AtJG. 21, 1890.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



87 



The last two days had been so free from serious dis- 

 comfort that I was not really in quite such haste to be 

 gone as I had been, and I rather suspected that the green 

 of the trees and the gray of the rocks were good for my 

 eyes. I had enough to eat, could not complain of my 

 appetite or digestion and slept first-rate, so I thought 1 

 might hold on a day or two longer, if only I would not 

 be beguiled again into going far away from the cabin. 



Monday it rained. We played cribbage, at which I 

 came out ahead, and did odd 'jobs indoors. Bill's man 

 sewed patches on to a part of my trousers that had come 

 to grief dreadfully when I slid down the rocks. Bill had 

 not cloth enough to make the two patches alike. One 

 was the last scrap of a red flannel shirt that had been 

 used up for similar purposes, and the other was out of 

 the leg of an old boot. I did not bring the trousers home. 



Tuesday the men took the bark canoe and went away 

 somewhere. They were gone all day, and Bill came 

 home cross without any fish. I had nothing to eat, as I 

 do not know how to cook. 



Next morning Bill announced his intention of going 

 off for the day, and suggested I should go with him, as 

 he was not going far. I didn't want to go, but having 

 been alone all one day I didn't care to try it again so 

 soou. I went, and if I wished once that I hadn't gone I 

 wished it a thousand times. The time we went up the 

 lakes was a mere excursion compared to this. I cannot 

 give an idea of it. Tliere was climbing up hills and down 

 iiilis. getting across brooks on logs— when I did not slip 

 oft", as I often did— going through woods where there was 

 no track at all, and through swamp* where I sank to my 

 ankles at every step, and the flies were so thick there 

 was nothing else to be seen. The fly oil was no protec- 

 tion at all. They could not possibly have kept off me if 

 they had tried. "There were too many of them, they got 

 in each other's way. 



We came to a swift, shallow river that Bill and the 

 Frenchman waded across. I tried to follow, but, of 

 course, fell down. They got me on my feet, but I went 

 down again in two minutes. We came to a place where 

 Bill began his everlasting timing, standing in the water 

 above his knees. 1 sat down on a stone and tried to 

 keep the flies out of my face with a bush. After a while 

 the Frenchman came and built a fire for me, which 

 drove them away. Bill kept hooking fish and ttie man 

 scooped them up with the net. 



I took off my boots, poured the water out and dried 

 them, but when they were dry I could not get them on 

 over my wet stockings, so I had to take off and dry them 

 also. By that time Bill was half a mile or so down the 

 river calling me to come on. I started, but had not gone 

 20yds. before I had to wade again. The stones were 

 round and smooth so I slipped a good many times, but 

 didn't go in all over. Sometimes 1 was in the water and 

 sometimes on land, pulling myself up banks, climbing 

 over fallen trees and scratching myself with branches. 

 It was simply awful, and that is all I can say about it. 

 Bill was all the time telling me to hurry up along and 

 saying he was having splendid sport. I don't know how 

 he could in conscience call that sport, for be was up 

 nearly to his thighs in running water and in danger all 

 the time of going completely over. 1 reached him at 

 last; and he truly did have a fine lot of fish, some of them 

 larger than any I have seen before, except that one 3§r 

 pounder. He was happy as possible, but as for me, 

 what with boots full of water, wet clothes, flies and a 

 hurt foot that I got in one of my tumbles, I was not happy 

 at all, not comfortable in the least, and moreover was 

 quite anxious to know how I was to get back, for if I 

 had got to wade and climb all that distance over again, I 

 felt 1 might as well give up and be drowned at once. 



Soon, however, the fish ceased to bite; and it did me 

 good to see Bill unjoint his rod and pack it up. We made 

 a short cut through the woods to a lumberman's road, and 

 quite soon were on a good path that led to the cabin. I 

 had enough. No money would have tempted me to go 

 fishing with Bill again. 



