^Wr. 11, 1897. 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
207 
souls, but I can't potter around the same stream day after 
day with a flshpole. 
When the leaves fall, I break loose. A frosty morning, a 
good pair of moccasins, a heavy, small-bore rifle, ten car- 
tridges and a ration in the wallet; a long day of silent, easy 
stalking through strange forest, one or t ivo fair shots, some 
uncertamty as to the whereabouts of camp at twilight; roar- 
ing backlogs before the lean-to at night. Voildf C'est moi! 
Connecticut Game. 
Haddam, Conn.. Sept. 1. — From observation and reports, 
quail and partridge are going to be quite plenty in this sec- 
lion the coming open season, which begms Oct 15 instead 
of the 1st. as formerly, and closes Dec. 15 int-tead of Jan. 1, 
as hereli f ore ; for which I am heartily glad, and hope the 
law will bi' strictly observed. 
As for rail, I don't see how there can be many, for if they 
come to their usual haunts along the river they will find no 
wild oats, their usual feeding grounds having been three 
times swept clean by rushing freshets during the summer. 
, A. 
Proprietors of fishing resorts will find it profitable to advertise 
them in Forest and Stream. 
The "Game Laws in Brief." 
The current edition of tiie Game Laws in Brief (index page dated 
Aug. 1) contains the fish and game laws for 1897, with a few excep- 
tions, as they will continue in force during the year. As about forty 
States and Provinces have amended their laws this year, the Brief 
has been practically done over new. Sent postpaid by the Forest 
and Stream Pub, Co. on receipt of price, 25 cents. All dealers sell if 
THE OLD COLONY CLUB. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
The sixth annual dinner and meeting of the Old Colony 
C!ub at the Vineyard Sound House, Falmouth Heights, on 
Saturday. Aug. 20, was an interesting occasion. 
In the business meeting preceding the dinner, about one 
hundred membtrs participated, Mr. Joseph Jefferson presid- 
ing. The old oificers were re-elected: Joseph Jefferson, 
President : Gerard C Tobey, Charles P. Horton and John S. 
Bleakie, Vlce-Ptfsidents; Charles F. Cbamberlayne, Secre- 
tary, and Geo W. Jones, Treasurer. The executive com- 
mittee was unanimously re-elected, with the substitution of 
Charles H Jones, of Falmouth, and Henry C Thacher, of 
Yarmouth, for Herbert S. Carruth and Major 8 B Phin- 
ney, resigned An address to the Selectmen of the Buzzard's 
Bay town recommending to their consideration Chapter 354 
of the acts of 1897 relating to the prevention of forest 
fires, largely procured- by the efforts of the club, was 
adopted. 
The guest of honor at the dinner, a regulation Rhode 
Island clambake, was Capt. Edward R. Ashley, Esq , of 
Acu9hnot, who, as one o' the committee on Inland Fisheries 
and Game of the Legislature of 1897, rendered great service 
to the fisheries of Buzzard's Biy. 
In introducing bim, President Jefferson, who presided in 
his usual sparkling manner, after thanking him for his ser- 
vices to the cause, proceeded to say: "The worthy captain 
has just told me that it is useless to expect of him a speech, 
but that if he were walking the quarter deck of a ship he 
would know where he was. Now, that is where he greatly 
differs from myself. When I am walking the quarter deck 
of a ship I do not in the least know where I am. I am re- 
minded of what once occurred to me. I was crossing the 
Atlantic. The weather was dreadful. Cipt. Ai'hley knows 
what that means. 1 was trying to guide myself along the 
deck and incidentally to aid others In this mission I ran 
across a lady lying prostrated on the deck, evidently sorely 
troubled with that dreadful disease, seasickness. I said to 
her: 'Madam, may I bring you anything to relieve you?' 
"She looked at me and feebly said: 'I b»g you will not 
mention it. Will you also kindly excuse me, sir?' 
"I then said to her: 'But is there nothing 1 can do for 
you?' 
" 'No, sir,' said she, in the same tone; 'please go away.' 
