SB4 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 35, 1886. 



AMERICAN CANOE CLUBS. 



THE proposal to join the canoe clubs of the country to the 

 American Canoe Association has met with the approval o( 

 many, aud has directed attemion to the subject of the American 

 canoe clubs. Of courae, the leading clubs m e known to all, bu t there 

 are many whose members never attena tae meet, and which are 

 unknown to canoeists at large. Beioro considering the scheme for 

 a union it is desirable to know the strength of the clubs, and also 

 their number. The following list was sent us by a correspondent, 

 and we publish it with a request for information. Some of the 

 clubs Jiave disbanded and uiore are some omissions, and any aid 

 toward making a ftiU and con-ect list with number of members 

 ^^iU be welcome: 



Amsterdam, N. Y. 

 Allegheny, Pa. 

 Arlington, N. J. 

 Branttord, Canada. 

 Bi ockville, Canada, 

 Bayonne, N. J, 

 Buffalo, K. Y. 

 Brooklyn, N. Y. 

 Bobcaygeon, Canada. 

 Boston, Mass. 

 CircJeville, Ohio. 

 Connecticut, Hartford, Conn. 

 Crescent, Trenton, N. J. 

 Cleveland, Ohio. 

 Citicinnati, Ohio, 

 Chicago, 111. 



Cygnet, Manchester, N. H. 

 Capital City, Harrisburg, Pa. 

 Crescent, Jlaucli Chunk, Pa. 

 Deserouto, Canada. 

 Da>i:.on, Oliio. 

 Essex. Kewark, N. J. 

 Evauston, livanston, 111. 

 Fulton, N. Y. 

 Gait, Canada. 

 Guelph, Canada. 

 Harri.sburg, Pa. 

 Hawkeye. iJubuquo, la. 

 Harv ard, JMass. 

 Hartford, Comi. 

 Hamilton, Canada. 

 Irrawadi, Davenport, la. 

 Iowa, Des Moines, la^ 

 lanthe, Newark, N. J . 

 Jabberwock, Springiield, 111. 

 Knickerbocker, N. Y. 

 Kenwood. 111. 

 Lake St. Louis, Canada. 

 Lake George, defunct. 

 La\\'rence, ivlass. 

 Lindsay, Lmdtiay, Canada. 

 Miami, Ciuciunatl, Ohio. 



New York. N. Y. 

 Northampton, Mass. 

 Newton, Mass. 

 Ottawa, Canada. 

 OsM ego, N. Y. 

 Oakland, Cal. 

 Patersou, N. J. 

 Peqiiot, Stouington, Conn. 

 Philadelphia, Pa, 

 Pittsburgh, Pa. 

 Peterboro, Canada. 

 Potowonok. 

 Perth Amboy, N. J. 

 Portland, Oregon. 

 Potomac, D. C. 

 Pappoose, Chicago, HI. 

 Polly wog, Bethlehem, Pa. 

 Quaker City, Philadelphia, Pa. 

 Rochester, N. Y. 

 Rondout, N. Y. 

 Royal, Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

 Royal Military Col., Canada. 

 Rutherford, N. J. 

 Ruckawas, Dayton, Ohio. 

 Sagamore, L>Tin, Mass. 

 San Francisco, defunct. 

 Sltattemuc, Sing Sing, N. Y. 

 South Boston, Mass. 

 Springfield, Mass. 

 Sandusky, Ohio. 

 Stisquehanna, Harrisburg, Pa. 

 St. Lawrence, Canton, N. Y. 

 Toronto, Canada. 

 Tippy, Chicago, HI. 

 Toronto, Ohio. 

 Ubique, Norwood, Canada. 

 L^nion, Boston, Mass. 

 Vesper, Lowell, Mass. 

 AVarren, Pa. 

 Winoski, Duluth, Minn. 

 Waterto^^^l, N. Y. 

 Washington, D. 0. 

 Winchester, Mass. 



command of the Commodore, Scamp, Vixen and Cupid sailing, 

 Frolic and Dart (used tandem) paddlme-, we started up the river. 

