264 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[April 22, 1886. 



back of us. Ere I eo"H get under shelter a pust of wind tossed my 

 hat into the river and sent me under my tent in a hurry, without 

 wabing +o see what was going to come next. It s°* l ms to us as we 

 look back that everything came, nex'— tornado, hail, rain, with liv- 

 ing sticks and leaves, in a war that would amnly fulfil the alarming 

 prognostications of a dyspeptic weather prophet. The canoe rocked 

 to and fro as though it was thinking of starting off to flv. but in spite 

 of the violence, of the gust th^re was not a drop of wet that entered 

 either one of the canoes : and Undine, at the risk of ha ving his scalp 

 bloo-n off. shiclt his head out to a«k if it was not glorious, to which I 

 replied that it was- inside, and then proceeded to enj-ty a smoke, to 

 showth^tl anpreoiated my immunity from the attacks of (he ele- 

 ments. Undine followed my example, as I could see by the smoke 

 tbet oozed out from the cracks of his tent. I opened up one corner 

 of the tent on the lee side, and as he was on that side we could carry 

 on a conversation quite easily through the intervening had weather. 



The storm confirmed uuMl about 7 in the evening, when, with a final 

 dash of hail that sent a civil through us. it ceased as suddenly as it 

 bad commenced, and we gladly crawled ont of our nests, to make a 

 fire and ge' - something wnrm in our stomachs. The sand and gravel 

 held no moisture and was dry almost as soon as the rain ceased to 

 fall. Nor did the driftwood seem to he affected by the rain that had 

 poured over it so recently, on the contrary the flames binned all the 

 brighter hv contrast with the leaden sky that hung over us like a 

 seamless dome, muffh'ug all sound. We gathered a large store of 

 drift, and after we had heated some coffee, piled up the fire until it 

 illuminated the whole camp; which had been gradually swallowed 

 up in the gathering darkness. Having drank our coffee. Undiae de- 

 termine-! to trv his luck with the traps; taking the tent off bis canoe 

 he paddled across the river to the little island, behind which the cur- 

 rent hart carried us in the afternoon. There he set the traps in the 

 most, likelv rla-es, and then came back to camp to bake bread, as he 

 said that he would be unable to obtain any for the next few davs. I 

 wn= not deeplv intere c, 'ed in the bread making process as I knew 

 nothing ahont it and Undine did. or at least he said he did. Sol went 

 to mv little bed and sl"pt unmolested, except that the jrreoressihle 

 cook kept coming to the dry stowage lockers of the Talisman far into 

 the m'ddle "-nteh, each time for flour I presumed, and by the looks of 

 the bread next dav, it must have, been so. 



The next, morning I awoke earlv a most unusual thing for me. and 

 found 'he reason for it was that T bad been almost eaten alive by 

 mosquitoes, my face being of the complexion of a rare beefsteak; 

 cloarlv we were gettios- into the mosquito country and no mistake. 

 However, the beautv of the morning which, by its calmness, had al- 

 lowed the mosqnPoes to inflict themselves upon us. was enough to 

 repay all damage done bv them. "Without waiting to dress we got up 

 to lo'<nk about. The storm of the day before had cleared the air and 

 brightened every leaf, "while the birds, appreciating the heau'iful 

 fa "o that nature'had assumed to greet ibem with, sans- their earnest 

 thanks. The, beauty of the river, combined with the increasing 

 warmth of the sun, "was too much to he resisted, so tossing off our 

 shirts, we snrantr into the river simultaneously, and there swam and 

 ducked each other like two schoolhovs. The <un had been up for 

 half an hour before we were willing to leave the water, and it was 

 high time for us to tret under wav, unless we wanted to be roasted by 

 the heat of the middav sun. After disposing of our coffee and hot 

 cakes, we nut an allowance of coffee in a bottle and some cold quail 

 and nard tack in a handy place in tb» canoes, as this was to consti- 

 tute our lunch, thereby saving one stoo. There being not the slight- 

 est indication of a breeze. W e oacked all sails and spars below and 

 started in for a bard dav's peddling, as it was our intention to make 

 the town of ^olnsa that night, and in order to do it we would have to 

 work until after dark any way. 



