360 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Mat S7, 1886. 



put into three gallons of cold muddy water and boiled for three 

 hours, after which the heads are chopped off and the meat and fat 

 taken out; next take a dozen pieces of hardtack, half as many pota- 

 toes and an equal number of onions; mix well together, being sure 

 not to disturb the weeviles in tbe hardtack for fear that they may 

 escape; this is then to be stewed for five hours with the turtle meat, 

 and some Chile peppers and wine added. It is then far superior to 

 anything that comes out of a hash mill; and on one occasion I have 

 known Talisman to wrap himself around one gallon of the article 

 and then do a good day's work afterward. However, he was only 

 allowed to make it once as long as I was chief cook and pot-washer. 



The 30ch day of May found us at the mouth of the great father of 

 mud aDd gold dust, the American River, which in comparison with 

 the now muddy Sacramento, looks of an inky blackness. When we 

 had passed under the railroad bridge it was commencing to grow 

 dark, but as there was no sign of a beach on either side of the river, 

 we kept on, from minute to minute expecting at each turn to see 

 some place where we might camp for the night. As I was crossing 

 the mid-channelT felt a slieht shock as though the keel had touched 

 some obstruction on the river bottom ; I sounded with the paddle but 

 could feel no bottom, and concluded that it must have been some 

 salmon forging his way up stream. 



The wind and current had both augmented in strength, so that 

 while the latter was running about six knots, we were sailing seven 

 or eight. Talisman called from across the river to tell me that he 

 was stuck on a bar just as I felt another scrape on the keel similar to 

 the first, and then another. On making a more careful investigation 

 with the paddle than before, I came to the conclusion that the river's 

 bed was a series of waves of sand, the crests of which were scraped 

 by the keels of the canoes in passing over them. Talisman having 

 released himself from the bar where he had grounded, came across 

 the river, and we determined to pitch our tents above the next bend, 

 beach or no beach. When we finally camped it was about two miles 

 from the City of Sacramento, which lay to the S. W. of us, and all 

 through the nigrht we listened to the whistles of the freight engines 

 as they worked in the yards making up their trains, even this usually 

 annoying sound being welcome to us, not having heard it for three 

 weeks before. 



When I used the word "pitched" in the above paragraph it was in- 

 correct, for the only pitching that we did was to run the canoes along- 

 side a log that jutted out into the stream, and threw our camping kit 

 ashore, to be followed by ourselves, and as the slickens forms the 

 very worst species of quicksand, it was hard work to get ashore, at all. 



While seated at the fire that night, drawing clovery inspirations 

 from our briars, we were agreeably surprised by receiving a visit 

 from an old '49er, who bad a cabin some way back from the river 

 bank and had seen our fire. Among some of his earlier experiences 

 which he retailed to us was the following story, which I give minus 

 the inimitable exprpssions and grotesque gestures of the old miner: 



"In the early days, b°fore Californy were much of a place, me and 

 some other young fellers goc up a party bound up thiysame river 

 for the gold mines; we were alias green as grass as far as game 

 went, didn't know the difference between a duck and a coot. Did 

 you ever eat a coot?" he inquired. Upon receiving a negative reply 

 he continued and said: "Well, take my advice and never make the 

 mistake of tryin' to. We had an old musket along with us in the 

 skiff, one of them as they calls a yawger, and one day, Ed. Martin, 

 one of tbe boys, shot what we thought was some kind or a duck, and 

 brought it to camp." Here he paused for a few whiffs at his pipe. 



"Next day beiner Sunday, we thought we'd have duck for dinner, 

 so he was picked, stuffed with bread crumbs, bacon and onions, and 

 put on to boil. Well, he must have been on about two hours, when 

 we tried him with a fork to see if he was done; the meat didn't give 

 wuth a durn. We told Martin to try it with a huntin' knife, which 

 didn't have ro more effect on him than the fork; so he was left in 

 peace till we finished the rest of our grub. Then one of the boys said 

 that all he needed was more bilin', so we put him back on the fire to 

 bile, and he staid there the best part of the day. and when we went 

 to bed that night be was still a bilin' and tougher than ever. That 

 contrariness made the boys mad, and they was in for boilin' thet shaer 

 if they had to boil 'im ev'ry day tell we got to the mines, an' they did 

 boil him, and I reckon ef you was ever to run over our last cam pin' 

 place you'd find him bilin' yet." And the grizzled pioneer leaned 

 back and laughed iu his sepulchral hollow tone, at the thought of his 

 first and everlasting potpie. 



