470 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
tDEC. 12, 1903. 
In New England. 
Boston, Dec. 5. — Editor Forest and Stream: A few 
days ago the South Shore gunners turned their attention 
chiefly from coot on the beaches to black ducks on the 
rivers and marshes, where they appeared in large num- 
bers. Duck shooting is expected to be good for several 
weeks, and it may be said that a few yellowlegs and 
brant are yet to be obtained on the beaches. 
Green Harbor River just above the old dj^ke is still 
a place of resort for ducks, as it was way back in the 
'40s, when "The God-like Daniel" used to row out from 
the backyard of his Marshfield estate into the midst of 
these duck feeding grounds. Local tradition, while ad- 
mitting that Webster was the man who made brant and 
coot shooting popular at Brant Rock, claims that he was 
by no m.eans the first man to shoot duck in Green Har- 
bor River. 
The abundance of foxes in the Marshfield Hills 
section of_ late has led the South Shore Fox Hun- 
ters' Association to lay out as the route for its next hunt 
the northern part of the town instead of that usually 
followed at the Plains. IMr. Calvin Ewell has recently 
captured a couple of Reyiiards on Tilden's Island. 
A vigorous effort is being made by deputy Stackhouse 
and other wardens to stop the use of ferrets which has 
been going on in Marshfield and other near-by towns. A 
new claimant for horsewoman's honors was brought to 
the front Thanksgiving Day at the run of the Middlesex 
Hunt Club, namely, Mrs. Grafton St. Loe Abbott, to 
whom the brush was awarded as the first lady up. The 
fox was killed in the pasture of Mr. William A. Blodgett, 
and following the chase a breakfast was served at Air. 
Blodgett's home with a large attendance. Among the 
many well-known leaders in the club are Mr. A. Henry 
Higginson and Howard Snelling. Mrs. Abbott is the 
daughter of Hon. Charles Francis Adams, and resides 
in Concord, Mass. 
A Diana in Vermont. 
According to a report from Barnard, the only woman 
who has shot a deer in the State this season is Miss 
Kate Reagan, of that place. The young lady is, so to 
speak, her widowed mother's "right hand man" in 
carrj'ing on the farm as well as an accomplished 
musician and an artist. Instead of Horace Greeley's 
advice, I would suggest, "Go to Vermont, young man." 
A Claremont, N. H., hunter has recently secured a 
trophy very rarely obtained in that part of the State, 
it being a large Canada lynx that measured 33 inches 
from tip to tip and weighed 29 pounds. 
From Bangor the shipments of deer for the last 
week are reported to have been 273 deer, 18 moose; 
last year for the corresponding week, 306 deer, 7 
moose; total of deer for the season, 4,084; 206 moose; 
while last year they were 4.765 deer, 189 moose. 
Commissioner Carleton reports the amount of money 
received for licenses is $26,650. It is claimed the law' 
has had the effect to deter illegal shipments of game 
out of the State, comparatively few seizures having 
been made. Comparing figures above given, it will 
be seen that while more moose have been shipped this 
year than last; the number of deer to the present time 
is 681 less than last year. 
Your correspondent had thought the day of the 
side hunt had gone by, but it seems one has been held 
recentlj^ at Roque Bluff, in Washington county, Maine. 
Whether it was conducted otherwise than on the same 
old plan of killing everything for a count, I do not 
know. It is time this relic of the "dark ages" of sport 
should be prohibited for all time to come. 
On the first day of the close season a huge bull 
moose turned the tables on an employe of the iMaine 
Central, who had secured two good bucks near Dan- 
[orth. As he could not shoot the moose, he took to a 
tree, where he was forced to remain for an hour or 
so, when the animal walked away. 
Dr. Heber Bishop returned early in the week from 
his private camp beyond the chain of ponds in the 
Moose River valley. He and his party brought out 
their quota of deer. Mr. Frank R. Whitcher, of Ames- 
l3ury, and his wife, have recently returned from Deer 
Farm, where they have spent several weeks with a 
party of friends. 
