Oct. 20, 1887. J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



24 9 



are wont to belittle the staying powers of the Indian, and 

 represent him generally as an overrated man. This is a 

 great mistake. He is certainly gifted with remarkable 

 powers of endurance and a mysterious supply of strength, 

 besides his patience and coolness in difficulties is prover- 

 bial. As we sat beneath a shade in the middle of our 

 canoes, and watched these sturdy fellows plying their 

 poles, stroke after stroke, for long weary hours, forcing 

 the canoed upward through the rushing water, sometimes 

 scarcely moving, though all their strength was being 

 exerted, not a word of complaint, not a sign of weariness, 

 with the perspiration flowing down their swarthy cheeks 

 and falling from their beardless chins, we could not but 

 wonder at the admirable maimer in which nature had 

 fitted these sons of the forest for hardship and toil. 



An Indian would almost lose caste were he not to use 

 "fcumawa" (tobacco), and they begin to smoke it when 

 very young; for sly, bead-eyed pappooses of a few summers 

 are frequently seen at this manly pastime, when their 

 -jaws, though strong by nature, require the help of the 

 tiny hands in holding the pipe. When working, how- 

 ever, the typical Indian does not smoke, he chews; and 

 what an amount of black jack he consumes ! The harder 

 he works and the more he perspires, the larger and more 

 frequent are the quids of tumawa. 



Toward the middle of the afternoon my canoe, which 

 had started a little behind the others, gradually drew up, 

 and seeing this I urged my men to pass their companions, 

 promising them in the event of their succeeding an extra 

 drink of booktawichk. They responded with alacrity 

 and made a gallant dash for the lead, but their competit- 

 ors hugged the shore, keeping well in, thus obliging my 

 canoemen to struggle with all the force of the current. 

 It was, however, a beautiful race. For ten minutes every 

 nerve and muscle were taxed to their utmost. The poles 

 rose, flew through the air, flashing in the sunlight, and 

 with a sharp ' 'clink" upon the stony bottom; the brawny 

 voyageurs threw then whole weight upon them and the 

 canoe rose and shot through the water with a gushing 

 noise that was music to my ears. With the greatest in- 

 terest I watched my brave fellows struggling against 

 heavy odds, but their antagonists still hugged the shore 

 and forced them into the "stream. How much tumawa 

 was eaten during these ten minutes I cannot say. What 

 concerned me most was the manner in which the cuds 

 reached those grinding jaws. As the poles went flashing 

 through the air on the recover stroke, one hand would 

 fly into the "pooclmagun" or tobacco bag, grasp the plug 

 of tumawa, carry it to the eager jaws, which closed upon 

 it like a steel trap and back again it went to the pouch, 

 the hand being upon the pole again as the iron point 

 sunk upon the pebbled bottom. Not a stroke was lost, 

 not a moment wasted by the operation. 



My fellows, however, lost the race, but they had made 

 such a brave fight that I declared they had fairly won 

 their booktawichk, and rewarded them accordingly. 

 Later in the afternoon, however, we came to a long reach 

 of still water, and my red men again made a dash for the 

 lead, winning it this time and an extra draft of gentle 

 firewater. 



Much of the country passed through that afternoon 

 was very beautiful. The hills on both sides sloped grad- 

 ually to the river, and were covered with dark evergreens 

 intermingled with the paler green of the maple and silver 

 birch. Many little intervale islands, too, were seen, 

 natural meadows without a bush covered with short grass 

 and Bpangled with flowers — the nodding blue bell, the 

 gaudy lady slipper, the wild honeysuckle and quaint 

 pitcher plant being seen in profusion. 



Toward sunset we encamped on a level terrace in the 

 midst of leafy maples and tall balm of Gileads, the latter 

 exhaled their not disagreeable fragrance, which grew 

 stronger during the night, and was very marked in the 

 morning. Our canoemen were very tired. The first day 

 or half day is always the same— harder than any subse- 

 quent one. It was, however, surprising how soon our 

 tents were spread, provisions stored and supper made 

 ready. But we were now destined to see their Indian 

 nature manifest itself in a manner that caused us much 

 surprise, nay apprehension, for the future we 1-being of 

 the party. To say that these six were merely hungry, 

 and ate* a good "square meal," would convey but a 

 shadow of the reality. They literally fell upon our pro- 

 visions with the appetites and capacities of ravenous 

 animals, and did not desist until they had actually gorged 

 themselves. The six sat upon the grass around a little 

 fire, a few yards from where we were seated at tea. 

 Something caused us to look in that direction, and then 

 we stopped eating, and with open mouths and tea cups 

 half raised, gazed in wonder for a minute or two at their 

 gastronomic feats; then we looked dismally at one an- 

 other. 



