188 



(March 24, 1887. 



TORONTO, March 19.— A few members of the Toronto and West 

 Toronto Junction Gun Clubs shot a friendly match at live birds at 

 J. Oulcott's, Eglinton, this afternoon. A goodly number of mem- 

 bers of both clubs went out to witness the shoot. Although the 

 weather was cold and windy and not the kind for big scores, yet 

 some good shooting was made. The teams shot very evenly all 

 through until the last round, when the old club forged ahead and 

 finally won by four birds. Jeff. Worden for the Torontos and Dan 

 Blea for the Junctions, made exceptionally clean shooting. After 

 the team shoot a sweepstake match was shot. The first four 

 named were the winners. Mr. Joe Taylor was referee. Three 

 sweeps at Canada blackbirds were also shot off. Mr. Oulcott, who 

 is sick and could not take part, was very much missed. Team 

 shoot, 10 birds each man: 



Toronto. AVest Toronto Junction. 



J Worden 10 D Blea 9 



A Ellis 8 E Dollery 8 



DBeldan 8 G Davis 7 



E LeRoy 8 J Walton 7 



G Pearsall 7-41 P Wakefield 7-37 



Sweepstakes, 10 birds, 4 prizes: 



•T Bell 9 H Newman 7 



A Purse 8 JSBaylis,. 6 



G Pearsall 7 R Black 5 



George H 7 W Pearson 4 



First sweep at 12 Canada blackbirds, 3 prizes: 



D Blea la P Wakefield 7 



A Ellis 9 E Dollery 6 



WMcDowall 8 THalton C 



E Le Roy 8 G Davis , 4 



Second sweep at 9 birds: 



R Black 8 THalton 6 



A Ellis 7 P Wakefield 4 



D Blea 7 WMcDowall 4 



W Pearson 6 E LeRoy i 



Third sweep at 9 birds: 



D Bel dan 8 George H 6 



D Blea 8 F Quarrie 6 



R Black 7 J Bell 5 



A Ellis 7 WMcDowall 5 



NEW DORP, Staten Island.— Jannette vs. Emerald Gun Club, 

 10 men each, 10 birds, 25yds., 80yds. boundary, H. and T. traps. The 

 birds were a good lot: 



Jannette Gun Club. Emerald Gun Club. 



H W Cordis ... 0101102111— 7 G Hudson 2111101101—8 



JRottinan mi 110211— 8 Godfrey 1210121201— 8 



G Pricks 1111210101— 8 W Glac-uni 3010200111—8 



N Brunie 0101101011— 6 J Voss 0120111102-7 



H Vetter J 111120120- 8 J Measel 2020011 1 10-0 



HRottman... .1 121)110210- 1 Garring 1012002011-0 



C Juteman 1111211102- 9 G Ramsey 1102101102—7 



C Matson. ..... .1010210101- McMann 1200111121-8 



H Otten 1111211212-10 C Granger 1012010131—7 



C Meyer 1010310120- 6-70 L Scamberhorn. 0100010100-3-66 



There has been some talk of a return shoot. The followiug are 

 the officers of the Jannette Club: H. W. Cordis, President: F. C. 

 Bahr, Vice-President: John Hubert, Second Vice-President; N. 

 Brunie, Treasurer; .Ch. Anders. Secretary; Ch. Meyer, Sergeant- 

 at-Arms.— O. 



TORONTO. March 12.— The Owls had a big turnout this after- 

 noon, when they had another of their weekly shoots. The scene 

 was on Messrs. Gooderham & Worts' cricket field, and some 

 capital scores are recorded below: 



First match, 10 birds each, one barrel, gun below the elbow: 



Ayrss 9 Unwin . . 5 



Humphreys 8 Lush. 5 



Beatty 7 Miller 4 



Wells 6 Stewart 4 



Second match, 5 snowbirds: 



Unwin.. 4 Lusli 3 



Humphreys 3 Lockhart 3 



Beatty 3 Ayrs 2 



Stewart 3 



Third match, 10 Peoria blackbirds: 