 Rambler and two tmattached canoeists cruising down stream, 

 This was_purelya paddling cruise, it being a calm most of the 

 time. Vt6 camped at one spot for two da vs. but made the 

 most of it and started home on the fith about 4:30 P. M,, expecting 

 to reach the club house at 8*30: and we got there too, all but one, 

 at that hour. A good sailing breeze sprung up, this one getting 

 off hrst double feefedi Ottt In the stream the wind was blowing 

 pretty strong and he hajjuened to be in this blow; he luffed, or at 

 least tried to, but the rudder would network, having somehow 

 got afoul. "Not lufflng he slipped along at a spinning rate, did he 

 not?" "Oh no, he only unset." 



After wringing him out, a friend lent him his mattresses jn ex- 

 change for the wet ones. The fleet then started out, Frolic stay- 

 mg in camp with the victim of the upset, and cruising home in 

 company the next day. Cupid, with her Soft., was hailed by the 

 wet man on shore: "Better double reef." aud by others on the 

 shore, "Wait until we See him upset," "Better take in mainsail 

 and set mizzen;" at these remarks he generously took in his 20ft. 

 mizzen. The wind held until about Tacony, when it suddenly died 

 out and he was left with his half paddle; but not long, soon a 

 steam launch came puffing along. Cupid managed to get a tow 

 and got home long before the others. This cruise was one of the 

 moit enjoyable of the season. Besides the club cruises short trips 

 Were made by individual members, starting Saturday evening and 

 returning Monday morning. The winter tinkering has already 

 commenced. The Rambler is in the o\TOer's cellar for new deck 

 and interior fittings, new sail plans are prepared for nearly all 

 sailing canoes, especially the balance lug, and aithis writing there 

 is a paper in preparation to be road at a camp-fire which we will 

 hold at an early date in December. Stiletto. 



Miami, Uiuciunati, Ohu 



Moliican, Albany, N. Y. , 



Maohimoodus, Moodus, Conn. Waltham, Mass. 

 Mystic, Winchester, Mass. — Western C. A. 

 Newburgh, N. Y, Yotmandio,Rochester,Canada 



THE A. C. A. DIVISIONS. 



.Editor Forest and Stream: 



Mr. Colin Fraser's article on the A. C. A. aud clubs is certainly 

 a very good one. Why do we lose our old members? he asks. 

 There's the kiuk. Mr. Fraser believes that they are unable to 

 attend the annual meet. Well, this may be. I think that the dis- 

 tance has something to do with tliis, the time it takes to get there 

 and back. Then again, some do not like the same old camp. 



Division meets would Indeed increase the membership, aud they 

 can be so arranged as to bring together canoeists within a radius 

 of one hundred miles. For instance, let the Central Division hold 

 a salt-water meet somewhere on Long Island Sound, supposing 

 the clubs below mentioned all belong to the A. C. A,, and take it 

 for granted that the following clubs would be represented. New 

 York, linickerboeker and Brooklyn ^vould be exiiected to turn out 



and others too numerous to mention. Taking New York city as 

 the center, the average distance to the meet would be about one- 

 foui'th the distance that it is to Grindstone. The A. C. A. general 

 meet could be held further north. This would give the Canadian 

 brethren the same advantage of distance, etc., as it would the 

 Eastern men. 



With these advantages no man can say that it takes too much 

 time to go and return, and as the camp can be held at another 

 place next year there will not be very much room left for excuses. 

 Under the conditions named, I do not see why the A. C. A, cannot, 

 become a much larger and powerful organization. 



I am no A. C. A. member, but I have heard of the A. C. A. before 

 I ever heard of canoe clubs, and would have been a member, in 

 fact had my two dollars ready to mail to the secretary-treasurer, 

 when the question arose of "What benelit would the A. C. A. be 

 to you? The best part of your ten days will be consumed in going 

 to and from the meet" (then at Grind.stone). That settled it. I 

 concluded that I would wait until the meet would move further 

 south, where I could enjoy my vacation otherwise than in a I'ail- 

 way car. 1 shall endeavor to bring Mr. Eraser's scheme before 

 my canoe club at the next meeting, and encourage all members to 

 join. And if some day it should happen that there will be 

 a salt-water meet, there'll be three new names on the list, and 

 possibly tlie whole roll of member.ship of the Quaker City 0. C. 



