128 
Forest and stream 
March, 1919 
THE LOOKOUT’S WATER TANK 
To the Editor of Forest and Stream: 
1 AM sending you a photo of the 
method we used to pack a large water 
tank, 14 miles by trail, up to a lookout 
station called, “Stormy Lookout,” in the 
Chelan National Forest. Where the 
trail was full of 
switch backs, we 
packed the tank 
on a horse and 
when we came to 
a straight piece 
of trail we 
hauled it on 
s h a 1 V e s . The 
tank weighed 125 
lbs. and held 300 
gallons of water. 
It is filled the 
first of July when 
the lookout first 
goes on duty and 
it usually keeps 
until the middle 
of September, 
when he leaves. 
The average fire 
season is July 
and August. It 
took three men 
four days to pack 
this tank up to the top of Stormy Moun- 
tain, an elevation of 7,219 feet above 
sea level. 
C. H. Foster, Washington. 
, TITLE OF SPORTSMAN 
To the Editor of FOREST and Stream: 
T N these days the term “sportsman” is 
often applied quite indiscriminately to 
any person who procures a rod or gun 
and goes in pursuit of game. Some there 
may be, even, who do not know that in 
olden times this title had to be won by 
certain well defined qualifications. In 
days not long past the title of a “Scot- 
tish sportsman” could not be claimed 
until a person had secured a wild swan, 
as well as a stag, an eagle, a seal, and 
a salmon. J. P. H., New Jersey. 
FROM AN OLD SUBSCRIBER 
To the Editor of Forest and Stream: 
I have 13 bound volumes of Forest and 
Stream, beginning in 1874, Volumes 2, 
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19. 
Do you know of anyone that would like 
to purchase some? 
J. B. Pardoe, N. J. 
RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT 
To the Editor of Forest and Stream : 
J ET us all try to make our streams 
■E' pleasanter places, and make trout 
fishing the most gentlemanly and sports- 
manlike pastime." — VIRGINIUS. 
More than one beautiful thing rose be- 
fore the inward eye as I read, “Fish- 
ing by the Friendly Fireside,” in your 
January issue. Perhaps there are those 
who would call such an article senti- 
mental; and the author of it, a vision- 
ary. Fortunately, however, he does not 
hand over the fairest moments and moods 
of life to that mixture of irresponsible 
feeling and unprofitable emotion that 
sentimentalism connotes. Life is not 
only enlarged and refreshed by going 
forward: it is enlarged and refreshed al- 
so by going backward. Never mind what 
the old song says about “Once in the 
dear dead days beyond recall.” The 
dear days are not dead — they never die. 
They come back to us again and again. 
The truth is, the dearer they were as 
we lived through them the more fresh 
and vivid is their companying with us 
again. 
Many years ago there was placed in 
my hands a little volume, the title of 
which was “Lorna Doone.” Once each 
year I open .its covers and give myself 
over to the c^pipanionship of John Ridd. 
He has shown me the Bagworthy River, 
and very graciously introduced me to the 
maid he loved. Angling surely cast its 
spell over this stalwart hero. It has 
surprised me that the poor fellow was 
never criticised for using a spear with 
w'hich to catch his roaches and trout. 
Make no mistake about it; he used it 
with consummate skill, and never left 
one to rot upon the bank. 
To the right, on top of one of my 
book-cases are six splendid rods. There, 
too, are reels, lines, leaders and files. 
What a comfort it is to take them down 
and look them over! This little four- 
ounce rod swiftly despatched a pounder 
in swift water. That “five and a half 
ouncer” was steadfast and true while 
struggling in a brushy backwater^ with 
a trout that would not obey 
I am back again at the side of my 
favorite stream. No doubt it is frozen 
from bank to bank by this time. But 
I am living over the August days. What 
rod will be chosen to begin? With trem- 
bling hands the slender lengths are 
jointed, reel fitted and leader stretched. 
But here is the problem — which fly? One 
thing is certain: only one fly — wet or 
dry — will grace the delicate cast. But 
why call to remembrance that experi- 
ence which is so agonizing, yet delight- 
ful? After all, it was a Spent Gnat! 
Then carefully the way is made to the 
pool beneath yonder spreading tree! . . . 
I did not know him, and the unchar- 
itable question arose: “What right had 
he fishing my stream?” Nothing was 
left but to sit down and watch him. He 
used the finest tackle and knew how 
to manipulate rod and line, for his fly 
lighted like thistle-down upon the am- 
ber - colored sur- 
face. Nor did he 
have long to wait 
before his fly was 
sucked below and 
the fight was on. 
It took but a few 
minutes before 
the trout was 
landed: a sixteen 
incher ! Turning, 
he noticed me and 
came and sat 
down by my side 
and talked the 
matter over. He 
said, “I have 
heard of you. 
They told me I 
should find you 
up here.” 
For an hour or 
more we sat to- 
gether rejoicing 
in the beauty and 
freedom of the open, forgetting the 
crowded marts; content that nature 
should have her way with us. His 
favorite rod was a cork-handled, all- 
bamboo of three and one-half ounces. 
The reel light, and held a fine tap- 
ered line, size C. The fly — a Pink 
Lady. He never used but one, and 
when he lost a fish he seemed to re- 
joice. I found that he came to the 
woods to recuperate, for deep waters had 
gone over his soul. Quietly he spoke of 
his “golden boy” now resting in Flan- 
der’s Field. “Nature and God,” he re- 
marked, “have the healing touch.” Thus 
did I meet an angler; a man reverent 
and religious. He studied to be quiet. 
We took that day eighteen trout, and 
returned to the valley as the sun was 
sinking behind the distant hills. 
In retrospect are these words writ- 
ten. Spring and summer are yet to 
come. We are all looking forward to the 
time when the first cast will be made 
and the first prize landed. As we go 
fortlT let us remember what was done 
amiss in the year that is no more, and 
resolve to attain unto the true spirit of 
an angler. 
“0, sir, doubt not but that angling 
is an art.” 
Rev. James A. Fraser, N. Y. 
To the Editor of Forest and Stream : 
I HAVE just learned that at one of our 
division meets the displaying of a 
Vice-Commodore’s flag by an ex-Vice- 
Commodore caused some comment. 
On October 26, 1901, the Executive 
Committee passed resolutions amending 
the By-Laws with regard to cap insig- 
nia of ex-Commodores. I am suggest- 
ing something exactly similar for the 
flags and also cap insignia for all officers 
and not simply ex-Commodores. 
Packing water up “ Stormy Lookout ” 