Mr. C. W. Brown, of Salem, has just brought out 
two deer and a moose from Rainbow Lake, near Milli- 
nocket, having been in camp less than five days. Mr. 
W. S. Hinman had as his guests at the Runaway Club, 
Clearwater, Thanksgiving week, President Reed and 
Dr. E. W. Branigan. Centr.\l. 
Fishingf in Er.e Harbot. 
Erie, Pa. — Editor Forest and Stream: I know of no 
single place on the chain of lakes that gives better re- 
turns to the hook and line fisherman than Erie har- 
bor, and the reefs outside of it, so long as the nets 
are kept out. A few years ago the hook and line fish- 
ing was nearly destroyed by illegal netters, most of 
them being foreigners; but about that time a man, who 
is an enthusiastic fisherman himself, was made chief 
of police and exerted himself to stop the netting, and 
did stop it. Since then but little has been done. Lately 
a n'.;:nber of gentlemen have begun a movement that 
is ciuculated to stop what little netting is still being 
carried on. They propose to form an association and 
appoint a number of officers to watch for the poachers. 
I think there is little poaching done now, but they 
should know. They complain that the fish warden 
does not try to stop it. The way to stop it is to do 
the work themselves, if they know of any netting being 
done. The warden cannot be expected to camp down 
on some dock day and night watching the poachers; 
and they know him and knoAV at least enough not to be 
caught netting while he is around. Some of us who 
are not fish wardens would stand a far better show 
when it comes to catching them than he would. What 
is vranted is far each man who knows of any of these 
nets being set to_report them; let him be fish warden 
at the moment, i do not care about these fish myself, 
for I never do any fishing, but I will have any one I 
see netting the fish taken m in short order. 
Tn spite of the netting, if any of it is being done, I 
have seetT iSmt \>\% strings o£ fisji taken with a hook 
and line this summer. Hardly anyone who fishes for 
a few hours fails to land about all the fish he can carry. 
There is a great deal of fishing in winter time through 
the ice, and nets are used at times then. It ought to 
be an easy matter to stop that. There need be no 
trouble in finding and destroying the nets. Some were 
destroyed last winter. 
Years ago a great inany people came here every 
summer for an outing and to fish. When the fishing 
was spoiled they quit coming, but during the past few 
years they would have found all the fishing they wanted 
had they come after it. Cabia Blanco. 
Sea Bass at Seabreeze. 
Seabreeze, Fla., Nov. 23. — I am mailing you to-day 
picture of catch of sea bass made off the Clarendon 
Inn pier, Seabreeze, Fla., on Nov. 16, by three men; 
namely, Mr. Jasper Owen, of Philadelphia; Mr. S. A. 
Boyd, of New York City, and Manager Knappe, of the 
Clarendon Inn, Seabreeze, Fla., in a little over three 
hours, with rod and reel, rods from 10 to 14 ounces. 
Lines used were 18 thread Cutty Hunk. Fish weighed 
froin 14 to 30 pounds each, and aggregated 924 pounds. 
This is the largest catch of sea bass recorded on the 
east coast of Florida by three men with rod and reel 
in anything like the same space of time. 
I wish to remark that none of the fish of this enor- 
mous catch were wasted, as all of thein were used by 
workmen, who are employed on the Clarendon Inn 
extension, which is in process of erection. 
E. L. Potter. 
— • — 
Points and Flttshes. 
At New Haven, Ky., Dec. 4, the annual meeting of the 
National Fox Hunters' Association, two important 
matters were decided, namely, the election of officers for 
the ensuing year and awarding of the gold cup in the all- 
aged event. W. Wade, of Pittsburg, was elected presi- 
dent, and R. J. Fink, of Louisville, secretary and 
treasurer. Among the directors elected are Lee, of Ala- 
bama, and Ormsby, of Virginia. Cricket, owned by R. J. 
