120 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. 9, 1893. 



trout, and, thinking as I did, that we had an abundance, 

 withdi'ew from the iBeld of sport. 



Previous to our starting for camp we took a. survey of 

 the quarry that had but recently tenanted the waters and 

 were somewhat amazed at the size and numlier. They 

 ran in weight from li to S^^lbs., and as they lay in their 

 silken sheen with spangles bright and rainbow hues it 

 was a sight indeed to gladden the heart of any true 

 disciple of the guild. Ned was so delighted that he de- 

 licionsly warbled— 



"Tliey showed me the marvelous flowers 

 And fruits of theii- sun-beaten lands; 

 They said: 'Here are viiie-taugled valleys ; 



Forget ye the barren white sands; 

 For a wearmess unto the spirit 



The dash of the breakers must be; 

 So dwell ye beside our blue waters; 

 Forget tl ie sad song of the sea\" 



We scarcely reached camp before the ill-boding Emery 

 shouted out: "Wind gone to the northwest; no more fish- 

 ing to-day, nor for three days." And so it proved, for in 

 less than an hour the ponderous waves were battling the 

 sliore with a savage fury that tossed the spray in surging 

 sheets with a wailing moan. We, however, congratu- 

 lated ourselves that Ave had sufficient trout for at least the 

 thi-ee days' storm foreshadowed, for it is seldom a north- 

 wester discontinues its gale in less time. 



Ned at once set to work to replace the fly he had lost in 

 the morning by a creation which would surpass anything 

 that had come from his artistic hands, or for that uiatter 

 any other. If his workmanship was- only as well devel- 

 oped as his conceit in this delicate construction, his flies 

 would be a marv^el that would bear exhibition at the 

 World's Fair. He was no slouch, I assure you, with the 

 bright tinsel and feathers gay, but he was not excelsior. 



The night went down in gloom; not a star twinkled nor 

 a gleam from Luna; the heavens one universal pall, and 

 the howhng winds and the batthng waves the only dirge. 

 It was a dismal scene, in which the unruly elements ale ne 

 held the sceptre. 



To arise in the dawn and find yom- desires in regard to 

 the weather realized is no surprise, but to find it au con- 

 traire is; for that morning we were greeted with a change 

 in the course of the wind, and a dismayed countenance 

 from the copper-colored oracle, who had found his fore- 

 cast all wrong. Instead of a northwester, which rocked 

 us to sleep by its vigorous lullaby the night previous, there 

 was a southeaster blowing down the prophet's throat, as 

 if to throttle him for being on the wrong side of Ins 

 augTuy. Ned lacerated him and I bled him, in regard to 

 his failm-e, until he grew as dizzy as if a prize-fighter had 

 slugged him in a vulnerable spot. Prophetic Emery, astrol- 

 ogical Emery, horoscopical Emery, you are again downed, 

 there to remain till the flying scuds — your- celestial friends 

 — come aloiig and restore you to the throne from which 

 you have so ruthlessly been driven in a northeaster by a 

 blow above the belt. Reqidescat in pace. 



We had planned a trip to Sand River, some four miles 

 east of our quarters, but as it was not like being in a 

 rosy couch to venture just then, we lay around camp all 

 the morning, indulging in every thing that answered as 

 an auxfiiai-y to the burial of time. We read till the books 

 lost interest; played cribbage till a duel almost ensued, 

 went out on the rocks and wagered on the height of the 

 spray, and then came back and bounced poor Emery as a 

 good-for-notliing Medicine Man of the weather, until 

 finally we sat down to a meal, Avhich, out of pm-e, un- 

 adulterated restlessness and a rapacious maw, we devotired 

 hke cannibals. Alex. Staebuck. 



[to be continued.] 



BOSTON AND MAINE. 



Governor Russell and B. Pond. 



All the bitterness of politics must often fall even upon 

 the lovers of the fly-rod, if perchance they happen to 

 occupy prominent positions in the Commonwealth, and 

 by their deeds, no matter how honest, leaA^e the slightest 

 chance for then motives to be misconstrued. Governor 

 Russell, of Massachusetts, is being most severely taken to 

 task by a Boston paper of opposite political faith for sign- 

 ing the petition to the Maine Legislature asking that B. 