We first crossed the river to wbere fc ne traps had been set the night 

 bpforn, and were disannointed to find nothing but two coons in them, 

 although there were otter signs all wild We did not wait to skin 

 the animals then, hut knocked them on the heads, and, as we thought, 

 killed them, and then threw them, traps and all. into the Undine. 

 Shortly after w» started down stream one of the coons gave unmis- 

 takable signs of life, and when the captain of the craft attempted to 

 subdue the mutineer with a, raddle he gave a blood-curdling snarl and 

 jumped overboard, taking his trap wjrh him, and disappeared beneath 

 the water. .lu*r a« we were giving tip all hope of seeing him again, 

 he came to the surface nearlv a hundred feet down the river, swdm- 

 ming for dear life. We immediately gave chase, and the coon, 

 although hampered by the weight of the tramp and wounded as he 

 was. still managed to give us a lively ra't'e We finally intercepted 

 him and he was then dispatched wPb a. blow from a hatchet. This 

 little episode had stirred up our blood, and to a void cooling it too 

 suddenly we started in an impromptu race of the "go as you please" 

 variety, the one who kept it up the longest to be the winner. Some, 

 curious deviations of the lower channel sometimes sent the surface 

 current diagonally across from hank to bank, leaving the water almost 

 motionless on one side while it ran like a mill race on the other. This 

 ga vp a pi basins' uncertainty to the race, which it would not have pos- 

 sessed if we bad only our own Ftrength to relv on. Sometimes one of 

 us would he well ahead, when all of a =ndden, owing to some miscal- 

 culation, he would lose the current and his opponent fly past at the 

 rate of nine or ten knots an hour. After half an hour's hard work 

 we remained still unsatisfied as to which was the faster. 



The heat was now getting intolerable, I was wearing nothing- but a 

 sleeveless jersey and a pair of tight duck trousers with stockings 

 and slippers; on mv head a linen hat with a moderately broad brim. 

 Undine was attired in the same eoshime and had his feet bare, so that 

 he could stick them over the deck into the water when be felt so dis 

 posed. The result was that be got a terrible sunburning which spoiled 

 his morals every time he mentioned it. 



[to be continpep.] 



THE CANOE EXHIBITION. — A meeting will be held on Friday 

 next at the Harvard Rooms, to complete all arrangements, and on 

 Saturday the exposition will open. Everything points to a large dis- 

 play, and to accommodate the visitors the exhibition will be con'inued 

 over until Monday night. It is expected that every department of 

 canoeing will be represented and an opportunity afforded to novices 

 and those unfamiliar with cinoeing, to obtain all information about 

 the snort. Yachtsmen and rowing men are especially invited to visit 

 the Harvard Rooms. Forty-second street and Sixth avenue, and see 

 just what the mosquPo fleet is composed of. 



THE CALLA SHASTA CAMP —The programme for the races on 

 Monday is as follows: At 9:30 A. M.. paddling race, half mile and 

 turn; 10:3G A. M . tandem padd'ing race, half mile and turn: 11 A. M., 

 hand paddling race. 200yds. ; 11:30 A. M ; novice sailing race; 1 P. M., 

 sailing race, po limit to rig or ballast; 2:30 P. M.. sailinc race, no 

 ballast; 3 P. M., sailing race, area limited to T5 sq, ft.: 3:30 P. M , 

 standing paddling race, 400yds ; 4 P M-. open sailing race; 5 P. M , 

 consolation race, sailing and paddling. The prizes will be two in each 

 event, and will be flags. 



