March 14, 1889.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



163 



"i'TTi 



IAN T H E CANOE TENTS. 



ATALANTA. 



the butter dish should go; and so on he'll keep jabbing in his oar 

 till I feel like licking him. 



In packing the cruising outfit in the Mac tbe sleeping bag, com- 

 posed of two thicknesses of gray blankets doubled over and sewn 

 up the side and one end, is put into an oiled canvas bag and slid 

 up alongside of tbe eenterboard, the aft end of the bag just coming 

 to the aft end of the trunk. 



The other side of tbe trunk is occupied by tbe dunnage bag of 

 oiled duck, light weight, about 3ft. long and lOorllin. in diameter, 

 With sundry small pockets inside it near the top to hold soap and 

 other small articles that you may want to use without wishing to 

 turn your bag inside out to get them. It is usually partially filled 

 With an extra flannel shirt , not white, a pair of socks and trousers, 

 'soap and bath towel and my never-to-be-lef t-behind oilers, packed 

 on top to be bandy in case of rain. As tho aforementioned duds 

 only occupy about one-third of the space in the bag a small cotton 

 bag containing several loaves of bread usually fills the space be- 

 tween the duds and the tie string. 



The tent used is a pyramid shaped article 8X8 with an 8 foot 

 light bamboo pole, sod cloth loin, wide and two large ventilators 

 near the roof. Nine iron or steel pins hold it firm where pins can 

 be used and a few stones around the sod cloth answers the same 

 purpose when they cannot. 



All my canoes have had room to sleep aboard , but my experi- 

 ence in that line is limited to one night when I scraped my hip 

 bones on the coamings and otherwise enjoyed myself so much 

 that I never repeated the dose, but on the first chance sold that 

 canoe tent to an unsuspecting novice who wanted all the fixings; 

 I didn't, so he got them cheap. He's since gone out of canoeing. 



The recollection of the only breakfast cooked under that tent 

 Is still quite vividly before me— it was a cold morning in October 

 in '86. Hyla stuck his head out of his canoe tent remarking that 

 it was a pretty cold morning to cook outside, so we each lifted 

 our leeward curtains and tried to make breakfast. I laid out my 

 cooking kit on the hatches and seat across the deck; had to go 

 out for water; hump your back, double yourself up, shake the 

 sand off your feet and you are in luck if you get seated again on 

 the floor of the canoe -without knocking about half your jam 

 pots, spirit lamps, etc., over while doing so. 



The water was soon boiling, and shaking in tbe oatmeal she 

 was well underway; an appetizing odor being stirred up as the 

 spoon went round and round the bottom keeping it from burn- 

 ing. Pretty near done, and blessed if I haven't forgotten the 

 salt. Turning around in a hurry and reaching to the aft hatch 

 for it, I lifted one knee an inch too high and kerflop goes the 

 whole stew in my lap and on tbe floor of the canoe. Tableau! 

 It being Sunday I had to swallow all the good strong adjectives 

 and cuss words that came quite readilv, I must admit, to my lips, 

 they filled me up so that I quite lost my appetite for porridge 

 that morning, and, by the time I'd gone out and scraped my 



wide stretches of water being too rough for my laden canoe to 

 live in. The comfort of being able to sleep in your canoe is un- 

 speakable. Two years ago there were only one or two of the 

 cruisers in our club who used a canoe tent, now the exception is 

 the other way. Last year I got Colonel Rogers, of the Ontario 

 Canoe Company, to build me an open canoe in which I could 

 sleep; this was easily accomplished by making a deck 3in. long at 

 each end and about Sin. wide round the gunwales and doing away 

 with the crossbars. My canoe is, however, shallow, and would 

 not do for very rough water. 



Bedding is a difficult matter. I have tried several things, bat 

 blanket bags to button along the edges are, 1 think, the beat. I 

 have besides canoe cushions enough to form a mattress, for I like 

 a soft bed. Rubber sheets 1 have found most unserviceable; they 

 tear so easily, and if exposed to the sun they soon become rotten. 