Humphreys 8 Stewart 5 



Unwin 8 Lush 5 



Beatty 6 Lockhart ....5 



Bennett... 6 Thompson 4 



Sheppard 6 McClure 1 



Scaife 6 Ayro 4 



Fourth match, 5 Peoria blackbirds: 



Humphreys 4 Unwin 3 



Greenwood * 4 Beatty 3 



Bennett 3 McClure 3 



Sheppard 3 Stewart 2 



BRADFORD, Out., March 15.— This afternoon a match was shot 

 between the Aurora and Bradford Gun Clubs at 15 blackbirds 

 each, resulting in favor of Aurora by 1 bird. Following is the 

 score: 



Bradford. Aurora. 



J S Boddy 111111111101111-14 G Wilkinson. .110110110001011- 9 



P Knoblock. . .111001111111100-11 R Wells 111111111110111-14 



JStClair 0011!! ' ! vr,> _ i; ] Mm-p i ; : i . ; 



J Armstrong. OlOOOUlOOOllOll— 9 E Collham 01110000001U10— 7 



N A St Clair. .100011100111001- 8 J Mouslev 111001011] 11111-12 



W Loury 110001101011100 - 8 R Mouslev 001101111011111—11 



J F Lillicrap. .111010)11100001- 8 A Petch 010100100010010- 5 



T Edmanson. .101001110101111—10 M Machell . . . .010001101111110- 9 



73 74 



NEW YORK, March 17. -The Washington Heights and tbe 

 Algonquin Gnu clubs had a team match to-day at the former 

 club's grounds, 169th street and Twelfth avenue. Each team was 

 composed of eight men. who shot at ten clav-pigeons each from 

 the 18yds. mark. The score of the match is as follows : 

 Washington Heights. Algonquin. 



Fountain 2 Brenner 5 



Disbrow^ 3 Griswold 7 



Harrison 6 Van Schaick 4 



Snooks 4 Hanna 7 



Fox 4 Male 2 



Terwilliger 4 Lordley 15 



Hunt 5 Radjinsky 8 



Glasser 3—31 Dunseith 5—41 



Referee, Mr. Bradley. 



TORONTO, March 17.— The West Toronto Junction Gun Club 

 held a shoot this afternoon, the members being divided into three 

 classes. 



First Class— For prize presented by Chas. Stark, at 15 Canada 

 blackbirds thrown from three screened traps: 



AlRoyce 10 C Hinton 10 



W Clarke 11 E Brown 7 



BBlea 10 



Royce won on shoot off. 



Second Class— Prize presented by T. J. Peake— 15 blackbirds, 8 

 traps: 



GBriggs 12 J Worden 9 



F Brimer 10 G Davis 8 



W Wakefield 10 T Charlton 7 



P Wakefield 9 H Newman Retired 



Third Class— Prize given by the club; 15 blackbirds, 3 traps: G. 

 E. D'Eye 9, J. McGee 7; four others retired. 



READING, Pa., Mar. 17.— The two days' pigeon shooting tourna- 

 ment, open to all comers, came to a conclusion here to-day. In 

 all six sweepstakes were shot, the result being as follows: First 

 snooty 13 entries, 5 birds, 25yds. rise, one barrel. Ulmer and Q.uin- 

 km divided first, Eley and Jones second, and Canon got third 

 money. Second shoot, 11 entries, 10 birds, 27yds. rise, one barrel. 

 Eley first, Hill second, and Stuart aud Cooper divided third. Third 

 shoot, 9 entries, 5 birds, handicap rise, 54 to 30yds, two barrels. 

 Canon and Clayton divided first, Sharp and Killen second, and 

 Eley third money. Fourth shoot, 8 entries, 10 birds, 30yds ripe, two 

 barrels. Eley, Quinlan and Forrester divided first monev, Canon 

 and Hill second, and Jones came in for third. Fifth shoot, 9 en- 

 tries, 9 birds, 26yds., two barrels. Quinlan and Cooper divided 

 first, and Canon and Goodman second. Sixth shoot, miss and out, 

 6 entries, 25yds. rise, one barrel. Canon, Quinlan and Eley killed 

 five each and divided. Mr. Buckwater acted as referee. 