WISCONSIN P.IVERS —We have received the. following answer to 

 the inquiry published last week: "Oshkosh, Wis., April 10.— To get 

 into the Fox River from Winneconne you will have to go down the 

 Wolf River for about three miles. The mouth of the Fox is on the 

 rit: ht siie. There is a canal from the Fox to Wisconsin River about two 

 miles long, which you will easily find. If you come to Oshkosh before 

 starting we will give you maps and all necessary information, having 

 made the trip twice.— Frank Hellard " 



THE KENNEBEC ANT) DEAD RIVFRS. — A correspondent asks 

 the following questions; can any of our readers in Maine answer 

 them for him? What is the state of theKennebec River from Augusta 

 to the carrt ing place, and is it suitable for a canoe or is it all rapidsf 

 About where and bow long is the, shortest carry between the south 

 branch of the Dead River and Lake Oquossoe; on Farrar's latest map 

 there is no carry marked? 



A C A.— Messrs. R. S Hubbard. Philadelphia, and E. N. Barstow, 

 Boston, are proposed for membership. The name of Mr. Geo. Brown. 

 Ottawa, lately published, was an error. It should read Geo. Burn. 

 The programme and rules for the coming meet are now ready and 

 will he published in pamphlet form for distribution, as was done last 

 year. — 



PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. 



A Winter in Central America and Mexico. By Helen J. San- 

 born. Boston : Lee & Shepard. Cloth, 321 pp.. price $1 50. 



Dow the West Branch, or, Camps and Tramps Around Katahdin. 

 By Capo, A. J. Farrar. Boston: Lee & Shepard. Cloth, 3)1 pp., price 

 $i 25. 



Forgotten Meanings; or. An Hour with a Dictionary, By Alfred 

 Waites. Boston : Lee & Shepard. Cloth, 75 pp., price 50 cents. 



Exercises for the Improvement ok the Senses. For young chil- 

 dren. By Horace Grant. Boston: Lee & Shepard. Cloth, 15< pp., 

 price 50 cents. 



Salambo of Gustave Flaubert. Englished by M, French Sheldon, 

 New York: Saxon & Co. Cloih, 421 pp , price $1.50. 



PUBLISHER'S DEPARTMENT. 



A Premium of $100 has been offered by A. G. Spalding & Bros., of 

 New York and Chicago, to the individual who will correctly guess 

 the relative standing of the eight League clubs at the close of the 

 championship season of 1886. Ail contestants must send in their 

 guess before June 1, and inclose 25 cents and receive one of their 

 complete catalogues of lbO pages, which amount will be returned, 

 or rather applied on the first purchase amounting to p and upward. 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Publish- 

 ing Co. 



FIXTURES. 



There are still many clubs not represented below, aand some of the 



dates in the table are not official. We a=k the aid of club secretaries 

 and others in completing and correcting the list: 



Mat. 10. Corinthian, Club, Marblehead 



16. Yorkville, Open, East River. 10. Sandy Bay, Pen., Rockport. 

 31. Sandy Bay, Cup. Rockport. 13. Beverly, Cham.,' Marblehead 

 31. Knickerbocker, Spring Keg.: 13. Great Head, Ladies'. Winthrop 

 31. Onondaga, Opening.On. Lake. 14. Hull, Cham., Hull. 



31. 8.C.Y.O., Opening, N. Y. Bay. 15-17. Araer. (Steam). Annual. 



31, New Haven, Opening Sail. 17. Sandy Bay, Cor., Rockport. 



31. Toledo. Pennant, Toledo. 17 to 2b'. Knl-kerbocker, Cruise. 



31. Brooklyn, Opening. N Y. Bay. 21. Hull, Ladies', Hull. 



31. Atlantic, Opening Sail. 32. Boston. Cup, City Point. 



June 24. Dorchester. Club, Harrison. 



5. Great Head. Open, Sweep- 24. Beverly, Club, Mon. Beach. 



stake, Winthrop. 24. Corinthian, Ladies', Marble- 

 7. Hudson River, UnioD, Open, head. 



7. Williamsburg Regatta. 24. Sandy Bay, Pen. Gloucester. 

 9. Portland, Annual. Portland. 24 Great Head, Cham., Winthrop. 

 9. Frisbie— Em Ell Eye. Private 27. Great Head, Club, Winthrop. 



Match, City Point. 31. Beverlv, Cham., Swarnpseoit. 