 I prefer a tarpaulin made of drill or some light stuff. I have used 

 for the last two years an oilskin ground sheet made of heavy 

 unbleached cotton (muslin). Wet. the cotton and paint it with 

 boiled linseed oil on one side, then let this dry; wet it again, and 

 then paint the other side, and repeat this until your cotton is 

 waterproof. The wetting prevents the cotton from absorbing too 

 much oil. For eating tools I carry a sheath-knife in a plain brown 

 leather case on my belt. Be careful to have the case made so 

 long that only about one inch of tho handle of the knife is visible, 

 and let the knife tit tightly. On one of my cruises we all lost our 

 sheath-knives from their dropping out of their cases (one case, it 

 is true, was made of pasteboard artistically covered with band- 

 some leather and bound with brass, and it dropped to pieces the 

 first day). I have tried a clasp-knife with a dagger catch sus- 

 pended by a lanyard round tbe neck. Jack Tar fashion, but it was 

 impossible to keep it clean, scales of fish, etc., would get into the 

 handle and the wet used to rust the springs. Jack Tars always 

 carry sheath-knives when the regulations of the ship permit them. 



I take plated forks (I cannot stand that abomination a three- 

 pronged steel fork), tin spoons, a folding corkscrew, a can opener, 

 and graniteware cups and deep plates. There is nothing equal to 

 graniteware; it is so clean and durable. I have had my plates 

 and cups several years in hard use, and with the exception of a 

 few chips they are as good as ever. As we live in a wooded coun- 

 try, we take an axe and cook our food over an open fire, and do 

 not require spirit lamps. Last spring I thought 1 would take a 

 coal oil lamp on one of our club cruises. Knowing tbe treachery 

 of the brute, 1 put it in a tin pail with plenty of rags to absorb 

 any oil that might slop out. We had a sail to our first camp (my 

 canoe sails on her bilge), and when I arrived at camp the oil was 

 in the pail. I poured it back, congratulating myself on my fore- 

 thought. It cooked to perfection. The uext day I upset my canoe 

 in a squall, and I carry no more oil lamps or stoves. A caudle 

 lantern in a tin case which is sufficiently large to hold the extra 

 candles, is a great comfort. 



COLD WEATHER SLEEPING BAG. 



trousers with a chip and polished them with a wisp of hay I was 

 quite ready for the next course. 



Ere I'd finished the meal I'd reached the firm conclusion that 

 when I was built they hadn't calculated on me living in a canoe 

 tent. These articles may be good enough when you have to sleep 

 m a swamp with no dry land whereon to lay your bead, but in 

 the cruising I've done on many waters I've always been able to 

 find a spot to pitch my tent where I at least had standing room, 

 room to lie down and move around like a Christian instead of 

 prematurely acquiring a hump on your back, like an old man of 

 eighty, by trying to fold blankets on a wet morning in the ordi- 

 nary canoe tent. 



The bed used is soft curled hair in two oiled cloth cushions 

 about 2in. thick and 30in. square; in making up the bunk they 

 are hooked together, and when laid lengthwise make a good, 

 soft, comfortable bed. Being oiled they are life preservers. I 

 use them as cushions all day, sleep as soundly on them as the other 

 chaps do on their fancy air beds at. twelve dollars apiece, not to 

 mention the amount of wind expended each time they inflate 

 these rubber affairs. 



The tent is stowed under the aft hatch with a small axe and a 

 lantern. This leaves 5ft. of cockpit clear of all traps but the grub 

 box, upon which I place the cushions and sit. Under the side 

 deck I have a couple of small compartments built, in which I 

 carry sponge, fishing tackle and a combination tool. 



The Mac has SJ^ft. of air-tight compartment in each end, no 

 hatches or frills to them, have only had occasion to use them 

 once in four years, when I found them in good order. When you 

 Want them you want them badly, and the more you have the 

 better you'll like it. Besides the ordinary deck tiller I use a for- 

 ward one placed under the forward deck, it is made of spring 

 rteel so as not to take up space, is screwed to under side of deck, 

 the handle can be worked by the knees when sitting down; or tbe 

 feet, provided you're endowed like myself, with about 13in. of 

 Chem, can be utilized in working the cross bar. Mac. 



Toronto, March 7. 



P. S.— If this screed passes the editor's eagle eye and capacious 

 waste basket, "Retaw" will be looking for a job poking some one 

 I up. 



ANOTHER CANADIAN KIT. 



Editor Forest and iStrea/m: 



Mr. Carl Fuller's letter on "Some Cruising Experiences," and 

 the other papers that recently appeared in the Forest and 

 Stream, induce me to say a few words respecting my own experi- 

 ence in this line. And first with regard to the canoe. I have, on 

 long cruises, generally used an open Peterborough, and have had 

 i comrade, but I would certainly advise any one to take a smaller 

 »oat and go it alone; unless there are heavy portages to be made, 

 Mid even then it is often easier to portage two small canoes than 



THE Puritans are still in the water, that is, Avhen business will 

 allow, and several members are in active training for the 

 paddling races next season. The atmosphere in the house is suf- 

 focating, with its load of turpentine and varnish odors, and sails 

 and rigging are undergoing inspection and refitting. Commodore 

 Baxter's new canoe is all sided, in builder Robertson's hands. 

