Feb S, 1880 ] 



FOREST AND STREAM, 



36 



PATERSON, N. J., Feb. 2.— The Paterson Jaeger Rifle Club is di- 

 vided into three teams, who compete for three gold badges every 

 Otoliths. The badges are" awarded to the one making the 

 highest score in each team respectively. The condition of the .shoot 



is (hat the first ten shots each man fires on each Monday evening 

 during the three months are, credited as his score. The distance of the 

 eis 40yds. A Stevens .88 short caliber rifle, weight 'ribs., is used, 

 with a Creedraoor target reduced. In a possible BSO, or 13 scores of a 

 possible 50 each, the score stood : 



Team No. 1. 



-I W Johnson 46 4448 43 41 48 43 39 41 47 43 42 43-557 



Will Barr ,41 33 44 41 41 42 48 4lj 43 It 40 39 38-544 



H Mertlc 46 48 S9 88 40 44 48 41 43 44 42 40 41— 643 



3 DonleVy 4A 41 84 37 II 42 48 3H 44 37 42 45 33-530 



-' McNeill 8fl 40 40 43 41 44 40 36 89 43 42 41 44—580 



Wm Stewart .43 41 43 43 88 37 41 40 44 38 41 41 3S-. l 37 



L Braun 89 43 39 45 43 88 4JJ 40 43 40 40 43 33-535 



E Mead 83 40 43 36 49 41 38 41 88 5Q 48 44 86-4513 



Team No. 2,-T. Stoner 489, J. Tounley 458. T. Moran 488. 



VIEWS ON REVOLVERS. -Editor Forest urtdXrream: Seeing the 

 remarks tin revolvers, I would wish to briefly state my idea about the 

 matter, In my estimation most revolvers are too light for the caliber. 

 My idea of a revolver is the same as that of ".23 Long's," only on a 

 larger scale. I would prefer a revolve)- about the size of the Smith & 

 Wesson .it, butonlybfia ,38-ealiber. But as I understand, the Smith & 

 Wesson manufacturers do not make revolvers lo order; so 1 prefer 

 the .44, for when you do hit you will kill where, if you had a smaller 

 caliber, you would not. Another thing t agree with ".22 Long" in 

 revolver cartridges. If I understand right, the Smith & Wesson .44- 

 caliber cartridge only has 23 grains of powder and over 200 grains of 

 lead. Now thai, is n proportion of 1 to over 10, when 1 believe it should 

 not be over 1 to 5 or (i. and then I honestly believe ve would have 

 pretty fair shooting with that kind of a revolver.— Pro. to Sifpo. 



BCf/LSHEAD RIFLE CLUB, Jan. 30.— 13-riug target, possible 120 : 

 G. Zimmerman lit). M. Dorrler 116, C. Rein 116, H. Stoteenberger 109- 

 H. Milieu 106. H. W'asniulh 102, D. Holland 09, J. Wetie 96. J. F 

 Campbell 95, D. Lowitzki 92. 



PITTSBURGH, Pa.— The annual meeting- of the Pittsburgh KiHe 

 Club was held Jan. 9 and the following officers elected: President, 

 Dr. J. A. Jacobs; Vice-President. Geo. Hodgdon: Seeretarv and 

 Treasurer. Louis Brouni; Executive Officer. Capt, Thos, Hose, U.S.A. 

 Directors, the above officers, ex -officio and' W. II. Ms-.Cle] laud, Jos. 

 Huggius, Jesse B. .Tones, 31. Schroder, Geo. Weibel, V. Stolte and Dr. 

 W- H. Winslow, The 1,000yd. range has been abandoned, and the 

 OlUb has an excellent ,200yd. range with sliding targets, pit and a 

 warm shooting house at High Bridge, Castle Shannon Railroad, where 

 a dozen or more of the thirty -five members may be found hard at 

 work every Thursday afternoon the year round. "The Massachusetts 

 decimal target is much liked, and much regret is expressed that it is 

 not more extensively used by others.— W. H. \V 



THE TRAP. 



THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION. 



Editor Forest ami Stream: 



Over thirty active names have been added to the committee list. 

