June 18, 1891.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



4S5 



questions. "Is it a deer?" "Where is he?" "Where 

 were you when you saw him?" "Whereabouts is he 

 shot?" 



Following the line of blazed trees we soon found our- 

 selves—very much to our delight, for we were already- 

 tired and worn out with the experience the day 

 had brought forth — on the shore of Otter Lake. It 

 was indeed a beautiful lake, hemmed in with the 

 noble pine and tamarack, through whose lofty tops the 

 sun's last rays shone, presenting a sight which will not 

 very soon be forgotten. 



Om- guide from among the alders that surrounded us 

 brought a beautiful canoe; we stepped in; the little craft, 

 propelled by the strong arms of its ovpner, shot through 

 the water, and before we knew it we were landed on the 

 opposite shore. 



pur place of encampment was situated on a high knoll 

 not more than five rods away from the lake, commanding 

 a fine view. A broad brook whirled and danced past our 

 camp, and just below u^ gurgling and foaming the swift 

 current leaped sima 15 or 20ft., then fell, forming a deep 

 hole from whirh maJiy a speckled trout had lieen caught. 

 Curious little water wrens made the stream their home, 

 they plunged fearlessly into the water, evidently enjoying 

 the spnrfc. An occasional flock of wild ducks would fly 

 Bwiftly by, breaking the dead silence with the loud flaji- 

 ping <k their wings. The fragrant odor of the fir trees 

 acted as balm to our tired senses and slumber soon o'er- 

 took us. 



As the first beam of morning's sun kindled the dav I 

 arose and taking my rifle strolled along the thickly 

 wooded lake shore. Growing weary of this I ch.mged 

 my course and walked along the bank of the brook. 

 Looking at the trees I noticed that a number of them 

 were freshly blazed. Curiosity induced me to follow in 

 their line, which led me through thick underwood and 

 dangerous swamps. Here I halted and gazing around 

 I descried a de?=erted shanty which evidently had not 

 been built more than three or four months. Upon going 

 closer and looking in T discovered to my astonishment a 

 black bear stretched out full length iind aTarmg at me 

 with an evil look. I was momentarily stunned. Ad- 

 vancing cautiously until within about five rods of him I 

 kneeled and pulled the trigger, there was a tremendous 

 report and a pressure as though something heavy had 

 faUen on me. 



My riflf dropped out of my hand and I sat there on the 

 ground fully ten minutes before I understood the situa- 

 tion, then I arose and gave a look at the shanty, but my 

 game had disappeared. Picking up my rifle and examin- 

 ing the breech, I saw that the head of my carti-idge had 

 blown off. Nervous and excited with what had happened 

 I concluded it would be better to return to camp, but to 

 my discomfiture I was unable to find the path I had 

 taken. I fired and shouted but no answer came. Three- 

 quarters of the day had passed and yet I had not found 

 my path. At last night came on and I constructed a rude 

 hut of pine boughs and bark to shelter me, 



I passed a restless night, my dreams were anything 

 but pleiisant. I remember one in particular in which I 

 was wrestling with a large bear near a deep precipice, 

 and in falling broke my ankle, I awoke confused to find 

 my covering had fallen on me during the night, and a 

 large limb from a decayed spruce had blown down and 

 struck me on the leg. Extricating myself from f-uch un- 

 comfortable quarters, and oh, so hungry, I once more 

 proceeded. Walking until noon I struck a long swamp 

 which I remembered having crossed on our journey to 

 Otter Lake. Nearing the end I saw a piece of white 

 birch stuck to a tree on which was written: 



Follow the blazed trail and you are safe. 



Ripping this valuable piece of information off the tree 

 and thruHting it into my pocket I pushed forward with 

 renewed vigor. The irad led me to a lumber camp, 

 where, upon inquiry, I was informed that our guide had 

 arrived hours before and had jutt gone back to see 

 whether I had turned up. One of the choppers fired a 

 few rounds from his rifle, which soon brought the whole 

 party, who were overjoyed to see me. We ate a good 

 meal of the lumberman's "old stand by," pork and beans, 

 and took a short path to the village. 



