April 14, 1887.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



259 



day at Point Breeze. The attendance was a very large one, an: 

 although rumors were afloat (hat the Society for the PveventioT 

 of Crueliry to Animals would endeavor to stop the shoot, yet the 

 affair was not interrupted. The wind blew across the track, which 

 favored the right quartering birds, and these were a very good 

 lot. Both men shot remarkably well, but Graham had decidedly 

 the worst of the luck, although he shot in good form, killing 26 

 straight birds, but the Quaker City representative on his own 

 ground eventually beat him by three birds. A line lot of birds 

 were provided by J. Prank Kleinz, the handler of Brewer, and as 

 the latter was in so much bet ter physical condition than in the 

 first match, ho proved the victor hy a score of 92 to 89. It was a 

 capital shoot throughout, and was wit nessedjby about a thousand 

 people. There was but very little betting done, the . Philadel- 

 phia's being doubtful as to the condition of Brewer. The match 

 was shot under Hmiinghani i files, thirty yards rise, five traps and 

 eighty yards boundary; ( Iraharn won the toss, but his first bird, 

 a fast quarterer, was missed. Brewer made his first miss on the 

 seventh bird, a strong driver, and he also lost the ninth, but ai ier 

 that lie made seventeen consecutive kills. Graham missed his 

 t hird and eleventh birds, but he captured fourteen in succession, 

 leaving the score at the twenty-fifth bird but one in favor of 

 Brewer. Both men appeared in good form but Brewer maintained 

 the lead until the forty-sixth bird, when Graham passed him, 

 and when the fiftieth bird had been shot at Graham had two birds 

 the advantage. A short intermission followed. When the shoot- 

 ing was resumed Graham missed his sixtieth and sixty-Seventh 

 birds, and when Beveuty-twO had been shot at Brewer led by a 

 bird. The latter was doing some tine execution, and bringing 

 down forty-eight out of the last 50, won one of the finest pigeon 

 shooting contests e er seen in the Quaker City. A third match 

 to settle the question of superiority was talked of, but nothing 

 was settled upon. Brewer said he was anxious to shoot Graham 

 again, but he would not meet him on the tatter's own grounds. 

 He credited Graham with being the best shot he ever met. 



Score of the shoot. 

 Brewer... 21112, 10110, 12212, 11121, Graham. .02(111, 12211, 01121, 11211, 

 11121, 12021, 10211, 11112, 21221, 02121, 21202. 11112, 



12101, 0221.2; 22(111, 12122, 1111.1. 222H; 12112, 1 1 J JO, 



11211 , 21122. 21.21.2, 21101, 2211 1, 20112, 10111, 11122, 



21 121, 12221. 12121, 12111; 10122, 12111, 20022, 21111; 



killed. !>2. ' killed, 89; 



Time of shot, 2 houis, 21 minutes. Referee, Mr. F. Quinlan, of 

 Newark. Figure 2, second barrel. Graham— Right quarterers, 37; 

 left quarterers, 21; drivers. 31; incomers,',); towerers, 2; use of second 

 barret, -it times: greatest break 27. Brewer— Right quarterers, 89: 

 left quarterers, 23; drivers. SO; incomers, 8; use of second barrel, 43 

 times; greatest break, 25; fell dead out of bounds, 1. Graham 

 used a 12-bore bun, weight Tibs. 13 oss.j cartridges, 8J4 drachms of 

 powder, ltq oz. shot. Brewer shot a 12-bore gim, weight 7Xjlbs.; 

 cartridges, 3V-j drachms of powder, 1J£ oz. shot. 

 MERIDEN, Conn., April 8.— The Parker Gun Club's East day 

 shoot was held to-day; the day was fine, no wind blowing 

 until late in the afternoon. There were nearly fifty shooters 

 present from di Herein, clubs in the State, and about 200 spec- 

 tators, anions them a number of ladies. American clay birds, 3 

 traps, 8yds. rise, 3 angles, except straightways, which was at 

 21vds. Following are the scores: 



Five birds at lSvds. — A. Trager 5, Waitc 2, R. Bonn 4, Widman 

 3, Geo. Saunders 4,' N. D. Folsom 3, P. Clark 4, A. Ires 2, F. G. 

