July 10, 1885. J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



491 



perfect security if the wind did not increase in violence, and 

 a caution to not reach up and touch the canvas, as every 

 touch would start a leak as long- as the rain continued, T 

 made a starboard tack and beat back over to the dining-room 

 and kitchen. More perhaps by good luck than management 

 this had been put up so the wind struck the slant of the can 

 vas, tending to hold it down, rather than lifting it, and this 

 was the salvation of the culinary department, for had either 

 of the open ends been facing the gale it would have long be- 

 fore been sailing in the direction of Grand Traverse Bay. I 

 found everything in good snape, and hunted a seat on the 

 lee side of the table where I could be out of the rain aud sit 

 and enjoy the grand battle chorus going on in the clouds. 

 The storm still raged with unabated fury, and the ram 

 came down in increasing torrents. Peal on peal of 

 thunder rent the black-domed sky with crash and boom and 

 crack as clear as Parrott; gun, and off in the north the light- 

 ning flashed with ceaseless play in zigzag threads of electric 

 tire so vivid that at times 1 was forced to close my eyes. So 

 intense were some of the flashes that they left their imprint 

 on the aching eyeballs in broken lines that had a greenish 

 tint, and it was with an effort that I unclosed the benumbed 

 lids. The gale howled and shrieked through the branches 

 of the little fringe of trees along the bank like the wail of a 

 troop of lost spirits, and so furious was the blast that it 

 swayed and bent the slender birches down until their tops 

 nigh kissed the water. Out on the lake when a brilliant 

 flash would come, as far as I could see up and down, was a 

 muss of seething, flying foam and driving rain, hurled along 

 by the roaring tempest in fitful clouds of blinding spray 

 that hid the f urther shore from view as in a thick white 

 mist. The storm was now at its height, and nothing could 

 exceed the grandeur and sublimity of this midnight strife 

 of the elements, this grandest of nature's "anthems. 

 It was a scene never to be forgotten, and I sat there so lost 

 in the enjoyment of it that I forgot all about the camp, the 

 old comrades in the tents back of me — comrades in many a 

 storm in years gone, by — and the timid, frightened girls under 

 the staunch walls of their canvas house, huddled close to- 

 gether to keep their courage up. Listening to the roar of 

 the gale, the deafening thunder, the swish of the driving rain 

 on the foam-covered lake, and watching the play of the 

 gleaming lightning, a feeling of awe crept over me, and I was 

 impressed with a sense of utter nothingness. I felt that I 

 was a cipher on the face of the earth, sitting there alone with 

 these mighty and mysterious forces of nature at work around 

 me and in the storm-riven clouds rolling overhead. 



But now the fury of the storm was over ; the strained can- 

 vas under which 1 was sheltered eased up a trifle, and taking 

 advantage of the lull in the wind I made the rounds of the 

 ca mp again to see if anything had given way, but as far as 

 [could learn by a hasty inspection,"everything held; and it 

 was a lucky circumstance that none of our tents were pitched 

 tu face the west, else the "Kmgfishers" would have been left 

 without a nest. 1 visited the extreme outpost — Dan's tent — 

 and found him and Ben awake and in a cheerf id frame of 

 mind, although there was a miniature brook running under 

 the tent at one corner, however not likely to reach their bed 

 or do any damage. 



• "Hello, Hickory!" hailed Ben as I crawled inside, "how's 

 this fur high blow? This must be one o' them Lake Michi- 

 gan zefl'ers that old Knots tells about. Wish he was here 

 now. Kinder strikes me he'd begin to think o' mendin' his 

 ways." And as he sat up in bed, "Look much like rain 

 outside? Great boss chesnuts, how it blows. Wonder ef any 

 o' the gals is skeered to death yit, an' is the hennery Mowed 

 down?" Nothing short of an earthquake will ever knock the 

 levity out of old Ben, or keep him from "hevin' his fun." 



