of them against rovers or other violent 

 intruders, who do often put them from good harbors. " 



The question will naturally present itself, why did these 

 Spaniards, Portuguese and Frenchmen leave the gold fields 

 of Peru and all the riches of the southern part of the conti- 

 nent for the stormy north, with its fogs and icebergs? Some 

 great attraction must have drawn these southern Europeans 

 to Newfoundland. That attractiou was fish, and in these 

 North American fisheries they found a perfect El Dorado, 

 more productive to them than the diamonds of Golconda, or 

 all the fabled gold of the New World. To appreciate how 

 great was this mine of wealth to them, we must strive to 

 comprehend the state of the food supply of Europe in that 

 age. Two great staples of modem agriculture did not exist, 

 there were neither potatoes, turnips, nor mauy of the vegeta- 

 bles now in common use; tea and coffee were unknown; all 

 the winter through fresh meat was almost unknown in Eng- 

 land, fresh fish was uncommon; the monks and the wealthier 

 classes had their fish ponds, and the very wealthy had game, 

 but for the general population, salted meat aud salted fish 

 were the great staple food, and the latter was neither plenti- 

 ful nor cheap. Imagine then, if you can, the effect on 

 medieval Europe of this marvellous discovery of an un- 

 limited supply of the finest fish food in the world. As a 

 salted and dried fish, cod is par excellence the king of all fishes. 

 When properly watered and properly cooked, the salted 

 and dried codfish of Newfoundland is' quite as good, if not 

 better, than the fresh fish. In a warm country where meat 

 will not keep a day, how great is the value of an article of 

 delicious, relishing food that will keep any time, and only 

 needs steeping in water and proper cooking to make it into 

 a most palatable, dish. Among the Spaniards, Portuguese 

 Brazilians and Italians "bacalao" (or dried salt codfish) has 

 for the last 400 years been a favorite article of food. One 

 reason is that they thoroughly understand how to cook it, 

 which Englishrueu generally do not. Spain alone consumes 

 about one million quintals of codfish. 



Great wealth was gathered by the Spaniards, especially in 

 this fishery, and to this day the grand old mansions scattered 

 about the Basque provinces, the Carlist country in Spain, 

 attest the great proceeds of the whaling and fishing carried 

 on by these ancient fishermen on the banks and shores of 

 Newfoundland and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 



In another paper I will endeavor to describe the manner 

 iu which these ancient mariners carried on their transatlan- 

 tic fishery. Their fleet was a large one, and Spaniards 

 Portuguese and Frenchmen extended their operations from 

 Newfoundland to New England, fishing there more, than y 

 hundred years before the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers 

 St, Johxs, Newfoundland. D. W. Peowse. 



