Jone 2, 1893.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



821 



NOTES FROM MEXICO. 



I ha. ye been wondering why somebody doesn't say 

 "thanky" to the Editor of "Our Paper" for those exquisite 

 word pictures be has been giving us during the last few 

 months. Perhaps no one reads them with the same 

 wistful pleasure as I, who for nearly ten years have not 

 seen the mystic changes of the revolving year which 

 were the wonder and delight of my boyhood. To me at 

 least, living in this strange land where one day is like 

 another the. year round, they have given unalloyed 

 pleasure. Not exactly unalloyed, either, for they have 

 often stirred in me that haunting pain, that incurable 

 mind- sickness, the lot of all wanderers, which our Ger- 

 man cousins with such poetic exactness call lieimwelb. 

 How easy it was when reading those living pictures, true 

 to the tiniest detail, to shut my eyes and be again among 

 the "happy autumn fields" or snow-bound fastnesses of 

 my native hills. "October Days," "February Days," 

 "May Days," they are jewels all, perfect cameos, cut by 

 a master hand, and tracing in miniature the mighty cos- 

 mos of earth and sky. 



I have just read the remarks of "The Old Uncle" as he 

 calls himself. (I hope he will let us youngsters take the 

 same liberty.) They express my sentiments exactly 

 about the "only" Forest and Stream. The above is 

 offered not as a substitute but an amendment. 



There is no news down this way. It is not the season 

 for shooting, and there are no fish to catch nearer than 

 the Gulf of Mexico. I have no time to go down there, 

 and if I had the weather is too warm. While "Chicago 

 and the West" are under water, and the South is watching 

 timidly the whims of the Big Muddy, we are in the ex- 

 tremity of a long and painful drought. In all middle and 

 northern Mexico the situation is desperate. No water 

 for irrigation, no rain to start the crops, the brooks dried 

 up, the tanks and presaS long ago exhausted, the wells 

 low, the stock dying of thirst and the wretched people 

 eating the emaciated carcasses, food scarce and high and 

 getting higher— that is the situation. The rains should 

 come without fail in June. If they do not, not only 

 shall we have no water over which to shoot ducks, but 

 Mexico will have to lean heavily on the strong arm of 

 her sister republic another year. 



Like "Awahsoose" I have found rebounding locks 

 tricky. They will usually fire if the hammer is pulled 

 back ever so little and released. If well made however 

 they will not fire from a blow behind, unless it is strong 

 enough to break them. I knew of one fatal accident of 

 this kind, but the hammer was brokeu entirely oft'. In 

 this respect they are doubtless an improvement on the 

 old style. But why not use a well made, automatic 

 hammerlees? It is true the locks stand cocked, but two 

 separate movements are necessary to fire them, and the 

 probability that these will both be made by accident is 

 very slight. The handiness of these guns in use is another 

 matter, but a few months with them ought to convince 

 the most skeptical that it is no small one. But is it not 

 astonishing that it is still necessary to tell shooters to 

 take the cartridges out of their guns when entering 

 wagons, boats, etc., and in fact everywhere else where 

 there is no immediate prospect of their use? Aztec. 



San Luis Potosi. Mexico. 



NEW YORK GAME LAW. 



The full text of the new law has been put 

 into type by the Korest audi Stream Publishing- 

 Co., and is now ready. Price, 25 cents per copy. 



A special edition has been prepared for the 

 use of clubs and associations, who may order 

 in lots of 100 or more. These will be supplied 

 at a nominal price. "Write for terms, stating 

 the number wanted. 



m\& $wqr jinking. 



Trout and Bass Fishing. 

 Wk nave secured, for the private information of the readers of 

 Forest and Stream, knowledge of a number of streams and 

 lakeB easily accessible from this city, where we believe that eood 

 fishing for trout and black bass may be had. The information 

 we shall te glad to furnish without charge to any reader of Forest 

 and Stream who will apply for it, either personally or by letter. 



WHITE MOUNTAIN TROUT. 



The train from Boston, which arrived at Littleton at 

 7:58 P. M., brought four sportsmen from the north 

 equipped with all the paraphernalia for a siege against 

 the inhabitants of the mountains, brooks and lakes. 

 The first to step from the car was Dr. L. E. Morgan, one 

 of the leading: physicians of Boston, and an old friend of 

 the writer. More than once we had tramped over the 

 hills and through the valleys of New Hampshire, and 

 now before leaving for a year abroad, we were to repeat 

 these experiences again. With Dr. Morgan were his 

 brother, Mr. Anson W. Morgan, one of the manufac- 

 turers of Needham, Mass., Mr. E. L. Rice, of Boston, and 

 Mr. Thomas Rice, a leading merchant of Newport, R. I. 



