414 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Dec. 15, 1887, 



CANOEING! IN MAINE. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



1 saw recently au inquiry in your paper as to the feasibility of a 

 canoe trip from Fredericton, N. B., to Moosehead Lake, Me.; and 

 though I may not throw a flood of light on the subject I have 

 some knowledge of the intervening country and what I can say 

 may he of assistance. I think that the trip would be difficult, hut 

 might be accomplished with the necessary time and grit, backed 

 bv a little cash. Starting from Fredericton my objective point 

 would be Butterfleld's landing on Grand Lake of the Ohipulneti- 

 cook series. There would be two ways of reaching it. First by 

 going up the St. John 58 miles to Sullivan's Creek, or Canterbury 

 two miles further, and then hiring a team to portage 21 to 33 miles 

 to the head of Grand Lake. The only drawback would be the long 

 portage. I think $6 would hire the team. 



The second way would be to follow the Shogemoc, which joins 

 the St. John at the foot of Medoctec Rapids, to Deer Lake; then 

 either take the M. B. railway to Vanceboro, Me., or make a short 

 portage to the Little Digdequash, which empties into Spednic 

 Lake near that place. Then, save two carries OfgOOydS. and 50yds. 

 respeetivelv, there is plain cruising to Butterfleld's Landing, 30 

 miles from Vanceboro. In cruising Spednic. care should be taken 

 to keep the western shore going up and the eastern going down, 

 to avoid mistaking bays for the main lake. I cannot vouch for 

 the navigation of the Shogemoc, but I know it is rough enough at 

 the mouth. However, lumbermen tell rac that it has some rapids, 

 with lots of stretches of dead water. Judging from the volume 

 of water I have seen flowing from Deer Lake in midwinter, I 

 should sav there would be plenty to float a canoe. The map shows 

 Deer Lake as connected with the southern branch of the Shoge- 

 moc, while I am quite certain it is at the head of the northern. 

 Perhaps the postmaster at Lower Canterbury, York county, N. B., 

 or Deer Lake, York county, would, if written to, give additional 

 information to any one intending to make the cruise. 



From Butterfleld's there is a portage of three miles into the 

 Baskehegan, which joins the Mattawamkeag near Bancroft, and 

 then you have easy cruising to the Penobscot. I think the Pis- 

 cataquis branch of the latter river would take you very near 

 Moosehead, and am nnder the impression that it is navigable for 

 a cance, but perhaps some one who has been over it would settle 

 that point. Some call the region I have described "the sports- 

 man's paradise." Though I would warn the canoeist against very 

 sanguine expectations, I can certify that there is enough to satisfy 

 a reasonable man. And as for fish, the Chipulneticook lakes have 

 togue, white perch and pickerel as good as you will find any- 

 where. I have not done a great deal of shooting this fall, though 

 in all mv excursions I have "lugged" (as they say here) a .38 Win- 

 chester. I saw two deer before the law was off, but none since. 

 During my stay here I have picked up many scraps of informa- 

 tion that should have found their way to the ears of the game 

 wardens. The very evening before I read your editorial remarks 

 on the hounding at Nicatous a gentleman was telling me that in 

 the fall of '86 he saw two men there with four hounds and eleven 

 deer in their possession. A young man of this place who was this 

 summer connected with the tannery of F. Shaw & Bros., Town- 

 ship 39, Washington county. Me., tells me that in one Suuday this 

 fall he saw three deer hounded into Brandy Pond and killed. It 

 is a small body of water, and he says that they surround it in 

 such a way that a deer hasn't a ghost of a chance. A law-abiding 

 sportsman of a neighboring village told me that last winter he 

 found a yard of eight deer, and a crust-hunter of Brooktoo dis- 

 covered it a few days later and killed four. He says this same 

 man killed so many last winter that he had to salt the venison 

 down to keep it from spoiling. 



Although there is a healthy sentiment in favor of the game laws 

 here, it is not by any means universal, and the opposition. I am 

 sorrv to say, often comes from men from whom, by virtue of their 

 positions iii life, we would naturally expect better things. 



Wishing Forest and Stream and its readers, not the hackneyed 

 "compliments of the season," but a good old-fashioned down East 

 "merry Christmas and happy New Year," I pick up my gun and 

 stroll off to Spruce Mountain. L. J. Flower. 



Forest City, Me., Dec. 9. 



