Mabch 18, 1886 ] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



163 



WILMINGTON. Del., March 10 —Increasing interest in the rifle 

 matches at Schuetzen Park was shown by a large attendance at the 

 match to-day. The 200yds. match was shot by 21 contestants. The 

 first prize was won by Joseph E. E. Seeds on a score, of 22 out of a 

 possible 23. There were T ties on the score of 19, which being "shot 

 off," awarded the remaining prizes as follows: Second to William F. 

 Seeds, third to J. G. Williamson, a. well-known rifleman of Chadd's 

 Ford ; fotn-tb to Charles tteinel ; Of < h to William Bacon. The follow- 

 ing is the full score with an allowance of one point to members or the 

 militia, possible 20: William Floyd. Spg.,16: W. Warner, Sps\. IS; J. 

 R. D. Seeds. Spg.. IP: Amos Arthur. Spg , 19: H. Simpson, Bai.. 17: I. 

 W. Seeds. Bal , 17; John Manz. Spg.. 18; Philemma Chandler, Bal., 10; 

 J. G. Williamson. Win., 18; William Bacon. R S.. 19; Charles Heebner, 

 Bal., 10; H. B. Seeds, Bal., 15; W. S. Simmons, Bal., 7; W.E. Seeds, 

 Bal.. 14: William F. Seeds. Bal., 19; Charles Heiuel, R. S., 19; Harry 

 Heine), R S., 14; J. E E. Seeds, Spg., 22; J. G. Williamson, Win., 19; 

 Robert Miller, Spg.. IS: W. FT. Hartlove, Spg., 16 Floyd, Warner, 

 Arthur and Manz were each allowed one point. At the conclusion of 

 the 200vris, match, another was immediately opened at 100yds. There 

 were 3 ties on 14 out of a possible 15, which, when "shot off," decided 

 the prizes as follows: First to Charles Heinel, second to Charles Heeb- 

 uer, third to William F. Seeds, and fourth to William Floyd. Lieu- 

 tenant Floyd was allowed l£ point: J. G. Williamson, Win., 12; Wil- 

 liam Baron. R. 9 . 12; Charles Heebner, Bal.. 14; William Floyd. Spg., 

 13)4; William F. Seeds. Bal . 11; Charles Hetnel, R. S., 14; J. T. Wil- 

 liamson, Win., 12: Harry fleinel. R. S.. 12: Joseph E. E. Seeds, Spg., 

 12; John Mauz, R. S., 13; Robert Miller, Win., 13; W. H. Hartlove, 

 Spg., 13; H. SitnpsoD, Bal., 13. 



BOSTON, March 13.— The Saturday shoot of the Massachusetts 

 Rifle Association took place as usual to-day. The attendance was 

 good, but the rain interfered with the shooting during the latter part 

 of the day. Mr. Chase scored a 99 in the rest match, and a Mr. Yen- 

 etchi an 'J24 in the decimal practice match. Cadet Foster won the 

 bronze military badge iu the State match. The following are the best 

 scores of the day, all at 200yds ! 



Team Match— Captain Charles. 



RH Aiken 77 5 9 10 98698 —78 



BG Warren 9886589076 —72 



W Charles, (mil ) 5 5 8 6 8 7 9 6 5—65+5=70 



L Herbert (mil.)... .5 6 7 8 4 5 7 4 5 -574-7=64 



F Carter (mil ) 6 5 5 6 9 8 3 3—67+7= 



8*8 



Captain Reed. 



E R Souther 10 10 10 6 7 4 3 9 4 10 —73 



BReed 7 5 7 10 7 8 6 10 5 8 —73 



GPYenefchi 9 5 10 8 5 6 9 9 4 9 



SMulloon 6 6 4 9 6 5 S o 4 —59 



C Williams (mil.) 4 2 6 5 9 3 4 6 3-48+7=55 



329 



Decimal Match. 



E B Souther 10 10 10 6 7 4 3 9 4 10—73 



BG Warren ... 9 88058907 0-7: 



J P Bates 8 10 8 5 7 6 7 2 7 9-09 



H Withingtou - 067769575 9-tt 



Victory Medal Match. 