 All wiLl admit that, something should be done to organize large 

 tournaments yearly, as well as adopt national rules. It is to be hoped 

 that sport -men throughout the country will lend their active aid to 

 making the present effort a success. If this opportunity is lost, there 

 may be no other for years. In addition to the objects already 

 announced in the prospectus, I would recommend that the following 

 tie added, viz: To assist gun clubs, and State or sectional associations 

 in organizing large local tournaments; so that if any clubs, being 

 members of the National Association, see fit to organize" tournaments, 

 they will receive the active aid of the National Association, both in 

 money aud in labor of its officers, to make such tournaments a 

 success. 



With reference to membership, I would suggest the following three- 

 distinct groups, embracing- six different classes, viz: 



Individual membership. — li — Honorary members, 3.— Life 

 members. 3.— Active members. Fees as announced in the 

 prospectus. 



Club membership.— 4.— Clubs and associations already organized, 

 or which may be organized without any assistance from National 

 Association. Initiation fee, $3 per member; yearly dues $1 per 

 active member. 5.— Clubs organized under auspices and aid of the 

 National Association. Initiation fee, etc., same as class 3. 



State association or any sectional organization membership.— 6. — 

 When organized and consisting of at least three clubs. Initiation 

 fee, $2 per member; yearly dues, $1 per active member. 



Annual members only shall oe allowed to shoot at tournaments 

 held under auspices of this association, or under the auspices of any 

 club receiving any prize or assistance from this association in manag- 

 ing said tournament; or any tournament held under the auspices of 

 a club which has been founded under the auspices of this association, 

 they will be allowed full privileges of using the main office of this 

 association and of any club rooms, etc., which the latter may estab- 

 lish ; and to wear the badge of this association, which shall entitle the 

 wearer to enter gratis the grounds where any tournament is in pro- 

 gress under the auspices of this association: they shall be entitled to 

 the printed reports gratis, which shall embody constitution and by- 

 laws, national sLooting rules, latest legal decisions, announcements, 

 etc.; will be allowed to appeal to the committee on grievances, on 

 rules and on law, for the settlement of any and all controversies— 

 thus obtaining the benefit of "a court of last resort," which shall in- 

 terpret the shooting rules, and whoso decision shall be final. 



Owners of capital stock only shall be entitled to the annual divi- 

 dends accruing from profits of tournaments, etc.: shall be entitled to 

 vote at eleetiou of directors and at annual meetings. 



Associations or clubs, being members, shall also be. entitled to have 

 names and addresses of officers and scores at two principal matches 

 published in annual report; to receive the bronze medal of this asso- 

 ciation for competition among its members. 



Members of clubs and associations, already formed, are enabled to 

 materially reduce their filiation fees— provided such clubs aud asso- 

 ciations join in a body. It is hoped that this and the foregoing rea- 

 son will induce existing clubs to join the National Association. How- 

 ever, even if clubs join in a body by subscribing to the requisite 

 aumunt of stock, individual members are still advised to subscri 

 the original shares independently of the club, for I am of the opinion 

 that within a year the stock will all be subscribed for, and in : 

 purchasers would be obliged to pay a premium to the original holders 



Now, there is one reason especially why every sportsman should 

 send his name aud 50 cents (being the 10 per cent, required by law to 

 be deposited, when subscribing to one share of stock) to the under- 

 signed, or to some sportsmen, who will attend the tournament viz- 

 The total capital stock of the company will be fixed at double the 

 number of shares subscribed for before, the end of the meet-in °- at 

 New Orleans (Feb. 17), the law requiring that 10 per cent, of one-half 

 the capital stock must be paid in before the certificate of incorpora- 

 tion can be issued. Hence, the more subscribers there are before 

 filing the papers, the larger the capital stock and the larger the num- 

 ber of sportsmen, w r ho will eventually be holders of the original 

 shares. 



Before starting for New Orleans, every sportsman should canvas 

 his acquaintances, and induce them to send their subscriptions per 

 himself. Should this be received too late for sending subscriptions 

 to New Orleans, send some to me at Cincinnati by March 1 . V e; 

 spectfully, j. e. Bloom 



Our next issue will contain in full the draft of the constitution and 

 by-laws of the association. 



NEW ORLEANS TOURNAMENT. 



THE second international clay -pigeon tournament will begin at the 

 New Orleans Base Ball Park, Feb. 11, and continue to the 16th. 

 The programme is as follows: 



FIRST DAY— WEDNESDAY, FED, 11. 