Stiletto. 



QUAKER CITY C. C. 



THE Quaker City C. C. held a meeting at the residence of the 

 commodore on Nov. 11, at which Messrs. Munchen and Golze 

 were elected active members and the names of two members were 

 dropped from the roll. 



Cupid, Rambler and Dart were the most active canoes this 

 season. Cupid, the vice-commodore's canoe, could be seen every 

 Sunday witii her racing rig of 85ft. Mohican sails, the club burgee 

 and sailing signal sliowing to advantage. Ho is often hailed as 

 "Ace of Clubs" on a :couut of the clover leaf on mainsail. The 

 Cupid is 14it. 4in.x32in. Tlie Rambler Uft. 4in.x81in., with 65ft. 

 balance lugs, and Dart, a Baritania paddling canoe, were often in 

 company vnth Cupid. 



The secretary-treasurer's canoe, 14ft.Xc0in., with 95ft. balance 

 lugs, was actually in the ^vater three times tills season, viz: On 

 Decoi a tiou Day aud Fourth of July cruises. Did tliis canoe ever 

 .stay right side up under so much saU? Oh, yes, the secretary 

 blocked her up one day on shore, and she really f<tood up under 

 both sails while she was bemg tinkered with. This canoe carried 

 70Et. mainsail doulile reefed on Decoration Day cruise and upset 

 by an accident. On Founli of July cruise carried 25ft. mizzen 

 (stowed oCtener than sei). A member of the club carried the 

 mainsail once, upset, and condemned it. The secretary is negoti- 

 ating for Mohiean sails and iswonaering if they are as "upset- 

 able" as balance lugs. 



Com. Leary could be seen now and then in the Scamp, sporting 

 a handfiome set of Mohican sails of 75ft., his brass W'ork nickle 

 plated and everything done up "shipshape and Bristol fashion." 

 This canoe upset but once under the able seamanship of the com- 

 modore. Rumors are afloat that he will have smaller sails on his 

 next canoe. The Frolic is tlie most diminutive clipper about the 

 cauoe club and is now owned by a new member. Her length is 

 U}^ft.x3tin., and is so light that she can be carried a considerable 

 distance on the shoulder without fatigue. The commodore and 

 vice-commodoi'e are negotiating for cedar canoes by a local 

 builder, the vice having sold his canoe in August. The commo- 

 dore's canoe will he 14ft. 6ta.xoOin., somewhat like the Snake, and 

 the ^ice will have a Sunbeam, with 85ft. Mohican sails. The total 

 upsets under sail were, Rambler 5, Cupid 3, Vixen 3, Scamp 1. 

 Scamp complains of too much canvas. Rambler and Vixen of 

 balance lugs, high masts, etc., and wiU have Moliican or lateen. 

 Cupid nas lust enough and has experienced some heavj' weather, 

 this canoe has been paddled but once for trial, tlie c■re^v invariably 

 carrying a lialf paddle when sailing. The reefing gear for sails 

 were discai-ded, not working smootlily, and the canoe only being 

 reefed twice during the whole season's work. 



The racing that w as expected to be done fell through on account 

 of members not being on hand. The race days \^^otlld find two 

 sailors and one paddler on band. Regatta committee or timers not 

 present, although a good cour.se ^vas mapped. Nevertheless we 

 will try again early in the spring. 



The crmsing record la net what it should have been. The club 

 took a short cruise on Decoration Da y. Dart and Frolic paddling. 

 Scamp, Vixen and Rambler saiUng (Scamp and Vixen each used 

 tandem), cruising down and not up river, as was stated in the 

 daily papers, returning Tuesday evening. A. few mishaps and a 

 lot of solid enjoyment were the results of this adventure. Fourth 

 of July club cruise, starting on the afternoon of the third, under 



CANOEISTS ON SNOWSHOES.-About fifteen members of the 

 Toronto C, C. gathered around the club room stove on the 16th ult. 

 for the purpose of forming a enowshoe club out of tlieir members 

 as a means of keeping them together duiiug tbe long winter 

 months. Mr. Colin Fraser held the chair. wJiile Mr. J'; L. Kerr 

 handled the quill. After many nominations and much lobbying 

 and intimidation, some members threatening to withdraw their 

 "tobacco supply," Mr. Geo. Sparrow was elected presideut, Mr. A. 

