64 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Jan. is, 1898. 
puppies, dogs and bitches. $10, $5, medal; novice, same; 
jmiior dogs, black, $15, $10 and $5; red or liver, same. 
For full premium list write to Superintendent James 
Mortimer, Roonr 310, Townscnd Building, No. 1123 
Broadway, New York. 
United States Field Trial CIttb. 
Trenton, Tenn. — Editor Forest and Stream: The en- 
tries to the third annual championship trials are as fol- 
lows: 
E. A. Burdette's English setter bitch Ann of Abbotts- 
ford (Gladstone's B03' — Bohemian Girl). 
Same owner's English setter dog Cincinnatus Pride 
(Cincinnatus — Albert's Nellie). 
Charles B. Pineo's pointed dog Yy Rip-Rap (Rip-Rap 
— Pear's Dot). 
H. B. Ledbetter's English setter dog Marie's Sport 
(Gleam's Sport — Marie Avent). 
Charlottesville F. T. Kennel's English setter bitch Pin 
Money (Ct. Gladstone IV.— Daisy Croft). 
Charlottesville F. T. Kennel's pointer dog Tippoo (Rip 
Rap— MonterjO . 
P. Lorillard, Jr.'s, English setter dog Count Gloster 
(Eugene T. — Gloster s Girl). 
Del Monte Kennel's EngHsh setter dog Sam T. (Luke 
Roy— Betty B.). 
Eldred Kennel's English setter dog Tony's Gale (An- 
tonio — Nellie G.). 
Ashford & Odom's pointer dog Von Gull (Kent Elgin 
— Fannie V. Croxteth). 
W. B. Stafford, Sec'y. 
The International Trials, 
StevensvillEj Pa. — Editor Forest and Stream: I have 
this only to say, in answer to Mr. Davidson's article. It 
is too personal to merit more than passing notice. The 
Club's investigation as to the reasons that prompted the 
awards will prove or disprove his assertions. 
^ I thank you most heartily for your article on "Field 
Trial Transitions," as well as your exposition of the 
Substance and meaning of my criticism of the judges' 
awards. W. W. McCain. 
POINTS AND FLUSHES, 
The field-trial prospects for such trials as are fixed to 
be held at New Albany, Miss., are not at all promising 
in respect to the number of birds to be found there. The 
subjoined extract from a letter, under date of Jan. 2, 
written us by Mr J. H. Johnson, Guyton, Miss., ex- 
plains the matter more in detail: "I fear our trials will 
be a failure this year, on account of scarcity of birds. 
Mr. Buckle had to move from his training grounds at 
Grand Junction because of no birds. Mr. Mayfield writes 
me from Mooresville that three small coveys in a day's 
tramp is his luck. I am only finding about two coveys 
to the brace where formerl}'^ I found seven or eight. 
Mr. Bell wrote me to investigate the grounds at New 
Albany, but I learned on the 22d inst.!^ while en route 
for this place, that there were very few birds there." 
In discussing the new Yacht Racing Union of North 
America, all of the British journals lay stress upon the 
fact that two American clubs, the New York and the 
Eastern, are not in accord with the movement, and they 
seem to consider that this disposes of the whole matter. 
If these journals were in any way posted in American 
yachting, they would understand that neither of the two 
clubs named has any material influence to-day on yacht 
building or racing, and that their attitude toward the 
many racing clubs of the country is a matter of very little 
importance. While their co-operation is desired, and 
would be fully appreciated, it is in no way necessary 
or. essential to the success of the new organization. The 
Union -was formed for the purpose of promoting yacht 
racing on the broadest possible basis, of inter-club and 
open events, instead of closed club racing, and of im- 
proving the racing rules. The New York Y. C. has 
nothing whatever to do with open races or with the 
smaller classes, which are practically the only ones 
which race at present; the few races which it holds are 
open only to the larger yachts enrolled in its own fleet. 
These races are limited to two regattas each year and 
the cruise runs, with a few extra events for private cups. 
The "annual regatta" brings out upward of a dozen 
yachts of various rigs and sizes, one or two in a class. 
