Mat 26, ipoo.1 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
409 
by the weary plow of the discouraged farmer, and then 
at last our nice pike road disappeared. Look as we 
might, we could no longer see a farm. The low hills 
rolled off and off, the one like to another, and nowhere 
on their monotonous expanse was there visible a green or 
gray spot to mark a clearing. Around us rose white 
thickets of poplars and birch and little young pines and 
short new-grown cedars. Our road grew bumpy with 
startling rapiditj^ "This is the last settlement," said our 
chief; and so at last we found ourselves in one of those 
few regions now left in America where you may travel 
for nearly fifty miles in any direction and not strike a 
human habitation. It was delightful to feel that we 
were out of elbow touch with all the world. This was 
world enough that lay about us; a ruined and desolated 
world, to be sure, but one which was not now con- 
taminated by the foot of trampling humanity. So we 
breathed big and looked far and were very, very happy. 
The road grew continually bumpier, and as it did so we 
grew ever the happier. 
At last there rose before us a thin streak on the far 
horizon, the blue of a noble lake. Still we drove on and 
on. It was well on in the afternoon when we topped a 
little rise and looked down into an enchanted valley. 
There lay the camp which we were to occupy, and com- 
fortably enough it seemed, with its low, broad roof and 
its sides of massive logs, and the smoke curling com- 
fortably up in the still air of the cool day of Northern 
springtime. We pushed down the slope with a rush, and 
saw Buck, the lodge keeper, waiting for us; saw Paul 
Murray, ninety-six years of age, waiting for us, and 
waving welcome with two thin, feeble hands, both ex- 
tended as tliough he were making invocation. So we 
piled out, and bundled in by the great fire in the big fire- 
place, and made ready all things for the following day. 
which was to be the first day of May and the opening 
day of the trout season. 
And what then followed shall be said at another time. 
All that I shall vouchsafe now is that we caught trout, 
and caught plenty of them, and that_ the story shall__be 
worth reading, because it tells of a wide land where few- 
people live, and tell.« of taking trout upon the fly, the acme 
of our Western angling. 
E. Hough. 
Hartford BuitfiiNe, Chicago, 111. 
New York Fish Distribution. 
The Forest, Fish and Game Commission gathered at the 
Constantia hatchery on Oneida Lake over 80,000,000 of 
pike-perch eggs this year, and between 50.000,000 and 
55,000,000 of the eggs were hatched and distributed in the 
waters of the State. This was the most successful season 
at this station in the history of the Commission, and the 
percentage of eggs hatched was most satisfactory, as the 
eggs are more difficult to handle than the free eggs of the 
salmon family. 
The mascalonge work at Bemus Point was not so 
encouraging, as up to this time only 6,800,000 eggs have 
been taken, and it is estimated that about 60 per cent, of 
the eggs will be hatched. Some fingerling mascalonge 
will be reared, but the bulk of the young fish will be dis- 
tributed in the fry stage. It is the policy of the Commis- 
sion to plant the greater portion of the fry hatched from 
esgs taken from any water in the water from which the 
breeding fish were taken, and following this policy over 
15,000,000 of pike-perch have been, or will be, planted in 
Oneida Lake, and over 3.000,000 of the mascalonge will be 
planted in Chautauqua Lake. 
The shad season on the Atlantic coast has been an ex- 
cellent one, and the U. S. Fish Commission has granted 
to the Forest, Fish and Game Commission five carloads of 
shad fry for the Hudson River, and three carloads have 
been already planted. The total plant will amount to over 
10,000,000 shad fry. In addition to this contribution from 
the U. S. Fish Commission of fry from eggs taken in the 
Susquehanna, the State Commission last week commenced 
operations at the shad station at Catskill-on-the-Hudson. 
The big run of shad in the Hudson is attributable to two 
causes . Three years ago the law went into effect causing 
the fishermen to take up their nets Friday night and to 
keep them up until Monday morning, and at the same 
time the State planted 10,800,000 shad fry in the river. 
The shad of the Hudson, the one shad river in the State, 
yields food in value nearly four times greater than the 
entire amount expended by the Commission for hatching 
and distributing fish of all kinds, and it is the great com- 
mercial fish of the State. Artificial fishculture has brought 
the price of shad down from 75 to 12 cents in the market 
since the Commission was created. The cultivation of 
other fishes reared by the State is also satisfactory in re- 
sults obtained, and this year large quantities of young 
mascalonge were taken in the nets set for breeding fish. 