BROOKLYN, Mar. 16.— A wonderful fine lot of birds, assisted by 

 a good cross wind, made the shooting of the Coney Island Rod 

 and Gun Club meeting to-day at Parkville, L. I., anything but 

 good. According to the club rules a kill with the second barrel 

 only scored half a bird. "Bub" McLaughlin, 25yds., killed all his 

 birds and used his second barrel three times, making a score of 

 5J4 J. H. Jones, 30yds., killed six with his first and missed one, 

 and his score of 6 gave him the first prize and the club medal. The 

 third prize, was divided by L. Davenuort, 29vds., and R. Mcnsees, 

 27yds., with a score of 5 each. A match* for §100 between J. Beechani 



with six straight kills". Second money was taken by J, Smith, 

 Referee, D, Goodwin. 



NEW JERSEY TRAP NOTES.— The annual crow shoot of the 

 South Side Gun Club, of Newark, will be held on Saturday after- 

 noon at 2 o'clock. The crows, 300 in number, have been trapped at 

 Yardleyville, on the Delaware, and will he shipped to Newark this 

 week. A full attendance of the members and an exciting shoot 



are expected Morristown is to have a new gun club, with a new 



club house and grounds for shooting flying targets — The West 

 Newark Gun Club held its regular clay pigeon match on the 17th, 

 each member shooting at 25 birds, 21yds. rise. C. A. Doty broke 

 24, J, Adelman 23, J. Weber 20, G. Deisler 17, O. Hornich 15, W. 

 Bishop 10, A. Assman 8, ,7. Lamb 8, H. Habig 8. F. Hilford 3. 



ATHENS, Pa., March 20.-The gun club held their first shoot of 

 the season for the club's gold badge on March 19. Clay-pigeons 

 and blue rocks were tbe targets used. Mr. Frank Fuller won the 

 badge by breaking 11 out of a possible 12. In the evening the mem- 

 bers met at the headquarters and elected tbe following officers for 

 1887: President, Frank Fuller; Vice-President, E. W. Davies; Sec- 

 retary and Treasurer, W. K. Park; Committee, N. J. Knarlesboro, 

 H. D. Smith, Frank Fuller, Chas. Armstrong. It was decided to 

 enter oue team and possibly two for the Forest and Stream 

 Decoration Day Trophy Match. 



TEXAS.— A tournament of the Texas State Sportsmen's Associ- 

 ation will be held at Gainesville. Tex., May 9 to 14, at Ligowsky 

 clay-pigeons and wild and tame birds. The tournament will be 

 under the auspices of the Gainesville Gun Club. Address Box B, 

 Gainesville, Tex. Guaranteed purses, three diamond badges, 

 Guidon and Ligowsky silver cup. Open to the world. Purses, 

 badges, medals and cups valued at over $5,000. 



The Coney Island Rod and Gun and Fountain Gun clubs have 

 appointed Messrs. Ayres and Blattmacher a committee to select a 

 ground at or near "YVoodlawn, L. I., for the use of the clubs, who 

 are willing to come into the proposed amalgamation of Long Island 

 shooting clubs. 



lanaemg. 



Secretaries of canoe clubs are requested to send to Forest and 

 Stream their addresses, with name, membership, signal, etc., of 

 their clubs, and also notices in advance of meetings and races, and 

 report of the same. Canoeists and all interested in canoeing are 

 requested to forward to Forest and Stream their addresses, with 

 logs of cruises, maps, and information concerning their local 

 waters, drawings or descriptions of boats and fittings, and all items 

 relating to the sport. 



FIXTURES. 



May. 



28-30. East. Div. Spring Meet, Haddam Island. 



June. 



18. Brooklyn, Annual, Bay Ridge. 



July. 



18-31. W. C. A. Meet, Ballast Island. 



August. 



12-20. A. C. A. Meet, Lake Champlain. 