" 'But, madam,' I said, 'you are evidently suffering. Can 
1 do nothing to help you?' 
" 'I wish,' said she, 'that you would go away. I am not 
fit to see any one. I am not fit to speak to any one.' 
. " 'I am sorry, madam," I persisted, 'that I can be of so 
little service. Can 1 do nothing for your poor husband, the 
gentleman whose head I see in your lap?' 
" 'Oh!' said she, 'that is not my husband. I do not in the 
least know who he is.' 
' Capt. Ashley, whom we all delight to honor for his 
valiant work in the Lr-gislature," continued Mr. Jefferson, 
"tells me that when he started in life he had but a single suit 
of clothes to hia name. Lucky man! I think I may safely 
eay that I myself started in life with consideiably less." 
Capt, Ashley, on arising lo respond to the many pleasant 
things said of him, was greeted with three enthusiastic 
cheers. He was not, he said, prepared to make a speech. 
He was not rigged for it. When he had gone to the Legis- 
lature last winter he had done what he did not for the bene- 
fit of any club, or for the good of any set of men whatever, 
but because he felt it his duty to his constituents and to the 
Commonwealth to do so. Under the same circumstances he 
would do the same thing again. 
Hon. District Attorney Robert O. Harris, the next speaker, 
after applauding the valuable work of the club, of which he 
was a member, took occasion to say that, as a result of their 
efforts, the fishing in Buzzard's Bay had vastly improved; of 
ivhich fact he gave several personal experiences of excellent 
fishing he had had for bhiefish near his own house at North 
Falmouth, 
Gerald C. Tobey, Esq., and John 8. Bleakie, vice presi- 
dents, spoke briefly oi the actual work of the club during the 
last year in antagonizing and defeating a bill licensing porgy 
steamers; a biU permitting Gosnold citizens to set pounds; 
the bill to permit free scallop catching in Buzzard's Bay. 
The next speaker, Charles F. Cbamberlayne, Esq , the 
reelected secretary of the club, was cordially received. At 
the conclusion of his remarks the club rose and cheered the 
secretary, ami voted that the thanks of the ciuh be extended 
the aduress and that he be requested to transmit the 
same to the press of Boston, Brockton and Cape Cod, as a 
correct expression of the sentiments and objects of the club. 
Mr. Chamberlayne spoke substantially as follows: 
"Your secretary is accorded so many other opportunities 
of addres ing the club as make it hardly fitting for me to 
address you, were it not possible that a word as to the mis- 
sion of the club might be of interest to the many new mem 
hers who have lately joined our ranks. 
"Allow me first to ihank you for rt Sleeting me your sec- 
retary. It is an honor which I esteem and one which brings 
with it duties which have never proved to me other than a 
pleasure. I fancy this feeling is due to the fact that the 
work of the club means something; that it is an organization 
with an object. As we meet year by year at these annual 
gatherincs, in ever-increasing numbers and enthusias-m. the 
peculiar- value of the occasion to us is not that we may again 
greet our distinguished president, or meet each other; or eat 
an excellent dinner, or admire Mr Lawrence's tasteful dec- 
orations, pleasant as all these thicgs are. We recognize 
as the essential Hgniflcance of our meeting, (hat it empha 
sizes, 80 i&r as our influence extends, to our Buzzard's Bay 
communities, our renewed devotion to certain p inciples of 
conduct which we regard and therefore commend to them as 
most essential to their legitimate growth *ind development. 
We insist, and to-day ren^w our allegiance to the propo- 
sition that these Buzzard's Bay communities present im- 
mense, almost unlimited, capabilities ^or legitimate develop- 
ment not only along the lines of material prosperity, but as 
to those more subtle and intangible elements of our life 
which delight the eye and feed the soul. In this spirit we 
seek suitably to mark and preserve the historical local land- 
marks of our ancient history, and have Veen instrumental in 
the creation of the 'Old Colony Commission' created for 
that purpose. We endeavor to secure, so far as possible, 
the preservation of our magnificent forest stretches, to the 
increased beauty of our highways, the improvement of our 
climate, and the chance to delve into the shady recesses 
where nature still reserves her choicest charms for those 
who seek her wisely. To this end we have this year, with 
the especial assistance of our vice-president. Col Charles P. 