9. Sandy Bay, Cup, Rockport. 31. Hull, Cruise, Eastward. 



12. Brooklyn, Annual, N. Y. Bay. 31. Sandy Bay, Ladies', Rockport. 

 12. Great Head, Pen., Winthrop. August. 

 12. Buffalo, Annual, Lake Erie. 2. Sandy Bay, Open, Rockport. 

 12. Portland, Challenge, Portland. 7. Corinthian, Open. Marblehead 

 15. Atlantic. Annual, N Y. Bay. 7. Beverly, Club, Mon. Beach. 



17. New York, Annual, N. Y. Bay. 9. Great Head, Club. Winthrop. 

 17. Dorchester, Open, Nahant. 11. Great Head, Ladies. Winthrop. 

 17. Sandy Bay. Cup, Squam. 14. Sandy Bay, 01 ib, Squam. 



17. Hull, Cor. Pennant, Hull. 14. Hull, Open, Hull. 



17. American, Newburyport. 14. Beverly, Cham , Nahant. 



19. Hull, Pennant. Hull. 21. Beverly, Open, Marblehead. 



19. S. C. Y. C, Annual. 24. Great Head, Cham , Winthrop. 

 23. Boston, Cup. City Point. 25 Hull, Ladies'. Hull. 



26. Sandy Bay, Cup.Final, Squam. 28. Corinthian, Club. Marblehead. 



26. Corinthian, Cup. Marblehead. 58. Hull, Cham., Hull. 



20. Great Head. Cham. .Winthrop. 28. Sandy Bay, Open. Squam. 



July. September. 

 3. Knickerbocker Cruise. 2. Boston, Cup, Citv Point. 



3. Oswego Cruise, Charlotte. 4. Dorchester, Club, Harrison. 



3. Hull, Club, Hull. 4. Beverly, Open, Mon. Beach. 



3. Buffalo, Annual, Lake Erie. 4. Corinthian, Cham. .Marblehead 

 5. Boston, Ope i. City Point. 4. Sandy Bay, Pen., Rockport. 



5. Sandy Bay. Open, Squam. 8. Great, Head, Club, Winthrop. 



5. Beverly, Open, Sweepstake, 11. Hull, Cham., Hull. 



Mon. Beach. 11. Coriuthian, Sweepstake, Mar- 

 5. Toledo. Pen., Toledo. bleliead. 



5 to 6 Interlake 5f R. A. Rendez- 11. Sandy Bay, Sweep., Gloucester 



vous and Race, Detroit. 17. Toledo, Pen., Toledo. 



6 to 11, Interlake Y. R. A. Cruise 18. Sandy Bay, Club, Rockport. 



to Put In Bay. 18. Great Head, Club, Winthrop. 



8. Great Head, Club, Winthrop. 25. Buffalo, Club, Lake Erie. 

 10. Great Head, Club, Winthrop. 28. Beverly, Club, Nahant. 

 10. Hull, Novelty, Hull. 



THE ATLANTIC. 



AT Bay Ridge everything is bustle and activity along the water 

 front, but of course the chief center of attraction is at Mumm's 

 yard, wbere the Atlantic is now in such shape as to be seen to ad- 

 vantage. Every day brings crowds to visit her, and on Sundays the 

 yard is thronged from morning to night. The outside of the yacht is 

 now planed and painted, the waterline drawn, the bulwarks are. 