San Francisco Fly-Casling: Club, 
" Medal contests, series of 1900, contest No. 7. held at 
Stow Lake May 12. Wind, west ; weather, perfect. 
94 
Edwards . . 
85 
Everett . . . 
107 
Golcher ... 
124 
117 
Mansfield . 
Miller .... 
......102.6 
Skinner .. 
..... SO 
92 
Event Event 
No. 1, No '\ 
Distance, Accuracy, 
Feet Per cent. 
75.4 
95 
95.4 
96 
94.8 
96 
93.8 
96.4 
92.8 
, Event No. 8,- 
Acc % Uel. % 
76 
87 
87.8 
90.8 
84.4 
93 
82 
86.4 
94.8 
64.2 
75 
72.6 
88.4 
72.6 
74.2 
76.8 
81.8 
71.8 
Event 
No 4. 
I.ure 
Net^ 
Casting^ 
70.1 
81 
67 
80.1 
S9'.6 
78.5 
93 2-5 
83.7 
90 
78.4 
84 
71 3-5 
S3.2 
89.6 
85 
110 
86 
100.6 
92.8 
115 
92,8 
72 
91.8 
91 
86 
122 
94.4 
93.8 
io6 
91.4 
73 
85.8 
94 
95.4 
79 
61.8 
70.4 
84.8 
73.4 
79 
92 
74.2 
83.1 
92 
76.8 
84.4 
85 
68.4 
76.8 
94 
67.6 
80.9 
87.4 
78.4 
82.10 
94 
80.10 
87.5 
86.4 
" 78.4 
82.4 
86 
67.6 
76.9 
93.4 
75.10 
84.7 
Wind, west; 
74 
68 
Contest No. 7, held at Stow Lake May 13- 
weather, perfect. 
W E Br.ooks... 
T Rrotherton.. 
E Everett 
H C Gnlcher... 
F M Haight... - 
C Huvck 91 
A E Lovett 
W D Mansfield. 
H F Miller 100 
C C Stratton.., 
C G Youn.e; - ,r c u 
Judges, Everett, Young and Haight; referee, Manslield; 
cjefk, Huyck. 
92 
87.3 
60 
78.3 
72.4 
A Deed in Rhyme. 
Lakeport, N. H— Editor Forest and Stream: The inclosed 
clipping from the Manchester, N. H., Union may be fishy 
enough for your angling columns: Geo. B. Thyng. 
vertising columns of this paper next issue. 
entry blanks are ready for mailing. S. C. 
Kules' and 
Bradley. 
The lawyer-poet of Carroll county, the late William C. Fox, of 
Wolfeborough, able and witty, wrote and had recorded at the 
registry of deeds for that county two deeds, one of which appeared 
in our columns some time since. The other is as follows: 
To all men by these presents be it ksjown— 
Or, secrecy enjoined, to woman one — 
That, I, who 'mongst my agricultural peers, 
Am "Farmer" Rogers called these many years. 
My Christian prefix being David C, 
By my respected sire bestowed on me. 
Having a "habitation and a name," 
Since first upon this mundane sphere I came, 
In Wolfeborough, New Hampshire, Carroll county, 
In full consideration of the bounty 
Of my good friend and amicable wisher. 
Of piscatorial promise, O. M. Fisher, 
Who books his name (see Belvue's record on't) 
As dweller at Montpelier, Vermont, 
And for five dollars — erst ycleped a "V," 
By the said Fisher truly paid to me, 
Have quit-claimed, remised and do 
Remise, release, forever quit-claim to 
Grantee, his heirs and his and their assigns 
Forever and for aye — as run these lines: 
A certain island, somewhat rough and rocky, 
In that aquatic pond called Winnipiseogee, 
Or better known by those who don't live near it 
As the "Sweet orient smile of the Great Spirit," 
Containing one-fourth acre, less or more. 
Some few stones' throw from Winslow Banfield's shore. 
Or Jethro Furber's, not in any town, 
But in said Carroll county not set down 
In William Crocker's critical survey, 
But known as Coffin's Island many a day: 
To have and hold said premisesremised, 
All privileges, much or little prized, 
And all appurtenances to the same. 
To said grantee, his heirs, of whatever name. 
Fisher or Fish, of high or low degree, 
% And true assigns, which Fish or Fisher's be. 
■'■ With said grantee I also covenant 
To warrant and defend (nor say I can't) 
The same to him each heir assign 
'Gainst lawful claimants under me or mine. 