LARGE CANOES IN THE A. C. A. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Now that the question of larger "canoes" is again cropping up; 

 and as you invite discussion of the subject, I will, if you please, 

 mount mv aged hobby horse and trot him out for the benefit of 

 such of your readers as really care to examine his paces. 



It seems to me we are gradually losing sight of the original 

 design and purpose of the canoe. A canoe may be defined as a 

 "boat of a peculiar model, resembling that of the primitive boats, 

 used by uncivilized or semi-civilized nations, and usually pro- 

 pelled by paddles." Now, there are two distinct varieties of 

 primitive boats. The dugout— the primitive boat made out of the 

 hollowed log— and the "frame and skin boat," i. e., a frame work 

 of light wood, or bone, covered with skin, as in the case of the 

 Esquimaux kayak, and the ancient British coracle, with the bark 

 of trees, as in the case of the canoe of the North American radian, 

 or with canvas, as in the Welsh coracle, or Irish "curragh," the 

 canvas being merely a substitute for the hide which was formerly 

 the covering of those primitive boats. It is, I believe, to the latter 

 kind of craft, i. c, the frame and skin boat, that we are indebted 

 for the idea of the modern canoe, the kayak being the source of 

 inspiration of the decked canoe, while the open canoe was evi- 

 dently evolved from the birch bark of the Indian. As originally 

 designed, the modern canoe was supposed to be used on any 

 water; but its specialty was for cruising on waters difficult of 

 access or navigation in ordinary boats; it was supposed to be 

 capable of going anywhere— even up a sewer, as some critic un- 

 kindly remarked— and to combine a number of opposite qualities; 

 to be of light draft of water for shallows, to be capable of being 

 easily carried by its crew around an obstacle such as a fall, yet 

 strong^enough to stand the wear and tear of a cruise, and suffi- 

 ciently large to carry a certain amount of camping gear, or lug- 

 gage if required; either decked or fitted with air-tight compart- 

 ments, so as to be safe, if the caneoist had a bit of open water 

 with a heavy lop on to cross. The paddle being its main means of 

 propulsion, it was yet able to sail with a fair leading wind. 



This was the first ideal cruising canoe. Now, is the latest 

 "canoe" an advance toward this for canoe cruising proper? Sail- 

 ing is evidently its forte; it may be, and perhaps is, used for cruis- 

 ing, but for cruising on waters which could be just as easily navi- 

 gated in ordinary boats, where there are few or no portages, 

 rapids, shallows or other obstructions. For this kind of work a 

 ski A or light boat larger than the canoes at present allowed bv 

 the rules of the Association, is certainly much better adapted . It 

 is much more comfortable to sail in, will hold more, sail much 

 better if the same attention is paid to rig and model, with a view 

 to developing this quality as has been given to the sailing canoe, 

 can be rowed faster than the latter can be paddled, and is very 

 nearly as easy to carry round an obstruction, or to haul in and out 

 of a boat house. If the main object of the Association he, as it 

 apparently now is, to encourage small boat (canoe ?) sailing, then 

 it may as well go a step further and admit boats that a man can 

 sail comfortably in. The only drawbacks to them will be the dif- 

 ficulty of transportation by rail or steam. Hence these larger 

 "canoes"? will have to confine themselves mainly to the local 

 meets of the Division in which they happen to be. I foresee 

 the objections which can be made to the purely cruising canoe, 

 which is not also a sailing boat, that few have time or opportunity 

 for a cruise more than once a year perhaps, and that paddling is 

 monotonous, while a man may sail on his own duck pond in a 

 variety of winds, etc., etc. Nevertheless, cruising on waters which 

 are unattainable to ordinary boats is the true province of the 

 canoe, and most of us who want to enjoy a sail, a larger boat than 

 one of 15 or 16ft. long by 30in. beam will commend itself. The 

 sight of a fleet of canoes is certainly pretty. "O'est magnifique, 

 mate e'esi ne pasle—canotage." C. M. Douglas. 



Lakefield, Dec. 4. 



SMOOTHSKIN CANOES— The ribbon-carvel system of canoe- 

 building, which on its introduction seven or eight years ago met 

 with little favor, has lately come into notice again in connection 

 with the Notus and other Albany canoes. In the new system a 

 frame work or last is carefully built up for each model, the'moulds 

 are set up one foot apart and battens are permanently screwed to 

 them, all being accurately faired up to the shape of the inside of 

 the boat. Over this mould the ribbands are first laid and tempor- 

 arily fastened, being about %x.%m. The ribs are about J^in. thick, 

 and are let into each ribband for the full thickness, being- 

 bent into place while hot; the keelson and deadwoods being first 

 secured to the mould. This makes the complete frame of the 

 boat, and when it is completed the planking, in three streaks to 

 each side, is laid on. being fastened with brass screws. The 

 result is a perfectly smooth skin, with only two seams on a side. 