Match No. 1.— Purse $200, individual sweepstake, 7 single C. P 

 18yds, 



So, 3,— Purse $200, the Von Lengerke individual sweepstake, 7 single 

 C. P., the use of two barrels, break with second barrel to count V», 

 21yds. Special prizes— To best score a patent folding eenterboaitl 

 (value $15,i, donated by Wm. Ghilds & Co., New York; donated by F. 

 A. Allen, of Moumouth, 111., to each of the four winners a nickle 

 plated -'duck caller." 



No. 3.— The Merino Elastic Felt Gun Wad Match. All shells shall 

 be loaded with the merino elastic felt gun wad; 5 single O. P. and 

 two doubles. Special prize— A gold medal donated by the Merino 

 Elastic Felt Gun Wad Company, of Baltimore, Md. The latter com- 

 pany also offers a special prize of $30 "to the shooters making the 

 highest average, score during the tournament who used our wads ex- 

 clusively." 



No. 4.— Purse $100, miss and out sweepstake, 18yds. 



SECOND DAY— THURSDAY, FEB. 12. 



No. 5.— International Team Championship Match. Purse $300. 

 Club team shooting (3 to a team); 10 single elay-pigeous,;i8yds. ; B 

 doubles, 15yds. Special prizes— To the best individual score made in 

 this match, one Spencer repeating shotgun, value $100; to the winning 

 team, one dozen decoy frames, donated by F. A. Allen. 

 No. 6.— Purse $200, individual sweepstake, 7 single C. P., 21yds- 

 No. 7. —Purse $300, open to any team of 2; 5 singles, 18yds.; 2 pah- 

 doubles, 15yds. 



No, 8.— Purse $100, miss aud out sweepstake, 21yds. 



THIRD DAY— FBI DAY, PKIt 13. 



No. 5 (Continued).— International Team Championship Match, 9 A, 

 M. to 2 P. M. 



No. 9.— Inter-State Twin Team Match. Purse, $300, open to any 

 two (both being resident Of same State), B singles 21yds rise, 2 

 doubles 18yds. rise. Special prizes -To the winning team, 1,900 Star 

 paper shells, donated by the United States Cartridge Co., of Lowell. 

 Mass. ; to the second winning team, two nickel-plated duck-callers, 

 donated by F. A. Allen. Monmouth. III. 



No. 10.— Purse, $100, the Llgowsky Walking Match, Individual 

 sweepstakes, 2 pair doubles. 



No. It. Purse, $200, non-winners' sweepstakes, open to any who 

 have not won in any previous programme match, 7 single C.jP,, 

 15yds. rise. 



No. 12.— Purse, $100, miss and out sweepstake, 18yds. rise. 



FOURTH DAY— SATURDAY, FEB. 14. ' 



No. 13.— Inter-State Team Championship Match, purse, $500, open 

 to club teams of 5. i singles 18yds. rise, 3 doubles 15yds, rise, class 

 shooting. Special prizes— To the best individual score, one pottery 

 pointer dog's bead, donated by the Matt. Morgan Art Pottery Co. Of 

 Cincinnati, O.; to winuiug team five Nye creasers (2 nickel-plated No. 

 12, 2 nickel-plated No. 1(1, 1 copper finish No. 10). donated by the Nye 

 Greaser Co. of Monmouth, III. 



No. 16. -Purse, $250, non-winners' sweepstake, open to any who 

 have not won in any previous matee, 5 singles, 18yds.. 2 doubles, 15yds 



Special Prte<4s— To the first winning score, one shell swage, dona- 

 ted by F. A. Allen; to the second best score, one copper-finish Nye 

 Creaser No, 10, donated by the Nye Greaser Company, Monmouth. 



No. 10.— Purse $100, miss and out sweepstake, 21yds. rise. 



EXTRA DAY— FEB. 15. 



No shooting in the morning. Extra sweepstakes will he called at 

 2P. M. Capt. A. H, Bogardus, champion wing-shot of the world, will 

 undertake at 3 P. M. to break 1,000 Ligowsky clay-pigeons within an 

 hour, thrown from Straps. 



No. 14,— Purse $250, individual sweepstake, 7 single C. P., 21yds. 

 rise; use of two barrels, break with second barrel to count %. 



FIFTH DAY— MONDAY. FEB. 16. 



No, 17 —Purse $200, individual sweepstake. 5 pair doubles, 18yds. 

 rise. 



