212 
supply of mosquito netting and thin muslin to protect us 
from sand flies, but Die original packages were brought 
back unopened. 1 will admit that I was put through by 
the “red bugs,” but my sufferings were the result of igno- 
rance, and my dearly bought experience will benefit others. 
At Cedar Keys, Manatee and Tampa, a few fleas will be 
found, but never away from settlements or hog nests. At 
Fort Thompson I thoughtlessly entered one of Capt Henrv’s 
old palmetto leaf shanties where dozens of hogs slept nightly, 
and as a result I was literally covered with fleas. I se- 
cured such a supply that I was forced to 1 strip and siuk my 
clothing to the bottom of the river and drown the active 
customers. If the sportsman steers clear of settlements 
and hog nests, he will not find a flea in the southern por- 
tion of the State. The last nigh^I spent at Cedar Keys I 
found that the bed contained a number of fleas and that to 
sleep was impossible. I searched my coat and removed 
from one of the pockets a box of insect powder. I sprin- 
kled a small quantity in the bed, a little in each shirtsleeve 
aud some on my neck; a few fanning motions of my shirt 
and the top sheet, and peace reigned supreme. The Per- 
sian Insect Powder should be carried by every sportsman 
who runs any risk of coming in contact with fleas or bed 
bugs. If Die latter prove troublesome, a small quantity 
sprinkled on the lower sheet will act like magic, aud nearly 
every bug that enters the bed will be found lifeless in the 
morning. My experience is that the yarns spun about in- 
sect life in Florida is to a great extent “twaddle and stuff." 
I suffer more from fleas than any person I have ever met, 
and have received so much benefit from the use of the In- 
sect Powder that I am induced to refer to it. 
With regard to fevers of an intermittent, remittent or 
continued type, I believe they are unknown on the south- 
west coast during the Winter months, and that taking the 
year through, it is the healthiest section in the United States. 
I sometimes think that a man could not contract disease on 
the coast during the Winter months. 1 am a medical man 
of many year's experience, and before leaving home filled 
my pocket case with medicines, in addition to sundry bot- 
tles and pill boxes. Companions and self were frequently 
wet and for nearly two months slept under a thin canvas 
cover open at. the ends, aud not a particle of medicine was 
required. The only article of medicine wo were short of 
was pilot bread, and others may be benefited by our ex- 
perience. In all my wanderings in the State, I have seen 
hut one diminutive scorpion, and that I captured at Fort 
Thompson. I resided for twelve years in a portion of the 
world where scorpions are plentiful, aud I never knew any 
person to be seriously injured by their venom. With re- 
§ ard to the bug-bear of snakes, 1 have only to remark, that 
uring Die period of my recent visit to the Slate I saw but 
four; a rattlesnake near Fort Thompson, a black snake on 
the Caloosahatci.ie, a garter snake on Gasparilla Island, aud 
a water snake on the Chisiowilski. On one occasion, in 
assing through the interior from Tam; a to Silver SpriBg 
noticed a large rattlesnake lying by the side of a log, and 
stopped the conveyance to destroy him, but found that 
some one had performed the duty before my urrival. Hence 
1 have met with two rattlesnakes in the State, one alive 
and one dead. I am prepared to admit that they exist in 
the State, and that they are fully developed specimens; 
but where one can be found in Florida a dozen can be 
killed in tbe mountainous regious of Pennsylvania. My 
statement may differ from others, but I describe things as I 
louud them. Before leaving the North I provided three 
large India rubber blankets to make leggiugs to protect the 
party from the fangs of rattlesnakes, and it affords me 
pleasure to state that I have the blankets uncut in my pos- 
session. Ax. Fresco. 
For Forett and Stream. 
LONG LAKE, NE WCOMB , INDIAN PASS. 
