262 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Oct. 28, 1886. 



AMfeiss all comfnunications to tJw Forest and Stream Pub. Co. 



A TRIP TO THE PARK. 



AFTER completing our stay at Missoula we started for 

 Livingston, intending to make a tonr of the National 

 Park. We an-ived at Cinnabar late in the evening and 

 concluded to rest here imtil the next day before attempt- 

 ing the long stage ride. Early in the morning I got out 

 my fishing tackle and concluded to try the Yellowstone 

 for trout; more for the sake of being able to say that I had 

 iished in the Yellowstone than for any expectation of get- 

 ting many fish. About 200yds. west of where om- car 

 stood was a ravine that led down by gentle gxadation to 

 the edge of the river, I selected my flies and began cast- 

 ing, moving down stream between the bltdi and water's 

 edge, as it was impossible to wade the Yellowstone at this 

 place. Wlien about opposite where the car stood I made 

 a cast by the side of a large boulder and was rewarded by 

 hooking a small fish, about 8in. long. This ending the 

 morning's fish, and not caring to retrace my steps, I con- 

 cluded to cUmb the hill which did not seem to be over 

 50ft. high and of about 60° angle. After laboring for 

 some time and beginning to feel that I should entirely 

 lose my breath, I could not see that I had materially short- 

 ened the distance, in fact the summit appeared nearer 

 the clouds than at first. 



Although the distance down to the water's edge seemed 

 frightfully long, and the way entirely too precipitous to 

 attempt a descent, I sat upon the edge of a rock, holding 

 on to a small cedar bush, wondering what I should do. 

 The idea of iperishing so near my friends and they not 

 able to help me, for they had no idea where I had gone, 

 as I left them all soimd asleep, and then no amoimt of 

 yelling would do any good, for the deep roaring of the 

 mighty torrent below me hushed every other voice. 

 Besides, I had no \\Tnd to yell with, as it took about all I 

 could command to enable me to breathe at all. After 

 resting a while, I began my onward and upward jom-ney 

 by slow stages, zigzagging the mountain side and holding 

 on to the little cedar bushes to prevent falling, when the 

 gravel gave way under my feet. After quite a struggle I 

 made the summit, where the sun was shining brightly 

 and everytliing seemed lovely. I more than felt rejoiced 

 that I was safe, and vowed' that this would be the last 

 time that I would be caught trying to pull 2101bs. of inex- 

 perienced adipose up a steep mountain side that was really 

 four or five times higher than anticipated, and whose angle 

 approximated, from above downward, a perpendicular. 



When I reached the car I found breakfast Avaiting and 

 all anxious to be off. I gave my little fish — for be it xmder- 

 stood that I had heroically held on to the game instead of 

 casting it overboard for the purpose of lightening the ship, 

 as some less brave men have done — to our factotum, en- 

 joining upon liim to be a good boy and stay by the car 

 during om* absence. Breakfast being fairly over, the 

 Concord coaches made their appearance and we were soon 

 off for the Park Hotel. AVe had a fine coach and a double 

 team of four excellent horses. I was very much surprised 

 to see such fine, substantial outfits in this far away country. 

 The driver told me that they were Oregon horses and 

 were raised in and used to the mountains. I found that 

 our driver was an old mountaineer and understood his 

 business. There was no bluster about him, and very 

 little talk: in fact, his mind was upon his business and he 

 showed an intelligent care for our comfort in every way. 

 These mountain men are not always the crude western 

 characters that tourists often paint them. In fact, in all 

 my traveling thi-ough the West I generally find a more 

 intelligent class, in proportion, than one will begin to 

 meet in the more populous throngs of the cultivated East. 

 These Western men will read you in a few minutes, for 

 there are no better judges of human character. You need 

 not tell them that "tliis is om- first trip West," and it 

 would be just as gratuitous to attempt to palm yourself 

 off for a "full blood," wlien "tenderfoot" is written all 

 over you. I soon made up my mind that we had an intel- 

 ligent, rehable man for om- "Jehu." 



