FOREST AND STREAM. 



331 



where the game is so plenty. We have, however, an occa- 

 sional visitor, and very recently one of marked distinction — 

 nn old veteran sportsman whose name is illustrious ns a pro- 

 found jurist, pLet aurl philosopher— I mean Gen, Albert Pike, 

 now of Washington, D. C, but whose; name baa long since 

 been identified with the early history of our own dear old Ar- 

 kansas. The old general, together with a traveling com- 

 panion, Mr. W. M. Ireland, arrived among us sumo ten days 

 ago, fulfilling a long promised visit of the former, who at 

 once announced his rl< ssi -. fca D ti ip to the wxulsaud a snooze 

 among the owls and catamounts on the banks of McLaughlin 

 unci Kose lakes or Bayou Mnisc, in short, a camp hunt amid 

 the deep solit ades of primitive forests visited by himself and 

 friend twenty years ago. A single day was required to pre- 

 pare for the trip and we were off, and a four hours' drive 

 found us on the banks of •' cLuughlin, where we found our 

 boats in readiness, which consisted of a couple of small bat- 

 teaus each capable of accommodating twQ shooters and re- 

 triever, one of which could only be UBed for shootiDg and the 

 other engaged in a piscatorial pursuit. It being desirous to 

 have both fish and ducks for supper, each boat was soon 

 under way — one to the ducking grounds and the other to the 

 best fishing water. Myself and Ohas. Dresmen went for the 

 ducks. One-half mile's paddling landed us among the 

 Lotuses and Flag Islands of McLaughlin Lake, a region con- 

 sisting ot two to three feet water Interspersed with alternate 

 islands of high flag and lotus or manockanut plants. The 

 ducks come to this place to roost, and about one hour of the 

 finest snooting that can be desired was had, and the result ex- 

 cellent. Fifty mallards and a lew teal fell around us in one 

 hour ; a couple of breech-loaders did the work in short order. 

 On arriving at camp wo found that the fishing party had re- 

 turned with abundance of fish, consisting of black bass, crop- 

 pie and bream. Our cook was not long in preparing a 

 sumptuous supper of fat ducks broiled, and fried bass and 

 croppies, which needed no appetizer to stimulate the palate 

 for a square meal, which was partaken with little ceremony, 

 Thus ended the first day. The night was clear and a sharp 

 little frost greeted the eye on the following morning. We re- 

 mained live days, killed and brought to bag over two hundred 

 ducks, squirrel and quail not counted, fish in such quantity as 

 could not be eaten by the whole party, three darkies included. 

 The party consisted of nine all told, besides divers visitors 

 amounting to fourteen at one timo. Our two visitors, already 

 mentioned above, were entirely delighted with their short ex- 

 cursion and the company which kept augmenting to the last, 

 and by the final arrival of the far-famed humorist and crack 

 tportBman, Mai. Win. Queseubury, alias Bill Cush, long and 

 well known by all Western Arkansians. Old Spout. 

 . — »^— . 



A IiBTTKR TRODl Fit AN K Scui.EY— HlS HUNT WlTJEI GlLL 



SuiLLKY OK THE FlRsT DAS OF TEE OPENING. OF T il V. 

 PaRTETDGK SlSASOH IK FkHDEKIOK Co., Md. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The fifteenth of October opened beautiful, warm and clear. 

 I felt my spirits rise with the glorious clay, and proposed to 

 my brother Gill we should have a hunt. My buggy was 

 soon at the door, and with Nellie (pointer bilch), l)ick (red 

 pointer) and Bob (red pointer), started with plenty eatables 

 and driukables audwith lots of ammunition. about seven o'clock 

 in the morning for a sport of all sports, hunting partridg- 

 es. We contemplated going th tough the Manor, so wo took 

 the road leading out behind the cemetery. Nothing occurred 

 of any note until we got about a mile from Frederick. Every- 

 thing was going along first-rate. The three dogs were 

 whipping every field in gallant style. All at once a buggy 

 passed us, going toward Frederick. The buggy contained 

 two meu, and the three dogs came running in toward us. 

 My best dog, Dick, mistook my buggy and followed the 

 buggy with the two men in toward Frederick. We halted 

 and called, and whistled with all our might, but to no pur- 

 pose, the dog was going with the buggy, and now they 

 were about a mile off. Nothing was leftlne but to turn my 

 horse's head, put Whio to him and follow on after them anil 

 get my dog. I felt every inch a man, although somewhat 

 discouraged at the turn affairs had taken, knowing I would 

 be detained that much longer from the glorious sport I was 

 anticipating. Quickly I turned my horse and buggy, gave 

 the horse the reins, came down on him with the whip, and 

 sped along at a rapid rate, the dogs running, the dust llying, 

 the horses going at a full dead run and we hollowing at the 

 top of our voices. 