Horton, been of use in securing the best statute for the pre- 
vention of forest fires ever placed upon the statute booka of 
Massachusetts. 
"It is strictly in accordance with these ideas of the public 
interest that we should insist, as we most emphatically do, 
that certain of the other bounties of nature are property in the 
preservation of which the entire community is Interested and 
should protect and preserve for the present and future bene- 
fit of all its people. This club is necessarily an organized 
protest against a wanton, shortsighted destruction, for the 
benefit of a few of natural advantages which, properly hus- 
banded, might enrich the lives of the entire community. 
We demand that the great natural spawning ground of Buz- 
zard's Bay should be preserved alike from the local pound 
owner or the porgy pirates of Tiverton, Rhode Island, as 
each seeks, though in somewhat different ways, to monopolize 
for his personal benefit what the Almighty apparently de- 
signed for mankind Our success in this connei tion is writ- 
ten down plainly in the fact that Buzzard's Bay at this 
moment, alone of all the beautiful inlets of the Atlantic 
coast, is absolutely protected, in perfect equality to every 
one, and with special privileges to none, for such a common 
use by the general public as insures the greatest possible use- 
fulness consistent with maintaining the supply. 
"Objects such as tho^e do not easily admit of misrepre- 
sentation. As an organization, so far as known to me, we 
have HO friends but the friends of our cau e; we have no 
enemies but the enemies of our cause. We advance no one's 
political aspirations. We honor no man except as we esteem 
his work in those directions, and we welcome every man to 
our DMiaabership who will aid our objects, whatever his 
color, religion, wealth or views on silver or the tariff, 
"Upon this statement of faith and exhibition of works, we 
earnestly solicit the continued and increased cooperation of 
all persons, whether permamnt or temporarily resident, in 
these communities. We are entitled to the support of all 
who believe aswedo. The adequate realization of our objects 
would mean not only an increase of value to every acre of 
ground and an increased enjoyment for every hfe on these 
shores, but would assist to make this section of the State the 
ideal place of residence which it is capable of being made. 
It would even go further. Such a re ult would assist, in no 
small measure by the fxhibition of its demonstrated benefit 
to emphasize (as aheady is being done as to our fisheries) the 
fact that a wise pn servation of the bounties of nature is as 
invariably beneficial as the opposite policy overreaches and 
defeats itself. Such an end would be no insignificant con- 
tribution to the general good, and the opportunity of co- 
operating in attaining it is a privilege. 
"The practical thing to do at present is to increase our 
membership. The more rapidly this is done, the greater the 
progress which can be made Every new membei means a 
broadening of the influence whit:h is needed for the workj 
and, while the club's finances seem in excellent condition, 
such an increased membership would result in more equita- 
ble distribution of the tin ncial burden to the relief of the 
undue proportion which certain of our members are at pres- 
ent carrying. The process is very simple Send to or see 
an offii;er member of the club and send the names to the sec 
retary. £f any choice is to be had where all are welcome, I 
imagine that a public- spirited townsman who does not go 
fishing much is the ideal member. 