No, 18.— International Individual Championship Match, purse $100, 

 10 single clay-pigeons 18yds. rise, 6 doubles 15yds. rise. Entrance 

 purses to be divided 75," 15 and 10 percent. First prize, the 7S per 

 cent., $250 cash or -the diamond championship badge (guaranteed by 

 the Ligowsky Clay-Pigeon Company), won by C. M". Stark, of Exeter 

 (N, H.) Club, at the First Internationa! Clay-Pigeon Tournament at 

 Chicago, May, 1884. Should said badge be presented for redemption, 

 $250 of the first prize will be appropriated for this purpose; if not 

 presented, the Ligowsky Clay- Pigeon Company guarantees said first 

 prize not to be less than $250 cash. 



Special Prizes.— Donated by John P. Moores' Sons, of New York 

 city, to the best score, a heaYy Henry Richards single barrel gun, 10- 

 gauge. To the second best score, donated by Julius Eeis, of Cincin- 

 nati, Ohio, one setter dog (Effle— Brag). To the third best score, 

 1,000 Star paper shell (10 and 12-bore'), donated by the United States 

 Cartridge Company, of Low T ell, Mass. To the fourth best score, one 

 pair bow-facing oars, donated by F. A. Allen, Monmouth, HI. To the 

 fifth best score, a leather ammunition case, donated by J. F. Ives, 

 Meriden, Conn. 



No. 10.— Purse, $400; Von Lengerke team match; open to any team 

 of two; 5 single clay -pigeons each, rise 21yds., use of two barrels, 

 break with second barrel to count }■£. Special Prize.— To winning 

 team, two copper-finish Nye creasers, donated by the Nye Creaser 

 Company, of Monmouth, 111. 



No. 20.— Purse, $250; non- winners' sweepstake; open to any one 

 who has not won in any previous programme match; 7 singles, 15yds, 

 rise. 



NEW ENGLAND TRAP SHOOTERS.-It was a bad day for the 

 marksmen at Walnut Hill on the 28th, yet there was a large attend- 

 ance, and several exciting events were shot in the face of the heavy 

 snow fall. The contest for the medal of the New England Trap 

 Shooters' Association brought out wonderful shooting, considering 

 the conditions. Mr. Dickey leading the procession. The score: 

 O R Dickey... ....Olllllll'llOllllllllllllllOlllilllOlllllllllllOllll-45 



H W Eager 0111111011011111111110011011 J 111 1101 10il01llllilll-41 



O Wilbur 1011110111111110011 ill 101 nil 101 1 lllOLUOllilOnil-41 



CM Stark 001111 1011111011111001 01 HOllltlUlllllllllOlOllll— 40 



C H Gerrish liOllomilOOOOllOlllOllOlilliOOl 1011 lllULllllll— 3S 



W S Perrv OOOOOiOllllllIOllOnnOlll JOllOlltOOlOOtlllltOOllO— 83 



J Buff urn 11011111111110010110110001000.110110001010111011011-31 



NEWPORT, R. I., Jan. 27.— Six; members of the Miantonomi Gun 

 Club, a newly organized club of this city, met last Wednesday for 

 their second shoot. Quite a number of the members are good' field 

 shots, but the cold and high winds account for the poor score below. 

 The contest was at 15 clay-pigeons, 21yds. rise, from two Ligowsky 

 screened traps: 



A Burkinshaw. .010011010110011—8 Wm Rife 0O000O010110110— 5 



J HCongdon... .000010001111011— 7 J Brown 4001 10000000000— 3 



Wm. Lynch 01101001 1000000—5 Geo Steele. OOlOOOOOOOOOOOO— 1 



BOSTON GUN CLUB.— There was a large attendance of glass ball 

 smashers at the Boston Gun Club's ground Jan. 30, including a dele- 

 gation from the Wakefield Sportsmen's Club. Several sweepstakes 

 and a team match were shot. The conditions of all the matches were 

 18yds. rise, single birds, from one trap. The scores: 



First event, 5 birds— F. C. Mitchell first, B. A. Ward second, I. T. 

 Goodman third. 



Second event— Ward first. Freeman second. Miles and Johnson 

 third. 



Third event— Mitchell first, Field second, Johnson and Miles third. 



Fourth event— Field first. Goodman and Miles second, Rogers and 

 Ward third. 



Fifth event, 20 birds, three-men team match— Boston Gun Club 

 first, Wakefield Sportsmen second. 



After the team match had concluded, a number of minor matches 

 were shot, in which Field, Ward, Kirkwood. Miles. Smart, Jacobs and 

 and Allen took the majority of prizes. 