 Secretary Cartwright is having a small open paddling canoe 

 built by the same builder. 



The schedule of events for next summer has been submitted by 

 the regatta committee. It consists of cruises and races rilling all 

 the free days from May 5 to Sept. 29. 



May 30. Sailing and paddling record races No. 1, at Peddocks 

 Island. 



June 15, 16, 17. Annual meet at Nantasket. 

 June 16. Record races No. 2, sailing and paddling. 

 June 17. Record races No. 3, sailing and paddling. 

 July 4. Record races No. 4, sailing and paddling. e\ 

 Sept. 8. Record races No. 5, sailing and paddling. 

 Records calculated as at the A. C. A. meets; greatest possible 

 number of points, 60. Besides the races there are cruises set for 

 every corner of Boston harbor and bay. Members taking the 

 cruises scheduled are requested to plate upon the map the land- 

 ings, beaches, springs, stores, camp sites and so forth, keeping an 

 accurate log of everything interesting and useful to canoeists. 



Several new members are to be added to the list at the next 

 meeting. There are fully half a hundred unattached A. C. A. 

 „ men m the vicinity of Boston, who seem to have no desire to join 

 me large one. Above all have your canoe decked, and this for any club. Saturday evenings and Sundays the club house at 

 iwo reasons— first you can sleep in it and secondly you will avoid City Point is warmed, and all suoh unattached men are invited 

 much loss of time, I have lost much valuable time on account of 1 to visit us, Ilet 



For cooking a frying pan and a nest of tin pails that fit one 

 inside tbe other should satisfy a Francatelli. The outside pail 

 should not bo put on the tire, and then you will not be troubled 

 with soot. The frying pan should have a hinged handle and a 

 case made of duck or sacking I used for a long time a frying pan 

 with a movable handle, but I found that it often dropped off at a 

 critical moment. Carry eatables in cotton bags except salt and 

 matches, which must be kept in tightly corked bottles. I then 

 stow all the things in a waterproof bag. I use for clothes and 

 bedding what we know locally as kit bags, which are manu- 

 factured for the Northwest mounted police. They are in shape 

 like a bolster with the opening on top covered with a waterproof 

 flap; duck sacks treated with a couple of coats of paint are a good 

 substitute. I also carry a ditty-bag with pockets all round on the 

 inside to hold tools, eating apparatus, spare tackle, fishing lines, 

 etc. Many canoeists dislike boxes in a canoe, but I must confess 

 I like a solid seat for paddling, and there is nothing so convenient 

 as a box for holding a lunchon. I have made a box seat with a 

 rounded bottom so that the corners will not damage the canoe, 

 with a back supported by straps. Astioou. 



PURITAN C. C. 



fiictfting. 



FIXTURES. 



May. 



30. Yorkville, Opening, Oak Pt. 30. Brooklyn, Open, Gravesend. 

 80- June 2. Portland, Cruise. 



June. 



1. Quincy, Cash Prizes. 



1. Larehniont, Spring. 

 3-5-7. Katrinu-Shamrock, N. Y. 

 6. Monatiquot, Opening, Ft, Pi 

 8. Buffalo, Pennant, Buffalo. 



I 21 1-22. Katriua-Titania, N. Y. 

 20. Monatiquot, Pennant, Ft.Pt. 

 20. Quaker City Annual, Phila. 

 22. Buffalo, Sweep, Classes 2 & 8. 

 22. Bcverly,Marhl<!h'd,lstOham. 



13. Portland Annual, Portland. 22. Hull, First Cham. 



15. Corinthian, Marblehead. 21. Pa yon in.. Annual, JerseyCity 



15. Seawanhaka, Annual, N. Y. 26. Pleon, Club. 



15. Lynn, Club, Lynu. 29. Corinthian, Marblehead. 



15. Brooklyn, Annual. 29. Beve]iy,Mnn.Beach, 1st Open 



17. Seawanhaka, 10ft. Class, N.Y 29. Cor. Mosquito Fleet, Larch. 



17. Quincy, First Cham. W. Hull, Club Cruise. 



July. 