The "fall regatta" is represented by a circular sent out 
to owners each year announcing the event, and asking 
for entries, the race not coming off in consequence of 
no responses being received. The cruising runs of the 
club in August usually bring out a fair fleet, with three 
to six boats in each of a number of classes, and for the 
first three or four days, possibly until the Vineyard is 
reached, there is fairly good racing. The races for 
special cups, in racing trim, have dwindled to mere per- 
functory affairs, as witness the Goelet cup race in both 
divisions last year. 
In yachting legislation the New Yoric Y. C. has never 
taken a prominent part. The best of the rules on its 
books to-day have only been placed there long after 
they have been adopted and tested by smaller clubs. 
Apart from special legislation relating to the America's 
Cup, the only racing rules originated by the Nevr^ York 
Y. C. for many years are the two relating to maneuver- 
ing for the start and limiting draft, both of which have 
been generally condemned by yachtsmen. ^ 
The New York Y. C. was formally invited to take the 
lead in establishing a national organization, such as 
has since been formed without it> and after full de- 
liberation it accepted the report of its special commit- 
tee in the matter, and refused to have anj'thing to do 
with the scheme. In this report the committee brought 
out most emphatically the point we have made above — 
that tlie New York Y. C. is not a racmg club, but de- 
voted to other branches of yachting, such as cruising, 
conveyancing, etc. 
The Eastern Y. C. is, to a certain extent, in Boston 
Avaters what the New York Y. C. is in New York, the 
premier club, the largest, wealthiest and most distin- 
guished, but it also has little to do with yacht racing. 
Since the disappearance of the larger racing yachts, it has 
lost the prominent position which it assumed through 
its splendid work in 1885, 1886 and T887 in the production 
of Puritan, Mayflower, Volunteer, with other noted 
yachts, such as Sachem. Pappoose, Babboon, all distinc- 
tivelj' Eastern Y. C. craft. To-day it enjoys a good mem- 
bership and a comfortable house and station; but, so 
far as yacht racing or racing legislation is concerned, it 
has no_ influence at all. The power in the East has 
passed into the hands of the union of many small clubs. 
It makes the rules, builds the yachts, gives the prizes 
and manages the races, just as the Sound Y. R. A. does 
about New York. 
On general principles it would be a good thing if 
both of these clubs were in the new Union, but at the 
same time it is not plain that they would be of any 
direct benefit. The present racing rules, imder which at 
least 80 per cent of the races in the United States and 
Canada are sailed, have been made practically Avithout 
the aid of either club, and presumably the work of im- 
proving these rules can go on in the same way. There 
are already, both in Boston and New York, enough 
clubs to more than fill the fixture list each season, so 
that nothing would be gained if both of these clubs 
joined the Union and opened their races to all neighbor- 
ing clubs. The advantage, as we see it, is entirely the 
other way. The yacht racing and tlie rule making are 
now in the hands of the different associations and of the 
Union, and if individual clubs wish to share in either 
they must needs join. The functions of these large clubs 
are materially dift'erent from those of the numerous 
smaller ones. There is a place in New York yachting 
for the New York Y. C. as the oldest, richest and largest 
of American clubs, and a similar place for one club in 
Eastern waters, well filled by the Eastern Y. C. They 
do their work in yachting, and the Union and local 
associations each does its work; there is no reason 
why any antagonism should exist, but at the same time 
it is absurd to ignore the real life and activity of Ameri- 
can yachting to-day simply because it is outside of any 
two clubs. 
It evidently has not occurred to the British journals 
that their argument applies very close to home. As a 
matter of fact, the relations of the Royal Yacht Squadron 
and the British Y. R. A. are not widely different from 
those of the New York Y. C. and the new Y. R. U. 
The Squadron recognizes and tolerates the Y, R. A. It 
could not well do less, considering the age and power 
of the latter, but it does little more. Like the New York 
Y. C, it declines any too intimate connection with the 
many smaller clubs. It makes its own rules and holds 
its close regattas under handicaps of its own peculiar 
kind. It has never cordially co-operated to make the 
Y. R. A. a success; but the latter seems to have worried 
along for over twenty years without it, and we have 
little doubt that the Y. R,. U. of Noiih America will be 
able to follow its older prototype to a successful ma- 
jority. 
If the platis already published of the new Bath steam 
yacht are really correct, and not cooked over from old 
pictures of the Eleanor, our surmise of last week will 
prove only too true. These plans show an enlarged 
Eleanor, just as Eleanor was an enlarged Sagamore. 