Assuring him that everything was in good shape, and the 

 girls doing bravely, I went back to our tent and turned in, 

 to watch the storm as it passed off to the east with lessening 

 roar and fainter flash, till it spent itself in low rumblings and 

 flickering gleams that lit up the heavens with a feeble glow 

 away off up in the direction of the straits. The blow had 

 gone down to an easy breeze, but the rain continued to fall 

 steadily with soothing patter on the tightly-swelled canvas, 

 till the drowsy melody and Muller's sonorous, sub-cellar 

 snore closed my eyes in sleep. Kingfisher. 



THE DAN RIVER OBSTRUCTIONS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Your commendable efforts in behalf of the bill to stop 

 hounding in the Adirondacks is, I am sure, receiving the 

 thanks of sportsmen from all sections of the country. Every 

 successful effort of this kind bears twofold results. It 

 strengthens the determination of the many game protective 

 associations throughout the country to continue their good 

 work, and admonishes the game sharks that a day of judg- 

 ment is not far distant for those who, regardless of all right 

 feeling in the matter, and of the interests of the many, con- 

 tinue to slaughter game and fish in and out of season." There 

 is another result that your efforts will accomplish in the 

 near future. A signal gun has already been fired. The in- 

 closed clipping, written by a friend of mine in Virginia to 

 the Henry News, who echoes the voice of many sportsmen 

 in his section, will explain itself if you will kindly print it 

 with this. It would be well for all those who aspire to office 

 within the people's gift, to take this warning note well to 

 heart, and ponder upon it deeply. The day is not far dis- 

 tant when public servants will recognize sportsmen as a 

 power. It is unnecessary to say how this result will be ac- 

 complished. Zig-Zag. 



Wilmington, Del., July 8. 



The letter in the Neios is as follows: "In selecting men to 

 represent Patrick and Henry in the next Legislature, their 

 attention should be called to the obstructions in Dan River 

 at Danville, with a view to their removal, or requiring own- 

 ers of the water power to afford easy and safe ascent to the 

 fish in the annual migrations to their spawning grounds. A 

 bill for that purpose was drafted by a citizen of Danville, 

 and introduced in the last Legislature by the member of the 

 lower House for Hanover, which body passed it, and I am 

 informed was defeated in the Senate by Senator Hurt in" ac- 

 cordance with the wishes of certain citizens of Danville who 

 were interested in the fisheries there established by reason of 

 said obstructions. Your readers are doubtless familiar with 

 the story of the infinite slaughter of the helpless innocents 

 last spring at that point, which process will be repeated, even 

 to their final extermination, unless measures are taken to 

 arrest it. Perhaps the Senator from Pittsylvania wishes to 

 retire from politics, or his ambition extends no further than 

 the limits of his own county. In no other way can his re- 

 ported unwarranted hindrance of a great, national and State 

 enterprise be accounted for. Our efficient Commissioner, 

 n conjunction with the United States Fish Commissioners, 



is doing noble work in restocking the depleted streams of 

 Vh'ginm with the most wholesome of food, aud he should 

 have the support and encouragement of every citizen to that 

 end. Millions of young fry, representing the best varieties 

 of fish, have been loosed in the various streams of the State, 

 which, so far as Dan River is concerned, only get as high up 

 as Danville to fall a prey to the fish hogs there lying in wait 

 for them. Upper Dan, Smith, Mayo and their tributaries 

 ought to vigorously protest against such narrow legislation, 

 and insist upon a free passage and suitable protection for fish 

 at all seasons. The writer has been tendered the assistance 

 of some Northern gentlemen in procuring a supply of fish 

 most suitable for the waters of Smith River, but declined 

 their generous offer for reasons set forth above. The fish 

 hogs must go. -I. T. S." 



TROUT IN TUFT'S POND. 



Editor Forest and Stream; 



My attention has recently been called to an article in your 

 issue of May 7, in which a correspondent willfully or un- 

 knowingly misrepresents the state of affairs at. the fishing 

 grounds a'bout Kiugfield. I know the Forest and Stream, 

 by reputation, to be essentially a sportsman's paper, and as 

 such it aims of course to truthfully represent or describe 

 those points where the most sport can be had. Consequently 

 as much for the cause as for the good of my own region, I 

 take the liberty to make the following statement, for the 

 truth of which I can vouch. 