Fink, won the gold cup as the champion of the all-aged 
division. A committee will be appointed by the president 
to fix the time and place for the next meeting. 
— * — 
Designing Competition. 
$225 in Prizes. 
Two designing competitions have been given in 
Forest and Stream. The first was for a 2sft. water- 
line cruiser; the second was for a 15ft. one-design class. 
Both competitions were very successful. The great in- 
terest taken in those competitions has prompted us to 
give a third one, open to amateurs and professionals. 
The prizes which will be given are as follows: 
First prize — $100. 
Second prize — $60. 
Third prize — $40. 
Fourth prize — $25, offered by Mr. Theodore Zerega 
for the best interior plan. 
The designs are for a yacht conforming to the fol- 
lowing conditions: 
I. Centerboard cruiser, 40ft. 1. w. 1. 
ir. Boat must not draw over 6ft with centerboard up. 
IIT. The lowest freeboard to covering board must 
be 3ft. 
The design must be modern in every particular, with- 
out containing any extreme or abnormal features. The 
conditions have been made as simple as possible, that 
competitors might have all latitude and scope in work- 
ing out their ideas. We wish to produce an able and 
comfortable cruising boat, one that shall have ample 
accommodation for two or three men living aboard for 
a period of several months, and one that can be easily 
managed at all times by two or three paid hands. The 
draft is restricted to 6ft. in order that the boat may 
have access to nearly all the desirable harbors, and 
may, thereby, widely increase her cruising field. 
Drawings Required. 
I. Sheer plan, scale ^'m.=ih. — showing center of 
buoyancy, center of lateral resistance and center of 
effort of both rigs. 
II. Half breadth, scale ^\n.=jh. 
III. Body plan, scale ^in.=ift. 
IV. Cabin plan, inboard profile and at least one 
cross section, scale 2y^'m.=ilt. 
V. Two sail plans, scale ]4'm-=iit.; one as a yawl; 
one as a pole mast sloop. 
In the case of the yawl rig the position and height 
of the mast and length of gaff are to be the same as 
in the cutter rig. Plans must show working topsail and 
size of light sails. 
VI. All ballast outside on keel except amount neces- 
sary for trimming. 
An outline specification must accompany each de- 
sign. The drawings should be carefully made and let- 
^^red. AIJ draw ing^ shoujd be on Myhite paper or 
tracing cloth in black ink. No colored inks or pig- 
ments should be used. The designs must bear a nom- 
de-plume only, and no indication must be given of the 
author. In a sealed envelope, however, the designer 
must inclose his own name and address, together with 
his nom-de-plume. All designs must be received at the 
office of the Forest and Stream Publishing Company, 
346 Broadway, New York City, not later than March 
I, 1904. All drawings will be returned, but postage 
should accompany each. 
The Forest and Stream reserves the right to pub- 
lish any or all of the designs. 
Mr. Clinton H. Crane, of the firm of Messrs. Tarns, 
Lemoine & Crane, who passed upon the designs sub- 
mitted for the 25ft. with great care, has again con- 
sented to judge the designs and make the awards. 
Emperor William has withdrawn his offer of a cup 
for an international ocean yacht race in 1904 on account 
of his being in poor health, but he will put up a trophy 
for a transatlantic race in 1905. 
Commodore Robert E. Tod, of the Atlantic Y. C, 
received the following cable from the Kaiser on Nov. 
28: Owing to his Imperial Majesty's protracted recon- 
valescence, he has been prevented seeing his yachting 
representatives at date intended to fix details for At- 
lantic cup race, thus time for designers and builders of 
new, yachts now far too advanced to get fresh boats 
ready for such competition this coming season, spring 
1904. His Majesty, therefore, deems advisable post- 
pone his offer for race until 1905, and will send full de- 
tails for this offer in autumn, 1904. His Imperial Ma- 
jesty therefore withdraws offer cup for 1904, and hopes 
his proposal will meet approval of both clubs. 