James was the first to break silence: "We had better 

 go back in the morning, bovs; they'll clean out our week's 

 supply in two days and then what?" 



"Let them starve the rest of the time," replied Walter, 

 "as they certainly have been doing for the last week." 



"Tell me now, if ye plase," observed Davv, our cook 

 and valet de tente, lately from the old country, "air thim 

 ridskins ony ways oncivil whin vittels air scarce?" The 

 speaker had no liking for Indians, and if looks are to be 

 believed, had silently protested against our employing 

 them. 



"Not so long as dogs can be had," I replied, "they have 

 a sweet mouth for dog meat." 



"Dogs!" said cookey in amazement, "arrah sure ye're 

 talkin' now. The brutes don't ate dogs, do they?" 



It's their way," said James, with a sly wink at the rest 

 of the party, "and if a stray cur can't be found when their 

 stomachs are empty and blood up, it may go hard with 

 some of us." 



Cookey took another look at the Micmacs. Hands, 

 knives, fingers, mouths and grinding jaws were hurriedly 

 doing the terrible work of destruction. A bright idea 

 seemed to strike him, and turning toward us he said 

 with an air of relief , "Sind one o' the boats fur more 

 vittels in the mornin'." 



"A capital suggestion, my good fellow," returned 

 James; "we shall certainly have one to spare if they hang 

 to it much longer." 



In about half an hour they showed signs of "letting 

 up," as we say in Canada, and soon the tumakums were 

 filled and lighted. Then began some general conversa- 

 tion, and the quaint, jerky laughter of the red man was 

 borne to our ears. That meal had worked as great a 

 change in their spirits as it had in our larder. 



After tea we joined the motley crowd, and attempted 



to draw them into rehearsing some of their legends and 

 traditions. Soon, to our disappointment, all relapsed 

 into silence but Sak; for we soon learned that the average 

 Indians on such occasions leave all the talking to one, who 

 has won his respect either by wisdom or oratorical 

 powers. Sak was an acknowledged authority among 

 them. As I have said, he could read and write, talk 

 learnedly in broken English of the past and present, and 

 was either full of Indian traditions, or perhaps, blessed 

 with a fertile, imagination. Presently the hooting of an 

 owl was heard in the direction of a dark clump of trees 

 on the right bank. Almost simultaneously the six red 

 men uttered the word "Kookoogwes," and glanced at 

 one another. 



"Sak, can you tell me why that owl is hooting ovSr 

 there':" queried James. 



"Kookoogwes," began Silk, "co ne long 'go from moon. 

 Berry wise un, was kookoogwes. He fooluin all birds. 

 All Um birds come seeum big-eyed kookoogwes from 

 moon. Thinkum fine bird. Kookoogwes cunning as one 

 olefox. Tellum weeunshelikum berry much, come see- 

 um. Chugeeges, that's im chickadee, little chugeeges go 

 seeum, but they seeum little chugeeges no more, thinkum 

 gone hunting. ' Tetees, that's im bluejay, tBtees go show- 

 um kookoogwes how much fine bird him is. He no come 

 back 'tall. They thinkum kookoogwes keepum for 

 squaw, haveum in wigwam all time. Some day, little 

 nuniutkulnSSs, you Galium wren, little nurnutkulnaSs on 

 moss walkum all round, hunting wechak (flies). Hearum 

 one big noise. Lookum up. Seeum kookoogwes killum 

 an' eatum chipchowech (robin). Numutkulnaas he tellum 

 pules (pigeon), and pules he walkum fast all over an' 

 tellum all birds how chipchowech kookoogwes he eatum. 

 Spec chugeeges an' tetees kookoogwes doum all same. 

 All holdum one big pow-wow. Makum tedakilkoone 

 (kingbird), chief, caus'um brave. All takum warpath 

 on kookoogwes. Huntum all round, Kookoogwes berry 

 much afraid. Hidum in tree, sometime creepum in hole 

 all day. Kookoogwes come out in dark, berry mad, an' 

 say all time koo-koo-kookoogwes, to no letum sleep, 

 cause they huntum kookoogwes all day. Kookoogwes 

 he doum all same now." 



Thus we passed the evening, listening to many quaint 

 but beautiful legends, nearly all told by Sak, which to be 

 fully appreciated should be heard at the camp-fire with 

 the silvery leaves trembling above your head, your eyes 

 upon your dusky companions, and the gloom of night 

 settling down on the silent forest. 



We withdrew about 10 o'clock, leaving the red men to 

 prepare for "turning in." We sat in our tent and dis- 

 cussed the events of the day for half an hour or more, 

 but before retiring paid another visit — a short, noiseless 

 one, on tiptoe — to the Indian camp-fire. There silence 

 reigned. Without blanket, bark, or even brush to shield 

 them from, the night air, they lay twisted and bent in 

 every conceivable form around the smouldering embers. 

