46 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



fAuo. 9, 1888. 



daylight. The following night we camped near the 

 stagfe ranch on Pole Cat, and, as we had been living on 

 salt slap jacks for a few days we thought a few hot 

 biscuits would go fine; so I took some flour and a nice 

 turkey, and went over to the ranch and made a trade 

 with Mrs. Todd, giving her the turkey in return for the 

 baking. Now if you don't think we had a good supper 

 that night you surely are a little off. The next day we 

 rolled into Caldwell. We arrived home that night, and 

 all felt the pleasant consciousness that we had done our 

 duty, and had been well repaid. A. A. Knott. 



TiKRTHOUD, Colo. 



ADIRONDACK ABOMINATIONS. 



Editor Forest and Stream; 



A word as to the destruction of the forest, the game 

 and the fish. I found on going in this spring that the 

 lumbermen had penetrated as far as Third Pond, which is 

 within six miles of Mud Lake, about the very center of 

 the wilderness. They had cut the best of the pine and 

 spruce, taking only the butts, and leaving the woods a 

 tangled mass of limbs and tops. They had three camps 

 in the vicinity, and three dirtier, filthier places never ex- 

 isted in the woods. I understand there were between 200 

 and 300 of them. They went in in the fall, and cutting 

 down the woods was not all the work they did. We 

 found secreted one of their trawling lines with over 100 

 hooks on it, with which they had been fishing in Spring 

 Pond before it froze up. I judge it was used there, be- 

 cause Mr. Buriel caught a trout there with one of these 

 trawling hooks firmly imbedded in his jaw. Again we 

 found a large amount of deer hair around these camps. 

 I have evei-y reason to think these camps furnished them- 

 selves with deer meat the entire winter. 



I supposed the State of New York owned something of 

 the wilderness, and that they would sell no more of it. 

 But from the fact that the lumbermen are cutting twenty 

 and thirty miles beyond Big Tupper Lake, I should say 

 the State had but little to say in the matter. I have been 

 in the woods for many years and have never caught fish 

 nor killed any game that I did not need for my table. 



This year in leaving Spring Pond I said to Nichols, 

 ''This is probably the last time you and I will ever go 

 over this trail together, for the vandals have ruined the 

 woods." 



"No, don't say that," he replied, "for we have been in 

 these woods together too many years to think of giving 

 it up now," 



When I broke camp and we paddled out of the pond 

 into Bog River 1 turned and with a very sad heart, took 

 a last look at my camp, where I had spent so many pleas- 

 ant seasons. Why should I return? The vandals are de- 

 stroying the forest, the game and the fish. Excuse my 

 wandering from the subject of your letter, but I could 

 not very well help it. Walter Aiken. 



V BAN k \j in Fa riDS, N . H . 



DR. BAILEY AND HIS DEER. 



IN connection with the recent articles on Adirondack 

 lawlessness the case of Dr. Bailey is of interest. It 

 is thus reported in the Utica, N. Y., Herald: 



"Through its secret service agents, the Utica Fish and 

 Game Protective Association obtained information of deer 

 slaughter up at Long Pond, east of Lowville. State Game 

 Protector Drew was accordingly sent thither, and suc- 

 ceeded in bringing into Lowville Dr. Bailey, of Cleve- 

 land, Ohio, upon charge of killing six deer within a few 

 days past. Prosecution was commenced by District At- 

 torney Ryal at Lowville, and the Doctor was taken into 

 custody on an order of arrest by the sheriff of Lewis 

 county. While pretending to be telegraphing for bail he 

 obtained a livery and made his escape, going back into 

 the woods. At last accounts the sheriff was in hot pur- 

 suit, and it is thought he cannot escape. Dr. Bailey is a 

 son of James Bailey, of this city. His wife is there with 

 him, and is said to have participated in the violations of 

 law by being out with her husband floating when some 

 of the deer were killed. Other parties are said to be im- 

 plicated, and the sequel will in due time appear. Strange 

 to say, they were on the alert for game protectors." 