The immense quantities of mud that have settled on the banks of 

 tbe American have killed most of the small trees and so withered 

 the larger ones that their beauty is forever gone. After two days of 

 hard work trying to force our keels through the soft quicksand that 

 grated along the bottom no matter what part of the river you took, 

 we finally abandoned the task and turned our faces southward. About 

 6 o'clock one fine evening we found ourselves near the mouth of the 

 American and only a half mile from che State capital. On the port 

 bank there was a large and healthy slickens bar. It was impossible 

 to camp there; but on the risht side was a bank, seven or eight feet 

 high and covered with small willow.s. To this we directed our course. 

 Just beside the bank, and partly floating in the water, was a huge pine 

 log. Having assured ourselves chat there was no danger of its going 

 adrift, we made the canoes fast and set the tents on them. This done, 

 the provisions were put upon the bank, and then came the problem 

 of how to cook them. There was only room for the two of us to 

 stand on the bank, and the willows were as thick as nature could 

 weave their sickly stems together. Talisman having set his mind on 

 a good supper in honor of its beiug the last day of the cruise, seized 

 the hatchet and commenced a deadly onslaught that threatened to 

 depopulate the thicket if long continued, while I plunged into the 

 tangled mass of vegetation to secure wood. A more unlikely place 

 for a camp I never saw; the only available wood was the dead 

 branches that had not yet fallen to the ground and disappeared under 

 the cover of the blackberry vines. By dint of hard scratching and a 

 good deal of undignified clambering 1 managed to get enough wood 

 to cook" a good supper and found that Talisman had cleared a good 

 space for the camp-fire. 



Next morning after breakfast we started in to give everything a gen- 

 eral cleaning up. for the last pot of coffee had been boiled and the 

 last hot cake turned that we were to have on this cruise. The 

 canoes were sponged, the brass work polished, the dry stowages 

 of the Talisman scruboed outto remove the smell of onions, butnoth- 

 ing had any effect on them. We next turned our attention to the 

 wardrobes that we carried. Talisman turned his canoe into a laundry 

 and scrubbed away, using the deck for a washboard, while I mended 

 the various rips and tears that had occurred at different times. By 

 10 o'clock the strings of clothes that had been raised by the halliards 

 between the masts were dry and I had finished the last rent. Every- 

 thing having been carefully stowed on board, we bid good-bye to the 

 American River and paddled gracefully and leisurely inco our old 

 friend the Sacramento, and in a few minutes reached the ciiy of that 

 name. We were here entertained in the most hospitable manner by 

 our friends and shown off to no small extent by our friend Marcin, 

 who evidently thought that a real live canoeist was no smaU curiosity 

 especially when attired in such a costume as cae one that we wore— blue 

 shirts and knickeroockcrs with stockings to match, white canvas shoes 

 and red sashes and Tarn o'Shanters, then a sheath knife suspended 

 by the sash, and no wonder we were looked at. 



"Our hospitable friends at last allowed us to leave and we arrived a 

 San Francisco at 11 o'clock, and found that two of our friends from 

 the club bad started across from Oakland, after business hours, for 

 the sake of meeting us, and the next morning (Sunday) we all sailed 

 home together, receiving quite an ovation from the assembled canoe- 

 men. 



Here I leave you, hoping that if you have had the patiepce and 

 good nature to follow us through the description of our cruise in the 

 far West, that you will not be satisfied by simply reading of such 

 trips, but will go and do likewise, when grim winter has released his 

 icy hold upon J our rivers and lakes. 



On this cruise we made 500 miles by our canoes alone, and by canoe 

 and steamer the distance of 1,000 miles. 



Our voyage is ended, the canoes hauled up on the beach of time to 

 wait the flowing tide, each gentle ripple slowly encroaching on 

 the sandy shore, till step by step they once more surround our crafts 

 to float them on its watery deep. 



