FOREST AND STREAM. 



471 



THE TONE OF SPORTING LITERATURE. 



Philadelphia, Deo, US, 1878. 

 Editor Forest and Stbeam : 



It aeema to me that "H. P. T.," or Boston, hag attempted murder 

 (with hia pen), and only succeeded tn committing suicide. " U T. P.' 

 thinks there is not "sufficient Interest or sufficient novelty in the tact 

 of a man's taking a drink to warrant its proclamation in a paper de- 

 voted to Held sports, however appropriate it might be in the police 

 news columns of a daily." Why should taking a drink belong to police 

 news 7 



In Black's new novel (by all odds his best), '' Mcleod of Dare," what 

 finer bit of writing (gladdening the very heart of ihe true sportsman) 

 than the description of the half-dandy Londoner; how he brought 

 down his pheasants In a driving fain every Shot, and How he moist- 

 ened bis lips frequently from a flask! If " H. p. T." had been there 

 would he have moistened his spectacles with tears, or reported the 

 occurrence for the Police Gazette t 



Walter Scott cays that no man really loving Held sports can be wholly 

 bod, and it does not occur to us now that, tire Great Wizard of the 

 North ever recommended his healthy game-killing Scot to take "cold 

 tea " with him instead of a bottle of Oleniivet. 



The paper of Dec. 5, of which "H. P. T." complains, has been widely 

 quoted and admired in this State, and would not nave been true to na- 

 ture but for its faithful, if minute, acconut of what was done and 

 drank ; what was shot and what was said, But yon, Mr. Editor, have 

 covered the whole ground in your happy editorial on " The Tone of 

 Sporting Literature." 



Faith f u lly yours, Boanerges. 



NOTES FROM NOVA SCOTIA. 



Yarmouth, (J. 0., Nova Scotia, Dec. 2, 187S. 



EDWOH FOBEST A2TD STREAM : 



The calling season for moose has long since passed, and still hunting 

 is now the manner of capture ; and soon the law will prevent moose 

 hunting until next season. Tho snow covers the barrens, and the lakes 

 are sealed up with ice. Ducks and geese have left us lor a more com- 

 fortable clime, though a few whistlers still linger about open waters 

 at the foot of falls and rapids In the river. In fact, small flocks of 

 whistlers stay with us all winter, lurkiug about these open spots in 

 the river. Small game has been about as usual the past season. I am 

 sorry to say the law in regard to partridges and other small game is 

 but little regarded here. They can be easily taken out of season with- 

 out the knowledge of the game warden. But it is difficult to capture 

 and dispose of a moose without its being known and the offender pun- 

 ished, I think the moose are in a fair way to increase in our province 

 under the present law. I have fallen in with two small flocks of 

 spruce partridges the past season. There is something so beautiful 

 about these birds I always feel as though I had done wrong after 

 shooting one. 



