472 
FOREST AND 
STREAM 
August, 1918 
FAVORITE ATLANTIC FISHING RESORTS 
FOR A QUARTER OF A CENTURY THE JERSEY COAST HAS BEEN FAMOUS AS 
A FISHING GROUND AS WELL AS FOR EXCELLENT WILD FOWL SHOOTING 
By LEONARD HULIT, Associate Editor of FOREST AND STREAM 
I N the past quarter century Forest and 
Stream has published many references to 
the famous gunning at “Bill Chadwicks” 
and “Ortley’s” which points were frequent¬ 
ly termed “Squan Beach” as an entirety, 
using the names of the proprietors to des¬ 
ignate where comforts and supplies of all 
kinds were to be obtained. Of a truth it 
may be said that there were no more fa¬ 
mous grounds on the New Jersey coast in 
those days for wild fowl shooting, than 
those contiguous to these resorts. 
It is perhaps a quarter century since the 
writer made an appointment with Capt. B 
to meet him at what is now known as Sea¬ 
side Park, then a wilderness of sand dunes 
and beach grass, for a duck shooting trip 
on the upper reaches of the bay. Our ob¬ 
jective was perhaps two miles below Ort¬ 
ley’s, as previous arrangements had been 
made by the Captain for gunners and 
“stools” as decoys were then termed, to be 
assembled at that point. The day broke 
with threatening weather and before noon 
a howling northeaster was blowing which 
increased with each passing moment. 
Neither the Captain nor gunners put in ap¬ 
pearance, so I was compelled to take shelter 
at the only house which was located in that 
lonely region. It was a hostelry kept for 
the accommodation of such as might stray 
that way and who might for once put up 
with the comforts offered. The house was 
a two story structure built on short piles, 
or “puncheons” as they were termed in 
those days, elevated enough from the sand 
to allow the tides when high to ebb and 
flow through unobstructed. 
I was met after repeated knocking by an 
individual of impossible description as to 
manners and appearance. While some de¬ 
tails can be given, to convey to the reader 
his appearance as he met me would be im¬ 
possible. He was thin to emaciation, blind 
in the left eye, and he wore a sprig of chin 
beard which would defy the cunning of an 
accomplished comedian to imitate success¬ 
fully. His thin legs were encased in high 
cow-hide boots and the few words which I 
was able to extract from him were pitched 
in a high tenor which might be character¬ 
ized a “squeal.” He, however, ’sposed they 
could take keer of me, and I was led into 
a dilapidated bar-room with its rows of 
dingy bottles and their most questionable 
contents. His wife, a personage as un¬ 
couth as himself but of a sunny disposi¬ 
tion and a strong tendency to be talkative, 
and a daughter of perhaps fifteen years 
constituted the family. Both seemed to be 
timid in action as well as speech when in 
“pater’s” presence and they enlisted my 
sympathy from the first moment. The evi¬ 
dence of poverty all about was so pro¬ 
nounced, it was with misgivings that 
I contemplated the forthcoming supper 
which was soon in course of preparation. 
Here was another surprise and welcome 
one, for while the table and its furnishing 
were commonplace in the extreme, the ham 
and eggs and hot biscuit were of the best 
HIS is the second of Mr. Hulit’s 
articles on the resorts of the 
Atlantic coast. An enthusiastic 
fisherman of many years’ experience 
coupled with keen observation, Mr. 
Hulit is well qualified to zvrite with 
authority upon all matters pertaining 
to surf fishing. Any question upon 
these or allied subjects will be an¬ 
swered by him fully. Mr. Hulit may 
be addressed at this office in care of 
Forest and Stream.— [Editors.] 
and a savory cup of coffee gave a zest to 
the whole. 
After supper all endeavor to draw mine 
host into a general conversation failed. 
