Nov. 10, 1887.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



311 



TROUTING ON THE PASSADUMKEAG. 



ii. 



rpHE Doctor declined to give any account of their trip 

 JL up the river until after supper, as they had partaken 

 of nothing but a hasty lunch since leaving camp in the 

 morning; so securing the cubs with our bundle Straps we 

 all sat down to supper, well knowing that it would be 

 useless to try to elicit any account of the day's doings 

 until the rigid, determined expression on the Doctor's 

 countenance cleared up, and he considered it his duty, 

 however, to inform us that the bear must be skinned the 

 first thing after supper, and the ownership of the same 

 decided by lot; as for the cubs he thought he had a legal 

 right to one of them at least, as they had nearly ruined 

 what little wearing apparel he had, to say nothing of 

 sundry scratches about the knees, somewhat deeper than 

 the clothing. 



Supper being finished and our duty having been made 



fdain to ns, we proceeded to move the carcass of the bear 

 rom the boat to the light of our camp-fire, and under the 

 direction of Adams, who was well up in the art of pre- 

 paring skins for ornamental purposes, we decided that 

 this skin would be the most useful as well as ornamental 

 made into a mat, as the fur was fine and glossy-black, so 

 in skinning we took great care to remove the feet and 

 claws with the skin intact, as well as the head, leaving 

 the upper part of the skull with the jaws attached to the 

 skin. We cut some stiff slender poles which were quite 

 springy, and proceeded to stretch the skin by placing 

 them lengthwise and crosswise, bending each pole so the 

 spring would stretch the skin in the right direction. This 

 being accomplished, preserving compound was rubbed 

 over the flesh side, and it was hung up to dry. Lord and 

 Pettengill had in the meantime prepared such parts of 

 the carcass as they considered the most edible, and con- 

 signed the remainder to the river. 



Our work being now done the Doctor informed us that 

 the laborer was not only worthy of his hire, but the late 

 worker was entitled to an extra* supper, and although not 

 up to all the mysterious arts of cookery he had prepared 

 with his own hands a lunch which he now proposed to 

 stake his reputation upon, whereupon he proceeded to 

 rake from the coals of our camp-lire three lumps about 

 the size of a man's head; they resembled rocks, but after 

 brushing the ashes from them we found them to be com- 

 posed of blue clay and were informed that each lump 

 contained supper for two. A few smart raps with the 

 hatchet sufficed to break the lumps into halves, first dis- 

 closing a mass of feathers embedded to the inside of the 

 clay ball, then the body of a— "can it be a partridge?" 

 No, but they were done to a rich brown and. fragrant 

 with appetizing odors, "truly a lunch fit for the gods." 



After lunch we repaired to our tent to listen to the 

 Doctor's account of the capture of the bears: 



"We paddled up the river as far as the Lower Taylor 

 Brook, which we reached about noon, only stopping once 

 to try the trout at cold springs, where we caught several 

 very fine ones. While we were quietly resting on the 

 right bank at the mouth of the brook, our attention 

 was called to a strange winning noise in the river a few 

 rods above us. On looking, what was our surprise to see 

 a large bear swimming across the Passadunikeag from 

 the opposite side, followed by two cubs, which were 

 whining piteously, evidently disliking then- cold bath. 

 The bear was heading for a poiut about three rods above, 

 and evidently had not seen us, as she manifested no fear. 

 Heald, with his Ballard across his knee, quietly waited 

 for the bear to reach the shore. Heald raised his rifle to 

 his shoulder, and at the same time giving a sharp whistle 

 to attract her attention. She raised her head to listen, 

 and on the instant the crack of Heald's rifle echoed 

 among the hills. The bear made one convulsive struggle 

 and sank to the ground just at the edge of the river, the 

 ball had entered her brain just forward of the ear. Heald 

 and myself sprang to the shore to intercept the cubs, 

 while Pettengill took to the boat to head them off should 

 they attempt to recross the river, a precaution which 

 saved us the cubs, for as we reached the bank they turned 

 and swam for the opposite shore. Pettingell was on 

 hand, the bow of his boat not 6ft. from them, the stern 

 near the bank. I sprang aboard, at the same time giving 

 the boat a vigorous push in the direction of the cubs. 

 We were upon them before they reached the opposite 

 shore, and succeeded in getting a rope around their necks 

 without much trouble while they were in the water. We 

 then lifted them into the boat regardless of their teeth 

 and claws, and hitched them up closely. They were 

 sorry-looking objects, their resistance seemed to be wholly 

 defensive. It was not without a pang of regret that we 

 lifted the carcass of the dead bear into the boat. The 

 cries of the little ones were distressing, they were trem- 

 bling with fear, or the effects of their cold swim, but the 

 warm sun soon dried them off, and if it did not elevate 

 their spirits it certainly improved their appearance. We 

 decided to return to camp at once, concluding that pad- 

 dling a boat twenty miles and capturing three bears was 

 a day's work not to be grinned at." 