WUd cats or bay lynx are scarce, owing to the bounty offered for 

 Ihelr ears by the county, inducing inaoy to trap them. Foxes are as 

 plenty us ever. I believe Nova Seotia is the paradise of foxes. Cer- 

 tainly they are very plenty all over the province. Going our, to my 

 traps of a morning, after a fall of snow the night previous, Icaunsually 

 count as many as eight or ten fox trails crossing my path In going a 

 mile; but sometimes I get a glimrue of sly reynard as he bounds off 

 through the snow-covered evergreens, and sometimes the rifle ball 

 which I send after him is fortunate, and gives me a chance to handle 

 his heavy brush. They are more plenty about the settlements than 

 farther back in the forest. Though tliey are plenty here, they are as 

 cunning as elsewhere, and It requires all the skill man possesses to 

 trap them. But they would furnish much sport if hunted with hounds, 



Trapping is not as good as usual this season. Our fur-bearing ani- 

 mals need more protection oy the law. Our present law regarding 

 them is well enough, bat it is not enforced. Our country Is admira- 

 bly adapted to the harboring 01 the various fur-bearing animals, with 

 its Irreclaimable barrens, numerous chains of lakes, connected by 

 rushing streams Btocked with trout; Just the place which the mink, 

 otter, asher and beaver delight in. Jluch of Nova Scotia will probably 

 remain unsettled, as Its rocky, barren and forest lands are not lnvi 

 to the settlers. And about the only thing attractive about these wild 

 lands are at present the animals and bird^, and they Bhould be pre- 

 served in their natural abundance. Bub and I commenced trapping 

 the first of November along the headwaters of the Tusket am 

 branches. We met with but little success, however, taking but four 

 beavers, two otters and sir minks during the month. Bui we were 

 on the headwaters of a stream flowing through QneettE Oonn 

 week, and we noticed many signs of otter and beaver. We shall 

 be likely to do something in the trapping line there this winter. We 

 expect to take a trip to the headwaters of the Clyde soon. Saelburn 

 County, and will then write you concerning that, section. By ihe way, 

 while off the other side of the river the other day I stwted three 

 yarded moose, hut it was unfavorable for still huniing and so did not 

 follow them up. T. ft. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH THE DITTMAR. 



Pomerov, Iowa, Dec. 26, 1878. 

 Editoe Forest and Stbeam: i 



Prompted by a desire to satisfy myself and friends regarding the 

 Dittmar powder, I procured a small amount of Mr. H. C. Squires 

 which he kindly furnished for the purpose. I mast own my faith in 

 the compound was only limited, as I have made quite extended trial' 

 of it on two or three different occasions, about the first year of its in- 

 troduction, and on those occasions my success with it had not been 

 such as to warrant, a good recommendation to my brother sportsmen. 

 Last September I felt somewhat encouraged regarding it. on account 

 of Bogardus and Carver using it so successfully in their glass-ball 

 shooting, and on opening a can of this lot I received last, I noticed a 

 marked difference In its appearance and density, being mnch harder 

 and more compact in texture than other samples which I have had 

 heretofore. 



On first trying it I was a little cautious, as ray gnn is a Tery fine one 

 and I did not care to risk damaging it. So I loaded some shells in the 

 ordinary manner, with :\',i drachms and one ounce of No. 9 shot, only 

 ramming slightly. I went out a short distance to look for game, being 

 determined to try it tn the held more than at a target. I Eoon came to 

 a snipe meadow, where the birds were thick and rather wild ; here I 

 shot for about three-quarters of an hour until the eighteen shells were 

 gone, and 1 had killed fourteen fine fat birds, none of which were 

 killed nnder thirty yards, and many as far as forty-five or fifty yards. 

 I found it particularly fine for doubles, on account of its lack of smoke. 

 and havo found the same advantage in ball shooting, where quickness 

 is more essential, perhaps, than In any other place. 



When 1 came to clean the gun I found Its cleanness another larga 

 Item ; for instead ol the snrface.being covered by a hard dry crust, as 

 in the case of the black powderlhad been asiuj, there was only a 

 thin brown coloring, not enough to obscure the burnlBhed steel, and 

 easily removed by the use of one light oil rag. As I noticed ouly a 

 light recoil, I ventured to add a quarter of a drachm more of pow- 

 der.and an eighth of an onuce more of shot, nsing for wads first one 

 red fibre wad, on thia un Eley black edge, and another fibre wad on the \ 



shot, with all well rammed down. I noticed a slight increase of re- 

 coil, but not enough to be unpleasant. With this manner or loading 1 

 secured nothing but the best results, killing grouse tbioogb Septem- 

 ber and October at 40 and CO yards with my s-/ 2 lb., 12-gauge Parker. 

 Later I used it largely in duck shooting, and found it excellent, several 

 times making exceptionally long shots and killing vers 1 cleanly. I 

 also shot largo numbers of muskrats while in the ponds for ducks. 

 Fortheae I used only an ounce of No. 7, 8 or Sshot, and found no 

 trouble at all in killing them clean at 30 to 36 yards in the water; and 

 every one having any experience knows the accurate shooting re- 

 quired to bag these little animals with any degree of certainty, in 

 closing, 1 may add that although my trial may have lacked mathemati- 

 cal DgurtS, still I was only prevented from trying at target by a want 

 of time ; and all must o.vn that practical (and not theoretical) work Is 

 what we are most to rely on in our judgment of men and Inventions. 