T HESE names will indicate as well ns any, the medium 
and limits of an excursion I took in the year of 
grace 1873. Making Newcomb my headquarters, I branch- 
ed out right and left from there, very much in the direc 
tions in which the antlers of a deer branch out from their 
headquarters. I left home on the 12th of May, and in six 
hours was at Saratoga, where, despite of grand hotels and 
all that sod of thing, the close season of which spreads 
over three-fourths of the year, my chief attraction was not 
the Congress Spring, but the wooded lawn beyond it, 
traversed aud occupied by seven roviug deer, for this was 
in the line of my pursuit. Mem: I know of no one who 
lias done up Saratoga so concisely and well as J. G. Saxe. 
Read his song thereof : 
•‘Tlicy eat. aDd they drink, and they sleep; 
They talk, and they walk, and they w oo; 
They sigh, and they Janeh, and they weep; 
They icad, and they nde. aud they dance; 
With other unspeakable things; 
They pray, and they play, aud they pop, 
And that's what they do at the springs." 
In the morning— excelsior— I was going up via. A. R. 
R, amid snow and ice, beckoned onward by mountains and 
streams to bolder scenery. 
Was it not very cold? Yes; particularly as the season 
was backward. But a favorite time for visiting the North 
Woods is, and always lias been with me when uble to 
secure it, from the middle of May until the flies become 
importunate in recommending return. Different seasons 
have have tlier different advantages and disadvantages, 
and no one of them includes all. In Summer you get ber- 
ries, bathing, warmth, (too much of it perhaps) but infer- 
ior flsbing as a rule, and superior mosquitoes. Late troll- 
ing is in vain, or nearly so for tbe native lake trout, 
though you may catch imported pickerel. Go in early, 
and you get the first best fishing, and are not annoyed with 
flies. Everything daily improves. Nature rapidly de- 
velops her verdant glories, and you soon see her iu her 
richest dress. I went iu too early for strawberries, but not 
for prime sport or majestic scenery. Why should any com- 
plain of cold iu the latter part of May, who at home have 
weathered January, February aud March? Wood is plenty 
iu the woods, and tire can be obtained by a scratch. The 
angler’s friend, birch bark, will kindle a flame even in the 
ram, which will make it too hot for him. But 1 am not 
recommending early shantyiug out; that is unnecessary, 
aud frequeut Spring rains render it undesirable. There 
are numerous places where shelter and warm beds can be 
secured at night, where you can "be quiet aud go a flail- 
ing' in the morning. Mem: Plenty of warm woolen cloth- 
ing. Liucu shirt-sleeves for bummer. 
The Hudson River at this time was full of rolling logs, 
rumbling aud tumbling promiscuously together, some in a 
desperate hurry to reach Glen's Falls, though stopping at 
many stations ; others found, founded, or foundered on a 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
rock. Tlnnf all tell the tale of devastation— how are the 
mighty fallen — and prompt the inquiry, shall the axe de- 
vour forever? This Bay not lie viewing the subject iu a 
utilitarian manner, but it is viewing it nevertheless. Go- 
ing, goingT^foing, as lift auctioneer exclaims; fair warning, 
unless arrest sets TnTt !hat all will yet be— gone! It was 
computed last Summer, (July 30lh,) that 100,000 logs passed 
down that day, at a given point. I saw a man on a height 
with a long pule apparently seeking to bring two large lugs 
asbore. In a moment he disappeared, but was soon seen again, 
having taken passage on those logs down the river. By 
keeping the two as one, close together, their rolling is pre- 
vented, and skillful men with iron in their soles may thus 
navigate iu comparative safety. I saw a man, however, 
on another log; just before I saw him — in the water. At 
Poltersfield I pushed my way against head winds to see the 
Schroon. I saw, but the sight was forbidding, and the 
sound even worse. So turning my back upon it, I was 
blown to where I came from. 
Old Boreas opposed my progress northward strongly, 
but in vain. I was too much for him, wrapped, if not “in 
Die solitude of my own originality,” then in flannel coats, 
shawls and overalls, so that I comfortably pursued my on- 
ward upward way. With the inspiring sight of snow-clad , 
mountains continually before my eyes, I advanced over 
roads both good and bad, till evening found me safely en- 
sconced in the house of mine host, Davis, at Newcomb. 