The Doctor's account of their day's doings, being thus 

 briefly told, we retired to our couches, a tired but happy 

 company. 



We arose the next morning feeling none the worse for 

 our hard jaunt and tiresome work of the day before. Our 

 breakfast consisted (in addition to our usual fare of fried 

 trout, baked potatoes and coffee) of a bountiful supply of 

 broiled bear's steak, which our guides declared to be very 

 toothsome. We decided, however, than an appetite for 

 bear's steak would have to be acquired, and as time with 

 us was precious, we concluded that trout were good 

 enough for us. As the day promised to be lowry, we 

 decided to remain about camp, as we had much to do. 

 We first made a rude cage about 21ft. square, in which 

 to keep and transport the cubs. We found it no easy job 

 to remove them from the box (into which we put them 

 during the night) but with the aid of the straps which we 

 had put around then- necks, as a second precaution against 

 escape, we finally succeeded in dragging them out with- 

 out injury, and placed them in the cage. The Doctor 

 proposed to devote the day to civilizing them. They 

 were not at ail inclined to be petted at first, but after two 

 or three hours' persistent and gentle stroking about the 

 head and face with a smooth stick, scratching their ears 

 and rubbing them under the jaws, the Doctor so far over- 

 came their fears that they allowed him to stroke them 

 with his hand, and even seemed to solicit it. We then pre- 

 pared some condensed milk by diluting it largely with 

 warm water, and making it quite sweet, which, after a 



little patient coaxing, the Doctor succeeded in making 

 them eat from his hand. While lapping the milk they 

 kept up a constant purring noise, loud enough to be heard 

 for several rods. After eating the milk, they went into 

 the nest of dry uiobs which we had gathered for them, 

 and soon were oblivious of all the restraints that civiliza- 

 had placed upon them. 



As the day advanced the clouds began to clear away, 

 and by noon the sun was shining bright and warm. 

 Heald suggested, "that as we were all languishing for 

 something to do," we avail ourselves of this opportunity 

 to pot our trout, which we had promised to take home to 

 some of our friends (we had taken into camp several two- 

 gallon stone pots for this purpose, together with such 

 other materials as were needed to preserve trout in this 

 manner). This suggestion was approved by the whole 

 party, as this would call for more fishing, about seventy- 

 five being required to fill our pots. The first thing to be 

 done was to prepare our ground oven for cooking the fish. 

 This Lord and Pettengill knew just how to do, and they 

 proceeded at once to dig a trench six feet long by eight- 

 teen inches Avide and one foot deep, this they filled with 

 dry wood and set a-fire, which was left burning for two 

 or tlif ee hours. As soon as the sun began to cast shadows 

 upon the river, we each selected a favorite locality for 

 casting our flies, and commenced the exciting sport. 

 Lord and Pettengill were to dress the fish as fast as 

 caught. The trout, if possible, seemed more plentiful 

 than on the preceding day, the river seemed fairly alive 

 with theni, I bebeve it was possible for one man to have 

 caught one hundred in two hours, with tackle and flies 

 of suitable strength to permit of landing at once. Fish- 

 ing as we were with single fly, and being from five to 

 fifteen minutes hi landing each fish, we had at half -past 

 six caught seventy- three, an average of twelve to each 

 man in little over one and a half hour's fishing. Our guides 

 had them dressed and all ready to pack into the pot. 



Our method of potting was to pack them heads and 

 tails, as closely as possible, sprinkling over each layer a 

 handful of whole spices. When the pots were full we 

 put into each 1-J pints vinegar and 21bs. of butter or olive 

 oil, then putting on the covers and stopping the joints 

 with clay, we raked open the coals and placed the pots 

 near the bottom of the trench, covering completely with 

 ashes and coals, where they remained without further 

 attention for six hours, Lord engaging to remove them at 

 the proper time. Prepared in this way trout are simply 

 delicious, and may be kept for months if not disturbed. 

 It being now 7 o'clock and our "labors," or rather pleas- 

 ures, of the day done, while supper was preparing we 

 listened to a brief lecture by the Doctor on the training of 

 wild animals, with practical illustrations. After supper 

 we mapped out our trips for the next two days, and wrap- 

 ping ourselves in our blaukets, were soon enjoying undis- 

 turbed repose. F. 



Unity, Me. 



THE UPPER DAM TROUT. 