 Some were snoring lustily, others sleeping the death-like 

 sleep of infants. We gazed at the unconscious forms, 

 while a feeling of pity or rather melancholy crept over 

 our hearts, and a few minutes later, as we rolled ourselves 

 in our blankets and the souud of murmuring waters fell 

 on our ears, we asked ourselves the vexed question, "Is 

 life worth living?" Chickteck. 

 Newcastle, N. B., Oct. 8. 



[to be continued.] 



can man! in ess, and in ghoulish glee desecrate every sacred 

 relation of private life, and that said false and unjust 

 accusation and malicious slander were invented for the 

 purpose of undermining the people's trust and confidence 

 in the President's a> ility as a fisherman. 



This deponent further states that he does not make this 

 statement, and that he is not influenced in making it, nor 

 has he added a single ounce to the weight of either or 

 any of said fish, for love, fear, favor, affection or hope of 

 re ward, but that he presents things truly as they came to 

 the deponent's knowledge, and this deponent expressly 

 denies that the statements herein contained were inspired 

 by the said Dan Lamont or that he has been unduly in- 

 fluenced in making said statements by the said Lamont 

 or Vilas. 



This deponent further states that he is ready to prove 

 and maintain at all times that said eight black bass at the 

 time they were so caught by the President as aforesaid, 

 were under no duress, actual or constructive, but were 

 each and every one of them free to accept or reject the 

 bait offered to them by the President, and further this 

 deponent sayeth not. William Dunn. 



Subscribed and sworn to before me this 11th day of 

 October, 1887. C. K. Tenney, Justice of the Peace. 



LONG ISLAND FISHING. 



GREENPORT, Long Island, Oct. 11.— On the 8th inst. 

 two of our amateur anglers had remarkably fine 

 sport with the hook, off this place, on the Sound. Messrs. 

 Adams and Hart on that day in their rowboat caught in 

 five hours fishing the good number of 262 fish, using only 

 bunker bait. All of these were sea bass, with the excep- 

 tion of a half dozen of snappers. They caught no blue- 

 fish, weakfish nor porgies, as these fish do not bite, and 

 they have probably left these shores for milder climates. 

 The fish averaged nearly lib. each, twelve of them weigh- 

 ing 501bs. The fish were yet eagerly biting when they 

 abandoned the sport, but as the bof torn of their boat was 

 filled with the spoil and they had had enough of sport 

 and pastime, they returned home, distributing the fish 

 anion/ some thirty hungry and thankful recipients. 



The season for fishing is now near its close, and prob- 

 ably the first stormy and cool weather will cause the fish 

 on this coast to migrate. The fishing for bass and blue- 

 fish has been remarkably good this season on the Sound 

 and eastern coast of Long Island, and the handline com- 

 mittee are well content. Isaac McLellan. 



Massachusetts Trout. — Worcester, Oct. 2.— Editor 

 Forest and Stream: In regard to the proper time of 

 closing the trout season, mentioned in your last issue, 

 from my own experience Aug. 1 would be none too early. 

 On Aug. 19, this summer, in a catch of 81, 2 females that 

 weighed |lb. and jib. respectively, contained very far- 

 developed spawn, and in the. remainder nearly all the 

 females contained some spawn, at least. I have also to 

 announce a praiseworthy action of some gentlemen of the 

 city. I refer to the organization of a sportsmen's club 

 for amateurs and beginners. Its main object is to secure 

 a better enforcement of the* fish and game laws. I hope 

 •to record its complete success. There is a large field for 

 work.— Pemicewasset. » 



DULY SWORN TO. 



STATE of Wisconsin, County of Dane, ss: William 

 Dunn, being duty sworn, on his corporate oath, de- 

 poses and says he is a resident of the city of Madison, in 

 said county and State, and that he has resided therein 

 for more that twenty years, and that he is now employed 

 in the post 1 service of the United St ttes, and that pre- 

 vious to entering such service this deponen t had been 

 engaged during his said residence in the city of Madison 

 in the vocation of a fisherman. 



This deponent further states that he is acquainted with 

 the different species of fish to be found in the waters of 

 the lakes adjacent to the city of Madison and particularly 

 to be found in the waters of Lake Mendota. 



This deponent further states that on the 8th day of 

 October, A. D. 1887, he accompanied Grover Cleveland, 

 then and now the President of the United States of 

 America, as this deponent is informed and verily believes 

 the same to be true, upon a fishing ex edition on said 

 Lake Mendota. That the Hon. William F. Vilas, Post- 

 master General; the Hon, Daniel Lamont, one Dr. Bryant 

 and others accompanied the President as a part of said 

 fishing expedition, but that the said President and this 

 deponent, during all the time they were fishing, were in 

 a boat by themselves, and that on said occasion the Presi- 

 dent showed himself to be a good and skillful fisherman, 

 nearly as good a fisherman as this deponent is, and that 

 the said President caught eight good black bass, one of 

 which weighed four pounds and four ounces and the 

 other four pounds and eight ounces; that this deponent, 

 fully realizing the gravity and importance of the state- 

 ment, deliberately avers and states that the said eight fish 

 were of the species known to fishermen and naturalists as 

 fresh- water, small-mouthed black bass, and that two of 

 these weighed as hereinbefore stated respectively. 



