114 A Bridge To The Past 
     
    
   
   
    
     To the women fell the task of spreading the picnic tables and serving 
     
     the huge quantities of food needed to satisfy the appetites made ravenous by 
     
     the day of outdoor activity. The clean-up and careful re-packing of the 
     
     china cups and plates was done as quickly as possible and soon everyone, 
     
     tired but happy, were slowly heading homeward. The peonies, now slightly 
     
     wilted, were sent to the home of the family where sickness had kept them 
     
     from attending the special event. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Can anyone visualize a picnic today without paper cups and plates, 
     
     cold packs and ice cubes, charcoal and barbecues, hot dogs, hamburgers 
     
     and pop? Believe it or not it was possible, but it took a little more time and 
     
     planning. The extra work brought its own satisfaction and for some families 
     
     it was the most exciting outing of the summer. 
     
    
   
   
    
     SALMON POACHING 
     
    
   
   
    
     When the salmon made their run in the Wilmot River it was an 
     
     exciting time for everyone. A boat equipped with a special light was used 
     
     and just as darkness fell the poachers’ lights could be seen just below 
     
     Clark’s Bridge. Before the use of the gas lamp for this purpose, a knot of 
     
     pitch pine with lots of resin oozing from it was attached to the front of the 
     
     boat. When it was set on fire, the pitch would blaze up and the salmon, now 
     
     in clear view and slightly mesmerized by the brightness, were easily caught. 
     
    
   
   
    
     A baked salmon with tasty stuffing was choice fare on anyone’s table 
     
     and because this fish was quite plentiful, it did not seem to be a serious 
     
     offense to catch one, using whatever means was necessary. It is true that the 
     
     fish warden could cause some inconvenience by suddenly appearing on the 
     
     scene, but in the horse-and-buggy days his movements could be watched 
     
     and his attention diverted while the offenders removed themselves and their 
     
     equipment from the area. The identity of the fish warden was kept as secret 
     
     as possible and during the salmon and smelt runs there was always a bit of 
     
     suspicion as to who might be inclined to inform the authorities about these 
     
     illegal activities. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The story is told of one young man who was visiting his friend in 
     
     Wilmot Valley on a weekend when the salmon were running. On Sunday 
     
     morning when the other members of the family went off to church, the two 
     
     lads made their way to a certain spot in the river where the stream ran nar- 
     
     row and deep. Here they were successful in landing two salmon but just as 
     
     they were gloating over their catch, they heard a noise in the bushes nearby. 
     
     Thinking it might be the dreaded fish warden, one young man decided to 
     
     stand his ground and play innocent while his visiting friend, who was a 
     
     noted runner, quickly tucked a squirming salmon under each arm and made 
     
     off through the woods like a streak of lightning. He ran wildly not knowing