So 'twill be with us as the years drag slowly by, each one helping 

 to lessen tbe allotted limit of our lives, when that is reached we will 

 be launched on a different course, one where each cruiser must paddle 

 his own canoe. 



And the lily stems when we have passed them by, will but sink to 

 rest, till other hands and other minds shall softly part their leaves as 

 they voyage in the wake we have left. 



CANOEING AT LYNN.— What little canoeing has been done in 

 this vicinity has heretofore been by the unorganized efforts on the 

 part of a dozen or so of "terrified amateurs," only to or three of 

 whom are A. C. A. men. Their field was restricted to FJax Pond 

 until last season, when they ventured upon blue water and partici- 

 pated in the city aquatic event of July 4 This year a serious move- 

 ment is made toward a beginning, and a club has been organized and 

 steps taken to move the house to a good place on the harbor front, 

 increasing thereby the chances for salt-water cruises and the induce- 

 ments for new members to join. The following preamble to the rules 

 is adopted: Whereas, Believing from our individual experience thac 

 the pastime known as canoeing has claims upon the attention of 

 many persons who, while in need of an active outdoor exercise, are 

 as yet unaware of the merits possessed by this safe, healthful, inter- 

 esting and inexpensive sport; that it is full of complete diversion from 

 the ordinary pursuits of life; that it requires activity sufficient for 

 physical development and recuperation; that it is replete with oppor- 

 tunities that are conducive to sentiment of a healthy and inspiring 

 sort by reason of the very nature of its pursuit; that it fosters an in- 

 terest in the history of the primitive people who once dwelt here and 

 with whose traditions and traces the locality still abounds, for it is 

 their rude canoe, modified and improved, which is the medium of our 

 sport, and although there is a wide gulf between their simple paddle 

 or pole and the patent appurtenances of to day, and from the bush 

 in the bow to the cloud of muslin spread by ballasted Pearls, we 

 believe the canoe is still potent to imbue much of the independence 

 and simplicity which characterized its originators; and, whereas, we 

 believe that in organizing as a club our ability to pursue the sport 

 and to promote its claims, to which we invite theatention of any 

 person, will be largely increased; therefore, we adopt the following 

 constitution and by-laws: Article 1. This club shall be known as the 

 Sagamore Canoe Club. Aiticle 2. The officers shall consist of a cap- 

 tain, mate and purser. The other articles are modelled upon similar 

 lines to those of other clubs. Ernest Bellaty, of Lynn, is the first 

 captain: Jos. B. Center, of Lymj, the mate, and Clarence Murphy, of 

 Salem, purser, and there are about half a dozen first-class sailing 

 canoes in the club house. The club is to be represented at the Spring- 

 field meet.— Clakence Murphy, Purser. 



KNICEKRBOCK7ER C. C— Sixth annual spring regatta, May 23, at 

 152d street, New York. First race called at 3 o'clock. Every event 

 was open to canoeists from any club. The weather was perfect; a 

 good strong breeze irom the south blowing against the first of the 

 ebb tide made it possible for all canoes to get over the course in 

 good time, yet left the water smooth enough for the paddling con- 

 test. A large number of visitors were present, among them many 

 young ladies, friends of club members, and they aU got good views 

 of the races from the pier near the club house, where camp chairs 

 were provided for them. Flags were given as prizes to the first and 

 second canoe in each event having three or more starters. A 3-mile 

 sailing race came first, twice around a triangular course: Stag, E.W. 

 Brown; Fox, C. B. Vaux; Yvonne,Wm. Whitlock; Evangeline, C.V. R. 

 Schnvler; Guenn, M. V. Brokaw; Lorelei, B. 0. Griffin. Stag, Fox 

 and Lorelei, of the K. C. C and Yvonne, Guenn and Evangeline of 

 the Brooklyn C. C. Fox was sailed by a N. Y. C. C. member and 

 crossed the line first, Guenn and Stag following very closely and to- 

 gether, the rest a. few seconds later; all with medium sized sails or 

 reefs. Fox rounded the buoy first and then shook out a reef, losing 

 the lead to Stag while doing it. Lorelei dropped out. Stag kept the 

 lead to the finish. Yvonne got third place the first round and kept it, 

 Fox second, Evangeline got fourth place and Guenn fifth at the finish. 

