18 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



again, was presented 

 races, in Separate Btaj 

 color," for Satnbo and 

 buses, are of Americai 

 the Cerro 



sensible distinction between the 

 £ bearing a little flag, "Qentede 

 is sisters. These stages, nr omni- 



lmild, and convey passengers to 

 del Monte, and other' subur- 



ban villages— tare, 12j cents. We passed neav Fort Atares. 

 a beautiful conical elevation covered with grass, and with 

 cannon yawning around its circular crest. This is near the 

 tares, and is memorable as the scene of the execu- 

 tion of Crittenden and his tillibuster companions. As we 

 rattle along the streets, a maze of strange scenes greets flic 

 eye <m every band. Bright-eyed senoras are standing in 



the windows, winch are protected by prison-liki 



iron, and here and there a smitten swain stands outside the 

 grating, gazing in silent admiration at the prisoned beau- 

 ties. 1 was surprised to learn that such conduct is not. 

 deemed impolite or offensive, but is a popular mode of 

 paying homage to beauty. I have seen strangers stand 

 with one foot ou 1he bub of a quitrin, gazing at the Benoras 

 who occupied it, and who fanned themselves in compla- 

 cent appreciation of the compliment. Great gateways, 

 opening into broad court yards, reveal ou one side the 

 family horse, munching his* fodder, and on the other, a 

 few feet away, the family discussing their Sunday dinner. 

 And seldom for a moment, in town or suburb, ate we un- 

 able to see one or more soldiers — footprints, if you please. 

 of the despot's heel, which still is stamped all over the 

 "gem of the Antilles." Soon beautiful country villas greet 

 us, with their rich outlines of orange groves, and majestic 

 palms marking their borders. Reaching the vicinity of the 

 "Bishop's Garden," I leave the omnibus and make' a short 

 cut across an open field to survey that notable ruin. 

 Clumps of bamboo fifty feet high grow along the borders 

 of a bold stream, winch flows in an artificial chan- 

 nel through the grounds. This garden was once the resi- 

 dence of Juan dc Espada, a prelate of vast wealth, and was 

 a place of great interest to residents as well as strangers. 