 finished, the oak rail is in place, and the gold stripe completed. The 

 bottom has received a coat of verdigris. Decks and coaming are 

 finished. The former is sprung with the sides, a fashion that "looks 

 well where there is a wide cabin trunk and narrow gangways, but in 

 the present case, wbere the butts all come in the middle line of deck, 

 the effect is not pleasing. The bowsprit is in place, firmly step ert 

 between two heavy locust bitts, and amidships and on each quarter 

 are Sin. locust bollards, four in all. The stern is very narrow (the 

 boat being practically a double-ender) and gives an appearance of 

 great width amidships. The bowsprit is of Oregon pine, around spar, 

 the iron withe on the extreme end being fitted with a sheave on each 

 side. Half way in is a second withe fitted against a shoulder, to 

 which the. preventer bobstay and shrouds will be made fast. There 

 are two pairs of bolti for the bowsprit shrouds, one about Cin. above 

 the otht-r. An iron plate, as long as the spacing of the timbers, is let 

 into the planking to take each of the holis. On the stem are two 

 pairs of plates for the main and preventer bobstay?. The yacht will 

 have four shrouds on each side, the chainplates, 3^x%in, being let 

 in flush and fastened with %in. holts. The plates are each 6ft. 9in. 

 long over all. 



The workmen have laid the bilge ways and the yacht will be ready 

 for launching at any time the tide serves. The basin is so shoal that 

 some dredging may be necessary unless the tide should be unusually 

 high. 



Cast iron floors, each 3ft. long. 4^in. wide and lj^in. thiols: at middle, 

 are being fitted and bolted, so as to connect the heels of the timbers 

 to the trunk, faymg on top of each with four bolts in each arm. The 

 partners are of yellow pine, 6in. thick, filled in solid hetween the 

 adjoining beams, and the Htep is cut in the keel. In addition to the 

 four tierods on each side of the trunk, two IJ^in. iron rods have been 

 run through the keel and deck beams, one just forward and one abaft 

 the nia*t, also set up with turnbuckles The rudder is hung and all 

 outside work is completed. The spars lie on the beach at the club 

 grounds, a mast l8J^in. at partners, 16in. at hounds and 80ft. over all. 

 with lOfc. of masthead, tapering to 14in. at the upper cap No flimsy 

 ironwors, buc heavy oak cheek pieces and locust trestle trees. The 

 cheek pieces, 2ft. wide and 3ft. 6in. long, are of white oak, through 

 bolted and checked into the mast, besides behg firmly bolted through 

 the masthead. On them rest solid trestle trees of 4x6in. locust, 3ft. 

 long. These are encircled by an iron band 4m. wide, let into their 

 outer sides. The space for the heel of the topmast is llj^in. square. 

 Mr. Sawyer has the lower floor of the old shop fitted up as a sail loft, 

 and half a dozen men are now at work on the sails. The rigging is 

 also under way in Mr. Low's lofts in South street. The wire shrouds 

 have been parcelled in the eyes with heavy linen canvas covered with 

 shellac, in place of the leather commonly used. The lanyards will be 

 of 4in. Italian hemp. 



LENGTH AND BEAM IN YACHT DESIGNING. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Since Ave have yachts to represent every proportion of length 

 to beam and draft, with and without boards, from the dish pan 

 Fanny to the cleaver-shaped Bedouin, it seems to me the masters In 

 yacht designing might give ns a standard rule for centerboard boats 

 and lor cutters to guide amateur yachtsmen in the dimensions of 

 those they have built. Every designer and builder has his own pet 

 model to which he conforms the boats which he builds. Everyman 

 having a boat built has certain notions of what he would like, but 

 unless he has studied the subject well, and sometimes, after he has 

 done so. he does not have such definite opinions of the main dimen- 

 sions as would lead him to resist the predilections of his builder. 

 The consequence is that boats are put afloat every year thatftre 

 slow, faulty, and even dangerous in stormy weather The knowing 

 ones see the errors of dimension, and theowner finds them out, after 

 awhile, but having no guide, he plunges into others by ren.odeling 

 bis cvaftor building another. Mow I should like to have you lay 

 down the rules lor the two classes of boats, i.e.. the cenierboards 

 and the keel boats, and tell us what dimensions are the best for the 

 work they respectively perlorra. Wo are all floundering around in 

 figures between the Puritan and Geuesta, and would like to get upon 

 the deck of a perfect type of yacht. Solukia. 