We were now going at the top of our speed, and were 

 fast gaining on the buggy and the dog. When we struck 

 the edge of the cemetery fence the dog was just going up the 

 hill at the cemetery gale, and the noise from our hollowing 

 did not appear as yet to attract his attention, and I thought, at 

 this time we would be compelled to follow the chase through 

 the town. We had not yet checked our speed, and were still 

 fast gaining upon them. When the buggy and dog struck 

 the pike at the cemetery gate we were then about two hundred 

 yards off from them, and we hollqwed at the top of our 

 voices, but we could not make him hear. All at once I 

 grabbed my breech-loader and fired three successive shots. 

 ThiB instantly attracted the dog's attention, and he seeing the 

 other two dogs now for the first lime found Out his mistake. 

 He came bounding down the road at a terrible rate of speed, 

 and when he got to us be was very glad. He jumped up, 

 wagged his tail and tried to talk, to tell us how he had made 

 the mistake. We turned our horse again and started down 

 the road on our hunt. We got out and hunted a iield on 

 James Hood's farm, but did not find anything. We con- 

 tinued on farmer and hunted a held on Finnis' Farm. Nellie 

 came to a point about the middle of the field. I said to 

 Gill, "Look there, Nell has got a whole covey," and again I 

 said, "Be caret' ul Gill, and let us kill as many of them as we 

 can as they rise." I cautioned him not to shoot too much in 

 a hurry, to take his time and to pick out his birds and take 

 good aim, and try and kill one with each barrel as they got 

 up. There stood Nell as Btiff as a poker, not a muscle mov- 

 ing. She would catch my eye sometimes while she was 

 crouching there with such a conscious glance, which Baid 

 truly and plainly, "Tread lightly and carefully, the game is 

 at hand." I then turned to Gill and asked if he was ready, his 

 reply was, "1 am," I then said, "Look sharp," I cocked both 

 barrels of my " Scott," and with my slouch hot pushed back 

 in front, my finger on the trigger of my gun, I walked in and 

 kicked m front of the clog. One bird buzzed up, and it hud 

 hardly got out of the stubbles before Gill's gun cracked and 

 he killed it. There was not another bird there, no not one ; 1 

 don't know when I was ever so fooled aa I was this time. 

 This bird was a scattered bird, and some hunters had been in 

 the field before us. All at once I looked over a little rise in 

 the ground and there was a great drove* of sportsmen, they 

 looked like a picket line during the war. They had old 

 muskets, carbines and dogs of every description. They all 

 knew me, but I only knew one of them, and he was John 



Quiulier. They told mo they had raised a flock of partridges 

 in the field where they were, and they were scattered in every 

 direction, and they were hunting now for them. While I 

 was conversing with them one single partridge got up from 

 right under my feel. My Scull gun cracked and the bird fell 

 ! yd to pieces by my fire. The crowd hooted and 

 shouted, and they looked at me and my gun as if I was some- 

 thing wonderful to behold. 



We lost much time here. II was now near ten o'clock, and 

 we only had two partridges. We left and got in our buggy 

 and went on farther. About two miles farther on we heard 

 great firing iu front of us, and on coming up to the spot we 

 found Captain Fatten, Lewis McMurry's head clerk, with a fine 

 brace of dogs, beating some thick cover, where he had driven 

 a covey of buds. He had killed four of them. The sun now 

 was dreadfully hot, and he looked as if ho was almost played 

 DfUt. 1 te said, " Mr. Schley, if you want to shoot you can help 

 yourself ; the birds are all scattered around here." 



I hitched my buggy, pulled off my coat, culled up my dogs 

 and pitched into tlie cover. I beat the tall, rank weeds and 

 high grass for about a half hour, and only found one bird, and 

 I killed thai. I had to hunt lor a half hour before I found it, 

 it being so very, very hot the dogs could not smell it. Here 

 We lQSt some, time, and now it was eleven o'clock and we only 

 had three birds. We were anxious, hot and disappointed, and 

 the dogs pretty well given out and in want of water. 



