274 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



LSept. 30, 1898. 



'Notes from Northern Minnesota. 



Pelan, Minn., Sept. 11.— Editor Forest and Stream, 

 The first regular Manitoba wave of the season arrived here 

 on the 15th, and brought with it a generous flight of 

 ducks and geese. The lakes and sloughs in the central 

 and eastern portion of this (Kit<-son) county are brisk with 

 the squawks and flaps of feathered game and long V 

 pointing southward are stiU coming in. 



Grouse shooting continues good and I am inclined 

 recall the prediction I made in my letter of the 6 th, as to 

 the early clearing out of the sharp-tails, for on a long ex- 

 ploring trip since made through the Lake of the Woods 

 and Red Lake region, I found them abundant on every 

 prairie and on the borders of every muskeag. This is a 

 dense wilderness with a settler to only every ten or twenty 

 miles of trail, and in some instances you may travel a 

 hundred miles without seeing a cabin. Most of the region 

 is within the Red Lake Indian reservation, and as your 

 red Indian never shoots at the birds, and as this region 

 inaccessible to the average sportsman, this will remain 

 safe and extensive breeding grounds for sharp-tails and 

 ruffed grouse for many years to come. 



Enough of the birds will come out into the Red River 

 valley each season to afford fair shooting if only the 

 market-shooter will not pursue them too industriously. 

 Pinnated grouse, however, which live wholly in the open 

 country, wUl soon disappear. 



On the exploring trip mentioned I saw and heard 

 good deal of big game, some account of which I may 

 give you maflanano. G. O. Shields. 



Adirondack Notes. 



New York, Sept. 20— Editor Forest and Stream: In 

 your issue of Sept. 16 I read with much pleasure an article 

 headed "They Clank Their Chains." It went to the spot. 

 I fully appreciate it after fourteen months of enforced re 

 tirement from my late illness. 



I could not, however, resist taking one more trip to the 

 old North Woods, from which I have just returned feel- 

 ing much better. The Adirondack region is now looking 

 its best; the maples are in their full glory of scarlet and 

 gold and the bucks are mostly turning blue, and I never 

 saw woods and waters looking more beautiful. I felt very 

 sad to have to return to the noise and bustle of the city. 



The hotels in that section have done remarkably well 

 and the Antlers, the Prospect House and other famous re 

 sorts have been well patronized all through the season. I 

 think the game laws have been well observed, and did not 

 hear of a doe having been killed this season. 



I saw Dr. Webb, who is now busy fencing in his great 

 preserve. As soon as this is done he will begin stocking 

 it. His neighbors, Cols. Brandreth and McAlpin, are 

 doing their best to increase their stock of deer, which 

 suffered severely from the hard winter. They discourage 

 hounding and the killing of does. 



A week ago Sunday the mercury dropped to 30°, and 

 the cold drove home many who were not prepared for 

 such weather; but the next few weeks will be the most 

 charming of the season and the most comfortable for 

 traveling, I only wish I could return there. 



Wakeman Holberton, 



First Coon of the Season. 



Gloucester, Sept. U— Editor Forest and Stream: One 

 does not often enjoy a coon hunt while lying in bed, but 

 that was my experience last night. I had just retired to 

 my hammock, when I saw the light from lanterns playing 

 through the treetops and I knew that the coon hunters 

 were out. This hunt was made up by a Gloucester boy, 

 Johnnie Pinkham, engineer, for the benefit of Boston 

 friends. These latter, together with Rose Pinkham, George, 

 Percy and Edward Bray, composed the party. The dog 

 was the celebrated coon dog Pete, from West Gloucester, 

 The dog took a track near my tent, and treed his coonship 

 after a short run near the starting point. I could see the 

 light of the lantern slowly ascending to the treetop, and 

 anon five shots rang out on the night air and the coon 

 struck the ground with a dull thud which I distinctly 

 heard from my hammock. For a few minutes the air 

 was full of strange sounds. The short, sharp bark of the 

 dog and the wild cry of the coon mingled with the wilder 

 cries of the excited hunters. The wounded coon made a 

 desperate fight, and some of the boys will have to buy 

 new rubber boots. He weighed 19lbs. Hermit. 



A Growl from Michigan. 



Fllxt, Mich., Sept. 13.— If there is any State in the 

 Union that has in it gun fools or gun cranks or pot- 

 hunters, it is Michigan, You hear nothing but 

 double-barreled shotgun, double-barreled shotg-un, from 

 Saginaw to Kalamazoo and from Detroit to Grand Rapids, 



Double-barreled shotgun— I get sick of hearing it. Of 

 all the guns to hunt with, give me a mixed gun, rifle and 

 shot, .32-40 rifle and .12-gauge shot. One shot barrel is 

 enough, then a man, can't play hog with all the game. 