[Our correspondent asks a question that has puzzled many before 

 him, hut that few who know anything about the subject would 

 attempt to answer by definite figures. To say positively that any 

 proportions ol beam and depth are the best lor a given length in any 

 particular type of boat, would he a very difficult task, and even ii 

 bueeubslully' accomplished it would of ifsell prove a very deceptive 

 guide to the t.\ro. The secret of yacht designing is in a thorough 

 harmony of every element, and to secure this requires long experi- 

 ence, thorough practical training, and a knowledge ol natural phil- 

 osophy. With these the designer will consider first the requirements 

 of the case, and then fit to them the dimensions, form, displacement, 

 ballast, keel or board, rig, sail area, and the thousand and one items 

 that go to make a successlul yacht. Lacking them, any set tables ol 

 dimensions would he ol little value. The safest plan for the man 

 who desires to build is to go to some, one whose work speaks lor him. 

 and who is known as a successful designer. Failing this, there are 

 well known boats of every type whose lines and elements may be 

 had, and which will serve as examples to be closely copied, varia- 

 tions being made by the novice only where their value is manitest. 

 Bv copying such a bout and availing himselfol the literature ol the 

 subject' now readily aeccsslhle. the amateur may secure a fairly 

 good craft as the result uf Ms care and study, but the at- 



tempt to depart from the beaten grooves and to essay something 

 beyond the ordinary line, without the requisite knowledge and ex- 

 perience, is almost invariably costly and unsuccessful. Whether de- 

 pending on himself or on a builder, there is always one point to he 

 kept in view; that a harmony of design is absolutely essentia A 

 man of moderate ability may plan and carry ont successfully a verv 

 good design while it attention is paid to the dictum of everv self ap- 

 pointed expert, an incongruous botch must result. With a thorough 

 consideration of the requirements and endp in view, a study of 

 similar vessels and a carelully matured plan that when once made 

 will lie rigidly adhered to, a fair amount of success may he expected 

 and while the boat may not be a second Puritan, she is not like'lv to 

 prove a mortifying failure.] 1 uy 1,0 



CRUISE OF THE COOT. 



xx. 



"TSTHEN about shoving off for a large, rambling white building, at 

 * . tl) e h P«'' of Smilh's Creek, which had b«en pointed out to mo 

 ns a store, a bellicose voice hailed me with, "Watcher going to do'" 

 "Come, ashore." I said, "mail some letters and get some of vour kero- 

 sene:" this latter as a pence-offering to the store keeper's temper 

 which lor some reason seemed ruffled at the Coots nppenrrnce ur'on 

 the scene. He via red at me from the bench with amazement Oueor 

 r*>ceptlm>. I thousrht from one who ought to propitiate stranirers for 

 their pocket-book's sake Stepping from the. skiff, I hastened to dis- 

 play a kerosene can as a sign that I meant, business to the full extent 

 of the can "I have no kerosene, except what they use iii the 

 kitchen." he broke out and scanned me from hend to foot, much as 

 he would some pnrloiner of the hen roost. "No kerosene? Why 

 what kind of a store do vou keep?" "Sto\ sto'.I kepn no sto ' " 

