FOREST AND STREAM. 
309 
supply of the best pilot bread in New York or Savannah. 
A portion of the stock could he forwarded by slimmer to 
Tampa Hay. care of Miller and Henderson, and a portion 
to I’untu Itassa to care of telegraph operator. In a former 
communication, I stated that the steamer Emilie of Robert’s 
line, enrried the mail between Cedar Keys and Key West, 
touching at Tampa, Manatee, and Punta Ilassa; hut since 
that was written the government has made a change, and 
the service is performed by a steamer belonging to Capt. 
McKay, of Tampa. Sportsmen will find the captain a jolly, 
companionable, courteous and obliging Scotsman— one 
who is ever ready to convey information or confer a favor. 
In a former number we refered to our outfit for the expe- 
dition, and have but a few suggestion to make. We would 
recommend sportsmen to provide themselves with a har- 
poon and grains, as these would be found useful in the 
capture of fin fish and tarpum; and if more noble game 
would prove desirable, the aspirant for sporting fame 
may fasten to a large shark or devil fish, and to say the 
least enjoy a tow . We frequently experienced the want 
of a light skiff; and can assure the sportsman that one 
would be found very convenient. A large frying pan with 
a long handle would be found very useful for fire hunting. 
In a recent issue of the Forest and Stream we noticed an 
advertisement of a lamp and reflector for night hunting, 
and from the description, have reason to believe that it 
might prove useful— or ut least, we would like to give one 
a thorough practical test. Ammunition and fishing tackle 
of good quality cannot he purchased at any point on the 
coast, and we "would advise sportsmen to supply themselves 
with a suitable outfit. In this conre ;tion we cunnot re- 
frain from referring to the fact, that our fishing rods and 
tackle were supplied by Shipley & Son, of ■ r »0;l Commerce 
street. Phils.; and gun, rifle, and Ammunition by William 
Wurfllein, 208 South-second street, of the same city. The 
prices were moderate, and quality proved to be in every 
way satisfactory, and from experience we can honestly 
recommend these parties to the notice of sportsmen. 
A man Friday would he found very useful, and we 
would advise sportsmen to secure the services of a compe- 
tent one. Any quantity of pilots and sailing masters can 
he engaged on the southwest coast; hut nearly all of them 
have u wenk ness— that of raising the little linger too high 
and two often. If any party of sportsmen should con- 
clude to follow in my wake, 1 would advise them to secure 
the services of Henry Austin, of Beverly, N. J., who ac 
companicd me on my trip; and who is well posted as re- 
gards the difficulties of the navigation, and the best points 
for sporting. He is temperate, willing, industrious am' 
obliging, a good shot, a fair cook, and perfectly at home 
in a boat. He is in possession of a valuable amount of 
im formation regarding places visited, and would be found 
very useful as a guide and sailing masler. We unhesi- 
tatingly recommend him, and feel assured that if he should 
he engaged by any party that his services would be found 
valuable. 
lu concluding our brief notes of a sportsman’s parndisc, 
we may remark, that we have endeavored to be practical 
ami confine ourselves to data that would interest spoils- 
men; and if the end has been attained it will gratify 
An Fresco. 
For Forest and Strewn. 
THE DUCKS WE WENT FOR. 
J ACK B and I, sworn friends, enjoy our pleasures 
together. Now, Jack has been out hunting a few times 
.md considers himself quite a sportsman. lie has always 
urged me to accompany him, but I persistently refused, 
until early in April, when he eaine round to my house one 
evening and declared I must positively go with him to 
shout ducks. We could start about nine o’clock in the 
morning, take our dinners at a farm house, which was the 
abode of some of Juck’a friends, and in the afternoon try 
onv hands at the game. I consented to go, the more readily 
because my companion confessed that lie had never shot 
at a duck in his life. The latter made all the arrangements 
necessary, borrowed about thirty decoys, provided ammu- 
nition enough to last us a mouth, even if we were success- 
ful, and procured a pretty little hunting wagon to carry us 
to the farm; and I caught some of his enthusiasm and 
bought myself a lireeeh loader, a hunting coat, and a pair 
of boots that looked as if they could keep one dry even 
In the midst of the sea. My purse is not one of the long- 
est, but I told Jack that I might, as well have these things 
and be ready for a day’s sport at any time. My friend 
smiled his approval, and wheullio morning came we started, 
as full of bright anticipations as two happy children. 
