Oct. 3, 1903.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
263 
fighting among themselves, as even the ^ery small 
ones are exceedingly pugnacious. They had used a 
fan, propelled by an electric motor. This year t, 000.000 
lobsters have been liberated by his commission. This 
work has greatly interested the fishermen and helped 
to win them over to an observance of the laws. 
Deputy Kelly said that thousands and thousands of 
short lobsters had been brought over from Massa- 
chusetts to Rhode Island, 90 per cent, of them still 
alive, and when seized had been thrown overboard. 
He wants egg-bearing lobsters held over through the 
wmter until they are ready to deposit their eggs. Two 
sessions were held on Wednesday and two on Thurs- 
day, and I think every man present had something in- 
teresting to say. Messrs. Venning and Bertram gave 
a very full and clear account of the work done in 
Provincial waters in the line of propagation as well as 
in restricting the catch, the most important feature be- 
ing the close time, which varies in its period in differ- 
ent sections. A fuller account of their reports and ob- 
servations may be the subject of another letter. Great 
stress was laid by several speakers upon the protection 
of the egg-bearing lobster, and Dr. Field spoke in 
favor of allowing 8^ and 9-inch lobsters to be caught 
and the prohibiting of the catch of the 10 and 11 -inch 
ones. 
President Reed spoke of the difficulty in enforcing 
the present law, speaking from the standpoint of 
prosecuting attorney. The shorts could be easily pur- 
chased and consumed by shore houses and cheap hotels 
by men who were willing to break the law. lie recom- 
mended a close time during two of the summer months. 
Mr. Nickerson said the shore people in Maine would 
oppose such a law and would surely cause its defeat if 
an attempt were made to pass it. 
Those who spoke for Rhode Island and Connecticut 
expressed the opinion that their fisheries were holding 
their own at present, but Connecticut had no sta- 
tistics whatever as to the catch, number of fishermen 
or of pots in use. Statistics presented from Rhode 
Island showed nothing as to the catch in Rhode 
Island waters. A committee of these gentlemen ap- 
pointed on Thursday made these recommendations: 
1. A law limiting the catching to men having per- 
mits from the State — penalty $100 and revocation of 
permit for a year if found violating the laws. 
2. Recommending, if possible, a uniform legalized 
length in the New England States and New York. 
3. The adoption of law now in force in Maine as to 
sale of lobster meat not contained in the shell. 
Some propositions made by Dr. Field and a report 
of discussions at the dinner on Thursday evening must 
be deferred to another time. 4 
Central. 
— « — 
AJI communications intended for Forest and Stream should 
always be addressed to the Forest and Stream Publishing Co.. 
New York, and not to any individual connected with the i^aper 
Flztares. 
BENCH SHOWS. 
Oct. 6-9. — Danbury, Conn., Agricultural Society's show. 
Oct. 20-23. — Frederick County, Md., Agricultural Socieiy show. 
J. Roger McSherry, Sec'y- 
Nov. 17-19. — Boston, Mass., Terrier Club show. 
FIELD TRIALS. 
Oct. 26. — Clare, Mich. — Sportsman's Field Trial Association 
trials. E. C. Smith, Sec'y, Midland, Mich. 
Oct. 26. — Washington Court House, O.— Monongahela Field 
Trial Association trials. A. C- Peterson, Sec'y, Homestead, Pa. 
Oct. 27. — Paradise Valley, Nev. — Nevada Field Trial Association 
trials. Dr. C. E. Wilson, Sec'y, Elko, Nev. 
Nov. 2. — Washington Court House, O. — Ohio Field Trial Asso- 
ciation trials. G. R. Haswell, Sec'y, Circleville, O. 
Nov. 3-6. — New York. — ^Annual show of Ladies' Kennel Associa 
tion of America. 
Nov. 9.— Fourteenth annual beagle trials of the National Beagle 
Club of America. Charles R. Stevenson, Sec'y. 
Nov. 9. — Howardsville, Va. — Missouri Field Trial Association 
trials. L. S. Eddins, Sec'3', Sedalia, Mo. 
Nov. 9. — St. Joachim, Ont. — International Field Trial A.9Socia- 
tion trials. W. B. Wells, Hon. Sec'y, Chatham, Ont. 