 Pond, in the town of Upton, in Oxford count}-, be closed to 

 all fishing, except with the fly, for a series of years. The 

 article is headed "Rnssell's Trust," and the Govei-nor is 

 recklessly and untruthfully accused of trying to ' 'get up a 

 corner on trout." The writer sneeringly claims that the 

 Governor "does not desire that the sturdy Democracy of 

 Maine sliall share liis trout pond," but desires "special 

 legislation" in tlie case of B. Pond. Then the author of 

 the venomoas political fling makes use of these words: 



"Of course, ail the State of Maine knows that tlie Gov- 

 ernor is very sti-ong against special legislation here in 

 Massachusetts on the subject of trout, for last year, in a 

 message to the Legislature vetoing what was known as 

 the 'Gilbert' Trout bill, he gave this as one of his reasons 

 for that act: 'Because, in effect, if not in form, it is legis- 

 lation for a special interest against the pubhc interest and 

 to the pubUc injury.' " 



The article most unjustly criticises the action of Gov- 

 ernor Russell in signing the petition, which was only done 

 as an individual, and at the request of other members of 

 the club. The shores of B. Pond axe owned by the Oxford 

 Club, and have been for a number of years. The petition 

 for preserving the trout in the pond originated with the 

 club, and it is almost universally signed by the best 

 citizens of the town of Upton. His name is on the petition 

 Avith both Republicans and Democrats. The petition is 

 spontaneous, from its signers, asking that the trout of the 

 pond be preserved against the raA'ages of ice and bait fish- 

 ing. The Governor has only been a member of the club 

 since 1891, though the club was organized in 1875, and has 

 on its list of members some of the first merchants and 

 statesmen of Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. 

 Some of these men haA^e passed away, but usually they 

 have been sportsmen in the truest sense of the tenn. The 

 club has had a rule for a long time specifying that only 

 fishing with the fly shall be indulged in on B. Pond, by its 

 members, and that CA^ery ti'out under one pound inAA-eight 

 shall be returned to the pond. A prouiinent member of 

 the club, Mr. J. O. Wetherbee, oL' Boston, says that the 

 club, notwithstanding its ownership, does not Avish to 

 prevent the citizens of Upton, or any other town, from 

 participating in the fishing Avhich the pond affords, only 

 to limit it, to the members of the club and eA^erybody else, 

 to such fishing as the trout can stand Avith out ' depletion^ 



and theyjbelieve that to be with the fly only. The club 

 also pute upon its own members a limit of twenty trout 

 in one day, and only asks that everybody fishing there 

 hall exercise the same reasonable restriction. Witliin a 

 year, the club, at considerable expense, has put in a large 

 number of yoijng trout of 6in. m length. 



Ice Fishing. 



The weather is still too cold and the ice most too thick 

 for extensive ice fishing, The pickerel fishermen in Mas- 

 sachusetts are doing almost nothing. In IMaine, though 

 the laAv permits citizens to fish for trout after first of 

 February, but very little fishing lias been done. One re- 

 port mentions an attempt to cut holes through the ice 

 where the A\'hole length of the ice chisel, handle and all, 

 came into use, but the water not being reached, the at- 

 tempt AA^as abandoned till Avarmer Aveather. 



Maine Game Legislation. 



Fish and ganie legislation is the most exciting theme 

 before the present Maine Legislature. "The fanatics are 

 all at Augusta," each with his pet scheme. I have it from 

 good authority that but few of these "pet schemes" AviU 

 ever receive the panction of the Governor m the form of 

 legislative enactments, if indeed they pass either house. I 

 haA^eit from Commissioner Stanley himself that he be- 

 lieves the fish and game laAvs of that State to be about 

 right as they are, and that he is opposed to the ridiculous 

 tinkering asked for by the fanatics, belicAang that such 

 tinkering would only end in a jumble that it Avould not be 

 in the poAver of any commission to enforce. Mr. Stanley 

 would hke to see the open season on large game made on 

 Sept. 1, or at least the 15th, but he has not the least idea 

 that such an act Avfll be passed, oAving to the opposition 

 of the Imnber interest. 