R Reed 9 7 8 6 10 8 9 6 V 7-77 



J Landman 9 7 5 8 7 7 8 8 9 6-71 



WH Oler 7 5 7 10 7 8 10 5 8 - 73 



CB Edwards 777758577 0-69 



R Dad man. 7 8 6 6 6 4 10 5 6-64 



Military Match (Special) 



W Charles 8 6 8 9 5 5 7 8 9-71 



W Gassam 6 10 6 10 8 7 7 5 5—70 



F Carter 7 7 5 8 6 5 7 6 10—67 



L Herbert 5 3 10 5 6 6 6 6-59 



C Williams 4 4 5 10 6 5 10 5 4 6—59 



Decimal Practice Match. 



G B Yenetchi 9 8 5 10 6 10 8 10 8 10-84 



RHAiken .7 759 10 9869 8-78 



JRMissatn 6 10 5 4 6 9 5 8 10 10—73 



C W T illiams (mil) 5 2 4 6 3 8 6 9 8 9-00 



E S Gilmore 9 5 6 7 5 2 7 6 5 7—59 



L Herbert (mil) 5 7 8 4 5 7 6 4 5—57 



Rest Match. 



D L Chase 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 10-99 



S Wilder 9 10 S 10 10 10 10 10 10 9—96 



GB Yenetchi 10 8 10 9 8 9 9 10 9 8—90 



W H Oler 10 8 9 8 9 10 8 8 9-S6 



E S Gilmore 7 6 8 10 10 10 8 10 9 7-85 



State Militia Match. 



Cadet Foster 20 23 20 20 



HAVERHILL, Mass., Rifle Club. Riverside Range, March 13. This 

 was the fjrstshoot of the club on the standard target with the decimal 

 count: 



S Johnson 8 5 10 9 7 10 9 8 8 8-82 



H Tuck 6 10 10 7 8 9 5 6 10 7—79 



J Busfield 10 10 8 5 8 10 8 5 7 8-79 



W Worthen 6 8 8 5 6 8 10 10 6 6—73 



J F Brown 6 5 7 7 10 7 8 9 6 4—69 



F Merrill 4 5 7 5 6 6 8 6 8 7-62 



L Jackson 10 5 -3 505763 6-56 



THE TRAP. 



.1 



1 



1 



1 



1 



1 



1 —7 





1 



1 



1 



1 



1 



1 —7 



.1 



1 







1 



1 









.1 



1 



1 



1 











1 -6 







1 



1 



9 



¥ 



1 



—4 



.1 



















1 -4 









1 



i 







-3^ 



.1 











1 











1 -a 



.0 







1 



1 











-9 



.0 























1 —1 





1 



1 







1 



1 



1 -b 



. 1 



1 



X 



1 



1 



-r»>sj 



.1 



1 



1 



1 







1 



-5 



.1 



1 



















1 -3 



.1 







1 











retired. 



.1 



1 



1 











retired. 













retired. 





Corrtspondents who favor us with club scores are particularly re 

 Quested to tvrite on one side of the paper only. 



BROOEXYN. March 10.— The Coney Island Rod and Gun Club had 

 two shoots to-day at Prospect Park Fair Grounds. The. regular Club 

 shoot in Class A resulted in a tie between A. Eddie, 30yds., and J. 

 Schliernan, 27yds., each killms 7 straight birds. They afterward 

 divided. In Class B, H. Hayes, 23yds., won, killing 4 out of 7. A 

 special p-ize given by one of the members was won by J. Temple; he 

 killed 6 out of 7. The shoos was remarkable for the floe score of 

 Eddie. He killed 13 straight from the 30yd. mark, only missing his 

 last bird: 



Class A. 



A Eddie, 30yds 



J H Schliernan. 27yds - 



R L Kane, 20yds 



R T Grace, 27yds 



A Schwartz, 28yds . 



J Defraue. 26, ds 



R Furman, £6yds 



Class B. 