By chance we ran upon a large buck, which was killed 

 by our guide. At length we arrived at our destination in 

 good spirits and none the worse for the long tramp we 

 had taken. After dividing the spoils we departed for 

 home. 



To this day I still treasure that little slip of birch bark, 

 on which is written with the end of a cartridge, "Fol- 

 low the blazed trail and you are safe," 



W, P, Anderson, 



THE ST. REGIS CAMPS. 



NOWHERE in the entire Adirondack region are the 

 camjjs as numerous or as elaborate in their appoint- 

 ments as on the lakes im mediately in the neigborhood of 

 Paul Smith's Hotel, over 100 beink? situated within a radius 

 of three miles from the hotel. This house is on the north- 

 ern shore of the lower, but most northeiiy, of the two 

 St. Regis lakes. Between these two, connected with 

 them by narrow streams or runways for the water — 

 "slews" the natives call them — is Spitfire Lake, North of 

 Smith's about one-half mile is Osgood Pond. The banks 

 of these lakes are owned by private individuals, who have 

 erected upon them permanent camps, some of which 

 have cost many thousands of dollars. Land on their 

 shores is variously held at from ^^,500 to $10,000 an acre. 



The camps on the Lower St. Regis Lake, owing to the 

 proximity to the hotel, are mostly day camps, being 

 simply delightful resting spots, which certain guests of 

 the hotel own and where they picnic. 



The camp of E. A. H ff man, Jr., is by far the most pic- 

 turesque of these on this lake. The camp is situated on 

 the southern shore, and at night is illuminated by lan- 

 terns so arranged as to form a large cross, distinctly visi- 

 ble from the hotel, one-half mile distant. Mr. Hoffman 

 runs his camp with, military regularity, and the sunrise 

 and sunset notes of his bugle are one of the features of 

 the lake. 



The finest camp on Spitfire is owned by Mr. S. T. Drake, 

 the Game Commissioner. This is situated on the north- 

 west shore of the lake, and consists of a series of build- 

 ings connected by verandahs; the interior of which are 

 decorated with woodland and hunting scenes and the 

 heads and skins of game. 



The next lake, the Upper St. Regis, ie the favorite one 

 for camps in this region, if not in the entire Adirondacka. 



To the right of the enti-ance from Spitfire, and adjoining 

 the summer resting place of the writer, is the camp of 

 Hon. Whitelaw Reid, the main building of which is a log 

 cabin. 



In front of these camps is Brick Island, which contains 

 about twenty acres, and is owned by IVIr. Anson Phelps 

 Stoki s. Here is a little village of artistic buildings and 

 snow white tents, whinh face the western shore of the 

 lake, from which rises Mount St. Regis, with its rugged 

 wild scenery of tangled bush and its wealth of pine trees. 



On Pme Tree Point, the northerly end of the lake, was 

 erected last year at great expense the camp of Mr. H. 

 McK. Twombly. Between this point and the entrance to 

 Spitfire are camps owned bv Messrs. Edward Penfold, A. 

 W. Durkee and Charles T. Barnes, of New York. On the 

 last camp is a very fine tennis court, and the inclosed 

 yard containing several deer. Among the campers on 

 this lake mav be mentioned Robf rt G irrett, Robert Hoe 

 and Edward 'Mitchell. The camp of the last named gen- 

 tlf^man will be occupied this year by the family of Mr. 

 Robert W, Stewart, of the Meadowbr'ook Hunt. 



The handsomest camps in 0.=!good Pond are owned by 

 Mr. Hans Beatty and Mr. A. D. Juillard, In all these 

 mountain homes the sleeping apartments are tents, 

 crenerally about 14ft. square, covered by diSerent colored 

 flies, and erected upon platforms raised about 3ft. from 

 the ground. 



In addition to hunting and fishing in which the gentle- 

 men take part, races between the yachts and steam 

 launches, also rowing contests between the guides are of 

 frequent occurrence. And at evening, the myriad lanterns 

 and the camp fires give a gala appearance to the scene, 

 which is enhanced by the tongs of rowing parties with 

 their accompaniments of banjo and guitar. 



The attractions of this form of life in this beautiful 

 region is easily explained by the fact that the c^mps are 

 near enough to a base of supplies to be enabled to set 

 good tables, and sufiioiently removed from each other 

 and the busy world to give their occupants zest for their 

 invigorating life alfresco, and its varied sports. 



