114 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
[Aug, II, 1900. 
. Cruise [oflthelCCrescent^ 
The Skipper's Yafn. 
It began last winter when Walt and the Cook (rank 
earned) otherwise known as Damon and Pythias, con- 
ceived the idea of a cruise at the time when by a happy 
coincidence vacation time should come and the w;eaktish 
should be biting. I think they dreamed about it. At 
least it was well talked over, and Koons and your humble 
servant, the Skipper (honorary rank), were easily per- 
suaded to join. As July approached the enthusiasm ot 
the originators rose several points. The lists of neces- 
saries they prepared were appalling. After bemg con- 
sulted about and amended, the list was mostly disregarded 
. when the supplies came to be bought. In an inspired 
moment the Skipper proposed bringing an ancient trunk 
down town and packing all the duffle in it, because it 
would be a handy place to stow things in aboard the boat. 
Whenever Koons spied that trunk in the little cabin of 
the Crescent, he said, with a rich variety of language, 
that the inspiration came from Satan. He thought it took 
up moFL than its fair share of room. The Cook said 
this complaint came with an ill grace from Koons, who 
is more than 6ft. long himself. The Cook, however, made 
his own kick about the trunk when it kept him away 
from his beloved grub locker. The trunk did fill a large 
slice of the cabin, and had to be slued around and 
propped up to make sleeping room, but it kept things dry 
in damp weather, and made things warm whenever Koons 
or the Cook saw it or it inadvertently fell down on Walt s 
feet. as he slept peacefully beneath. On the whole, it was 
not a failure. 
On a pleasant Wednesday afternoon of last July we 
foregathered on the tight little cat-rigged yacht Crescent, 
L. O. A., 24ft. Walt and the Cook had gone witirfhfe 
duffle on Monday to the town of Toms River, situated 
on the river of the same name, where the yacht was 
chartered, and when the Skipper, who joined the party 
lastj arrived, everything was ready for a start. The 
wind was' blowing" a gale from the south, and with a 
close-reefed mainsail we were soon reaching merrily 
down the river. At Island Heights we landed long 
enough to procure some fresh eggs, which had been for- 
gotten at the start. This resort is composed almost ex- 
clusively of handsome cottages nestling among the pines 
on a high bluff overlooking Toms River, about a mile 
from its mouth and three miles across Barnegat Bay from 
the ocean. Our stop here was short, and we were soon 
again under way. two of us with a backward look at the 
pleasant Heights, where we had spent many a happy sum- 
mer day. The water in the river, despite the high 
wind - was smooth, but when we neaped the bay we could 
see that it was very rough and full of whitecaps. It was 
now late, and Ave ran back in the sheltered cove behind 
Good Luck Point and anchored for the night. Here it 
was found that the diminutive oil stoves that we had 
brought along, while they appeared to give lots of heat, 
really took an interminable time about the cooking of 
supper. As we never timed them with a watch, I am 
unable to say whether this was the fault of the stove or 
was due to the prodigious hunger which follows life on 
salt, water. Here also began to be manifested an in- 
teresting rivalrj-^ between Koons and the Cook. Koons 
wanted to fry the fish in butter and the cook railed at 
such extravagant notions and proceeded to fry them in 
lard. Then Koons, who said he had been cook in many a 
fishing camp, told the Cook he didn't know his business. 
Whereupon the Cook said he guessed he did, for he'd 
been taking cooking lessons in the kitchen at home all 
summer. The Skipper, who had been investigating the 
stores, here rose to remark that the Cook had let the 
storekeeper sell him bad lard and — -well, extra bad butter, 
and suggested that he use a combination of the two so 
that one might counteract the other on the principle that 
one poison is an antidote for another. The result was 
that the Cook prepared the fish to suit himself. He 
also opened a can of baked beans. Begns were a weak- 
ness of the Cook's. He used them on all occasions and 
in most of his concoctions. When a strong protest in 
favor of a change of diet had touched his heart and 
caused him to prepare a meal without beans, he was so 
sad, afterward it seemed as if his j'oung life had been 
blighted by the chill air of an unappreciative world. He 
cooked because he liked to. That is why the rest of us 
loved him. It let us out. ^ee? 