4. Larchmont, Annual. 13. Corinthian, Marblehead. 



4. Beverly, Mon Beach, 1st Buz. 13. Monatiquot, 1st Cham., Ft.Pt 



, D Bay ; « t f ^« \ 13, Buffalo Handicap, to Point 



4. Beverly, Marhleh'd, 1st Cup. Albino. 



T Hyde Park.Annual.Chicago. 17. Pleon, Club Cruise. 



4. Buffalo, Open, Buffalo. 18. Ouinev, Second Cham. 



0. Hull, Ladies' Race. 20. Hull, 76th Regatta. 



6. Beverly, Marhleh'd, 2d Cham 20. Rcverl y,Marblehead, 3d Cup. 

 b. bippiean. Annual, Marion. 24. Pleon. Club. 



8. Inter-Lake Y. R. A. Meet, 27. Corinthian. Marblehead. 



Lake Erie. 37. Beverly, Mon. Beach, 3d Buz. 

 — . Knickerbocker, 20ft. craft. Bay. 



Ocean Race. 27. Monatiquot, Club, Ft. Point. 



— ■ Seawanhaka Annual Cruise 27. Buffalo, Sweep, to Point Col- 

 10. Pleon Club, 1st Cham. burn. 



13. Lynn, Club, Lynn. 31. Pleon, Open. 



13. Beverly, Mon. Beach,3d Open 31. Hull, Ladies' Day. 



August. 



3. Qaincy, Open Race. 17. Beverly,Marbleh'd. 3d Cham 



3. Buffalo, Club, Buffalo. 17. Hull, Special Outside Race, 

 3. Sippiean, Club, Mariou. 30 and 40ft. 



3. Beverly. Marhleh'd, 1st Cup. 21. Pleon. 3d Cham. 



7. Pleon, 2d Cham. 24. Lynn, Excursion, Lynn. 



3. Lynn, Club, Lyun. 24. Beverlv.Mon. Beached Open. 



10. L\nn, Ladies' Day, Lynn. 31. Larchmont. Oyster Boats. 



10- Corinthian, Marblehead. 24. Oorinthiau, Marblehead. 



10. Monatiquot, 2d Cham.,Ft.Pt. 28. Pleon, Sail off. 



10. Buffalo Annual Cruise. 31. Beverly, Marhleh'd, 1st Open 



10. Hull, 2d Cham. 31. Sippican, Club, Marion, 



lb. Monatiquout, Ladies' Day, 31. Hull, Onam. Sail-Off. 



Fort Point. 

 17. Quincy, Ladies' Day. 



2. Lynn, Open, Lynn. 



3. Beverly, Mon. Beach,2d Open 

 2. Corinthian. Marblehead. 



4. Buffalo, 3d Class, Buffalo. 

 7. Hull, 0th Open. 



7. Beverly, Marblehead, 3d Cup 21. Beveriv, Marhleh'd, Sail Off. 

 7. Larchmont, Fall Annual. 28. Lynn, Club, Lynn. 



28. Buffalo, Club, Buffalo. 



31. Qumcy, 3d, Cham. 



September. 



12. Beverly, Mon. Beach, 3d Buz. 

 Bay. 



14. Monatiquot, Open, Ft. Point 

 14. Corinthian, Marblehead. 

 14. Lynn, Club, Lynn. 



ABOUT THE LOWER BAY IN A SINGLEHANDER, 



HEARING that the fall flight of snipe was "on" and that good 

 sport might be expected at Sandy Hojk and vicinity the 

 Blnglehander Useful was made ready, and one bright morning 

 about the middle of August, not many years, ago, hoisted sails 

 from her anchorage at Port Richmond, Staten island, and started 

 for that well known locality with a nice southerly breeze. 



ft may not be amiss to Bay a word or two of the outfit. The 

 boat is 15ft. l.w.l., 18ft. on deck, 5ft. Oin. beam on deck, plank*- d lap- 

 streak, jib and mainsail rig, built by the writer during his leisure 

 hours. 



I was provided with a waterproof cockpit cover of oiled canvas, 

 Which when laced do n on the outside ot coaming excluded rain , 

 spray and on occasions some nasty seas, an A tent, which could 

 be hung from the triced up boom when sail was stowed, and 

 laced to outside of coaming, a naphtha burner, such as are used 

 to heat soldering irons in large canning establishments, for 

 coffee and chocolate, the usual canned provisions and a quantity 

 of those chip dishes which are used by the grocer in selling butter 

 and lard (these will be found a great convenience, as they are 

 thrown away after eating from), a 12-boro (cylinder) Scott gun 

 7lbs. and the usual ammunition, and I had almost forgotten a 

 most important article— a mosquito bar. Other than these it is 

 needless to mention the necessaries which every cruiser must 

 carry. 