Cruising Competition Awards* 
New York, Dec. i. — Editor Forest and Stream: I 
have read the twenty stories submitted in the cruising 
contest of 1903, and I must say that the work has been 
a pleasure rather than a task, most of them taking me 
over the cruising grounds with which I am familiar, 
others telling of distant waters not yet visited. 
I congratulate Forest and Stream upon having in- 
terested so many contestants, especially some of the 
gentler sex. More than one story is submitted by 
ladies cruising with the men of their families. Wliile 
their accounts are most entertaining, they lack to a 
certain extent the sailor-like roughness of telling uiat 
technical logs possess. 
When the ladies become captains and command their 
own vessels, then the other sex will needs look to their 
laurels. 
It has not been an easy matter to award these prizes, 
as the stories are, without exception, most interesting, 
and I note with great pleasure that Forest and 
Stream's admonition about the use of nautical slang 
has been very carefully observed. Hard as it has been 
to award the first and second prize, it was still harder 
to award the third, and I could haye awarded at least 
three fourth prizes, had they been provided. The same 
system of marking has been used this time as last, 
with 10 high mark for each of ''■^e following: Seaman- 
ship, Pilotage, Diction, Interests, Chart, Photographs, 
and the totals carried out; 60 is the possible score. 
Hull to Bristol, W. Lambert Bn^-nard, of Boston, 
Mass., wins first prize with a score of 48. Yacht Cruise 
of Mblem, Geo. E. Darling, of Providence, R. L, wins 
second prize, with a score of 39. In Soitthern Seas, 
Allan Dunn, of Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, wins 
third prize, with a score of 37. 
If Forest and Stream offers another cruising com- 
petition, I suggest that at least three fourth prizes be 
given. 
From the wording of the offer of przes this time, I 
have considered that the charts submitted to gain a high 
mark should be the work of the contestant. Govern- 
ment charts have not been marked very high. Pilot- 
age, of which Forest and Stream makes a special note 
in Rule III, has been in many cases neglected, and one 
might snv with "Disco Troup," "What's come to your 
le?d? Ft it?" 
In Hull to Bristol, the winner of first prize, Mr. 
Barnard, has made his story somewhat longer than 
necessary, but he has a splendid one to tell, and tells 
it like the sailor man he is. His use of oil to smooth 
the sea off Chatham, and his care of his boat when 
anchored off Hyannis that bad night, have won hirn 
some high numbers. I believe his Charity Cruise won 
third prize in a previous competition, and I beg to offer 
my congratulations upon the improved work. He also 
sent some excellent pen and ink sketches of Ayaya 
which I hope you will publish, but they were not in the 
competition. 
Yachting Cruise of Mblem, second prize, very care- 
fully done, a long and plucky cruise for cruisers on a 
catboat, and the chart very well made. Mblem entered 
at least two unusual harbors. Cape Small Point and 
Chatham. A description of these harbors and pilotage 
notes on them would have been of great interest, and 
we regret that Mr. Darling omitted them. 
The Ayaya and Mblem were anchored not more 
than a few miles apart on the bad night of Saturday, 
July 18. One near Hyannis and the other near Cross 
Rip Light vessel. 
In Southern Seas, third prize, the seamanship is ex- 
cellent, and the interest perfect, opening a new cruis- 
ing ground to your readers, who can feel themselves 
fairly launched on a Pacific cruise, the dream of all 
yachtsmen. 
The Maiden Cruise of Istar, by B. Hughs Wells, for 
which I wish there was a prize, takes us interestingly 
over some familiar and some new water. The poem 
at starting is happily chosen, as Dr. Wells has certain- 
ly "dared the farthest main" in more than orie small 
cruiser. Excellent photographs accompany this story. 
I wish the Doctor had told us about Cape Porpoise 
H§rl?Dr, recently dredged to i^ft,, of which I hav^ «ot 