All I hunt is squirrels and beasts and birds of prey; 

 ducks and game birds I never hunt at all, though I some- 

 times scare them up in looking for rabbits. I always 

 want with me one fine rifle and one shot barrel. Where 

 is there another reader of Forest and Stream that will 

 agree with me on this matter? Now I only have a .32-20- 

 115 Winchester repeater, and it is a lively squirrel that 

 gets away, for with my peep sight I can find his head 

 easy enough. 



If I can have a good mixed gun it is all I want, and 

 the others can have their double-barreled shotguns for 

 trap-shooting. W. H. W, 



Where to Go. 



Ajnybody desiring information with regard to the hotels 

 advertised in Forest and Stream, such as rates, routes, 

 fishing and hunting opportunities, should address Forest 

 AND Stream Information Bureau, where aU reasonable 

 inquirieB will receive prompt answers. 



The Acme of Physical Comfort. 



The ve^ acme of physical comfort is reached when traveling upon 

 the New York Central Roads, and nowhere upon the face of the globe 

 can more beautiful scenery be found than that disclosed by these 

 varied routes. One never tires of the Hudson River, and the Mohawk 

 region, so loved by poets, is always a feast to the eye and a delight to 

 the soul. Then as we go on and keep our eyes open we come upon 

 some of the loveliest sheets of water on top of the earth— Cayuga Lake 

 for one, and further on, Canandaigua Lake, tmiquely and blissfullv 

 situ&tei,— Eleanor Mrk.—Adv. ^ '^ ^ w.j' 



Visitors to our Exhibit in the Angling Pavilion at 

 the World's Fair should not fail to examine th 

 stock of "Forest and Stream" books which will 

 be shown by the attendant. 



ANGLING NOTES. 



Twin Ponds. 

 In a note upon Puffer Pond in Forest and Stream of 

 Sept. 2, I quoted from a letter written to me by Mr. J. E, 

 McDonald, and commented upon it as follows: "Twin 

 Lake, mentioned in Mr. McDonald's letter, is a new name 

 to me for an old lake. On Stoddard's map it will be 

 found as one of the Siamese Ponds, and so these pondi 

 have been called as long as I can remember." Before ; 

 wrote this I consulted Mr. John L. Wendell, manager of 

 the Freeman Lumber Company, the owner of Thirteenth 

 Township, to know if any of the ponds had been chris- 

 tened Twin Ponds or Twin Lakes, and he believed as 1 

 did, that Siamese Ponds were meant, as he had not heard 

 the other name applied to any of the waters about Thir- 

 teenth Lake. Mr. C. T. Moore, of West Troy, a well- 

 known sportsman who frequently visits this region, writes 

 me that Mr. McDonald was right in speaking of Twin 

 Ponds— not lakes— and that they are on Stoddard's 

 map, unnamed, lying S.S.E. of Puffer Pond, and nearly 

 on a line between Thirteenth Lake and the Siamese Ponds, 

 but nearer to the former, and that the region is a perfect 

 paradise for deer. Within twenty-four hours after read- 

 ing Mr. Moore's letter Mr. Wendell told me he had just 

 returned from a visit to "Thirteenth," where he had asked 

 about these ponds and found they were named as Mr. 

 Moore stated. The Twin Ponds are one of the sources of 

 the East Branch of the Sacandaga River, and are not far 

 from the center of the township, while Siamese Ponds, 

 which on Stoddard's map are put down as "Siamele," are 

 on the line between Townships 13 and 31. 



A Hint About Salmon Fishing. 

 In a personal letter from Mr. John Mowat he men- 

 tions different methods of fishing a salmon river 

 practiced by different anglers, and his comments are 

 so good and to the point that they should not be hid- 

 den away in a personal letter. He says that some men 

 want plenty of water and are continually on the move. 

 They may be fine casters and handle their fish well when 

 hooked, but they lack patience and want pastures new. 

 When fish do not come in one place they think another 

 may be better, and so they move, and in moving a mile 

 or two or thrcQ up or down a river valuable time is lost. 

 "For the first of the fishing the rule is, if you have a 

 lay spot, that is a holding pool, stop there, as the fish 

 are continually moving up as long as the water is in con- 

 dition. When the water is out of condition and clear, 

 the fish run by night, and if you have then a lay 

 pool, an hour or so at night and in the morning is 

 all you need. If you thresh the pool for hours at 

 such a time, even if you have seen a fish rise, you kill 

 the pool. Don't tovich it excejjt as I have said. Such is 

 my experience, and I think it is coincided in by those 

 who, with a practical knowledge, have made the fish a 

 study," 



Walton's Carved Oak Cabinet. 