We were soon at the Grand Hotel. But what is the use 

 of going into ecstacy over the magnificent scenery that is 

 around you everywhere. Nothing like it, probably in the 

 world. Spreading out before you are the everlasting hills, 

 completely encircling the white magnesian valley, where 

 flow the Mammoth Hot Sulphm- Springs. Dinner was not 

 ready and we had some leisure to look around. The first 

 thing to do was to see about om- transportation, as we 

 -would require two covered coaches of four horses each to 

 transport the party. After some dickering we concluded 

 the bargain by agreeing to pay $100 for the teams for two 

 days, being assured that this was the very best that we 

 could do. It really seemed hke an expensive luxury and 

 would not have been incm-red imder other circumstances. 

 But we felt that we were in for it and there was no chance 

 to retreat. When dinner was announced we walked into 

 the dining-room— and we had plenty of room— for om 

 party constituted the guests de facto of the vast concern, 

 which appeared to me to be about 120 by 90ft., and as 

 di-eary and unmviting as the adobe correllos of the Mexi- 

 can greasers. 



After dinner, and while waiting for the teams, we ex- 

 amined some of the curiosities in the hotel collection. 

 Among other things we were shown a photograph of "a 

 catch," and were informed "that these fish were taken by 

 President Arthm: and Senator Vest." Upon my asking 

 -which was the President's and which was "Vest's, the 

 dealer didn't know, and I at once took the hint that there 

 was a kind of cliivakic propriety in not knowing, and I 

 was sm-prised and not a little abashed at having asked 

 what, in legal parlance, might be considered "a leading 

 question." But then T might plead extenuatmg circum- 

 stances, 1 did not know the President, but if he can excel 

 the Senator in the artistic handling of either rod or gun, 

 I should be most happy to make his acquaintance. 



"Papa, what kind of steak was that we had for dinner.'' 

 was asked by my little daughter soon after we left the table. 

 "That was elk steak," I replied, "why do you ask?" "O! 

 it was perfectly awful," she repHed, "I do not want any 

 more elk steak.'" I told her that the elk had been fresh 

 killed and the proprietor had served it, no doubt thinking 

 it would be relished by "tenderfeet," that is, people who 

 had never eaten any before or who were unacquainted 

 with Western moxmtain life, but after a. week, when the 



meat had dried out some it made excellent steak, as we 

 attested before we left the Park. 



The teams were now ready and sure enough here comes 

 my former driver, wlio informed me that, at my request, 

 the Superintendent had insti-ucted him to accompany our 

 party. All were soon aboard and taking up our line of 

 march over the white magnesia deposit, we soon arrived 

 at the timber and the first considerable rise of ground. 

 We now have some seven or eight miles of continuous up 

 hiU. At short intervals we can have an ice cold drink 

 from some of the many springs that fine our pathway. 



Nothing is more calculated to cause one's memory to 

 run backward to the early days of our own State. Here 

 are the still, still woods. Nothing to break the silence, save 

 our horses' feet and the rattlmg of the harness. Occasion- 

 ally a bu-d might be seen, usually one of ijrey or garbage 

 gatherers, but generally the woods were silent as the 

 grave. Not a moving wild animal did I see -within the 

 Park, save a little graj^ squu-rel in the early morning. The 

 bugle of the sandhill crane could be heard about sun up ; that 

 reminded me of the early days of Missouri, when every 

 morning in the spring we could hear the wildfowl and 

 cranes at their accustomed meals. Forty years ago it was 

 no uncommon thing for the writer to be told to "huii-y 

 up and eat yom- breakfast and go and scare the geese off 

 the wheat." So the voice of the old sandhUl crane on 

 that beautiful morning in August, 1884, reminded me of 

 old times. 



Some eight or nine miles from the hotel we came upon 

 a more open and level Country, and for some fifteen or 

 twenty miles the drive was magnificent. Now and then 

 we would meet returning tourists, and occasionally a 

 friend. Upon a clean grassy plot of ground, near a 

 sparkling stream of ice-cold water, we saw an encamp- 

 ment of men from Wisconsin, so our driver informed us. 