Mr. Stanley looks upon the attempt to pass a law sub- 

 jectmg non-residents to a license of $5 to either hunt or 

 fish in that State, the work of fanatics, and hopes that no 

 such bill Avill pass. On tlie other hand, the committee on 

 fish and game has actually reported such a bill, and it is 

 noAv in the Senate, and it would not surprise me in the 

 least if it passed both houses. It is just hei-e that the 

 lumber interest may come in. It is pretty Avell under- 

 stood that this lumber interest Avould be glad of any legis- 

 lative action that would tend to "keep sportsmen out of 

 their Avoods," and they are pretty likely to find this five- 

 dollar-licence measure just about the thing; hence the 

 chances are that they may go in and support it. We shall 

 see. Special. 



ANGLING NOTES. 



The Pickerel Does Favor the Pike. 



My notes in Forest and Stream about pike and pickerel 

 haA^ing been copied by a local paper, I liave had many 

 opportunities to explain the difference betAveen the two 

 fish to local fishermen; and tlie pike-perch, locally known 

 as Champlain pike, has also come into several discussions 

 upon the subject of nomenclature. In northern New York 

 a pike, Esox lucius, is ahvays a pickerel, and the pickerel, 

 esox reticulatus, is almost unknown, but, as I have already 

 stated, the pickerel have, Avithin a few years, made their 

 appearance in the upper Hudson River. A few days ago 

 I AA'as doing my marketing when the marketman cafied 

 my attention to some fish Avhich he had just bought from 

 a local fisherman who had caught them in the river. In 

 the bunch of fish Avere pike and pickerel, and as I Avas 

 pointing out the difference, an old man, a customer in the 

 market, became qmte interested, and Avhen I had finished, 

 he declared quite positively that all the fish AA^ere pickerel. 

 Taking one of each species and putting them side by side, 

 I again pointed out marks of dissimilarity, but the doubter 

 was loth to give it up, and said: "Weil, this fish that 

 you call a pickerel certamly does favor that one that you 

 call a pike." 



This reminded me of a story tliat I never told but once, 

 and then I Avas charged with doctoring it, but it is abso- 

 lutely true and occurred as I will relate it. In an emer- 

 gency a family that I knew requned a nurse and there 

 was no nurse to be had, but a physician said that out in the 

 country there Avas a motherly old soul who had a reputa- 

 tion as a nurse among her neighbors and she might do at 

 a pinch, so she AA^as sent for and Avhen she came to town it 

 Avas probably her first appearance aAvay from her native 

 heath. In one of the bedrooms of the house she was 

 called to Avas a framed photograph of the Madonna and 

 child, taken from a paintiug by one of the old masters, 

 and the old lady was impressed with it the moment she 

 saw it. Putting on her glasses and adjusting them she 

 walked up to the picture to inspect it closely, and said 

 Avith much earnestness: "What a pretty baby; and how 

 she does favor her ma!" Then she discovered the halo 

 about the head of the Madonna, and exclaimed, "Well, 

 noAv! where do you suppose she got that jockey?" 



Game Protector Burnett. 



-A few days ago I wx*ote that my connection Avith Forest 

 AND Stream as a correspondent dated back scA'-enteen 

 years, and before the ink Avas fairly dry I had a caU from 

 Wm. H. Burnett, a special State game protector, who re- 

 minded me during his stay that it Avas just seventeen 

 years since he called upon me, early one morning, with 

 his first prisoner, arrested for A'iolating the fish laws of 

 NcAV York. At that time I Avas president of an association 

 for the protection of fish and game; the game laAvs had 

 been a dead letter and the fish poachers Avere supreme, 

 until Burnett's election as town game protector Avas 

 brought about and the association ijledged him its suj)port 

 to enforce the laAvs. The morning referred to Avas the 

 beginning of a new era in practical fish and game protec- 

 tion. I had been up the night before and was sleeping 

 late, when a frightened maid rapped at my door and 

 announced in a voice that gave evidence of fright that 

 Avas almost hysterical, that there Avere tAvo men covered ^ 

 with blood and carrying a gxm at the door and Avished to ' 