L. 0, Whiton. 



New Yokk, June 1.^. 



ANTOINE BISSETTE'S LETTERS.— IX. 



M'sieu Fores'' Strim: 



Au '11 want for tol' you question, but Ah dunknow 'f 

 you '11 want for ast me some answer of it. Prob'ly you '11 

 was, prob'ly you '11 ant. Dat was depen' of haow you 'U 

 felt, or if you '11 ant know, wal, Ah '11 goin' tol' it. 



What was it mek some mans dat gat some dogs be so 

 moch wus as hets dog was for graowl an' bit some oder 

 man's dat gat some dog, hern? 



If every boddee ant say hees dog was de bes' of every 

 man's oder dog, he goin' jaw at it an' cuss lak hoi' tunder 

 an' litlin, an' t'row bees hat an' jomp on it, an' pull off 

 hees hown hair an' lif hees>=f by de sit of hees traouser. 



An' if de judge of de dog meetin' ant say every dog was 

 de bes' an' he '11 gat all de prf ffick pint, den dey was all 

 mad at it an' call it hoi' foolish, ant know dog from cats, 

 dat he was be buy up or hees hown dog was oncle of de 

 dog he give prineum, or hees waf cousin hown dat dog, 

 or someiings or some oder tings too numeery for men- 

 tioned. 



All de tam de dog dey was quarly 'baout, he jes' stan' 

 an' laf t inside of it, an' tink what foolish dat rnans was 

 be. De dog ant care what dogs de mans was say was 

 bes', so long he '11 gat some 'nough for heat an' good place 

 for slept, an' go huntin' sometam or have leetly faght 

 once of a while. When he '11 have dat, he fan aoufc which 

 dog was be de bes', more quicker sometam as was 'gree- 

 ably of hees feelin'. 



Ah' 11 b'lie ve dat was de bes' way for de mans for settlin' 

 it, if he ant willm' for de dog do of it so. It ant be always 

 dat it can be settlin' by de dog, so it will stay of de man. 



Ah '11 spik you some hist'ry of dat. Ah '11 b'lieve Ah '11 

 tol' you some of mah yaller bob-tail Tom Hamlin. Dar 

 was someting of dat dog was very remarkably. It ant 

 hees pint, mo.->' all de breed of dog gat too much pint, so 

 was mek troublesome for de judge decide of it, but mah 

 Tom Hamlin, he '11 ant gat only but two pint, hose of it 

 plain for see. One of it on one hees en' of it, de oder on 

 hees oder en' of it. 



One he use for smell, de oder for wag. Dat pint was 

 short, but he mek up for dat in de quick motion of it, an' 

 he wag up more as half hees body wid dat t'ree ninch of 

 tail. You '11 ant gat for look an' felt all over dat dog for 

 hees pint of it. 



But dey ant be hees mos" remarkably. Ah '11 bet you 

 head he could heat more zhonny kek, slept more of de 

 daytam an' mek more bark of de naght as mos' ten dog 

 you '11 never see, an' he run lak streked litlin', yes, sah. 



Wal, one day las' fall, he '11 ant felt so appetite for 

 slept as m'js' always, an' he '11 took motion for go up to 

 de store where dey use to call de I'orge Village, but it ant 

 gat some forge for paoun' iron some more naow, honly 

 blacksmit' shaup an' »;avvmill. 



Dey anfc grea' deal go on but loaferin', an' one of de 

 mans dat was keep mos' busy of dat hees nem was be 

 P*-ter Square. He '11 wored mos' off all de paint of 

 Chapin's caounter where he '11 sit of it, an' w'en de back 

 side of h< es traowser ant rag, it was patch, an' den de 

 patch be some more rag pooty soon. 



Wal, dat feller got a leetly bulldog, white all over 'cep 

 wen he go in de bm-nt hwood after hwoodchuck an' black 

 hees f elf all up an' a black patch all over one heye of it. 

 Dat was a pint, Ah s'pose pro'bly. 