We got in our buggy and went down the road farther. I 

 heard a partridge calling in a riald, and, looking over, lsaw in 

 the same Held a pump. I said to Gill, " We will hunt that 

 field, and we will give the dogs some water." We halted and 

 hitched our horse and pumped some water for the dogs, and 

 took a drink of w^ter ourselves. We beat this stubbie field 

 all over, but not a bird did we find. We heard great bring 

 down the road farther in a small piece of wood just where 

 we were going. We got in the buggy and drove right for this 

 piece of woods. When we arrived there we found Col. Blu- 

 baker and George Ilergersimer, with three or four dogs, and 

 they were shooting at a great rate. Their guns were crack- 

 ing, cracking every minute. Ii was now near twelve O'clock, 

 I said to Gill, " We will eat something." So we halted and 

 sat under the trees and eat a little, andfwhile we were eating 

 these fellows were firing away. But they had not yet seen 

 us. When we were through with our lunch we walked over 

 to them. They were very glad to see us, and said they had 

 raised two or three coveys in the field and that they were all 

 scattered around. They said, "Fitch in and help yourselves." 

 I threw my gun from my shoulder and called my dogs, and I 

 made them beat the ground very closely. I raised eight single 

 birds and two rabbits, and I killed every one of tuem, and 

 mitle some beautiful shots. It was now fast going on one 

 o'clock, and Col. Bluebaker insisted on ua going with him and 

 his partner to a spriug, about a half mile off. The spring is 

 known as Shellman's Spring. Way down on the " manor," 

 he said, he had fried oysters, whisky and pickles. He wanted 

 us to eat with him. So we all started for the spring, and 

 spread our bite and took a drink and cat a good, hearty din- 

 ner, fed the horse and dogs and watered them. We here en- 

 joyed the beauty of the day aa much as the refreshments. In 

 a short time we bade our hospitable friends good-day and left, 

 they going toward home, we going farther down the road. 

 We drove about two miles, and passed through the big Manor 

 Woods near Adamstown. Here we hitched our horse in a 

 large, dense woods, known as the Big Manor Woods. Now 

 we had gotten out of the limits of Frederick. Hunters and 

 everything was as quiet as the grave. Now and then ihe wind 

 went whistling through the branches and leaves, but thesound 

 of the sportsman's gun was not to be heard. Here we found 

 plenty of birds and all full coveys We did excellent shoot- 

 ing. One covey we killed twelve birds out of. We had as 

 high as six birds lying dead at one time, not having time to 

 pick them up. Sbooiiog so fast with our breech-loaders, 

 many of them would fall in high, rank grass and briers, which 

 made awful hunting for them. Many birds we lost, but we 

 did splendid shooting. But hot, dry and thirsty ; don't talk. 

 The dogs all lay down and panted, and we could not get any 

 air in this place, and there was not a drop of water near- us, 

 not even a mudpuddle. Gill remarked, " I am so hot I don't 

 know what to do. I really can't spit any more. I know of a 

 small house about a mile off, and I know water must be close 

 to it." So we jumped in the buggy and put whip to the 

 horse and went lor this house. When wo got to the house a 

 colored woman made her appearance, audi gave her twenty 

 cents to get U3 a bucket of water. She soon got it and we ah 

 had a nearly drink, which wo enjoyed very much. It was 

 now fust drawing toward sunset, and we were about ten miles 

 from hi me. We turned our facts homeward. We beat a 

 thick wood full of briers and second growth timber on our 

 way home. We found plenty of birds here. We lost one of 

 our dogs, Bob, and could not find him high or low j but on 

 going back to the buggy, a mile off, we found him all broken 

 up, standing under the buggy. He did not know us, but when 

 he saw Dick and Nell then he was all right. We arrived 

 home about half-past eight, and counted our bag, and found 

 we had 47 partridges, 2 rabbits audi huk. This bag beat 

 any one bag on the first day as far as we could hear fiom, Ho 

 we got the honor of bringing home more birds than any one 

 that was out that day. We went to bed tired, and slept 

 soundly until morning. On the next day we fully intended 

 going again, but the clay proved so hot and dry we concluded 

 to put it off. So ended our first day of the partridge season, 

 and, hope we may be as successful on our next huut. 



FRANK SOBLKT. 



A TURKEY HUNT IN WESTERN MARY- 

 LAND. 



EOMBRVIHB, N. T., Oct, 81, 1378. 