A Utica correspondent writes: "The story at length 

 would be a long one, and full as a nut of detective ro- 

 mance. It would be very interesting reading of how the 

 protector had to 'play possum,' and how the wife and 

 Mrs. Grant sounded him to discover whether he was a 

 detective, and how he took them in, obtained their confi- 

 dence and got the whole evidence, even when word had 

 been sent in advance that detectives were coming and 

 to 'get out quickly.' The doctor was kept away for 

 twenty-four hours. The wife was to signal the de- 

 tective by shooting at a mark. Not getting the signal 

 they put out the hound upon a wounded deer, drove him 

 into the lake and killed Mm at short range by the tail 

 within hearing of the protector. 



"The affair goes to show, as they declared, that if it 

 had been a protector that they knew, he could not have 

 obtained any evidence, and Mr. Drew succeeded only 

 because he was not personally known there. Secret de- 

 tective work only will accomplish the desired end. Mr. 

 Drew has several times had equal success under the aid 

 and efforts of this association." 



Little Rock, Ark., July 81. — Wild pigeons have dis- 

 appeared from this country. Up to six years ago they 

 were very plentiful and then failed suddenly. It was 

 customary for them to appear in October in immense 

 flocks and stay as long as the mast lasted. Another bird 

 that has disappeared is the paroquet. Formerly the creek 

 bottoms were full of them. About twelve years ago 

 they disappeared. I can give no reason for this, as no 

 one killed them. They roosted on sycamore trees by 

 hanging to knots by their bills apparently. They used to 

 come into apple orchards in the summer in large flocks, 

 and as they were just the color of the leaves it was sur- 

 prising how many could get into a tree and be completely 

 invisible. The prospects for a large crop of quail, deer 

 and turkeys are good. The majority of people around 

 here observe the game law, but I am sorry to say that it 

 is not so in all parts of the State. I have been told that 

 a circuit judge went deer driving last week, but cannot 

 vouch for the truth of it. — Casual. 



hn and Mirer 



boys. Is this not worse than the little sparrow would or 

 could do ? I know of a party who has eighteen partridge 

 eggs of this season, and over two hundred of other bird 

 eggs. It is a very common thing to hear the poor darky 

 accused of pot-hunting and of robbing hen roosts, but for 

 my part I can't see who is the biggest robber, the sparrow, 

 the American boy or the negro. I can see that the negro 

 robs the hen roost for the want of something to eat, but I 

 can't see where the eat comes in by robbing the birds of 

 their eggs." 



Deer in the Northern Adirondacks.— A reliable 

 correspondent reports that deer and ruffed grouse are 

 more plentiful than usual in the region about Meacham 

 Lake. The severe weather of last winter did not give 

 promise of a good deer season, but in that vicinity the 

 aw was generally observed, and only one violation, near 

 Duane, was heard of, and that lacked sufficient proof to 

 prosecute. He thinks that the recent articles in Forest 

 and Stream concerning unlawful venison in some parts 

 of the woods are just, but lays the blame on those who 

 are intrusted with the enforcement of the laws. From 

 all indications there are many deer in Franklin county. 



Wild Pigeons, Elmira, N. Y., Aug. 3. — Going down 

 Canandaigua Lake last week, on Wednesday, I saw a 

 flock of genuine wild pigeons flying north. Look out for 

 them next April. — Nilmah. 



James Ponce, a hunter well known to all sportsmen 

 who visit St. Augustine, Fla., has just signalized himself 

 by kilUng four bears in one day. 



THE ONTARIO GAME LAW. 



THE only season during which the following game may be 

 hunted, taken or killed is as fellows: 

 Deer— Oct. 15 to Dee. 15. 

 Partridges— Sept. 1 to Jan. L 

 Woodcock— Aug. 15 to Jan. 1. 

 Snipe, rail and golden plover— Sept. 1 to Jan. 1, 

 Ducks of all kinds— Sept. 1 to Jan. 1. 

 tieese— Sept. 1 to May 1. 