 Potter 2, Higbv 0, Albe.r 3, E. Avery 2. Reynolds 1, E. A. Folsom 4, 

 F. Brown 3, H. F. Gen die .2, J. Baker 3, A. Stokes 2, C. Bristol 4, 

 Viberts2, C. Burnham 3, H. Burnham 3. Melrose 4, S. Beers 1, M. 

 Cook 8, Hansom 4, J. F. Ives 4, A. W, Adams 4, H. Venter 4, En- 

 sign 2, Oaroy- 1, C. Longdon 3. 



Six birds, lSvds.— Tracer 5, Ware 3, Penn 3, Widman 3, Saunders 

 3, N. D. Folsom 5, Clark 3, Potter 5. Higby 1, Alber 5, E. A. Folsom 

 5, Brown 4, Hendree. 4, Dickinson I, Bristol 4. V ibarts 5, Burnham 

 5, Melrose 2, T. Burs 5, Cook 1, Hansom 5, J. F. Ives 6, Adams 6, 

 Venter 5, Ensign 4, Carey 3, Longdon 5, L. Gaines 3, Foley 4, A. 

 Merriman 0. Sopor 4. Mirriman Ives 6, Ties divided. 



Five hit dx. S elides, levels. —Trager 5, Waite 4. Penn 4, Widman 

 1, Saunders s, N. £>. Folsom 8, Clark 4, A. rves 3, Potter 4, Higby 



0, Alber 5. E. A. Folsom 8, Brown 3, Hendree 5, Baker 3, Bristol 2, 

 Viberts 3. P. Burnham 3,H. Burnham 2, Melrose 5, T. Beers 4, Cook 

 5, Hansom 4, J. F. Ives 4, Adams 4. Vinter 4, Ensign 0, Carey 2, 

 Longdon 3, Gaines 5, ^Merriman 1, Soper 4, Holister 3, G. b. 

 Strong L 



Sis birds, st raighto way. 21yds.— Bristol 5. E. A. Folsom 4, Mel- 

 rose 4, N. P. Folsom 5, Clark 5, Ives 5, lb-own 8, Hendree 4. Gaines 



1. Viberts 8, Merriman 3, Longdou 5, Albe.r 3, Saunders 4, T. Beers 

 5. t ook (i, Nichols 4. C. Beers 5, Toucey 3, Hubbard 3, Hansom 5, 

 Will 111 an 2, Trager 5, Venter 8, Potter 4, Adams 4, Venn*, E. Booth 

 8, Strong 1, Birdsey 2. Ties divided. 



5th match— Saunders first. Clark second, Bristol and Folsom 

 third, E. A. Folson fourth. 



(ith match— Botlcr first. Nichols second, Vibarts third, Tousey 

 and Gaines fourth. 



7th match— Penn and Hendree first, Beers and Folsom second, 

 Venter and Vibart third, Bristol fourth. 



8th match— Vibarts first, Longdon, Alber, Clark and Bristol 

 second; C. Beers. E. Folsom and Hendree third; Hubbard fourth. 



9th match— Miehols and Gaines first; Widman, Hansom and 

 Venter second; Penn and Avery third, 



10th match— Nichols first, Venter second, Gaines third. 



11th match— Trager first, Longdon second. Stokes third. 



HAMILTON, April 8.— In a shooting tournament here to-day 

 under the auspices of the Wildfowlei-'s Gun Club, a match for a 

 divided stake of $50 was got off. The conditions were 15 Hamilton 

 blackbirds each at 18yds. rise. The first prize of $20 was taken by 

 Way per. of Guelph, and the second, third and fourth prizes were 

 divided by J. Cline, Griffith and It. Stroud, who made scores of 11 

 each. 



FRANKLLNVILLE, N. Y„ April 6.— Monthly shoot at Peoria 

 blackbird's, 18yds. rise: 



WA Day 0000000101-2 Sherman 1000001100-3 



W H Ferris 1101000111-6 Farrand 0001110001—4 



W Phillips .... - - . . .1010010011—5 Geo Ferris 0000000001—1 



Geo Mayhew 0000100100-2 



TEXAS TOURNAMENT.— The five days tournament at Gaines- 

 ville. Texas, is full of promise. The Gainesville Gun Club mem- 

 bers anticipate a big time. They will have a prize list valued at 

 £4,000. Toe traps arc to be worked by electricity, and every man 

 is expected to shoot like lightning. Of the grounds and the event 

 itself they say: "The use of the driving park was donated by our 

 big-hearted fellow citizen, Major Oairnes. of the Red River 

 National Bank. The grounds are beautifully located, perfectly 

 level, and are about one mile square, without any obstruction, 

 giving a charming background of green grass and flowers to shoot 

 against, and it is the intention of the managers to make this 

 tournament so pleasant and comfortable that it will bring to- 

 gether the giants of the trap from all over the United States, and 

 shall be known as the Monte Carlo of this country." Address 

 Gainesville Gun Club, P. O. Box B. 