Nov. 9. — Hutsonville, 111. — Independent Field Trial Club trials. 
H. S. Humphrey, Sec'y, Indianapolis, Ind. 
Nov. 9.— Western Irish Setter Club trials. Dr. T. L. Fenn, 
Sec'y, Chicago, 111. 
Nov. 10. — Hampton, Conn. — Connecticut Field Trial Club trials. 
F. W. Smith, Sec'y, New Havenj Conn. 
Nov. 16. — Robinson, 111. — Illinois Field Trial Association trials. 
W. R. Green, Sec'y, Marshall, 111. 
Nov. 23. — Robinson, 111. — American Championship Field Trial 
Association trials. H. S. Humphrey, Sec'y, Indianapolis, Ind. 
Dec. 1.— Clay City, Ind.— Indiana Field Trial Club trials. C. F. 
Young, Sec'y. 
Dec. 5.— Thomasville, Ga.— Continental Field Trial Club trials. 
John White, Sec'y, Hempstead, 'N. Y. 
Nov. 16._— Holmdel, N. J. — Povnter Club of America's trials. 
C. F. Lewis, Sec'y, New York city. 
Nov. 30. — Chase, City, Va. — Virginia Field Trial Association 
trials. Charles B. Cooke, Sec'y, Richmond, Va. 
National Beagfle CI«b. 
Camden, N. J. — At a recent meeting of the National 
Beagle Club of America, it was decided that the Four- 
leenth Annual Trials of the club, which will commence 
on November 9, 1903, be held at Howardsville, Albe- 
marle county, Virginia. 
Howardsville is between Richmond and Lynchburg, dis- 
tant from Richmond about ninety miles. Full details and 
information concerning these trials will be given through 
tlie sporting papers from time to time, or upon application 
to the secretary of the club. 
Chas. R. Stevenson, Secretary. 
i DONT SHOOT | 
I Until you see your game, and I 
I see that it is game and I 
I not a man. 1 
Prizes fof Canoeists. 
In order to encourage canoeists and small boat sailor-;, who do 
their knocking about on inland waters, to keep a record of their 
trips and experiences, the publishers of Forest and Stream 
offer cash prices for the best accounts of cruisc<; taken during the 
season of 1903. As few restrictions ;is possib:e vclU be imposed, 
and those given are made only willi llie view of stcrr:ng some 
uniformity among the competitors' storit-s. so thai (he judges will 
he able to make a fair award. 
The prizes will be as follows: 
First prize, $50.00 
Second p'rize, $25.00. 
Third prize, $15.00. 
Fourth and fifth, $10.00 each. 
Sixth to eighth, $5.00 each. 
I. The cruise must be actually taken between May 1 and 
November 1, 1903. 
II. The cruise must be made on the (frc.■^h ualer) inland 
streams and lakes of the United States or Canada. 
III. The canoe or boat in which the cruise is made must not 
be more than 18ft. long over . all. 
IV. An accurate log of the trip must be kept, and all incidents 
and information that would be of value to other canoeists coyering 
the same route should be carefully recorded. 
V. A description of the boat in which the crui-e is. made 
should preface the story, and a list of outfit and sup]ilies. 
\ I. Photograplis of the boat and of the country passed through, 
not smaller than 4x5, should, if possible, accompany each story, 
and they will be considered in making the awards. 
VIT. Stories should contain not less than five thousand words, 
written on one side of the paper only. 
\'TII. An outline chart of the trip drawn on uhitc paper in 
black ink (no coloring pigment to be used) should also be 
sent in. 
IX. Competitors should avoid the use of slang or incorrect 
nautical expressions in their stories, as it will count against them 
in awarding the prizes. 
Each manuscript to which a prize is awarded shall become the 
property of the Forest and Stream Publishing Company. All 
manuscript should reach the office of the Forest and Stream Pub- 
lishing Company, 346 Broadway, New York., on or before De- 
cember 1, 1903. 
The Camp at Sugar Island. 
The twenty-fourth annual camp of the American 
Canoe Association was held this year, for the first 
Lime in its historj', upon its own property- — Sugar 
Island, in the St. Lawrence, nearly midway between 
Clayton, N. Y., and Gananoque, Can., and just over the 
Canadian border line, from Aug. y to 2i. 