 Anderson secretary, and Mr. D. B. Jacques whipper-in. After the 

 business of the meeting was disposed of, refreshments -were 

 brought forth from the lockers by one or twomembei's and for the 

 next iialf hour ihe talking Avas very limited. The table being 

 cleared and tlie e\'oning yet young, some one proposed that we 



LV> 



K 



----- - - ghtweigli;„. .. 



Leys, in the chair, listened attentivelv to each of us for live min- 

 utes as we tried to convince the other fellow tliat he was "away 

 off," and when the leaders had summed up he divided tlio honors 

 among us. The great question, ""Wliich sail is tlie best?" will be 

 debated at the next social meeting, Nov. 80. The club are talking 

 "new club house" and limiting the club membership to fifty, there 

 being now thirty-two active members. Will G. McKendiick has 

 sold his canoe Mac to Mr. A. Anderson, a new member of the club, 

 and her sail plan is being altered for next season'is campaign.— 

 Will G. McKesdrick, Sec. T. C. C, 



WASHINGTON C. C— The last race of the championship series 

 vrill be sailed on Thanksgiving Day, with a camp-IIre in the even> 

 iug. The canoes of the club are of various sizes; of wide beam 

 and with deep keels and conterboards, and an attempt is now 

 being made to rate them under the Tredwen time allowance. 

 Washington is peculiarly situated on a river vnth variable winds. 

 The trips "up river" are made by way of the canal with long cai- 

 ries, necessitating a Peterboro or other light canoe, while "down 

 river" squalls are heavy and frequent, requiring a decked canoe 

 of good sailing qualities. The club arc busy now ceiling up the 

 ladies' room of tlie club house as a winter meeting room. With a 

 stove and plenty of books and papers, photos, etc., there will be a 

 cosy place for whiter canoeing. 



SPRINGFIELD C. C— The winter quarters of the Springfleld 

 C. C. will be at Calla Shasta, on skates in winter, easily reached 

 by way of the Connecticut River or by snowshoes. The present 

 cabin boasts a meeting room, kitchen and sleeping room, but it is 

 proposed to build alarger house next year. Every Snturday night 

 the canoeists meet at the cabin, sometimes being joined by visit- 

 from the Hartford C. C. 



fnchting. 



THE CONSTRUCTION OF RACING YACHTS. 



IN perusing yotrr remarks at the end of my paper of lact week, I 

 notice you say tliat I overlook the fact that eintcrs, on account 

 of their sectional form, can be built lighter and stronger with the 

 same sizes of materiiil than centerboard sloops. Although not 

 jotted down, it was still kept in mind. This is an attribute, the 

 possession of which is of great importance to the cutter, and were 

 it not for the detrimental elTect of an element more than counter- 

 balancing this advantage, hers would be easily tile fastest type. 



This element is no other than the loss of windward abiUty result- 

 ing from the waste of energy of the propelling powei- when strik- 

 ing the easily yielding sail plane of the cutter. Except in light 

 airs, when it is an advantage, this militates largel.v against her 

 performance and turns the scale in favor of the sloop. And this 

 in spite of the benefit derived from the lighter spar plan and ham- 

 per characteristic of the cutter. 



If you saj' Galatea is underrigged, I can reply with equal justice 

 that Mayflower is likewise lacking. Galatea can carry a larger 

 spar plan to no more advantage than Majilower can do t!ie sriine. 

 Although their performance in light airs wouhl be improved, in 

 all round work it would effect speed detrimentally. Have we any 

 reason to suppose that Galatea is not as heavily sparred as any 

 other vessel of her type? Her designer surely know -what he 

 was about when he planned his masterpiece, with the data and 

 lessons of the Puritan-Genesta races last year fresh in liis mind. 



In view of tlie record what show would Irex have with May- 

 flower under like conditions of weather as in the Cup races? The 

 same baseless excuse might be urged to palliate her defeat and 

 vnth about as much sense. 



