412 
FOREST AND STREAM 
[Mav 25, 1901. 
In an hour it had passed over; and although it still 
gave promise of more or less rain all day, we decided to 
chance it, and get as far down the river as possible; so 
we opened the aprons and amidship hatches of our 
canoes, throwing out the quart or two of clear, pellucid 
water collected in the hollow of each apron; doffed and 
packed our rubber coats and hats, arranged our back- 
rests and mattresses and prepared to launch. 
George found himself in a very frisky mood after the 
shower, and cavorted around the boats with the grace and 
agility of a yearling bull calf; finally, in the course of his 
cavorting, ambling over to the bow of his canoe; Lacy 
and I, with the canvas surcingle, an arrangement rigged 
up in my work room, consisting of a strip of heavy duck 
long enough to reach around the canoe amidships, with a 
wooden handle rove into each end, which proved to be a 
great convenience in handling the canoes, meanwhile havr 
ing hold of the other end, impatiently awaiting his pleas- 
ure. In answer to Lacy's impatient, "Hurry up, there, 
can't you?" he picked up the bow of his canoe and rushed 
off, backward, of course, down the bank with it into the 
shallow water, dragging us after him at break-neck speed 
as we we,nt stumbling and plunging down the bank over 
the rocks and roots. He splashed out into the shallow 
water until his heels fortunately encountered a reef pro- 
jecting above the sandy bottom, which put an effectual 
check'to his career by tripping him up, and over he went 
backward, bringing up in a sitting posture, with the canoe 
across his lap and the water up to his arms. Our end of 
the canoe was, of course, dropped, while Lacy went off 
into convulsions, in the course of which he rushed over to 
the Colonel's canoe and unpacked it,, throwing things 
right and left, until he reached and got out the Colonel's 
camp stool, upon which he threw himself while he had 
his laugh out. the Colonel and I meanwhile enjoying our 
laugh more moderately on the bank. Finally, when we. 
bad come to the conchxsion that George's enthusiasm had 
sufficiently cooled, the Colonel and I waded out to him 
and lifted the canoe off his lap and released him, after 
which he found himself in a frame of mind to properly 
assist in the launching of the other canoes without any 
further monkey business. 
The sky was still heavily overcast and hung with low- 
lying, leaden clouds, in which the mountain tops were 
hidden, as we paddled out from our camp ground, past 
the musical, murmuring outflow from the great spring, 
and picked our way slowly and carefully among the reefs 
down into the slack Avater of' the Shaver mill pool. Old 
Mr. Kyger stood on the bank, calling a cheerful farewell 
after us. while liis women kind gathered in a little group 
in the dooryard of the house on top of the bluff to see us 
pass by, the bright garments of some of the younger ones 
showing in pretty bits of color against the green back- 
ground of the forests, while George^ enlivened the scene 
with some of his choicest discords on his bugle. 
The paddle through this usually tedious mill-pond was 
a pleasant one, as there was no head wind to retard our 
progress; and the heavy, wet cloud-masses protected 
us from the fays of the sun; and in a short time the 
canoes were lying along the face of the dam, whose slop- 
ing, plank-sheathed crest stood up a foot or more above 
the water, wet and slippery from the rain, and affording 
a very precarious footing. 
The dam is a perpendicular timber dam, about six or 
seven feet high, and is built on a perfect wilderness of 
reefs, which extend clear across the river from shore to 
shore. The portage was easily made by George standing 
in the water on the reefs below while Lacy and I stood 
on the dam above and slid the canoes over and let them 
doAvn to him; the Colonel, meanwhile, Avhose footing on 
the narrow, steeply sloping edge of a dam like this one was 
very insecure, climbed down upon the rocks below, and 
found ample occupation in bossing the job. The Colonel 
is an excellent boss, and his freely oft'ered suggestions 
were very good, inasmuch as they coinc'ded exactly in 
each instance with what we were about to do. 
Our method of portaging is effective and simple — the 
men above slide the canoes over, one by one, until the 
bows topple over and down upon the man below, who 
eases, them down into the shallow water, or upon the 
rocks; after which the sterns are eased gently down, by 
means of the aft painters. If there is a depth of three or 
four feet of water below the portage is simplified still 
further by dispensing with the man below, and simply 
sliding the .boats over the crest of the dam and drop- 
ping them head fir.st into the water. Care should be 
taken to first examine the water thoroughly with a paddle 
or pole, to see if any sunken rocks are lurking around 
or lying in wait for unsuspecting canoes. I once nearly 
smashed the nose off of my canoe on one of our Middle 
River cruises by not taking this precaution. 
When so portaged the canoes dive deeply under and 
a sheet of water several inches deep rolls over them from 
stern to stern; but if the hatches and aprons are closed 
and fastened, but little, if any, water will be shipped. 
