Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-19
AN ANGLERS PARADISE.
A New Hampshire Lake Where Nome
But Sportsmen Fish.

But Sportsmen Fish.
CAMP PERCY AND IT'S INVITING SURROUNDINGS
HOW THE LAKE WAS SECURED AND RENDERED.
SACRED TO TRUE sPoRT-A WILD SPOT WITHIN
STONES THROW OF THE BUSY WORLD.
Correspondence of THE EVENING star.
CAMP Percy, N. H., September.
n ost men in their leisure hours have an ire
sistible tendency to turn to hunting, fishing or
the woods in general This would seem to be
an Inheritance from our forefathers, who lived
in the forests from necessity and hunted and
fished for food. This hereditary habit. if we
may SO call it. would account, in a measure, for
the numerous hunting and fishing camps scat
tered over the country, or, in fact, for the many
thousands who prefer to spend their vacations
in roughing it at some out-of-the-way place to
going to the large hotels at the sea shore or
mountains. Many the fishing camps are
few possess the prime requisites, easy accessi-
bility. good fishing and pleasant surroundings
in as high a degree as does Camp Percy. way
up here in the hills of New Hampshire. have
had the pleasure of spending few days at this
camp, and want to let the many anglers who
are readers of The STAR know what pleasant
place it Is.
TEN YEARS AGO,
If any traveller had stepped off Grand Trunk
train at Starkwater station-at that time there
was no reason why any traveller would have
stepped off Grand Trunk train at Starkwater
station. unless a sheriff happened to be in rapid
pursuit, but if for any reason he should have
and had walked short distance he would have
come across one of the prettiest lakes in New
England, and that is saying great deal.
This piece of water was famous for miles
around for its trout fishing. The hardy
farmers gathered there during the winter
months and tons of the speckled beauties were
taken from holes cut in the ice. This drain
would have soon ended the trout, but by a
proyidential law of New Hampshire any person
owning the land surrounding a lake has
entire control OF the water He can't be said to
exactly own the fish, but any one attempting to
catch them without his permission must COM
init trespass and can be prosecuted. Mr..
George P. Rowell of New York, who owns a
fine farm at Lancaster, near here, recognizing
the desirability of Christine lake, as it is now
called, for fishing camp, purchased the sur
rounding land.
THE PERCY SUMMER CLUB.
In 1882 the Percy summer club was formed,
the following five gentlemen, all of whom have
built cottages at the lake, constituting the
membership: G. P. Rowell Of New York, c. N.
Kent OF New York, F. N. Legett Of New York,
Hon. Ossan Ray of Lancaster, NH, and s. H.
Kaufman of Washington. When arrived at
the old Starkwater station, now called Percy.
the other day, walked straight up a hill;
think Of it. up hill to lake, and after less
than half miles climb reached Lake Chris
tine. The lake itself is a regular beauty,
perfect gem, resting on the bosom of the hills.
Its water is clear as crystal and fairly teens
with trout 1t is completely surrounded by
forests which come clear to the waters edge
and are fairly primeval in their wildness. Back
of these rise hill upon hill and mountain upon
mountain, fading away into misty blue in the
distance. The most prominent mountains are
the two Percy peaks, from which the camp
takes its name. These peaks are very high and
can be seen from great distance. The cot
tages nestle coZily among the trees at one side,
their warm rods and browns contrasting prettily
with the green foliage. The cottages were not
built solely for beauty, however. They COM
bine in a marked degree the picturesque with
the comfortable. The lake is ~ miles long
by q mile broad at its widest point. and is over
l.2O0 feet above the sea. Here you have splendid
fishing, fine outlook on almost every side and
the purest air imaginable. You are only twenty
minutes from the railroad and can be- whirled
into Portland in four hours. The Rangley
lakes are less than 40 miles distant and Canada,
with its many points of interest and fine salmon
fishing, Is within easy reach; while all the gal
ETY. and sublime scenery of the White mount
aims lies almost within hailing distance. and
yet with all this easy access you are as much
shut off from the noisy world as if you were a
thousand miles from a railroad, newspaper or
telegraph Office. No dust, tourists or babies
invade these sacred precincts and calm nature
with its soothing effect reigns supreme.
THE TROUT.
The fish taken are what are commonly known
as lake trout. They range about "a of a pound,
are very game and are calculated to make
a gourmand rise from his grave. The
members themselves are all experienced
followers of Isaak Walton and take most
of their fish with the seductive fly, but the
untaught stranger after he has wrapped the
line around his neck a few times or broken the
tip to some members favorite fly rod, generally
follows the superintendent's advice and falls
back on the unpoetic but equally destructive
worm Mr.. S. N. Crawford, who is the superin-
tendent of the camp one Of the treasures of the
place and Is whole host in himself. .'Steve,"
as he is commonly called, is past hunter
and fisherman. He not only knows how to kill
fish but he also understands the Matching and
raising of them. Under his able care large
numbers Of fish are Matched from the spawn
every winter. There is hardly yard of ground
in this part Of New Hampshire that Steve has
not passed over in his many expeditions. He
comes direct from those Crawfords who have
made themselves SO famous as
WHITE MOUNTAIN PIONEERS,
venturing into the dark recesses and high alti-
tudes of the mountains before ratchet railroads
were ever dreamed Of or even carriage roads
poooAbiCs
built the first house at Crawford Notch, and
now, with the itful shadows of the mountains
he loved so well playing upon the marble shaft
that marks his resting place, he lies buried near
the station at Fabyans. For over twenty-one
years "Steve's' father kept a hotel where the
Fabyan house now stands, and during a portion
of that time Steve himself acted as guide
over the mountains In fact, the whole history
of the White mountains is interviewer with the
Crawfords, and Mr.. Crawford shows plainly
his descent from these sturdy pioneers. ''Steve"
doesn't think much Of cities; he is thoroughly
Independent and is by no means a respector Of
persona. II the President should visit Camp
Percy have no doubt ''Steve" would call him
'.Harrison" in the heartiest manner. am sure
that every one who leaves Percy carries away
a pleasant remembrance of Mr.. Crawford's
kindness and warm appreciation Of his quaint
and witty sayings. Ten.
WHERE COLORS COME FROM.
A Variety of Sources That Carries One