All the objectionable features of the latter's design, so far 
as appearance goes, were increased in proportion in the 
enlargement from i6oft. Iwl. to 2oSft., and the same dire 
result is likely to follow the enlargement of Eleanor's 
design to 2S8ft. Iwl. The drawings, so far as they go, 
show the same unfair and shapeless sheer, round amid- 
ships and straight at the ends, and the characteristic 
"dishpan" stern of the Bath boats. If the yacht were 
only intended to potter around home, like Electra, Anita, 
Alicia, Dungeness and Columbia, it would not matter 
so much; but, on the other hand, she is intended for 
foreign cruising, and will cruise next svtmmer in Eu- 
ropean waters as the latest and finest effort of American 
yacht designers. No doubt she will be big and comfort- 
able, like Eleanor, with ample light and ventilation be- 
low, and a good seaboat, but these are only the require- 
ments of a commercial vessel. To be worthy of the 
name of yacht, she should have the externals that are 
commonl}' associated with that class of vessel. 
Througfli tlie Sound in an Oyster Sloop. 
By the time Faullcner's Island was abeam matters had assumed 
an interesting aspect. Wliitecaps were the rule, not the excep- 
tion. The wind liad steadily increased, and though Susie yawned 
at a great rate, yet she made excellent weather of it. We wondered 
if the wind would come much stronger, but concluded it had about 
reached its height; that was wliere we made a monumental mis- 
take. Many a boat of Susie's size would have had at least one 
reef in the mainsail, but we Icept on full mainsail and jib. In this 
manner we sailed until Corn Field Point Lightship was sighted. 
We then decided that the time had certainly arrived to reef. 
Sam watched his chance, and at the proper time lie shoved the 
tiller hard down. Like a swallow on the wing Susie circled on a 
huge roller until her bowsprit pointed into the wind. Stanley and 
I trimmed the mainsheet until the boom was plumb amidships. 
Susie's bow rose until the bowsprit pointed heavenward at an angle 
half way between the western horizon and the zenith. Then down, 
down she plunged, burying her bowsprit as far up as the cutwater. 
Her stern soared high on a rolling billow until it was at an angle 
the same as the bow had been. The sails slatted and banged 
viciously, ropes hissed and snapped, and the wind shook the flying 
jibbooin as a terrier does a rat. Sheets of spray doused us from 
head to foot. Stanley and I quickly lowered the mainsail. Sam 
shoved the tiller hard up, the jib was trimmed to windward long 
enough to drive the bows around to our course, and Susie com- 
menced to fly on her way once more. 
Now that we were headed on our course, Stanley and I took our 
time about reefing. As the wind was undouhtedly increasing in 
strength we tied in two reefs. When our task was finislied we 
hoisted the double-reefed sail and went tearing on our way again. 
Bub now came on deck, and selecting a spot forward of the cabin 
house he laid down. Here the motion of the boat was less severe 
than in the bows or stern ; Bub, therefore, was soon feeling well 
enough to ask questions. Said he: 
"I say, Sam, was you ever out when it was as rough as this be- 
fore?" 
"Why, Bub, this isn't rough." 
"Well, if this isn't rough then I don't know what you call rough. 
Just see how it used me. Why, I haven't had malaria for over a 
year before!" 
Everybody laughed at tliiSj and .Stanley said: "Qvieer kind of 
'malaria,' Bub; looked a good deal more like seasickness to me 
than anything else." 
"Ah, what you giving us? Seasickness your granny! Why I 
was never seasick in my life," sneered BUb in disgust. He and 
Stanley then argued the scientific difference between malaria and 
seasickness for fully an hour. The argument might have lasted in^ 
definitely had not there been something of greater importance to 
occupy the attention of all hands. 
The wind had now reached a really daligeroUs height, and the 
sea had a wild, angry look. While the sun shone bright and clear 
and no cloud could be seen, still there was a cold glare about him 
that was entirely unnatural. Gust after gust the wind came howl- 
ing over the water. It wrenched the crests from the angry seas 
and hurled them in misty cloud patches through the air. When 
one of the gusts would strike Susie the boom and flying jibboom 
would lift high in the air and the mast would bend like a reed. 