It began to rain again just as we finished the portage 
and ensconced ourselves in our canoes, and as there is a 
swift, shallow rapid half a mile below the dam, which on 
the present stage of water it is impossible- to run without 
disembarking and lifting the canoes down over the rough 
fringe of loose stones, boulders, etc.. spread out clear 
across the bottom of the broad, shallow tail of the rapid, 
we .decided not to enter the rapid at all until after the 
rain was over. We accordingly pulled up to the bank, be- 
low the dam, in the still water under the dripping trees, 
• and donning our hats and capes sat there for half an 
hour. This soon grew monotonous, so we_ took the 
dining fly and went ashore and put it up, taking ashore 
with us our camp stools, books, smoking materials, and 
such other luxuries as we thought we might need, and 
tightly closing our canoes behind us. Here Lacy, the 
Colonel and I remained for two hours; the Colonel and 
Lacy passin.g the time in a friendly little bout at the 
seductive and distinctly American game of poker, while 
George remained in his canoe and I read my book. 
A party of rustic fishermen were located under the 
trees directly across from us. making unsuccessful efforts' 
to secure some protection from the pelting rain under 
the dripping foliage of the trees, and taking turns in 
cowering under the slanting trunks of one or two of 
the largest ones. As they seemed to be meeting with 
considerable 'success, Geor,a:e paddled over to their side 
of the river and added to his stock of piscatorial lore by 
watching their proceedin.gs and studying their methods, 
his paiioe lying «P oxxt of the way against the bank just 
above, with the Ta.ln beating fiercely on his decks and 
closed hatches, and hissing in the water around him. the 
while it fell briskly dripping through the trees overhead 
upon oitr fly, and ran in little streams off the edges, and 
in long, slanting rows of bead-like drops down and off 
the slender tent ropes. 
[to be continued.] 
A. C A. Membership* 
Eastern Division — Mr. Ralph Hunter, Medford Boat 
Club, Medford, Mass. 
Atlantic Division — Mr. Ainslie Walter, Brooklyn C. C, 
Brooklyn, N. Y. 
Notice. 
AU communications intended for Forest and Stream should 
always be addressed to the Forest and Stream Publishing Co., and 
not to any individual connected with the paper. 
Yachting Fixtures, 
Secretaries and members of race committees will confer a favor 
by sending notice of errors or omissions in the following list and 
also of changes which may be made in the future. 
MAY. 
25. New Rochelle, special, New Rochelle, Long Island Sound. 
30. South Boston, club race. City Point, Boston Harbor. 
30. East Gloucester, club race, Gloucester, Massachusetts Bay. 
30. Atlantic, Sea Gate, New York Bay. 
30. Harlem, annual regatta. City Island, Long Island Sound. 
30. Indian Harbor, special, Greenwich, Long Island Sound. 
SO. Bridgeport, special, Bridgeport, Long Island Sound. 
30. Canarsie, opening and parade, Carnarsie, Jamaica Bay. 
30. Brooklyn, opening, Gravesend Bay. 
30. Staten 'Island, Stapleton, S. I. 
30. American, opening, Milton Point, Long Island Sound. 
30. Burgess, Marblehead, Massachusetts Bay. 
30. Manhasset Bay, second series race for Jacob cup. Port Wash- 
ington, Long Island Sound. 
SO. Seawanhaka Corinthian, races for raceabouts, Seawanhaka 
knockabouts and club catboats. Oyster Bay, L. I. Sound. 
JUNE. 
1. Knickerbocker, annual. College Point, Long Island Sound. 
1. Atlantic, Sea Gate, New York Bay. 
5. East Gloucester, evening race, Gloucester, Mass. 
8. Canarsie, pennant championship, Canarsie, Jamaica Bay. 
8. Hull-Massachusetts, club, Hull, Mass. 
8. Manhasset, annual. Port Washington, lx)ng Island Sound. 
8. Brooklyn, open, Gravesend Bay. 
° South Boston, club handicap. City Point, Boston Harbor. 
East Gloucester, evening race, Gloucester, Mass. 
South Boston, club cruise. City Point, Boston Harbor. 
Beverly, club. Monument Beach. 
New York C. C, annual, Gravesend Bay. 
Larchmont, spring regatta, Larchmont, Long Island Sound. 
Seawanhaka Corinthian, first race, Center Island cup, Oyster 
Bay, Long Island Sound. 
Burgess, Marblehead, Massachusetts Bay. 
, Hull-Massachusetts, club, Hull, Mass. 
•17. New York, 90-footers, Newport. 
•17. Boston, cruise. City Point, Boston Harbor. 