WELLINGTON, April 7.— The northwest wind to-day made it 

 difficult to make good scores. Three score of shooters were pres- 

 ent. The first prize winners were: 6 blackbirds, McCoy; miss and 

 out, Sanborn: 6 pigeons, Forrest, Sanborn and Nichols; miss and 

 out, Perry and Sanborn; 6 pigeons, Steele and Plymptou; 6 black- 

 birds, Brad street; 6 pigeons, Gerry, Sanborn and Bx-ad street; 

 pigeons, Clark; miss and out, Sanborn; 6 pigeons, Lewis and San- 

 born; 6 blackbirds, Gerry and Sanborn; 6 pigeons, Forrest and 

 Steele; G blackbirds, Clark, Evans and Steele; miss and out, San- 

 born; 6 blackbirds, Clark, Steele and Evans; pigeons, Nichols; 6 

 tin birds, Richards; 6 pigeons, Steele; 6 blackbirds, Gerry; 6 

 pigeons, Nichols and Gerry; fl pigeons, Gerry; 6 blackbirds, Gerry. 

 Sanders and Renaud; pigeons, Steele and Gerry; 6 blackbirds, 

 Stfc'-de and Sanborn; 5 pigeons, straightaway, Gerry; 5 pigeons, 

 straightaway, Sanborn; H blackbirds, Gerry and Sanborn; 6 

 pigeons, purse taken by Gerry; 6 pigeons, Nichols, 6 blackbirds, 

 Gerry; 3 pigeons, Atkinson. 



ST. GABRIEL BO D AND GUN CLUB, Montreal, Can.-The 

 an ii al election of officers resulted as follows: President, A. W. 

 M< - is. re-elected; Vice-President, C. H. Wallace; Treasurer. J. 

 McNab; Secretary, W. McCaw; Committee, A. H. C. Walpole, 

 John Ryan, F. Sly. Mr. Morris presented the club with a very 

 handsome silver cup for the best average score for the past season. 

 It was won by Air. A. H. C. Walpole, who certainly deserved it, 

 not only for being the best shot in the club, but for not having 

 missed a single meeting or practice during 1886. Mr. Morris has 

 kindly promised another cup, to be competed for this year. 



WELLINGTON, April 9— The. shoot to-day was attended by 

 several \\ hose faces have been missed for months, some of whom 

 got in at the stakes. The score: 1. Six blackbirds— Swift and 

 Evans first. 2. Six tin birds— Stanton and Swift first. 3. Six 

 pigeons— Swift and. Stanton first. 4. Six blackbirds— Swift and 

 Stanton first. 5. Six pigeons— Gerry and Swift first. 6. Six black- 

 birds— Stanton first. 7. Ten pigeons— Schaefer first. 8. Six tin 

 birds— Gerry first. 9. Six pigeons— Stanton first. 10. Six black- 

 birds— Gerry and Stanton first. 11. Six blackbirds— Snow and 

 Stanton first. 12. Six pigeons— Stanton and Swift first. 13, Miss 

 and out—Swift and Stanton first. 



BROOKLYN, April «.— The regular shoot of the Fountain Con 

 Club, at Parkvillc, b. L, to-day, was remarkable for the fine 

 quality of the birds. They were veritable flyers, and a good 

 cross wiud helped them considerably to get away. The first prize 

 aud a special prize given by 0. W. Wiugcrt was won by L. Daven- 

 port, 29yds., he killing 7 straight. Dr. Wynn, 30yds., and W. Hnu- 

 tcr, 23yds., each killed 6 out of 7, and in the shoot off Dr. Wynn 

 killed a more and won it. C. Fisher, 30yds-, took third prize with 

 a score of 5 out of 7 killed. Several sweepstakes were shot after- 

 ward, in which .Tones, Fisher and Davenport were the winners. 