Of this place little need be said, for there is little of it. 
It is a quiet hamlet, surrounded by hill, forest, lake and 
stream. "Where there’s no water, it’s dry." Such is a 
favorite axiom or aphorism of my own. But there is much 
water here. The best tiling about Newcomb iu my judg- 
ment, is that Mr. and Mrs. Davis are there, a host in them- 
selves, making their guests so happy, and holding the key 
which unlocks such treasures of Die woods and waters. 
There too, I found just the man I wanted, Capt. Parker, 
an intelligent, able and faithful guide. The weather was 
for several Jays forbidding; but the Captain cheered the 
solitude with his cornet, an instrument in Die use of which 
lie is adept, giving its mellifluous tones to Die breeze in the 
Marseillaise, Hail Columbia, and Red, White and Blue, 
and we sauntered forth and reconnoitred, talcing frequent 
turns on the neighboring lakes. One morning as we moved 
towards Rich Lake, I paused, and turning saw old Ta- 
liawua in his snowy cloud capped glory. I had often seen 
him before, both near and far away, from various points 
of the compass, looming up as king mountain of the re- 
gion^in his dress of green, or robe of blue, but now for the 
first lime saw him in his mantle of white. I had seen him 
when he appeared more beautiful and attractive, but never 
when the light was so sublime. The sunlight breaking 
through the clouds illumined his snow-crowned summit, 
and held ns spell bound by the magic of its power. The 
Captain observed that we had caught such a view of the 
cloud splitter as we were not likely to see again. 
At length the wislied-for day arrived, when we were to 
start for the island home at Long Lake. On Ibis excursion 
out, I was favored with the company both of Mr. Davis 
and the Captain. Our route lay through half a dozen lovely 
lakes, Harris, Rich, Lily Pads, Long Ponds, Callin, Round, 
broken by agreeable and easy portages. Not altogether, 
but generally so. Iu one case, I remember, where the way 
was tangled, marshy, difficult, the Captain observed, “You 
must have this, if you have the other." My whole nature 
responded to the -sentiment. There [is no royal roud to 
earthly bliss, any more than there is to Ileaven. The 
cross before the crown. At all events, I prefer a rough, 
unmacadamized road, if my object is good trout fishing. I 
desired ‘The other," aud therefore cheerfully accepted Die 
one. But the route to me was refreshing. Living from 
year to year amid brick walls and stone pavemeuts, (you 
kuow how it is yourself,) I found a charm in the very 
variety of a wet and tangled path, for which I was fully 
prepared, as well as in an unobstructed march through Die 
wildwoocis, and away over the quiet waters. 
Rich Lake deserves its name. Though comparatively 
unknown aud unrecorded, it is one of the gems, in its ex- 
panse, its depths, its shores and mountain scenery. On 
Lake Lily Pads we found a white hawk, which as "we ap- 
proached endeavored to fly, and doubtless would have done 
so but for his strong attachment to a trap, which he could 
not take with him, and which he had literally got his foot 
in. Near by was a heap of dark feathers, suggestive that he 
might sometime have dined on duck. He raised his head, 
ami held it back with open beak in defiance, ready for ac- 
tion, but Mr. Davis thought it best to put him out of his 
troubles and let him rest, by a stroke or two from his oar. 
On our return we observed a heap of white feathers there, 
as well as of dark oues, suggestive that some wild animal 
had dined on hawk. 
“So uiituralluts observe, a Ilea 
Has smaller Ilea* that on Uun prep: 
And thete have smaller still to bite 'em, 
And so proceed at intlultuin." Dean Swift. 
Evening found us safely harbored at the Island House, 
kept by John Sabbatis and bis brother Charles. There I 
passed a week delightfully, and caught my largest trout. 
Now stand aside, you Maine men, while I tell you my story. 
I know your exploits, and what Maine can do; and under- 
stand that you look down on New York figures in this 
line. The trout were not numerous, but they were large. 