Nothing but monosyllabic replies were to 
be gained; seated squarely on the middle of 
his back in a chair tilted back against the 
wall with one leg thrown across the other 
and hat drawn across the eyes my host 
was a study for lovers of the picturesque 
in the genus man. Being tired and desir¬ 
ous of being about early in the morning if 
the weather was all propitious, I was 
shown to my room about nine o’clock. I 
found bed and bedding of the same general 
sort as affairs below stairs; all was com¬ 
fortably clean and in good order but had 
the appearance of long usage. How long I 
had slept I do not know but was aroused 
by a knocking on the door and the word 
“mister” called out by the daughter. On 
making answer I was informed that “Pop” 
had been took with “cramps” and 
wouldn’t I come right down and help 
“mom”? Hurriedly dressing and going 
to the door of the down stairs bed room I 
found the anxious wife applying hot plates 
to the stomach of the stricken man, who 
was emitting most plaintive wails while 
doubled up like a jack knife across the 
bed. Jamaica ginger and hot whiskies were 
plied with vigor and much frequency, but 
seemed to be of no avail. Finally I sug¬ 
gested the need of a physician and right 
there is where calamity overtook me. 
There was no doctor nearer than Tom’s 
River and as the draw of the railroad was 
open during the night there was no way to 
get across the bay but to row across. At 
this point the width is over a mile—and 
the storm still raging! By the aid of a 
lantern of the same general type as the rest 
of the equipment I located a bank skiff 
hauled up on the shore and about one-third 
full of water in which was two oars. I say 
two advisedly, as they were in no sense of 
the word a “pair,” one being nearly a foot 
longer than the other and of absolutely 
different caliper. Here was I with an out¬ 
fit of the utmost crudity attempting to cross 
a mile or more of bay whipped into fury 
by the gale in search of a doctor living 
more than two miles inland, who would 
doubtless refuse to accompany me in such 
a craft back to the house of misery. The 
boat was so heavy that I could not tip it 
over to get the water out so had to resort 
to the slower process of baling. I was in¬ 
dustriously engaged when the daughter put 
in appearance asking me to come to the 
house as it seemed "Pop” was better. I 
did so to find the old reprobate quietly 
snoozing; the hot whiskey had had the de¬ 
sired effect or should I say the “desired” 
whiskey had taken effect. Both the mother 
and daughter were truly sorry for the 
trouble given me and I will say that under 
different surroundings they would both 
have been most excellent people. 
It was most fortunate that I had a supply 
of dry underclothing in my kit as I was 
soaked to the skin by the deluge. I was 
soon in the land of the dreamers and was 
entirely comfortable when I was aroused by 
the most unearthly noise it has yet been by 
lot to listen to. It was a combination of 
roar and steam siren effect, which in con¬ 
junction with the raging dements, made a 
nerve racking mystery. Unable to endure 
the sound, once more I was out of the bed. 
when the knocking again occurred and the 
plaintive “mister” reached my ears. “I’m 
coming,” I replied in a somewhat crusty 
tone. At the foot of the stairs were both 
of the females who looked about “all in” 
from worry and disgust. “What in ‘To- 
phet’ has broken loose?” I snapped, as their 
gaze met mine. “I didn’t know there was 
a steam whistle within miles of the place.” 
“It ain’t, mister,” exclaimed the mother; 
“it ain’t no steam whistle, it’s our hog. 
It’s fast under the house somewhere.” 
Here we were in the midst of more misery , 
so the lantern was again lighted, and the 
junior member of the family held it as 
best she could while I crawled under to 
relieve the distracted porker. Crawling 
very slowly by the dim light of the lan¬ 
tern to where the object of all the dis¬ 
turbance was located, I endeavored to get 
hold of its hind legs and either pull it out, 
or in two, I cared but little which. But 
when my hand touched its leg it was signal 
for renewed struggles and the shower of 
sand which came flying from those two , 
hind legs directly into my face and eyes 
was a thing to stand away from. The 
more I tried to get a firm hold, the more 
the sand flew and the louder that hog 
howled; and I never did pull it back, for 
spurred on by the approach of a stranger 
it at last succeeded in getting through its 
narrow confine. Safely out it turned 
around and looked at me with an expres¬ 
sion in its small eyes which might be con¬ 
strued into “what business was it of yours 
anyhow”? 
HEN I again awoke the sun was 
streaming through the window as 
the storm had broken. I went 
down to find the old man again sitting on’ 
his back, his feet high in the air and the 
hat down as usual. The evening menu of 
ham and eggs was changed to eggs and 
ham for breakfast with flap jacks and 
coffee. When I asked for my bill I was 
told to see “Pop” who was around the 
place somewhere. I went upstairs and 
packed up and when I came down I found 