After the supper was over and the debris put away, the 
pipes were lighted and the Skipper announced that he 
would sing, if desired, but for some reason the others at 
once discouraged this amiable intention, Walt even to 
the extent of suggesting a ducking in tlie dark water that 
was lapping the sides of the Crescent. Koons, who loves 
peace, started a tall story about a big bass he had once 
caught in a Luzerne county lake. Before he had landed 
the fish, ho\vever, a black cloud which had been visible 
in the west since sunset moved up overhead and brought 
a squall with it, which, even in our sheltered anchorage, 
roughtened the water some. By the time the Skipper and 
Walt had gone over the boat to see that everything was 
secure and to pay out more cable so that the anchor might 
have a better hold, the rain was on us. We sought 
shelter in the cabin and watched the forked tongues of 
the lightning playing over the wooded heights of Money 
Island. This island, by the way, is one of the numerous 
caches of the notorious Captain Kidd. The ill-gotten 
gold buried there, however, in spite of numerous searches, 
has never been found. Men with the gold fever should 
visit this delightful spot. The transoortation charges are 
much less than those to the Klondike country, living is 
cheaper, the climate knider, society more civilized (there 
are summ.er girls here), and the chances of fortune equal 
tho?e of the majority of pro.spectors in the far northern 
gold-fields. 
To' coinc back to the boat, the storm on the watfer was 
a new experience to Koons. and he was somewhat anxious 
lest the tall mast . should prove an attraction to the 
lightning. Walt said that if Koons had finished his fish 
story the danger might have been increased, and heeged 
him-nat.to mention the alleged weight of the fish until 
the storm was ovcT- Koons,. however, could not see the 
force, of this, and opined that the storm was a warning 
to the Skipper not to .sing fih promised song. Tfie rain 
in the meantime had rea.sed. and the niai'n body of the 
storm was passing us to the northward. For an hour 
we sat smoking and watching the grand display of 
heavenly fireworks, and then turned in to dream of the 
weakfish to come. , , , j a x. u j 
Just as the Skipper fell asleep he dreamed he had 
hooked a huge fish, and with the line fouled around his 
foot was being pulled overboard. He woke up to find 
that the Cook was yanking at his foot and the glorious 
was peeping over the strip of beach tliat separated 
sun 
Barnegat Bay from the broad Atlantic. The Skipper 
immediately rolled over onto Walt, who slept deeply and 
musically on the floor of the cabin, and when the com- 
motion had subsided we were all awake. This was the 
only occasion when Walt was awakened without difficulty. 
The morning was cool, and the Skipper's proposal of a 
swim before breakfast met with a reception to match the 
temperature, so he was forced to take his plunge alone. 
The Cook fished the stoves out of a locker and then 
changed his mind and followed the Skipper overboard. 
Walt and Koons shivered about the deck and made 
pointed remarks about people who couldn't dive without 
splashing other people. All, however, appreciated the 
fresh, clean and cheerful appearance of the Skipper after 
his swim, and the other fellows, thereby converted, went 
overboard before breakfast each morning during the 
balance of the cruise. And indeed it is a wise practice, for 
a cold plunge induces, as nothing else that I know of 
can, that cheerful good nature which is so hard for most 
of us to attain in the early hours. To most people the 
early morning air is of various shades of blue, mostly 
dark, which even the exhilaration of living in the open 
air in communion with nature cannot altogether brighen. 
But after the immersion — ah! that is different. A dive 
into the cool depths, the rush of bubbling water by your 
face, a stroke or two, a rise, a shake of the head and 
your eyes arc opened. The pale sun, the dark trees, the 
dull water, the cold wind, the frowns — where are they? 
All banished into the limbo of sleepiness. And now look 
about you. Isn't the scene changed? Doesn't the sun 
shine gloriously? Are not the woods and meadows bril- 
liantly green? See how the water sparkles and dimples 
and laughs like a fair maid welcoming the rosy queen of 
the morning. Who but a clod could frown now? Could 
you? No! You laugh and laugh again for very joy, and 
breathe deep and swim strong, and go ravenously to 
breakfast and thank God that you are alive. And nothing 
has changed since you rose except yourself, my friend. 
The cobwebs are gone, and you are in harmony with 
nature — that's all. So, I say. Heaven bless the man that 
first discovered bathing. 
And so let us come back to the boat and prepare our 
breakfast of fried pearch (I like good Father Izaak's 
spelling), caught the previous day, potatoes, cinnamon 
buns and coffee ad libitum. And now, the crew being 
awake, thanks to the Cook's good strong coffee, the dishes 
were soon washed up (water being plentiful, if somewhat 
hard) and stowed away. The sail Avas hoisted, the anchor 
hove up and away went the Crescent before the gentle 
westerly breeze, headed for Good Luck Point. The 
mention of this name causing some speculation as to its 
origin, the Skipper, between puffs at his corncob, related 
the legend of the Point. The story goes that one of the 
early settlers pursued by Indians rode his horse into the 
water from Coates' Point, v,'hich we see two miles away 
to the north, and wading and swimming managed to reach 
this point of meadows exhausted but safe, and in the 
remembrance of h,is escape called it Good Luck. Looking 
at the distance this morning, it seemed as if Good Horse 
would have been more appropriate. By the time the early 
settler was disposed of, we had rounded the point and 
come into dear old Barnegat Bay. The sheet was 
trimmed and the Crescent was headed for the draw- 
bridge at Barnegat Pier. Then through the draw and — 
ah ! there he is. And we lay to while the early-rising 
baitman pulls his dory alongside and the bait box is sup- 
plied with crabs and a good measure of those little horned, 
shelly acrobats (shrimps) that the weakfish like so well- 
sometimes. And then we fill away again for a long reach 
to the shell beds off Cedar Creek Point, which we can see 
— a long stretch of salt meadow jutting well out into the 
bay. As we approach the charmed spot rods are put 
together and tackle rigged and all carefully stowed in 
the cabin out of the way of careless feet and halyards. 