H Hayes, 23yds 



J Temple, 21yds.. ., 



JE Ware, 21yds 



Special Prize. 



.1 Temple. 21yds 



A Eddie, 30yds-.... 



A Schwartz. 2»yds 



J Schliernan, S7yds 



H naye«, 23 yds 



J Def'ran". 26yds 



R Kane, Stlvds - retired. 



Referee, L. P. Van Pelt. 



BOSTON, March 9.— A large attendance and line weather insured a 

 pleasant meeting of the clay-Digeon shooters at Walnut Hill to-day. 

 The following are the winners in the sweepstake matches: First 

 event, 5 clay birds— Spring first. Secoud event, 5 clay birds — TirriU 

 flr=t. Third event. 5 blackbirds— Adams first. Fourth event, three 

 pair blackbirds -Stanton first. Fifth event, 5 blackbirds— Tirrill first. 

 Sixth event, 5 clay birds— Swift first. Seventh event, 5 clay birds- 

 Faulkner first Eighth event— Henri and Spring divided. Ninth event 

 —Smith and Warren divided first. Tenth eveut. 5 clay birds— Adams 

 .and Russell divided first. Eleventh event, 3 pairs clay birds— Smith 

 and Curtis divided first. Twelfth event, 5 clay birds— Bates, Swift 

 and Smith divided first. Thirteenth event, 5 straigntaway birds- 

 Low and Tirrill divided first. Foutteenth event, 5 blackbirds— Tirrill 

 Smith and Stanton divided first. Fifteenth event, 5 straightaway- 

 Smith first. Sixteenth event, novelty match — Bates first. 



THE EMERALD GON CLUB held its annual meeting March 11. and 

 elected these officers: John Howard, President; J. J. Ryan, First 

 Vice-Presidum; M. McMnnn. Second Vice President ; P. Keenan, 

 Finaurial Secretary; Counsellor Codey, Recording Secretary; J. 

 Mease], Treasurer. This club was organized four years ago with 

 Serg't. C. M Grainger as its first president. We have a membership 

 of thirty-five, and our funds are very ample, and in a year or two 

 more it will be one of the crack clubs of this city.— M. M. Biggane, 

 Ex-Secretai y. 



NEWARK. N. J.. March 5.— The Caledonian Park Gun Club held a 

 20 bird clay pigeon shoot to-day with the following result: Floeken 

 17. Qlbrecht 10. Bonnier 14. Dr. Ha wk 12, Hermann 12. Voigt 10, Hiede- 

 mann 9, Kirchmeyer 9, Zellers. e> v Witz 7. An individual shoot was 

 had upou the rifle range, twelve, shots to each, possible score 144, 

 The result of the shut was: Floeken 107. Zellers 106, Ulbrecht 87. 

 Hermann 85, Hieaemacm 84. Aft'jr the. match there was a banquet, 

 and ttre election of officers resulted as follows: Beda Voigt, Presi- 

 dent; E. Floeken. ,Vice-Pre6»dent; M. Ulbrecht. Secretary; George 

 ^pbroidt. Treasury Geprge Herm.an, S&opting Master, 



* SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 28. — A clay-pigeon contest took place to- 

 day, at Bay View, between Ed Funke and E. Duu«=hee. of South San 

 Francisco.' for a purse of $50. The match was under the international 

 rules, at 100 birds. Of these 40 were shot in pairs as double birds at 

 15yds. rise, and 60 as single birds at 18yds rise. The day was a mag- 

 nificent one for shooting, the clay flyers being very distinctly seen 

 aeaiDst the dark background of the sky. A large crowd witnessed 

 the shoot. The following are thp scores for the double birds: 

 Dunshee.ll 10 11 01 01 11 11 11 01 00 11 10 01 00 11 11 1 11 11 11-30 

 Funke . .11 11 01 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 10 11 10 11 10 01 01 11 11 01-30 