Two of them weighed two and a quarter pounds each; one 
three and three-quarter pounds, and one four and a quarter 
pounds. This last was three times weighed, by as many 
persons; twice with my pocket balance, aud once with 
steelyards, and all agreed. He measured twenty-one 
inches in length, aud thirteen in girth. The two largest 
together weighed exactly eight pounds. Charles 8. laid 
them on shiugles, marked and cut out their proportions, 
and opening eyes in the wood-work, hung them up at his 
cabin door as trophies. The largest was as brilliant in his 
lines as he was large; a speckled prince. I do not say a 
king, though I never saw a huger one, nor heard, well au- 
thenticated, of larger caught iu this State. Mr. Chensy 
told me he had never caught one quite so large. I brought 
him home with me, and he received many callers, of the 
angling fraternity, one of whom devoutly expressed the 
wish that he might catch one such before he died. 
Sunday came, a most luxurious day. I never passed one 
more radiant iu its oeuuty, more perfect in its atmosphere, 
more truly delicious in its natural influences. As I had 
several times expressed a desire to see and become ac- 
quainted with Milchel Sabbatis, of whom 1 read a quarter 
of a century before in Headley’s admirable book, und who 
lived near the head of the lake, Charley proposed to take 
me there to see his father. It did not take long for me to 
make up my mind; so, soon after breakfast 1 was iu the 
boat, aud with a thankful, aud I trust not uudeyout heart, 
in view of the glories of Die kingdom of Nature around me, 
aud the kind Providence which permitted me to enjoy 
them, I gave myself up to the welcome opportunity. We 
passed among the ornamental islands of the lake, (they are 
twenty-two in number) inhaling health and joy with every 
inspiration, and brought up at Kellogg’s, where we dined. 
In the afternoon we called on Milcliei, one of the most 
prominent of all settlers in the Adirondacks, and one who 
lias done much for the community where lie resides. This 
worthy 6on of the forest received me kindly and talked 
over Headley, and recollections of him, though remarking 
that it was "so long ago.” He is not. naturally inclined to 
talk much, though still in good health and strength, with 
promise of future usefulness. We called also on Helms, 
the well known guide, who lives next door to him, famous 
like Abraham, as being the father of ninny children. (See 
"Babes iu the Woods," chapter 34.) He was my guide in 
1801, and 1 had called with my party at his house on 
.Forked Lake in 1853. I found him a grandfather, with a 
numerous progeny around him, and every prospect that 
his name will never die. Our return was, if possible, still 
more delightful limn the morning row. The lake was like 
glass, not having even a ripple on its surface, though in- 
numerable ducks made their mark on it, and before us 
loomed lovely in the distance the high mountains, Seward 
and Saudanona. I shall not soon forget this glorious day; 
nor the glorious sunsets I beheld cm Long Lake, nor sundry 
conversations which I had with its echoes, nor one with its 
hermit Bowen, an intelligent, well read, mysterious old 
mail, nor the kindness and consideration 1 experienced on 
every hand. Returning to Newcomb, besides Capt. Par- 
ker, John Sabbatis was with me, who was to be my guide 
to the Indian Pass. 
From the time when I first read Headley it had been a 
cherished day dream with me to visit the scenes which lie 
so alluringly describes. I have visited nearly all of them, 
as well as others, which his book does not include. Particu- 
larly I desired to visit in one and the same trip, lakes San- 
ford and Henderson, Die Iron Works and Pass. I came 
near doing so in 1802. In the previous year 1 had lodged 
qj. the house of the old hunter, Cheney, on my way out 
from Forked Lake to Crown Point. We talked over these 
scenes; and he most feelingly described that bitter night 
when he watched in the woods with the dead body of Mr. 
Henderson and his little sou. The next year 1 wrote to 
him with a view of visiting the region, ami received his 
answer, which I still retain, written oil a sheet lipped with 
red and blue as became the loyalty of that period. But my 
thoughts were diverted that year to Die White Mountains. 