Editor Fobest and Stream : 



While spending a short vacation In Alleghany County, Maryland, 

 I ran across a famous wild turkey tmuter, and we started one morning 

 as clay was breaking for a hont on Big Savage Mountain. A brisk 

 walk of nail an hoar brought us to the foot of It, and, before starting 

 np. Juke loaded t.U old-fashioned rifle, apiece lhat "Porte Crayon" 

 has immortalized In nla sketches of Virginia aud Maryland moun- 

 taineers. Indeed, 1 Caught myself thinking that " Forte " might have 

 1u1iB.cre33r.nd have used Juke as the origlua, of one of his "snake 

 huiit.nu" He told me that 1 had better keep a lookout for a pheas- 

 ant, so I put la a shell of No. 7 and one of Ho. D so I would be pre 

 pared lor buds of any kind smaller than the turkeys, which wo did not 

 expect to see before allernoon. Wo kept straight up the mountain 

 side, Jake going, aa It seemed to me, at a double quick, but in reality 

 l veiy moderate gait. Every few hundred yur.l.i I would sit down 

 und wait for my breath to eatcll up, However, all thlnga muat come 

 to an end, aa did our journey to the top of Savage. We reached the tup 

 and began to descend to what ia called Cranberry Swamp, where Jake 

 assured me pheasants and woodcock; were plenty. On reaching the 



ground I searched It thorou lily, and oame to the conclusion that 

 Jake's plentiful birds must have gone visiting, for a solitary woodcock; 

 was the only bird that I saw. Went ap to the top of the Mountain and 

 raveled north for about five miles and began to descend. On reaching 

 the bottom we separated to look tor squirrels that seemed to have gono 

 after Jake'R hjrds, l lit my pipe and lay down behind a log to wait for 

 Jake to come back and to rest. Presently I heard in the woods above 

 me a loud gobble. Jake trying his call, thought I, Soon I heard a 

 whistle, and I saw Jake motioning for me to approach him. When I 

 got close he asked, "Did you hear them 7 The dog scattered the 

 aook; let's go up the hill." So off we wont for another Ufly miles aa 

 legs said, but half a mile In reality. We posted ourselves between two 

 fallen trees, and Jake commenced "calling." Soon an answer camo 

 from our right— "peep, peep." The call continued with its answering 

 " peep." Soon a loud gobble, gobble, from our left waa heard. Wb 

 slowly shifted our gnns to bear on the approaching gobbler, and I 

 looked at my shells to make euro I had No. 2's In both batrelfl. Soon I 

 saw the gobbler jump down from a log, and, with two or three bens, 

 walk rapidly toward ns. Jake, having stopped, bis call, eaniloncd, 

 "Make sure before you fire, and don't move." 1 had lain In ambush 

 for hnman game in times past, and my nerves had not failed me then, 

 neither did they now. I followed the magnllloeut looking bird till he 

 was jnst entering a spot that was clear and— hang went Jake's rifle. 

 The gobbler disappeared as it the ground had opened e.nd swallowed 

 him. Juke had shot at a hen and missed. She ran a few steps, 

 stopped to see the direction we were in, and I let her have the right 

 ban-el. As soon as the gon cracked Jake ran and picked up the bird, a 

 full-grown hen. Up the hill again waa his command, and offl we 

 started for another hair or three-quarters of a mile. Again we posted 

 ourselves behind a log and took a quiet smoke for about a quarter of 

 an hour. Then Jake opened his budget and brought out the can. Lrs3 

 than ten minutes brought an answer from down the hill. A very few 

 minutes bronght it Iu gnnshot of Jake, who killed it. It proved to be 

 a young hen. The last shot from the rifle not, having made more noise 

 than a cap snapping, we recommenced "calling." Ten minutes 

 pnssed, and an answer was returned from the brush behind us, so 

 close that I did not dare to climb over the log. So wheeling slowly 

 around on my heels, 1 brought the gun to bear just as the turkey came 

 In sight, about fll'iy yards off. I covered it and pulled not ouo trigger, 

 as J intended, but both. I thought a mule had planted bold heels 

 against my shoulder. The nest I knew I was crawling out Iroui under 

 the log, and Jake was bringing the turkey to our pile Uiat now looked 

 very respectable. It began to grow late, and, being about seven miles 

 from home, we packed the turkeys on onr backs and started. Bj riic 

 time wc reached the village onr tnrkeys had Increased to abort t a hun- 

 dred weight. BXUINEBR. 



LUBRICATORS FOR GUNS. 