 The hurricane of IS-i-i destroyed the mansion, tore up the 

 trees, and broke many of the statues which ornamented its 

 grounds, and now it is quite an unsightly ruin; but as Such 

 is still an object of interest to tourists. Long avenues 

 of mango, almond, and palm trees open out from the 

 crumbling old mansion on three sides, and away in the 

 shady vista, almost a third of a mile distant, are the bro- 

 ken statues of mythological characters and Spanish nota- 

 bilities of the olden time. Immense parks, where formerlv 

 wild animals, collected from every part of the world, were 

 SO be seen, are now grown up to tangled wastes, with here 

 and there a green plaza, on which a few cattle were teth- 

 ered to graze. The immense fountain is dry, and the great 

 eircul&r basins, in enduring cement, which once contained 

 fish of almost every known specie.,, are covered With green 

 slime, and inhabited only by frogs. The flower garden, 

 once ill'- envy even >f ro-.-aity. i, grown to a tangled 1.- lee, 

 with here and there a.] ;,: .canty anrTfragranee, 



lingering to remind us of the past. I could in resist the 

 iiif-liiialioii to gather a IffU of i hesc as souvenirs. This 

 curiosity proved in several respects expensive and hazard- 

 BUS, The moat was deep, and half tilled with mud, where 

 1 soon found myself floundering amid brambles, while the 

 flowers I sought, like the apples of Tantalus, seemed to 

 ii • from my grasp as 1 pressed for them amid the tan- 

 gled undergrowth. Afid when I had succeeded in gather- 

 ing a few. and was scrambling for others, I put my hand 

 within a few inches of what proved to he an imrneuse 

 snake, seven or eight feet long! 1 became suddenly dis- 

 gusted with gardens and flowers, and hurried out into an 

 old pathway 'thai led back to the road, where I might hope 

 to net a stage for the city. The flowers I had gathered at- 

 tracted the notice of a villainous looking moutero, who 

 seemed to have some sort of charge of the grounds, and he 

 commenced an assault on me with the most violent souml- 

 iiu gibberish, which my limited Spanish made wholly uu- 

 inteSigjble, fie mixed" the word "dollar" with his miit- 

 terings, and what between the villainous snake and his 

 :iuii> aspect, 1 readily threw him a dollar to lie rid of 

 i importunities. Ah! then he was the politest of me- 

 nials, and insisted on presenting me with a bamboo cane, 

 ; i ii he more than intimated was of priceless value, 

 though the street pedlars in New Toil: a eh better tor 



a dime. 1 know that infernal moutero has had many a 

 laugh at the incident, but the pleasure of the wild adven- 

 ture more than compensated me for the fright, the lorn 

 toggery, and the. pecuniary outlay, and he is welcome to 

 his dollar and bis laughter. 



My interview with the snake and the man of canes had 

 li me a little indifferent to oiher matters, and as I took 

 leave of the garden 1 observed thai the sun was just sink- 

 ing behind the horizon. While I was wailing for a Btage 

 he blackness of darkness enveloped the whole face of 

 Nature, and called to mind the old familiar lines of Roke- 

 bv:— 



v, |nli' li :,'..-' II yn'iH'ii 'i - . i'. 



No iwiligin hm - lii' ■ ruth alloy. 

 With dirt- like lj;,u!" i.-agtr red, 

 H<- i-i-' - • - ii . nine bed, 



■ i, ; .i iody Ik-la, 



.,,.. all is night 



It is but a mouieui. from sunset to darkness in the tropics. 



(tu reaching tbeholel 1 found my friends uneasy lest I 

 liad fallen a prey to some ol the outlaws who infest the 

 suburbs ; and in spite of my most solemn asseverations 

 would not believe my snake story; 



After lea, which is a sim.u • ,■ i »■'. .on-tsling chiefly of 



trim-. andaMflM, we prepared for the grand banquet, At 



eight o'clock the American Consul cal I .1 -Mrs. Brewers 

 tor the Americans who through him had received invita- 

 tions, and proceeded with them to the "Plaza dee Arvtan," 

 the beautiful little square ou which the Palace is located. 

 It is a two-story structure, extending around a hollow 

 square, and not especially regal in appearance. Until quite 

 recently the lower story was partly occupied by small shop- 

 keepers. Passing the guard we p) id HO a long stair- 



Way to i lie . BCi Ion rooms on the second floor. To the 

 light and left on each stair bloomed a vase Of exquisite 

 i is. ot every hue. while along the banisters blazed a 

 ii at j a y of gas jets a few inches apart. The effe 

 in- brilliant light, blazing amid such a wealth of floral 

 beauty, audj fleeted from the gilded waits and a carpel of 

 he richest scarlet, v. as very striking. The ladies received 

 Hi, ,k- (or il.eir shawls, etc., in the ante-room, but the gen- 

 ,, ii retained their bats, and dawdled them in their band., 

 .lining, 

 isnaee forbids any detailed description or the gi 



say that it was characterized by ih£ presf 



time as the most brilliant ever given in Havana. All the 

 notables of the army and navy, foreign consuls, 

 marquises, and distinguished Americans, with their ladies, 



made up an elite assemblage we 

 unpretending provincial from t 

 alities of presentation wen ovi 

 "the joyous dance" began, and 

 most commendable perseveranc 

 assemblage. Grave diplomats 

 gossip of the political outlook 

 gathered around such wall-ft 



calculated to impress an 



States. After the form- 

 he bands struck up, and 

 tas prosecuted with the 

 by a large portion of the 

 'hcred here and there to 

 hile circles of admirers 

 id of the dance, 



son for t 



re omission or ex- 



listant ( 



) be much sought, 



rtsmcu, 



JO the presence of 



» only s 



i far as it displays 



ffalo hi 



nt t 



■ aninn. 



a ,li 



ry ecu 



^:. 



often standing many minutes without, a word being uttered. 

 Such is the polite mode of paving homage to theses, re- 

 ferred to in another place. Ol the beauty of the ladies, or 

 Of thai other topic ever near to their hearts— their toilets— 

 I must forbear to dilate. There were many of rare 

 personal charms, and wardrobes which in taste, elegance, 

 ami cost, would have graced the richest "European courts. 