Valises, rubber boots and rods were placed in the stage, 

 and ten minutes later the party were seated about the 

 supper table at the famous White Mountain hostelry, 

 Thayer's Hotel. While they were satisfying the inner 

 man, my friend, Mr, Charles H. McCarthy, a New 

 Hampshire sportsman, whose name has figured many 

 times in the columns of the Forest and Stream, with 

 myself went for our team, and a little later drew up in 

 front of the hotel with a pair of spirited blacks. In a 

 hurry to start, they pawed the ground with their fore 

 feet, tossed their heads high and snorted impatiently. 



Our luggage was hurriedly stowed away under the 

 seats, the chain unhitched from Turk, the black spaniel, 

 who always accompanied us on our excursions, and 

 with a good-bye to the genial landlord, Mr. Frank 

 Thayer, we were off. Crossing the Ammonoosic River, 

 the steeds climbed the hills to the east, and we were 

 fairly on our way for one of the most beautiful drives in 

 northern New Hampshire, passing through the Fran- 

 conia Vallev with Lonesome Lake on the southern spur 

 of Cannon Mountains, our destination. 



The night was clear and mild, and the northern lights 

 shooting far up into the sky, their trails changing from 

 purple to white, the mountains on our left and the valley 



below, made the picture a truly fascinating one, and for 

 some time we watched it without speaking. At length 

 the high hill before us had been climbed, and after a de- 

 scent of three or four miles, we reached the Franconia 

 Valley. As we passed along the level road, the Gale 

 River flowed past, the little rips here and there showing 

 plainly. Franconia. Lafayette and Garfield mountains 

 were soon passed, their crests covered in many places 

 with snow, and then the famous Franconia Notch was 

 entered. At 2 A. M. we passed the Profile House, and a 

 little later put up our steeds at the shed at the foot of 

 t he trail on Cannon Mountain leading to Lonesome Lake. 

 Without stopping longer than to see that the horses 

 were blanketed, we rolled up in the buffaloes on the 

 ground and in five minutes were asleep. 



"Come, boys, the fish are biting, and 'you are losing 

 the best of the day." 



It was the doctor's merry voice, and crawling out of 

 our blankets, we rubbed our eyes and finally got u\> on 

 our feet. Rods were put together, bait boxes filled, and 

 putting on our thick wraps, for the morning was in- 

 tensely cold, we started down the road for Profile Lake. 



"What do vou think," asked Charles, "can we fish in 

 the lake now?'' 



"I don't know for sure," I replied, "but guess if there's 

 any law against our fishing there we will find it out Boon 

 enough." 



"What are the conditions?" asked the doctor. 



•'About eight or ten years ago the legislature granted 

 a charter to the owners of the pond giving them the right 

 to stock and use it for private purposes, but only a little 

 while ago the NewHamphire courts passed a law that all 

 l-.kes in the State over ten acres were public property 

 and could not be held by corporations or private in- 

 dividuals." 



"How large is this lake?" 



"Fourteen acres." 



"But does that act of the court repeal the charter 

 granted by the legislature?" 



"That I do not know, and you will have to go further 

 for information, but as the supreme court is a higher 

 body than the legislature, I should suppose it did." 



Twenty minutes brought us to the foot of Profile Lake 

 and our lines were soon in the water. 



"I've got one!" cried Tom. 



We looked to where our friend was standing on a 

 boulder, and saw him struggling to bring in the trout on 

 the end of his line. The rock was slippery, his boots wet, 

 and a moment more and he slid into the water. However, 

 he got his trout. 



For half an hour the fishing continued good, the only 

 drawback to our enjoyment being the cold weather. 

 None of us had our gloves, and so cold and numb became 

 our fingers that it was all we could do to bait our hooks. 

 Many of the slippery worms fell from our hands before 

 they became attached. However, it was only one of the 

 many trials which often beset the fisherman, and the sun 

 soon sending down its warm rays thawed us out. 



"Strange there aren't any signs around here if they 

 don't allow fishing," remarked one of the party. 



"That's so: I haven't seen one." 



It wasn't long, however, before we did come to one 

 further up the lake, and a few minutes later a man came 

 down the path and said we must leave, as the owners of 

 the property had forbidden our fishing there. 



Tom, Edward and Charles tried the fishing down Pro- 

 file Brook, while the doctor, An«on and myself started 

 up the bridle path for Lonesome Lake. It is often that 

 one wonders at the strange names which are given to 

 places, and the imagination sometimes draws queer pic- 

 tures in trying to guess the probable source from which 

 they were derived. 