So let the name of Coffin buried be. 
And Fisher stand while rivers seek the sea: 
From Fisher's Island may the fish house rise. 
Its fish-crowned smoke stack pierce the skies; 
Its walls be cheered with ever happy faces. 
And all our fish lines fall in pleasant place.?. 
In witness whereof, without more ado, 
I have my hand and seal set hereunto, 
Upon the tenth of March's length 'ning days, 
In the first year of Presidential Hayes. 
Sigrned, sealed and full delivery made o'er, 
In presence of us two — as good as four. 
Stephen Durgin. David C. Rogers. (Seal.) 
William C. Fox. 
State of New Hampshire,' Carroll ss. Given 
March tenth; new st5'le, A. D. 1877. 
To me well known in person and by name, 
David C. Rogers personally came, 
And the above instrument declared to be 
His voluntary act and deed. 'Fore me, 
William C. Fox, Esquire, now, as of late. 
Justice of the peace and quorum for the State. 
Waitingl for the ."Weakfish. 
QuEENSWATER, L. I., May 21. — The fishing season has 
opened and blackfish (tautog) and flounders are biting 
freely. The fishermen are waiting for the weather to 
get warm enough to make the weakfish bite. There is an 
old tradition that weakfish will not bite until the green 
meadow grass obscures the brown, dead grass of last 
year. According to this rule, it is now about time to 
look for weakfish. A school of bluefish came into the bay 
last week and many of them were captured by the net 
fishermen. The early advent of bluefish is .said to be a 
good sign, and fishermen anticipate a good season. 
! QUAHOG. 
Round Mountain Lake. 
EusTis, Me., May ig.— Editor Forest and Stream: The 
ice is out of Round Mountain Lake, and trout are lively. 
The camps are being put in order for the season, and 
the proprietors are busy having boats and everything 
about the place put in readiness for early oarties. The 
coming week A. T. Harwood and F. F. Place, of Bos- 
ton, with a party- of six or eight gentlemen from Massa- 
chusetts, will be here. A number of Lynn sportsmen are 
to arrive a few days later, all eager for t^-'e early 
sport. Edgar Smith 
'fo Mmnet 
Fixtures* 
FIELD TRIALS. 
Nov. IS.— Chatham, Ont.— Twelfth annual field trials of the In- 
ternational Field Trials Club. W. B. Wells. Hon Sec'y. 
Nov 18.— Newton, N. C— Eastern Field Trials Club s twenty- 
p*rvind annual field trials. S. C. Bradley, Sec'y, Greenfield Hill, 
Conn. 
Eastern Field Trials. 
Greenfield Hill, Com— Editor Forest and Stream: 
The Eastern Field Trials Club will hold the twenty- 
second annual field trials at Newton, N. C, begmnmg 
with the Members' Stake, Nov. i6, followed with the 
Derby, All-Age and Subscription stakes, oocn to the 
world. Mr. Arthur Merriman and Theodore Sturges will 
act as two of the judges, the third judge to be selected. 
The dates of running the different stakes, time of 
closing entries, purses offered, will be printed in the ad- 
Points and Flushes. 
Volume i6 of the American Kennel Stud Book for 
contains registrations from 49 977 to 54,327. It gives a list 
of the active and associate members, a list of the bench 
shows, number of dogs entered, judges, etc., and the bench 
show winnings of 1899, It is neatly printed and bound, in 
manner like that of the previous volume. 
The Cruise of the Beetle. 
!♦ — The Boat. 
Beetle is a small canvas sailboat which I built in the 
spring of 1899. Canvas canoes are common, but I had 
never seen nor heard of a regular sailboat constructed of 
this material, until after mine was completed, since when 
I have seen two, only one of which resembles mine_ in 
model, the other being more like a canoe-yawl. Regarding 
my attempt as a somewhat doubtful experiment, I was 
careful not to risk greater expense for materials than was 
absolutely necessary, and though I took pains with her 
model and essential parts of her workmanship, her out- 
ward finish is somewhat rough. 