 Jones's score for the day was very good. Ilckilled lObirds straight 

 —all he shot at. 



THE DORCHESTER SPORTSMAN'S CLUB, formed several 

 years ago. was recently reorganized, and will hereafter bo known 

 as the Dorchester Gun Club (limited). Officers: President, D. F. 

 Eddv; secretary, P. J. Andrews. Committee, F. H. Carter, L. 

 Eddy, C. P. (Irani, F. H. Perrin, M. H. Robinson. The first shoot 

 of the season took place on the club grounds at North Quincy, 

 April 17, sixteen membors participating.— P. J. Andrews, Sec. 



Secretaries of canoe clubs are requested to send to Forest Astn 

 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. 



The Royal C. C. will sail their Challenge Cup Race on Hendon 

 Lake, on June 11, 1887, and invite American canoeists to attend 

 and compete. 



Ma v. 



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

 28-80. Hudson Meet, Croton Point. 



June. 



18. Brooklyn, Annual, Bay Ridge. 

 25. New York, Annual. Staten Island. 



July. 



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



August. 



1-12. Northern Division, Stony Lake. 

 12-26. A. C. A. Meet, Lake Champlain. 

 13. Lake St. Louis Chal. Cups, Loehine. 



A. C. A. 



r?Oil membership apply to the Secretary, W. M. Carter, Trenton, 

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

 companied with $3. Sec'y A. C. A. Central Div., E. W. Brown. 4 

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

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

 cinnati, O. 



A CRUISE OF THE WASHINGTON C. C. 



VMIT XL. 



WEDNESDAY, May 5, 1886— Before sunrise the camp was astir, 

 and while the skipper and crew of the Iola took their morn- 

 ing dip. with the calisthenie performance thrown in as a prelude, 

 and the "boys" greeted old Sol's appearance with a salute from 

 their small battery, the Commodore and Corporal Hatch prepared 

 breakfast, and the skipper of the Iola busied himself about his 

 boat. For breakfast we had shad roc in addition to the usual bill 

 of fare, and to its discussion the whole party brought a rousing 

 appetite. 



After breakfast we found that the wind was blowing a gale too 

 strong to offer any encouragement to the canoeists to venture out, 

 and an hour or two was spent, in loafing about the camp, which 

 looked really picturesque in the early morning sunlight. 



At about 9 o'clock it was decided to make a start and to en- 

 deavor to reach Indian Head, ('amp was speedily broken and the 

 fleet started. Petrel leading, followed by Iola, Meteor and Mer- 

 maid bringing up the rear. As usual the latter soon got ahead of 

 the others, and then Meteor crept up on Iola, and after sailing 

 with her on three or four tacks, forged ahead, leaving the beauty 

 to take her regular place, where she commanded a view of the 

 maneuvers of the rest of the fleet. 



It was exciting sailing from the start. The wind blowing half a 

 gale and the whitecaps rolling in from seaward and breaking over 

 the bows of the vessels. Several schooners bound upward sailing 

 under reefed canvas, were passed, and a couple of seme boats, 

 laboring heavily along, each propelled by thirty or forty stalwart 

 negro oarsmen, and vividly recalling the "galleys" of old Egyptian 

 pictures, were sailing by. Tne wind freshened until it raised a 

 heavy sea, and prudence dictated putting in to shore. All got in 

 in reasonably good time but the unhappy Iola, which was caught 

 in a tremendous sea crossing to Indian Head on the last tack. 

 From the shore it seemed as if she could not live it out. Now she 

 w r ould be raised on the crest of a sea, and then she would plunge 

 into the trough and be almost hidden from view. To the two per- 

 sons on board it was just exciting enough to keep the nerves at a 

 pleasurable tension. True, the crew unbuttoned and took off his 

 shoes and stockings, and got ready for the swim that seemed in- 

 evitable, but ho afterward declared that he had thoroughly en- 

 joyed it all. It certainly put no damper on his enjoyment of the 

 occasion to reach the shore. Iola had to be again bailed out, and 

 the delighted crew, wet to the skin, had to be again dried before 

 he was in condition to do any further work. 



