330 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



have required the courage of a formidable party to storm 

 that cam p. Fonr good Indian fighters, bom arid bred on 

 the Plains, fourteen guns good and true, with reserve of 

 rifles and pistols, and ammunition unlimited, two steep 

 banks of the creek for barricades— the advantage was all in 

 favor of the entrenched. The most cautions approach 

 would have been detected by the sentry on guard far be- 

 yond sure title range. No one molested them. 



The bark of the prowling Coyote was heard only in the 

 distance. A solitary screech owl alone vouchsafed a 

 recognition of tficir presence. And so all slept securely 

 and serenely. The piercing stars looked down through Hie 

 frosty night air with a CoW white light, and those who were 

 unsheltered pulled their hlaukets closer under tie ir chins 

 and turned the other side to the fire. Occasionally Uie 

 night watch was broken by some one stirring up the 

 waning embers and throwing on fresh fuel, a movement 

 which the slumberers were barely made aware of by the 

 increased ooinfi rlable warmth. Then the replenished fire 

 would snap ami crackle merrily and send up its shower of 

 sparks and column of smoke: the audible snores in the tent 

 and wagons increased; the t.orse.s momentarily resumed 

 their munching at their corn and hay; and the dogs drew a 

 long inspiration as they tucked their noses under their 

 paws after the momentary disturbance. A bivouac is 

 alwavs enjoyable ami exhilarating, except when it rains, 

 and ft matters not if the limbs become cramped ami stiff, a 

 half hour's exercise at dawn will make them limber. A 

 saddle, a pair of boots, or a bag of crackers, serve well the 

 uses of a pillow, and a rubber overcoat covering the shoul- 

 ders and loins, is a positive protection. Ague and rheuma- 

 tism are not the offspring of cold so much as of dampness, 

 Damp clothier; breeds disease, "Keep dry," is the imper- 

 ative injunction. 



The morning meal lays the substratum for the day's 

 achievements. A good "square" meal forlities against 

 fatigue and prepares for an arduous march or protracted 

 hunt, although an empty larder is no mean incentive to 

 exertion. Precious little lime was devoted to culinary ex- 

 ercise when the dawn broke, for although uncooked 

 provisions were ample, the lack of water or other drink- 

 ables was severely felt. Wh< n ilia teams were hitched up, 

 the company look ud the line of march for Big Cabin 

 Creek. No birds were to be shot at this day, for larger 

 game was sou-lit. Only hall and buck shot were dealt out 

 to the fusileers, and the distant range of bills, where the 

 deer were to be Hunted, became a landmark of more than 

 ordinary interest. Most charming was Ike diversity of 

 landscape, the long prairie swells sweeping away to the 

 horizon in everv conceivable form of gracefully rounded 

 outline, some of them rolling off like successive ocean bil- 

 lows, others mere ridge; that reached out into the level 

 prairie and ended in Muffs, around whose bases the wagon 

 trail ran. In the blue listauce a line of limber might lie 

 faintly traced, while on the faces of the nearer knolls ser- 

 pentine belts of green verdure marked the dry water course* 

 that had been torrents in the rainv season, and are technic- 

 ally known as "draws." These are the natural drains of 

 the surface-water from the plateaus above, holding mois- 

 ture long after the surrounding plains are dry as tinder, 

 and encouraging the growth of luxuriant grasses, (lowers, 

 and stunted timber. Consequently they are resorted to at 

 all times bv deer and other game, and especially in a period 

 of continued drouth like that which prevailed last Summer. 

 These seek their feed at early morning, and at noontide 

 take their comfortable siestas, sheltered from the burning 

 sun by the grateful shade. Skirting these "draws," the 

 hunter can often approach within easy gun range of the 

 deer, and when he has "jumped" him, drop him by a well- 

 directed Bbut. A single person, however, is by no means 

 sure of bis quarrv. unless he be well mounted ou a fleet 

 steed- for a wounded deer will often run for miles and die, 

 surrendering his noble carcass to the worthless buzzards that 

 are ever OH the alert when game is afoot. Once, in a rocky 

 gulch we saw a hundred or these birds hovering and settling 

 down'in a black mass together, and when we approached the 

 spot discovered the half-eaten carcass of a splendid buck 

 that evidently had not been killed twent ,-four hours. Then 

 we knew that other hunters than 01 rsel/es were in tho field. 

 Had we needed meat, the still unmutilated haunches would 

 have served us well, but with ample larder of our own, we 

 left them to gorge the buzzards. 



The correct method of jumping or bouncing deer is for 

 two horsemen to Hank the ravine or draw, and following it 

 to its head, take the quarry on either side when it rises. 