TORONTO, Jan, 29.— The annual meeting of the Toronto Gun 

 Club, for the election of officers and other important business came 

 off at the gun club rooms, King street east, this evening, and officers 

 chosen as follows: S. Donney, president, re-elected; T. Martin, vice- 

 president, re-elected; G. Pearsall, treasurer, re-elected; W. Miller, 

 secretary, re-elected. The following were elected as members of the 

 executive committee: Dau. Black, J. Humphreys, R. Wilson. J. 

 Totmson. 



WELLINGTON, Jam 31.— The usual Saturday afternoon shoot of the 

 Maiden Gun Club at Wellington to-day was largely attended. Sampson 

 received the gold medal. 



CARRIER PIGEON 427.— New York, Feb. 2.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: Inclosed find the leg of a pigeon which was shot during a 

 pigeon match of the Algonquin Gun Club on Jan. 29, 1885. I was in- 

 duced to send this limb to you by some of the members present, as 

 perhaps some one has missed the bird, which may have been of the 

 variety known as a carrier pigeon. The baud found on the leg was 

 stamped with the number 427.— Member of the Algonquin Gun Club. 



NEPTUNE GUN CLUB.— Asbury Park, N. J.-The officers are: R. 

 B. Cusack, President; J. L. Oliver, Vice-President: T. L. Emmons, 

 Treasurer; W, H. Beegle, Secretary. 



fdchting, 



— * 



FIXTURES. 



June 30-Hull Y. C, Pennant Matches. 



July 11— Hull Y. C, Cruise. 



July 18— null Y. C, Club Race. 



July 35— Hull Y. G, Ladies' Day. 



Aug. 1— Hull Y. C. . Club Race.' 



Aug, 15— Hull Y. G, Open Race 



Sept. 5— Hull Y. C, Champion Race, 



Sept. 19— Hull Y. C, Champion Race, 



THE CHALLENGE FOR THE CUP. 



FROM the tenor of a private letter from an English yachtsman, 

 we infer that the so-called "preliminary challenge" received by 

 the New York Y. C. in December last, is considered by the senders as 

 a formal challenge, and that they are awaiting an acceptance of it 

 by the New York Y. C. No form of challenge is laid down in the 

 Deed of Gift, the. conditions being that ''Any organized yacht club 

 • . . shall always be entitled through one or more of its members. 

 to the right of sailing a match for this cup. The challenging party 

 shall give six months notice in writing, naming the day for the pro- 

 posed race." These conditions have not been strictly complied with, 

 the challenge received being sent by Mr. Beavor Webb in behalf of 

 the owners of the Genesta and Galatea, with the notice that the offi- 

 cial documents of clubs would soon follow. The New York Y. C. have 

 considered Mr. Webb's letter as entirely informal and unofficial, and« 

 we believe, have taken no notice of it, awaiting a formal challenge 

 from some yacht club or clubs, but it would seem that bis letter was 

 intended as a challenge, and is so considered by the owners of the 

 yachts who are awaiting an acceptance of it. While the letter may 



not be technically a challedge, the Deed of Gift is not entirely clear 

 as to the exact status of a member of a yacht club who desires to 

 challenge, whether the challenge must come from the club through 

 its secretary, or whether lhe member, with the consent of the club, 

 may challenge personally, and in order to prevent future misunder- 

 standing or complications, we call the attention of the New York Y.O. 

 to the matter, as the owners of Genesta and Galatea evidently con- 

 sider they have sent a bone fida challenge, and are awaiting a reply. 



WINDWARD. 



WE have already mentioned the boat building for Chicago, on the 

 lines of the Windward, designed by Mr, W. P. Stephens last 

 year, and illustrated in the Forest and Stream of Feb. 7, Aug. 7 and 

 Aug. 14, 1884, and also one building in New Haven, aud now we learn 

 of a, third just laid down for a member of the Knickerbocker Y. C, of 

 New York. The Windward has proved successful for the purpose 

 for which she was designed, a cruising boat for one to three persons, 

 her owner having used her about Newport all the season, sailing her 

 alone for a great part of the time, besides taking his wife, at times, 

 on short cruises. The rig has proved satisfactory for cruising pur- 

 poses, as she handles well under full canvas, under mizzen and jib, 

 aud under mainsail only, having a little too much weather helm with 

 the latter rig. We have received several inquiries as to the cost of 

 such a boat. Built of oak and cedar, well fastened, with iron keel, 

 cast ballast inside, and plain house and cockpit, yawl rig, 4 sails, of 

 best make, wire standing rigging, running rigging and blocks com- 

 plete, with cabin ceiled, about $000. With mahogany house and 

 cockpit, pump, icebox, lockers and cabin fittings, $750. With fittings 

 as above but lead keel and ballast, about $825. Thus for $600 to $900 

 a safe and comfortable boat can be had with really good accommo- 

 dations for sleeping, cooking and living in comfort. 