"It is too early to relax our vigilance r^irding Buzzard's 
Bay. So long as the profits of catching othtr peopL'a fish 
continue so great, we must be prepared to defend these 
waters. But the club lonks forward with impatience to be- 
ing permitted to use more of its money and thought in the 
attainment of its other objects, and with confidence that each 
of our members and the club as a whole do its full share, 
while the responsibility is with us, toward the best develop- 
ment and enrichment of this section of the commonwealth ' 
Among the guests invited by the club were most of the 
selectmen of the Buzzard's Bay towns. The first speakers, 
on the relation of the towns to the Buzzard's Bay fi heries, 
was the stanch friend of the fisherici, Hon. George I, 
Briggs, chairman of the Selectmen of Bourne, 
Mr. Briggs expressed the opinion that the prosperity of the 
Buzzard's Bay towns was inseparably connected with the 
preservation of the fisheries, and therefore, it was, in his 
judgment, not only justifiable, but necessary that the towns 
in their corporate capacity should raise and appropriate 
money for the defense of these fisheries. He therefore 
respectfully suggested that the Old Colony Club consider the 
propriety of securing such legislation, as might enable towns 
legally to appropriate money for that purpose. As for 
Bourne, it unanimously had this year placed |500 from the 
proceeds of its herrieg fishery at the disposal ot the selectmen 
for defense of its fishery rights, and it was prepared to do 
the same thing in future. He strongly ureed a similar course 
upon the attention of the other towns. John H. Howland, 
chairman of Heleotmen of F^irbaven, and G'^oree H Palmer, 
o<" New Bed orf^; J-roes L C'l , chairman (if S' le Imen of 
Mattapoisetl; Benj F G t bs cbai'njan of S le- nen of 
Wareham, and Joshua C R bi sou, nf Falmouth, ^ <>ke of 
the interest of their resp c'.ive towns in the p eservation ot 
the fisberies. 
Among the other speakers were R v. N fl ChamVrlain, 
upon the prt servation of historical -pnts; Col. A M. Ftrris, 
of Newton; Edward H Burgess, ol the B.atmm's Associa- 
tion; Walter Rapp, of Brockton, and Horace S. Crowell, of 
Boston, Chas. F. Chamberlayne, Sec'y. 
SUMMER TARPON FISHING 
Two Days with the Tarpon at Aransas Pass, Tex. 
HAYiNft for years had a de-^ire to trv my liand on the tar- 
pon or '-iiver king," I concluded on Aug 9 that I would 
make the effurt. 
Leaving Litile R ck on Monday afternoon, the 9th ult , 
over the Iron Mountain Riilroad lo Texarkana, I caught the 
Cotton Belt train to Waco, where a nighl'n rest is giv n. and 
the Arausasi Pass Railroad early the next morning starts for 
Ri)ckport, Tex., whtre you arrive in time f^r late supper. 
The following morning our party, which had now grown 
quite large, left Rockport on the mail boat, in command of 
Ciipt, 8 tm Grey, for Tarpon City, at the head of Mustang 
Island, where we were welcomed by the landlord of the 
Ingleside Hotel, Capt, Hatfield, and just in time for dinner 
after a beautiful sail of about fifteen miles. 
Here we found quite a number of sportsmen lying around 
enjoying the cool oreezes off the Gulf of Mexico Among 
them w.re J S, Ingram, of Pine Blaff, the champion tarpon 
fisherman of the season, having seventy-six tarpon to his 
credit already this season (and, by the way, he expects to 
make it an even 100 and then qui'); Byron Houston and Mr, 
Maverick, of San Antonio; J. A. Edison, of Tyler, Tex., and 
W. C. Conner, ex-Mayor of Dallas, Tex , and a number of 
others made up as jjlly a lot of fishermen as one would care 
to meet. 
Having been provided with a tarpon reel and some hooks, 
I selected a bamooo cane rod that had been cut down to about 
8ft. and mounted with guiiles and a good tip. 1 had my reel 
lashed to it, and after attaching my hook I was ready for the 
fray, not, however, without some misgivings as to the 
strength of my line, but had been used. Mr, Ingram sug- 
gested that I could buy at the little store for 15 cents a cot- 
ton line that would fill the bill, so £ at once availed myself of 
such an investment; and it was a g'>od thing I did, as my 
experience will show. Going to the wharf, 1 hired a boat- 
man for $3 per day and bait. All being ready, I took my 
seat in a comfortable chair in the rear of the' boat, facing 
the stern, and my boatman put on a live mullet and 
we were riff for the pa>-s, som^- iSOyds. distant. Paying 
out some 100ft of line from the rear of th^ boat we slowly 
pulled out 10 the pass. It was but a short time until the pass 
was fillf'dwith tarpon fishermen, and s'ea Hiy they rowed up 
and down and across the chttnn>4 The tide goina: out made 
a good current. In a few moments Mr, Conner, of Dallas, 
Tex , had a strike and a great fl.-h, like a flash of lightning, 
cleared the water with the big hook fast in his gills, and then 
ajain and again he showed his beautiful shape clear of the 
water, and a loud cheer went up for the lucky fisherman, 
who after about an hour's hard work landed him safely on 
the beach, and the first tarpon for the afternoon was killed. 