The next day some other people came, and among them 

 were two who were not fish crazy. I always could get 

 somebody to stay at the cabin with me and could make 

 up a game at whist without difficulty. Two of the men 

 brought their wives and one brought two daughters; for 

 Bill's cabin had a ladies' room besides the men's room that 

 we had been occupying. The women were rather ex- 

 travagant about scenery, and went to a good many places 

 that were troublesome to get at in search of it, and twice 

 they climbed down and up tbat terrible mountain; but so 

 long as I was not obliged to go with them I did not care. 

 One went to the river with her husband to fish and 

 tumbled in, but I never heard that she went wading. 



I didn't stay till the snow flew, but I staid till the leaves 

 began to turn and I was quite strong and my eyes very 

 well. Then I came home; and Tom, in his scarcely re- 

 spectful manner, told me I was looking so fat and hearty 

 that my most impudent friends wouldn't know me. 



I made up my mind that I would let people know my 

 opinion of trout fishing and camping out, so here Messrs. 

 Forest and Stream you have it in full. I hope that 

 hereafter no poor innocents may be deluded into thinking- 

 there is any fu n in them. E. Eastds. 



ANTOINE BISSETTE'S LETTERS. 



IV. 



Msieu Fores' 1 Strim: 



Dis sprim Ah was took on share de hoi' One' Lasha 

 sugar place. 



Ah '11 took of Joel Bahtlett sonny law what hown Joel 

 hees farm, cause Joel ant had no son cep one gal, bees 

 sonnylaw marry of. 



He '11 f urnishin' noting but de tree and de h wood . Ah '11 

 furnishin' all de res', de spout, de sap buckle, de bilin 

 kittly an' de man, dat was de bes.' 



Ah was goin' try for mek some hones' wagein's an' not 

 have mah half be too smaller as hees. 



Ah tink he was be fair 'f Ah '11 have half, an' Ursule, 

 he '11 help it carry sap sometam, have half, an' den Joel 

 sonnylaw, hees nem John Orvit, fan' hees half where he 

 could, hein? 



Ah '11 ant gat no sugar baouse, only jes' shanky, sem 

 One' Lasha had, an' Ah'll ant had no saporator or cova- 

 porator, Ah do' know haow he call it, come sap in one 

 en' an' sugar in tudder. 



Only jes' hoi' fashin pot-ashins kittly, hang on pole 

 balant on big stump for swung off fire sem as you want it. 



Sometam dey be big run, Ah was bilin' all naght, put 

 on the hwood all de tarn mos,' an' mek de sap "fluff" for 

 wos' bile over, honly littly chunk porks was stop it. 



Dat was de way for mek good maply sugar, all de chip 

 an' bark an' moss was drop in, it not be strain off. 



Den, wen you'll tase it, you know you '11 gat maply 

 sugar. Wen' you '11 buy maply sugar, you '11 ant want 

 loafer sugar, ant it? 



Wen Ah '11 be bile so Ah '11 gat lonesick sometam, noboddy 

 come see me but mah chillen, an' Ah '11 ant ga t no more as 

 fourteen Ah b'lieve. 



ft mek me tink of hoi' tarn wen One Lasha, Solern 

 Brigg, Sam Lovit an' all of it use for come, an' Ah weesh 

 he come naow. 



Ah hear of folks talk for took hees hwomens campin' 

 Ah '11 ant b'lieve it, an' Ah ant want it dey brought dey 

 waf. 



When mans goin 1 campin' he '11 go for res'. He ant 

 want hees hwomen, jus' wen he '11 begin shut hees eye an' 

 go sleep, he ant want his waf ponch heein in hees side of 

 it wid helbow an' say "Ah guess we better papy de square 

 room dis sprim'," or Ah. '11 gat for have some bonnit so 

 good as Meos dis one, dat one, he Ml gat. 



Ah '11 ant want Mees Hudly Sam Lovit, Mecs Brigg an' 

 all of it sat up an' oversee'it mah cookin' an' say, "Ah 

 b'lieve dat sugar done," " Ah b'lieve it burnin," or if Ah 

 mek some odder cookin' steek up hees nose of it an' said, 

 "Dat was jes' lak what you'll spec of dese maus," 



Ah b'lieve for hwomaus cook to home, an' Ah '11 ant 

 faound no faults 7 ho suit me, 'f he ant, dat vas mah 

 privilege, don't it? 