Among the souvenifs of the 300th anniversary of Wal- 

 ton's birth that have come to me is a copy of the Daily 

 Graphic, London, that was sent by "Cotswold Isys, M.A.," 

 the honorary poet of the Fly-Fishers' Club, who is about 

 to bring out a volume of verses with the title "Lyra Pis- 

 catoria," consisting of original poems on the Nature, 

 Habits and Mode of Capture of Fresh-water Fishes, on 

 Flies, Fishing and Fishermen. The Graphic contains a 

 number of articles concerning the celebration of Walton's 

 birthday, only one of which I will refer to. This is "A 

 Waltonian 'At Home' " held at the house of Mr. Elkin 

 Matthews, Bedford Park, where the guests were shown 

 valuable prints, illustrating the Ufe and time of Walton, 

 interesting and rare editions of the "Compleat Angler," 

 including an original edition, and the carved oak cabinet 

 mentioned in Walton's will: "To my son Izaak I give all 

 my books, not yet given at Farnham Castell, and a deske 

 of prints and pictures, also a cabinett near my bed's head; 

 ia which are some little things that he wiU value, though 

 of no great worth." The article introduces the details of 

 this function in these words: "To celebrate fittingly and 

 sufficiently the memory of the gentle, we had almost said 

 the sainted, Izaak Walton, the pious Waltonian has re- 

 source to many pleasant expedients. Sometimes it is the 

 publication of a new and magnificent edition of the Works 

 of the Master, sometimes the dedication of sonnets to his 

 fame— witness the little book published by Mr, Westwood 

 in 1883." I have a copy of this little book, presented to 

 me by the author, and in honor of Walton's birthday I 

 had it rebound in a new dress of leather by a clever binder 

 in New York, Its title is "In Memoriam. Izaak Walton, 

 Obiit 15th December, 1683. Twelve Sonnets and an Epi- 

 logue." Three of the sonnets are devoted to the very cab- 

 inet that was shown to Mr. Mathews's guests the other 

 day iu England, and I would that I could reproduce all 

 three in Forest and Stream, but as it is I give one, the 

 first of the three: 



THE CABINET. 



Three sonnets suggested by the cabinet that hung at Walton's 

 bed-head, now in the posseJ^sion of C. EHiin Mathews, Esq., of Exeter: 

 "Just here our Izaak must have laid the stress 

 Of his true hand, full oft— just here have stood 

 Eying his books-Quarles, Sibbes, quaint brotherhood! 

 Or his own 'Angler,' fresh from Marriott's press. 

 Thus I behold him now-he turns the p9.ge 

 Of 'hearty, cheerful Mr. Cotton's' strain ; 

 His face lights up— he sees the Dove again— 

 Sees Hke-pool, and that pretty hermitage, 

 The Fishing House. He marks the trout at play, 

 And casts his fly— swift turns the whizzing wheel— 

 A plump three-pounder pants within the creel. 

 And now his dream is done — he turns away. 

 Blest Shade, from out your heaven, forgive me this, 

 That where your hand was laid, I leave my kiss." 

 No one was better informed about Walton than Mr. 

 Westwood, and he knew well that Walton was not famil- 

 liar with the fishing reel, except from hearsay, unless it 

 was in the latter part of his Ufe, and of which there is no 

 record, therefore he admits in a foot note to the sonnet 

 quoted that "swift^turns the whizzing wheel," may be an 



anachronism. In this connection I am reminded that a full 

 page picture of "Pike Pool" was given in the last Serib- 

 ner's from a drawing by Parsons, but it is called "Pike's 

 Pool" in the magazine, as though it belonged to Mr. Pike 

 and not to the "Compleat Angler." 



Governor Flower on Fishoulture. 



At the Washington county, N. Y., Fair the other day 

 the managers had "Governor's Day," and the Governor of 

 the State was the orator and made an excellent speech to 

 the people largely upon the subject of fish propagation. I 

 have not seen the entire speech in print, and only two 

 papers have printed extracts from it, so far as I have 

 been able to discover, but it would serve to educate the 

 people and draw attention to this branch of State work 

 if the speech should be printed in full and distributed 

 throughout the State. It is quite possible Gov- 

 ernor Flower would revise the speech in a few partic- 

 ulars, if he should conclude to print it, and make it his- 

 torically correct, although perhaps it now matters little 

 whether the New York Fish Commission was esta-blished 

 ten years ago or twenty-five, as it really was, or whether 

 the Hudson contained salmon fifty years ago, or never 

 contained them until the United States stocked it, as the 

 late Prof. Baird believed, from the best evidence obtain- 

 able, to be the truth. Gov. Flower pays a deserved com- 

 pliment to the sportsmen of the State in these words: 

 "Our State Fish Commission was established somewhat 

 more than ten years ago. I presimie it owed its existence 

 to the sportsmen who wanted to see our lakes and streams 

 stocked with fish and the game laws carefully enforced. 