 Hare— Sept. 1 to March 15. 

 The above dates are inclusive. 



These may be exposed for sale for twenty days after expiration 

 of time for killing. No eggs to he taken or destroyed at any time. 

 No traps, nets or snares, baited lines or similar contrivances to be 

 used. These may be destroyed hy any person without" .liability. 

 No contrivances described or known as batteries, swivel guns, 

 sunken punts or night lights to be used for killing wildfowl. 



Fur-bearing animals may be only taken, hunted or killed as 

 follows: 



Beaver, mink, maskrat, sable, martin, otter or fisher -Nov. 1 to 

 May 1. Nor shall any trap or snare or other contrivance be set 

 for theoi outside this season. Nor shall any muskrat house he 

 cut, speared, broken or destroyed at any time. Any person may 

 destroy Such traps, snares, etc., so set, without any liability. 



N. B.— No poison to be used in killing the animals named, and 

 no poisoned bait t o be exposed in any locality where dogs or cattle 

 may have access to the same. 



No deer dog to run at large from Nov. 15 until Oct. 15. 



WISCONSIN DEER LAW. 



E litor Forest tf/fliA Stream: 



Allow me to call attention to a misstatement, of the game laws 

 of Wisconsin published in Forest and Stream, June 28, or 

 that portion of them relating to the open season for deer in that 

 State, which reads as follows: '"Forbidden to kill ****** 

 deer, elk, moose, save only during November." When correctly 

 written, "'It shall he unlawful to kill ****** a ny deer, 

 buck, doe or fawn between the tenth day of November and the 

 succeeding first day of October." Approved April 8, 1887. 



There has been no session of the Wisconsin Legislature since 

 1887. Consequently there has been no change in the law. 



For this information and a copy of the fish and game laws of 

 Wisconsin, I am indebted to the kindness of Hon. Ernst G. 

 Timme. Secretary of State. A. L. Rose. 



Chicago, July sl 



"That reminds me." 

 239. 



LAST fall I went over to St. Francis county on a fish- 

 ing and hunting trip. Finding game rather scarce, 

 I was fishing on Burnt Cane Lake. While so engaged a 

 bear came down, caught a half -grown hog, a "razor-back," 

 that was rolling in the mud, and rushed back into the 

 cane. I immediately followed after, thinking I had found 

 the bear I had lost on various occasions over there. I 

 followed him a long distance, but failed to get a shot. 

 Tired and disgusted I started back to the lake. The cane 

 was thick and hard to walk through, and I was walking 

 on a fallen log. As I neared the upper end something 

 black rushed out of the treetop and disappeared in the 

 cane. I felt sure I had found my bear again, and firing 

 two loads of buckshot at the moving cane I killed — a big 

 razor-back. Casual. 

 Little Rock, Ark. 



A Party is making up to visit the Ridean region on a 

 steam yacht; and there is room for two more persons, as 

 noted in an advertisement printed to-day. 



Big Salmon. — Mr. Henry Ffennell, an authority, states 

 that the salmon of 88ibs. that have been talked of during the 

 last two or three years were "bogus fish." The number of 

 salmon of 701bs. and upward that have been taken in English, 

 Irish, or Scottish waters, of Avhich there is satisfactory 

 evidence, can be counted on one's fingers. Thei'e is a record 

 of one of 831bs. that came into the possession of Mr. Groves, 

 of Bond street; Pennant speaks of one of 741bs.; in 1873 one 

 of 7011>8. was taken at Littleton; and to these must be added 

 t he famous fish, a model of which was made by Frank Buck- 

 land, and is now in the Museum of Economic Fish Culture 

 at South Kensington. It weighed 701bs. exactly— Mr. Ffen- 

 nell saw it on the scale — and it created a great sensation 

 while it was on view just 18 years ago. It was taken in the 

 nets — as all the other fish of that weight or over have been — 

 by Mr. Speedie about two miles below Newburgh, on the 

 River Tay. Mr. Ffennell gives a list of the big salmon taken 

 by the rod. Only three in which he can believe have been 

 taken by the rod that have weighed over 601bs.— one of 60%lbs. 