 In th« contest with single birds at 18yds. Dunshee shot more easilv 

 and with greater confidence. He is a very quick shot. His chief 

 drawback is faulty leading. In the single bird match Dunshee not 

 only made up for what he had lost with double birds, but at one time 

 managed to place himself one ahead of Funke. In the second round 

 Fnnke's eighth bird gave rise to considerable discussion, but the ref- 

 eree, J. Fanning, decided that it was a break. On the last round the 

 contest grew exciting, as Fuuke was but one bird ahead. He man- 

 aged to hold to his advantage hv breaking nine straights, and winning 

 the match by one break. The following are the scores of (he single 



blrJS: 1 10111111101111111101-17 M1111010111000111011-14 

 Dunshee.- 11111011111001011111-16 Funke 11110111111110111110-1 7 

 1 01111111110111111111-18 (11111011110111111111-18 



51 49 



Funke's total score, 82. Durkee's total score, 81. 



MTDDLETO WN , N. Y.. March 6— At the annual meeting of the 

 Middletown Gun Club the following officers were elected: President. 

 H. K. Wilcox; Secretary. W. H Crawford; Treasurer. C. H. Wmfield; 

 Captain. C. H. Worcester. Purchasing Committee, C. H. Worcester, 



C. H. Winfleld, W. H. Crawford. The club will hereafter shoot at 

 elav birds and pigeons instead of glass balls at its matches. AH 

 delinquent members were dropped from the roll. The club has 

 grounds beautifully looated, a large and well appointed club house, 

 and are out of debt. While the past season has been very successful, 

 the coming one bids fair to be one of unusual interest to the lovers 

 of outdoor recreation and sport. The present membership numbers 

 about 40. and there will undoubtedly be large accessions during the 

 coming season. A number of <rold badges and prizes are to be offered 

 and competed for on regular field days, which will add considerably 

 to the sport on those occasions. 



NEWARK N. J., March 10 — The South Side Gun Club held its 

 annual meeting this evening at Newark N. J., and elected Mr. W. K. 

 Hobart President; Mr. Lemuel Thomas. Vice-President; Mr. Isaac H. 

 Terrell, Treasurer and Mr. Asa Whitehead. Secretary. The Execu 

 live Committee will consist of Messrs. Herman Unger, E. L. Phillips 

 and C. M. Hedden. The club is in a most flourishing condition, hav- 

 ing a good balance in the treasury. It has fifty-three members and 

 during the past five years has shot as 64,0X1 clav pigeons and 10,000 

 glass balls. The present shooting year ends on May 30, wheu the 

 five handsome prizes now in competition will be awarded. During 

 the season the club has defeated the Springfield and ^eawanbaka 

 clubs, and is now looking for a match with the Elizabeth Gun Club. 



KNOXVILLE GUN CLUB.— Gold medal shoot, Eim Park, March 12. 

 Knoxvillp blackbirds, 3 angles: . m 



TCEldridge .... 1111111111111111111011101-23 



C M Woodbury ". ' 1011100111111111000010011-16 



JO Duncan 1101011111001100110010100-14 



J W Slocum 1110101000000101111011101—14 



FH Post ...'.7.7 101 11001010000001 00 1 10C01 -10 



Mr. El <1 ridge won the medal for the second time. 



Olav-pia-eon medal, 15 birds, 8 angles: 

 C M Woodbury 111111111101111—14 J C Duncan. .. .I11111100illlll-13 

 J W Slocum. .. .111111111011101-13 T C Eldridge . . .111101110111101-12 

 F S Mead 100111111111111-13 W. A. Gage, Scorer. 



ROSENDALE. Wis., March 8 —At the annual meeting of the Eldo- 

 rada (Wis.) Shooting Club, March 6. the following officers were 

 elected: President. S. B Dilley; Vice President. F. Sharratt; Treas- 

 urer, Buell Anderson; Secretary, G. Woodruff. — D. B. S. 