 From the arrangement of their harness and equipments, 

 and the maimer of ahgning wagons and teams, I took 

 them for old soldiers on a regular camp. Everji;hing 

 about their quarters was scrupulously clean and in order, 

 I did not learn their names. Further on is Beaver Lake. 

 Here the colony of beavers are in active operations. 

 Many new houses of recent build and a new dam zigzagg- 

 ing across the lake exhibit the wonderful skiU of this 

 animal. Along this route may be seen the mountain of 

 obsidian glass — a marvelous formation when geologically 

 considered. Then hill and dale, lake and stream, succeed 

 each other in regular order, bordered on all sides by the 

 evergreen pine, and in some places by the impenetrable 

 forest where universal shadows abound. No doubt the 

 poet had just such a place in mind when he sang — 

 "O, for a lodge in some vast wilderness, 

 Some boundless contigiuty of shade." 



Here it is in all its primal glory, undistm-bed by any 

 discordant sound, as depicted in the chaotic cosmos, 

 "where no voice is heard." How very much attached 

 you become to the present company; even the horses seem 

 to have an unusual interest attaching to them, and the 

 Concord coach becomes your familiar friend. Just to 

 think of being deprived of this little company one hour — 



"O, solitude, -Nvliere are thy charms 

 Which sages have seen in thy face? 



I would rather dwell in the midst of alarms 

 Than to reign in this horrible place." 



But, then, with a pleasant company you really for a 

 time enjoy these strange scenes. When we arrived at 

 our fii-st station, some twenty-four miles from the hotel, 

 we were all very tned and hungry from the long ride. 

 Here were two rows of hospital tents, set on parallel lines 

 about 12ft. apart, which served as hotel. Supper was soon 

 announced, and we all enjoyed the nice tender elk steak, 

 which was not too fresh, and the cooking was far superior 

 to that of the hotel. We had everything in abundance, 

 especially all varieties of canned goods. 



I was so unfortunate as to commit another impropriety 

 here. I ate too much supper, and for an horn- was very 

 much annoyed with difficult breathing. Persons should 

 not fail to remember when traveling in high altitudes, 

 that moderate eating, as well as moderate exercise, should 

 be the rule until the system becomes accustomed to the 

 surroundings. The pine log fu-e was burning brightly 

 outside, and as night set in we soon gathered close about 

 it, and really did not feel comfortable wlien away from 

 the effects of the glowing heat. Soon all the guests were 

 seated around the warm fire, as the gathering shadows of 

 night had brouglit a goodly company together. But now 

 comes another jjainful episode in the life of the tomist. 

 If we are only -well and free from pain we are supposed 

 to be in a condition to enjoy life. But then human nature 

 is full of sympathy, and you have only to place it in a re- 

 mote, unfrequented part of the earth when this refine- 

 ment of our natm-es will quickly display itself. Among 

 the company were some sufferers who had sought tins 

 far away place in the hope of being relieved from some 

 distressing bodily malady. There comes the stately— I 

 might almost say queenly— woman leaning on the arm of 

 her husband. Her haggard and bleached countenance 

 shows a great sufferer. An easy, well-blanketed chair 

 is placed before the fire and the frail invalid is gently 

 placed in this comfortable seat, the blankets are tucked 

 snugly about her and she seems to be reaUy enjoying the 

 warm glow of the fire. And so it is, for I cannot resist the 

 detire to know somewhat of our invahd friend. "Yes," 

 says the husband, whose every demeanor showed the 

 polished gentleman, "my wife has been an invalid for 

 years, and when we left home .she had to be borne upon a 

 cot. We have been several weeks making the trip, but 

 since we have reached this elevated pure atmosphere, the 

 improvement has been beyond all expectation. She can 

 now walk, as you see, supported by my arm, a thing she 

 lias not done for years. Her health and appetite are re- 

 turning, and she "is certainly looking and feeling like a 

 new person." And so it was, after the morning toilet and 

 the splendid breakfast you could not have picked out an 

 invalid in the whole cantonment. This certainly speaks 

 well for the country if nothing else can. Let us thank 

 God for this boundless domain, and use every effort to 

 prevent the vandalism of man from moving its beautiful 

 hills and dales, pure air and waters, and the silent recesses 

 of its shades. 