Next a Mr. Sarazen, of Sherman, Tex., took a beauty and 
landed it m fine shape. All this lime I had been an admir- 
ing spectator and wishing for my time to come, when I felt 
a tug at my line and I instantly gave a vigorous strike, and 
out came another tarpon, clearing the water fully 6ft,, shak- 
ing his head to dislodge the hook from his jaws, and down 
only a moment until he was out again, and when he struck 
the watr r again he made a bee line for the Gulf of Mexico. 
I put on my brake, and that tbrough my iuexperience was 
too much for my line, and to my disgust u parted, and away 
went my first tarpnn, leaving me feeling very cbrao; but 
nothing was lelt but to try again. So putting on my 1-5 cent 
cotton line I was soon ready, but save a strike or iwo I 
failed <o ho(!k another and went back to the hotel fethn.g 
sore at havicg had my chance and lost it. 1 was r-^tless 
and nervous and wanted to go out by moonlight and try to 
catch another, but the more exp rienced fisherman assured 
me that I would get a chance on the mono *v. 1 had oidy 
arranged to spend a couple of days and one had gone, and I 
feared the mail boat would go back to Roi kport the next day 
before I could land my tarpon. However, the next morning 
I was up bright and tarly, all anxious tor ano her strike, 
having seen those big silver beauucs in their wild leaps in 
the air all night in my sleep. 
Starting oai next day with a strong determination to land 
a tarpon, 1 was soon out in i;he pass. In a suoit time I had 
a striae and hooked a fish, but ii did not come out of the 
water, and we knew almost positively that it was n t a tar- 
pon because it did not show itself, and yet it fought like a 
tiger; what could it be— stingarei , j wti^ho^ what? At't-rr 
working with him for thirty minut s I told my boatman to 
pull for the beach, and under aright strain we led him toward 
the shore. Before arriving there 1 was surprised and oisgusted 
too to find that I had a shaik hard and fast. I wished I did 
not bave him, lU' there wa only one way to get nd of him, 
and that was to land the ugly tning, which I did, and was 
glad to get him off. We went rignt back into the channel 
and I soon had a strike right, and instantly a royal fish 
jumped high out of the water, am again and agam did he 
jump to ri i himself of the ste. I. 1 had nim pretty s iid toall 
intent, and after the third j imp be started for the G ilf ; but 
by this time 1 had gained some p jintcrs on the hiindUng of 
this great fish, and when he m tde uis grind rush I put on 
the brake and b^d the boatman row up oq turn, naihenng in 
the line, inch by inch, and after a cmscant figat ot one and 
one half hours we reached the shore with the uoat, and I 
j 'imped out on the beach, hauling (he beautitul fim up to 
within reach of the boatman with his gaff, but the fish 
turned and he missed his cnance, and as he wallowed and 
fought in the surf, the hook 1 ist its hold, and my second tar- 
pon swam away. My friend Edson had just landed oup at 
the same place, and he can tell you how bidly I felt, I felt 
that now I surely would have to go back without my tarpon, 
but after a little encouragement from EJson 1 took to the 
boat again, and another shark was the result. Two sharks 
taken m one forenoon. I went in to dinner with a heavy 
heart and found mu jh sympathy, as everybody wanted to see 
me get one tarpon out on the land. 
Although the boat had not arrived, I had made up my 
mind to wait for the boat the next day, as a tarpon 1 mu^t 
have. Swallowing my dinner and gcttmg a new boatman 
(having worn out my boy of the morning), I started again 