NEW DORP, March 3.— Match at Samuel Burbank's shooting 

 grounds, Staten Island, 50 pigeons, 25yds.. 80yds. bound, to count 

 half Birds. Score: _ J „ 



N Brunie 111111110 19 



G Smith 1 M y a 1 1 \&-\\ 



Same day: 



C Kelly., l'k 010X61^0111^0^01011^010 0-13 

 Brunie., .0 1110 111^111 1H 1^0^ 11^0 0)4-16 



LONG BRANCH. March 13.— One of the most exciting pigeon- 

 shooting matches that has taken place in New Jersey was held to-day 

 at the West End Shooting club groi.nds. The match was between 

 Douglas Slocum, of Long Branch, and William C. Price, of Pleasure 

 Bay. for $200 a side. Price is an amateur and a mere boy, while Slo- 

 cum is a professional. The conditions of the match were 50 hir Is 

 each at 28yds. rise, 80yds. boundary, handle and trap. The birds 

 were greatly mutilated!; being deprived of their tail feathers, eyes and 

 otherwise tortured. Notwithstanding the skill of the professional, 

 the boy won on the fiftieth shot, killing 35 birds to his opponent's 28. 

 The score is as follows: . 



Price. . .01100101111010111110111100011101111101101111110101— Killed. 35; 

 missed, 15. 



Slocum.OllOllOOOlllllllOlOOllllOOlOlOllllOlOOOOOOOlllllCO- Killed, 28; 

 missed, 22. 



The judges were F. R. Van Dyke and De Wilt Cook. Referee, W. 



D. Campbell. 



THE UNKNOWN GUN CLUB is a well-known organization in 

 Brooklyn. During the season upward of 60 of their members may be 

 seen at the traps. Last week at Dexter Park. Hiram Howe's old 

 place, 35 members put in an appearance, and 27 comneted for the 3 

 club orizes. H and T traps, club handicap, one barrel. The shooting 

 was hardly up to the average, although the birds were not of the 

 very best description. Dr. Hartwigson distinguished himself by 

 making a clean score, and Ike Hyde, in missing his first bird, let 

 several in for the first prize, but only two availed themselves of the 

 chance. After all had shot it was found that three had killed out 

 of 7, Hyde. Knebel, Sr., and Monsees, and as they wanted to go they 

 divided. Seven killed 5 out of 7, and in shooting off the tie Tompford 

 and Detlifsen killed 3 each and divided. Eight were left in Class 3, 

 and Knebel, Jr., A. Harned and Muller killed 2 each and divided. 



Hyde. 25yds OlllHl— 6 Tompford, 25yds lOllilO— 5 



Midmer, 23yds 0000101—2 McQuillan, 24yds 1010010-3 



Mattair, 23yds.. . 1110011-5 Knebel. Sr., 25yds 1011111-0 



Paulsen, 25yds 0001001—2 Leach, 22yds POretired. 



Hass. 23yds' 1101001—4 Monsees. 24yds 1011111-6 



Hartwigson, 23yds 0000000—0 Fricke, 24yds UllOlO— 5 



Pope. 24yds 1110100-4 A Harned, 23yds 1000111 -4 



Knebel, Jr., 22yds 1010011-4 W Harned. 22yds 0110110-4 



Cromwell. 23yds 1001010-3 W Duffer, 23yds 0000010-1 



Peters, 21yds . ..1001111—5 Johnson, 25yds 1101010-4 



Houseman, 25yds 0111101-5 Plate, 24yds 1110011—5 



Van Staden, 23vds 1010011—4 Muller, 23yds 0010111—4 



Linke, 22yds...*. 0110100-3 Detlifsen. 25yds.... 1110110-5 



Ratbjen, 24yds 0100010-2 



WELLINGTON. Mass., March 18. -At the range to-day the wluners 

 were: 1. Five blackbirds— Ward well. Snow, Sanhorn and Adams 

 first. 2. Five pigeons— Wardwell and Adams first. 8. F.ve pigeons— 

 Shaeter first. 4. Five blaeabirds— Shuinway and Adams first. 5. 

 Five pigeons— Swift first. 6. Five blackbirds— Short. Sanborn and 

 Shaefer first. 7. Three pair pigeons— Swift, Crosby and Shaofer first. 