 Although I commenced Its use with no faith In Its merits, I am now 

 fully convinced that it is all Us friends claim for ii, and may be used 

 with perfect safety. While contributing largely to the pleasure of our 

 favorite sport. I will cheerfully answer any inquiries any one may 

 wish to make regarding the auuvc, which may be addressed to me 

 throngh yonr.office. 

 Fraternally. abb Daootah. 



PIGEON MATCHES. 



QuiNNiptAO Gun Club— FiJir Uearni, Conn,, Jan. 1.— Bogardus rules 

 anu three traps ; paLe's Glass ball, : 



Koan i o l o l l t in o l i i o o o i o o— if) 



Users l 1 o 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 t o 1 n 1 11 1-16 



Jves , u iioiiiiioiooiioo ; u i— is 



Bradley 1 l 1 l i l l l l l l i i l l l i o l i— io 



Burweil u OlioiOllllODllliio l— 13 



Double Shooting. 



Roan loinoooo-2 Bradley li) nil 10— 6 



Beers 11 11 10 10— r Burweh li 10 00 00— 3 



Ives n li ii ii_8 



Knickebbock Gon Club— Port Morris, ,\*. Y„ Jan. 1.— First regular 

 club shoot at atty glass balls. Huber traps, Uosardus rales, divided in 

 teams of bIx. Wm, Potter, jr., and P. lleushaw, captains. 

 Potter's Side. 



DOaughlln 1011111111111101111 111101111 



111111101110111110111 1—42. 



Wm. Potter, Jr.. 1 1101010111100 n 110111111010 

 111101000111010011110 1 1—34. 



Wm Fulton, Jr...O 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 rj 1 1 1 1 1 

 1111100110011110010101 1—34 



E Coles 1 00110001 in 101 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 l 1 1 



1111010100100101010111 0—30. 



C E Baker 1 1)111111101001 100010001 11 



1110011001111011010011 0-29. 



A Steericke 1 n 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 1 1 



0001111101110011100101 1—23. Total, 197. " 

 Henshaw'sSide. 



N Jacques 1 11111101110 1111111111111 "0 



1111111110111011011111 1—13. 



GDannerieln....l lliooiliiiui 1 lllllliiioill 

 0110110111001111101111 1-40. 



F Henshaw 10001111010111 0910111111 1 



1110010111111111111111 1-37. 



C Reynolds 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 1 1 1 1 



1 1 u 1 1 l 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1—30. 



T NIXOn 1 101010110000000001010 111 



1101 OOOOlOOllOllllu 011 0—23. 



A E Miller ...11010001 101101 oil 111000001 l 

 01001001000001100 0011 1—21. Total, 194. 



This club has been in existence a little of one month, and Is com- 

 posed of members 01 the Knickerbocker ya*hl Club. Considering that 

 the enure practice of some of the club previous to this snoot did not 

 exceed fifty bail-, the cluo feels quite elated at the creditable showing 

 and hope soon to put a team in iue field to try eouelutlona with some 

 of our older and more experienced clubs. a. K. M, 



New Yoke— Franklin. Dee, 29.— In the recent shooting match re- 

 ported from here, jou make me say tnat none, of ns had ever snot irum 

 a trap oefore. I am confident that I wrote "but one or two of us had 

 ever shotlrom atrap before." M. P. McRoom. 



The Bouardus Match.— Captain Bogardus be?an his feat of break- 

 ing 0,000 glass balls at Gilmore's yesterday. Tite shooting will c on- 

 tiuue to-day. 



Texas-Foot, Jan. 1.— The Tatham Gun Club or our city was out for 

 a da/a sport at the trap Dec. i-. rite weather being very bad 

 the e was not a large attendance. The flr,t maun was at five oirus' 

 U and T plunge traps : ""' 



WSAlmoud 1 1 10 1—1 JThomnson 1 1 1 0-3 



WVEort... .,..10 111-4 G Duncan 1111 _ 



%x82S? ;i^,K c ' MM . 101 LI 



Sicond match, three birds : 



McCall 111—3 Garland 1.1 i_a 



McCullach 1 1 0-2 Almond '.'.".'. 'I 1 0— 2 



McCall won shoot off. 