 Two sportsmen with a hound, though not mounted, are 

 almost equally sure of their game, if they be dead shots, so 

 that the struck deer will drop before running far. In the 

 present ease, the doer had but a sorry chance. W tth nine 

 i ,nals on the qui vive — between the short slop, the 

 ba-.s and the fielders, hound and human, it was a miracle 

 if llegot away. Yet miracles happened twice on the tirst 

 day's Bunt. Three deer were jumped, and the ouiy one of 

 them that dropped fell 10 Milncr's gun. Its four-pronged 

 antlers now adorn the museum of the Club at Dublin 



It would be doing the party injustice, however, to con- 

 vey the impression that the whole of them hunted a single 

 "draw" together. Three men were usually assigned to 

 each, one stationing himself at the head, and the other two 

 walking up the sides. Sometimes the parly would become 

 scattered over an area of a couple of miles, each member 

 hunting pretty much on his own hook, picking up a prairie 

 hen at Odd times, and scanning the country closely for 

 deer On one occasion, while on. the inarch, the two 

 wagons were about a mile apart, following parallel ridges, 

 a. ' waw" ruuning through the bottom, and three or lour 

 stragglers covering the intervening space. The ouly horse- 

 mau was far in the rear galloping leisurely along the edge 

 of the draw, when some one looking that way, saw two 

 deer suddenly leap from the rank, dry grass, with a blue 

 puff of smoke following from the saddle; then the deer, 

 apparently unhurt, scurried along the open prairie, heading 

 towards the party, the horseman at their heels, loading as 

 he ran. On they Hew, beeping the course of the creek. 

 The alarm was spread. Uuntcr No. 2 took a flying shot at 

 them ah thev passed within fifty yards of him, the horse- 

 man now more than distanced and considerably blown. 

 Prettily the graceful creatures ran together, the doe lap- 

 pin- her consort by half a length. The wagons now closed 

 in to Head them oil. Hunters Nos. 2 and 3, stationed at 

 the base of a prairie ridge, let drive simultaneously and 

 turned them up the side of the ridge toward wagon No. 1. 

 Discovering this new obstacle, the deer doubled gracefully 

 back toward the draw, going at a 2.20 gait, and followed 

 by a volley from the charioteer and three others who had 

 jumped in and were now going at a breakneck pace down 

 the Ulll ! Attlie bottom three more stragglers fired ineffec- 



tually, and it seemed as though the game was sure to get 

 away, there being only three men in the remaining wagon 

 to intercept I hem. Two of these jumped out and ran over 

 a knoll which the deer were now skirting, and tho wagon 

 thus lightened, made good time over the course. The 

 horses Tia'd good mettle, and were withal somewhat 

 frightened. The driver, an old borderer named Green, was 

 desperate, and mad. The deer still kept to the draw, being 

 on one side of it, and the wagon on the other, not six rods 

 distant. All did their level best, and the way that old six- 

 seat Conesloga clattered over the gullies and" gopher holes 

 was a caution. Blankets and overcoats rattled out, cush- 

 ions were spilled over the sides, and demijohns and pickle 

 jars danced on the bottom. Down on his knees and boun- 

 cing in a fashion that defied all certainty of aim, with the 

 reins flying lo isely over the backs of the horses, Green 

 gradually (WW Ml the same and making a spurt, let them 

 "have it with both barrels at close range* The blue smoke 

 Streamed off in a double pennant, as pursuers and pursued 

 both vanished around the knoll ! 



After a short interval the stragglers came up, and mount- 

 ing the ridge, saw in the far distance two dingy little, ob- 

 jects that looked like mice, just disappearing from sight in 

 a fringe of timber ! 



The best shooting the Team had was iuKansas, some 

 twelve miles Northeast of Chetopah. Here ' were a good 

 many straggling farms, with frequent corn fields not wholly 

 stripped by the grasshoppers. Quails, rabbits and prairie 

 bens were so numerous that a single day's hunt yielded two 

 wagon loads to feu guns. The advance of the hunters ou 

 tills occasion was like the march of an invading army. 

 Deploying into line, ten abreast, with the dogs ahead as 

 skirmishers, and I he wagons at cither side as flankers, a 

 dozen birds were knocked over of each pack. Sometimes 

 a solitary bird would eel up unexpectedly, and sometimes 

 two and three, but the season being somewhat advanced, 

 the chickens flew chiefly in packs, occasionally a hundred 

 together. ..hen they rose, they generally flew long dis- 

 tances, frequently a hid f mile or more. Of" the Irishmen, 

 Messrs. Rigby and Milner did most of the shooting, and 

 acquitted themselves with credit, seldom failing to knock 

 over their birds, when they had become accustomed to their 

 flight. Bagnall and Johnson didn't shine in the crowd, and 

 Kelly, who was unwell, couldn't muster enthusiasm enough 

 to carry a gun much of the lime. Four of them used 10- 

 bore guns, and one a 12 bore. 