I gladly accept your correction in relation to the stowage of 

 Galatea's ballast, but your strictures do not alter the fact that her 

 spar plan was cut down in her fii-st season (1885) -with improved 

 results, and not until her ballast was restOAVod, lowering her cen- 

 ter of gravity, was her original and present sail plan put on to her. 

 In the face of her first performances when oversparred, is it not 

 natural to suppose that she would now be oversparred if her origi- 

 nal sail area was increased? Would she have any more stability 

 than at first, and with no more stability could we reasonably ex- 

 pect her to do much better? No, the possibilities for speed of Gal- 

 atea's form have been exliausted unlesf. lIib be built lignter. Then 

 and not till then ^vill she be able to lug a larger spar plan and 

 attain a higher standard of merit in all-round racing than ever 

 was hers. 



VVitn the lessons of the past to sustain my position, I think I am 

 justified in reiterating my claim that under the existing rules of 

 measurement at least the cutter will soon be out of the lists for- 

 ever with the Deep Draft Centbrboakd. 



[The advantages which the keel boat has o^-er the centerboard 

 in point of construction are by no means confined, as our con-es- 

 pondent intimates, to tlie extreme narrow type, but are just as ap- 

 parent in the boat of moderate beam, hence his objection as to 

 stability, even if well fotmded, does not aflect the question. The 

 solid undivided keel and the en tiro cross floors at every frame are 

 as much a part of the f-besun as of the (i-beam boat, and when we 

 come to sizes under 60ft. there are also the deck beams, whole and 

 undivided from side to side, against the necessarily weak con- 

 struction of the cabin house. The form of the extreme narrow 

 cutter, approaching that of a box girder, with its nearly vertical 

 .sides, is m itself the strongest that can be had and far superior to 

 that of a 3f6 or 8-beam boat with flatter floor and hard bilge; but 

 even the latter form may be made much stronger in a keel than in 

 a centerboard boat. The sail plan carried by Galatea this season 

 is tile same as her original one in area, but besides the rebtowage 

 of ballast noticed we understand that her original spars vvere 

 much heavier than the plans called for. She fai ed to carry sail 

 at first and was cut down vvithout the advice of her designer who 

 was then absent. This year, tmder his supervision, her ballast was 

 lowered nearly a foot and she received new spars of the original 

 length, but lighter and thus far she has shown herself fully able 

 to carry even more. Mayflower was certainly over-rigged in the 

 Eastern race and could not stand up; and even now after all tliat has 

 been done in the way of more lead below and lighter spars aloft, 

 she has all that it is safe for her to carry for even moderate racing 

 weather. In fact in the late races she iiequently sailed at as gi'eat 

 an angle as Galatea. Her big rig was just the thing for tbe light 



weather, and probably In heavier weather she would have paid for 

 It, while Galatea, with a rig that might have been just right for 

 some of the winds we have had this year, was cenainlvhandi- 

 capped in the absurd drifts which spoied every r.ace. It does not 

 follow on either hand that Mr. Burgess put too much canvas on 

 Mayflower, or that Mr. Webb put too little on Galatea. As it was 

 the former was righ!, the latter wrong, but had the season been 

 blessed with harder winds the case would very probably have 

 been revei-sed. The proportioning of sail spread is a very delicate 

 matter In any case, as so much depends on the coming season, and 

 the matter is stUl more difHcult when the designer is new to the 

 climate his boat will race in. What the future m.ay bring fortlt is 

 a difflcult matter to predict, but taking the season through there 

 Is no reason for the friends of the cutter to be ashamed of their 

 performance or to anticipate the speedy extinction of the type.] 



CRUISE OF THE COOT- 



XXIX, 



IN company with a small schooner I got under way Sunday after» 

 noon, and worked five miles down to the mouth of tn'e Scup-« 

 pernong, anchoring for the night under the point on the western 

 shore. The schooner had loaded up with 80,000 herring la bulk. 

