Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-04-11
Continued from FIRST pageJ

the sportsman 20 empty-handed away
The question for us to consider. is, how
can we pr serve what we have? Not onl
that, how can we increase our game AM
fish ? Good laws, enforced, will protect our
streams and forests, and our intelligent Fish
Commissioners are stocking our waters with
the most valuable game fish, such as salmon,
hnd-lOcked salmon, shad and black bass.
Eight years ago p black bass were placed in
CobbOsseecOntee lake and protected for five
years by law. Now these splendid fish are
quite numerous in the Winthrop waters
and 1t Is rare that more genuine sport can be
found IN tins region, than killing this noble
fish with the fly. Last season bass were tax
en- weighing and / lbs. think the bass
equals the trout in game qualities The
black bass Is strong fighter and dies
hard lie may net have the arrowy mesh of
salmon; yet be is more turtle in artful
resources. When hooked be will spring out
OF water two or three feet, and shake his
head endeavoring to dislodge the hook. He
will do this sometimes three times in sue
cession, then he will run from you and turn
short and try to tangle the line As a last
resort, be will, if you are in boat, make a
dash under it.
will take England to illustrate what good
game laws, properly enforced, can do for a
country. England is very old country. 1t
was old and thickly settled when this was an
unbroken wilderness, when the red man pad
died his birch canoe on the placid waters of
the kennebec. undisturbed by the invading
march Of the white man. England has a
population of about 900 to the square mile,
while Maine has only Is. And yet fish and
game are quite plenty there, and afford good
sport. Frank Forester, in his Fish and
Fishing says That trout of ten or even
fifteen pounds-common speckled trout-are
more common in some OF the large rivers of
England, and large lakes OF Ireland, than in
America" Forester referred to New York
and the older States where fish had been
killed at all seasons, with no law to protect
them Pheasants are plenty as shown by the
constant crack OF the sportsman s gun al the
end OF the close season. The disciples of
Isaac Walton still find genuine sport IN cast
ing the fly. This shows how beneficial the
laws have worked
Game laws have been known for a
long time in England. At first, they only
protected game on the estates Of the nobility
and lands belonging to the crown Among
other crimes, Robin Hood and his merry men
OF Sherwood forest, were accused of killing
the King deer, but this, perhaps, AIS dim
with distance" Shakespeare was arrested for
killing deer, and brought before Sir Thomas
Lacy. But he managed to escape, and re
yenged himself by lampooning ballad
which he stuck upon his gate. This was
ohakespeaie's first attempt at poetry. Sir
Thomas prosecuted him with such vigor, that
he was obliged TO flee from Stratiurd-upon-
Avon, when afterward was made classic by
his genius. You remember the sharp cut he
gave Sir Thomas Lacy, as Justice Shallow, in
the opening OF the first scene of the "Merry
Wives of Windsor"
The Game laws in the older countries.
where fish and game are preserved, for where
there Is no law there Is no game, are very
perfect and well enforced The result is that
game Is quite as plenty iii the old, rs in the
new world. The noble stag OF Sir Walter
Scotts LADY OF the Lake, still drinks at
'Monan's rIll,"
And deep his midnight lair is made
In lone Glenartneys hazel shade"
Stag hunting is still favorite sport in the
Highlands OF Scotland.
1t is recent that Americans have taken
much interest in the preservation of fish and
game. We are greatly indebted to Frank
Forester ia. w. Herbert), through his ex.
cellent writings, forawakening an interest in
this matter. The Smithsonian Institute has
done this country great service, and also
Chas. Hallock, through the columns Of the
Forest and Stream, and his other works on
sporting subjects. Mr. Hallock would feel
justly proud, did he know how much valuable
information the true sportsmen Of the kenne
bee acknowledge TO have received from him.
1t was once said by philosopher, that ..he
whe causes two blades OF grass to grow where
Only one grew before, is a benetactor of the
human race" The same philosophy Is equal.
ly true vixen applied to FISH and game and
II Ii for us to put this i'll practice by making
them more abundent. Yes, ten-tpld more
abundant. For shooting one female Ruled
Grouse (Partridge,) during the breeding sea
son, destroys brood Of ten or twelve but
II they are protected by law, and permitted
To ralse their young, we can still shoot the
whole brood in the tall and have the same
number lett there was in the spring. Catch
ing one trout or black bass during the spawn-
ING season, destroys Thousands OF young fish,
Ibe pot-huDter who creeps up TO the drum
ming log and shoots. or nets fish on spawn.
ing beds, II as short sighted as the man in
shc l"oio, WIN ndu d goose, winch land him a
golden egg every day. But, not content with
this, which rather increased than abated his
ayarIce, he wac resolved to kill the goose. and
cut up her belly, that SO be might come at
the inexhaustible treasure which he fanced
she had within her. He did so. and. to his
great sorrow and disappointment, found moth
ing.
10 accomplish the ends we have in view
we must have efficient laws that will protect
our fish and game during their breeding sea-
SONS. And we must teach the people that il
Is for their interest to observe them. If our
laws are defective, we must endeayor to mend
them. We must have good wardens
who will enforce the laws during closed
seasons. We must have active, energetic
and fearless men, who will stop the
netting and spearing of fish We must en-
courge the building of fish-ways over dams :
30 that our valuable food iish. such as sal
mon, shad and alewives can ascend our rivers
to deposit their oya We must do what we
can to restock depleted waters Within
radius OF twelve miles of Augusta, we find a
splendid chain of lakes and ponds, including
those of Belgrade, Readfeld, Winthrop, Mon.
mouth, Ltchfeld, Iogus, China and Vassal
horof which shonfd 10 ,ro1I