 chronicled by Yarrell as having been taken from the Tweed 

 by a former Earl of Home, one of bllbs. taken from the same 

 river in 1870 and one of 671bs. mentioned by Young as being 

 taken from the Nith in 1813. Of the weights of the big sal- 

 mon taken by anglers in recent years, Mr. Ffennell has been 

 careful to get accurate information and to have the weights 

 verified, and the following is the list of salmon over 501 bs 

 taken by anglers: "One of 57,!^lbs. taken in the Tweed in 1886 

 (by Mb. Prybr), one of 571bs. takenby a poor fisherman on the 

 Suir, Ireland, in 1873. In 1872 a salmon of 581bs. was landed 

 in the Shannon, and in the same year one of 531bs. in the 

 Cumberland Derwent (by Dr. A. Peek). The big salmon 

 taken in Scotland by anglers last year weighed respectively 

 483^1bs. (captured on the Burnmouth Water, on the Tay, by 

 Mr" J. Hunter); one of 453^1bs. (taken on the Coulter section 

 of the Aberdeenshire Dee by General Briggs); and one of 

 431bs. (killed in the Long Craig cast in the Lower Birgham 

 Water, on the Tweed, by the Earl of Home)." 



Angling Talks. By George Davison. Pr ice 50 cents. Fly- 

 Rods mid Fly-Tackle. By H. P. Wells. Price $2.50. Fly- 

 Fishing and Fly-Making for Trout. By J. H. Keene. 

 Price $1.50. American Angler's Book. By Thacl. Norris. 

 Price $5.50. 



THE HERMITAGE. 



PROVIDENCE, R. I.— Among the numerous items of 

 interest published in Forest and Stream, I would 

 like to secure a corner for an interesting piscatory visit 

 made some years ago to the trout farm of Capt. in 

 Brunswick, Maine. Hospitality is proverbial among the 

 brotherhood of true anglers; there seems to be some 

 kind influence that has come down from old Father Wal- 

 ton to his sons of this generation, one of whom was 

 the Captain, who had "beat his sword into a plough- 

 share," and his spurs into trout hooks. I had previously 

 fished with him at the Schoodic lakes, Moosehead, 

 Rangeley and many other noted resorts; but for genuine 

 sport, comfort and success, this trip exceeded all my for- 

 mer experiences in that line. There could scarcely be 

 found a more picturesque spot than the one selected by 

 my friend for his outings. The old farmhouse which 

 he had repaired, retaining its quaint old style, is a curi- 

 osity, more than two hundred years old! He has pre- 

 served many of the old original surroundings, the well 

 sweep with the old oaken bucket, etc. The place, which 

 he sometimes calls the "Hermitage," is in a retired glen, 

 with green fields gracefully sloping southeasterly from 

 a rocky ridge, down to the clear sweet waters of the 

 trout stream which flows through his farm, and close by 

 his door. This stream in early times was navigable 

 for Indian canoes from its outlet into the salt waters of 

 New Meadows River to the site of the old farmhouse, a 

 distance of some three miles. The waters are now con- 

 veyed by aqueduct to the city of Bath, five or more miles 

 to the eastward. At the time of my visit the woods 

 abounded in partridges, foxes and other game ; the stream 

 and dark shady ponds and deep pools, with nimble trout 

 and wild duck; truly, as Senator Grimes of Iowa des- 

 cribed it, "a sportsman's paradise." The Captain, who 

 is somewhat noted for his antiquai"ian and historical re- 

 searches into Maine's early history, had hunted up the 

 colonial history of this region, which is briefly as follows: 