Wal, Peter Square an' nees dog was on de store wen 

 Ah'll gat dar. An' he begin for mek fun to mah Tom 

 Hamlin, but Ah '11 ant care honly mans ant lak for have 

 it hees dog mek funs to more as heeself , ant it? 



More so, too, 'cause his dog was so humbly, bees heye 

 red lak he ^ix, up naghts an' drink whi-iky en esprit, an' 

 hees under jaw steck aout 'fore tudder one lak he was try 

 for bite off hees hown nose off, or peeck his toof wid hees 

 nose of it. An' Ah '11 tol' htm 'f dat was hamsome dog, 

 Ah '11 lak bes' humbly dog, me. Den he 'U said he bet hees 

 dog leek mah dog more quicker as Ah '11 can say cider. 

 Ah '11 said, "dat ant more quicker as Peter Square could 

 drirdr some ciders." Den he say he bet de ciders hees dog 

 leek mah dog in jes' one minute. 



Den Ah '11 said Ah '11 ant bet honly for fun, an' it ant 

 funs for have mah dog leek an' have for pay for cider too, 

 but Ah '11 ant bleeved his dog can leek mah dog an' Ah 

 ant care 'f Ah 'U do drink some cider an' have heem pay 

 for it. 



Den he 'U said "AU ragbt* Bio it, Tagger!" 



Ah '11 said almos' more as quicker he did, an' very laoud 

 an' hugly, "Go home, Tom!" 



Hees dog jomp for mah dog, but mah dog ant be dar 

 when he was. Bah gosh, he '11 ant dog any more, honly 

 long yaller streak pintin for mah haouse lak some litlin 

 was mek off hees min' for stroke it! 



Hees dog foUer pooty hard for feefty, prob'ly forty rod,, 

 jes' honly" a white nub on de behin' end of de yaller 

 streak, an' den he come back for gat hees beef he lef ' an' 

 blow very hard 'fore he can gat it. 



Den Peter Square say "Le's have it dat ciders," an' Ah 

 '11 tol' heem "Yes," an' we '11 go in back en' of store, for 

 you know it was prohibit for sol' cider here, dat was for 

 say, you mus' go where someboddee can' see for buy its 

 an' den you '11 swear you '11 ant never bought it. Dat was 

 what dey call prohibit law. an' mos' ev'ry boddee alway, 

 vote for it all de tam in Vairmont, an' steek right to it. 

 It mek it seem lak every man was good temperin man, 

 an' all the tam git what he want. 



Wal, we drink off aour cider an' Peter Square he 'U 

 said, "Antoine, you '11 goin' pay M'bier Chapin for dis," 



"What for Ah '11 pay?" All '11 tol' heem. 



"'Cause mah dog leek you dog," he '11 said, 



"He ant leek it an' Ah '11 ant goin' for pay for no 

 ciders." 



"He '11 ant leek it?" he '11 tol' me. 



"No, sah," Ah '11 said, "he "11 ant. Mah dog leek you 

 dog, seh. He go f as'est he taire you dog all up so he can' 

 breeze, you dog can' ketch mah dog for chaw of it, so he 

 ant able for leek it." 



Den dat Peter Square he call me great many kan' o' 

 Caynock, no any of it good kan. 



"Ah '11 t'ink fus' Ah '11 Ipek Peter Square. Den Ah '11 

 t'ink haow 'f Ah do Ah '11 ragged all hees close wus as 

 dey was, an' mek hees waf grea,' deal of troublesome for 

 mend it. An' dar was nodder t'ing Ah was consider dat 

 Peter Square was pooty beeg, stronemans, an' Ah '11 hoi' 

 mahse'f in, an' took mah tobac un' my codJeesh an' do 

 j*-s' lak mah Tom Hamlin. An' Ah b'lieve if Peter 

 Square try he '11 gat leek jes' sem lak hees dog. 



So you see what Ah '11 say in de begin was correck dat 

 de dog can' always be dtpen' of for eetlin' de dis-pute of 

 de howner, 'cause you '11 see affer all it was so plain case, 

 Peter Squar« speek to it his dog leek mah dog an' Ah '11 

 b'lieve dat ciders ant pay for yet. Your truly, A. B. 



P. S. — ^Mah frien' M'sier Mumsin he '11 read me some 

 verse dat say: 



"Leet dog delit for terk an' bit', 

 It was hees natiir' to." 

