New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-09
A CAMP DINNER.
EXPERIENCES CULINARY AND PISCATORdAL
ON QUEBEC RIVER


place from which write. The Devil has a & cal many
elbows In this country which may help to explain his
persistent activity persistent even though tho MIC
Mac Indians UP at the Mission lh the devil' on st.
hnne's Day every year. Along by the beach where
the boiling the KETTLE" the beautiful
river which ascending spreads itself out In
brawng but shallow rapids, trop seq as Paul says
with air OF disgust when the canoe Crates on the
parcolored pebbles and no is compelled to step out
into the icy There is a chance for great deal
of the descriptive Order but after four or five hours
in a there is only subject which Is likely to
arouse cloquence, and that is food
The fire has been built against huge fallen tree,
whtened by weather and floods, which lies among the
bushes at the back of the beach hafburcd in the sand
Paul is the cook There was time whom was dis
posed to idealze this backbearded GaScon II say Gas
to indicate certain characteristics rather than
actual race, and fanclcd that in some tortuous
way he might claim a few drops of the blood of some
grand segnior7 of ancient Quebec But now, while
still holding to Gascony should substitute for tho
grand seignlor the Connecticut Yankee Of Irvfngs
"Knickcrbockern Yet Paul will speedily have my
sincere blessing, for the fire is well ablaze and he
comes to ask, "Voulez vous dcs truites" Yes, we
will dine upon trout, for the magnificent trout of this
icy mountain very different from their enas-
culated brethren drawn from comparatively muddy
bottoms and warm water and preserved indefinitely In
rcfrgerators until the flesh is watery and tasteless
Before on bed OF ferns lilo some trout which
fontinalis' and tho SALINE trutta' or brook trout
which goes to sea- The smallest, weighing two and
half pounds is fresh-run fish, cleancut In his ines'
round and of body, with back OF an olive color as
yet comparatively transparent and sides almost as
slvery these of grilse. The spots very paio
and ndistInct at first, have become trihe moro
pronounced 1t was the last high tide which brought
this trout over the bars at the mouth of the river
twenty miles below and instinct drove him onward
and upward through sunny parts in the settlement
near tho sea, past begins" haunted by morose
crooked bllsn and up over dry rapids by nisht
with intervals spent in search of insects washeu
from the tops Of fallen along the shore 1t was
In one Of these intervals that an uncommohly
gorgeous fy came dashing the current ana
the close of this energetic shs career simply showeo
again that it is the early worm which Is caught
Beside tho freshrn fish IS another OF hrce pouhus
weight which has been in fresh water long enough
nearly to lose tho slvery lustre. Tho dark marking
of the back extends downward llttle the colonhs
Of the spots shows moro plainly and there IS sns-
pIcion OF bronze the ventral fins. Next
comes a four-pound crooked bill' whose power
full lower Jaw upward, cosing Just outsi"o
tho upper Jaw. and giving the fish its local name.
The sea trout IS brook trout which goes to sea and
thereby gains health, strength. size and ncsh Oh an
uncommony savory quality.
AS TO the best manner Of bringing out this savori
ness there IS chronic difference of opinion between
Paul and myself. Paul holds to the fryngpan,
welLlined with bubbling pork fat, and grant that
one of these largo trout roughly cut into steaks and
fried Is not to be held lightly. There arc several
possibilities such as trout chowdcr which have
learned TO regard with disfavor; planked trout
most uncertain method and trout wrapped In but
tered paper and baked or roasted after fashion'
hut these fish are sufficiently fat and Juicy to bear
the test Of broiling fancy that Paul considers thls
a needless refinement, but he follows Instructions
spts plump, silvery frcsh-run fish down the back,
- sIc md
zles upon the trivet, weighty gridiron win legs
Two green poles thrust into the earth behind the
back log rest upon 1t and project over the hre
From each hangs KETTLE" the ee"
eric term in the Canadian WOODS Ior
the tin pail which is even more useful IMAM the
frying-pan- Into one Of the Kettles no" oonne rau
drops fstfll or of tea, tho first necessary OF
all woodsmen. The other, anxiously watched oy
Thomas holds the "spuds,n or new potatoes GEAR 10
the heart of Thomas, BELTS his race John, III
the intervals of the hewing of wood and drawing Oh
water unpacks the plate chest, process whicn CON
sists OF diving into a gunny bag and bringing Ior'"
tin plates and pint cups and their accompaniment
all selected for strength rather than comelincss'
Napoleon the son OF Paul. kneels beside one OF tho
boxes which contain the supplies packed In TIM patient
" reducing plug Of tobacco to fine cur. over
Napoleons sallow and usually stoca face there plays
an occasional smile of triumph as he recalls now,
the evening BEFORE he captured two and half
branch and a rusty hook baited with little fresh
water sculpn found under stone on tho beach
There are some Of the finer processes OF prepar-
ing meat and drink which demand the highest ORDER
OF intelligence Paul IS deity managing fryng-pan
filed with pork, and tho trivet laden with trout
browning dellccusly above tho Goals but PAU couu
nevor rise to tho height Of the ambrosia mixed py
nv companon the Boarder. II Mr.. Stockton Will allow
the theft or tho brother Of the ANGLE TO borrow |
from tho patron Of all anglers. This draueht EN-
bodies the perfect union OF the sweet ana inc sour,
the reconciliation of the age of fire and tho age OF
water II would DO vulgarlzed IL a name were glVen'
but IL might stand all emblem OF oil universal
neace For some years tho BOardcr has practsod
y casting in the AdrOndacks, wherever he could nnu
room 10 cast without fouling some other jealous
SOUL but at last he has been persuaded 10 Vl'b
Canadian wilderness and cast over grown-up fish.
To-day no has killed his first four pound trout and as
he raises his cup he pledges, not tho Adrondacks.
but the beautiful wild river rushing downward be-
side our camp This ceremony performed, there IS
the coffee to be made, another important funcuon
which tho Boarder performs with pre-cminent SKILL
There arc those who boil their cofee with cheef-
full indefniteness until all aroma has become
remiulscencc There are others who tie the coffee
ND in a cloth and drop 1t into the kettle with the
idea OF boiling out the strength" Sometimes tho
water bolls out" as happened to mo once when
camping on a Michigan lake, and demand for cohee
results in the discovery of charred unpleasant mass
on the bottom of tho kettle. The moro discreet
camper mixes his coffee with little cold water,
pours boiling water it. allows the whole to boil
over the fire for brief space and finally settles tho
coffee with a dash of cold water. The Boarder puts
his coffee in the water and allows it Just to como
20 bouo when tho kettle is taken OIL and settled
trust these details are not tresomc. Tho point
is not unmportant, and wish to testify to the high
excellence of the Boarder's coffee. Most of us have
eift is said, and the Boarder has proved that no
has two 49,. /. -. 49,,
1t is not easy matter to eat ana
drink with genuine enthusiasm when ones
laws are bound up in a close fitting linen hood
There is an opening In front barely sunicie9ss
FORK eyes, nose and mouth ind at the back or
the head and neck the hood Is drawn tight and
fastened with strings. Against these hoods the biacs
flies might not prevail. At distance the wearer
vaguely suggests d medieval Knight Tempar, but
the knights of old not in the habit Of using
tar oil and the dark yellow stains on face and hood