If hwomaus want for have some funs, let it weed onion, 

 dat was funs 'nough. 



If dat ant 'nough let it go vis" tin' long to some odder 

 h woman's an 1 'f he ant have funs dey ant no funs in talk- 

 in'. All de biscuit an' sasses dey heat can' stop de nowse 

 of hees talkin', wen he '11 gat on some good vis' tin'. 



Mos' mek me tink of it.was big flock blackbird come in 

 tops of maply an' beegin holler, honly blackbird saound 

 more lak lot o' gal as hoi' sass-heatin' hwomaus. De 

 h womans saound more lak forty crow wen he Ml fan' nowl 

 or foxes. 



Wen Ah was young noting please me but de nowse of 

 de blackbirds, naow Ah lak as well de crow nowse, but 

 Ah '11 ant want bear it all de tarn. 



But mah hoi' f rien' ant come very oftin lak he was wen 

 One' Lasha mek some sugar off. Some of it gat too many 

 hoi' an' too many rheumatiz for go aout in de evelin. 



Some of it gat de grass grow top of it for great many 

 year. 



An' it mek me lonesick for sit lone by mah fire an' 

 smoked mah pipe, an' hear honly de haowl hoot an' de 

 fox barkin' way off on de hwood. All de hoi' tarn come 

 back of mah mind an' Ah felt sorry all de boy ant here, 

 or Ah ant gone 'long wid mos' all of it. 



But if dey was here dey heat mah sugar. 'F Ah was 

 dere Ah can' git some sugar, prob'ly, so Ah guess it was 

 de bes' as he was. 



Sometam Ah '11 try for feel better for sing some hoi' 

 French song on de top of mah voice, "La Claire Fon- 

 taine," "Roulant rna Boule:" 



"Rouli, roulant, ma boule roulant, 

 En roulant ma boule roulant, 

 En roulant ma boule." 



Sometam Ah sing de song of Papineau, but de hecho 

 come from de maountain lak some voice from Canada 

 wen Ah '11 was boy, 'fore Ah mos' spilt mah bloods in de 

 Papineau war, an' mek me more lonesick Ah Ml was 

 'fore. Sem lak hot' song say, " Ah '11 never ant freegit." 



One naght Ah gat mah fire fix up good an' de kittly 

 ant want much watch. 



So Ah Ml put six hegg in it for bile mah luncheons boni- 

 by, an' Ah Ml lit mah pipe an' seet back in de shanky for 

 comfortably visit long to mahsef. 



It was so steel Ah can' hear noting but de fire snappin' 

 an' de sap floppin' in de kittly, and dat was nowse ant 

 'sturb me so Ah gat good chance for tink baout all M'sieu 

 Mumpsin read in you papier. 



Some mans in it tell haow much he gat or ant gat, Ah 

 do' know, for so many shoot of hees gawn. 



Ah b'lieve Ah can beat it any way. 



One tarn Ah Ml took mah hoi' G. S. R, Tower (Ah b'lieve 

 Ah got for steek to dat) dat was already load up, an' 

 took mah paowders an' mah waddin' dat was waspbee 

 nes' dat tarn, an' evree ting prob'ly dat was necessity. 



Wal, seh, Ah go for hunt some patteraige an' Ah go 

 probMy two nhour 'fore Ah '11 see one an' he was skulk in 

 some berree bush so Ah Ml mos' can' gat sight of it. But 

 Ah Ml tink Ah'll gat 'nough an' Ah shot. "Whish! Boom!" 

 Ah '11 mow road in de bush, but dat patteraige "vroop!" 

 he go safe. 



Ah '11 was sup-prise, for Ah know what kan' o' man Ah 

 was for shot an' Ah know what kan o' gun G. S. R. 

 Tower was for shot. Ah Ml was sup-prise but Ah Ml an' 

 discourage. 



Ah beegin for load agin, put on mah paowders, put on 

 mah wad. paoun' heem daown hard wid hoi' uon rammy 

 rod, den feel mah pocket for mah bag-shot, fus dis 

 pocket, den dat pocket, den all of it, an' he ant dare. 