Editor Fobest and Stream : 



If the rusty surface of iron be examined under the microsoope it will 

 be found to present an uneven surface studded with thousauds of holes 

 whioh serve admirably as conservatories of moisture, and thus favor 

 the oxidation of the affected metal. Grease and oil are then simply ap- 

 plied to serve as an Impermcablo barrier to thoair, the oxygen of which 

 over present in millions of free molecules attacks readily any substance 

 for which it has affinity and forms In iw combination with it the oxyd 

 which we commonly call rust. As long as barrets of guns are perfectly 

 smooth bat few retreats are present in which oxidation favored by moist- 

 are can favorably progress, but when they are once attacked the aports- 

 man has to exercise unremitting care to keep his gun clean. The dif- 

 ficulty to do this Is none the Icsb on account, of the many corners about 

 the trigger plates, the nipples of muzzle-loaders and the plungers of 

 breech-loaders, as the deep grooves about them favor rusilug. Near 

 salt water, where the air Is frequently charged with minute and actively 

 corrodlDg particles of saline substances, guns suffer most, and an^etli- 

 olent lubrication is there of the highest importance. After iming, with 

 poor success, about all of the advertised preparations, which on paper 

 guarantee absolute immunity from rust, and flndlDg them near and on 

 the sea moro or less worthless, 1 have tried at last and obtained highly 

 satisfactory results by applying morcurial ointment, which when once 

 well rubbed In prevents effectntlly all damage. A Prank Wesson rlfla 

 and a Fox breech-loader treated m this manner were the oniy arms 

 which emerged bright and clean from the wreck of a vesa.-l which 

 terminated, duilug the latter end of last Bummer, a shoot'iig ex- 

 cursion teLabradur in which I had participated. Previously to packing 

 up I had a lot ot ointment molted and applied by means of a sort camel 

 hair brush over barrels and locks. The inside was also well lubricated 

 and the muzzles next closed by a thick wad of flannel greased with it, 

 A couple of newspapers were wrapped around to detached barrels and 

 stock to prevent the grease from being Tubbed off, and in this manner 

 they were, without any further additional care, packed into the travel- 

 ing trunk. The wreck of a vessel is a hard affair on the passengers 

 and their effects, pariioulariy their shooting implements. 1 passed un- 

 fortunately through this ordeal, a*jd trunks, guns and all were washed 

 about a whole night in the overflooued cabin of our stranded schoonc-r, 

 and circumstances did not allow ot ihelr drying even alter they were 

 rescued the next day. Not a gun of the rest of my fellow passengers 

 escaped unhurt, but were coated all over Willi rust, although ttiwy had 

 been well oiled and smeared with several kinds of highly advertised 

 rust preventers. The blue ointment alone stood the tiymg test, and not 

 a solitary red spot was visible on t;;e guns treated with It, when at last 

 after two days of delay a ehauce for thorough inspection was afforded. 

 I have learned, additionally, that 1 gain time ami lesseu trouble by not 

 removing all the grease from any easily affected corners, us lhe iron 

 about them is thereby hermetically pipteetofl ; and I use since then 

 common machine oil for the plain surfaces of barrels and look*. When- 

 ever I shall take another journey to the sea shore 1 shall profit by the 

 experience of the past and by simply applying a coat of the ointment, 

 over ail exposed parts avoid the trouble of continually overhauling and 

 Inspecting every part of my armament. j. 



THE DITTMAR POWDER. 



blnqhamton, n. t , nov. 10, uws, 

 Editor Forest and Stream ; 



In answer to Mr. D. A. Tomblee's letter m your last issue I have to 

 say that my powder is absolutely safe when used according to instruc- 

 tions. This was a case of overloading. I suppose the guns in question 

 were either 12 or 10 bore. For the IS bore I say proper charges are 3jrf 

 drs. ; for 10 tiore, 8^ to4drs. In this case 5 drs. had been used. Isup- 

 pose it was C powder, which 1 make expressly for Capt. Bogardns' nse 

 and which has come Into great favor on account othia using it. it la a 

 very strong powder, and I see no reason Why sportsmen should use 

 more than what 1 recommend. I say in my circulars larger chaigea 

 would give no better results, but strain the gun. Of the coarser gi ades, 

 or If my rule powder la used Ui shot guus, larger charges can be used 

 without strain to ilia gun, but oIC no more than recommended. Captain 

 Bogardns has used this powder in his 20 Lore, SUM. gun, but if l remem- 

 ber right ouly 1^» ilia,, with good results, which showB that It can be 

 used with safety in the lightest guus. 



I am for light charges witli black powder too, as I And that the heavy 

 charges only show their effect on the shoulder, but as there seems to be 

 a tendency to use heavy charges 1 will maKe a powder from now which 