We reached the farm about noon and were hospitably 
entertained, hut met witli a disappointment here which 
dampened even Jack’s ardor a lillie. Murry, the farmer’s 
son, was away from home; therefore we would have to go 
out guidelcMS, and my friend knew but little about the 
hunting grounds or the streams in their midst. The old 
farmer tried to make the way clear before us, and if many 
words could have accomplished this, all would have been 
well. About three o’clock wo started forth. The wind 
was rather loud und cold, but we cared nothing for that 
and plodded our way through the old forest which leads to 
the hanks of the Whippatiy River. The path was narrow, 
hut distinct, and we found but little dilliculty in reaching 
the stream. A thorny branch penetrated one of the water- 
proof boots of which I was so proud, but I consoled my- 
self with the thought that if the hole let the water in, it 
would also let it out again. We found the bout aud oars 
in prime condition aud were soon seated ready for our sail. 
We were to row about a mile down the stream, where we 
had been told that at sunset the ducks would gather in 
flocks; hut we mount to use our decoys, and not let the af- 
ternoon go by without one shot; so we rowed but a short 
distance and then we landed, built up a brush screen, and 
put out some of the decoys. In vain wo watched aud 
waited; no ducks came, and we at length concluded to.go 
further, for the Him was getting low. The little stream 
known as the Whlppany River empties its waters into the 
Hockaway, which hurries along, uml but a short distance 
further gives itself unto the l’assaic, which quietly receives 
nil. The Whlppany seems like some shallow body with 
but linie character or energy; the Rockaway is stirring nnd 
■willful aud the Passaic calm, deep, and determined. The 
farmer’s directions were that we should sail down the first 
stream, from thence into the second, und stop when we 
reached the third. Jack rowed without one complaining 
Word till we were in the Second river, and then gave me a 
gentle hint about the labor it cost him. I understood, but 
did’nt offer to relieve him, simply because I had never 
bandied an oar in my life. It looked easy enough, but 
things are not always what thev scorn, and I hated to dis- 
close my ignorance by any awkward attempts. So 1 let 
poor Jack labor on and uneasily watched his growing dis- 
satisfaction. Suddenly, however, the thought struck me, 
if Jack finds It hard to row down, what will the rowing up 
he! 1 I knew from some little experience that pulllmr 
against the stream is often a hard pull indeed. Fired with 
this thought 1 said, as if it had just occurred to me: 
"Jack, do give me the oars; whj are you doing all the la- 
bor;'” My companion quickly changed seats with me, and 
I took hold determined to row aright; hut I never knew 
before what a heavy, stubborn element water was. The 
oars would rise to the top, though I tried to imitate Jack’s 
movements and keep them under. At length I was obliged 
to give up in despair and confess that 1 knew nothing 
about rowing. It seemed that we would never reach our 
destination; und no wonder, for we, in our ignorance, left 
It far behind us — sailed at least a mile beyond it! Sunset 
came and darkness also; all hope of getting ducks was 
lost, and we were lost also. Rowing up the Rockaway is 
no c-asy task, and Jack grew discouraged, for the evening 
was dark, and the boat went from side to side, and at last 
in a shallow place refused to go further. We scrambled 
out, waded to the shore, and after a weary walk reached 
the farm house again. We were met with a shower of 
questions, such as "Where arc your ducks? Why are you 
solute? Did you find the way all right?" Ana when we 
spoke of our walking home the farmer, in surprise, asked: 
"Why was that?" "Oh,” said Jack, contemptuously, ‘‘we 
had enough of navigation for one day." We have not 
cared much for duck shooting since then, but intend to 
try what we can do at smaller game. A. D. W. 