 The builder of these canoes, Mr. H. Fiepenbrink, of Albany, has 

 lately turned out several very handsome models, one of them for 

 Gen. Oliver. 



CANOE PHOTOS— Mr. W. A, Leys, of Toronto, sends us some 

 photos of the T. C. C. boats and the club's spring camp. Mr. J. Z. 

 Rogers sends views of the Northern Division meet, and from Mr. 

 Chas. Livingston, of Liverpool, we have two good views of the 

 new Charm with Mr. Stewart on board. 



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SAIL PLAN CANOE IONE, 18x36. DESIGNED BY E. T. BlRDSALL, 1887. 



A MAY CRUISE ON THE ST. LAWRENCE. 



NOW that our long Canadian winter has set in, and our canoes 

 are stowed away in the club house, whose doors are barred 

 up until April next, it may not be out of the way to give a brief 

 sketch of a cruise taken by some eleven members of the Lake St. 

 Louis C. C. of Lachine, Canada, on May 22, 23 and 34. 



At a meeting held some weeks previously it had been decided to 

 go around the islands of Montreal and Jesa, and that we should 

 start on Saturday, May 22. On that date and at 3 o'clock six 

 canoes left the club house, and before the fleet had gone two miles 

 one of the canoes, the Maud, had to return, leaking badly, owing, 

 no doubt, to her not being in the water since last fall. The re- 

 maining five safely reached Point Claire, eight miles away, where 

 supper was partaken of, after which a start was made for St. 

 Ann's, about eight miles, famous by these few words by Tom 

 Moore: 



"Row, brothers, row, the stream runs fast, 

 The rapids are near, the daylight is past." 



After leaving Pt. Claire darkness set in, accompanied by a 

 nasty head wind, which somewhat divided our little company, 

 but Anally we reached the Clarendon Hotel, and having stowe'd 

 our canoes away, were quite ready for dry clothes and the hotel 

 fire. It being rather early in the season, but few guests were 

 there, and we had the house pretty much to ourselves. Our party 

 were pretty well known here, having at the last St. Ann regatta 

 captured eleven out of thirteen races, after which, having bought 

 brooms, they marched through the village singing songs, much to 

 the discomfort of the inhabitants. 



Next morning the villagers must have been surprised to see one 

 of the hoy's guernseys flying from the flagstaff of the hotel, it 

 being black and yellow, and the warning used by the authorities to 

 denote that smallpox dwelt therein. Mine host, however, soon had 

 it lowered, and breakfast being over, we portaged the lock, had 

 our photographs taken and started for St. Eustache, 18 miles 

 distant. 



About noon we landed and had dinner, a very welcome rest it 

 was after one has paddled 14 miles in the broiling sun, and we 

 noticed each other considerably tanned even at this early stage 

 of our journev. Wo resumed our voyage and made a village about 

 3 o'clock. This was Sunday afternoon, and as usual we found a 

 drove of Frenchman fishing, who seemed a little surprised at the 

 appearance of our party. At this place there is a fall of about 

 15 to 20ft. and quite a long rough rapid with a bad turn. Only one 

 of the canoes, the Marion L., went over, the others portaging. 

 The scenery on this part of the river is anything but prepossess- 

 ing, the current not very strong and the heat made one wish to 

 jump overboard, so none of us were sorry to reach St. Rose in 

 time for tea. 



I might here mention that we had landed at St. Eustache and 

 did that town up in pretty good shape, one of the boys whose aunt 

 lived here invited us in to tea. 



Leaving St. Rose next morning, the party separated, as the 

 Marion L. wished to go around the whole way by canoe, the rest 

 agreeing to go by steamer from the foot of the island; and I must 

 divide up my narrative, and will give the experience of the larger 

 party as told afterward by themselves. 



They had three men who were not accustomed to handling 

 canoes, and the wonder was that some of them were not drowned; 

 as it was, two of the canoes lost everything they contained in the 

 shape of food, spare clothing, etc., and their occupants had a nar- 

 row shave for their lives. They ran in all four rapids, the worst 

 being at Terrebonne, which are fully three miles long and very 

 dangerous. In this rapid two canoes upset, and had it not heen 

 for aid in the shape of a flat-bottomed boat from shore, the result 

 might have been "different like." 