, South Boston, cruise, City Point, Boston Harbor. 
, Beverly, open .sweepstake, Monument Beach. 
, Duxbiiry, club race, Duxbury, Mass. , „ „ ,^ 
Hull-Massachusetts, classes over 18ft., Hull, Boston Harbor. 
Dorchester, classes 18ft. and under, Dorchester, Boston Harbor. 
Corinthian, first club championship, Marblehead, Mass. 
East Gloucester, club race, Gloucester, Mass. 
Brooklyn, annual regatta, Gravesend Bay. 
Pavonia. annual, Bayonne, Newark Bay. 
Burgess, Marblehead, Massachusetts Bay. 
Atlantic, annual. Sea Gate, New York Bay. 
East Gloucester, evening race, Gloucester, Mass. 
New York, annual. New York Bay. 
Duxbury, ladies' day, Duxbury, Mass. 
Beverly, Corinthian, Monument Beach. 
Marine and Field, open, Gravesend Bay. 
Hull-Massachusetts, club. Hull, Mass. . ■ 
Manhasset Bay, third series race for Jacob cup, I'ort Washing- 
ington. Long Island Sound. ri jc j 
New Rochelle, annual. New Rochelle, Long Island bound. 
Atlantic, special. Sea Gate, New York Bay. ^ , , 
Seawanhaka Corinthian, second race for Center Island cup. 
Oyster Bay, Long Island Sound, 
i American. Newburyport, Massachusetts Bay. 
New York, Glen Cove cups, Long Island Sound. 
,. East Gloucester, evening race, Gloucester, Mass. 
-2S. Seawanhnka Corinthian, snecial. Oyster Bay, L. I. bound. 
Boston. City Point. Boston Harbor. 
,. Savin Hill, open, Boston Harbpr. 
I. Hull-Massachusetts, club, Hull, Mass. 
I, Atlantic, annual. Sea Gate, New York Bay. 
I. Burgess, Marblehead. Massachusetts Bay. , , „ 
Seawanhaka Corinthian, annual race for Leland challenge cup 
for raceabouts, Oyster Bay, Long Island Sound. 
12. 
15. 
15. 
15. 
15. 
15. 
15. 
15 
15 
15 
If! 
17. 
17. 
17 
17. 
17. 
17. 
17. 
17. 
17 
18 
19. 
20. 
20. 
22. 
22. 
22. 
22. 
22. 
22. 
22. 
25, 
25, 
26 
27 
29, 
22, 
29 
29 
29 
29 
l^he Gup Trial Races. 
The daily papers Iiaw publis.hed long accounts regard- 
ing Mr. Law-son's right to enter his yacht Independence 
in the trial races for the defense of the America Cup. 
We understand that there has been na correspondence 
between the Cup Committee of the. New York Y. C. and 
Mr. Lawson; but if there has been any, its nature is 
known only to those directly concerned. In any event, at 
this time, when nothing definite is JcnoAvn regarding the 
matter, any criticism on the course pursued by either 
party would be entirely premature. It seems that the 
yachting public are misled and misinformed regarding the 
true facts of the case, so a few words pertaining^ to the 
situation may not be amiss. 
The New York Y. C. is the custodian of the Cup, and 
the Cup Committee interpret the rules governing the 
matter as prescribing that the defender of the Cup must 
sail under the flag of a member of the New York Y. C. 
This means also, of course, that yachts sailing in the trial 
races must sail under the flag of a member of the New 
York Y. C- Boston has been too well represented in the 
trial races and actual Cup races in years past for any one 
to go astray on this point. Puritan, Mayflower, Volunteer, 
Jubilee and Pilgrim sailed under the New York flag. The 
owners of both Columbia and Constitution, having found 
it impossible for various reasons to sail their boats in the 
forthcoming trial races, have turned them over to capable 
men who are members of the New York Y. C, Mr. E. D. 
Morgan and Mr, W. B. Ptwcan, Jr., 'respectively, under 
whose private signals the boats will be seen in the racing 
as though actually belonging to themselves. It is the 
perfectly practicable plan for Mr. Lawson to adopt the 
same method of procedure, and there are a number of 
amateur yachtsmen in the vicinity of Boston who are 
members of the New York Y. C., and as ab'e yachtsmen as 
any in the country, and to whom the sailing of Indepen- 
dence in the trial races might well be entrusted. While 
the Cup Committee has no discretion in the matter of 
departing from this specific rule as to ownership, to meet' 
an individual's requirements and wishes, it is on the 
other hand a very simple thing and under the circum- 
stances it would be the expected course for Mr. Lawson 
to turn the boat over to a member of the New York 
Y, C. for sailing in the trial races and the Cup races if 
she should prove the better boat. If under these con- 
ditions Independence should sail in the Cup races, the 
credit and honor accruing to her owner would not in the 
least be diminished. 