BLUEFISHING AT BARNEGAT INLET. 
Editor Foiiest and Stream:— 
BluetUhlng nt certain seasons of the year Is generally good at the 
Inlet. My rwu luek down there has always been very good, the most 
favorable time I should any Is about the middle of June or 1st of July 
The blues begin to come along in quite large schools about the end of 
May; the Ashing commences about that time, but to take It in the height 
of the season, when the Ash are teally taking the squid well, I should 
say that the 1st of Jaly Is the preferable time for real good sport. Take 
my word for It, \ on will never come home with an empty boat. It Is uu 
extremely exciting sport. It makes the blood flow qaick through your 
velus und causes your whole frame to tremble with excitement ns you 
draw In hand over hand a six-pound bluellsb, who by tremendous bounds 
uud plunges is trying to rid himself of your hook by vigorougly shaking 
his head when out of water, aud eudouvonng to get uhead of your line 
Ton must pull steadily and quickly or he Is lost; as he comes nearer the 
boat he polls harder und saga lower in the water. They ora a savage 
Ash, nnd will not give up the battle without some show of resistance. 
Getting them In the boat Is the most difficult part of the Job; you must 
lift them clear, for if they strike the side they nre off, und you are sadly 
crestfallen at losing a tine Ash. I went down there last year with my 
father, who la a lover of the sport as well as myself. It was the 1st of 
July We stopped at Wuretown, a small villnge, which is Just opposite 
the Inlet, nnd very accessible to that place. The morning after our arri- 
val was u quiet, beautiful, still day; not a breath of wind conld be felt. 
After breakfasting, about eighl o'clock. I walked slowly down the road 
lending to the boy, which Is about half a mile distant. It looked like u 
sheet of glnss, so still and calm and plucid ; the tide wus low, und scarcely 
i a ripple swept upon the beach. Looking across the bay the tall llglil- 
house of the inlet could be distinctly seen towering up in the clear morn- 
ing sky; and the low booming of Old Ocean's waves could be distinctly 
heard. After admiring the beauty of the landscape, aud resting myself 
by silting on the little dock that runs out from the shore a short dts- 
tuoce, und to which numerous bouts of every description were fastened. 
I started hack foi the inn. hoping that a breeze would spring up, and 
thut I slionld have good sport in the afternoon, as I hud to give up si 
idea of It ift the morning on ucconut of there being no wind. On re- 
luming to the inn I found my father comfortably ensconced in a lurge 
arm-chair on the sbudy stoop enjoying his cigar and talking to a man, a 
boulman. with whom he was making nrrnugemcnts to lake us out for an 
afternoon's Ashing, upon which we soon came to a satisfactory agree- 
ment. The afternoon was Ane; a beautiful breeze had sprung up as we 
started down to the dock with our man for the boat. We soon bad the 
rati spread to the wind, and were speeding over the bay to the inlet In 
Am style; she was a magniAcent bout, about eighteen feet long, and car- 
ried n large sail. The breeze had freshened up a little, and we laid over 
to it in Ane slyle. 1 made u move lo put out my squid, but the man said 
not to, as the water just there was shoal, with a great deal of Heating 
seaweed und grass about, aud that we had better wait until we were well 
over on the oilier side In deepei water. The buy, althongli some seven 
miles wide, is very ehoul In some places. We got over to the Inlet Just 
ut the turn of tide. "Put out your Bqulds," was the word given. We 
cast over and played out our lines as fur as they would go; they were 
pretty long olios 1 used that ufteruoou— houo squid, loaded on one eDd 
so as to sink them to u proper depth. We now espied a short distance 
nhead of us a large dock of gulls sporting ubout, uttering their sbrlU 
screams while dippiug down in the water or circling round in the air 
The boatman now told us to look out for Ash, for where the gulls were 
the bluebell were close by. The blue llsh drive the little Ash to the sur- 
face of the water, and the gulls feed ou these small Ash. 