 see me. Before I could put on enough clothes to be pre- 

 sentable the household Avas in a panic of alarm. The 

 maid had taken the precaution to lock the front door 

 when she saAA' Avho the Ansitors Avere, and when I sa.w 

 tliem 1 did not blame lier for so doing, for they certainly 

 did look not only as if they could, but as if they had, 

 scuttled several ships and cut a number of throats. It 

 Avas Burnett and his first piisoner, caught red-handed 

 shooting fish. The offender resisted arrest and clubbed 

 the oflScer AA'itli the gam, cutting him badly ; but when 

 Burnett closed and got his hands on the man, he "Avore 

 out" the man and the gun and the earth, and when I saAv I 



the prisoner a child could haA^e led him. That was the 

 beginning of a war that lasted for years. 



A "bad man," one of the Bitter Creek sort, thought it 

 would be AveU to settle matters once for all with Burnett, 

 and he went to him boldly, announced that on a certain 

 night he Avould spear fish at a place named, and he would 

 shoot any man who attempted to touch lus jack, spear or 

 boat, for he had the right under the Constitution or some- 

 thing, to defend his OAAm property. Burnett was on hand 

 at the date that AA^as bfiled and took the jack, spear and 

 boat, and has them yet, I reckon, and the bad man only 

 tore the atmosphere wide open Avith his tongue. Next 

 Burnett caught the bad man Avith a set line and some fish 

 on it and arrested him, and AA^hen he left court after pay- 

 ing his fine you could trace him by the sulphurous fumes 

 of his conversation— and his threats. Burnett then sued 

 him for the penalty, and after he had paid ,$200 and odd, 

 he took a front seat on the mourners' bench, and has been 

 there ever since, and has kept mum. No one clubs Officer 

 Burnett noAv, and no one threatens to do him harm unless 

 they go off in the woods where only the trees and the 

 rocks can hear. He has ncA^er run from anj^body or any- 

 thing, and his word is better than some bonds, and as 

 good as any ever executed. Four days before his last call 

 upon me I had sent for him and put a case in his hands, 

 giving him the name of a man who had violated the fish 

 laAv, and the names of three Avitnesses. His call Avas for 

 the purpose of telling me that after jouraeying ovei" 200 

 miles by highway and railway he had secm-ed complete 

 evidence in the case, and had that day served a Supreme 

 Court summons on the party, who admitted his guilt foi- 

 penalties of over $500. A. N. Chenka'. 



A DAY'S BLACK BASS FISHING. 



On a clear morning in early .July I fomid myself on the 

 borders of a beautiful lake in norChern Pennsylvania, my 

 object being the capture of that gaUant gaine fish, the 

 black bass. 



As I looked over its vrind-rufiled surface, shining like 

 silver under the rays of the morning sun, and atthefoHage 

 forming its background, Avhich varied from darkest hem- 

 lock to bright birch, I thought the omens auspicious for a 

 successful day's sport, being the more confident because 

 the bass had been striking well during the past fortnight. 



Soon I was roAving slowly along the shores, with any 

 minnoAv 80ft. astern. Suddenly the rod bends and the 

 reel sings as a bass strikes sharply; ch'opping the oai'S, I 

 snatch the rod and a steady strain'sets the hook. But not 

 for long, for instantly, 75ft. away, he shoots into the air, 

 his sides glistening in the sunlight, shaking his jaws 

 saA'agely, and though I lower my tip, I see, with a sinking 

 of the heart, the hook fly from his jaws. The liook is 

 quickly rebaited and the oars resvimed. Soon another 

 strike, another leap, and this time, having made a gallant 

 fight, he floats exhausted near the surfac^ and is laought 

 within reach of the landing net. Then the sport becomes 

 splendid; eight, and also a good pickerel, are boated, and 

 scA-eral ai-e lost before the school moves elsewhere. Once, 

 having lost a minnow in the Avater as 1 Avas netting a ba.ss, 

 I bend over to recover it, a, hungry Ijass snatches it wlien 

 my fingers Avell-nigh grasp it, throwing a shower of spvdj 

 into my face as he does so. 



