284 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[March 24, 1892. 



Saml. B. S. Barth, Frank Bement, Alfred Box, Wm. J. Davis, Chas. 

 E. Ellis, Geo. W. Fite, G. D. Gideon, Geo. T. Gwilliam, Samuel B, 

 Haines, John A. Lehman, H. Pearson Lloyd, Jas. W. McFarland, 

 Thos. S. Manning, Michael Matthews, Jos. L. McDaniel, John J. 

 Molony, M. Richards Muckle, M. Richards Muckle. Jr.. John P. 

 Muckle, J. Jos. Murphy, J. Willis Martin, Brereton Pratt. Horace F. 

 Smith. Carpenter T. Smith. Thos. C. Stelwagen, Wm. J. Stockinger, 

 Robt. P. Thompson, New kirk N. Wents. Horace L. Williamson, Chas. 

 t. Wilson, Samuel A. Wood, John M. Wood and many others. 



The rooms were crowded to tlieir utmost capacity and after the 

 address refreshments were served. The club was never in a more 

 prosperous condition and numbers among its members the principal 

 yachtsmen of this city and vicinity. With a membership of a hun- 

 dred, and with the best club house and anchorage on the Delaware 

 River, this club starts the season of 1892 under the most favorable 

 circumstances. 



SIZE VS. LENGTH. 



Editor Forest and, Stream: 



In your editoral comments of March 17, on a 21-footer by Mr. 

 McVey, it is plain enough for all to see that you fail to do ihe subject 

 justice even from your own point of view. The criticism above re- 

 ferred to closes as follows: "But this new one (the McVey boat) 

 [not the boat but her designer.— El] apparently demands the right to 

 oeat a small boat by a much larger one," Will you kindly, for the 

 benefit of many who are waiting, define what you mean by a "larger 

 boat"; In what respect is size different, when boats are in QUtstion, \ 

 from what size is in other things? Why do you call a boat "large," ' 

 because she is wide and carries no weight, yet call another boat 

 small because she is deep and carries several tons? Of course I can 

 answer the question, but have the best of reasons for knowing toat 

 hundreds of yachtsmen want the enigma solved by somebody who 

 indorses the "ratiug" fad. Thomas Clapham. 



Roslyn, March 18. 



We fear that our correspondent is over the line before the gun this 

 time, but we shall bo glad to have his answer, even though the ques- 

 tion he asks is based on an entirely groundless assumption. In the 

 article alluded to, we called Ihe McVey boat, "large" because, on the 

 same waterline she has 3ft. more beam than the Herreshoff center- 

 boarder, 2ft. more beam than the Cape cat designed by Mr. Small, 

 lft. 6in. more than the Burgess boat, and lit. 6in. more than the 

 Stewart & Binney boat; her depth being as great or greater, and her 

 sail area much in excess of the others. All of these are centerboard 

 boats of the same general type, and there is no question of narrow 

 beam and deep ballast. According to Mr. McVey, the smaller boats 

 in the class will carry about 700ft. of sail, some others, such as the 

 Fowle cutter, carrying about 900, and his boat prabably more. If we 

 include the Herreshoff fin keels, their beam is about hall that of the 

 McVey boat, their sail area is at least 200£t. less, and even admitting 

 the power derived from the lead-loadeo fin, they must be set down 

 as smaller iu every way than the very wide and over-rigged center- 

 boarder. 



We fail to see how what Mr. Clapham calls the "rating fad" has 

 any bearing on the case; there is no question of rating or of classifi- 

 cation bv sailing length; it is merely the old question of measuring 

 (not classifying) bolts by length alone or by length and sail area 

 combined. This question has been settled by the almost unanimous 

 action of American clubs in favor of the Seawanhaka rule for meas- 

 urement, by which length and sail are assumed to be of equal value, 

 and there is not the most remote possibility of a return to any form 

 of mean or waterline length measurement. 