 The slipper was bounteous, epicurean, regal, and was duly 

 discussed from one to three o'clock, when the guests began 

 to take their leave, and your corresponudenl sought his 

 cool cot to dream of his first and last Sunday's experience 

 of pastimes among the Havanese. 



S. A. Atkinson. 



X ZOOLOGY OF THE NORTHWEST. 



THE CERVID.it. 



IN my last communication I confined Ibc cervidie of the 

 Northwest to the elk and the smaller species of deer, 

 but since that was written I have made a tour to portions 

 of the country not previously visited, and have learned that 

 our more northern forests and mountains are the resort of 

 both the moose and caribou. This remark will apply 

 specially to Idaho and Washington Territory, where they 

 join Ihe British line on the north, and in a more general 

 sense to Montana and Dakota, but the precedence in num- 

 bers must be conceded to the. latter and Idaho. lathis 

 enumeration I exclude Pla.ska, as the caribou is more abun- 

 dant there than in any other section of the country, espe- 

 cially along the Peace and Yukon rivers in the circumpolar 

 region of Ihe north; and tin 

 elusion is that the place is t 

 for many years at least, by 

 the animal there is intere 

 i graphical range or d: 

 The Nimrod who wishes to enjoy the amusement of slay- 

 ing the moose or caribou would find Idaho about as prom- 

 ising a field as be could desire, as they are very common in 

 the Kootenay and Ceeur d' Alene Mountains in the exi reme 

 north. This" region is occupied exclusively by the Koote- 

 nay, or long-knife tribe of Indians, and perhaps an occa- 

 sional adventurous-seeker after Ihe golden treasure. There 

 are no white settlers, so the hunter must be content with 

 the companionship of a very soiled band of the "Sons of 

 the Forest" if he would indulge bis taste for the chase 

 among the larger eervidae. Shouldhe be possessed of ample 

 means, he can engage a parly of N"ez Perce braves to ac- 

 company him, and they will "not, only protect him from all 

 bodily harm, but give him such lessons in hunting that be 

 can truly boast of his experience ever after. This tribe has 

 iputation Of being the most famous body of hunters in 

 ?t; and as for courage, that is proverbial, for during 

 warriors march from three to 

 the ground, and then capture 

 their allies, but also defeat the 

 This much I have said of these 

 Indians for the benefit of such hunters as may think of 

 visiting Ihe country for its wild, rugged and grand scenery, 

 arid the splendid sporting it presents. My knowledge of 

 the range of the large or woodland caribou, (r«j,., / 

 bun,) I obtained from the Chief of the non-treaty or roving 

 Kez Perces, that is, those who will not stay on reservations 

 and who live on their herds and the fruits of Ihe chase. 

 According to him it inhabits the dense coniferous forests of 

 the Nortiferu Mountains of Idaho, and extends to the sub- 

 Arctic regions of British Columbia. The best time for 

 hunting it, is early morning or evening, when herds go to- 

 gether for water or protection while grazing; for it is 

 often a mailed by a hungry bear, or a ravenous pack of those 

 large gaunt wolves indigenous to wooded, alpine plateaus. 

 By keeping to the leeward of a herd it can be approached 

 to" within good rifle range, so many fall an easy victim to an 

 Ordinary adept in rifle practise. The Indians of Alaska 

 and British Columbia kill large numbers with arrows, and 

 still more bv digging pitfalls along their watering runway. 

 Largest animal in their forests, it forms their lead- 

 ing article of food, and its hide is used lor making wakinps 

 Or Wig-Wams, while its bones are used for arrow tips, 

 spoons and knives. The caribou is known to your readers 

 by the name of reindeer, but a wide specific difference ex- 

 :ii the species of ihe west and that of Europe. I 

 am inclined to think that the American is the largest, for an 

 adith varies from six to six and a half feet from the nose to 

 base of tail, and from three and ahalf to four feet in height. 

 The face, which is quite long, ranges between twelve and 

 rifleen inches from nose to ear; the ears will average five 

 inches in length-, an 1 the vertebral portions of the tail 



. ,, hi „ndahu)f inches. The color of the southern 



, , , I., i i, nsidei'abiy at certain seasons ol the year, 

 but its spring garb is always the most gaudy, lis general 

 hue, then, is a br ■ ..': r;l ue tips being a light gray. 