It is true that Tuft's Pond was sadly depleted of fish 

 prior to 1882, and it is equally true that the people of King- 

 field petitioned the Legislature, not of that year but of 1883, 

 for a special law as follows: 



Section 1, All persons are forbidden to take trout, in any manner, 

 from Tuft's Pond and Grindstone Pond, in the town of Kinsfleld, in 

 the County of Franklin, for the term of three years from the passage 

 of this act. [Passed Fel). 14, 1883.J 



From this it will be seen that the close time is uot up until 

 the 14th day of February, 1886. Aud now for the founda- 

 tion of the story relating to the immense slaughter of fish 

 through the ice this spring. Tuft's Pond is in charge of a 

 man by the name of Alphouso Blanchard, and Mr. Blanch- 

 ard unfortunately did not study the laws passed by the Legis- 

 lature of 1885, one of which was as follows: 



Section 1. It shall be the duty of all persons (hat arc or may be 

 benefited by legislation, other than the general statutes, for the pro- 

 tection of fteh in any waters of this State, to publish such protection 

 by posting and maintaining notices, as hereinafter provided. Said 

 notices shall be placed on the banks or shores of such protected 

 waters, not more than ten feet and not less than six feet above the 

 ground, in a conspicuous position; and if on running water, such 

 notices shall be not more than one-half mile apart on the banks of 

 such waters; and if on a pond or lake, not more than one mile apart 

 on the shores of such pond or lake. 



Sec. 2. Said notices shall be painted on wood in black roinan let- 

 ters not less than two inches in length and not less than one-half inch 

 in breadth, so that such letters shall be plainly legible, ami such 

 notices shall state the number of the act and the date of the same 

 giving the said protection to such waters. 



Sec. 3. Any one mutilating or destroying such notices shall be sub- 

 ject to such penalties as set forth hi section twenty, chapter one hun- 

 dred and twenty-seven of the revised statutes. 



Sec. 4. Jn ease no notices as herein provided are posted and main- 

 tained on waters that are protected by special laws, then no one 

 violating such laws shall be liable thereunder to anv penalties set 

 forth in such laws. | Approved Feb. IB, 1885 ] 



Mr. Blauehard's ignorance of this law led several young 

 men to visit the pond, where they took several hundred 

 trout. The visit was uot repeated, for Mr. Blanchard was 

 told of the law, when he threatened prosecution, and now 

 the pond is protected as the law directs and will be so pro- 

 tected until next spring. Yours very truly, 



Henry P. White. 



Far>un«ton\ Me., July H. 



Maine Angling. — Boston, July 10. — I would like to com- 

 ment on the article on "Maine Angling," by "Boston," iu 

 Forest and Stream, July 2. In regard to "the "poor fish- 

 ing at Raugeley Lakes this season," the "Swiss cottages," 

 fine "comforts aud conveniences" at that too accessible and 

 popular resort, "Boston" gives us a truthful and interesting 

 letter. But when he goes further with his pen than he has 

 been with his feet and eyes, aud, based on rumor, adds the 

 statement, that "fishing has also been poor at Tim and Seven 

 ponds during June," he has stumbled into a mistake. I was 

 at that locality during the time he specifies and am prepared 

 to state there was no day so hot nor so cold that a fisherman 

 could not take from ten to fifteen pounds of trout during 

 three hours' time on any morning or evening, with the fly, 

 too. And I saw scores of trout averaging a pound each re- 

 turned, uninjured, to their native home, the captors having 

 no further use for them. Was that "poor fishing?" The 

 forest fire that was raging in June in the Dead River Valley 

 has at last been extinguished by a heavy rainstorm. This 

 fire has burned over a greater area than any other in Maine 

 for many years, past, almost the entire valley of the Dead 

 River is left a smouldering and blackened ruin. The section 

 embracing the Seven Ponds, however, escaped without in- 

 jury.— M. 



Hibernating Bass.— Boston, July 10. — I am no scientist, 

 quite the opposite ; but as I have had specimens of black 

 bass in an aquarium constantly before me for three years 

 past, I certainly have had good opportunities to form an 

 opinion as to their habit of hibernating, aud I quite agree 

 with A. IN". Cheney in Forest and Stream July 2. I have 

 often noticed that during the fall or winter they may be 

 quite active and feeding readily, and immediately on the 

 approach of a cold snap they settle together in a quiet cor- 

 ner at the bottom, even changing their color to a darker and 

 mottled appearance, and remaining almost as torpid as a 

 frog, seldom changing their position unless disturbed ; and 

 at such times they will take no notice of food of any kind. 