The question whether it is further desirable to classify as well as to 

 measure yachts by the Seawanhaka measurement is a very different 

 one, and yet remains to be decided by the clubs, with every prospect 

 of an affirmative answer in time. 



The Boston Herald deals with our comments as follows: "As the 

 McVey centerboard 31-footer is ihe first boat built to be raced under 

 a sail area and waterline length rule, no w adopted by nearly all our 

 local clubs, the designer does not see how his boat would be benefited 

 by a waterline length, no sail tax. Just the same, yacht designers, if 

 left alone, would turn out faster ooats under the latter rule than the 

 former. The former rule stops fixed length boats from doing their 

 best." 



According to Mr. McVey 's figures, the boats with the larger sail 

 spreads (carried by virtue of extra size) will have to allow the smaller 

 boats from 3 to 4 minutes over an average course of 7 miles. Under 

 a waterline rule, with no tax on sail, bis 21-footer of 12ft. beam would 

 race on even terms with the Herreshoff 21-footer of Oft. beam; thus 

 being benefited by the extra sail carried by the excess of 33 per cent, 

 beam. 



The Seawanhaka rule has been in use in the past by some of the 

 Eastern clubs, and its general adoption, which recently took place, 

 has been a foregone conclusion through the winter. Two Herreshoff 

 boats and several by other designers were well advanced before the 

 McVey boat was begun, aud we cannot understand how, save by a 

 mere quibble, the latter is the firs'; boat built under the rule. Very 

 possioly with nothing limited but the water line, faster boats on the 

 same length might oe produced, but that they would not be better 

 boats in any way h proved by any amount of experience in the old 

 sandbag classes" under length rules. 



The result of producing the fastest boat on a given length was 

 very plainly illustrated in the Southampton length classes, now for- 

 tunately extinct. In these classes the designer was unhampered 

 by '■technicalities." waterline length alone being limited, and the re- 

 sult was a type of wide, deep, overrigged and unmanageable mon- 

 strosities, fit only for the local racing; and through their draft, big 

 sails aud lack of sea-going qualities, unfi'.ted for use as cruisers when 

 their racing days were over. 



Under a waterline or mean length rule the result is to obtain speed 

 under local conditions in boats of exaggerated type, either wide and 

 shoal or wide and deep, and with sail plans iu every way undesirable. 



NEW YACHTS. 



AT Bay Ridge Winfcringham is at work on a SI ft. jib and mainsail 

 boat for F. A Perret, of Brooklyn. She will be 31ft. 3in. over 

 all, 21ft. l.w.1.. 8ft. 7ia. beam, 4ft. draft, with 214 tons of lead on keel- 

 Mr. Thos. Clapham is at work on a 2Jkj rater of his own design for 

 Mr. George Work. She will be 36ft. over all, 23ft. 6in. l.w.l., 10ft. 

 beam and lft. 8in. draft. 



The new 21ft. class about Boston thus far includes 12 boats, two 

 keel, three fin keel, and seven centerboard. Beside these, the Bos- 

 ton papers have decided that Mr. John B. Paine shall build a 

 fin keel of his own design. The first keel boat is a cutter of mod- 

 erate type, designed by Stewart & Binneyfor W. P. Fowle, 

 furtner owner of Saracen 1 and 2, and Saladin. She is of course in- 

 tended for racing, and will carry a large sail plan. She is now afloat 

 and ready. Tbeother keel boat was designed by J. Borden, and will 

 be built and owned by James Mclntyre. She will have a bulb keel, 

 similar to Le Lezard, and will be ot composite construction. Two of 

 the fin keels are for Messrs. A. Bigelow, Jr., and H. P. Benson, de- 

 signed and built by Herreshoff. They are about 7ft. beam, of elab 

 orate construction, double decker, with mahogany outside, and of 

 easy form and moderate sail area. The third was designed by Wa- 

 terhouse, and is building by Higgins & Clifford for C. A. Prince, of 

 Beatrix and Helen. The keel is of a peculiar shape, and the con- 

 struction was specially designed for this boat. The smallest center- 

 board is building at Herreshoff 's for Messrs. F. L. Dunne, J. 8. 