 If that was the principal object of its creation we owe a 

 good deal to our sportsmen, for the Fish Commission has 

 done much to preserve the fine old sport of fishing from 

 going to decay-by the exhaustion of fish from our waters. 

 To-day, thanks to our sportsmen and the Fish Com- 

 mission, our streams and waters are alive with good 

 fish, and public ofiicers and game associations are work- 

 ing hard to compel observance of the laws, which have 

 been passed to protect our fish. The Hudson River is be- 

 ing stocked with shad and salmon. For the first time in 

 fifty years salmon are now in the river above Troy, They 

 have been caught in the last two years nearly opposite 

 where we are to-day. They are by no'means numerous yet, 

 but by diligent perseverance in stocking and in building 

 fishways around the dams, there would seem to be no 

 reason why our noble river might not hold miUions of 

 this magnificent fish." Governor Flower certainly is 

 sound on the salmon question, and all wUl rejoice to hear 

 such words from the chief executive. Salmon have 

 within two years been caught further up the river than 

 where the Governor stood that day, because at the time 

 the Fort Edward dam was out to be rebuilt, and the 

 salmon ran up to Baker's Falls, at Sandy HiU, but they 

 cannot get there again until a fishway is built in the 

 new dam at Fort Edward, and there ar*e other dams and 

 falls, in which fishways must be built before the river 

 will become a self-sustaining salmon stream, but with the 

 Governor in favor of the work it wih doubtless be brought 

 about. A. N. Cheney. • 



CHICAGO FLY-CASTING TOURNAMENT. 



Unlike nearly every other venture in the realms of 

 sportsmanship, held in connection with the World's 

 Colmnbian Exposition, the first annual scientific angling 

 tournament of the Chicago Fly-Casting Club was a suc- 

 cess. It was well attended, the different events were 

 tyell filled and contested, and there was a noticeable enthu- 

 siasm pervading the meeting. It was claimed, by gen- 

 tlemen present who had accurate knowledge of past tom-- 

 naments, that this tournament surpassed all preceding 

 ones in every respect. 



The tournament was held within the Exposition 

 grounds, on the north lagoon close by the Walton House, 

 which is but a few yards east of the Art Palace. That is, 

 the fiy-casting was held there. The bait-casting took 

 place on the north aide of the Art Palace, on a beautiful 

 stretch of ground, but a short distance from the Walton 

 House. 



The tournament, too, was well conducted and managed. 

 The competition was spirited, yet in the best of good 

 nature. No unpleasantness of any kind occurred to mar 

 or impede the event. 



The judges weie Dr. J. A. Henshall, Chief of Angling 

 Pavilion, World's Columbian Exposition, Messrs. Wm. C. 

 Harris, New York, and Henry L. Stanton, Chicago. Mr. 

 E. T. Allen, of San Francisco, CaL, was timekeeper. All 

 were most industrious and painstaking in their duties. 

 The president, Mr. Geo. W. StreU, and the secretary- 

 treasurer, IVIr. F. B. Davidson, attended to the general 

 arrangements, while Mr. B. W. Goodsell made a most 

 efficient captain. Much praise was bestowed on the 

 judges and officers for the satisfactory manner in which 

 they fulfilled their respective duties. 



There were seven events, the first prize in each one 

 being a solid gold medal, representing a creel suspended 

 to a fish, a unique design worked out in skillful detail. 

 Those for the fly-casting events had a trout for a special 

 emblem, those for the bait-casting events were suspended 

 from a black bass, emblematic of the special class of 

 competition. 



There were quite a number of visitors present, who 

 watched the competition with keen interest. 



The fly-casting was done from a platform, raised 3ft. 

 above the sm-face of the water. The bait-casting was 

 done on a level, grassy surface. A white cord marked 

 the botmdaries of the court which was a rectangle, 30ft, 

 wide and of any requu-ed length. A tape line stretched 

 lengthwise down the center of it afforded a ready indi- 

 cation for measuring the length of each cast. The con- 

 ditions governing the competition wiU be more fuUy set 

 forth in connection with the events. 



The competition began on Thursday, September 21. 

 An exceedingly stiff wind obstructively interfered with 

 the efforts of the competitors. It was so gusty and irreg- 

 ular that the scores suffered severely in consequence. It 

 made variable conditions in the work of the individual 

 competitor, and also in resi>ect to each one as compared 

 with the others. 



Had the conditions been favorable, there is no doubt 

 but what the world's records would have been broken. 

 On Friday far better conditions prevailed, yet there was 

 a slight cross breeze, which came by an angle of the 

 buildings, and which caught the water about 75ft from 

 the casting platform and across the line of effort. While 

 the breeze was extremely gentle, it was strong enough 

 to tbrow the leader back at the end of the past, thus re 