A. C. A. 



FOR membership apply to the Secretary, W. M. Carter, Trenton, 

 N.J. Required age, 18 years or over. Application to be ac- 

 companied with S3. Sec'y A. C. A. Central Div., E. W. Brown, 4 

 Bowling Green, New York. Sec'y A. C. A. Eastern Div., W. B. 

 Davidson, Hartford, Conn. Sec'y W. C. A., J. O. Shiras, Cin- 

 cinnati, O. 



A CRUISE TO CHARLOTTE HARBOR. -II. 



UY TARPON. 



BY noon we are back to camp, the tide is rising fast and we 

 must be off. Dinner is hurried over, and pushing, poling 

 and wading, we work through the elioalest part of the pais. Soon 

 we reach better water, and making sail, are off at last. A few 

 miles bring us to Little Sarasota, where Capt. AVebb has a fine 

 place, the place and owner both being spoken very highly of by 

 all who have been fortunate enough to see the beauties of the one, 

 or test the hospitality of the ether. 



By the way, "that reminds me" I have a letter of introduction 

 to that same Capt. Webb, have been past his ranch a score of 

 times, and have never even seen him. Always have a fair wind 

 and plenty of it. I'll get windbound there one of these days, see 

 if I don't. 



We pass Webb's with a free sheet, and at sunset open out Cascv's 

 Pass, where we meet the sloop Vanessa, Capt. Toplitfe, on her way 

 home from Charlotte Harbor. The crew gave us a- dreary account 

 of bad weather. "Well," says Cook, "good weather must come 

 pretty soon, and we'll be there when she comes." 



An early start is made in the morning, for we have fifteen miles 

 of open beach to make before we can get in to Stump Pass. The 

 wind is light ; we jog along some twelve miles, when it fails us 

 completely. We wait an hour. No wind, no sign of wind. The 

 Skipper pulls out a coil of line from the stern locker, hitches one 

 end to the mast, makes a bowline in the other end, and working 

 up to the beach jumps ashore with the bowline over his shoulder. 

 "Now, Cook, you keep her along clear of the beach, and steer 

 fine," and away he starts on the towpath of shell and sand for 

 Stump Pass, which is reached at last. And as we work inside a 

 splendid breeze starts up. but dead ahead, so we are not sorry for 

 tracking. 



After a quick dinner we start for Boca Nevaro. The Cook wants 

 to paddle a while, and the Skipper is agreeable, for it is a stiff 

 breeze and he wants to do some fancy sailing. He does it too, for 

 when about half-way through he fills his pipe, belays the main- 

 sheet, and gets under the lee of the weather coaming with a 

 match all ready when, baug! comes a puff from around a clump of 

 mangroves, and down goes Honest J. with the water pouring over 

 the lee rail. Not for long, however, for the little craft jumps into 

 the wind and wallows out of the mess, while the Snipper stupidly 

 looks on, match in one hand, pipe in the other. When things art- 

 settled a little, he lights his pipe, and with a long, contemplative 

 puff, remarks, "Well done, little beat, all the credit's with you." 



Boca Nevaro is readied by 4 P. M., and while Cook gets camp 

 in order, Skipper goes for birds, getting enough and to spare; in 

 fact one has not to look for birds in Charlotte Harbor. 



Morning breaks fair and bright, aud the fleet is soon away 

 heading south. A few hours run and Big Gasparilla, with its 

 fish ranch, is reached, where we have dinner, and get away again, 

 making Lacosta about 3 P. M. There is a large fish ranch on 

 Lacosta owned by Spanish parties; the catch is principally pom- 

 pano, which are salted and shipped to Havana. Lacosta is one of 

 the finest of the outer keys, containing some very good hammock 

 land. There are two families settled here permahentlv, but the 

 island is a lighthouse reserve. 



Next morning we go through a narrow passage in the man- 

 groves, and run for some ten miles through beautiful landlocked 

 bays, finally coming out near the pass between Lacosta and 

 Captiva. We cross the PaSB and work around into the little 

 harbor of Captiva, where we find quite a village of palmetto 

 houses, a good wharf and plenty of fresh water, but no inhabi- 

 tants. We take possession of the shed nearest the wharf, bring 

 our traps ashore, and are once more housekeeping. We remained 

 here three days, hunting, fishing aud rambling rotiud the island. 