 Brown and A. P. Hunt, all old racing men. She will have about 9ft. 

 beam, and in form is very similar to Dilemma and the other fin 

 keels, her lines all being convex, though her altered proportions 

 make her more of a spoon shape. The largest centreboard was de- 

 signed bv A. D. McVey for Dr. John Bryant, aud is building by Wm. 

 Smith, at City Point. She will be 32ft. over all and 12ft. beam, with 

 a very large rig. 



Another centerboard of about 10ft. 6in. beam has been designed by 

 Mr. Sidney Burgess for Augustus Hemmenway, owner of Chiquita. 

 Still another has been designed by Stewart & Binney, her beam also 

 being 10ft. 6in., with 8ft. overhang. Another centerboard will be 

 built from his own design by Allan Hay for Mr. Morrill, while there 

 will be two Cape boats, one by Hanley and one designed by her 

 owner, J. F, Small, and built by Cranby. Lawley will build the 

 Burgess boat, and also one of 2lft. l.w.l. and 25ft. sailing length, de- 

 signed by Waterhouse for Mr. Young of New York. 



THE OUTLOOK ABROAD. 



AT present the racing outlook is quite as bad as it was last season, 

 so far as the large classes are concerned, and the democracy of 

 small yachts and boats will sway the clubs entirely their own way. 

 The racing of 80ft. or 90ft. yachts, which we had to deplore last 

 season, no longer arrests the interest or even attention of the current 

 yachtsmen, although no doubt to the spectator, who does not know 

 a knighthead from an archboard, a Thistle and Iveroa racing woull 

 be vastly more interesting than a whole fleet of Babes and Windfalls, 

 However, the yacht owners themselves are the founders of the pas 

 time, and they must be left to develop it in their own way ; and the 

 conservative admirers who can remember 190-ton cutters in the forty 

 odd years ago, or 100-ton cutters within the last ten years, need not 

 waste their breath in lamenting over the manners and customs of 

 latter-day yacht owners. One thing, however, neither the old- way 

 yachtsmen nor thj yachtsmen up to date would hava ventured to 

 prediofc in 1880, m<i ttiat ie the, utter, complete, ajjd ever-to^ue-- 



lamented collapse of the 20-rating class. But, as Lord Dunraven re- 

 cently said, classes and yachtsmen come and go in the most in- 

 scrutable manner; and as Clara, shut up the last of the old 20-tonners 

 in 1S84, so has the Dragon 20 rater convinced all other 20 raters of the 

 futility of their existence in 1891. Her owner, Mr. F. C. Hill, bad, we 

 believe, intended to fit her out to see if any of the others could be 

 drawn; but, as a course of many monotonous "sails over" appeared 

 likely to be his only reward, he determined not to fit out, as sailing 

 over is not the occupation that Dragon was built for. Her skipper, 

 however, will uot be resting the while, as he has been lent to Mr. T. 

 B. C. West for the new centerboard 40-rater building on the Clyde 

 for that gentleman. 



There is no doubt that the 40 rating class is the one. that will de- 

 mand the attention of clubs this season, and, as prizes have not ruled 

 very high of late years, the clubs should bestow a little agreeable 

 pampering on the 40 rating class by way of a change. This class has 

 been made to suffer very much in the value and quality of its rewards; 

 but the men who represent it have thought so much of the sport that 

 they have paid but little attention to the inadequacy of the prizes 

 they were, competing for. Now is the opportunity of the clubs to 

 make up for all past deficiencies. The large diss is, we will say. in 

 abeyauee, and the 20-rating class is in the sulks, and also in abeyance; 

 and also, with the exccpiion of the handicap class, which does not 

 promise to be numerous, there will be nothing but the 40 raters to 

 make a regatta at the. important yachting stations. 5 raters and 0.5- 

 raters are all very well for Wednesday and Saturday afternoons; but, 

 in spite of the profound interest they excite among themselves, they 

 will hardly make a regatta for a Royal Thames. Royal Northern or 

 Royal St. George's Y. C. The 40-rate.rs will, as they did in the good 

 old days of the Cymbas. Glances and Nirnrocls, thirty odd years ago. 

