Tcrur, Fonr Dollar- n Year. 
Tea Cent* a Copy. 
NEW YORK, THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 187S. 
I Volume 10.— No. !0. 
iNo III Fulion ei„ N. Y. 
PIGEONS. 
Selected. 
T> INK-FOOTED, sleek'y white, or delicate fawn, 
A Of darkller plumed, with glossy throat where cllDgs 
One soft perpetual ripple of rainbow rlflgs, 
How often to your beauty our sight la drawn 
When back from roamings wide yon suddenly dawn, 
A love y turbulence of quick-fluttered wings, 
Alighting on some brown slanted roof like sprlog's 
Pale showers of blossoms on an orchard lawn ! 
Our commao barn-yard life, plain, stolid, rnde, • 
You haunt with tender purity sweet to note; 
And gladden Its dullness with your buoyant throng, 
In many a smooth aud mellow Interlude 
Tnroogh horaller sound serenely letting flout 
Your strange luxurious monotones of song 1 
— Edgar Fair celt in Atlantic Monthly . 
For Forest and Stream and Itod and Oun. 
(On ^iitj (TJuileitr. 
TIIB NOCVKLLE AND ESCCMINAC. 
A NGLING is my profession. In its pursuit I have spent 
the happiest hours of my life, and though I have seen 
more than fifty summers, yet when the leaves begin to come 
forth, and the warm spriDg rains are falling, that same old 
fever throbs in my veins, and I experience an irresistible long- 
ing to hear once more the music of running water, to inhale 
the aroma of the forest, and to feel the thrill which none but 
a born angler can experience. Aud so I found myself last 
summer impatieutly waiting for the halcyon season to arrive. 
Determined to find some locality, no matter how far away, 
that was not yet fished out, I concluded to visit streams in 
the Province of New Bruuswick, and one morning in July 
I found myself with a companion in the pleasant village of 
Dalhousie, on the south shore of the Bay of Chalcur. Opposite 
to this village, in the Province of Quebec, are two small 
rivers called the Nouvelle and Escuminac, which empty into 
the bay at points about six miles apart. By the kindness of 
two gentlemen, residents of Dalhousie, we procured the neces- 
sary outfit, including letters to the wardens of the streams, 
and one pleasant afternoon, after having received the kindest 
attentions from Messrs. Montgomery and Phillips, we set sail 
in a birch bark canoe for our objective point — the mouth of 
the “Skiminac.” Tom, our guide, rigged an old blanket in 
his light craft, which supplemented his efforts with the 
paddle, aud, under certain conditions, “worked splendidly.” 
We found that the Escuminac was leased to the proprietor of 
the hotel at Matapedia, but that by paying a small fee we 
could obtain privilege to fish. Dan Brown, the warden, at 
whose house we stayed, was one of the best hearted, most ac- 
commodating men I ever met. Indeed I may here add that 
we received courteous treatment from every person with 
whom we came in contact while in this portion of Canada. 
We spent the' remainder of the week skirmishing around, 
hunting with but indifferent success. We made a trip to the 
Nouvelle. This is a beautiful river, well stocked with fine 
trout. I can imagine no trout stream more attractive. Fish- 
ing is free to all. To fish it to the best advantage requires a 
birch bark canoe and two men. These, and ordinary supplies, 
can be procured at Dalhousie. A tent and camp uteDsils are 
also needed, for though the valley is in some parts quite 
thickly settled, yet I heard of no one prepared to accommo- 
date sportsmen. 
The trout begin to ascend the stream about the first of July. 
'The fishing is best from about the middle of July until the 
latter part of August. The flies most successfully used are 
nearly, if not quite, as large as salmon flies. There never have 
been any salmon caught in either the Nouvelle or Escuminac. 