And then the helm is put down and the sail hangs shaking 
amidships and comes rattling down. The anchor is let go, 
the .sail stowed, and as the good little yacht swings to her 
cable, her crew rush for their implements of sport. 
The long looked for moment has come, and no time is to 
be lost. The Skipper was putting a float on his line when 
the music of Koons' reel began and after a struggle he 
boated two fine weakfish. At the same time Walt began 
to reel in a beauty. Now the Skipper's float went sailing 
off with the tide and then disappeared, and a fine double 
was the result, the Cook and Koons following close. And 
so the sport went on. And what sport ! What a fight 
those fish made on a light rod ! And right here I want to 
say that with similar tackle I have found the weakfish 
(absurd name for the gamy squeteague). at equal weights, 
fully the peer of the fresh-water black bass for gaminess. 
We had previously used what is called weakfish tackle for 
weakfish. That is a stiff and rather heavy lancewood 
rod and thick line. But on this occasion I took along a 
7-ounce split bamboo and a light silk line, with reel to 
match, and after one trial the heavier tackle was dis- 
carded, or used only for trolling or in a swift tideway 
where heavy lead must be used to carry the line to the 
bottom. The way those fish acted when hooked on that 
light tackle was a revelation. They ran and ran again, 
they leaped from the water and repeated the leap; they 
fought to the death, and they were hooked better and 
held better than with the stiffer rod and quick reeling in. 
And the.se, mind you, were fi.sh of to 3 pounds, f 
had persuaded Koons and Walt to take light tackle also, 
and they were delighted with the sport, and twitted the 
Cook, who had refused to abandon his stiff lancewood. 
He, however, said he didn't need any pity, and I suppose, 
knowing no better, he enjoyed it as much as any one. I 
have mentioned that the weakfish hooked on this bass 
tackle and played as a bass is played, often leaped clear, 
out of the water at the end of a rush, for . all the world 
like that gamy denizen of fresh water, I dwell on this 
because I had never seen weakfish do this before', and I 
have, heard it declared that they never do br^ak' water 
Thi.<t was probably becau.se they were generally hauled up 
from the bottom with a steady overhand pull on a hand 
line or reeled quickly up to a stiff rod and swung into the 
boat. But give the weakfish a chance and I, for one, ask 
no better sport than fishing for him. 
Well, the speckled beauties kept corning in and it was 
lon^ after noon before any of the Crescents cared to stop 
fishing to attend to the wants of the inner man. These 
latter, however, finally became too urgent to be disre- 
garded; the fish box becoming full about the same time, 
some of the best of the fish were soon prepared for the 
pan. The work of the Cook was creditable, in spite of 
Koons' criticism, and the results well appreciated. 
The Avind had by this time hauled to the northwest and 
freshened considerably. After dinner a single reef was 
tied in the sail and the Crescent was soon spinning merrily. 
doAvn the bay, with the wind on the quarter and the lee 
deck under Avater, leaving to starboard Forked River, 
Waretown, with its big hotel, and Old Barnegat, On the 
port beam, seeming always in the same position, as we 
folloAved the big semi-circle of the loAver bay, Avas the tall 
tower of Barnegat Lighthouse. 
And so Ave reached Gulf Point below Old Barnegat and 
here the difficulties and excitement of the cruise began. 
DoAvn to this point the Skipper knew the way ; beyond it 
none of us had ever been. Above the channel had been 
wide and deep; here it became narroAV and winding, beset 
with long sinuous bars and Avide expanses of flats, the 
landmarks Avere unknown to us, and our chart was an old 
one. The Cook suggested that our little ship be re- 
christened the Santa Maria. But he Avas renr'nded that 
would be inappropriate, because Columbus had no ch.art 
at all, neither had he such a cook as ours, else he might 
have discovered Ncav York, instead of only Cuba, etc. 