BOSTON, Mass., Nov. 7.— The Forest and Stream 

 was never better appreciated than to-day, in the 

 minds of its angling readers at least. That was a magni- 

 ficent piece of newspaper work it contained last week, 

 and it was all the better for the reason that it leaves no 

 chance for doubt in the minds of anglers that trout have 

 been taken the past season at the Upper Dam, between 

 Mooselucmaguntic and Richardson Lakes in Maine, in a 

 manner entirely unsportsmanlike, and in a way which, 

 if followed up, would very soon lead to the depletion of 

 trout in these remarkable waters to a greater extent than 

 one not familiar with this region — even with that par- 

 ticular location — would be led to suppose. In the first 

 place the Upper Dam stops the flow of the water of the 

 entire Androscoggin system at that point — the water of 

 two great lakes and one of smaller size, besides numerous 

 ponds and streams. It is natural for the trout family to 

 seek the upper waters at the commencement of the breed- 

 ing season. Nature has implanted the instinct. It is the 

 one great effort of the parent trout to deposit the spawn, 

 their young, in the safer waters of the smaller rivers and 

 brooks, where they can stay in comparative safety till 

 grown sufficiently large to care for themselves in the 

 deeper waters. Hence it is that the great majority of 

 trout in Richardson Lake below the Upper Dam, at the 

 time the breeding furor is on, are struggling to pass that 

 obstruction and reach the streams above. It is true that 

 some of the trout might seek the streams flowing into 

 that lake at other points, but they are very small when 

 compared with the great volume of water that passes the 

 Upper Dam. Unfortunately, in the Salmo fontinalis, the 

 desire to breed begins earlier than on the first day of 

 October, at which date the law for their protection comes 

 on. Indeed, female trout with nearly ripe spawn may be 

 found at that point as early as the middle of August. 

 The females are headed up the stream, and they are 

 vigorously followed by the males. When trout are in 

 the breeding state it is possible for any one, with even 

 moderate skill, to devise means whereby they may be 

 destroyed. They are all headed toward the breeding 

 grounds, and they are so changed from then: usual wary 

 nature that they permit of the passage of boats directly 

 over, and within a foot or two cf them, without the least 

 alarm. If one could but get the control of a single one 

 of the gates at the Upper Dam, with the condition that 

 no other gate was to be opened, and watch this gate care- 

 fully with the proper arrangement of hooks and sinkers 

 at hand, he would be able to secure nearly every fish that 

 desired to pass up the stream, and in this manner he 

 would be sure of taking a very great proportion of the 

 trout that inhabit the lake below. 



Such fishing as this is what the Forest and Stream 

 has succeeded in so admirably bringing to light, though 

 it is possible that it was only being pursued in a rather 

 moderate degree. Indeed the parties shown up in that 

 paper are not the only ones who have indulged in watch- 

 ing trout with lines on the bottom at that point. It has 

 been going on for years, only the excess with which it 

 has been practiced has led to its exposure this year. What 

 has been going on is now perfectly plain, thanks to the 

 Forest and Stream, and the Maine Fish Commissioners 

 will know what to do. They will know what sort of 

 legislation to ask for at the session of the Legislature of 

 that State in 1888-9. A warden is sadly needed to be 

 stationed at the Upper Dam, but no angler that I have 

 talked with desires that Mr. Stewart's offer to pay the 

 expenses of such an officer be accepted. The universal 

 expression is that no such warden is wanted there. If it 

 be necessary to shorten the open season at that point by 



including September, then let it be done, is the idea of all 

 the true anglers that I have talked with on the subject. 

 Again, a suitable fishway is suggested; but that idea is 

 also repudiated by some who have given the subject con- 

 siderable thought. The exposure which the Forest and 

 Stream has made will put all trout jiggers at that point 

 in their true light hereafter. Anglers with any show of 

 pride will refrain from the practice. Indeed a copy of the 

 Forest and Stream's articles printed hi large type, 

 should be framed and hung up at the Upper Dam, in 

 order that the exposure be not forgotten, and that it 

 might be pointed to in the case of the possible attempt of 

 strangers to take trout in any manner other than with the 

 fly like a real sportsman. Every person I have met that 

 takes an interest in such matters, is highly pleased with 

 the prospect that unfair and illegal fishing at the Upper 

 Dam is now in a fair way to be stopped. Special. 



The Maine Jigging Case.— In Mr. A. N. Cheney's 

 letter, page 287, sixth paragraph, for "After breakfast 

 time," read "At breakfast time." In ninth paragraph, 

 for "but I did not see him fish the pond or stream below," 

 read "but I did not see him fish the pool or stream be- 

 low." 



SALT-WATER NOTES. 



BLUEFISH are our most general salt-water game fish. 