Then followed a pleasant paddle down the shore, one of the most 

 picturesque stretches on the river, where the solitude was un- 

 broken, save at one or two fishing stations, except by the singing 

 of the birds and the gentle rustling of the leaves stirred by the 

 breeze from the river. Just as we were about to round the long, 

 sandy peninsula that forms the northern jaw of Mattawoman 

 Creek, there suddenly appeared, outlined in bold relief against 

 the sky, on the very extremity of the point, a denizen of the 

 locality, a razor-backed hog, who looked as though he had made 

 a "hazel-split" in Missouri and come over to project himself be- 

 fore the eye of the skipper of the Iola to keep him from getting 

 homesick. The latter wanted to go ashore at once and make 

 camp, and only the fact that the crew was paddling on the port 

 side kept the canoe from going ashore. 



However, we rounded into Mattawoman Creek under a stiff 

 breeze, and after a hard struggle against wind, tide and current 

 worked our way T for a mile or so up the creek and around a point 

 into a pretty landlocked bay, where we ran the boats ashore. 

 Lunch was prepared and eaten with a relish. It consisted of fried 

 bacon, hardtack, fried eggs, potatoes, pilot bread with cheese, 

 and oranges by way of dessert, the whole topped off with coffee. 



Just as we were finishing the meal, the steamer Mavtano came 

 in sight, bound to a landing further up the creek. In a moment it 

 was determined to send word to our families in Washington, and 

 the Commodore, with his usual good nature and thoughtfulness 

 for our comfort, volunteered to catch the steamer before she left. 

 He had a mile and a half to run, with a fair wind up the stream. 

 The steamer had reached the landing before lie was ready to start. 

 Then followed one of the most exciting races the narrator of this 

 has ever witnessed— a race against time. The Meteor spread her 

 broad wings and fairly Hew before the wind. As wo watched her 

 from the shore it seemed as if she must undoubtedly go over. But 

 the Commodore gallantly held her on her course, though the 

 Corporal was obliged to lie out over the windward gunwale, and 

 two or three times the Commodore was compelled to let her fall 

 off to keep from driving her under water. It was a short race, for 

 in twelve minutes by the watch, the canoe had covered the dis- 

 tance and rounded to on the other side of the steamer and put the 

 messages on board. 



Before the return of the Meteor the sky became overcast off to 

 the north, and the low muttering of thunder gave warning of the 

 approach of a storm. The camp had been made on a long narrow 

 peninsula which offered no shelter in case of a storm, so we 

 hastily determined to run for the main shore. In very short order 

 the two canoes were stowed with their cargo, and in a few min- 

 utes we were on the opposite shore. Here was found what prom- 

 ised to be a charming camp. A broad ravine in the midst of a 

 pine forest, sheltered from the wind on three sides. The ground 

 was perfectly dry and carpeted with pine needles which gave 

 forth an aromatic odor as the boys tramped about. Surely we 

 could not be much better placed. But alas for the short-sighted- 

 ness of amateurs! However, I will not anticipate. 



The Meteor had followed us from the other shore, and the Mer- 

 maid also found us out, while the Commodore and his crew and 

 the "boys" attended to the setting of the tents and making camp, 

 the 'skipper and crew of the Iola started off in search of fresh 

 water. It was a long search, and, as far as a supply for the camp 



was concerned, a bootless one. The searchers beat the forest 

 back and forth, but not a drop of water could be found. The 

 forest was as dry as if spring had never existed and rains were 

 unknown. At last, following a hog path through the timber, the 

 Hconi-s struck an old wagon-road, apparently long mused, that 

 led into the forest aud which it was thought would bring them to 

 a farmhouse. For a mile this road was followed through the 

 thick woods, in whose depths lingered a perpetual twilight, the 

 water-seekers marking the way as they went so as to avoid los- 

 ing it on their return, and at length they debouched on a, clearing 

 of a few acres, in the center of which stood a, dilapidated farm- 

 house. Approaching this house they iuquired of two women who 

 were apparently the only occupants, whether there was water in 

 the vicinity, and were directed to a spring a sixteenth of a mile 

 further on. A beautiful spring it was, too, gurgling out of the 

 base of a hill in a small gully, the sides of which were lined with 

 some magnificent oaks, and how refreshing were the deep 

 draughts or the cool water, drunk from a, gourd found placed by 

 the spring. Thoy thought of the party in camp and would have 

 liked to bring them a cauful, but that was out of the. question, 

 so another visit was made to the farmhouse and a bucketful of 

 sweet milk purchased, with which they wended their way back to 

 camp. It proved a precious boon to the rest of the party," and was 

 drunk in silence, and standing, so as to do it proper honor. 