The Crescent drcAv but 2oin., and Ave Avere not compelled 
to use the centerboard, so, tlie tide being about half 
flood, we had little difficulty in keeping afloat. But the 
uncertainty added a spice of excitement to the sail. At 
the upper end of Manahawken Bay the channel turns 
eastward into a narrow thoroughfare, and passes through 
the draAvbridge of the trestle on Avhich the Long Beach 
R. R. crosses the bay. After passing through the draw 
and following an extremely narrow and tortuous channel 
among the islands of Manahawken Ba}', we rounded.' 
Popular Point and were in Little Egg Harbor. Here the 
channel is narroAv, but as it folloAvs the western shore 
line of the bay Ave had little difficulty in keeping in it. 
The wind was noAv dying out, and Avhen Ave reached the 
channel between Long Point and Shellie Island near 
Beach Haven, the reef Avas shaken out. The Avind failed 
rapidly, hoAvever, and the sky became clouded. A change 
Avas evidently coming. After drifting about for half an 
hour, the Avind came up, this time from the east, and we 
Avere soon beating up the narrow but Avell-buoyed passage 
betAveen Little Island and Mordecai Island, and so came 
at last to the Avharf of the Beach Haven Y. C, and all 
hands Avent ashore to stretch their legs and view this 
pleasant resort, and present strings of fish to friends on 
shore ; for the Crescents are too good sportsmen to let 
th^ir fish go to waste. Beach Haven, like all of the sea- 
side resorts of New Jersey south of Point Pleasant, is 
situated on a narrow strip of sand beach, Avith the ocean, 
on one side and on the other an estuary— at this' point' 
the broad island-studded waters of Little Egg Harbor — '■ 
bordered by salt meadows. , Its climate is said to give an 
infallible quietus to hay fever germs, and surely a stay in 
such a place must be a delightful cure for those victims of 
the uncomfortable malady who can afford it. 
Koons and the Cook, with good-natured Avrangling, pur- 
chased some needed provisions, while the Skipper and 
Walt procured the always necessary water supply at a ' 
dilapidated structure built on piles, and bearing the 
euphonious name Hotel de Crab. Then we took our Avay 
back to the boat over the fine gravel road Avhich crosses 
the meadoAV on a causeway. As the location promised 
visits from those sleep and temper destroying pests of 
the meadoAvs, the mosquitoes, we determined not to re- ■ 
main at the pier all night. So Ave got under Avay again, 
and, just as dusk Avas falling, came to anchor in the bay, 
well off the Avest point of Mordecai Island. Supper was 
prepared by the combined systems of Koons and the 
Cook, Avith an elaborate cdnmentary from each on the 
other's way of doing things. All being ready hunger, 
most excellent of sauces, transmuted the plain and plenti- 
ful food into a king's feast, and for tAventy minutes 
nothing was heard but the clash of steel on tin plates and 
the gentle lapping of the wavelets against the boat's side. 
At the end of that time, with a long-draAvn ah-h-h, three 
dark figures leaned back, and shortly Walt, who Avas ever 
the best trencherman, folloAved suit. Almost at the same 
moment rain began to fall, necessitating a quick washing 
up and stowing away of the dishes and an adjournment 
to the cozy cabin, where the day ended AviJi a short pull 
at the rye and a long pull at the comforting pipes. The 
anchor light was hung out and all hands turned in early, 
just tired enough to fall asleep at once and wake the 
next minute to find the sun peeping OA^er the eastern 
meadoAvs and, like the bold loA'er he is, kissing a whole 
flight of delicate little clouds q^itil they blushed all 
shades from a rich crimson to a delicate pink, according 
to their several natures and complexions. Refreshed by 
sleep and revived by the plunge overboard (in which this 
morning the Avhole crcAv joined to the great increase of 
good nature and the partial elimination of the cookery 
debate), breakfast was soon dispatched, and we were 
again under way, headed for New Inlet. It was the in- 
tention to go out to sea here and sail outside to Atlantic 
City, our objective point, but just as Ave reached the lower 
end of Tucker Beach the light easterly breeze fell, so 
that it barely sufficed to hold the Crescent against the 
strong flood tide. So all the morning she hung su.spended 
in the inlet like Mahomet's coffin, between wind and tide. 
Koons and Walt retired to the cabin and played chess. 
The Cook fished in a blase manner when he could induce 
his line to sink, and the Skipper, stretched out on deck 
beside the helm, read "Plain Tales from the Hills" and 
whistled for a breeze. About 2 o'clock the tide tiirned 
and shortly afterward a light but freshening breeze came 
out of the south, and the Crescent began to forge ahead, 
her nose pointed for the channel buoy. Koons, Avho is a 
fresh-'water man, here demurred to the plan of going- out- 
side. He said the boat was too small. I think what he 
meant was that he lacked confidence i;n the Skipper. But 
perhaps this is an injustice. Tlife Cook "had; prepared a 
stew for dinner, and it may have been getting in Its 