On the following Monday we packed our baggage into a one 
horse wagon, drove to the end of fhe road, and in the after- 
noon pitched our tent on the banks of the Escuminac, four 
miles beyond the last clearing. Tom, our half-breed guide, is 
strong, patient and willing. He has hunted and trapped all 
through these forests, and knows every foot of the territory. 
Dan Brown accompanied us, determined, as he said, to show 
us that there are trout, and big ones too, in the “Skiminac.” 
Toward evening I proposed to my companion that we try 
to catch some trout for supper. He declined to fish, but took 
his landing-net aud accompanied me. A few rods above our 
tent we came to a long, deep pool. At the second or third 
cast I hooked a fish, and after a short and not very exciting 
struggle the meshes of the net inclosed a beauty. Again I 
dropped my fly over a ripple on the further side of the pool. 
It was instantly taken, and the sport began. My game had 
made a dash lor a bit of fly for his supper. I was now intent 
upou securiug him for our supper. Twas a loDg; clear pool, 
and I gave him a fair chance. And right gallantly did he 
struggle. But each desperate rush was less vigorous than the 
preceding, and at last lie too lay quivering iu the net. The 
midgets were biling fiercely, and we returned to camp with 
two trout weighing 2$ aud 3J pounds. Enough surely for 
our supper, and a rather encouraging commencement. The 
next day Dan and I started to explore the North Brauch. A 
few hundred feet from its mouth we discovered several large 
trout. But though we ascended it about three miles we found 
no others. I was never so much nonplussed and disappointed. 
It seemed to be the most natural trout stream I ever saw. But 
they were not there. Late iD the afternoon we agaia reached 
the main stream. Here we found a beautiful pool. Within 
half an hour, by the aid of Dan and his landing-net, I capt ured 
three trout weighing together 6$ pounds. Myriads of mid- 
gets were attacking Dan's unprotected face, neck and arms, 
and so, feeling that the day's fishing had not been an entire 
failure, we returned to camp. My companion and Tom were 
absent, but within au hour returned. Tom carried a string of 
uioe trout weighing 25$ pounds. My string of three, of which 
I had previously felt a little proud, was nowhere, and I 
couldn't help wishing that I bad staid upou the main stream. 
The next morning early we three started on our tramp up 
the river. We waded nearly all the way. The forest was al- 
most impassable, and the underbru-h grew close to the 
water's edge. The water in many places was knee deep, and 
every foot of the river bed was thickly strewn with large 
stones or the sharp edges of a kind of slate rock which seemed 
to dip at right angles with the surface. The current was swift, 
and our progress slow. It was oue long, and I began to 
think, endless rapid. The water was so perfectly clear that 
every part of the bottom could plainly he seen, aud no fish 
could have escaped the keen eyes of Dan, but not a trout was 
discovered. It was a wearisome tramp. 
At last we reached a pool. Dan, who wus several hundred 
feet in advance, stood gazing iuto the water, and signaling 
us to approach cautiously. We did so, and looking where he 
directed us, saw plainly a portion of the bottom literally cov- 
ered with large trout. It was a long, deep pool and about 
fifty feet wide. The opposite bank was high and thickly 
covered with underbrush to the water's edge. On the side 
where we stood there was a stony beach about eight feet in 
width, back of which was a dense growth of cedar and 
spruce. A current of swift running water extended to the 
middle of the pool, and seemed to shield us partially from the 
sight of the trout. Mr. B. advanced to the head of the pool 
and cast directly over the “school." There was a sudden 
swirl iu the water; the next instant the click of his reel and 
the bend of his beautiful gnlse rod indicated that he had ex- 
citing and very agreeable business on hand. I took position 
about thirty feet below him. At the third cast mv fly dropped 
at the right spot, and I too hooked one, which I ltd toward 
the lower part of the pool, where 1 had plenty of room to 
play my fish without disturbing the others. 
