Oct, 6, 1900.! J 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
2169 
national park, about which we have heard so much, and in 
a recent interview printed in a" St. Paiil paper he gives a 
few points on the. probable course of action in case the 
park matter is this season brought to a favorable issue. 
If the joint committee authorized by the bill, which has already 
passed the Senate, after a visit to this region reports favorably, it 
'is expected an act of Congress will be passed for a commission 
to treat witb the bands of Chippewas who are interested for 
buying the reservation in bulk. If a treaty be made, the pur- 
chase money in such case will not be paid down, but will be 
credited to the Indians, and the interest thereon at 5 per cent, 
will be annually appropriated and paid. The project, therefore, 
will not require a large appropriation, as the opponents of the 
park assert. When acquired the forest will be managed by scientific 
foresters. Mature trees will be cut, the young trees left to grow 
and a sustained yield perpetuated. Naturally the forest needed 
for scenery and recreation around the shore of the principal lakes 
will be left standing. 
E. Hough. 
Hartford Building, Chicago, lUi 
The Rhode Island Season. 
Providence, R. I., Sept. 29. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
Thfe law on game will be off in a few days in this vicinity 
and the local sportsmen are getting ready to trim the 
partridges and quail. Several years ago the late Horace 
Bloodgood imported into this State a number of 
pheasants, which were turned loose upon his game pre- 
serves on his farm in South Kingston. That they have 
propagated successfully there is no question, and some 
of the young have recently been seen in the vicinity of 
Carolina, which is several miles away from where they 
first received their freedom. There is little question that 
there are more quail and partridges in the soutli county 
this year than has been the case for many years when 
tiierc were heavy snows during the preceding winter. In 
fact, similar reports are received from other parts of the 
State. The quail seem to have little fear of people in car- 
riages, althougli they run to cover, but seldom take to 
flight. II a pecicstrian ai)proaches, however, they are on the 
wing instantly. Partridges are seldotn seen except in the 
dense woods, unless hunted with bird dogs, when they arc 
frequently fotmd in the "slangs" and open places, where 
acorns and birch buds predominate. Rabbits are always 
plentiful in almost any part of the south county, at the 
commencement of the hunting season at least. It is prob- 
able that there has been less unlawful killing of game in 
that .section of the State this year than during any pre- 
vious year for twenty years past. 
The clam culture experiments which have been con- 
ducted in the Wiclcford harbor during the summer under 
the'direction of Dr. H. C. Bumpus, of Brown University, 
has been closed for the season. A report on the lobster 
experiments will be made by Dr. Bumpus later. 
Blackfish or tautog are reported as being very plentiful 
in Narragansett Bay this fall. Thursday afternoon Miss 
Curtis, daughter of Lighthouse Keeper Curtis, of Rose 
Island, accompanied by a friend, succeeded in landing 
twenty-six of these fish weighing 100 pounds. 
The following is from the Providence Journal of 
Sept. 23 : 
Philip S. P, Randolph, a prominent society man of 
Philadelphia, who spends his summers at Narragansett 
Pier, has once more been made the object of attention 
from the Bird Commissioners of Rhode Island. He 
has been haled into court and, with his hired man, who 
acted as a hunting eompanion, was fined for pursuing 
birds with intent to kill. 
Two years ago he was arrested and heavily fined with 
the same hired man, Nicholas Potter. Then he was fined 
for hunting contrary to law, and also for a bird charged 
as being in his possession. The game officers state. that 
it has been his custom to drive into the country with a 
pair of cobs in a covered trap, accompanied by Potter 
and a coachman. On arriving at good hunting grounds 
Randolph and Potter, with dogs and guns, left the coach- 
man in charge of the team and went into the woods for 
game. 
It was Randolph's custom to emerge first from the 
woods, and, finding the coast clear, the signal would be 
given to Potter, who would then bring forth the kill. 
Farmers in the south county have resented the rich man 
going forth with impunity, trespassing on their lands in 
search of game, when others were debarred from such 
indulgence at this season. They sent complaints to the 
Bird Commissioners. Friday Deputy Commissioner Louis 
H. Knox, who had been detailed to investigate, came upon 
Randolph as he emerged from the woods west of Perry- 
ville in South Kingstown and a few minutes later secured 
Potter. 
They then had no game in their possession. They 
were taken before Judge _ Lewis at Kingston and ar- 
raigned on warrants charging them with pursuing game 
with intent to kill and fines of $20 and costs, amounting 
in all to about $50, were imposed. Randolph settled the 
amount with a smile, and made a remark that he would 
not care if it did not get into the papers. 