Afterwards I visited other Adirondacks, hoping and wait- 
ing for the opening of the railroad. Now was my first 
available opportunity, which 1 did not fail to improve. So, 
after resting at Newcomb for a day or two, 1 engaged a 
team to take me to the deserted village, having the son of 
Mitchel as my guide for the occasion. At Tahawus, I 
visited again Mr. Cheney, sorry to find him much broken 
in health, while still longing for the woods. His lnrxe 
white hotel stands nearly alone, on an elevation overlook- 
ing the Hudson, and at a fork in the road. I was one of 
many who were pained to learn from your columns of the 
extraordinary occurrence which endangered his life mouths 
ago, and would feel relieved to be assured of his recovery. 
Bidding him good bye, we corduroy'd our way on Die 
west side of llte elongated Lake Sanford. I was disap- 
pointed in this lake as such, though i‘s mountain surround- 
ings are lofty and sublime. The best, view of it is doubtless 
that given in Mr. Headley’s book, where with artistic eye 
and pencil, “Mr. Ingham made a picture of the lake.” But 
in comparison with others in the northern wilderness, with 
tbe.exceptiou of its mountain scenery it struck me as nar- 
row und indifferent. On the left of the road, at intervals, 
high rocky bluffs appeared which challenged our attention. 
Lonelier and lonelier ns we advanced seemed Die way, till 
arrived at something like a clearing the shades of evening 
began to full over scenes of utter desolation. A sadder 
sight of the kind 1 never beheld. I have seen deserted 
houses before, but never a deserted village. Well built 
houses by the score, silent, broken, tcnaullcss. A church, 
hut not one worshipper; a school, but not a solitary pupil; 
a broad avenue grown literally to grass; a furnace without 
a tire; iron ore iti huge masses undisturbed; not a boy or a 
girl at play or at work in the house or out of it. However, 
there was one exception, or we would not have gone there; 
one house open, where we were kindly received aud well 
taken care of to the end of the visit. 
Various are Die causes assigned for this destruction of 
property. The death of Mr. Henderson alone seems suf- 
ficient to account for it, as he was the original and chief 
supporter of the enterprise. But I heard also various ru- 
mors, to the effect that it cost more to transport the iron 
from tire woods than it was worth; that there was a strike 
among the laborers for higher pay, which failing, they all 
deserted iu a body, &e. These causes may have conspired 
together to produce the result. But there is a plenty of 
water-power there; plenty of ore, plenty of houses of wood 
aud brick; plenty of charcoal of finest quality, and hope is 
entertained that the ultimate completion of the A. R. If, as 
far as Talmwus, will again start the wheels, and make the 
village hum with the sound of progress, life and industry. 
Passing there the night, the morning (May 80lh) opened 
cold and even flaky with snow, but the day proved to be Die 
choice one of an hundred for our purpose. After a good 
breakfast, a boat was drawn to the water for our service, 
aud wc launched forth with cheerful prospects on Lake 
Henderson. This lake is a charuier. As Mitchel said, 
"any one there who does not wish to see mountains, must 
look straight up.” 1 learned on it what “wallface" means. 
One side of the mountain presents a gigantic profile, far 
larger than that on the Franconia heights, New Hamp- 
shire, but not bo bold, or prominently defined. There are 
brow, eye, nose, mouth and chin unmistakable, and in the 
mouth are teeth, to which John specially directed my at- 
tention, It is the Old Guard of the Pass forever facing it. 
We crossed the lake readily and took to the woods, but 
scarcely bad we entered it when John suddenly halted. 
"A bird," lie said, and true -enough, there was a largo strut- 
ting partridge oil the ground directly before us, He level- 
led his guu and fired, aud the poor partridge trembled- his 
life out in a moment. 
But this letter is already too extended. It remains for 
me only to say, that crossiug dashing streams, and persever- 
ing to the end of the projected journey, I attained the ob- 
ject of long desire, and received a full reward, gazing with 
rupt admiration at the base of t lie Mountain Pass, awe- 
struck by its solitary grandeur, its mu jus tic ultilude, its 
lowering sublimity. Amatecr, 
Utica, April , 1U75. 