This deponent further and solemnly states, upon in- 

 formation and belief, that his long experience as a fisher- 

 man has not disqualified this deponent from stating truth- 

 fully the number and weight of fish, when such fish are 

 caught by persons other than this deponent. 



This deponent further states that if any person or per- 

 sons doubt or question the weight of said two fish as 

 herein stated, this deponent is ready and hereby offers to 

 produce in evidence whenever required so to do the scales 

 upon which said two fish were weighed, which said scales 

 are still existing and wholly unreversed and unappealed 

 from. 



This deponent further states that all statements, reports 

 and rumors that said eight bass had previously been 

 caught by Charley Bernard and this deponent and an- 

 chored out in the waters of said lake ready to be attached 

 to the presidential hook, or that they had previously been 

 caught by Alf Merrill and Con Kruez and by them placed 

 surreptitiously in the President's boat while he was par- 

 taking of the hospitalities of the Rex Magnus Club, and 

 that while under the delusive influence of the "Sauterne" 

 f urnished by that club he was made to believe that he had 

 i caught them himself, are silly, mean, and cowardly lies, 

 ' like those that every day are found in the columns of cer- 

 tain newspapers, which violate every instinct of Ameri- 



South Branch Oromocto.— St. John, N. B., Oct. 10.— 

 Messrs. R. W. W. Frink and R. O'Shaughnessy have re- 

 turned from the lake, after three days' fishing^ with over 

 100 beautiful fish. Fifty or more of the largest fish were 

 on exhibition in Mr. Shaughnessy's store this forenoon 

 and elicited words of admiration from all who saw them. 

 There were 120 lake trout: the largest two three days 

 after being killed, 3|lbs. weight; ten over 31bs., twenty- 

 five between 2 and 81bs. , the rest from lib. to 21bs. — 1 

 J. N. B. 



Bass Flies. — Herr Von clem Borne has been experi- 

 menting with bl*ck bass flies in German waters, ami has 

 tied a taking lure of red and yellow. This was the com- 

 bination hit upon by Mr. A. N. Cheney, after three months 

 of experimenting in 1882, and known as the Cheney fly. 

 The bass are like men, they change their skies but not 

 their tastes, 



<$Uihmltnn. 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Pub. Co 



LOBSTER CULTURE. 



LAST week we gave a portion of Mr. Richard Rathbun's 

 article on the artificial propagation of lobsters, from 

 the Bulletin of the U. S. Fish Commission. He further says: 

 In a report to the U. S. Commissioner of Fish and Fish- 

 eries on the lobster fishery in the United States, the writer 

 gives an account of what is know regarding the habits and 

 abundance of both the American and European species, 

 which differ but slightly from each other structurally. The 

 investigations on which that report is based confirmed the 

 fact, previously well known to those acquainted with the 

 industry, that the abundance of lobsters, as well as their 

 average size, has been rapidly decreasing from year to year 

 on many portions of the coast ever since the fishery has been 

 vigorously pushed. A study of the habits of lobsters indi- 

 cates that such a decrease is far more possible with that 

 species than with the true fishes, which are, as a rule, more 

 secure from the attacks of man. That a decrease has taken 

 place ; and that in some regions it has amounted to a serious 

 loss, is attested by the statements of numerous fishermen 

 and dealers, which are quoted at some length in the report 

 above mentioned. 



All the States interested in the lobster fishery, excepting 

 New Jersey, whose fishery is small, have enacted protective 

 laws; but either because these la ws are inadequate or are not 

 properly enforced, they have failed to stop the decrease, 

 though they may have checked it more or less. As a result, 

 the fishery is falling off in the United States, and we are even 

 now dependent, to a greater or less extent, on the British 

 Provinces for the supplies of our larger markets. The same 

 trouble exists in Europe, where the lobster fishery is, of 

 course, of much older date than in this country, and where 

 it has been controlled by legislation for many years. Many 

 elaborate reports have been published upon the European 

 fishery by experts appointed to investigate its condition and 

 needs, but they are apparently at as much loss there as we 

 are here regarding the methods and benefits of protection. 

 In Norway, which country possesses the most important 

 European fishery, they have, as a last resort, sought relief 

 through the aid of artificial lobster culture, and experiments 

 to that end have been carried on for several years. In the 