Although we did not meet the owner of Lonesome 

 Lake, Mr. Prime, of New York, none of us had any 

 doubt as to how the lake came by its name. On the top 

 of the spur of Cannon Mountain, and reached by a path 

 as crooked and steep as can be imagined, few people 

 who attempt the ascent reach the place. On account of 

 its seldom having visitors, "Lonesome" is very appro- 

 priate. 



When we did finally reach the lake, we were so ex- 

 hausted that we lay down upon the ground, and it was 

 not until the warm rays of the sun shone upon our faces 

 that we awoke from the sleep into which we had fallen. 



Lonesome Lake is indeed a pretty spot, and although 

 resting on the ridge of the mountain, is surrounded with 

 peaks rising above, it, thus giving the appearance of a 

 lake in a valley. When one considers the immense eleva- 

 tion, this seems very wonderful. At the foot of the lake 

 are the log cabins built by Mr. Prime, where he passes 

 the greatest part of the time when here. 



Unfastening the raft near the shore, we paddled out 

 upon the lake, and for two hours had good sport, but the 

 water was so cold that the trout did not bite sharp, and 

 it required both patience and skill to get them to take the 

 hook firmly. 



The descent was made without much trouble, and join- 

 ing the remainder of the party who had returned from 

 Profile Brook, we counted our fish, when 1S5 were laid 

 out side by side, the boys threw up their hats and gave a 

 cheer. The horses were soon harnessed and we started 

 for Littleton, 



On our return we had a magnificent view of the Old 

 Man of the Mountains, and as some of the party had 

 never seen this curiosity, we stopped the horses for a 

 few minutes. It is truly a grand sight, and when viewed 

 for the first time, cannot fail to fill the beholder with awe. 

 Littleton was reached safely in the evening, and when 

 the boys left on the train, all declared they had one of 

 the pleasantest trips they ever experienced. 



W. Stanhope Huston. 



Littleton, N. H., May 23. 



Kansas Fishing. 



Oitawa, Kan., May 19. — We have had so much high 

 water here lately that fishing has been out of the ques- 

 tion, but the weather has cleared up now and the river is 

 falling. I went up a small creek near this place in a 

 boat the first of the week and the back water was full of 

 fish, so I think the high water will help the fishing. Be- 

 fore the last heavy rains we had a couple of weeks of 

 bass and croppie fishing and some nice strings were 

 brought home. Our best fishing usually comes in June 

 and the first part of July. Although the weather has 

 been bad enough in the last two months to discourage 

 most any kind of game, it does not seem to bother the 

 coyotes very much. A farmer near Wellsville recently 

 dug nine out of one den.— F. B. W. 



PENNSYLVANIA TROUT ANGLERS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



On April 6 we put in the spring runs of the Wopwoll- 

 open Crpek, this county, 50,000 small fry from the State 

 stock. Last year nearly the same number were put into 

 these waters and they have grown to a length of 4 and 

 Sin. There appears to be any quantity of them, and if 

 left alone for about two years more we shall have splen- 

 did sport. 



On April 15 H. L. Moore, E. F. Roth and I fished the 

 Wopwollopen. Our catch was not so large, but the trout 

 run from 8 to 12in. in length and were in the best con- 

 dition I have ever found them. The only bait we used 

 were minnows about 2in. long. The creek was very low 

 for this time of the year. Messrs. Moore, Rolh and 

 Hilliard made a trip to Wayne county last week, fishing 

 the Laxawaxen and its tributaries with but poor success. 



Capt. Bowman, Dr. Hakes. Dr. Moore, Arnold, Bertels, 

 J. B. Carr and others have been to Bowman's Creek, and 

 while their catch was not large the fish were of very good 

 size. Drs. Hakes and Bertels, I hear, caught a large 

 number in two days' fishing since. The principal fly 

 used thus far is a white-winged, red-bodied fly, the name 

 of which I no not know. The row-dung and brown- 

 hackle are the next best. Hud Edgar and Berny Cart- 

 returned from the Tobyhanna last week with a fine lot; 

 as they put it, "We got all we wanted." This is the first 

 time for several years that I have heard the expression 

 used in these parts. Edgar says he caught them all on 

 the white-winged fly ; he took twenty in less than that 

 many minutes, standing in one place. These trout were 

 very regular in size, running about 9in. 



Messrs. J. H. Bowden and John Tonkin were out on 

 the Lehigh, at Stoddartsville; their trout were all of good 

 siz9, but few in number. These same gentlemen were 

 out the first of the month on the lower end of the Big 

 Wopwollopen, where they caught a nice mess. The 

 streams, with the exception of Bowman's Creek, have 

 been too low for good fishing, but these heavy showers 

 will swell them some, and no doubt during the present 

 week good catches will be made. 