 Den, bah gosh, it beegin creep on me, Ah'll freegit dat 

 bag-shot! 



Wall, seh! Ah was so mad Ah put in some leetly stone, 

 an' Ah Ml ant go far 'fore Ah Ml see patteraige Set on 

 limb, an' Ah Ml blaze 'way of it. "Vroop!" he go safe. 



Ah Ml load sem way 'gin, fav, seex tarn, an' shot jes' so 

 many tarn all at fail" mark of patteraige, an' Ah Ml ant 

 keel one of it. 



Den Ah Ml go home an' prob'ly Ah Ml was mad, hein? 

 Seven shot an' ant got sometings evree tarn. 

 Dat was one tarn. 



Tudder tarn was great many while ago, wen dare was 

 come pigeon in Danvit for nes' one sprim. Wen he Ml flew 

 off an' back, de sky was cloud of it so de sun ant shine. 



Ah Ml had mah hoi' G. S. R. Tower all prepare, half 

 full of load, an' Ah run off in de lot by de aidge of hwood 

 wen Ah Ml see de biggest flew come over, an' dey mek it 

 so dark Ah can' see mah gawn saght, but Ah Ml pant up 

 where he was probMy ten rod t'ick an' Ah '11 pull off de 

 triggin an' de gawn roar off an' ponch me in de graoun 

 up of mah ankle. 



Den de pigeon beegin for rain top of me, more of it, 

 more of it, up to mah knee, mah wais', mah neck, an' 

 Ah Ml beegin to climb aout of dat pile pigeon. 



Wen Ah look of de flock Ah can see de hole Ah mek 

 in it goin' long in de sky, an' spot of sunshine goin' long 

 under it cross de fiel'. Dat was one shot. 



Everee boddee in Danvit had pigeon pot-pie for two 

 week. 



OhI bah gosh! Dat hegg gat bile so hard Ah '11 mos' 

 can 5 bit it, Ah Ml 'fxaid. Your truly, A. B. 



THE WAYS OF A ROBIN. 



CLEVELAND, July 10.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 Many thanks to Mr. Rowland E. Robinson and the 

 pages of Forest and Stream for bringing to our notice 

 "Rural Hours," by Miss Susan Fenimore Cooper. It is a 

 most charming book and reminds us much of the writ- 

 ings of Thoreau and Gilbert White, of Selbourne. It is 

 a book unknown here, one would suppose, from the fact 

 tli at the copy we have just finished has been waiting 

 over sixteen years on the shelf of the public library for 

 some one to wipe off, for the first time, the dust from its 

 leaves. Among the many pleasing observations noted 

 by the author in her walks among the hills that 

 surround Otsego Lake, the story of the robin is well 

 worth reprinting, as illustrating the intelligence of birds 

 and with what readiness they accept the protection of 

 man .when offered them. Dr. E. Sterling. 



The account of the robin is as follows: 

 May 25, 1848. — Early this morning there was great agi- 

 tation in the tree-tops waving near us. For an hour or 

 more there was high tragedy hovering over the pines 

 and maples. The birds, of course, are in the midst of 

 their spring joys and family cares, and they are very 

 numerous this year, more so than usual, The large pine 

 overshadowing our cottage roof at the northward has 

 several nests and appears a favorite resort of the robins. 