 These she was to carry up the Chowan and peddle out to small 

 country dealers* For freight she received 80 cents per thousand, 

 The schooner was about 36ft. on deck, v,ith 13ft. beam, and drew 

 81't. She was built at Hatteras "on the bnnks," wisere shipbuild- 

 ing on a small scale comes to the natives as second nature. Cost 

 about .|400 and was owned by two young men, who, when freights 

 were good, cleared enough during the three months' flslung sea- 

 son to flourish i-ound the banks the rest of the year, indulging in a 

 little clamming, oystering, or scratching a garden patch for vari- 

 ety sake. They sculled alongside the Coot, and in conversation I 

 found them intelligent and weU-meauing. They told me that by 

 industriously working all the year, frelgliting crops to Norfolk 

 aud carrying oysters, they could easily earn a thousand dollars, 

 with expenses not over a third of that sum. This would leave 

 three hundred apiece as an annual dividend upon , a mode of life 

 which was little else than pure pastime. Wiy did not they do It, 

 save money, and become bloated capitalists locally? "Becau.se 

 there is no need of it," was theii' I'eply. Ambition to progress and 

 prosper they had not, for the modest surroundings among Avhich 

 they had been reared had blunted their desires and they were con- 

 tent to exist along in ease, free from the strife of competition for 

 wealth, just as their foretatl\ers had done. The sea supplied them 

 with fish, the banks with ducks and game, and a little freighting 

 In spring kept them in clothes and groceries. They were healthy 

 and content. Wiy should they wish foi' more? This was their 

 v iew of life, and I di<l not care tu sliako their faith by needlessly 

 whetting their appetite with tales of the wonders of great cities, 

 They wished they were bound east for Maiiteo, like myself, tor 

 there were to be great times at the county sear of Dare during 

 "cote week," which yvas ttien progre.saing. 



Monday at sum Ise we got underway and in a light southerly 

 wind cleared out of the river, the Coot piloting through tlie narrow 

 channel to sea, as it appeared that with the aid of my charts I 

 was a more reliable pilot than the crew of the schooner. They 

 felt their way with a polo, but after touching once or twice were 

 glad to see the Coot run their lee and give them the time lead into 

 deep water. The schc oner liauled up l,o «•( rs the Sound, while the 

 Coot jibed over to port and steered parallel to the coast, keeping 

 Just ciear of tlie numerous pound nets extending across the sboal 

 water to a depth of 10ft. The wind held a nice uitclesail strengtli 

 all day and being off shore the sea for once was smooth in the 

 usually turiiulent Allicmarle. After a run of 18 miles the boom 

 was got in to round Pear Tree Point. Wlieh the wide mouth of 

 Alligator River had biien opened the wind drew out ahead and the 

 yacht beat in, pitching in a lively way to tlic tumbling sea wiiich 

 rolled plump out of the mouth. After 3 miles to windward had 

 been aooouiplished, the Coot was run into Fort Landing for a har- 

 bor. This is a perfect little pocket vvith islands aud pretty shores, 

 the Little Alligator emptying into the harbor. This tributary has 

 10ft. of water and more, but only seven can be carried up to Foi't 

 Landing. The town consists of a steamboat wiiarf, a well and a 

 farmhouse, with pigs and chickens to make up the number of in- 

 habitants. At least that is all tliat could be made out from Uie 

 Coot't deck and 1 did not go ashore to make furtheriavestigation. 

 Probablv there is good farming country tack of the fringe of 

 woods alongshore, and Fort Lauding is the shipping point lor the 

 surrounding country produce. A propeller from Elizabeth City 

 plies up the Alligator and puts hi occasionally to (hii^ pretty re- 

 treat. Having started the lacing jack from the giiff, the evening 

 was spent in effecting repaiis and enjoying a golden sunset, which 

 bathed the foliage in beautiful hues till twilight deeiicncd into 

 darkness and the Caot's riding light kept company with the 

 twinkling diamonds overhead. Bright and early we got out next 

 morning and put in a delightful day turning 10 miles up the broad 

 bosom of the Aligator against a moderate v\ind and light sea, run- 

 nig back during the afternoon and coming to anchor in South 

 Lake, a confluent on the eastern shore, for tne night. 