The old veteran, Mai. Miller, has been out and did 

 well. Doctor Doyle has met with some success on Pond 

 Creek, a tributary of the Lehigh. L. H. and E. H. Long, 

 A. A. Sterling, Dory Ryman and others have done well 

 on Broadhead's Creek, in Monroe county. 



Our old party. Moore, Roth, Hilliard and myself, have 

 a trip laid out to the Tobyhanna, which is without any 

 doubt the best stream we have in this section. Alex. 

 McKean's is one of the best stopping places for man and 

 horse. With good -appetites, good things to eat and 

 plenty of them, and then nice, clean, soft beds upon 

 which to rest ones weary self, we never fail to enjoy our 

 trips to the Tobyhanna. 



In the work of stocking our waters here the greatest 

 trial we meet with is the small boy and unprincipled 

 men, who fish the small streams where the planted fish 

 resort. I have heard of two fellows who took over two 

 hundred out in a few hours; trout measuring 4 and oiu, 

 in length, and no doubt the most of them the fry we 

 put in last spring. Two cans of the German brown trout 

 were put into a large spring last year, and when they 

 were let out on April 15 they were about 4iin. in length. 

 I could see no difference between them and our native 

 fish. There have been several rainbow trout caught this 

 spring from 14 to 15tn. long. Six years ago they were 

 put into Watering Run. These fish are as gamy as our 

 native trout, but they lack the flavor of the speckled 

 beauty. There is no doubt that they will do well here in 

 our streams if left alone until they reach a good size. 



We expect very good sport for the next two weeks if 

 the weather is favorable. C. B. M. 



Wilkesbarre, Pa., May 23. 



CEDAR LAKE BASS. 



Chicago, 111., May 21.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 We are all "kicking," so to speak. Nothing but rain. 

 River all over the bottom lands and the lakes very muddy, 

 so much so that a fish can't see the bait. Some anglers 

 think that Cedar Lake, Ind., is fished out. They are very 

 much mistaken. On May 7 I went out for a day of fishing. 

 Was up at 4 A. M. As the water was so muddy I went 

 after croppies, caught one and seven bullhead and quit. 

 On a previous occasion I caught sixty in several hours. 

 After dinner I went for bass. One small strip of the lake 

 is cut off from the rest by the Monon track. Here I 

 noticed the water clear, as it was protected by hill and 

 tree, so I put on my spoon and made a cast, landing a one- 

 pounder at the start, and as lively as they make them. 

 Next, several of fib., and then one of lilbs. The next was 

 a "dandy," how he did pull, he did not like to leave the 

 water a bit and fought hard. Proved his S^lbs. by the 

 scales. After I returned home, in the evening, in two 

 hours I had seven bass ; and then lost my spoon on a water- 

 lily pad, so had to quit. I used my new Dr. Henshall 

 rod, 8ft. 3in., 8oz. 



Cedar Lake is one of the best places for bass that I have 

 seen around Chicago, with good accommodations. 



An 81b. bass was caught there last summer by a. boy 

 who was in employ of M. C. Seigler, of the Spring Lake 

 Hotel. I heard from good authority of a Chicago man 

 using dynamite in a trout stream in Wisconsin, getting 

 two bushel baskets full; he ought to be put in Joliet. 



F. 0. S. 



Potomac Notes. 



AVashington, May 28.— Messrs. Chas. H. Laird and 

 Henry Weyl in a half day's fishing near the second lock 

 caught 20 nice bass. Seven of these form a very attrac- 

 tive exhibit at Tappan's to-day. The largest weighs 5lbs. , 

 and is a beautiful fish. What are here known as smelt 

 were used as bait, and the bass seemed to relish them. 

 Last week the same gentlemen fished at Point of Rocks, 

 where they also had very good luck. Mr. H. C. Coburn 

 fished one week ago between the Great Falls and Cabin 

 John's Bridge, but didn't get a bite. Mr. C. says there 

 were plenty of fish to be seen and more bait fish than he 

 has ever before witnessed, and upon these the bass were 

 feeding, not upon those offered by the angler. Last year 

 Mr. Laird caught near the second lock one of the old 

 mossbacks, which tipped the beam at Gibs. 8oz. Seven 

 bass averaging 3 Ibis, each were taken in this same local- 

 ity by Laird and Weyl last October. Many of our clubs 

 are getting into shape now, and by the 1st of June there 

 will be a regular oxodus for the the upper Potomac , — 

 Bon. 