 An' Ah 'U say it was better for true 'f he say: 



"Leet dog deli't for bark an' bit'. 

 So was liees master too." 

 Hein? A. B. 



FULVOUS TREE DUCK IN MISSOURI. 



THE tree duck, so called, really belongs to the sub- 

 family Anserince and is therefore zoologically a 

 goose; but its general appearance is duck-like, and no 

 one but an ornithologist would suspect its actual position 

 among the birds. One of our St. Louis correspondents was 

 so fortunate as to secure a specimen of this interesting 

 duck laRt fall in Missouri, where it has not previously 

 been known to occur, and he has presented it nicely 

 motinted to the National Museum, at the same time 

 stipulating that the readers of FoEEST AND Stream shall 

 be informed of the occurrence of so rare a bird in a new 

 locality. We present, therefore, the letter to Dr. Bean, 

 announcing the discovery of the duck and the reply of . 

 Mr. Ridgway, acknowledging the receipt of the sped'- 

 men and giving a list of localities in which the tpecies 

 has been obtained, together with a brief note of its dis^ 

 tribution in general. We trust that other readers of 

 Forest and Stream may continue to inform us of their 

 discoveries in regard to the distribution and the habits- 

 of animals and plants which they meet in thek- travels. 



St. Louis, Mo., Feb. 10.— Dr. T. H. Bean— Dear Sir: While 

 dnck shooting last fall at New Albany, In southeastern 

 Missouri, I killed what was then to me a new duck, but 

 which I have since identified as DendrociKinafulva., a South 

 American bird, if I have placed it right, aud 1 ttiink [ know 

 nearly all of the North American ducks. Is not this a rare 

 bird so far north? 1 have mounted the skin and would pre- 

 sent the same to the Smithsonian if it will be of any use to 

 that institution. This fall while siiooting at the same 

 place I killed a specimen of Barrow's golden eye. Unfortu- 

 nately this duck, or more properly drake, was about half 

 picked by one of the boys in camp when I discovered it. He 

 is rare so far east, is he not? Yours very truly, Frank 

 W. Sparks. 



Smithsonian Institution, Washington, June 12,— Mr. 

 Frank W. Sparks, 2516 North Broadway, St. Loui.«, Mo. — 

 Dear Sir: I write to thank you, on behalf of the National 

 Museum, for the very flue specimen ol the fuh^oas trt-e 

 duck {Dendrocygnaf idva} which you had the kiuduess to 

 present througU Dr. 'Bean. Besides being a very acceptable 

 specimen on account of its good preparcttiua, it is particu- 

 larly so from tde very exceptional locality which it repre- 

 sents, being, so far as the Eastern United States are con- 

 cerned, much the most northern example ou record— Cuiti- 

 tuck Sound, N. C. (a single accidental specimen), Louisi- 

 ana and Texas being the most northern localities for the 

 species known to me, except in Caliiornia, where it is not 

 uncommon as far north as Stockton. It has also been taken 

 near Carson, Nevada. A very singular fact in the geograph- 

 ical distribution of this species is its abundant occurrence 

 throughout Mexico and again in southern Brazil, Paraguay 

 and the Argentine Republic without being lound in any 

 part of the very extreme intermediate tprritory. Regardmg 

 your capture of Barrow's golden eye in Missouri, this is not 

 so remarkable, as specimens have previously been taken in 

 the vicinity of St. Lotiis, in Kansas and in southern Illinois. 

 These localities represent, however, about the sottthern 

 limit of the winter range of the species, which is a northern 

 aud not a western bird as you seem to regard it. Yours 

 truly, R. RlDawAT, Curator, Dept. of Birds. 



Flanders Gun Club. — The Gtm Club of Flanders, L, 

 L, has purchased a large tract of forest land suitable for 

 a game preserve, including a fine natural trout stream. 

 Among the game birds on the place are many En-lish 

 pheasants. Eggs of Chinese pheasants, which « ere fb-sfc 

 imported into Oregon, where they have thfived, have 

 been obtained, and will be hatched under domtstic fowls. 

 The Chinese pheasants, it is expectedj will thrive on 

 Long laland. 