 Stag is a 15X30 canoe with dead rise, Fox is same size, same board- 

 one large plate— but with a fiat floor, and though carrying much more 

 sail than Stag, could never catch her. The Fox sailed the whole race 

 with board up, as the tide helped on the two windward legs of the 

 course. Yvonne sailed her maiden race with a very small spread of 

 canvas. A half-mile paddling race between Gould and Foster was 

 won by Foster. Class IV. paddling race was won by Foster in Lasata 

 against Evangeline (Schuyler), Yvonne (Whitlock), and Lorelei (Grif- 

 fin). The combination race was left out and a visitors' sailing race 

 substituted, once around the course: Yvonne (Whitlock), Guenn 

 (Brokaw) and Evangeline (Schuyler). The boats got off almost ex- 

 actly even and kept verv close together all round the course. Evan- 

 geline winning by a length the better of Guenn, Yvonne a few seconds 

 behind Guenn. 



MOHICAN RACES.— The monthly race, unlimited as to sail or 

 ballast, for the club champion badge and pennant was sailed over 

 the club course, 3 miles, on Thursday, May 20. Entries: Thetis, P. 

 M Wackerhagen, senior; Annie O., L. Thomas, senior; Marion B.. R. 

 S. Oliver, senior; Arno, H. C. Cushman, junior. A strong northwest 

 wind was blowing with frequent squalls, and the boats were close 

 reefed carrying an average of 60ft. of sail. Start was made promptly 

 at 5:30, the competitors getting well together. For the first mile 

 Marion B. led, followed closely by Thetis, Annie O. third, and Arno 

 fourth. Then Thetis shook out the reef in her main in spite of fre- 

 quent knock downs from the squalls, and passing to windward of 

 Marion B. rounded the mile buoy just ahead of her, the Annie O. 

 some moments later. The captain of the Marion B. then hoisted his 

 entire main, giving him 60ft. to Thetis 7.3ft., both carrying reefed 

 dandies about 15ft. in addition. The race between them was then 

 necic and neck for home, the Marion B. steadily overhauling the 

 Thetis, and finally getting to windward and passing her on the second 

 tack The pace was great and the excitement intense, the squalls 

 coming thick and fast and the wind veering about continually several 

 points. On the last half mile, the Thetis began to close the gap but 

 in vain, as the Marion B. poked her nose across the line a half a length 

 ahead, just 34min. from the start. Annie O. a minute later, and Arno 

 not timed. The Vesper was not entered, as her captain was 

 absent from the city; but the Marion B., her twin sister with che ex- 

 ception of two light centerboards instead of a single Atwood, upheld 

 the honor of "che model." On Thursday next, May 27, the 60 limit 

 race for the Oliver cup will be sailed.— Robert Shaw Oliver, 

 Captaia M. C. C. 



A. C. A.— Mr. M. E. Graves, of St. Paul. Minn., is a candidate for 

 membership. Secretarv Neid6 writes us from 8c Paul that he had 

 expected to join the Hudson River meet at Rondout, but would be 

 unable to do so. He will make a cruise, with a friend, down the (Jan- 

 non or Brule Rivers, on May 29. 



OAKLAND C. C. — A new canoe, the Spray, 15x36in., has lately 

 been added to tbe fleet. Her owner and builder is an amateur, Mr. 

 Geo. Engelbrecht. She will have a Radix board as soon as one can 

 be had from New Y T ork; meanwhile she has a 3in. keel. The club 

 now numbers 19 with 14 canoes, and several more boats will soon be 

 added, including two from Rushron. The club house is well fitted 

 with kicchen, dressing room, pantries and meeting room. The pro- 

 gramme for Decoration Day is as follows: Fust race, at 9:30 A. M. 

 — Rowing in single sculls, by members of the Columbia Rowing Club. 

 Second race— Paddling in canoes— Class one, two men, three entries; 

 Class two and three, one man each, six and eight entries. Third race 

 — Rowing— Four-oared shells, two crews from the Columbia Rowing 

 Club. Fourth race— Sailing, yawls— Nettie, Bonita. Mosquito. Skiffs 

 — Mattie. Rush, Dauntless. Fifth race Canoe sailing race, Class one 

 —Flirt, Spray, Mystic, Falcon, Zoe Mou. Class two— Water Lily, 

 Shadow, Belle. Columbia, Shadow. Class three— Volante. Undine, 

 Black Dwatf, White Cap. Class two starts three minutes after Class 

 one. Class three starts three minutes after Class two. Sixth— Sail- 

 ing race (for the prize pennant)— Entries, the winners of the fourth 

 and fifth races, the winning canoe, yawl and skiff. Seventh— Con- 

 solation sailing race— Open to all except winners in previous races. 