W. H. M. 
Eclwatd H. Howell, 
Mr. Chas. a. Halev, of Bath, N. Y., writes of the late 
Edward H. Howell, whose lamented death occurred on 
Sept. 9 at the age of forty-four: "He had been an ardent 
sportsman ever since he was old enough to carry a gun 
or a fish pole. No hill was too high or too rugged for 
him to climb in pursuit of a wary old cock grouse. No 
stream with its tangled environments of grape vines and 
hrush -was hard enough to quell his ardor when in pur- 
,suit of speckled beauties. Those who knew him — and 
their name is legion — loved, honored and respected him. 
While offering sincerest condolences to his loved family, 
we feel that we have been bereft of an honored member 
of society, a genuine sportsman, a gentleman and a true 
friend." 
Owing to a delay in the preparation of the illustrations, 
we 'are obliged to defer to the next issue the continuation 
of the series of chapters on "American Wildfowl." The 
next number will contain descriptions of thfe Canada 
goose; Hutchins' ^oose, white-cheeked goq^e apd cack- 
Mng .goose. 
Montana Prairie Chickens. 
MissoUtA, Mont., Sept. 21.— 'Editor Forest and Stream: 
It may be of interest to the readers of Forest and Stream 
to know how the shooting and fishing has been here this 
season. Inclosed find three pictures — one of Master Ly- 
man Stevens, ten years old, son of A. M. Stevens, who 
made a record for himself and his dog Merkim. They 
got ten chickens the first day the law was out. Another 
picture is of A. M. Stevens and C. J. Lcmley, who had 
hunted until they came to a fence, on the other side of 
which stood a tree with this sign on, "Keep Out! No 
Hunting Allowed on These Premises." Having a fair 
string, we hung them on the fence and got a picture of 
what we had, 
There have not been so many chickens for years as this 
season, owing to an early spring and long, dry summer. 
It is stated by some prospectors in the hills that some 
"keep out !" 
of the birds brought off two broods, but I have no direct 
proof of this. The crop of ducks is good on the Upper 
Blackfoot, as we proved on a three days' hunting trip to 
the nesting grounds. 
Trout fishing was good in the early season of the year, 
but low water seemed to drive them into deep pools 
early, so we were compelled to use bait or make no catch, 
and a fly-fisherman cannot use bait ; it makes him feel like 
killing a deer with a chtb, or shooting a prairie chicken 
sitting on a fence. 
Large game is to come next,' dhcks and geese on the 
southern fhght, and all depends on the weather here 
whether we get good shooting for either or both. We 
will report on them later. Bert Stevens, 
Long^ Island Shooting;, 
East Quogue, Long Island, Sept. 27. — There was a 
flight of bay birds Monday last. Two local gunners shot 
1,32, and other bags have been made of 98 and 48 within 
the last few days. 
The duck season opens Oct. t. There are quite a num- 
ber of black ducks living on the feeding grounds, also a 
few sprigs. E. A. J. 
Shooting and Fishing Rcsotts. 
Readers who are looking for shooting and fishing re- 
sorts are invited to make inquiry of the Forest and 
Stream Information 'Bureau, where information may be 
had without cost. 
100 Spomtnen's fina$. 
Some of the Qtieer Discoveries Made fay Those Vho Are 
Looking for Game or Fish. 
23 
The finding of the will of Abram Mosher by two 
hunters in Dark Hollow, near Hamburg, Conn., while 
trying to get at a nest of gray squirrels in the trunk 
of a hollow tree, has averted a lawsuit. The hunters 
found among the leaves and pieces of bark of which the 
nest was composed some scraps of paper with writing on 
them, several handkerchiefs, bits of ribbon and many 
bits of twine. The pieces of paper proved to be the holo- 
graphic will of Abram Mosher, a farmer living near 
Dark Hollow, who died in the early part of last summer. 
Mosher, through inheritance and thrift, was worth 
at the time of his death more than $75,000. He was not 
married, and had no direct heirs. For six years before 
his death he was an almost hopeless paralytic. When he 
was stricken he tried to get one of his relatives to live 
with him. All refused, and, he got a young man named 
George Applebee to operate his farm and care for him. 
Applebee attended to the wants of Mosher faithfully until 
he died. A few days before the old man passed away he 
told Applebee that he had made a will in which he had 
given him his entire estate, and he asked Applebee to 
bring him the will, which he would find in the drawer of 
the bureau in Mosher' s bedroom, Applebee did so, and 
Mosher went over it carefuly to see that it read as he 
wanted it to. ' 
Applebee- carried the Avill back. He had just reached 
the bedroom, when he heard a cry from Mosher, and he 
hurriedly thtew the will on a table that stood near an 
ppen vi(iiidow. Applebee found Mosher tiitconsciotia. ^e 
never rallied. When Applebee went to look for the will 
it was gone. He searched every nook and cranny, but 
could get no trace of it. 