 Of course, the chief interest in the 40-rat.ing class will be centered in 

 Mr. West's center-boarder, but we believe the owner of the redoubta 

 ble Thalia is prepared for a long struggle before giving in. Then 

 there will be two other new vessels of 40 rating and the Creole, and 

 these will make a very pretty half-dozen when all together.— London 

 Field. 



CHANGES AND PUBLICATIONS. 



THE U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey announces the following 

 chauges in New York Harbor; 

 The extreme point of Sandy Hook has be«n gradually making to 

 westward, until at present it extends abouo 250yds. west of the point 

 heretofore shown on the charts. The change is indicated on the 

 charts now issued from this office. This affects charts 369, 120. 121, 

 52, 8, and A. 



The black bell-buoy recently substituted for black can buoy No. 5, 

 marking the spit making out to the northeast from the Hook beacon, 

 is in a position from which Sandy Hook Light bears S.S.W., distance 

 l l tB miles. (See N. to M. No. 148.) This affects charts 369, 120,121, 

 52, and A- 



The following new publications are also announced by the U. S. 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey: 



Conversion Tables, giving the relation between Customary and 

 Metric U. S. Weights and Measures. 



Appendices to the Annual Report of the Coast and Geodetic Survey 

 for the fiscal year 1890: 



No. 8. Results of the. Magnetic Observations recorded at Los 

 Angeles, California, 18*2-1889. Part 1-Absolute Measures. 



No. 13 On an Approximate Method of Computing Probable Error, 

 and the Determination by Least Squares of the relation between two 

 variables. 



No. 14, On the Use of Observations of Currents for prediction 

 purposes. 



No. 10. The Relation of the Yard to the Metre. 



No. 17. Address of Assistant George Davidson. Coast and Geodetic 

 Purvey, at the Ninth Conference of the International Geodetic Asso- 

 ciation. 



No. 18. The National Prototypes of the Standard Metre and Kilo- 

 gramme. 



No. 19. Eirly Expeditions to the region of Bering. Saa and Strait. 

 No. 20. Notes on an Early Chart of Long Island Sound and its Ap- 

 proaches. 



NEWS NOTES. 



The sixth annual race of the Cooper's Point Y. C. to Reedy Island 

 will star: from Cooper's Point on May 14 at 3 o'clock. The, following 

 cabin boats have entered: Cutter Elfrcda, keel Nance, centerboard 

 Comfort (flagship), centerboard Hilda, centerboard Beth, center- 

 board Isabelle. Four new open cats and three open jib and mainsail 

 boats have also be enenrolled in the club, names hereafter. George D. 

 Gideon (yacht Nance), W. S. Rothery and G. Calhoun have been 

 elected as regatta committee. The cats will make a fight for the 

 Grant trophy for the fastest time over the course. This is the only 

 cmb on the Delaware River that makes extended races into the lower 

 bay of more than 100 miles. The open boats range from 15 to 18ft. 

 over all a> d the races are sailed in early May. The new 16-1'ooters, 

 Kinsey, Humphries, Linderborn. Clarke aud Humes, will be finished 

 in time for the race. At least twenty boats will be in line. The club 

 contemplate giving another open race in the near future. 



The Roberts safety watertube boiler is meeting with increased 

 favor from yachtsmen as its merits become better known on trial. 