 The fishing was excellent— redfish, mangrove snapper, jack, etc. 

 All too soon the time passed, and when we at last stowed for a 

 start, it seemed like leaving home. But we must go to Sanibel, 

 we have been told there are lots of shells there. 



On our way to Sanibel, we find two squatters who have planted 

 a cocoanut grove and are waiting with patience for a crop. As it 

 takes some twenty-five years for the trees to come to bearing 

 size, it is evident they need all the patience they can get. 



Sanibel is reached at last. We find a good-sized sloop, the 

 Guide, of Sarasota, lying moored to the bank, while her crew are 

 out prospecting for shells. Our camp is soon made, and we start 

 for the beach with great expectations, which were hardlv realised. 

 Shells were few and far between, at least the kind we' cared to 

 gather. After supper the captam of the Guide came over for a 

 smoke. We found him quite a character in his way, and brim full 

 of yarns about the coast, which had been his home from a boy. 

 Later we were joined by his party, an elderly gentleman and his 

 wife, who were having a quiet cruise by themselves. We sat 

 around the fire late that night. Our visitors were intelligent, well- 

 read people with no affectation, and we enjoyed it amazingly. 

 And the old lady, as she sat stirring the lire, reinaiked that, "she 

 hadn't had such a good time since she came to Florida.' 1 Genial 

 old soul, I hope she'll live a thousand years. 



In the morning the Guide and her party left for Fort Myers. 

 The Cook started for tbe beach, -while the Skipper in the Horicon 

 started for a sand bar just inside the Pass, looking for redfish. 

 He does not find any redfish, but does find a sawfish over 15ft. 

 long, into which he prods the grains, hard and fast, and then sits 

 down suddenly. Like many another undertaking, all the fun was 

 in anticipation. That fish wouldn't be quiet, and he wouldn't run 

 in smooth water either, but up and down and across the channel, 

 just where the Waves were short aud luinpv, and lie kept the 

 Skipper bailing, too. But nil things have an cud, and Mr. Sword, 

 figh in an unguarded moment stranded himself at t}-,-- mouth of p 



little bayou, and near a large stump; the Skipper was overboard 

 in a twinkling, and in spite of sundry slaps on the shins, and one 

 or two capsizes in the soft mud, that fish was moored to the stump 

 so solidly that he could not have got away had he been twice as 

 If'- i£h tne saw w hieh hangs over my table is a magnificent 

 affair. Furthermore," Mrs. Tarpon says, as she looks over my 

 shoulder, "that saw is not for sale." 



„„V""1 tw u° ver ? Peasant days at Sanibel, wo decide to strike 

 across to the mam land and go bark between Pine Island and the 

 main, completing the circuit of Charlotte Harbor. 

 We got away with a fair tide but a strong head wind: the wind 



we manage to make St. James and <?<-, into camo 



St. James is a new town built on" the extreme southern part of 

 Pino Island and as the ground is flowed by the Iipav v spiin- tides 

 it can hardly be called b sandbank affair. The settters&ve made 

 a very creditable showing for the time they have lx-ei- there; ". ait 

 just why they decided on that location for a town is not, so plain 

 Probably some one makes money out of it. 'While we were in 

 camp here the Cook was quite sick. We tried all the medicines 

 purchasable at the new store but Cook got no better. Finally as a 

 last resort, the Skipper brought out his snake medicine (some of 

 as villainous whisky as was ever put in a bottle). Cook, after 

 much coaxing, tries one dose; it was enough. Says he: "Rather 

 than take any more of that I'll get well," and he did. 



One night at St. James was enough, and though the weather was 

 bad and bid fair to be worse, we made sail and stood for Punt a. 