 They inhabit the waters of our entire Atlantic coast 

 and are readily taken with hook and line, and are really 

 good food fish. T do not know that they or drum or sheeps- 

 head are found on the Pacific; I never saw any of them 

 there. Drum and sheepshead are seldom taken north of 

 New Jersey, but are quite common along the coast south 

 of that latitude. The bluefish come to the New Jersey 

 coast in May, when the menhaden come, and axe found 

 there with the menhaden until quite cold weather. They 

 feed on menhaden and other small fish. When a school 

 of bluefish are feeding they make such comifcotion that 

 those who are accustomed to their habits at once know 

 what it means; the same with Spanish mackerel off the 

 west coast of Florida. There would be scarcely a gull in 

 sight, and in a very short time hundreds would gather 

 over the school, darting down to catch the little fish that 

 the bluefish have driven to the surface of the water. These 

 gulls must have a very far sight or a sense that we know 

 very little about, to be attracted by a school of fish so far 

 off. It is really a novel sight worth seeing. 



Ten years ago bluefish were very numerous; it was really 

 good and profitable sport trolling for them outside the 

 beach and inlets and in the channels inside. I have known 

 two men to catch two tons in two tides. I was once off 

 Seven Miles beach, near Hereford Inlet, with the life- 

 saving station men who set their gillnet while we fished 

 for so-called red drum (spotted redfish). We caught five 

 of the red drum weighing about 351bs. each. We took 

 with the net 347 bluefish, average 121bs. each, and they 

 were readily sold for 5cts. per pound. I speak of this to 

 show their abundance. For some years past bluefish and 

 menhaden have been disappearing from the coast. There 

 are so few bluefish that very few seek them, and the men- 

 haden fishery is not so profitable to the pursenets of fish 

 factories. I have been informed that this fall there has 

 been a greater run of menhaden and bluefish than for some 

 years past, and a little harvest has been made by the purse- 

 nets. This would show that the bluefish and menhaden 

 are not destroyed, but that such fish will again be on this 

 coast. I have seen fleets of steamers and sailing crafts 

 after the menhaden, so that I do not see how any fish could 

 escape; their nets are only one inch mesh, and take in all 

 kinds of fish. This is the case, I am informed, along the 

 whole coast where menhaden are found. They and other 

 fish must be very much more prolific than we have any 

 conception of not to be exterminated by such netting. 

 The public and sportsmen would be very loath to part 

 with the bluefish. A 121b. bluefish on a rod and reel is 

 about as much as the fisherman wants to tend to at one 

 time. I know of no stronger and vigorous fish. 



Codfish come to this coast in November and are there 

 all winter. They feed on small sand eels 2 to 8 inches 

 long which abound on the sand bars, especially off Long 

 Beach. The codfish are taken very readily with hook and 

 line, and clam bait is used. They are caught from a 

 quarter of a mile to five miles out to sea. They are quite 

 numerous and one would think that a codfish fishery 

 established there would be profitable. I have known 

 boats to be launched from the beach and catch 500 to 600 

 a day, weighing from 51bs. to 201bs. each. Pursenets for 

 the fish factory do not appear to disturb them. 



Purves. 



Philadelphia, Pa. 



Weathersfield Cove, near Hartford, Conn., has long 

 been a favorite fishing ground for net-fishermen, who 

 have taken out bushels of bass and other fish. Last week 

 some West Hartfort anglers caught William Frazier and 

 Leander Taylor, of Cromwell, dragging the cove with a 

 seine for bass and pickerel. Game Warden A. C. Collins, 

 of Hartford, was called on, and the two netters were ar- 

 rested and convicted before Justice Adams. 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Pub.' Co 



THE UNITED STATES COMMISSION. — Since the pub- 

 lication of our list of Fish Commissioners last week, the 

 Assistant Commissioner, Maj, T. B. Ferguson, has resigned, 

 and the President has appointed Dr. J. H. Kidder, of Wash- 

 ington, D. O, to fill the vacancy. Dr. Kidder was a surgeon 

 in the U. S. Navy, and resigned in 1884 in order to devote his 

 time and services to the investigations of the Eish Commis- 

 sion. He bought land adjoining that of the Commission at 

 Wood's Holl, Mass., and built a residence on it so that he 

 might be;;near the. laboratory and the hatchery. He was a 

 warm friend of the late Commissioner, Prof. Spencer F. 

 Baird, and is a man well fitted for the duties of Assistant 

 Commissioner. 



THE NATIONAL FISHERY ASSOCIATION will hold 

 a meeting at the United States Hotel, New York city, on 

 Wednesday, Nov. 16, at ten o'clock, A. M., to listen tore- 

 ports, elect officers, and adopt such measures as shall be 

 deemed expedient, for proper representation of the fishery 

 interests of the United States in all matters pertaining to 

 National or State legislation, especially in regard to the leg- 

 islation which must follow the present diplomatic action of 

 the Government, 