For instance, her ribs are made of straight young shoots 
of maple, apple and 'other trees, cut when green, trimmed 
and bent into place with the bark on. The first boat 
builder who saw them asked me dryly if I wasn't afraid 
they would grow, but they have never given me any 
trouble on that score. She is finished in asphaltum 
varnish, which, though a handsome glossy black when 
new, assumes a peculiarly green gray hue when weather- 
beaten, so that I have twice had to answer a fool question 
as to whether or not she was made of cast iron. Her 
length over all is 12ft., greatest beam 4ft., depth amidships 
about X3in., sheer very slight. Decked about 3^ft. for- 
ward, 2ft. aft and 6in. at sides of cockpit. Stern about 
2ft. broad at deck. Centerboard of galvanized iron, not 
very heavy, 3oin. long and dropping about Sin. below 
keel. It had a drop of over a foot at first, but I found 
it unnecessary. Trunk of yiin. pine, placed well for- 
ward — too much so, in fact, until I changed the sail to a 
balance lug, which by a portion of its area being forward 
of the mast corrected the excessive weather helm. Her 
keelson consisted of an inch pine board I4in. wide amid- 
ships, lin. wide at stem, and about 4in. wide at stern, 
rounded on the lower edges. This gave an excellent hold 
for nailing the ribs, and being so broad, I mortised the 
whole centerboard trunk right through the keelson. Out- 
side the ribs ran several longitudinal strips of Ught 
wood, and over these the canvas. The deck was also of 
canvas, on a light but strong frame. The outer keel was 
oak, y2 X 2in., and there were two light bilge keels to keep 
the canoe from chafing when she rested 011 shore. The 
work took my spare time for between six and seven 
weeks, all told. 
Her first sail was a peculiar one of my own device. It 
had the pin and ring, and the very short mast of the 
lateen sail, but the yard went straight up, continuing the 
line of the mast. This would have made it practically a 
leg of mutton sail in shape, but the leach was cut with 
about ift. sweep, and a batten extended from the jaw of 
the boom diagonally through the sail at an angle of about 
45 degrees. The area was about 70 sq, ft. This form 
of sail had several advantages, but I afterward changed 
it to a balance lug of about the same area, for reasons 
mentioned above, and have been perfectly satisfied with 
the latter. Tin air tanks were fitted under the after deck 
and forv.rard of the mast canable of supporting loolbs. dead 
weight if submerged. These, I assumed, would hold 
heads and shoulders of two or three people out of 
water in case of accident. 
II.— The Outfit 
During the winter and spring my friend H. and I 
discussed various plans for a cruise, and at last settled 
on the St. Lawrence River, so one morning in the middle 
of July, 1899, found us on board the train for Fair Haveh, 
whence we took the steamer to Clayton. We had with' us 
the following luggage: 
1. Shawlftrap containing two home-made sleepmg bags, 
two oiled sheets, one piece of canvas 6 x 12ft. for use; in 
constructing shanty tent, one jointed fishrod: . 
2. Large tin bread box containing bread, buttfer, bacoti, 
eggs, condensed milk, coffee, tea. sugar, salt, beans; four 
tin plates, three tin cups, one small pail, four spoons, three 
forks, three knives, one big spoon. Most of the provisions 
packed in well-fitting tin cans. ^ • ■, 
3. Leather valise containing a very limited suppler pt 
extra clothing, together with combs, brushes, etc._. atid 
also a few extra camning utensils — i. e., a pair of nigger- 
finger tongs for handling burning embers and hot; things 
generally, a fine little hatchet and bowie knife in leath:er 
sheaths on a belt (made by Colclessor Bros., Eldorado. 
Pa.), and a frying pan. Also a little tin box containing 
quinine, mosquito ointment, brandy, rhubarb and vaseline. 
The coarser articles we put in a grain sack, rolling, the 
slack of it round them, and then packing the whoIe_ in the 
valise. We needed a large nail or two, but fourid. it most 
convenient tn purchase at Chvton in'^t before, embarking. 
4. A. kodak camera, loaded with films for 60 exposures. 
Just four packages, all told. It took lots of planning:to 
get our duffle into this compact and handy shape. . . 
Our boat, with sails and oars, had already been shipped 
on by express to Clayton. 
in.— The Voyage Begtin. 
Arriving at Clayton by the steamer Arundel about '8 
P. M.. we got a good sunper of beefsteak, having in rtilfid 
a possible several davs' diet of bacon, eggs and "fish in the 
immediate future. We then bought a good map of the 
Thousand Islands, and H. paid his respects to .some 
friends in town, who recommended us to a good boarding 
place, it being too late and dark to start out that night on 
a cruise in a strange river, unless necessity compelled. 
Next mnrnins' we proceeded to the express office to claim' 
our boat -and were appalled at the exorbitant cbari|e. 