Third match, ten glass balls, Bogardus rules : 



McCullach. .1 1111110 11-9 McCall 1 1 1 1 1 1 i_7 



Almond 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1—8 Garland 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1— i 



Thompson. .1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1-s Fort 1 1 1 1 1Z5 



Fourth match, fpr silver cup, twenty balls : 



AIm ° ad , IHIIIIII011110111 li-iR 



Garland 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1-13 



Port 011 10 11 Oil L00 011110 1? 



McCullach 1 11111111011011111} 1-1! 



Thompson 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i i_i» 



McCall 1 101001110010101111 I—fa 



Filth match, ten balls: 

 McCullach. .1 liiiiiii 1— in Thompson...! 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 n a 

 Almond... 1111111110-9 McCall 1 oiiuiiu-» 



Sixth match, five balls : 



McCullach 11110—4 Thompson 1 1 1 1 1— 1 



MoCftli 1 1110-4 Almond *"".! 1111-5 



Seventh match, live bulls : 



McColUch 1 1 1 1 1—5 Thompson 1 1 1 1— 1 



Almond 11 1 ui-4 McCall ...." "j 1 1 1 i— j 



Eighth match, five balls : 



McCullach 1 1 1 1—4 Thompson 1 1 1 0-3 



Almond 1 1110—4 McCall .'.'.'.'.'.I I I oi_4 



CLASS BA14-. 



San Antonio.— A. few of our sportsmen celebrated New Years by 

 eSeSfpl.^ 08 ruies; 15 glass balls; $ 1 entrance*; 



First match : 



Fenn 1 11 1 u i 11 1 1 j „_ c 



Binghain ollloiooiooio i_ 7 



Buffham 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1— a 



Dougiasa OllOOllliiuuil 1-10 



Lehrioh 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ii- 1 



Wolciten t II 1 1 ||. t 1 1 1 1 ! t 



Shaver U'U t 1 I 1 1 1 H H 



CilnOhj 0101100100101 1-7 



Second match ; same rules ; entrance fee t\ - entrance fee first 



pr 



B'ngbam 1 1 1 1. i 1 1 j 1 o_ 9 



E«2P i 1 1 1 1 1 ,., 1 u 11 1 i_5 



Bdttoam 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 x 11 1 1 1 i_i2 



Douglass 1 (• 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 { x 1 x 1- 3 



f*"?™ 1 1 lllllllllllll !_b 



Wolcken 1 liuooioiooiio 1— I 



Third match ; same rules ; the poorest score to pay forrefreshments- 



Donglaas 1 1 1 1 1 i .1 1 1 1 1 1 1 j rj-i* 



.10110110110111 1— 11 



.1 1 1 1 1 1 II 1 II 1 1 l-JI) 



.1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 0-12 



.11010110001110 1—9 

 AtU), 



Lchnch 



Ollnchy. 



Buffham, 

 Penn.... 



JKuchHitQ- mid Routing. 



DOUBLE BOARDS. 



jV/T ULTIPLEX lee-boards and centre-boards are not new. 