Those who intend to build from this design will find it an improve- 

 ment to add to the weight, outside, increasing the draft if desirable, 

 if not the keel may be lengthened a little, and the rabbet line raised 

 an inch or two, which can easfiy be done in laying down, giving a 

 greater depth of iron with no more draft. At least a ton should be 

 outside, and more, if possible, in which case the sail area, may also 

 be increased. If lead is used, nearly all may be on the keel. If the. 

 yawl rig is objected to, the mast may bo stepped further aft, and the 

 yacht rigged as a cutler, with one jib, or jib and .staysail, as pre- 

 ferred. There is a place for just such little craft in all of our yacht 

 clubs. Their cost may seem large compared with an 18ft. open boat. 

 but they have nothing in common with such craft, and besides a part 

 of this price is made up of ballast and fixtures, pumps, tanks, lock- 

 ers, etc., which the open boat is without. Compared with a center- 

 board boat of similar room and ability, the difference of price disap- 

 pears, 



CLUB QUARTERS AND A POLICY. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I read the article in last Forest and Stream in regard to the club 

 of smallboat sailors and the floating club house with much iuterest. 

 I think it not only a feasible plan, but a very excellent one, especi- 

 ally the part relating to winter quarters and the opportunities of 

 Working out ideas by means of small models, drawings, lectures, etc. 

 It seems to me that great impetus and an intelligent comprehension 

 of the laws which govern boating can be given by a system which will 

 briag together many persons interested in such matters. 



Of course, nothing will take the place of actual experience afloat; 

 but by learning of new methods of working, exchanging ideas of 

 model, rig, etc., much can be done toward en lightening 'the growing 

 community of small yachtsmen, and small yachtsmen, even more 

 than owners of large craft, have need of a thorough knowledge of the 

 profession; for, in the case of large boats, there is always a captain 

 and trained crew, while a captain of a 3-tonner has often to "work 

 ship" alone and trust entirely to his knowledge and pluck for his own 

 safety and the safety of his craft. 



I have made four cruises from New York to Hartford, through the 

 Sound, in a 14ft. canoe, sailing all the way and through aU weathers. 

 I found it necessary to use all the knowledge and prudence. I pos- 

 sessed to make the trips without accident of any land. 



This winter I am having built for me a. keel sloop of about 4ft. 

 draft, a IJfiat shoal enough to enter any small harbor or river along 

 the coast, and yet a heavy, staunch boat for seagoiug, I w-as obliged 

 to not exceed 4ft., as i shall use it for sailing" along the coast and 

 many places in Buzzard's Bay, which will not allow of more draft 

 than that. I have read your articles on deep boats with much in- 

 terest. I have had some experience in both types of boats, and find 

 a deep boat much the abler, especially when large; but most of the 

 cutters under 30ft. are not very comfortable boats, and not always 

 fast. I think as the size decreases a wider boat, is more roomy and 

 more practical ; not by any means the fiat skimming dish, but a' com- 

 promise between the two. 



I think you are doing a good work in fighting the sand baggers, as 

 I am sure every step toward making a boat rely on good model and 

 fixed ballast is a step in the right du-eetion, at least toward making 

 the sport safe. Brush. 



Nbw York City. 



CRUISE OF THE MINX. 



ABOUT the ls"t of May it was decided by the writer to get a small 

 yacht to meet the following conditions: First, it must be a 

 boat for use on a river where at low tide water is a missing article, 

 and at high tide is but about six or seven feet deep in a channel not 

 more than fifty yards wide; second, she must be capable of making 

 an outside cruise with a crew T of tw r o or three. These arc rather dif- 

 ficult conditions to reconcile in a craft, but finally Messrs. Burgess 

 Bios., of Boston, supplied our wants with a ceuterboard catboat of 

 the following dimensions: Length overall 231£ft., waterlme 20ft., 

 beam extreme 9ft., draft aft 2ft. (iin. Cockpit small, most of room 

 being taken up with the cabin ; ballast lead and iron. 