 This was accompanied wiih such a look of disdain that T saw I had 

 put mv foot in it and excused mv error as well as I could, blaming 

 the barrels and tubs on the veranda. He wag fullv six fept high, a 

 fine looking man with military bearimr, a stand un collar and fash- 

 ionable scarf. As soon as he had been assured that the Coot was 

 notcapahle. of stealing his oysters, even if she wanted to, and that 

 her crew came from New York on neaceful exploration, he srraciouRly 

 unbent anil came down from Mr colonel-like asperltv, tellingme with 

 pride, that he was from Washington and by implication d|s.enwned 

 the country round about. The ground upon which I had landed 

 was known ns the Jutland Farm. A magnificent demesne it cer- 

 tainly was, if I interpreted the boundaries right. It covered many 

 great fields of rich sriih had its own limber lands, sawmill, barns, 

 agricultural machinery, blneksmith f-hops and a village for the 

 hands. Hprds of sleek cattle and flocks of sheep burdened with 

 clotted fleeces, strayed oyer the pastures, which in their extent put 

 me in mind of scenes along the railroads through grass-covered Kan- 

 sas. Corn and wheat are the staples, and the stubble in sonic old 

 fields attested by their size the rich return from systematic and im- 

 proved methods of cultivation in these parts. The dwelling was one 

 ol the old homesteads built In the style of colony days and bore 

 sisrns of the wealth of its earlier orcii"ants. Having taken In all 

 this, and realized the immensity of mv affront, in addressing the lord 

 of the mnnor ns a sordid country store, keeper. I was about relenting 

 towards the crreaf, seigneur. But when he in a thoroughly 

 American spirit of materialism wanted to know whv I did not take 

 steamboat to Norfolk, mv good opinion of the worthy man took a 

 great fall. "What, go down the Bay in that little, s dl vessel! Why 

 don't you take steamboat, you will get there so much quicker " He 

 was astonished that I did not "get lost no some of these creeks," 

 whereat! laughed and told him I knew more shout the erppks Row- 

 ing through his own land than he. Th»n followed explanations 

 about charts, the attractions of yachting, etc. But he was irreclaim- 

 able from the s'oiurh of materialism and set me down as a very 

 queer example who did not care to get somewhere in the. least pos- 

 sible lime. We walked along to one eate where he gave me direc- 

 tions to the nearest store and po=t office, some three miles away. I 

 started in my jersey and cap. On the mad an old farmer ami his 

 son stepped out, of a barn. Said the old man: " Offer a steamer I 

 sunpose." after pointing out a short, cut to the store. "Yes." 

 "Thought T beam her whistle, n while a<ro." The store proved 

 quite a luxurious affair and stood in evidence of the pn r cha«iug 

 newer of the country near hy. AVell bred horses and smart busrtries 

 wpre hitched up to the ridge pole outside and a well dressed crowd 

 of local nabobs of the soil had congregated inside about the stove, at 

 which thev spat with great vehemence, though the stove had ap- 

 oavnntly done them no harm. The proprietor of the establishment, 

 likewise the postmaster, was a polile yonn<r man with n citv cut to 

 his rig. I waddled nut with the can filled between two score of 

 eves and one score of npen mou'hs and heard a darkv identify me 

 as "'le cap'n oh de. vat fom Now Yoke." Some awful dogs came for 

 mv shanks under full sail and nothing hut the most, persuasive wiles 

 kept them from lnvinr me aboard A huge monster, wild as a wolf, 

 guarded the iratesof the Jutland Farm. I whistled and tried to look 

 c.arelpss. but, laid a plan of battle which was to shy the can at thn 

 dotr's head to his confusion, and shin un the nearest tree, in accord 

 with the policy recommended In a certain sporting bonk when pur- 

 sued bv a bear. The dog- merely sniffed at mv hen's and let me. pass 

 on. for which! was exceedingly thankful. He had seen me, or rather 

 smelt me before with his master and he remembered my particular 

 flavor, which was not, much to the credit of his nose, seeing the 

 length of time which had elapsed since certain articles of clothing 

 had hoPn refreshed. 



The following morning I turned ont bright and earlv and at onco 

 turned In again. It was blowing a strong gale from S.B.. directly in 

 mv teeth going ont of the Potomac. At noon the wind shifted to X. 

 W in a few minutes and hrought down n terrific electrical storm. 

 Sombre and threatening nimbus clouds towered one above the other 

 and advanced rapidly until overhead. Then the vivid flash of light- 

 ning and a burst of rnarlnp thunder loosed the floodgates and poured 

 down sheets of lukewarm rain for half an lnmr. As suddenly as 

 the storm had come in. it ceased. The skv cleared and the evening 

 <=nn crowned the moist foliage with golden tips. The atmosphere 

 h«d become bnlmv as in spring, though it was the Inst dav in Dec.em- 

 iier T stripped off an ou'er jersev and stood in the cockpit bareheaded. 