 Rassa. Wind increasing as usual, we were obliged to get under 

 the lee of a large mangrove key, where we reefed down snug and 

 made another try. But wind and sea were too much for the little 

 craft, so we came to at a small key inhabited by a man, his wife, 

 several children and dog.-, just how many dogs 1 can't say, as Igot 

 bewildered trying to count them. However, they gave us welcome, 

 the man and his wife as well as the dogs; in fact, the latter seemed 

 particularly glad to see us, especially the Cook, for they gazed at 

 his tender calves with a wistful, longing look that was positively 

 touching. But there was something about the Skipper's hard, 

 angular features that they did not like, so they gave him a wide 

 berth. We were detained here the rest of the day, making our 

 camp at night on a little, patch of ground barely large enough to 

 stretch out on. 



In the morning came better weather; we stretched over to Sword 

 Point, then walked up under the lee of the land and so make 

 smooth water. Sword Point is one of the Skipper's old camping 

 places and of course he has something to say about it. 



Noon brings us well up behind Pine Island and we decide to 

 ramp on Scorpion Key, another one of the Skipper's old camping 

 grounds. It was Scorpion Key where Souther got hold of the big 

 shark and had a pair of \ ery sore hands to show for it, but he got 

 the shark. As we mean to stay here some time we take great care 

 to make our camp as comfortable as possible. 



After everything was shipshape, the Skipper takes the Horicon 

 and starts for a rookery near by; in fact the expedition was 

 planned with a view to a few specimens of rare birds, but in that 

 respect was only partially successful. The bird hunters have done 

 their work in Florida pretty well and rare, or beautiful birds a re 

 hard to find and hardur to get. When the Skipper reached the 

 rookery he found it almost deserted. Two years ago he was there 

 and the place was fairly alive with birds, white herons, white 

 egrets, Lotusana herons, roseate spoonbills, white ibis and cor- 

 morants and pelicans without number. Now nothing but a few 

 ibis, pelicans and cormorants, the old nests tumbling to pieces and 

 no new ones building. 



We spent three happy days and nights in our camp at Scorpion 

 Key, though the weather was bad and wc did not catch fish, and 

 d;d not get the birds we wanted. 



On the morning of the foi.rai day Cook reported, "Fresh water 

 geiting short." ^AU right, Cook, we'll go over to GaspaiiUa and 

 get some." We had a good breeze to the head of Pine Island, 

 then almost calm for a tew hours, then coming out ahead and 

 blowiug heavy. Reefed down and had a sloppy time generally, 

 but got over to Gasparilla all right. Found the fishing ranch de- 

 serted, so wc took possession, filled our water tanks, got supper, 

 took a ramble on the beach and ended up by camping in ihc 

 ranch-keeper's house. We were very tired and looking forward 

 to a good night's rest, but wore sadly disappointed; too place was 

 alive with ra ts, and they resented the intrusion of strangers so 

 much that they resolved to keep us awake, and tbev succeeded 

 admirably. 



.Morning again, and away for Stump Pass, which we reach at 

 4 P. M, ihc schooner Lillie, of Key West, is in for a harbor as it 

 is blowing quite fresh outside. Cook made camp, while Skipper 

 went off to the flats and laid in a supply of birds. The Lillie gets 

 away at daylight, but we do not care to try just vet. About 9 

 A. M., however, the wind hauled off the land aud we made a start 

 hoping to cover the 15 miles between here and Case 's t-'as.s. Our 

 easterly win* lasted for 5 miles, then fell calm. A puff from the 

 Bonth'rd, one from the west, back to east again, finally jumping 

 out of northwest and coming down on us like a thousand of 

 brick. The sea got up very quickly, and we had our choice, buck 

 away to windward, rim back to Stump Pass, or go on the beach. 



We chose to go to windward as long as we could, and then do the 

 next best. Cook thought wo had better reef, but the boat was too 

 small to hold her own in such a sea with anything less than full 

 sail. We lashed a pole foie and aft the cockpit, then stretched our 

 shelter over the whole so as to keep out most of the water, and 

 worked away. "Fortune favors the brave," and after some three 

 hours we were off Casey's Pass. The sea was breaking clear across, 

 and looked ugly, but by close watching aud careful steering we 

 made it. One little dash through the breakers, and as we slide into 

 smooth water the Cook gives a sigh of relief and the Skipper 

 reaches for his pipe. 