 Mr. H. B. Moore, who has used one for three years in his fast launch 

 Pampero on Lake George, will have one in his new H Jft. yacht, now 

 building. Another will be used, with a Riley & Cowley engine, in 

 the new launch building by the Gas Engine & Power Co. for the 

 Dock Department of New York city. The new yachts Evelyn and 

 Theresa will each have a Roberts boiler, and the present boilers of 

 the yachts Bo-Peep and Fra Diavolo will be replaced by Roberts tbis 

 spring. The steam yacht Hornet, 100ft., building for J. R. Fales, of 

 Pawtucket, will have a Roberts boiler, her owner having used one in 

 the Countess, formerly owned by him, while the new yacht building 

 by the Detroit Boat & Oar Co for Mr. Mark Hopkins will also have 

 oiie. The boilers ot this; make recently placed in the yachts Say 

 When and Fanita have given perfect satisfaction. 



The annual meeting of the Plymouth Y. C. was held at the club 

 house on March 15. and officers were elected for the coming .year as 

 follows: Com., N. Morton; Vice-Corn., T. N Eldridge; Fleet Captain, 

 H. P. Bailey. Measurer, C. F. Bradford: Sec'y. A. L. Barnes, box 567; 

 Treas., G.*E. Benson. Executive committee, N. Morton, Geo. D. 

 Bartlett, W. T. Eldridge, A. L. Bailey, W. B. Spooner. After adjourn- 

 ment a special meeting was held and a number of new members were 

 admitted to membership. A building committee was chosen and 

 given full powers to enlarge and improve club house, where 8600 or 

 $801) "ill be expended. For a young club the Plymouth Y. C. is mak- 

 ing great gains. During the past year it has nearly doubled the 

 number of honorary members and increased the active membership 

 fifty per cent. Many new applicants and a successful season are ex- 

 pected. 



The Yacht Racing Calendar and Review for 1891, the fourth 

 volume, comes to us in a new and handier form, an octavo volume 

 of over COO pages, containing a reprint of the yachting and can oeing 

 portions of the Field during the past year. It forms a com pi ete 

 record of the racing in British waters during that period, and is most 

 useful and convenient for reference. 



Com. Forwood, of the CorinMiian Mosquito Fleet, has appointed 

 Messrs. Thornton Smith, Sidney Bishop and Dr. F. S. Grant as re- 

 gatta committee. At a recent meeting of the executive committee 

 the thanks of the club were tendered to the Larchmont Y. C. for its 

 offer of hospitality. 



'•Loyalty."— Your letter will appear next week. Will you kindly 

 send name and address, as both have been mislaid some time since. 



FIXTURES. 



7. Springfield, Cup. Springfield. 28 30. Springfield, Meet, Calla 

 21. Brooklyn, War, Bay Ridge. Shasta. 

 SO. Jersey City, Greenville, N. J. 



JUNE. 



4. SpriDgfield, Cup, Springfield. 18. Marine & Field, Ann., Graves- 

 11. New York, Ann., Benson hurst end Bay. 



25, Brooklyn. Ann., Bay Ridge. 



JULY. 



5. Springfield, Cup, Springfield. 9-23. W, 0. A. Meet, Osbkosh.Wis. 



AUGUST. 



4-55. A.C.A.Mcet.WillsboroiighPt 15-20, A. C. A. Meet, race week, 



6. Springfield, Cup. Springfield. Wsllsboi ough Point. 



SEPTEMBER. 



3. Springfield, Cup, Springfield, 



OCTOBER, 



I, Springfield, Cup, Springfield, 



The question has lately been asked us by a club about to purchase 

 a war canoe as to the A. C. A. limits and the best size. As yet no 

 limits have been laid down, aud there is a wide diversity in sizes, so 

 that the question is a difficult one to answer. As there is a fair pros- 

 pect of the war canoe race becoming a popular fixture in the future, 

 it is desirable that a limit of siza should be fixed as soon as possible, 

 and to that end we will be glad to hear from all who have had any- 

 thing to do with these novel craft, especially from the builders. 