“ Gentlemen,” said Dan, “ there is a barrelful of big trout 
iu that pool. It's plain now that they'll ri=e to a fly. Just 
play your fish until I go below there uud pile up a wall of 
stones across the mouth of that little bay, aud then you will 
have a crib where you can keep your trout alive until you 
git done fishing. To iny certain knowledge there bus never 
been a fly cast in that pool ; aud if you don't do some lull 
fishin’ it will be your own fault." 
I am unable to fully describe my feelings while standing on 
the 6hore of that beautiful pool, carefully handling a 
pound fish, while Dao was building his crib. For more thau 
thirty years I had dreamed, by duy and by night, of some 
such spot. Before me, in plain sight, lay the beautiful fish, 
whose retreat, far away in, the forest, no angler had hitherto 
invaded. They were evidently hungry, and sprung fiercely 
at the tempting fly. Anti noble game they were, averaging 
more thau three pounds in weight. They could only be laud- 
ed by the aid of the net, which, in the skillful hands of Dun, 
seldom missed. Bemg in 6earch of sport and not epeciully 
desirous to count, I gave every one of the beauties that I 
hooked a fair chance. My light but tough rod was a delight 
to the eye, as it gracefully bent and sprang back again, ever 
keeping a taut, but not too stiff, hold upon the fish. Talk of 
Thomas’ orchestra, or the most gifted singer’s voice ! I’ll 
leave it to any real lover of. angling whether the hum of the 
reel as some noble fish runs out 75, 100— more— feet of line 
isn’t the most exhilarating music he ever heard! 
At last the sport began to wane and we surveyed our catch. 
In that crib lay forty as gracefully formed and as beautifully 
marked trout as I ever saw. They were all alive and appa- 
rently uninjured. We had left our'seales at the tent, aud 
were unable to tell the exact weight, but they uudoubtedly 
averaged more than three pounds. To determine as near as 
possible, and to settle a difference of opinion, we took out 
and killed the two smallest and eleven of the largest. We 
then turned the others back into the stream. It was a rare 
excitement and pleasure to me to catch my share of these 
beautiful fish. It was an almost equal satisfaction to be able 
to return to their native waters, absolutely uninjured, such as 
we were unable to rise, and thus waste no game. 
Upon returning to our tent we found that our two smallest 
fish weighed 2$ pounds each and the others from 3J to 4} 
That evening Dan, having, as he said, fulfilled his promise to 
show us all the trout we wanted, returned home, taking to 
our kind friends in Dalhousie a present of trout, which were 
pronounced as large and as fine as either had ever seen. 
The next evening, at about G o'clock, my friend not cariDg 
to fish, I took Tom with me, and after a trump of tbirty -five 
minutes, reached the pool from which Mr. B. had caught his 
string of nine. On the side opposite to me lay a submerged 
cedar log, nnd close to it a " school ” of trout. The water 
ran swiftly past this log aud settled in a deep pool below. 
The instant my fly dropped near the log it was gamely taken 
and carried with a rush away down into the pool, uulil nbout 
100 feet of line had run out. After an exhibition of more 
vigor than lmd been displayed by any I had yet handled, a 
three-pounder lay gasping at our feet. Another, still more 
lively, weighing afforded lively 9port, and was subdued 
only uftcr a long struggle. 
The evening was cloudy, and as it was becoming dark 
under the shadow of a hill to the west of us, I added a nearly 
white fly. Casting within a foot of the old cedar. I was as- 
tonished at the commotion iu the water and the unusual strum 
upon the rod that iusluntly followed. “You've got two!” 