We were now among the gulls, when my father suddenly sprang from 
his scat and pulled his line quickly, with "Hip, I've struck him!” I 
looked, and sure enough a good-sized Ash hod taken the aqmd, uud was 
lashing the water, plunging fearfully and pulling hurd two wore now 
going through the water ala good quick pace.J Stendlly he waa pulled 
nearer the boot, rushing now one side, now on the other, leaping nnd 
splueUIng, his sides glistening every now and then In the sun, the Hue 
sucking mid hissing through the water. "Take care." says the boaimao, 
when with one sling the Ash was lauded flopping in the boat, a four and 
u half pound blue— a pretty good specimen for the Aral flsh. "By Jovol" 
suys my father, who was wiping Hie perspiration from his fuce, the was 
a stout mini aud suffered thereby,) "he was a strong puller, I cun tel 
you. Wliewl ituiukes me pull I Look out, Joliu!" Scarcely had he 
»poke when my Hue wus uearly Jerked out of my bauds. "Hold hurdll 
Hold hard I Wliewl what a puller!" 1 fairly yelled with delight; the 
boatman, too, got excited, and stood op to watch tbo fun. "Look out, 
av » as every now ami then he would shake his head to rid lumsclt of 
the hook which seemed to be a rather troublesome mouthful. 1 got him 
close to the boai; my bauds were cut with the line; he struck his tail on 
Ihe side of the boat with a loud flap; the hook fell out of his mouth, 
„n,l u,e llsh weicliing some six pounds, fell ou the wushbourd of the 
bSut Ono flap more and he would be overboard With a rush I threw 
mv whole body ou the Ash and grasped him by the gills "Sued, 
saved I" I veiled. 1 was half over the side of the boat, and every now 
ami then n wave would give me a soak, and so situated that I could not 
ove One futch of the boat slid my.eif and Ash would be overboard. 
The boatman saw my .M * ^helped me out of U to me .laugh. 
had lost’ several llsh so large that they broke my 
'fluid We caught Aliy In all, and could have caught many more, only 
that ihe sun was fust sinking behind the horizon, when turning our boat 
wo BDed toward home before the wind. The boatman, who bad lived 
do tv nib ere u number of year* said they were the largest llsh he hud 
ever seen coogbt will, tbe squid. All 1 have now to say to my friends 
and lovers of sport is, if you "an I a good day's enjoyment In the Ashing 
Une go down and try the squid, ng at Uumegsi Inlet. J. L. F. 
PIKE FISHING. 
Editor Forest and Stream,— 
The Ash of which 1 write Is known In the laws of Canada as the "Mas- 
kluonge," from the Chippewa word matkanorje. meaning long nose; but 
In the States It Is generally called "tnascnlonge." from the French mtitqu* 
and at tony e. loug fare. Compared with other members of the genus, this 
is the pike of American waters. It Is almost black on the bask, grayish- 
yellow on the sides, und creamy while benvnth, while the whole body Is 
beautiful with a wavy shading together of these tints. Hh weight und 
size are often colossal for a fresh water game Ash. I have caught ono 
that weighed Afty-oue pounds andmeasured live feet and a half In length; 
another of forty-two pounds weight and Are feet I wo Inches In length; 
and many others weighing from twenty to forty pounds. It Is long, 
slim, strong, and swift, nnd In every way formed for the life it leada- 
that of u Beree nnd dauntless marauder. 
It Is difficult to Imagine a more ferocious looking creature than a forty 
pound pike, with his sculy, snakish hide, his loug, wedge-shaped head. 