Fully equipped then, a rather late start was made, as the tide did 

 not turn until between 10 and 11 o'clock, and the crew desiring to 

 stop at Keyport for a friend, was in no hurry, as that point could 

 lie easily reached by nightfall. The route through Staten Island 

 Sound was decided on as being the shortest and pleasantest sail- 

 ing. Nothing of any moment was observed until the now Balti- 

 more and Ohio bridge across tbe Arthur Kill at Elizabeth port 

 was reached, except, indeed, as noted in the log, two brick 

 sehooneiswere seen bard and fast aground on a mud reef , thrown 

 up a lew wteks before by Dubois' dredgers in digging a trench 

 for a pipe line across Newark Bay. from the Corner Stake Beacon 

 to Bergen Point, at a point contiguous to the O. R. R. of N. J.'s 

 bridge across that bay. Why these dredgers were allowed to leave 

 this ridge of mud and sand, several feet high and several miles 

 in length, is one of those things "which no fellow can find out." 

 It is to be hoped if the senooners were injured, as they were 

 heavily loaded, they recovered damages from the dredging com- 

 pany. 



The ebb tide through the easterly draw of the B. & O. bridge is 

 certainly dangerous for vessels going through without sufficient 

 steerageway, and from what he saw the crew is inclined to believe 

 a great deal said against the bridge by the Pennsylvania R, R. 

 people. But then they were competitors and wouid themselves 

 erect the same or a similar structure, no matter bow much it in- 

 commoded navigation, if it suited their interests. One thing can 

 be said of this draw, it is the widest one in the world. Query- 

 Why did they not make the bridge a double track one? 



After passing this bridge many boats are seen scattered through 

 the Sound, the occupants of which are engaged in raking or 

 dredging oysters from tbe bottom of the channel, oftentimes in 

 water 25 to 30ft. or more in depth. These oysters are not fit for 

 toed, being bitter and acrid, but on planting for a season in Rari- 

 tan Bay or Long Island Sound waters, become very palatable, de- 

 pending much, however, on tbe season. 



At Rossville a stop was made to procure some bait, in case the 

 crew should take it into his bead to ii b, and to see Frank, the 

 genial proprietor of the hotel there. This town, like most Staten 

 Island villages not visited by the railroad, is in the same primitive 

 condition it was twenty yeais ago, no perceptible change or im- 

 provement being made. After the bait had been obtained and an 

 additional stock of ice laid in, tbe jib was hoisted and afresh 

 start made. 



The wind had now hauled well to the eastward of south and 

 was blowing a good breeze, so much so that the crew began to 

 think he would proceed with more comfort if ho had a reef 

 tucked into his mainsail. His topsail had been taken on deck 

 before leaving Rossville. He was about taking in his jib and 

 tying the reef when he noticed on his starboard bow a canoe 

 whose occupant seemed to be in some trouble. Standing on until 

 the next board would bring him alongside, in due time the Use- 

 ful was as close to him as the shoaling water would permit. On 

 hailing it was found that he, finding his canoe made but little 

 headway in beating against the menacing wind and rough water, 

 determined on paddling, being desirous of reaching his destina- 

 tion, Checsequake Creek, before nightfall; but at almost the first 

 energetic stroke ot the paddle it snapped, and he had narrowly 

 escaped a capsize, and had some water in his boat. At the spot 

 it was impracticable to land owing to the oozy mud extending 

 some hundreds of feet from shore, so he was invited to come on 

 board the Useful and bail out. The canoe was soon emptied of 

 her unwelcome cargo, and her occupant, who was found" to be a 

 native of Passaic, and known to the crew, was invited to finish 

 his trip on the Useful, taking his canoe in tow. This he did the 

 more readily as the greater part of bis paddle was lost, and his 

 cushions and other articles were wet, coupled with which hia 

 canoe was better adapted for paddling than sailing, being narrow 

 and low, with but a small folding board. 



The canoeist's traps were soon spread out to dry on our canvas 

 deck, or rather cockpit, cover, with an occasionai lashing to keep 

 them from blowing away to leeward, and we were under way 

 again, having lost but very few minutes. The canoe having no 