 Eighth— Canoe tournament— Entries, Mystic, Flirt, Spray, Undine, 

 Falcon, Zoe Mou. Ninth— Swimming race. The first race will be 

 called at 9:30 o'clock sharp. *lr. C. G. Yale will act as referee, and 

 Marcus P. Wiggin and Marcus D. Hyde as judges and starters. 



HARTFORD C. C. — Editor Forest dnd Stream: The regular May 

 meeting of the Hartford C. C. found a number present in their canoe 

 house, and after the admission of several new members there was a 

 general talk on canoeing interests, upon the coming spring meet of 

 this and the Springfield clubs at Calla Shasta, and upon the looks of 

 the canoes in ihe house. Several of the canoes have, just come from 

 renovating shops and are looking finely. All have wintered well and 

 our members are already planning way ahead into summer, the focus 

 of all plans being of course the A. C. A. meet at Grindstone Island. 

 The discussions of the last winter, notably that at the camp-fire of 

 our president, at which the editor of the Canoeist was present, have 

 brought forth fruit in the shape of new sails, in new styles, and with 

 promising features for speed and cruising. The members of our ex- 

 ecutive committee have sent out mvitacions to all of our associate 

 members to join in a camp dinner on the racing day of the Calla 

 Shasta meet.— Secretary. 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



G. W. R.— The accent in name Lefever is on thepsnult. 



G. H. C, Boston, Mass.— It will ao no barm to clip the dog. 



G. W. J.— Write to J. McNaugnton's Sons, furriers. New York city. 

 W, L. B., Srnithburg, N. J.— See Shot columns in last week's paper. 

 Trefoil, Cleveland, O.— Trefoil is black and tan, with white on 



chest. 



J. B. P., Ohio.— Mr. C. M. Cordell, of Buffalo, can probably give 

 you the information. 



W. W. S., Lake Linden.— Make the lower mast 35ft. from ground 

 to upper cap; masthead, 3ft. 6in. long. 



F. Q. S , Monroe, Mich.— We have never seen the target and do not 

 know the address of its manufacturers. 



S. S. H., Creighton, Pa.— We do not know where to refer you. Shall 

 publish them as soon as they can be obtained. 



J. T. W., Waterbury, Vt.— lOoz. duck is heavy enough for canvas 

 canoes. Paine it with boiled linseed oil and terebin dryer. 



P. and B., Bridgeport, Conn.— There is a pamphlet publication of 

 the New York laws (price 25 cents), but not amended up to date. 



H. J. M., New York— We would not advise in-breeding so closely, 

 although it is frequently done and of ten with apparently good re- 

 sult. 



J. F. L.— For an extended discussion of the squirrel question, see 

 Forest and Stream, Dec. 27, 1877, and Jan. 24, Feb. 7 and March 21, 

 lS7d. 



J. F. R,, Lock Haven, Pa.— 1 and 2. Yes. 3. We would not advise 

 spaying, as it is a cruel and unnatural operation and often unsatis- 

 factory. 



C. P. F.— See article page 309, and others in former numbers giving 

 full information about the region. There are stage and buekboard 

 connections. 



C. H. H.— You will find full drawings of Mohican sail in the Forest 

 and Stream of Nov. 13, 1884, or in "C.moe Building for Amateurs," 

 for sale at this office. 



W". O. W.— You will be likely to find good quail shooting in the 

 neighborhood of Homosassa. The fishiug is good Chere in January 

 for a variety of fish. 



F. C. P. — Wecannotgive you definite information, but suggest that 

 you will find what you want in any of the hill towns of Western 

 Massachusetts back from the railroad. 