It was the generally expressed opinion at the close 
of camp that it was, if not the best, one of the very 
best in the history of the A. C. A. Several factors 
contributed to this decision: In the first place, while 
the camp entailed much hard work on the part of the 
officers, committees, and meinbers at large, it was felt 
that all work done in the way of clearing camp sites, 
underbrushing, cutting trails through the "forest 
primeval." etc., was in the nature of a betterment to 
the Island, and not work done for merely one camp 
of two weeks. In the second place, the camp awak- 
ened a decided interest in a number of the older 
members of the Association, who have seen, for years, 
the folly of going from one new place to another, con- 
stantly involving new expenses and trouble, only to be 
followed bj'- similar experiences the next summer. Now 
that Sugar Island has been ma*de a permanent home 
for the A. C. A., the members can rest a spell and 
enjoy the natural advantages of their own possession 
before beginning new ventures after untried camp sites. 
The island is the most picturesque anywhere in the 
St. Lawrence River, for its size; it abounds in white 
birch and endless varieties of evergreens, firs, balsams, 
and cedars, and plenty of clumps of ash and hickory 
trees; it is so diversified that members can camp ab- 
solutely out of hearing of any other camp, and enjoy 
as much privacy as though they were the sole tenants. 
The shore is beautifully indented with numberless little 
hays and coves, not only adding to the appearance of 
the island, but furnishing any number of ideal camps, 
where small docks can be built, and above which tents 
can be pitched. There are two or more fine sand 
beaches, and very few spots where the ground is at 
all low or oozy. The constant sight of loons, owls, 
and other wild birds of the smaller varieties; of squir- 
rels and woodcliucks, not to mention other furry deni- 
zens, proves the island to be in a virginal state, and 
adds much to its charm as a camp. The water is ad- 
mirably adapted for paddling and sailing courses; it is 
very deep in many places close to shore, giving fine 
chances for diving, as well as enabling boats of deep 
draft to come up to the dock at headquarters. 
The camp was not large, but it was most homo- 
geneous, and enthusiastic. Every one who attended, 
from the oldtimers of the early 'Sos, to the novices of 
'03, left with the resulution to return next year, each 
one with more of his cltib mates and friends. 
Sugar Island is bound .to make canoe paddling the 
nrincipal feature of its camps. The wilderness of the 
island, and the facility for getting lost on S(?me of the 
rocky trails at night, rendered the use of canoes abso- 
lutely necessary. Many "campers"— tor the first time — 
were obliged to enlist the services of a canoe, and the 
result was that the shore, and surrounding bays and 
inlets were dotted with canoes and skiffs at all hours. 
Far around on the south shore, and away from head- 
quarters were the sailors from Winchester, with Her- 
man Dudley Murphy's latest novice, a paddler, for a 
change. Still further were the Duquesnes from Pitts- 
burg, ever hospitable, and beyond them the Grand 
Trunk men from Montreal, with a fleet of a dozen or 
more canoes and big tents. Nearer by were the East- 
ern men from Innitou and Medford; the Knickerbock- 
ers from New York, as usual, following the traditi.bns 
of their ancestdrs in '84, '85 an.d '86, secured the most 
picturesque ca^np in the island, and kept up their repu- 
tation for entertaining, as well as racing. Nearer still 
to headquarters was New York Bay, with that club on 
one side and Irondequoit Park on the other — the lair 
of the Rochester and Irondequoit men, with Deo- 
.wainsta's sole representative perched' on top of the 
hill back of camp; but even the hill was not snore- 
proof! To the western, end of the island was the 
Mecca of all good boys, Squaw Point, where Mrs. 
Leigh, from Toronto, the "Doyenne" — if such a word 
may be coined— of the ladies; Mrs. Jack MacKendrick, 
Mrs. Quick from Yonkers, and other "squaws" pro- 
vided comfortable seats, and tea and other good things 
for the wearied canoeist, after a day's racing or under- 
brushing or- general work around the camp. 
, The camp site committee was untiring in looking 
after new arrivals, pitching tents, handling baggage, 
cots, etc. No better committee has been in charge 
for years, and all credit is due to its chairman, J. S. 
Wright, of Rochester, N. Y. 