D,,d hi * bo«c seemingly fashioned to be thrust Into other Ashes' bu*lne*s‘ 
hie under Jaw projecting nnd revealing a fearful equipment of leoth, 
making his uioatti os dangerous as a wolfs, bis flns nil uqulver with ex- 
citement, and his eyes glaring llko a fiend's us be lurks lu Ills lair among 
the weeds to spring upon hi* proy. 
As a spcclmeu of the greed of the maecnlongo. was one l caught weigh 
lug only flve pounds, hut from whoso muw I look fourteen email flsh of 
his own kind, some of which were still alive, besides several of other 
species. At another time a gentleman and myself were "skittering." as 
fishermen call It, along the banks of a deep still pond noted for It* pike. 
Skittering, one of the host methods for taking roascalongu, Is done with 
a long elastic rod, reel aud line to match the game, and hook of formi- 
dable size, upon which Is Impaled a mlnuow of from seven lo fifteen 
inches in length. The minnow Is twitched along through the water near 
Ihe surface with a motion suggeative of the word skittering. Upon my 
friend’s hook was a minnow eight or nine Inches lu length, with which 
he struck a nuall pike Ashe was about taking the game from tho 
water another and larger mnscalonge made a rush for It, and taking It lu 
his mouth retired to deep water to gorge It . After a few minutes the ex- 
citing sport of playing this eecoud pike commenced, and within half an 
hour my friend lauded him safe and sure. He proved to be a twenly-Qvs 
pounder; in bis throat was the smaller one, weighing three pounds, aud 
in ihe throat of this latter was the minnow, llapuctty Incarnate I 
But account hus not yet been taken of the ainaziug strengib of tho 
mascalouge. I have hooked and helped to haul on deck simile* of various 
size, have had ahuDd at every variety of mackerel, have tussled with the 
salmon, but in proportion to size ihls pike far sarpun^e* them all lu 
ability to test the fisherman’s muscle, skill, coolne**, and fertility of de- 
vice. A mascalouge of six pounds weight is equal In gamy qualities to 
a eulmon of twenty. He can suap a larger hook or pari a strouger Hue 
and escape where a salmon would be secure. He rau swim faster, whirl 
quicker, pull harder, leap higher, and show more light and more cun- 
ning. 
On one excnrslon, with a boy of fourteen to row for mo. I had the mis- 
fortune to run u very large niuscalonge Into shallow wutir on a mud Mat, 
and when my bout ran aground I expected to lose him. But while I was 
desperately working iny Ingenuity to bag him, tho boy mode for him by 
wading. He look the gaff und succeeded lu hooking the llsh securely 
through the nose. And then commenced the most amusing squabble 
between denizens of land and water thut I ever saw. Some of the Unto 
it was quite a question which was game, boy or flsh; ana hud the pike 
run for deep water he might have bugged the boy for hlsdtuuor. At 
length, however, the struggle closed by tho water becoming so maddy as 
lo fii Hoc ii to the flsh. Upon getting him Into the boat, I was not surprised 
at Ihe fight he had made, for he measured flve feet and two niches lu 
length, aud weighed forty pounds. 