Altogether, as we have said, the season was most unpro- 

 pitious by reason of the drought and grasshoppers. It was 

 sickening to see the com stalks Standing stark and stripped 

 in the field, the grass everywhere burned to a crisp, and the 

 farmers carting water for miles for household purposes. 

 But more sorrowful than all was the emigration eastward, 

 All day long wagons kept coming into town bringing 

 families who had abandoned their desolate farms on the far 

 off prairies, literally eaten out of bouse and home, and 

 despairing of sustenance or relief. Pitiful must be their 

 condition,' if these could thus deliberately abandon the im- 

 provements and accumulations of years ! 



Whatever the "Team" saw and what they did, more than 

 has been told in this biief narrative, must be left to the 

 Chief chronicler of their Western trip, if such there bo. 

 Their prairie experiences were novel and for the most part 

 entertaining, and will never be regretted. They cherish 

 pleasant recollections of their reception at St. Louis, Han- 

 nibal, La Grange, Quincy, and Chicago, and will not forget 

 the courtesies extended by Mr. Munson, the Superintendent 

 of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Kailroad. Messrs. 

 Bagnall anil Milner subsequently extended their trip to 

 Colorado, and when, at last, all embarked for Erin, they 

 carried with them the good whites of many friends, and 

 unconcealed regrets at leaving our hospitable land. The 

 Hunt of the Irish Team wiil long be remembered and 

 talked about in those sections which they visited; and many 

 a person in the back country has gathered from the winds 

 some vague rumor connected with their visit which possibly 

 may not' be satisfactorily explained. For instance there is 

 Mistress McGroarly, who read the caption of a paragraph 

 in a local paper thus:— "The Irish teem in (he West." "Be- 

 gorra 1" said she, "they're everywhere. The whole 

 country's full of them. If it were'ut for ihe byes what'd 

 become of the railroads, the crops, and the canals? The 

 more power '. if theim grasshoppers comes this way again, 

 the West will uot hold the half of them." 



Fine Picture. — Mr. R. M. Shurileff, one of our most 

 truthful delineators of scenery, has finished a painting of 

 An Sable Lake in the Adirondacks. This charming sheet 

 of water, embosomed in rugged mountains, and surround- 

 ed by towering crags richly clad in verdure and foliaceous 

 shrnbhery, is one of the most picturesque basins in the North- 

 ern woods and is the resort of large numbers of Summer 

 tourists and (he lovers of the chase. Tho transferring of 

 this beautiful tarn to the canvass is therefore one which 

 will interest all who are acquainted with its Iranquil beau- 

 ties, and the stern character of its surroundings. Mr. Shurt- 

 leff has treated his subject with the greatest care, and has 

 followed nature almost literally. He has made no attempt, 

 at presenting mases of striking colors, but. has kept entirely 

 to the quiet, cool and sedate hues so appropriate to the 

 subject. His portraiture of the scene is almost photo- 

 graphic in thoroughness, 'and with this is combined a soft- 

 ness of touch and a breadth of composition which display 

 his power to the highest advantage, aud prove him lo be 

 an artist of a very high order of excellence. 

 ^i» 



—One of the handsomest papers ever issued in this 

 country was the Christmas number of the Daily Graphic. 

 The illustrations were indeed splendid specimens of the 

 pictorial art, and the illuminated cover and typographical 

 accessories gave it an air of elegance most pleasing to the 



eye. 



. *.*- ■ 



—The General Office of the Erie Railroad Company has 

 been moved to the old location, foot of Duane street. The 

 new quarters are elegantly fitted up, and afford the most 

 ample and convenient facilities for the transaction of the 

 business of that great corporation. 



-*>«- 



—A California man has raised sixty tons of cabbages on 

 three acres of land, and gOl $4,O0Q in gold for the (top. 



Shift (gun nnd f$ifle, 



GAME IN SEASON FOR JANUARY. 



Hares, brown and gray , Wild duck, geese, brant, &c, 



Deer, Wild Turkey, Woodcock, Quail, Snipe, Ducks aud Wild Fowl. 



[Under the head of •'Game, ana f'isn m * 



fy in general 'win* (he <evtml mtie'iea, becatu 

 en much that were tre to attempt to parHcui 



can unty r.pea- 

 of States vary 

 mid do no lees 



color ami quality. 