The seas— huge, rolling, white-crested monsters — came seething, 
lashing and foaming astern in countless numbers. At times they 
would appear on the point of toppling over the stern and of over- 
whelming our gallant little ship, but, buoyant as a cork, she 
would lift high on the tops of their broken crests, only to sink 
again into the blue, briny valleys down their furthest sides. The 
clear, shar ly-defined sand cliffs of Long Island, with their green 
crests, were rapidly lifting to view, for we were overhauling Rocky 
Point at a good ten-knot clip despite our shortened sail. I could 
tell by the expressions on their faces that Sam and Stanley were 
anxious; I felt nervous, but said nothing. 
We were almost off Rocky Point when we saw a large keel cat- 
boat standing across the Sound toward the Long Island shore. 
She was close-reefed, and every time she fell into a hollow of the 
seas she disappeared so that but half of her sail showed above the 
waves. She crossed our stern half a mile to windward, and we 
could see that every one of her crew of five was stripped and 
ready to swim. As they did not signal or show signs of distress 
we kept on our way. 
With the exception of two schooners under reefed sails, this 
yacht was the only sailing craft of any description we saw from the 
Thirnble Islands to Plum Gut. Soon after passing her we reefed 
the jib and slacked the peaks of the mainsail. We then lashed tiie 
skitt more securely, saw that the hatches were battened down 
tightly, dropped the_ companion slide into place, and made every- 
thing as snug and tight as possible. We were very anxious as to 
what our reception would be in Plum Gut. 
When our precautionary preparations are finished we notice that 
Susie seems to be making better weather of it; although the seas 
are unueniably increasing in size. The wind', however, appears to 
have reached its final height. We are congratulating one another 
on this fact when our ears are greeted by an ominous, hissing, 
sweeping sound. We glance fearfully over the starboard quarter 
and behold an immense wave moving down with irresistible force 
upon us. It appears fully twice the size of any we have yet met. 
As it advances, lofty and white-maned, it roars like a sullen lion 
and hi.sses like ten thousand serpents. We are filled witth appre- - 
hension as to whether Susie will be able to withstand its mighty 
force. On, on it sweeps, until it is but a few yards away. Now we 
sink to the bottom of a valley of liquid blue, a snow-crested moun- 
tain of blue frowns pitilessly down upon us; it topples, falls, and 
roaring like Niagara it buries our gallant little ship in a hissing, 
boiling cauldron of yeasty foam. Staggered, Susie pauses as 
though to gain strength: then, like a maddened Amazon, she 
shakes herself, and with a tremendous heave she bursts through 
the foaming sea. With streaming decks she soars up, up, up to 
the topmost height of the huge, rolling mountain of blue. As she 
sinks into the next indig'o valley she meets a reception somewhat 
similar to the first, though not quite so harsh. 
Three times were our decks swept fore and aft by monster waves 
within a distance of a mile. Then the seas became smaller, and. 
although they yet ran Very high, they were as pigmies compared to 
giants when measured by the tremendous ones that had boarded 
us. 
Sam has spent eighteen years of his life on the Sound, yet he de- 
clared the seas we met that day to be the largest he had ever seen. 
One of the pictures accompanying this yarn is that of a wave 
snapped with the camera by Bub. ft was taken before we met the 
largest waves. We would have tried a shot at one of the latter but 
for the fact that our plates had all been exposed. Nobody seemed 
to care about filling the plate-holders again just then. "We liad 
more serious matters to engage our attention about that time tlian 
taking pictures. In Sam's opinion, the giant waves we met for a 
mile were those of a tide rip. He also thinks we were lucky in 
having the tide in our favor, otherwise we might have swamped. 
Much to our surprise and gratification we found the sea in Plum 
Gut smooth in comparison to what we had already met. The 
wind seemed not to blow so hard, so we shook out the reefs in the 
maiiisail and jib, and Susie raced throtigh the water like a run- 
away horse. 
\Ve were half way through Plum Gut when we met a large steam 
yacht. Her launch, Avith a party of fishermeti E^board, was plunging 
into the waves on Midway Shoal. We thought we saw a number of 
fish taken, but were not sure. The little vessel seemed to have all 
the sea she needed. She would be exposed to full view on the 
crest of a wave for a moment, then she would drop completely out 
of sight into the hollow of a sea. We voted unanimously that she 
wouid surely have broached to and sunk had she been compelled to 
have faced the tremendous seas with which Susie had successfully 
coped. 