After we get in the pass wc keep off to the right aud run south 

 a half mile to the Skipper's old camp. Skipper finds these old 

 camps most everywhere. While we were in the thick of camp 

 making we caught, sight of a large catboat coming down the inside 

 pdsaage. Just as the Cook remarked "She's coming thing," we 

 saw the wee sails of a canoe astern of the catboat. Of CQUrse; we 

 were interested, and when the canoe drew up alongside, and then, 

 passing the big boat, drew ahead, the Skipper was all alive. 

 "Cook, I'll bet a cookie that's the old Solid Comfort." .Sure enough 

 she proved to be that same, and when her captain luffed in to our 

 camp in answer to our hail, it seemed like meeting an old friend. 

 Something of a canoe is the Solid Comfort, launched July, 1881, 

 she has been in daily use ever since, is still tight, serviceable and 

 apparently as good as new. She has no niekef plate, no ma hogany 

 finish, but she is the most comfortable canoe 1 have ever seen, and 

 though she is quite modest about it, she has made the longest 

 cruise known, and has covered more miles under sail and paddle 

 than any canoe afloat. 



We rolled in our blankets early, for we were homeward bound 

 now, and must make an early start in the morning. Before light 

 we were on our way. With a fair wind we worked through the 

 Mangroves, and at 5 P. M. were at our old camp at Sarasota. 

 More fair wind the next day, and away we go up Sarasota Bay. 

 Tampa Bey is reached a little past noon, and we push out for 

 Mullet Key. We are soon over, past Mullet Key, and headed for 

 Pass-a-Grille. We make the Pass before sunset and go into camp. 



Here we have an adventure. We arc tired, and are soon asleep; 

 but something is prowling round camp, and Skipper rouses sev- 

 eral times to look about, but the night is too dark to see anything. 

 " Guess it's a coon," says the Skipper. About midnight there was 

 a noise in the boat: tbe Skipper looks out and thinks he can see a 

 coon. Something is there, sure. Skipper reaches for the gun and 

 stands up. Something is creeping along the sand. Bang! Some- 

 thing stumbles gathers and stumbles again, and with a low growl 

 disappears in the darkness. Skipper slips in another cartridge, 

 and lies down, this time to sleep undisturbed till morning. An 

 early breakfast, and wc are off. We make a good run, and at 3 

 o'clock P. M. are at Hog Island— twenty miles from home. 



This will probably be our last camp, and we try to make the 

 nost of it. We cook a glorious supper, but the appetite seems to 

 be lacking. There is a fine evening to enjoy ourselves in, but 

 somehow we don't seem to do a0. We are sad at heart, for this is 

 our last night out. Morning comes, after a restless night, and iu 

 silence we break camp, stow our traps and away for home. We 

 have had a grand outing— lots of bad weather, etc., but. looking 

 back we cannot remember anything but the jolly good times we 

 had, and would like to try it over again. 



In this great big country of ours there are thousands who -would 

 enjoy just such a trip, but circumstances exist that render it im- 

 possible: but half a loaf is better than no bread, aud if they can- 

 not go themselves, they can read and enjoy it second-hand. That 

 is why this is written, and if its perusal gives pleasure to one 

 tired soul in harness, the end sought will be reached. 



NEW YORK 0. C— The following letter has been received bv 

 the secretary: 72 Mark Lane, E. C, March 15, 1887. C. J. Stevens, 

 Esq., Secretary N. Y. C. C— Dear Sir— The date of our sailing 

 challenge cup race is Saturday, June 11, and it will take place, as 

 heretofore, on Hendou Lake. We are hoping to have some com- 

 petitors from your side, and to be able to return some of the hos- 

 pitality shown to our men when with you. It, has not yet been 

 definitely settled whether we shall challenge for your cup again 

 this year, but I will bring the matter before the committee at the 

 first opportunity and communicate the result to you at once, J 

 am, dear sir, your? truly, T, G, Jf, Winser, Sec, R, C, C, 