We are confident that the New York Y. C. is anxious 
to see Independence in the trial races, and we hope that 
Mr. Lawson may see his way clear to change his policy in 
regard 'to the matter and may allow his boat to enter 
the trial races under the flag of a member of the club. 
The London Field commenting on the new measure- 
ment rule recently adopted by the Larchmont and Sea- 
wanhaka Corinthian yacht clubs, says : 
American yachtsmen are at loggerheads over the rating 
rule. There is a strong feeling in favor of adopting a 
rule which will produce a type of yacht more like those 
encouraged by the British Y. R. A., and the Seawanhaka 
and Larchmont clubs have adopted a rule, which was 
quoted in the Field of March 23, with a view to favoring 
this class of boat and penalizing the scow type. This 
rule, as we have already pointed out, has a very compli- 
cated appearance, and we believe that, chiefly owing to 
this reason, it has not been very well received in New 
York. Every thoughtful yachtsman should be by this 
time convinced of the necessity of adopting a rule that 
will check the construction of the scow type, but we can- 
not express surprise that the new Seawanhaka rule has 
met with severe criticism, because it contains what 
Thalassa would call such a minutize of detail. It in- 
cludes length, sail area, beam measured in three places, 
draft and midship section area. If the new Y. R. A. rule 
does not fulfill the ideas of some scientific observers by 
avoiding reference to detail, the new Seawanhaka rule will 
be held to be even less satisfactory because it is still more 
restricted in its scope. It would be interesting and in- 
structive to know the opinion of the American measure- 
ment committee upon 'Thal.assa's theory that a perfect 
rating rule should embody only such general quantities 
as a yacht's displacement and the sail area used to propel 
such displacement through the water. 
Now that Shamrock II. has been given a better suit of 
sails and stronger spars, she made a better showing against 
.Shamrock I. in the race last Monday, beating the older 
beat thirty-seven seconds. The race was sailed in a top- 
sail breeze and smooth water. Word from abroad states- 
that in the previous race against Shamrock I. no attempt 
was made to drive the boat, as it was simply a trial to 
stretch her sails and test her spars and gear. A letter 
received a few days ago from an American yachtsman 
who is abroad watching Shamrock II.'s performances 
states that her rig and gear are heavy and clumsy and the 
boat is a disappointment throughout. 
Constitution was ready for a trial under sail on Satur- 
day last, but continual rainfall and bad weather has kept 
the boat at her moorings until Tuesday. As we go to 
press the weather is clearing and undoubtedly Constitu- 
tion will be seen under sail shortly. 
The 65ft. cutter Nevada, built for Mr. P. M. Inglis 
from designs made by Mr. Charles F. Herreshoff, 2d, was 
launched on the Clyde on May ?o. 
Our Boston Letter^ 
Boston, May 20. — After months of patient endeavor on 
the part of the builders of Independence and wa'ting on 
the part of those who have been anxious to see the great- 
est effort of the Boston designer, Mr. B. B. Crowninshield, 
in her native element, the yacht, which has been a source 
of pardonable pride to Bostonians, was launched from the 
shed in which she was built at the Atlant'c Works just 
fifty-three minutes before midnight on Saturday night 
She was christened by Miss Gladys Lawson. the oldest 
daughter of the owner of Independence, and the launching 
was successful in every respect. The launching was 
twenty-three minutes ahead of the time scheduled, which 
feature one of Mr. Lawson's friends avowed was a 
good omen. 
It was hardly so pretentious a night for launching as 
that on which the HerreshofF-designed 90- footer. Con- 
stitution, took the water at Bristol. There was a drizzling 
rain, which was calculated to dampen the ardor of Inde- 
pendence's admirers. But in spite of this all those who 
were fortunate enough to obtain the necessary cards of 
invitation were present, and there were plenty more 
who would have braved the elements if they could have 
gained admission to the yard by so doing. For while the 
launching could, not be properly called a secret one, stdl 
the number of spectators was limited. This was much 
against Mr. Lawson's desires, but was considered neces- 
sary because of the possible danger to life and to the boat 
if a great crowd were allowed upon the wharf. 
Mr. Lawson's magnificent steam yacht. Dreamer, was 
anchored out in the stream and the rays from her power- 
ful searchlight lent a charm to the event which was fully 
appreciated by the spectators. Dreamer has been in 
Simpson's dry dock for the past few days completing the 
necessary details of her fitting out, but she is now ready 
for sea. Almost at the instant that her searchlight was 
turned on Independence, a stream of many-colored elec- 
tric bt{Ibs, extending from the stem oyer the heatis of the 