 But on the advent of higher temperature they wake up and 

 are themselves again, ready for any unlucky shiner or even 

 a morsel of beef liver that may be dropped in their domain. 

 — M. 



Snyder Pleads Guilty.— Gould Snyder, the notorious 

 pound net fish outlaw was brought before Justice Gilliland 

 last Tuesday for his adjourned examination when he pleaded 

 guilty of violation of the law and was sentenced to fourteen 

 days in jail, and to pay a fine of $25. The extreme lightness 

 of the sentence was a matter of no little surprise to citizens 

 who desire to see a stop put to the nefarious business in 

 which this man has been engaged for several years on Lake 

 Champlain. It is understood that other more serious charges 

 involving much heavier penalties will be pushed against 

 Snyder later.— Flattsburgh {N. Y.) Republican. 



Adirondack Property For Sale. — By reference to out- 

 advertising columns it will be seen that the well-known and 

 beautiful estate of Childwold is for sale. 



St. Johns, Newfoundland.— We have just had a visit, 

 from the Albatross. She has done her work admirably, and 

 is an excellent sea boat, Capt. Tanner, Prof. Smith, and her 

 officers enjoyed their visit, There was not sufficient time 

 for long excursions, but some of the staff, who are expert 

 with the rod, caught quite, a number of trout, I am rejoiced 

 to be able to tell my readers that at last the grand new hotel, 

 the Atlantic, is completed, and is now in full operation. It 

 is far superior iu size, accommodation, convenience and style 

 to any hotel in the maritime provinces, aud it supplies the 

 one great defect in St, Johns as an attractive resort for sports- 

 men and tourists. The grand caribou forests, grouse moors 

 and salmon and sea trout fishing, the splendid summer cli- 

 mate and the scenery are and always have been the great 

 inducements to visit Newfoundland. The want of hotel 

 accommodation was a fatal defect, a great drawback in the 

 eyes of all American travelers; and all pleasure seekers will 

 rejoice with me that at last an excelleut hotel, replete with 

 every comfort, will open its hospitable doors to every stranger 

 who can pay its very moderate charges. Any of my sport- 

 ing friends who like to read n genuine sportsman's account 

 of his experiences by flood and field should procure "Sport 

 and Travel in Newfoundland and the West Indies, " by Capt. 

 W. R. Kennedy, R. W., published by the celebrated house 

 of W. Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh. "The Battle of the 

 Stags" is one of the finest sporting narratives I have ever 

 read. Many may differ from the gallant mariner inhis views 

 about politics, law and commercial questions, but on the 

 splendid caribou shooting in Newfoundland Capt. Kennedy 

 is the highest living authority, and the. best all-round sports- 

 man 1 have ever met,— Terra Nova (St. Johns, Newfound- 

 land, June 30). 



Salmon- Fishing on the Cascapedia. — Agency of De- 

 partment of Marine, Quebec, July 8. — Editor Forest anal 

 Stream: Last evening 1 had the pleasure of a few moments' 

 conversation with His Excellency the Marquise of Lans- 

 downe, on his way to Ottawa from the Cascapedia River, to 

 which he intends returning in a few days. Lie describes 

 the fishing as excellent and says that the river is now just 

 getting into even better condition. The fish this season are 

 more numerous, but not quite so large as last season. Up to 

 date three rods have killed 232 salmon, and if I can judge of 

 the others by the size a beauty of the one his Lordship seut 

 me, they must have had glorious sport indeed. Their re- 

 spective catches bave been: The Marquise of Lansdowne, 

 62; Hon. H. Anson, A. D. G, 55; Mr. Streetsfield, A. D. G, 

 43; guests, 02; total 232. Owing to heavy freshets there was 

 no fishing for some days in the river, but outside nets were 

 doing well, as elsewhere the water rose so high. The nets 

 had to be taken up three or four days and the salmon rushed 

 up the river in consequence in great numbers and the anglers 

 got the benefit. — J. U. Gregory. 



