22 THE SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE; 



were originally inhabitants of Finland. It may, however, 

 in this instance, be pardonable to say of Esculapius that 

 his personal appearance, conversation, and movements all 

 declare to the world that he is a sturdy member of the 

 medical profession, possessed of a strong belief of the 

 propriety of enforcing the laws of self-preservation, while 

 the frequency with which he discharged his gun when in 

 the pursuit of game was certainly sufficient to satisfy his 

 companions that he believed gunpowder was made to be 

 burned ; but the effect of these shots having never been 

 known, it must always remain an open question whether 

 the game or game-seeker occupied the safer position. 



It was early in the month of September when this party 

 took their departure from Jersey City by way of the Erie 

 Railroad, leaving behind them Gotham, with all its wicked, 

 noisome, and enchanting surroundings. 



Nothing transpired worthy the attention of the Scribe 

 until we reached the Canadian custom-house on the north 

 side of the Niagara River. Here we met a fine old Irish 

 gentleman, Canadian custom-house officer, who exam- 

 ined our baggage, passed and properly marked the same, 

 and then made himself known to us as a brother-sports- 

 man possessing a lively interest in our prospective sports. 

 I cannot with this brief notice pass so lightly by this mag- 

 nificent specimen of the human family, with whom I had 

 not previously met, although since that meeting I have had 

 several opportunities to listen to his lively stories and enjoy 

 his generous hospitality. I believe he is the son of a dis- 

 tinguished major who at some former time commanded a 

 Canadian fort in the vicinity of the Niagara Falls, having 