 8. Five blackbirds— Snow. Adams and Swift first. 9. Five pigeons- 

 Swift, Crosby and Shaefer first. 10. Three pair blackbirds— Snow 

 first. 11. Five blackbirds -Swift first. 12. Five pigeons— Short, Swift 

 and Stanton first. 13— Five blackbirds— Short, Adams and Pond first. 

 14. Five pigeons— Crosby, Shaefer, Short and Adams first. 15. Five 

 blackbirds, straightaway— Swift, Wardwell, Short and Stanton first. 

 IB. Five pigeons, straightaway— Shumway first. The Wellington Gun 

 Club are to hold a tournament Fast day. 



READING, March 11 —The pigeon shooting match between Jacob 

 Hill, ot this citv. and L. B. Campbell, of Little Silver, N. J., for S500 

 and the championship, 50 birds each, was ended to-day. Hill won 

 the match, killing 39 birds to Campbell's 37, 



FIRST GERMAN GUN CLUB OF NEW YORK.— A regular month- 

 ly meeting and annual election of officers took place March 10. The 

 following gentlemen were elected by acclamation: Adam Goetz. 

 President; Julius Grau. Vice-President; F. Bockelmann, Secretary ; 

 Leopold Maisch, Treasurer. 



THE CHAMBERLIN TOURNAMENT.— Elsewhere will be found a 

 notice of the second annual tournament of the Chamberlin Cartridge 

 Company. The shooting rules of the tournament were published in 

 a late issue. The prizes aggregate $3,000 For full particulars ad- 

 dress the Chamberlin Cartridge Company, Cleveland, O. 



§t$chting. 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Publish- 

 ing Co, 



May 31- 



May 31 



May 31 



June 9 



June 12 



June 12 



June 15 



June 17 



June 17 



June 17 



June 17- 



June 19 



June 23 



June 26 



June 26 



July 8 



FIXTURES. 



-Knickerbocker Y. C, Spring Regatta. 



-Sandy Bay Y. C., Cup Race, Rockporl. 



-Toledo Y. C . Pennant Ma'ches. 



-Frisbe and Em EU Eve. City Point, Match Race. 



-Buffalo Y. C, Club Regatta. 



-Sandy Bay Y. C Cup Race, Gloucester, 



-Atlantic Y. C. Regatta. 



-N. Y. Y. C. Regatta. 



-Dorchest°r Y. C, Nahant, Open. 



-Sandy Bay Y. C, Cup Race, Squam. 



-Hull Y. C, Corinthian Penuaut Race. 



-Hull Y. O, Pennant race. 



-Boston Y. O, Cup Race, City Point. 



-Sandy Bay Y. C, Cup Sail-off, Squam. 



-Corinthian Y. C. Club Race. 



-Hull Y. C, Club Race. 



B 



Join the National Gun Association.— Send 10 cents, for handbook 

 giving all information, to the Secretary. Matt R. Freeman, General 

 Manager. F. C. Ethepidge, Secretary and Treasurer, Macon, Ga. 

 Board of Directors: Dr. L. E. Rusisell, Springfield, O, ; C. M. Stark, 

 Winchester,. Mass.; J. Von Lengerke, New York city; Washington A.. 

 Coster, Flatbnsh, L. I. ; Wm, G. Cooper, Savannah, Ga, ; E. A. ( raw- 

 ford, Tallahassee, Fla.; M. R Freeman } W W.- Parker and F, c. 



CRUISE OF THE COOT. 



xvt. * , 

 ACK CREEK has a narrow but deep channel, bounded by mudflats 



. covered with one or two feet of water. The edges of the channel, 



as in many other navigable rivers and arms of the Chesapeake, are 

 abrupt and give do warning by a gradual decrease in depth. The 

 channel is like a deep gutter, and in the language of a native boatman, 

 "iuns every which way." From 7ft. at the canal lock, it qtr'ckly 

 deepens to an average of 12ft, at low water, the rise of the tide beirg 

 about 2ft.. depending much upon tbe direction of tbe wand. At the 

 juncture of the creek with the Elk River a 7ft. bar has formed. The 

 distance is called four miles. A deep draft boat should accept the 

 services of a pilot or tow down. Eotb shores are rolling hillocks, we'l 

 wooded except near the mouth, where broad clearings indicate pros- 

 perous farms, given to extensive growing of corn and wheat. At the 

 confluence wit h the Elk, he creek measures nearly half a mile across. 