After quite a sojourn in this far away region we re- 

 turned to our car and soon to the busy civilization of to- 

 day. But somehow or other a strong and almost irresist- 

 ible desu-e comes over me at times t« revisit these scenes. 

 And I beheve I will d« it. Occedent. 



A CRITIC AND HIS CRITICS. 



THE CRITIC. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The accounts of fishing and hunting trips are interesting 

 and valuable. But why is it necessary that there be so 

 nmch useless verbiage? Take the following from the last 

 "Camps of the Kingfishers": 



I was out in the first gray of the morning to find the promise 

 made good with a cloudless sky of spangled blue, paling at the 

 approach of the glorious sun, -ivho heralded his coming By a few 

 faint streaks of light, diverging above the treetoiJS across the lake, 

 and soon a rim of fire peeped above the line of green, and as it 

 mounted and showed full and clear and round above, hill and hol- 

 low, lake and woodland emerged refreshed and bright from tlie 

 week of somber storm, each moisture-laden twig and leaf and blade 

 of grass decked out in glittering jewels by the genial rays of the 

 golden morning sun. 



I sat in front of the fly enjoying the scene, lost in a dreamy rev- 

 erie, till aroused by the clear tremulo laugh of a loon away down 

 the lake, rejoicing, I had a conceit, in the fullness of his heart, 

 at the glorious morning folio-wing the change of weather and the 

 loveliness of the placid lake with its backgi-ound of green-clad 

 hills. 



It was a rare picture, full of bright color and mellow tints laid on 

 with nature's deftest touch; a picture to feel thankful for, and the 

 loon and I had seemingly drifted into the same channel of thought 

 and were rendering up o'ur homage to the weather god, but each 

 in a different way. 



But the others were missing all this fresh morning air and in- 

 vigorating sunshine,'and there was plenty for all. 



Rousing out the philosopher by pulUng the blankets off him, we 

 soon had fire going in the stoves and preparations for breakfast 

 under way. Then old Dan and Ben were "pestered" till they 

 agreed to get out as the least of two evils and by the harmless in- 

 vention that breakfast was ready, and yanking the covers from 

 MuUer and Jim a couple of times and receiN'ing as many blessings 

 (?) in return, they were induced to get up, not, however, without 

 sundry gro-wls and snorts at being disturbed out of their morning 

 nap. 



Now this means in brief that the writer got up early and 

 beheld beautiful scenery, as your readers have a thousand 

 times done, and that some did not rise as early as others — 

 that is all. Why will not correspondents leave out such long 

 useless descriptions ? Why must we go through so much 

 mud to get a little coffee? 



Why cannot these needless words, words, words, be left 

 out and the description of actual iishing, etc., etc., begin at 

 once and be briefly given? 



It is an imposition on the reader to have to follow the tire- 

 some yarn of so much nothingness in order to get at the 

 practical or actual account of the narrative belonging to a 

 journal like the Forkst a>,'i> Stkeam. 



F. D. Fatthorx, Jk. 



HIS CRITICS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



It seems to me that the descriptions, which your corres- 

 pondent objects to, bring the scenes more vi-vidly before the 

 reader, and give most readers more pleasure than bare state- 

 ments of the number of fish caught or amount of game killed. 

 A picture of a fish or beast or bird, however truthful in form 

 and color, would have more value to most people if set in its 

 proper natural surroundings than would the simple portrait 

 of the trout, deer or game bird. After all it is a matter of 

 indi-vidual taste. One man goes fishing only to fish, and 

 hunting only to kill. Further than that the lake or stream 

 is a likely bit of water for fish, or the woodland is good cover 

 for game; he sees no beauty in them. Another gets quite as 

 much en3oyment from the companionship of natm-e tnat his 

 outing gives, as from the actual fishing and shooting. 