As soon as Mosher was dead children of a second 
cousin laid claim to the estate. Applebee told the story of 
the will and refused to vacate the farm. He was finally 
ejected and the cousins took possession. There were 
persons who had heard Mosher say that he intended to 
give his property to Applebee, and on the strength of their 
testimony Applebee was preparing to make a fight, when 
the will was found by the squirrel hunters. When the 
fragments of the document were placed together it was 
found complete, though badly stained. The cousins have 
relinquished the farm. 
24 
Alexander Howell, Dean of St. Paul's in Mary Tudor's 
reign, was a good angler, but his views were regarded as 
unorthodox by the authorities. While he was catching 
fish Bishop Bonner decided to arrest him with a view to 
his trial for heresy. But Howell, though a shining light 
of the Church, did not want to be a burning one too. 
Having received a warning, while fishing in the country 
a pursuivant was after, him ; he did not return home, but 
like a wise man, escaped to Holland. When Elizabeth 
succeeded to the throne he returned from the Low Coun- 
tries, and, remembering a bottle of ale which he had 
hidden in a hole in the bank, he looked for it, and found 
it quite safe. When he uncorked it, he found the beer 
excellent, and so discovered a secret, which has made the 
name of Bass famous throughout the world. 
25 
A French fisherman who threw his line into the Seine 
Canal, near St. Denis, got hold of a package containing 
178 railway bonds, worth $22,000. 
Proprietors of fishing resorts will find it profitable to advertise 
them m Forest and Stream. 
A Memory. 
There is a brook away up among the Vermont hills 
Avhich has a particular attraction for at least one in- 
dividual among the millions on earth. It couldn't have 
the same interest for any other, because no other ever 
enjoyed exactly the same exquisite thrill of pleasure that 
was the writer's when he caught his first trout. It isn't 
so many years ago that the sensation is forgotten. And 
often when the scene is reviewed the brilliant spring day 
returns, with the beauty of the fresh foliage and the 
music of the purling brook, mingled with the vociferous 
chorus of innumerable birds, and one wishes to be again a 
boy, to wander forever by the brookside, to know that 
loved ones since passed to their rest will greet one at the 
door, and to be as free from care and worry as then. 
The brook came down from the mountains, even then 
partially capped with snow, and flowed through a meadow 
where it was lost to sight in the springing grass. There 
was a miniature canon perhaps two feet deep, and in the 
bottom the brook flowed silently along until it reached the 
wall which fenced in the mowing. There it burst through 
the stones and broke into myriads of shining drops as it 
splashed downward and disappeared under a low bridge 
which carried the driveway leading up to the house. 
The upper side of the bridge was covered deep with small 
willows, but the lower side was bare and the brook 
emerged to spread itself into a shallow pool where it 
apparently gathered courage for its plunge through a 
tortuous and rocky course along the roadside, thence un- 
der another bridge, down another fall, wandered awhile 
in a sheep pasture and finally lost itself in a larger 
stream which came from another direction. 
The boy of those days had no modern appurtenances 
for trout fishing.. His rod was usually an alder tree cut 
by the brookside and his line was cheap, while hooks 
were few and sinkers were bits of twisted lead cut from 
old water pipes. The bait was invariably angleworms 
carried in a tin spice box, and the creel "was a forked 
twig cut from a neighboring bush. And yet, who wouldn't 
return to those days, with their primitive apparatus, pro- 
vided also the keen zest and unalloyed pleasure would 
return too, and, withal, the success which crowned the 
efforts of the young fisherman? 
This particular boy had been living in a village, but 
his parents had occupied this farm that spring. He had 
explored every possible nook and corner of the plantation, 
including its remotest woodlands, and now it was time 
for lishing. Very carefully he cut his rod, he attached 
the line with extreme care, provided a more than ordi- 
narily symmetrical sinker and prepared to annihilate the 
trout family in that particular stretch of brook. He had 
been told that it was a specially desirable trout-lurking 
place, and he determined to secure one before very long. 
Beginning at the upper end, contrary to all established 
rules of scientific sportsmanship, he worked down the 
stream, using less care than he ought, and meeting with 
no success. The boundary of the meadow was reached 
and he climbed the fence. He dropped his hook into 
the deep hole under the willows at the end of the bridge. 
There was a fierce tug. A sharp yank on the rod and a 
beautiful brook trout lay struggling far back in the grass. 
The house was only a short distance away, and the 
boy seized his treasure and hastened with all speed to the 
kitchen, where the fish was placed in the water cistern. 
And he was a beauty. He was fully nine inches long, 
very brightly marked and mottled, with the rainbow 
colors of the Green Mountain brook trout, and which 
are shown by no other known variety. And though that 
is more than thirty years ago, the same trout is in the 
spring which supplies the house with water, to which he 
was afterward transferred. 
Even though that same boy has caught fish practically 
around the world, and has enjoyed the lunge of the largest 
and most gamy species known, there has never been a 
capture which compares in thrilling experience with the 
first trout captured by a nine-year-old boy one bright 
May morning a third of a century a,|o, 