 The proposal made by Mr. Barney some tune since was that the 

 canoes should be made in three sections each, for economy and con- 

 venience in transportation; a plan that is perfectly practicable. If 

 this were, done a length of 30ft. csuld easily be had, say one 16ft. sec- 

 tion and two 7ft ones, the longer one forming the middle of ihe boat 

 and the others the ends. By this means the smaller sections could 

 be packed in the larger, the whole stowing easily in an ordinary box 

 car, and when in use the greater part of the weight of crew would be 

 carried iu the single large section, relieving the strain on the ends. A 

 canoe. 30ft. over all and 4ft. beam would carry easily a crew of four- 

 teen paddlers and a steersman, enough for racing purposes, and di- 

 vided in this manner it would be easily Iransported. Some of the 

 canoes in use are larger than this and some are smaller; those 

 familiar with each kind can probably give some valuable informa- 

 tion. It is hardly probable that all, if any, of the divisions will own 

 war canoes, but there should be plenty of clubs within each division 

 owning canoes and willing to bring them to the meets for racing, so 

 that four of nearly the same size might be had. For the present at 

 least the racing will have to be on tbis basis, but in order that this 

 branch of the sport may reach its fullest development it is desirable 

 that all new canoes to be built should be of uniform size. 



There is still much work to be done in the divisions before the A. 

 C. A. book can be given out to the printer by the Secretary -Treasurer, 

 and prompt returns from the division officers wili greatly aid the 

 work. In two divisions new pursers have just been elected, the resig- 

 nations of their predecessors having already caused some delay: and 

 members of these divisions can hasten matters by replying to all 

 communications at once, not forgetting to enclose a dollar. 



The first race of a canoe fitted with the Butler sliding seat in Brit- 

 ish waters has resulted in a most decided victory for the Yankee 

 "piazza," I be 30in. canoe on which it was used being a new craft, 

 sailing her first races, and her opponents being much larger craft 

 with established reputations as racers. The general adoption of the 

 Butler s°at is likely to follow at as early a date-es the rules will per- 

 mit of. 



A TRIP IN THE MAINE WOODS. 



[Concluded from page 259.] 



BY the laws of Maine a heavy penalty is imposed for lighting fires 

 in the woods except for camp purposes, a very wise provision 

 against the destructive fires that sweep through these regions, often 

 destroying thousands of acres of valuable timber, and leaving many 

 miles of blackened, desolate-looking tree trunks. It is but just to 

 our good sense to explaiu that we spent quite a time after our Are in 

 digging up the wet turf, and only left when all was safe. We spent 

 the night in our camp at the foot of Mt. Kineo. and next day went on 

 the mountain and visited the hotel. We tried to make ourselves 

 familiar with the guests, who seemed to take an unusual interest in 

 us. Tue proprietor was very obliging and did everything he could to 

 aid us. We obtained from him an additional supply of provisions 

 for our future journey at quite reasonable terms, but he declined to 

 take any pay for his kindness and trouble, a somewhat unusual thing 

 under the circumstances, as we paid no direct tribute to the house. 



I was reminded of the story of Mr. Toodles and the bear. Mr. 

 Toodleswasa poor man with a large family of sinsd children, that 

 showed by their ragged and dirty appearance the results of poverty 

 and neglect, A showman was going to exhibit his bear in the neigh- 

 boring village and the children made great ado to go and see him. 

 Mr. Toodles had ten children and could not afford it, but when the 

 man came along past the house Mr. Toodles made, a bargain at a re- 

 duced price for him to take the bear around into the back yard and 

 give a private exhibition to the children. When the performance 

 was over Mr. Toodles offered the price agreed upon, which the man 

 refused because, as he said, it was worth as much for the bear to see 

 the children as it was for the children to see the bear. Perhaps the 

 interest the guests took in us could be accounted for in the same way. 