 In the year 1651 the ship John and Sara, from London, 

 arrived at Boston with 273 Scotch prisoners of war, to be 

 sold as servants. There being no market for them, the 

 consignee — Mr. Kimball, of Charlestown — set them all 

 free. Among them was one Alester Coombs, who went 

 to Maine, perhaps with Thomas Stevens and others, and 

 made his settlement at what was afterward called Stevens 

 River, now New Medows, in the present town of Bruns- 

 wick. Their first purchase of land from the Indians is 

 not recorded, but later purchases show that the natives 

 acknowledged then previous titles, shown in the "Pejep- 

 scot Papers," where is a copy of an additional deed to 

 Stevens from Ramegin, Sagamore of Nequsett, otherwise 

 called by the English "Robinhood," dated July 3, 1075. 

 It is briefly as follows, viz. : "A certain piece of land 

 adjoining Pejepscot River, butted and bounded as follows: 

 To the land of Thomas Stevens now in possession east, 

 and to Alester Coombs his land south, and from the head 

 of Alester Coombs his marsh, westerly to a certain path 

 called the carrying path, and by said path in a straight 

 line to Stone Island, Pejepscot Narrows, and north to 

 land of said Stevens," etc. 



The original line bet ween Stevens and Coombs was very 

 nearly as the railroad now runs from New Medows River 

 westerly to Cook's Corner, where it intersected the old 

 Indian carrying path, which it thence followed to An- 

 droscoggin River. 



These two young pioneers built their cabins about a 

 quarter of a mile apart, about the year 1655. Stevens's 

 house is still standing, owned by Chapin Weston. The 

 Coombs house, occupied by the Captain, stood at the 

 "head of Alester Coombs Ms marsh," and was burned 

 down about 1883," and— 



Now naught is left the old-time tale to tell, 

 Save two old wrecks— the cellar and the well. 



Alester Coombs's lot probably contained some 3,000 

 acres. It was divided about A.D. 1710 between Lieut. 

 Peter Coombs, Anthony, J ohn and their sister, Abigail, who 

 married Thomas Berry, Seignor; the latter afterward 

 resided at Berry's mills, West Bath, and John moved to 

 Harpwell. If Alester Coombs was twenty-one when he 

 came to America in 1651, he was sixty years old when 

 Lieut. Peter Coombs was born in 1690, making it probable 

 that another generation intervened between Alester and 

 Lieut. Peter, the latter, therefore, may have been a 

 grandson to Alester. The territory was again subdivided 

 about 1741 between the then heirs and assigns, who 

 were obliged to purchase rights from the Pejepscot Com- 

 pany. A portion of this old Alester Coombs estate has 

 remained in the Coombs family until the present time, 

 passing down through six, or possibly seven, generations; 



Alester, , Peter, George, Asa, John and John, Jr., one 



direct line. So much for history, which is an interesting 

 study nowadays. I will tell you now about my visit. 



I left Boston on the Kennebec boat about 6 P. M. , ar- 

 rived at the Hermitage about 7 next morning in season 

 for breakfast. I will describe the first day's sport, and 

 every day of my visit was a repetition. After breakfast 

 we donned our long-legged rubber boots, shouldered our 

 rods and implements of war and proceeded to business. 

 Although the stream was well stocked originally, the 

 Captain had added species that he had obtained from 

 other sources, with the object of improving the breed. 

 All up and down the stream that runs through what was 

 "Alester Coombs his marsh" he had dredged out deep holes 

 and pools, under logs, and among bushes and alders, 

 affording cool retreats for his game, and a hiding place 

 from the many village poachers. These trout pools were 

 ingeniously contrived, and were an interesting study of a 

 new art which old father Izaak might have applauded. 



We waded through the marsh to a clump of alders where 

 a temporary opening had been made by separating the 

 fringing alders that surrounded a deep, dark pool. On a 

 signal from the Captain I crept up to the opening and 

 dropped my fly. It was taken in an instant, and "round 

 and round the pool the captive spun." With my heart 

 in my mouth I managed to keep my fish as near the 

 center of the pool as possible; for two minutes he kept 