Jay, Chatham, R. B.— The Coot is 20ft.X8ft. 6in. on waterline. The 

 word "board" is equivalent to tack or leg. All three flags should be 

 carried at masthead, of course only one at a time, according to cir- 

 cumstances, 



J. C. W. Paterson.— The stock on my shotgun is so long that when 

 I have my finger on the first trigger the butt catches under my arm 

 when I raise it quick. I woidd like to know how much I could cut 

 off and not hurt the balance. Do you think an inch and a hah too 

 much? Ans. Take it to a gimsmith; it can be cut wichout any diffi- 

 culty. 



R. M. C. British Columbia.— Illustrations of yachts and yacht races 

 are occasionally given in Harper's Weekly (Harper & Bros., New 

 York, $4 per year) and i*Va»ifc Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper (Mrs. 

 Frank Leslie, New York, §4 par yeir). Neiiner or these give special 

 news reports of yachting. There is no illustrated publication devoted 

 to yachting in this country. 



A. V. B., Philadelphia.— 1. Where can I get about 1,000 brook 

 trout fry old enough to stock a stream? 2. About what would they 

 cost? n 

 a qua 

 W. L. 



N. H. 2, See answer above. 3. About two years old if well fed. 



M. J. E., New York. — Will you be kind enough to inform me how 

 to catch salmon trout? What kind of baio is generally used, and 

 what period of the year is best for catching them? Ans. Troll for 

 them from a boat with a stiff rod, five to seven feet long, aDd a reel 

 that will hold 200 feet of line. Use a live minnow, ebub or suck-r. 

 and 3 feet above ic put on 3 or 4 ounces of lead, according to depth of 

 water. Row slowly, so that your bait sinks near the bottom. Use 

 lead and line according to depth. We prefer a single hook to a gang. 



A. C. G.. Poughkeeysie. N. Y. -Which is tbe most common way for 

 clubs to shoot, class shooting or unclassified? IX a shooter got a 

 pigeon too low for a fair shot, say three feet high, and took it, must 

 he abide by the result or would he be allowed another shoe? If che 

 pigeon would have struck the net, but he broke it before reaching it, 

 would it score, and if he missed ic and it was stepped by the net 

 would he be. entitled to another shot? Where can we get the com- 

 plete rules for clay pigeon shooting and how much do they cost? 

 aus. 1. Class shooting. 2. Yes. 3. If he broke it, it would score, if 

 if he missed it, it would be scored against him. Write to the Ligow- 

 sky Company. 



HUMPHREYS' 

 ^Homeopathic Veterinary 

 i Specifics for 



\ HORSES, CATTLE, 'SHEEP" 

 DOGS, HOGS, POULTRY*. 



faced by U. S. Governm't. 

 Chart on Rollers, 



and Boole Sent Free. 

 Humphreys' Med, Co., 109 Fulton St., N. Y. 



Salmon Fishing in Canada. 



We have the largest stock in America of Forrest 

 & Son's celebrated Salmon Flies, Rods, Reels, 

 Casting Lines, etc., etc. We have everything m 

 Fishing Tackle for the successful capture of Sal- 

 mon and Trout in Canadian waters. American 

 anglers can obtain their complete outfit from us 

 far below New York prices. Spliced Salmon and 

 Trout Rods a specialty. Salmon and Trout Rods 

 made to order and repaired. W. W. Greener's 

 Guns, Eley Bros. Ammunition, Curtis and Harvey's 

 Diamond Grain Powder, Clay Pigeons, Blackbirds, 

 Glass Balls, Traps and all kinds of sporting goods. 

 Send stamp for 42-page illustrated catalogue. 

 T. W. BOYD & SON, 1641 Notre Dame st, 

 Montreal, Canada. 



AR TIFICI A L F LI ES. 



We keep constantly in stock over 500 varieties of 



Trout, Black Bass, Grayling & Salmon Flies. 



Particular attention given to the selection of the gut, and all flies tied on our HIGHEST QUALITY SPROAT 

 HOOKS. 



Size? of Trout Flies from No. 2 to No. 18. Any pattern tied to order. 



If your dealer does not keep our goods in stock, or will not order them for you, send us 50 cents for our 180-page 

 folio illustrated catalogue. 



ABBEY <fc IMBBIE, 



Manufacturers of every description of 



FINE FISHING TAG 



18 Vesey Street (Fourth door from the Astor House), New Tork. 