The next morning we put our luggage aboard the steamer again 

 and went up the lake 15 miles to Northeast Carry. Across this 

 carry of three miles we launched our canoes in the West Branch of 

 the Penob-cot and were fairly in the Maine woods. When Thoreau 

 in 1853 went over the route, fails were laid across the carry aud the 

 load was drawn by a horse and an ox. Traces of the rails still re- 

 mained, but I presume, judging from the prices demanded of us, 

 taat a more profitable way had been found. The proprietor of the 

 house at the head of the lake evidently regarded all persons cross- 

 ing the carry as sources of revenue, for when we refused to pay 

 his prices and employed some one else he tried to collect a dollar 

 a piece lor landing on his wharf. We claimed that our tickets on 

 ihe steamboat included landing somewhere, and fince the company 

 had chosen to land us on his wharf he must look to them unless 

 They would take us and land us somewhere else, in whieh case we 

 should still refuse to pay, since the implied contract in purchasing 

 the ticket was for one landing only. This was not satisfactory and 

 we left him to collect of tie steamboat company, which he must 

 have done if he has yet been paid. When a man sees ten dollars as 

 plain as he did and doesn't get it he is deeply affected. 



From Northeast Carry our course was down the Wesi Branch 

 about 20 miles to Chesuncook Lake; then turning northward we 

 ascended Caucomgomoc Stream about ten miles to a lake of the 

 same name. The Umbazookskus River enters the Caucomgomoc 

 River not far north of Chesuncook Lak 9 and is, I think, the ordinary 

 route to the Allegash and St. John regions. Two of our party had 

 taken this way the year before and had reached the St. John River 

 by way of Mud Carry. Mud Pond, Chamberlaiu and Allegash lakes 

 and Allegash River. This is, no doubt, a delightful canoe trip which 

 1 hope sometime to take. Caucomgomoc Lake, as 1 remember it, is 

 six or eight miles across and is one of the most nort herly tributaries 

 of the Penobscot. We camped several days on its northerly shore 

 and spent most of our time in looking about the lake and woods, in 

 huntiug aud flshiug. Our success was not great, We saw no large 

 game on the entire trip. Our party carried two shotguns and two 

 Frank Wesson rifles; the latter were chiefly for amusement. Shot- 

 guns are very useful in shooting ducks for food, but if one desires 

 to see large game it is better to keep the guns quiet. The deer and 

 moose have increased very rapidly in the last five years, and by 

 exercising great care can be seen frequently m and about the 

 rivers. 



On the other hand, small game is very scarce except in favorable 

 localities. The season may have been an unfavorable one with us, 

 but if I was obliged to depend upon my gun for food I would rather 

 stand my chance in Massachusetts or the settled portions of Maine 

 than in the deep woods. You may go for miles and not see a ruffed 

 grouse, but when found they are very tame and easily shot. Ducks 

 are frequently found, but when the distance traveled is considered. I 

 think that as many could be found on less remote rivers, such as the 

 Concord. I hope tbis will not discourage any one, for there is shoot- 

 ing enough to make it interesting, and if you have the sportsman's 

 spirit you will be sure to think you are just going to find somethiEg. 

 A good many ducks breed on the marshes, and when about two- 

 thirds grown afford good sport, and if properly cooked make an- 

 agreeable change from salt pork. Our guides callel ihem flippers, 

 no doubt from the way they go fluttering along the water in their 

 attempt to fly. They seem to get ahead quite fast, but are unable to 

 leave the water. 



On our return down Chesuncook Lake we drove quite a number of 

 these ahead of us, Loping to force them into a bay aud thus get near 

 enough for a successful shot. At the outlet ot the lake there is a 

 dam across the Penobscot River and a fall below. When we got there 

 no ducks were to be seen, and we concluded they must have gone 

 over the falls. Iu a short tune Mack, who had crossed ihe river, cried 

 out that he had found thtrn in a shallow basin that was connect d 

 with the river by a narrow channel close to the d&iu. I took a canoe 

 from the shore, where our party hau lauded, and bjirrie 1 over to a 

 point of land near the channel and directly above the falls. I hoped 

 ne would delay operations till I could get 10 my position, past which 

 thev must come in getting out; but things did not work as I hoped. 

 Mack could not see me and did not know what a nice thing I had not 

 quite got, aad fired just as my cacoe touched the shore. Before I 