Smoi.i.ed HuijKti.— Editor Forest and Stream: Lest "J. W. 

 T." may think 1 am deficient in courtesy, I will say that it 

 is not my fault the snooded hooks did not reach him. 1 

 mailed them to Forest and Stream. A snood is a snood 

 in this locality, not a shell, A helgrarnite is a helgramite, 

 or possibly a man-eater, certainly not a dobson, etc. The 

 hooks I tied, using the wax for which I gave a recipe, were 

 tapered hooks. As three recipes for making a better wax 

 have since appeared in Forest and Stream, it is unneces- 

 sary to discuss mine further. I believe "J. W. T.'s" snelled 

 hooks are far superior in appearance to mine. I probably 

 lose as many in an hour's fishing as he can tie in the same 

 length of time. Tho fish don't run away with many of 

 them, but they become entangled iu the debris on the bot- 

 tom. A clearing ring is sometimes effectual, but oftener 

 not. Since writing the above I have read Mr. Cheney's 

 article in iasue of July 9. He covers the ground so thor 

 oughly that I have nothing to add. — E. A. Leopold (Nor- 

 ristown, Pa., July 10). 



A Carp Takes a Spoon Hook— Mr. D. G. Mohler and 

 myself were fishing from a boat on Lake Roland, Balti- 

 more county, Md., yesterday moruing about six o'clock, be 

 using an Abbey & Imbrie No. 4£ fluted spoon. Our boat 

 had nearly lost all headway, and Mr. Mohler, who had been 

 trolling his spoon about 40 feet astern, had just commenced 

 reefing in preparatory to making a cast, when he got a 

 "strike" and hooked a fish which at once made for the bot- 

 tom. The fish, though uot rapid in its movements, made an 

 obstinate fight, and it was some time before he brought it 

 sufficiently near the surface to allow our noting what it was. 

 Upon landing all the hooks of the gang were found imbedded 

 in the mouth of the fish, which, when afterward placed on 

 the scales, showed its w T eight to be 3 pounds 13 ounces. I 

 am not posted on the varieties of carp, and can merely say 

 that it had large scales, was of a golden color, and that the 

 circumference of its mouth was scarcely larger than the 

 gang of hooks on which it was captured.— A. F. Dresel. 



"Oswego" Bass.— Paterson, N. J., July 11.— The Pas- 

 saic County Fish and Game Protective Society recently 

 brought an action against two men in Paterson tor taking 

 black bass with a seine in a pond near Passaic. The defense 

 was that the fish was not black bass but "Oswego" bass. 

 They were fined twenty-five dollars each and costs, but will 

 appeal the case on the grounds above stated. It is time that 

 the obsolete name of "Oswego" bass, for the big-mouth, was 

 dropped from the laws of New York and New Jersey, for 

 it is not iu use to auy great extent at present. The whole 

 case was summed up in Forest and Stream by Mr. Mather 

 some months ago, when he wrote a "Monograph on the 

 Oswego Bass," which consisted merely of the words: "There 

 is no such fish." If these men can escape on such a quibble, 

 it is certainly time to drop this old fogy name, and let the 

 law say merely "black bass," which term includes both 

 species. — Index. 



The English Tournament. — The fifth annual Fishing 

 Gazette angling tournament in aid of the Anglers' Benevolent 

 Society has been arranged to come off on Saturday, August 

 22. The Fishing Gazette says: "On account of the difficulty 

 in keeping the public out of the ground at the Welsh Harp, 

 and because of the desirability of having the fly-casting on a 

 running stream, it has been decided to hold the tournament 

 this year in the private grounds of the Pike and Anchor 

 Fishery, at Ponders End, on the River Lea, within a few 

 minutes walk of Ponder's End Station, on the Great Eastern 

 Railway. Mr. Ghurney and Mr. Field report that there is 

 ample accommodation both for the fly-casting and bait-cast- 

 ing. A pegged-down match will be fished in the preserved 

 water attached to the Pike and Anchor, for which several 

 valuable prizes will be given, Ponder's End is only a short 

 run from Liverpool Street Station." 