 Early this morning a great hawk came sailing over the 

 river from the eastern hills, and wheeling in airy circles 

 above the pines. * * * The cries of horror, of wrath 

 and indignation of the robins, as the tyrannical hawk 

 drew nearer and nearer, and at last alighted on the pine, 

 was truly distressing. Oh, for a gun! Oh, for a sports- 

 man's hand to aim straight at the heart of this Gessler of 

 the wood! In a moment, perhaps fifty robins and other 

 small birds had gathered about the pine, utterly fearless 

 for themselves, but full of sympathy for the afflicted 

 households of their brethren, and mad with powerless 

 rage against the hawk. Oh, for a valiant kingbird to 

 put the monster to flight by boidly dashing at his eyes, 

 as kingbirds often do! but, alas, there was neither man 

 nor kingbird near enough to avert the catastrophy. With 

 the utmost coolness the hawk perched himself near a nest, 

 and after helping himself to a young robin * * * sailed 

 proudly away. Perhaps some fifteen minutes passed, 

 and again the wicked wretch came sailing over the 

 meadows toward the pines. The same agitation and in- 

 creased agony among the robins followed, but, of course, 

 it was fruitless. The arrogance and impudence of the 

 hawk were intolerable to behold. He picked out another 

 nestling, and again sailed away. Four or five times dur- 

 ing the course of an hour he repeated the same perform- 

 ance, picking out a young bird, first from one nest, then 

 from another. * * * Alas, for the bereaved mother- 

 birds and their mates; their sharp cries of grief were 

 heard throughout the day. The agitation among the 

 whole feathered tribe in our neighborhood continued 

 more or less until evening. * * * 



May £8. — The hawk has again made his appearance, 

 attacking a nest on the opposite side of the house, to the 

 great anguish of the bird people in that direction. * * * 

 Their sharp cries of grief were heard throughout the day; 

 the agitation among the whole feathered tribe in our 

 neighborhood continued more or less until morning. 



May 29. — The poor little robins are consoling them- 

 selves; they are building a new nest, and they have 

 chosen a very singular position. # * * This morning 

 one was noticed with a straw in its mouth flying toward 

 the front door, and now. this evening, the beginning of 

 a nest is plainly seen directly over the front door of the 

 house, almost within reach. * * * They have chosen 

 a canny spot, between the antlers of a deer, which is 

 nailed above the door. 



Some fifty years ago there was an association of sports- 

 men in this county called the Unadilla Hunt. They met 

 at sta ted times during the sporting season and hunted the 

 last bears and panthers and deer found in Otsego county. 

 Some five and thirty years since, these gentlemen very 

 kindly sent the author of the "Deerslayer" half a dozen 

 antlers from the very last deer shot by the Hunt. The 

 gift was received with great pleasure, four pair orna- 

 mented the house within, one without, and the last was 

 nailed over the front door of Otsego Hall. * * * It is 

 between these last antlers that the poor little persecuted 

 robins have taken shelter. We have many fears, how- 

 ever, that the nest, though fairly begun, may never be 

 finished, there is so much opening and shutting of the 

 front door, so much passing to and fro, that they may 

 leave their task unfinished. # * ? 



May 30. — A terrible storm tnis evening, with unusual 

 wind. * * * Pices m tne church yard blown down, 

 and the ground there and about the house strewn with 

 broken limbs and smaller twigs; a blind is torn off near 

 the veranda that protects the robins, carrying the railing 

 with it. * * * Our robins have not been driven away 

 by the clatter of the storm. Their nest has quite a finished 

 look, and they have been seen perched on the antlers this 

 evening; probably congratulating themselver upon being 

 under cover. 



June 3 — The robins are actually in full possession of 

 their nest. They have shown their good sense and 

 wonderful persistence since they began to build. * * * 

 The lattice work near them has been brushed and cleaned, 

 painters have been to work above and below them, there 

 has been some one in sight almost every hour of the day. 

 * * * Poor little creatures, they have suffered much 

 needless alarm, but, doubtless, they wisely decided that 

 we meant them no real harm. 



June 20- — The robins have successfully raised their 

 little family; four eggs were laid. The mother-bird sat 

 patiently brooding over them, one dark eye occasionally 

 turned downward, as we stood watching; at times some 

 needless alarm would drive her from her nest for a 

 moment, but all has gone well with the young brood 

 nevertheless. * * * And now Robin, and Pecksey, and 

 Flapsey, andDicksey are gone, and with other robins are 

 fluttering about the grounds. The empty nest, as it rests 

 on the antlers, is to remain where the good robins built 

 it, as long as time will spare it. 



A Book About Indians.— The Fohest and Stream will mail 

 free on application a descriptive circular of Mr. Grinnell's book, 

 "Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales," giving a table of contents 

 and Bpeciraen illustrations from the volume.— Adv* 