 Each has a right to enjoy himself after his own fashion. 



Probably the editor ha's far better opportunities of know- 

 ing what -will suit a majority of his readers than any one 

 reader has and to please the greater part is the best he can 

 do: he cannot possibly please everj^ one. 



If Mr. P.'s idea was strictly carried out we should lose, 

 besides "Kingfisher's" pleasant descriptions that bring pic- 

 tures of camp and lake oefore us, all the quaint sayings of 

 old Ben and the rest. Mr. F. can easily skip the passages 

 that displease him and leave them for those to read who 

 enjoy them. 



^Them's my sentiments, as nigh as I can state 'em. 



AWAHSOOSE. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I don't think your fault-finding correspondent would care 

 to read the "Kingfisher" articles if their author merely 

 wrote: "Three or four other fellows and I Avent fishing at 



the lalces last summer; stayed days and caught 



bass." And yet that is just about what he demands when 

 he asks for "the practical and actual account." If Mr. F. 

 had gone for "Kingfisher" on another point I would have 

 been heartily with him, and on second thought his fault- 

 finding may have some reason, for I don't believe any man 

 who takes a stove into camp with him can possess a genuine 

 and absorbing interest in the beauties of nature. The wild 

 woods and unsullied waters are incompatible with modern 

 kitchen ranges, and a man who goes into the wilderness on 

 a sort of a Dutch picnic may tell about catching fish if he 

 likes, but he musn't pretend a sympathy with uncurbed 

 nature that he doesn't feel. 



Of course I'm a crank, you know, but that's how I look at 

 the matter. Seneca. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



To the uninitiated the description of one trout fishing trip 

 must be a repetition of all others, but not so with the lover 

 of nature. JEven if he resorts to his old haunts he always 

 sees new beauties in the forest, sky, air, birds and all nature; 

 the foliage seems greener, the air purer, the springs gushing 

 from the mountain side are cooler and sweeter, the colors of 

 the trout deeper and richer than ever before. But never 

 content under the fascination of the surroundings, he vnll 

 generally wander deeper into the forest and explore new 

 ponds and streams, ever and anon disturbing the noonday 

 bath or evening repast of some "monarch of the glen," or 

 surprising the raffed grouse in charge of her newly-hatched 

 brood, which .she tries so artfully to defend from her sup- 

 posed enemy. Amid such companionship no wonder that 

 the hours and days pass by only too quickly, and the fatigue 

 of the day is not regretted. 



If these things add to our pleasure in the woods, they cer- 

 tainly cannot be omitted in acceptable literature of angling. 



M, 



Editor Foi-est and Stream: , , , , 



I believe that if Mr. F.'s views should be adopted by the 

 Forest and Stream management and all descriptions of 

 woods and waters — or, in a word, nature — be eliminated from 

 correspondents' letters upon fishing and shooting, and only 

 bald baskets and bags given, the paper would fall from it3 

 high estate as the American sportsman's journal. It would 

 not become a mere statistical review of the fish and game 

 supply, because the natural history, yachting and other de- 

 partments would intervene to save it; but there would in 

 "such a state of things" be more business in its columns than 

 a searcher after recreation would actually sigh for. 



A great proportion of th e angling fraternity go on a fishing 

 trip for sometbing more than fish. Fish, big fish, many fish, 

 are the important factors; but there are also important inci- 

 dentals in connection therewith that would be sadly missed. 

 The writer feels that he is far from being along in thinking 

 that some of the most entertaining letters written about fish- 

 ing have been remarkably destitute of fish. 

 The Cape Ann Advcrtiier contains fish scores that g» 

 Straight to the question, wdth no figuras •i speech 

 Save the ten Arab signs, 

 Tk* fskeraaen's oatah is given In terse language and wltti 