 The nose, cars and exte.ior surface of the legs are brown- 

 ish i the neck inclined to be the whitest portion of the body. 

 The belly and lail are white, and a whitish band extends 

 around each hoof. It makes a tine, bold study ou the fore- 

 ground of an ceiling scene, among the mountain tarns of 

 Northern Idaho, as it fulfils the ideal description of the 

 Stag given bv Scott and other writer*. To see a herd to- 

 gether is enough 10 make a follower of Diana indulge in 

 ra ',.', cotiS exclamations of delight. 



The moose, [Ate* Anterkaiuu,) is loiind from Manitoba 

 to the Upper Columbia River, between the parallels of 

 foriy-eigbl and Bisty-five, hence it is a dweller in portions 



of Dakota and Idaho, and a lew seek the. northeasterly sec- 

 tion of Washington Territory, beyond the Grand Coulee of 

 Ihe Columbia, or rather the headquarters of streams flowing 

 into this river from the north, such as ihe Spokane and A ak- 

 ima. The principal hunting, after this species is done by the 



, .. ii umaiuous districts ol Idaho, as the. white 



men arc too busily engaged m delving for gold to enjoy the 

 ,, miry , ,, . ;, , , be Bbtckfeel Of Montana also bunt 



,, ibe autumn, 1 understand, but as my knowledge 

 f tlii i.oier Territory does not, extend beyond the fellOW- 

 stone or National Park, 1 am unable to be very explicit as 

 to the habitat of the animal in that region, or to what ex- 

 tent it is pursued. I learn lroin men ol experience m such 

 mailers, that the western is somewhat larger than the east- 



ern species, but has the same general form and character- 

 istics. I have never seen but three of the animals: two of 

 these I saw alive in 3Iaine, and tfie other dead in a camp of 

 Lumui Indhtus, in the northwestern part of Washington 

 Territory. This tribe asserts that the moose is found along 

 the Casc'ade Range north of Mount Rainier; and was form- 

 erly quite numerous around the base of .Mount Baker, the 

 BtOSl northerly snow peak in the Territory. I am inclined 

 to believe them, as they have a name for it entirely distinct 

 from that applied to the elk. They also gave, me another 

 piece of information in natural history, and that was that 

 the wild mountain goat {Apkictnr.* l\[,>t,(ut<ti,) is found in the 

 Cascade Range, and that a white ptarmigan, i T< tr 

 inhabits the same mountains. 



These two described complete the Cervidie of the North- 

 west, which gives us seven species west of the Rockj 

 Mountains, and by including this range, eight, as the Vir- 

 ginia deer is found on the eastern border. The---- ■ 



wood caribou, {rangifer caribou |m ->. (ofe A.meHfqm. 



elk, u-erniit Ort.Mttlenvi*,) mule deer, {cen-tix miic-rntex.) Colum- 

 bia black-tailed, (cermu Gofambianus,) white-tailed, > 

 Oaten ;■((.*,') and the Virginia deer, (>. Virgimanus.) found in 

 western Nebraska. This list does not include the hybrid 

 of Whidby Islandnor the white deer of Oregon and Wash 

 ington Terri ory. By giving these a place we have seven 

 species and two varieties of deer in the great basin intert 

 veiling between the Rocky Mountains on the east and the 

 Pacific Ocean on the west, and between the parallels of 

 forty-two and fifty five north latitude. This is the great 

 animal belt of the country, and it must remain so for a long- 

 time, as the westward wave of immigration cannot inundate 

 this extensive area for many 3 r ears to come; it therefore 

 presents the best field in the world for the keen sportsman, 

 or, even enthusiastic angler. In reference to the white and 

 spotted deer found in the northwest, I may add that there 

 is little doubt of their being a distinct variety, if not species; 

 but as W0 have names enough already, it would be better, I 

 think, to classify them under the former term. During a 

 recent visit to Whidby Island 1 learned much of these 

 animals and found lliey were quite common, the spotted 

 variety being, however, the most numerous. This is kept, 

 as a pet in several houses along Paget Sound, owing to its 

 peculiar markings, but all that I saw differed from the 

 Oregon specimen mentioned in a previous article. Those 

 found on Whidby Island are marked more loudly, the 

 cheeks being generally reddish, the face white, the sides 

 with alternate large patches of brownish red and while; 