cried Tom, now ulmost as much excited as myself ; “you'll 
lose ’em, sure.” But I didn't. Fortunately they mu into the 
deep water and engaged in an unceasing series of grouud and 
lofty tumbling very exhaustive even to a trout ; and, sooner 
than I had expected, they were lying upon their sides in the 
water at our feet, nnd were secured. They weighed 6$ 
pounds. Not wishiDgto engage iu a struggle with two, nt the 
great risk of losing both, I tooK off the flies I had used (jud 
put ou one of a dozen tied for us by a gentleman, a most 
skillful angler, named Beard, residing at Cnmpbelltown ou the 
Kestigoueho. At the second cast I hooked a trout, the cap- 
ture of w hich rewarded me for all the time, money and fatigue 
expended on the trip. I shall ever feel under certain personal 
obligations to that trout. I have always been interested in 
"fish stories.” Every detailed account of exciting struggles 
with game fish, whether priuted or oral, has absorbed my at- 
tention. I lmd up to this time, under the most favoruble cir- 
cumstances for real sport, caught some large trout, yet their 
“play" had not quiie equaled the glowing stories I had rend 
and heard ; and the uuwelcomc suspicion had obtruded itself, 
that the narrators had drawn largely upon their imaginations, 
hut that trout redeemed the reputation of its species and re- 
stored my confidence in the veracity of anglers. 
A full description of alibis performances during that fifteen 
minutes’ uuceasiug struggle, would be a resume of all 1 lmd 
previously read or heard told, lie was 25 inches long and 
weighed 41 pounds. From thesume “school," and us rapidly 
as I could handle them, I caught four more nearly as large ; 
but, as we could not use them, and I ncv<r williugjy wasted 
game, I turned them back. The shades of night were closing 
round us. I put up my tackle and bude a regretful adieu to a 
spot where, for about two hours, I lmd realized the inspirations 
of almost a lifetime. A few days more of this glorious sport 
was vouchsafed to us, and then w e bade good-bye to Dan ami 
his estimable wife, who had striven in every possible way to 
make our stuy comfortable and pleasant, and then returned to 
Dalhousie. 
The Bay of Chalcur is here about si x miles wide. The land 
on the north shore rises into irregular steep hills and mountains. 
There is a Hue of farms close to the shore, but the interior is 
a wilderness. On the south shore the land is lees broken, and 
19 occupied by apparently thrifty farmers, who make the most 
they can of the short summer. As we sailed into the middle 
of the bay and looked hack upon the hills and mountains, 
rising one above auother far toward the north and northwest, 
aod then upon the quiet beauty of the south shore, no sound 
disturbing the Sabburli-liko stillness hut llio cry of the Iood, 
the clear brncing air of this far northern latitude sensibly re- 
invigorating us as well as speeding us ou our way, I thought 
that though I had often Bailed upon a pleasant lake, yet no- 
thing iu my previous experience hud been quite So enjoyable 
as that evening’s trip across the Bay of Chalcur. S. 
— 
THE LAKE REGION OF FLORIDA. 
Melrose, Fla., March 25, 1878. 
Editor Forest and Stream : 
We left here Tuesday evening for Wall's place on Luke 
Pleasant for a two-days' deer hunt. As it is getting n ear ^e 
time when the law is on, we thought we would try our hand 
at this noble game. We arrived nt Wall’s— about six miles 
from here— in good condition, after having a rather noisy, 
but not unmusical, reception by his pack of hounds. After 
a good night's sleep and a solid breakfast we started for tho 
pine woods, a party of four, Wall. Puggett, an old deer huu- 
ter on his horse, Steve and myself, with a pack of hounds, 
one of them— Paggctt’s— being a perfect beamy. Such a fine 
head and nose! such intelligent eyes I And to hear her when 
at work iu the distance, what finer music could one wish for, 
especially the deer hunter? After a pleasant walk of about 
four miles through the woods, the country being geutly roll- 
ing, with no swamps or underbrush, we arrive at our stands 
(Wall, Steve and I), while Paj-gett circles out ou the drive. 
We place ourselves ubout 20U yards apart, eit down and 
wait. At first I keep a shirp lo >k out in the direction in 
which the dogs have gone, and fr .in whioh direction I expect 
to see the game appear, oaly occasi mally turning my head to 
take a backward glance. Thus 1 sit for wbat seems a long 