The mess was good; the location of the mess tent 
admirable — a permanent floor, with kitchen, etc., hav- 
ing been built well away from the main camp and 
Squaw Point. The camp store was the best that the 
members of the A. C. A. have ever had, although its 
location was a bit too obtrusive. And the ice-house 
gave unbounded satisfaction. These buildings are the 
only permanent structures to be erected on the island, 
the universal sentiment being in favor of leaving every- 
thing as natural and uiitouched as it is possible to do. 
Transportation was excellent — daily trips twice each 
way to and from Clayton and Gananoque, as Avell as a 
launch to the latter point. 
The weather was unsatisfactory, unseasonably cold 
and windy the first week, and hot, with calms and 
squalls the second week. The old reliable St. Lawrence 
seemed to have changed about this j^ear, and no pre- 
dictions could be made of a day, an hour in advance. 
As a result, many of the races had to be postponed; 
one or two were not called at all, and the regatta as 
a whole was rather urisatisfa-ctory. Six sailing canoes 
of the racing type were the turnout, in contrast to the 
fleets of thirty and forty in the old days; but it is hoped 
that the interest awakened this year will help to im- 
prove things. The sailing and paddling courses, directly 
in front of headquarters, left nothing to be desired, 
and met the approval of all the racing men. 
Great credit is due Com. Hyatt and Sec'y-Treas. 
Quick; the former, in spite of a long and serious illness, 
was at camp during several weeks prior to its open- 
ing, looking after things, and during camp, by his 
never-failing good spirits antl geniality made head- 
quarters row one of the most popular spots in camp. 
The latter, who took over the office on the death of 
Louis Simpson, in spite of many handicaps sufficient 
to discourage a less ardent member of the A. C. A., 
won the approval and thanks of all the camp, and 
deserves a heap of credit for his labors before and 
during camp. 
A pleasant feature of the camp was the presence of 
so many of the "old guard," ex-Com. Edwards from 
Peterboro, Com. Gardner from Cleveland, Dr. Gers- 
ster from New York, Major and Mrs. Leigh from 
Toronto — these and many others proved by their pres- 
ence that the stamina of the A. C. A. is stronger than 
it ever was before, and only needed the judicial selec- 
tion of a camp site to justify it. Next year will see a 
turnout to rival Jessup's Neck in '90! 
, The choice of the general officers for 1904 will meet 
with universal approval from all sections of all divi- 
sions: C. Fred Wolters, A. C. A. No. 798, for Com- 
modore, and John S. Wright, A. C. A. No. 2779 — 
newer, but no less popular — for Secretary-Treasurer, 
would be hard to equal and could not be beaten. With 
tjiese men at the helm, with Sugar Island picked out 
for the cam.p in 1904, probably from Aug. 5 to 19, with 
a general realization on the part of the members of 
the A. C. A. of the treasure they possess in Sugar 
Island, and with an equal amount of energy and en- 
thusiasm, on the part of the committees and members, 
to that of the camp just closed, the American Canoe 
Association — now in its twenty-fifth year- — may rest 
secure in the unwaning popularity of the truest sport 
and recreation, canoeing. 464. 
A, C. A. Executive Committee Meeting-. 
To the Members of the Executive Committee, Board of 
Governors. and Racing Board: 
The annual executive meeting of the American Canoe 
Association will be held at Rochester, N. Y., October 24, 
1903- C. F. Wolters, 
Commodore-Elect. 
John S. Wright, Sec'y-Treas. 
Canoe Songf. 
Silent we leave the island shore. 
To watch the dancing moonbeams gleam 
Upon the water's polished floor; 
To sing, to drift, to dream. 
The moon is like a fairy ship 
That steers her course across the sky. 
'Twixt island clouds she seems to slip, 
Then softly passes by. 
The stars are lights to steer her by. 
Stationed on rock or hidden sand, 
Or placed perhaps on towers high 
That rise from unseen land. 
Then back we drift to camp and light; 
To merry friends and great good cheer; 
Yet we are loatli to leave the night. 
And all its wonders here. 
Joseph Mason, Jr. 
411 communications intended for Forest and Stream should 
always be addressed to the Forest and Stream P«blishing Co., 
New York, and not to any individual, connected with the paper,,, 