By this time it had dawned upon us all that our seeming para- 

 dise was anything but a pleasant camp. The dry pine knob on 

 which we had sot. our tents was surrounded by swampy ground, 

 there was no potable water to be had in the vicinity, and last, but 

 most conclusive of all reasons, the intrusive wood-tick was found 

 to have already pre-empted the claim, and was in actual and mul- 

 titudinous uossession. That settled it. We might have risked the 

 malarial air from the swamp, might have been content to paddle 

 out to midstream to (ill our camp kettles, but to share our quarters 

 with the wood-tick— never! True, we were all tired, the Vice-Com- 

 modore especially, and the nearest good camping ground, Ohieka- 

 muxon Creek, was three or four miles distant (paddling distance 

 at that), but we never wavered after the wood-tick had served 

 notice of ejectment upon us. Tents were again pulled up, dun- 

 nage once more stowed, and the fleet again put out and headed for 

 the main river. This was reached after an easy paddle just as the 

 sun went down, a glowing ball of fire in the west, and then in the 

 fast gathering t wilight, we headed our course for Stump Neck, At 

 dark we reached the peninsula dignified with that classical appel- 

 lation and paddled "its slow length along" With flogged pertinae'itv. 

 As far as we were able to judge Mr. Stump, in life, was a long- 

 throated creature, for night bad fallen when we rounded the 

 northern jaw of the mouth of Ckickamuxon Creek, and glided like 

 shadows into that stream. A hundred yards up the creek w T e 

 ceased paddling and hauled the boats up on the beech. A dry 

 camping place was selected in the, center of a clump of willows and 

 the scenes of other nights of the cruise re-enacted. Just as supper 

 was ready it began to rain, aud a hasty adjournment was taken to 

 the large tent, in which the meal was eaten, in crowded quarters 

 to be sure, but with good humor that, enlivened the party as cham- 

 pagne at feast. The bill of fare was: Fried bacon, pilot bread, 

 fried hard-tack, bard b< iled eggs, raisin bread, currant jelly, tea. 

 It was the turn of the. skipper of t he Iola to wash the dishes, and 

 while he sat at work out in the rain, clad in his "oilers," others of 

 us lay stretched at ease in 1 he carpeted tent, facing the lire, and 

 chatted and smoked till the rain ceased. Then a big fire was built 

 up for the night and t he party went to bed. 



Camp Linton. May (i, 1880.— The camp was early astir on the 

 following morning. The swimmer corps of the iola was rein- 

 forced by the crew of the Petrel and the Commodore acted as 

 chief cook in preparing breakfast. He tried his 'prentice hand at 

 corn bread, and only the fear of a general court martial restrained 

 the expression of the unanimous verdict of the fleet on that corn 

 bread. However, his intentions were good, as they always are. Our 

 menu was: Fried ham and eggs, corn bread (so called), hard tuck 

 and cheese, coffee. 



After breakfast Corporal Hatch took the Petrel and paddled 

 across the creek tfo visit some friends living on a farm near by; 

 the Commodore and the crew of the Iola in the Meteor, the Vice- 

 Commodore in the Mermaid, sailed over to Quantico to inquire 

 for mail matter at the post office there, where we had directed 

 our friends to write us if any reason existed for our return a,nd 

 also to replenish our dwindling stock of provisions; and the skip- 

 per 6f the Iola with the crew of the Petrel in the Iola paddled 

 back to Mattawoman Creek in search of an overcoat accidentally 

 left behind in our hasty departure the day before. 



Thus the morning was spent. All parties got back safely to 

 camp, which had been left in charge of the skipper cf the Petrel, 

 and all had been successful in their respective missions. The 

 craft that sailed to Quantico, however, had a narrow escape from 

 being caught out in a terriffie wind and hail storm that came 

 sweeping down the river as they crossed over to camp. Few 

 grander sights than the coming up of this storm had ever been 

 witnessed by the party, and to them this spectacle was fraught 

 with the interest that attaches to attendant peril. It came up 

 suddenly, raged with great violence for ten minutes, the wind, 

 rain and bail lashing I he waters into fury and stripping the trees 

 of young twigs and then passed over, leaving the sun shining 

 brightly as before. The canoeists had hardly time to make the 

 creek and this only after a desperate spurt of paddling and to 

 haul their boats up on the beach, when the storm struck them in 

 all its fury. They took refuge in the woods and warded off the 

 hailstones, which rattled down as big as marbles, by stretching 

 the dandy of one of the canoes from bough to bough above their 

 heads. When the storm ceased they crossed over to camp. 