Aug. 5 at 5:30 P. M. Minx left moorings with a light breeze for a 

 ten davs' cruise along the Maine coast with a crew of two u<\ and P ) 

 aboard. Eight P. M. passed drawbridge at S. Newmarket, and with 

 a freshening breeze were fast approaching P. C. R. R. bridge, when 

 we gradually began to lose way. and finally brought up on mud flat, 

 wind dead aft. It was so dark that it was impossible to see for any 

 distance around the boat. Sail was dropped, and P. doffed shoes 

 and stockings and embarking in the tender got an anchor down in 

 the supposed direction of the channel. Having eaten no supper, we 

 next proceeded to rifle the contents of a ponderous "feed" basket, 

 one of those for which New England mothers are proverbial. In 

 about half an hour, during which time hard tack and doughnuts were 

 thoroughly discussed, we floated, and with free sheet bore down upon 

 the bridge. Of course the drawbridge keeper was away— they usu- 

 ally are— and it took at least three-quarters of an hour to get him 

 down to the bridge and to open it. It is not surprising that he swore 

 and growled at being routed out at such an unseasonable hour. 

 Great and Little bays were crossed, and at 11 P. M. anchor was 

 dropped for the night off Fox Point. P. dove for the starboard berth, 

 by far the most comfortable, and unselfishly retained it for rest of 

 cruise. Distance sailed fourteen miles. 



Aug. 6. Turned out at 6:30. Made coffee on stove, and after eating 

 a frugal meal, weighed anchor and continued down the river. The 

 drawbridge at Dover Point was open for a freight sloop so we 

 rushed through with all sail set. Portsmouth, twenty four miles from 

 Exeter, was reached at 11, though a strong tide against us made it 

 slow sailing. We left tender here. I went ashore and returned with 

 six bottles ginger ale, the strongest liquor allowed. A reporter for 

 the Times was down on the wharf, and after fillinghim with yachting 

 news— not with ale— we pushed out from toe wharf with a light 

 wind fromN.W. and a favorable tide. We soon passed the navy 

 yard, which looked rather deserted after Us dissipation of two days 

 before (the receptiong of Greely expedition). 



The swirls in the current off Pull and be D— d Point, made good 

 steering impossible, and it is not surprising that the English ofilcer 

 named the point as above. We had seen the cm rent at. the mouth of 

 the Merrimac and that through Hell Gate, but have yet to see one 

 swifter than the current at tltis part of the Piscataquai While drift- 

 ing by the never to be finished Fort Constitution, dinner was served ; I 

 eating tne whole of a very sizable chocolate pie, and P. being content, 

 with a bowl of jelly. Giving Whaleback Light and the adjacent 

 ledges a wide berth, we jibed over to starboard, and with a four-knot 

 breeze on our quarter, we laid a course for Cape Neddock Knubble. 



What a relief ocean sailing is after poking about a muddy river for 

 months, and we had stolen upon one of the most picturesque parts of 

 our coast. Isles of Shoals, Rye Beach, Little and Great Boar's Heads, 

 Boon Island and the Knubble,all in sight. "Isn't it beautiful?" "Grand 1" 

 "Perfect!" Grand!" "Can you imagine anything better?" "Hard 

 up tvith helm!" and we jibed over to port just in season to avoid a 

 ledge which suddenly appeared in the water below us. careless naviga- 

 tors. Up to this time charts had not been consulted, but luckily no 

 harm was done. A fishing schooner of about, sixty tons parsed us, 

 and we hailed it. "Wind hold steady?" -'No, probably haul into suth'ard 

 'fore night." 5 o'clock, off Knubble, rolling horribly. Mast began 

 to jump a little. Crew went below to secure it; came out looking a 

 little white about, mouth. A light wind off shore gave us the where- 

 withal to reach Moses French's in season to get supper. Anchored 

 in Cape Neddock River, and turned in at 8. Mean harbor. 



Aug. 7. The worst day of the cruise, not a breath of wind all day. 

 and loafed about the cockpit until about 10, when we saw two ten- 

 year-olds fishing about thirty rods away, and bailed them. "Will you 

 come out and take us ashore?" No response; they failed even tolook 

 up. "Give you a quarter." They were alongside within two minutes, 