 J-Vl As far bank as tbe sixteenth century an English in- 

 ventor called the attention of the British naval authorities to 

 bis contrivance for keeping light draft vessels up to their 

 course by the introduction of several " sliding-keels, ' as ihey 

 were then called. The lee-board is as old as the hills, or, at 

 least, as oid as China, for to the Celestial tar the board has 

 been familiar when all Europe was still in a state of barbar- 

 ous ignorance. Double lee-boards are at this day still in use 

 on certain smacks and boats along the Holland and North 

 German coasts, where the bluff bow and tanned sails of the 

 old-lime galliotts are yet to be seen in all their glory on the 

 "Eber"of the river Elbe, and on the coasting craft of Hie 

 Zuyder Zee, in the land of wooden shoes. Double and treble 

 boards have proven, like many other plausible arrangements 

 of an elementary sort, a prolific field for the amateur inventor, 

 and the experimental mind has never ceased from periodically 

 re-inventing, reproducing, and, we may add, writing up 

 afresh what has long been an old story, frequently consigned 

 to the oblivion that awaits all spasmodic efforts to apply in 

 general something fit for special circumstances only. The 

 double board, when closely scrutinized, turns out to be only 

 a clumsy means of counteracting some sorry fault in the buill 

 of a vessel, and, with the exception of the case where water 

 is scarce under the keel, may be set aside as a needless com- 

 plication of parts, which, however pleasant it may act upon 

 paper, has never yet commended itself to the public through 

 its action in practice. At first sight it would seem as 

 though some benefit might be derived from suddenly 

 lifting a board at either end of a vessel when 

 working ship, but such is hardly the case; for, had the craft 



been well designed in the first place, no such artificial stimu- 

 lus would be found necessary to make her go through all evo- 

 lutions with alacrity and gain. If a board be raised forward 

 to aid in wearing, it is tantamount to saying that with the 

 board down the vessel has too much fore-foot or gripe ; if a 

 board aft must be lifted to help her come about, it is evident 

 the craft has too much section aft. In either case the vessel 

 is simply badly " hung," and calls for the aid of an additional 

 means to help her through her work. If the board in the run 

 is supplied to aid in steering to make the yacht easy on her 

 helm, it may be set down as a certainty that tbe model is too 

 dumpy for her length. A few inches of keel would do more 

 good in alleviating the abominable and dangerous "yawing" 

 to which short and chubby ships are always subject, especial- 

 ly when running free and in rough water. Centreboard boats 

 are especially liable to suffer on this score, as they are pinned 

 upon their centre by their board. A little less board and a 

 couple of inches of keel will remedy the defect without hav- 

 ing Tesort to any more machinery, which at a crilical moment 

 may refuse to act or fail to obtain the attention it requires, and 

 which is apt in the hurry to interfere with the proper tendins 

 of other gear, especially when beef is scarce or hands not 

 adept. The annexed sketch, from a correspondent in Phila- 

 delphia, shows the application of two boards to a lype of 

 Delaware Bay boats. The boats run about 40ft. long, 14ft. 

 beam and 5ft. hold, and have a peculiar combination of rigs. 



p «. . 



FUNDS FOR HARVARD'S CREW. 



7 "HE The-daiuant at Delmonico's Saturday evening, Jan, 

 4, concluded the series of entertainments in aid of the 

 Harvard crew. 



Those who had attended the theatricals at the Union League 

 Theatre were loud in their praises of the amateurs both on the 

 stage and in the orchestra. 



Dancing commenced promptly at nine o'clock, and the 

 young Harvard athletes showed themselves adepts in tho 

 terpsK-horean art. The rosy faces and well-rounded forms of 

 then fair partners suggested a familiarity with out-door sports 

 and health-giving occupations. Supper was served at ten 

 p. m., after which dancing was continued until the earlv clos- 

 ing time of twelve. 



Among those present were the lady patroness Mrs John 

 Sherwood, Mrs. Paran Stevens, Mrs. K W. Sanborn' Mrs 

 John Avery, Miss C. Patterson, Miss J. Patterson, Dr Her' 

 rtck, Bonald Thomas, John Avery, Arthur Leary Mr Post 

 and many of the younger membci s of the Harvard Club 



How many of us are there who remember the days when we 

 rowed on the Charles in the old boats Oneida, and Huron ? 

 The first club boats were introduced at Cambridge in 1S44 

 An eight-oarnd boat— the -Star— was purchased. This boat 

 afterward named the Oneida, was perhaps the best of her 

 class ever in Cambridge. Prom the " Harvard Book " we 

 quote: "She was thirty-seven feet lomi, lapstieak built 

 heavy, quite low in the water, with no sheer, and with a 

 straight stem. Her width was about three feet and a half in 