Tlie minutes run into hours and the stm has already 

 passed the zenith and is sinking ui the west, but I take 

 no heed of time, nor of the haAvk Avlieeliug on gi aceful 

 pinions in the clear an, nor of the grt^en heron standing 

 motionless upon the limb of a dead liemJuci. nor of the 

 harsli, rattling note of the kingfisher as he flie's from one 

 resting pla.ce to another or after ho has broken the silvery 

 surface of the lake in pursuit of his prey, while the 

 glorious sport lasts. My lunch basket lies, its contents 

 ah nost intact, in the stern. During the.se halcyon horn's 

 my Avhule being was a\ rapped in watching the bending 

 rod and wliirrijig reel and the gallant leaps of the bass, 

 and feeling the quivering of the rod under the tension of 

 the line. 



One, the largest of all, was kiUed on a five-inch minnow 

 that I had put on as an experiment. FiA'-e times he 

 cleared the Avater, in spite of all I could do to pi-event 

 him, and each time my heart I'ose in my tlu'oat as I low- 

 ered my tip to meet the leap, until the renewed strain 

 gave tidings that he A\'as still there. 



At last, my supply of shiners being exhausted, I quit, 

 and though they Avere risijig Ireely ro tiie Hy, I thought I 

 had had enough fishmg for that day. There Avere tAventy- 

 three bass and a good pickerel, a good score for five 

 homs' fishing. Seven other bass Avere returned to their 

 native element. 



I turned my footstepis homeward from the lake as the 

 shadovA's of the oaks and hemlocks were lengf hening 

 over its A\-aters and the soft light of the dying day spread 

 its golden radiance oA^er the once ruffled, but now placid, 

 surface. Etjrus. 



CURIOUS CAPTURE OF MUSSELS. 



Uniteil States Fish Commissioner "McDonald has allowed 

 us to ])ublish the foUoAviug interesting record of taking 

 fres]i-A\ ater mussels, or unios, on a hook: 



'•Washingtox. D. C, Dec. 18, 1893.— Hon. M. McDonald, 

 Commissioner: As a contribution to the life history of 

 the fresh-Avater mussel T have the honor to submit the 

 following: 



"On the ninth instant I made collections of water plants 

 in Little Hunting Creek, near Mount Vernon, Va., having 

 as an assistant W. T. Lindsey, the custodian at Bryan's 

 Point station, Avhen a dozen mussels Avere caught Avith the 

 rake — the same having been turned over to Mr.- HaxTon 

 for the aquaria. 



■In discussing their habits Lindsey informed me that last 

 summer Avliile fishing from our Avharf at Bryan's Point 

 station Avith hook and line, he caught more tlian a dozen 

 mussels. He said that they sucked the worm on the hook 

 Avith their mouths, and were hooked wlien he drew them 

 up. 



"In this connection 1 woifld also mention a fact which I 



have not seen printed, yet am sure Uiat it has been often 

 observed hy otliei-s, that in hauling the seine on the Poto- 

 mac River great rnmibers of nnissels are pidled ashore, 

 their mouths beinc;- cirtsed on the twine — the twine having 

 fallen iuto the opeu \;il\'es. Vcmrs respectfully, S. G. 

 Wortli, Superijitenclent Central Station." 



Cuiumissioner McDou.-dtl e(aisi'lej'ed this hooking of the 

 mussel as purely accidental. The nionth of the animal is 

 very small and its food consists of dialoms and minute^ 

 crustaceans. Wlien an objecrt like a liook, a net. orarake 

 comes in contact with the shell it would immediately 

 close and thus fasten itself to the disturbing body. 