Once through Plum Gut, we found the water comparatively 
smooth. True, it was choppy, and as Susie tore on her way with 
lifted s.ieet her lee rail was awash and her shapely bows smashed 
the snappy waves into snowy atoms. The westering sun had lost 
its stony glare of the morning, and it shone with a warm, mellow 
light. The sea showed not the faintest tinge of green, but it was 
of the deepest indigo, and all atremble with millions of flashes and 
sparks, as though strewn with countless diamonds, pearls and em- 
eralds. 
We were half way to Gardiner's Poitit when we rilet a large, 
handsome naphtha launch. She was pure white and fully 50ft. in 
length. Her bright, polished brasswork glowed and flashed radi- 
antly as she jumped a full third of her length out of water upon 
meeting the advancing waves. Bareheaded and in spotless white 
duck, a man lolled in exquisite ease on the launch's stern. He 
indolently waved his right hand as we passed. The reason he 
w-aved his right hand instead of bis left one was plainly evident. 
The left arm encircled the waist of a lady, who, also clad in spot- 
less white, lounged by his side. 
Stanley was so overcome by this sight that he immediately 
started in to devoru- all the canned goods aboard. Before meeting 
the launch he had complained of a feeHng of qualmishness. The 
sight of that blissfvd couple, however, completely cured him. 
Even Bub forgot his malaria, and he voraciously devoured half a 
can of baked beans, half a loaf of bread, enough butter for three 
■men, and a can of apricots. He had just begun on his second 
can of condensed milk when Sam and I entered a protest. We 
wanted another square meal ourselves; so, while Sam steered, I 
went below and passed out part of the cargo to Iiim. 
It was nearly 3 o'clock when Eastern Plain Point was abeam. 
From here we headed the boat for what we took to be the entrance 
to Napeague Harbor. After sailing half way across from the point 
to Long Island we became convinced that what v/e had taken for 
Napeague Harbor was Fort Pond Bay. We then hauled close on 
the wind, and engaged in a snappy beat to windward until we 
sighted the fish factory on Hicks Island, near the entrance to 
Napeague Harbor. After passing the outer red buoy and the inner 
red and black one, the lead-line was brought on deck and we kept 
the lead going until we had safely entered the harbor. 
The fishermen have stuck cedar poles along the edge of the 
crooked channel that leads into the harbor. These must be left on 
the port hand when entering. Boats drawing less than 8ft. of 
water can safely enter the harbor when the water is not too 
rough. The bottom can plainly be seen, aitd it seems not more 
than 5ft. below the surface; but on account of the extreme clear- 
ness of the water the true depth is very deceiving. 
Upon entering the harbor we found the water as smooth as a 
miii pond. After passing three of four fishing sloops, which were 
moored to stakes driven in the mud, we hugged the east shore of 
the harbor close, and sailed well down to its southeast end. We 
anchored off the end of a wrecked pier in 14ft. of water. Susie had 
made the run from New Haven in a trifle over eight hours. 
It was eight bells when sails were furled and everythiing was 
made snug. The sun was still so high that all hands voted to take 
a ramble ashore. A person had told Stanley fabulous stories of 
certain flocks of yellowlegs to be found along the beaches and in 
the marshes that border the harbor. Therefore Stanley decided to^ 
carry along with him his new Winchester pump-gun. 
We pulled the skiff well up on the beach and started off alongi 
the shore. We were surprised and pleased to find such a pecui-- 
liar-looking country. Indeed everything was so strange and inter-r- 
esting that it almost seemed as th&ugli we were in a foreign land. 
We could hardly realize that the mightiest city of the VVestern 
Hemisphere was but a hundred miles or so away. It was strange 
to see vegetation growing profusely out of pure white sand. 
Stunted trees, mostly beach plum, flourished.^ to such an extent as 
to be almost impenetrable in places. Under foot the ground was 
caroeted thickly with diminutive cedars, short grasses and running 
vines. Creeping plants, bearing j^ellow, daisy-like flowers, and 
dwarfed poison ivy, were also very plentiful. In many places the 
sandy hills bore no vegetation, however, but stood mtite monu- 