All were in humor for dinner as soon as it was prepared. The 

 skipper of the Petrel gave us a new dish— maccaroni and cheese, 

 added to the usual dinner bill of fare. After dinner the time was 

 spent lounging about the camp, smoking and chatting, rain hav- 

 ing set in steadily. Late in the afternoon, the sun having come 

 out again, the Commodore and the crew of the Iola spent a couple 

 of hours fishing up the creek. The fish caught were few in num- 

 ber, half a dozen small perch, but the scene up the creek, in the 

 quiet of the sunset, was worth the labor of reaching it. As the 

 fishermen paddled down the creek, the light of the camp-fire was 

 seen glimmering through the trees, and supper was found ready 

 when they reached the camp. Bill of fare for supper: Fried ham 

 and eggs, boiled potatoes (jacketed), hard tack, com bread, cur- 

 rant jelly and tea. 



After supper some of the party went to Mr. Linton's farm across 

 the creek and spent a pleasant evening, with music, singing, etc. 

 Then back t o camp and a good night's rest to be ready for an early 

 start for home in the morning. 



Homeward bound, Friday, May 7, 1886.— A raw, cloudy morning, 

 with every prospect of a northeaster. A hurried meal was pre- 

 pared and eaten and a hasty departure followed. Before starting, 

 however, the crew of the Iola determined that the blame for 

 future bad weather should not rest, with him, deliberately offered 

 up his cherished pipe as a sacrifice on the altar of superstition. 

 The grand character of the sacrifice will be appreciated when it 

 is, stated that he had another and better pipe, slowed away in his 

 dunnage. However, the albatross pipe was safely and slyly de- 

 posited among the branches of a tree near the camp, and the Iola 

 sailed a way without it. 



Alas for human calculations! Whether it was that this was not 

 the Jonah., or that the influence of the action of another member 

 of the party (to be explained later on) was potent for ill. the aban- 

 donment of the pipe did not bring luck to the fleet. Hardly had 

 the canoes got well out in the river than the rain began to come 

 down again — steady drenching rain, from a dull, leaden sky— rain 

 that soaked through the clothing even of those who wore oilskins, 

 filled the cockpits of the canoes ankle deep, and loaded the sails 

 until they hung like sheet lead from the spars, and maneuvering 

 the canoes became quite difficult as well as dangerous. Fortun~ 

 ately there was wind with the rain and the canoes kept on their 

 course, although it was a steady beat against a head wind, with a 

 strong outflowing tide and a heavy sea. The Iola sailed pretty 

 well hut not as well as the others. She made two tremendously 

 long tacks to port, each of an hour's length, and might have re- 

 peated the feat of the tortoise on the straight road had she not, in 

 the effort to weather a point, run too far into Occoquan Bay, out 

 of which she found it almost impossible to beat, and thus lost 

 nearly an hour's time. Dining her desperate struggles to beat out 

 against the head wind and the heavy sea and tide, she was passed 

 by all the other craft, and all of them got a good lead of her. 



Our objective point was Camp Silsbee, where we hoped to lunch 

 and camp until the storm was over. Several times during our 

 beat to that point the canoeists lost sight of each other, the rain 

 came down so thick and heavy that it veiled objects at a distance 

 of twenty yards. For six hours the canoes held on their course in 

 this miserable weather. Most of them thought they enjoyed it. 

 Perhaps they did, but there were few expressions of this kind 

 heard until the next day, when perhaps, in recalling all the cir- 

 cumstances, this, little speU of weather may have seemed enjoy- 

 able by comparison with what followed. I must, not anticipate, 

 however. The historian of the cruise, being aboard of the Iola, 

 had an excellent opportunity to follow the course of the other 

 canoes, when the rain let up sufficiently for him to see across the 

 river. On one of these occasions it was found that the Meteor had 

 put in to Clymont. The Commodore, it was afterward learned, 

 thought that the other canoes would follow him in this move, but 

 they failed to understand his motive and continued to head for 

 Camp Silsbee. 