The Alligator is really an aim of Albtmaiie Sound, rather than 

 a river. It is twenty-three miles long and four to fi\ e miles wide, 

 wit h a very even bottom at ten feet, barring the Middle Ground 

 shoal in the moutJi, which has but four feet and is a bad spot in 

 heavy weather, the Government beacons being down during my 

 visit. From the head of Alligator there is a tortuous stream, up 

 wiiicli a small boat can ascend some twelve miles to an alleged 

 canal, intended to lead into the great Matamuskcet Lake, a shoal 

 fresh water pond twelve miles long and three wide, in the center 

 of Hyde county. By means of tins canal direct steam tratfic to 

 Fairfield was contemplated, with a \iew to reaching the rich com 

 belt of the peninsula. But the enterprise was never carried 

 through, otherwise the Coot might have sailed into the lake and 

 out of another canal into Pamlico Sound, traversing tlie heart of 

 one of the wealthiest and most populous tracts of laud in America 

 or elsewhere. 



The shores of Alligator River are swampy and the interior of 

 the peninsula forming Dare county to the eastward is all low, 

 covered with a dense growth of timber. This great stretch is un- 

 inhabited, except a tew spots on tlie water's edge whore colonies 

 of fishermen have cleared their modest homesteads or where 

 sawmills have been erected. The peninsula, which contains 

 about 330 square miles, is known as the Roper timber grant and 



pointed as virgin grountf, filled with large game, deer and bear 

 being abundant, with ducks fetchng in gn at raits during the 

 sea.sou in the adjacent waters. Hawks aud eagles 1 saw in plenty. 

 One " king of the species" settled on a stump and eyed the pass- 



in a great circle and disappeared beyond the trees. If the otlier 

 eagles are like this one in disposition, they would make poor 

 sport, for they don't know enough to get out of your way. Per- 

 haps this feUow was aware that my gun was down in the cabin 

 with the lock off aud the cartridges all wet. Still his conduct 

 speaks volumes for the seclusion of these forests w liich have so 

 far escaped the wholesale invasion of xjot-huuters and blood- 

 thirstv citv cockneys. In the liands of the Kittvhawk Club, 

 Dare county will long remain the great game park it is at this 



^^lie wind had got Into southeast once more and blewfresh when 

 1 made sail in the morning for the passage across Croatan Sound, 

 the countv seat, Manteo, being the destination. A small boat can 

 make a cut ofl' by passing iip Alligator Lake and through the 

 Haul-Over passage into Haul-Over Bay. But the chart gave no 

 soundings in the passage, and I concluded to round Durant Island, 

 rather than ground and have to return. Wind and sea were 

 favorable out of Alligator River, and after hauling by the wind, 

 the water was smooth along the northern shore of Lurant Island. 

 There are two shoal but snug harbors on the island, which afford 

 good refuge from a blow. I took a board or two inshore, anchored 

 and tied do vv-n two reefs to meet the increasing violence of the 

 southeaster. Threatening clouds overhead made things look ugly, 

 but after experiences in Albemarle I looked upon the smaller 

 Croatan as of little account. When Croatan Light house had been 

 opened, the bold northern headland of Roanoko Island stood out 

 upon the horizon with a string of odd-lookiue sandhiUs rising 

 from the sea like islands to represent the ocean beach or "the 

 banks." The Coot was headed right across the ti\ e-m ile gap with 

 the wind hauling. But under close reef the Coot would stand a 

 deal as long as the water was not too lough. After getting out 

 from under the lee of the mainland the channel sea was sti-uck, 

 aud it was no joke. The little Coot pitched and wallowed in the 

 trough and nigh drowned herself out. The seas broke aboard and 

 sent the water streaming across dects several inches deep. 

 Luckily the force of the blow was taken nearly abeam and the 

 vacht was comparatively dry aft, otherwise the passage would 

 tave been a continuous shower bath of cold and vtcions spray for 

 the skipper and steering would have become a hardship in the 

 cutting dust. Down Croatan tbe seas were lashed into foam as 

 far as the eye could reach, the Soimd looking like a seething caul- 

 1 dron or great tide rip of forbidding breakers. But tho Coot wa? 