 belly and tail white; legs, below knee, chestnut tipped with 

 white: muzzle black. "Some differ from this description 

 bv being more or less mottled with various colors. No 

 spot on earth can, I think, exhibit more deer to the square 

 mile than this island, and yet a large number belong to the 

 hybrid. From my examinations I would be apt to classify 

 it as a variety of the white-tailed deer, and thinking BO, 1 

 have classified it as rervn? leuptmn, variety « wdttii 



has been adorned bv the Museum of Natural Hi torj in 

 Portland. It could be called by the lattei 'Specii tami 

 quite appropriately, but it seems somewhat cumberous to 

 elevate every variety to the dignity of a species. I learned 

 from parties that these animals associate together and pro- 

 duce their voung spotted like themselves, so from this I 

 should deduce that the color is not accidental nor caused 

 by climate. The white deer is found OU the- island quite 

 frequently, sometimes as high as lour or rive in a herd. 

 This gives us, of course, the clue as to the origin of the 

 spotted variety. Another question here arises, and that is 

 where did the white species come from? They retain their 

 color throughout all the seasons, and, according to the tides 

 of hunters and Indians, are found in various portions of 

 the country. I heard of several thathad been domesticated 

 on the island; one man having bad four of them for two 

 or three vears. They were pure as driven snow from 

 muzzle to "tip of tail, and from ears to hoofs. My time did 

 not permit me to visit the owner, owing to the length of 

 the journey, but my informant was the captain of a pas- 

 senger steamer running ou the Sound, and a man of pro- 

 bity. I learned from him also that the same species was 

 found mar the Suoqualmie Palls at the base of the Cascade 

 Range. Tins assertion was verified afterwards by a Sno- 

 homish Indian known as the MtHBttih man, or deer hunter, 

 among his tribe. Hespoke of having frequently seen bands 

 of ten and fifteen together on the high trap ridge 

 the Sound, but that they, as a general rule, sought the for- 

 ests below the snowline. He also verified the statement 

 that they retained their snowy coat at all seasons, and ad- 

 ded thai" he thought them a distinct .species. I asked him 

 to kill me one, but as he thinks them wandering spirits, he 

 would not do it. I heard of this same animal in Northern 

 California and Southern Oregon as a denizen of the Siskic- 

 foii and Cascade Ranges, but it is not, apparently, as com- 

 mon in these as the mountains further north and west. It 

 is said to resemble the r, U.utnni* in general appearances, 

 bill to have slenderer limbs and body more lilbe in outline. 

 All who know of it think it a different species, so it is 

 called the white or mountain deer. Not finding it men- 

 tioned in zoological works I have denominated it a. aSnu 

 I have given orders to hunters to procure me one if pos- 

 sible; ami when 1 receive it I shall then make a thorough 

 examination, I have written to a gentleman formerly on 

 General McClellan's staff, who has a good opportunity of 

 hearing of and studying this animal, and as the subject 

 promises to be interesting to naturalists I shall forward you 

 such facts about it us I may learn from time to time. 

 Mohti.mf.k 8 : i 



For Form! and Stitam. 



TROUT IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA 

 THE VEXED QUESTION SETTLED. 



THERE is uo locality on the. globe presenting to the 

 tourist so many beauM 1 lakes as Minnesota. The 

 visitor seeking -o m qni-'t rein >l from the cares of busi- 

 ness ihe invalid hoping I'm an atmosphere that may give 



, ,".", strength to a debilitated organism, the sportsman 



, to \ ovi i - '. . I .,;'■- | ii'!-- gre - 1 a ■ I icililies for 



game than he bas heretofore met with, can leave St. Paul, 

 the central commercial emporium of the northwest, by rail 

 iueveiy direction, travel twenty, fifty or one bundled 

 miles and at or between stations find jusl what Ins aspira 

 tions crave. Along these numerous lines of Lravel, uuui- 

 i,,.!,.- -,, - i , - used by the particular admirers 



of this or that locality, in favor Of the game and fish 

 abounding everywhere: yet for variety, excellence and 

 number, the Northern Pacific Line, in my opinion, excels 

 them all. 

 For all kinds of sport come to Brainerd. Here are all the 