It Is not unusual for this monarch of the stream*, when trying to free 
himself from a hook, lo leap ten or flfteen feet above the water uud shake 
his head like a mud bull. He always dies game. To Illustrate til* cour- 
age, I may relate the fato of tho only landing net I ever undertook to use 
In cnptnrlng mascalonge. I was trolling along u channel whom the pike 
resorted to waylay the small fry rimulug back and forth between two 
parts of a small lake, a trick which this flsh understand* as well 0 * the 
panther lying In wait along a path frequented by deer. At length I 
hooked an old patriarch, aod expected to show him the courtesy of my 
new not. but ho had no notion of passively surrendering. For nearly un 
hour he tried every artiflee kuowu to his tribe, IiUv llnally became ex- 
hausted, and 1 reeled him alongside while my man held tho not. But us 
he saw the fatal circle be spraug forward, caught tho netting lu his pow- 
erful Jaws, and began to jerk aud shake bis head In such a fury thut h« 
Instantly tore out his mouthful; thou he look another hold Hnd served It 
in the same way, until, in lee* lime tbuu It takes to tell It, my beautiful 
landing net woa a complete wreck. Iu tho meantime, however, I In- 
serted my gall In his jaw, and lu a moment his enraged majesty floun- 
dered lu the boat. This was one of the trophies of trolling, a most plea- 
sant method of hantiDg Ihe mascalonge. The beet trolling apparatus 
consists of three large hooks, etruug one above another ubont six inches 
apart on an exceedingly strong, wire-wound encll. Sixty to •ovouty.flve 
feet of Une Is generally eiioogh to let out, as the pUe Is not so chary of 
the passing skiff ob aru more timid ll»b, aud with much greater length of 
line no fisherman can capture this gome. The oarsman should pull ahead 
at a fair rato, ready at the Instant of hooklug a fl*h to double the speed 
for such Is the only way to get und keep the advantage of a mascalouge 
A large minnow Is the most successful trolling decoy, a* the game seem* 
to delect an ordinary spooo at a glance. Aud when i£o flsh Is reeled ln ( 
let uo flourishes be made with ours or gaff handle, but bo cautious, or 
the pike will free himself and escape at the last moment. In many paria 
where this Ash abounds the spear and selno have been Illegally, used to 
capture him, but not very successfully, as.he Is too conning aud rmolnto 
to he caught thus. I saw a eelue drawn flve times one aficrnoon In a 
wide pool below a dam, where several large pike were known to lurk, hut 
nothing was taken. Neither conld the failure be accounted for, ns the 
Ash did not, us frequently Is the esse, leap over, break through, or run 
around tho net. To solve tho riddle. I entered a small skiff, aud lying It 
to one of tbe seine floats wos quietly drawn across tho pool, lying with 
my face over ihe gunnel In order to look into tho water bo, icath. What 
wa* my snrpriee to see the pike turn their noses to tbe eelue and plow 
under It In the sand, thus defying the effort to capture ilium. 
Snooting ibis noble fleli us he seeks the surface to sun himself Is a fa- 
vorite sport with some, but It requires n peculiar mail to succeed . Ilo 
must bo not only a good rifle shot, but a patient, running, cat-like hunter, 
for Ills game Is exceedingly wary. Such a man, If he can And a come 
uleut tree or cliff overlooking thehuuutsof the mascalonge, may, after 
hours of watching, he rewarded liy a shot at one of the glauis of the 
species, for It Is generally only the largest that roll up In the sunshine. 
One morning I Ailed my loach basket, aud hail a nun row mo over lo a 
pile that stood some twelve feet above water nnd about six rods from 
shore the only one left of nn ancient dock Scrambling to tho top. I 
drew up by a - onl hammer, noils, and four or Avo still barrel Stave*, with 
which I fashioned a support for my back, a* I should sil on top of tho 
pile Then I drew up lunch and ride, and the man left me 1 alone In my 
glory '' It was a hot day In June, and before noon, not having had u 
glimpse of game, I began to be discouraged But I Imd been bantered 
with ihe prediction that I would give up at dlunor time, aud so for mere 
pluck's *ake I stood to, or railiersut upon, my post. At noon I ate my 
lunch aud having some bhs hft cost them lazily down ou the water 
Very soon aud unexpectedly, there was a break lu the surface, und nil 
enormous muscalouge showed his full length near a oread crust While 
he was studying the looks of the crust lgaveh-ui the compliments of 
iuy rifle Ioslontly upon his beginning to flurry, there appeared around 
him a number of others, all large, nnd fur a moi eut 'hey waged n lle/ce 
attack upou their wounded fellow; but when I had loaded and discharged 
my gun ogslu they disappeared. By this time tuy man In the skiff earns 
up and after picking up tbe two flsh received me also, and I tested upon 