 Could this be the "warm weather" T had all along tried to sight 

 ahead, or was it nntv the forerunner of some violent change, eer- 

 tninlv If seemed verv unnatural. During the afternoon, the Coot 

 shifted her berth into the first branch ioinlng the creek from the 

 eastward. Among the. little, collection of honsesnear a landing there 

 is a pumn suffering from exhaustion, but which yields good wnter 

 after starting it Into life with a bucket full poured down its throat. 

 The old pronle were on the door steps and children played about in 

 bare feet and arms, vet the next dav was to usher In the new year. 

 From a native, whnhnd been fireman on a New York steam- r. but 

 had with good sense retired to a flourishing little farm and some 

 oyster beds. I learned that Little Wicomico, just inside of Smith's 

 Point on the south side of the Potomac, could he entered and a har- 

 bor made, if I conld not reach round seven miles, further In the 

 Great Wicomico. That evening 1 beheld the most beautiful sunset I 

 have ever witnessed, whether from the sea or perched twelve 

 thousand feet hi"h unon the Bookies. For brilliancy and variety of 

 color, no artist's brush oou'd have approached this gorgeous 

 spectacle. As the dusk faded into the silvery gloom of a moonlit 

 Rkv. the wealth of gold and crimson, the richest blues, the greens 

 which were almost starting in their intensity, and the most delicate 

 gravR. slnwlv passed through many fasrin ting modifications, paling 

 the while, tilt all was finally merged into a half lit night of mystic 

 spell. Tt was late when the daydreams in the cockpit gave way to 

 dreamless slumber in the snug cabin below. 



With a rousing northwester the Coot frepd sheet down the Poto- 

 mac and reeled before Its impulse to such an extent that I wished 

 for two rpefs in the sail, but still not quite enough lo induce me. to 

 come-hv and haul out the earing. The first dav of Jan nary should 

 he inaugurated bv a run fit to goon record. But "man proposes, 

 etc " Instead of hugging the northern shore around Cornfield Har- 

 bor and running well out into the Bay before hauling up lor thu 

 south. I put the Coot on a direct course for Smith's Point after 

 pmerglng from the creek. This carried me across the mouth of the 

 Potomac and right through the inevitable zone of calms already 

 spoken of. From the low cockpit floor of a small boat you cannot 

 see far ahead and Iran out of the wind before the extent of the 

 calm zone could be appreciated. It kept on blowing a cnlc along the 

 northern shore, while for three hours the. Coot and other vessels in 

 her company tossed about npon an irregular swell and through some 

 tide ribs. It Re.emed as though we were locked for good in the 

 doldrums. The Coot headed In all directions, jibed and jibed and 

 rolled and plunged in an exasperating manner. By dint of a great 

 deal of sculling, a turn in the tide and a few light airs picked np on 

 the edge or the doldrums, the boat crawled and fanned across, then 

 followed down the shore, edging Into get a look lor the narrow 

 entrance to the Little Wicomico, as it was already well along in the 

 afternoon, nearly calm and the next harbor more than seven miles 

 away. A small pungie w ith a flag at the masthead was loading np 

 with oysters brought alongside in canoes. Seemingly a sand bar 

 stretched across the former entrance to the larger sheet of water 

 within. Soon one of the canoes cast off from the pungio and (-culled 

 inshore. By watching it through the glasses, I discerned several 

 stakes and noted the side these were left on by the canoe. Sailing 

 down into his wake, a long gutter like passage between the sand 

 spit and Smith's Island was easily made out The water became so 

 shoal, that the boat was poled along with the oar. As the head of 

 the gut was reached the ebb was found rushing ont like a sluice 

 way. and the greatest exertion had to be used to forue the Coot 

 against it without letting her slew round on to the shoals each side< 