 Here you sail into 3fms. or more and soundings give no further 

 anxiety. . 



After the towing steamer Gen. Reynolds had broken a passage 

 through the ice with two harges in tow, the Coot prepared to follow. 

 The ice quickly closed in the wake of the tow and much of the dis- 

 tance a fresh passage had to be broken . As there was not an air stir- 

 ring, the yacht w is sculled along into openings, first broken with the 

 aid of the sweep from the bow. The forenoon was occupied in making 

 two miles. Further below long leads were found, of which advan- 

 tage was taken in a light northwesterly air. The water of the creek 

 is so fresh that the breaker was filled up on the passage with the 

 result that : he Coot turned up out of the channel and ran into the 

 mud. Vigorous hauling to the anchor taken out, brought her off 

 after shifting the ballast into her nose. Then more wind came along, 

 and hv noon the boom was jibed over to starboard, round Court 

 House'Point, and merrily bowled down the magnificent Elk, whose 

 bold bluffs with their brows crowned with patches of dense wood 

 were imposing. Cove and deep bay alternated on both sides. Large 

 buildings and" barns, surrounded by immense fields under the plow 

 spoke of the wealth of the soil. Extensive wooden pieis jutted cut 

 into deep water. Some were supplied with rails and tram ears by 

 which the produce round about was got to tile water for shipment. 

 Down to Bohemia River, three miles below Back Cre^k. no ice was 

 visible, but a schooner working up informed me that it was almost 

 solid further below. She had been imprisoned for many days. The 

 Bohemia is big water, though on'y one of the many arms branching 

 from the Chesapeake which figure on the map as insignificant 

 by comparison. It is a mile wide at the mouth, the Eh; baving the 

 same breadth, widening a little at Elk of Turkey Point where it meets 

 the Susquehanna waters to form the head of Chesapeake Bay. The 

 Coot kept mid-channel till abreast of Cabin John's Creek, a mile be- 

 low tbe Bohemia. This little tributary, a quarter of a mile wide, 

 affords excellent shelter for less than Oft. draft. 



Looking ahead, glistening in the sun and reflecting his rays with 

 blinding impudence, vast fields of drift ice werenow discovered, with 

 scarce any visible way through the pack. Most of it had come down 

 from the Susquehanna, the northwesterly weather having jammed it 

 along the Sassafras Neck, as the eastern shore opposite Turkey Point 

 is called. With courage failing the Coot was steered into every chance 

 opening the ice fields proffered. She was brought by the wind, beat 

 a retreat, sheets lifted, jibed over and over, aud worried as best she 

 could on her passage. At times the heavy fresh water ice had to be 

 engaged witn in a hand to hand fieht for liberty. After cutting 

 through the barriers for several hours to teach other streaks of open 

 water, tbe boat was at last brought up for a full due in the pack, and 

 p itience became a sorely tried virtue. Sail was lowered and resigna- 

 tion to an adverse fate invoked by a hot lunch down below. Then the 

 labor was resumed with increased vigor and much 10 the detriment 

 of 1 he sweep, which by this time had the blade half worn a way. After 

 a great deal of harfassing. because excessively stupid toil, a fine 

 reach of clear water was espied along tbe weather snore, and for that 

 the boat was poked and sculled and pried through the ice with might 

 and main, regardless of consequences. She received many a hard 

 butt and deep gash in the contest. But it was to be free water or 

 frozen up for tbe winter. , ~ , ,, 



Below Pool's Island, still fifteen miles away to the southward, the 

 bay was reported clear, and it was all important that the jam at the 

 head should be left astern, after which the danger from the cold 

 would be reduced to being locked in the fast ice of some harbor in- 

 stead of being cut down by the driving stuff in open, boisterous water. 