The canoes which formed this party were the Doctor, Coquette, 

 Oregon and Shawinegan. After reaching Bout de L'Isle that night 

 the party decided to remain there for the steamboat next morn- 

 ing. 



The other division left St. Rose at 8:30 A. M. and sailed until 

 noon, when the wind left them, and very pleasant they had found 

 it, after paddling the day previous. They ran all the rapids with- 

 out mishap, had dinner at Bout de L'Isle at 2 o'clock, and started 

 on their homeward journey of twenty-four miles against a strong 

 wind and current up the St. Lawrence, reaching the foot of the 

 canal at 8 o'clock, and, after portaging the six locks, reached 

 home at 11, having journeyed over seventy miles that day, fully 

 fifty of which by paddle. 



Next morning was spent in comparing notes of our journey, and 

 all seemen well satisfied with the result and pleased that we were 

 all together again. Marion L. 



THE BRITISH CANOE ASSOCIATION.— The first meeting of 

 the provisional committee of the British Canoe Association, 

 formed last August, was held in London on Nov. 29. A flag was 

 adopted similar to the A. C. A., but with blue in place of red and 

 the letters B. C. A. The R. C. C. also held a meeting at the same 

 time, and some important changes were made in the rules, but 

 we have received no detailed report as yet. 



A NEW BOOK ON CANOEING.— Mr. W. Baden-Powell is now 

 engaged in a work on canoeing, which will form one of the Bad- 

 minton library of sporting books. 



IONE— A LARGE CANOE. 



APROPOS of the discussion over the admission of larger canoeai 

 now going on in our columns, we give the lines of a boat ov 

 this class which has proved quite a success. The canoe lone warn 

 designed last winter by Mr. E. T. Birdsall, of New York, and huilt' 

 by Bradley, of Watertown, N. Y., last spring. i 

 She is 18ft. long by 3ft. wide and is smooth build, of J4in. planfcfj 

 keel of white oak l^in. thick; stem and sternpost of hackmatackM 

 nlanking of cedar; deck, mahogany; coaming, walnut, flaredjj 

 Radix board of largest size, which is rather smatlfor a boat of this! 

 length. She carries about 125ft. of sail and lOOlbs. of lead cast to fltfl 

 close to the garboards, no shifting ballast. With this lead in and 1 

 sail set one can sit outside of the coaming on the deck to leeward^ 

 and not get wet, the sails and spars weighing oOlhs. and the? 

 usual crew overl501bs. Onabeamwind in smooth water with full) 

 sail and two persons weighing together 3401 bs. hanging out to' ! 

 windward she has beaten catboats of equal waterline length. When') 

 driven in heavy weather with the above load to windward and 1 

 reefed she is quite wet as she goes through the waves when they 

 are short and choppy and the crests thus cut up come aboard. 

 Although wet in heavy weather she is fast and will beat to wind- 

 ward in winds and seas that would blow a 15x30 canoe to lee- 

 ward. 



In common with all narrow and shoal boats she rolls when going- 

 to leeward in a seaway. The under water body conforms to the) 

 wave form curve of areas, other recognized principles of design as; 

 set forth by Dixon Kemp being adapted to this special case as far 

 aspossible. During the past season she was sailed with the ballast, 

 and sails above described with either one or two as crew. It is 

 proposed to add next summer a jib of 30ft., cutting the present, 

 mainsail down the line of the mast, thus making it a gaff sail all; 

 abaft the mast, the bowsprit will be 4ft. outboard and the jib will 

 trim aft of the mast and be capable of being set and taken in from; 

 the cockpit. When sailing alone, in addition four 351b. pigs of j 

 lead cast in the form of a truncated pyramid and covered with' 

 canvas and roped, will be carried to be shifted to windward. ; 



The lone has no watertight compartments, but will probably he 

 fitted with some this winter. The sails are of Polhemus twill, 

 about 4oz. A 61b. Chester anchor and 25 fathoms of 12-thread 

 manilla has held on in 15 fathoms of water with a good jump on, 

 a lee-going tide and two 15x30 canoes fastened to mizenmast. 

 All the sailing of the above boat has been done in Newark and 

 New York bays and around Sandy Hook and Staten Island. The 

 yards are egg-shaped and the booms square to facilitate the 

 reefing gear. 



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