 While hard at it, hammering and pounding, I espied the white of two 

 sails anchored in one of the many coves of Elk Neck. Mainsails went 

 up on two sloops and jibs soon followed. The lucky fellows were in 

 the free water and proposed taking advantage of the same. They 

 speedily drove down before the wind and passed me within hail. 

 'Boat ahoy! we will come to your assistance,'" sung out across the 

 crisp breeze. "W T here are you bound?" "South, if I can evei get 

 through this ice.'' "Is that the Coot? By Jove, I knew it." So my 

 sails were friends, then, and who could they be? I had never seen 

 the vessels before. But they probably read the Forest and Stream, 

 aDd recognized the Coot from the sketches. Perhaps this was due to 

 shreivd guessing on their part, and perhaps it was a compliment to 

 those suetches. In a few moments I ha i broken through the enforced 

 confinement, and with renewed interest in events got the canvas on 

 the Coot in a jiffy. The world suddenly seemed more familiar and 

 the scenerr assumed a warmer aspect. 'Dreary forebodings and dis- 

 content vanished. Out of the ice once more and suddenly dropped 

 among friends in all these strange surroundings, where 1 supposed 

 myself utterly alone in sore straits. It was a welcome ray of relief 

 that drove away the dismal mist of dejection and revived waning 

 courage to buck through a trying period in the cruise. Unfortunately 

 an acquaintance which promised much of mutual comfort aud inter- 

 est catne to a close as suddenly as it opened through the vicissitudes 

 of winter weather, and to this day my lost friends have not been found. 

 Wherever they fetched up during that memorable gale out of the Pa- 

 tapsco. it would give me great pleasure to bear of their safely and 

 further proceedings. Concerning myself, the appearance of these 

 letters is information that the Coot nobly fetched Through the gale 

 and into a smooth after we three were so precipitately scattered to 

 various quarters of the compass. We fell in with one another so 

 naturally that not even names were exchanged during the brief com- 

 panionship, and that leaves me wilhout a clew of any kind. 



It appeared that both boats had been frozen up for three days aud 

 spent many an anxious hour. Woen they first made me out they 

 summoned up courage to seek au escape to the southward, in the 

 belief that the Coot was a native craft, "Knew ali about the tee. and 

 would pilot them out of the scrape. On the other hand, I reasoned 

 the same way, supposing the pah- to be vessels hailing tiomsome 

 local point hear by, and, therefore, familiar with affairs as they 

 stood, as they approached, one was discerned to be a smack with a 

 man aloft on the crosstrees spying out the fairways through the ice 

 from his elevated perch. A second hand, with bronzed visage aud 

 hardy mien, was at the helm, aud proved to be the skipper. He 

 hailed with his boat from near Salem. N. J., on the Delaware, where 

 be was extensively engaged in oysleringand ran a snug farm besides. 

 With his son he was bound "a-plea«uring" down the Chesapeake for 

 the winter, and, with an eye to business, proposed to fill up the hold 

 with oysters from Chrisfield for the return trip, therehy paying all his 

 expenses. 



The skipper was decidedly a character. Jovial, wideawake, a cau- 

 tious and clever old lore-and-after, with a fuud of droll talk and a 

 relish for humor, and ever ready to do an act of friendship. His son 

 was his right bower aboard ship, quiet and modest, but a smart and 

 experienced hand, who foreswore the farm and threw in his lot with 

 the smack by preference. Ho, too, had a turn for the funny, and 

 cracked his jokes in a dry way with straight face. Both were the 

 most agreeable companions. 



The second sail was a much smaller boat. From a distance her 



from the outset. He had with bim a hand to aid in the navigation and 

 to' cook. When these two vessels saw me free from the ice they bore 

 away and we at] lifted sheet for the southward. The smack was 

 &Wi Wl-pS$ WMJ tte ywpi ¥tfr> but-ttoe Coot row ijjateriftUy ^ 