 Reaver, per fb 



Kael 



rn. 



Uee/eni . 



6ou(/tem. 



$1 BO a 



$2 no 



Si no a $1 to 



$ 50 a 



; --- 



llr-aver, dark, per po 



. 3 1)11 a 



4 00 



2 SD a 3 00 



1 mi a 



1 50 



Beaver. pale 



2 SO a 



3 00 



2 00 a 2 50 



1 00 a 



1 50 



li.-.-.r, black 



10 Oil a 



20 00 



H 0" a 12 00 



2 00 a 



,! MO 



Hear, brown 



2 00 a 



.-. no 



1 IX) a 3 10 



1 00 a 



<-;: 



Hnrtger 



75 a 



1 no 



37 a SO 



25 a 



Cat, wild 



ST a 



50 



2', a BO 







cat. house, black... 



10 a 



15 



10 a 15 



5 a 



10 



fisher 



10 no a 



15 00 



8 00 a 10 00 



4 0(1 a 



6 TO 



Fox, silver 



2.-> 00 a 



150 00 



15 no n so on 







Fox, croiB 



2 00 11 



5 00 



i oo a a no 



1 no a 



a no 



Fox, red 



1 50 a 



2 (HI 



1 25 a 1 50 



1 00 ft 



1 SB 



Vox. while 



2 00 a 



A no 









Fox, bine 



5 no a 



in en 









Fox, g*»y 





l no 



75 a 1 00 



50 ft 



75 



Fox, prairie 



SO a 



75 



50 a 75 



.... ft 





Lvnx 



i«a 



3 00 



2 00 a 3 00 







Marten, dark 





10 00 



3 on a r, i o 







Marten, pale 



2 on a 



3 III) 



2 I a 2 50 







.Mink, dark 



3 Oil u 



4 00 



2 50 a 3 1)0 



1 50 a 



2 00 



Mink, pale 



1 00 ft 



1 50 



i no a l 50 



75 a 



i on 



utter 



N 'V a 



10 IV) 



1 00 a 3 00 



4 00 a 



5 00 



Otter, ,-en 



50 (10 ft 



150 00 









MuskrtU.Fitll 



20 a 



22 



IS a :o 



15 ft 



10 



Muskrat. Winter.... 



25 ft 



27 



22 a 2.5 



20 a 



21 



Muskrat, Spring 



32 a 



35 



30 a 82 



28 a 



30 



Muskrat. kilt 





8 



5 ft 8 



4 a 



4 



Ono-suni. cased 



20 a 



25 



10 a 15 





10 



Raccoon. 



75 ft 



80 



60 ft 75 



21) a 



no 



Seal, tor 



5 00a 



15 00 









St-al, hair 



50 a 



100 









.Skunk, black 



I IX) a 



1 85 



1 TO a 1 25 







skunk, short striped. 



00 a 



75 



on a 15 







Skunk, long striped. 



to a 



DO 



40 a 50 



.... a 





Game is Market.— Venison from .Minnesota is now lie 

 coming quite abundant, and the price is down to 20 cents per 

 pound by the saddle, and antelope from Nebraska brings 

 the same price. Wild turkeys from Illinois, Ohio, and 

 Michigan, bring from 20 to 35 cents per pound, aecordi g 

 to quality. Ruffed grouse have now become so common 

 that they retail at from (10 to 87 cenls per brace; prairie 

 chickens bring only the same price, while quail bring from 

 §2 to $2.50 per dozen. Wild geese are not very plentiful, 

 and retail at $2.00 per brace. Mallard ducks arc *1.25 

 per brace; blackheads 87 cenls; redheads $1.25; canvass 

 backs $2.50 to $3; sandsnipe from Virginia are quite plenti- 

 ful at $1 per dozen. English hares are worth $3 per brace; 

 Canada hares 75 cents, and Connecticut rabbits 60 cents. 



— Close season for nearly all kinds of inland game after 

 January 1st. Water fowl are in season until after their 

 Spring migration. In Florida the shooting season for deer, 

 woodcock, quail, turkeys, snipe, &c, coutinues until 

 March. 



New York, Good Ground, L. I., Dec. 28ft.— We are 

 spending our time in duck hunting, rabbit shooting and 

 fox huuting. A party of the (rally es commenced a fox 

 hunt on the 33d December, killing one fox per day during 

 the week past, on Christmas Day killing l wo. We have a 

 range of hills about one mile east of this village, barren 

 sand hills excepting some large swamps. The hunters 

 started reynard ou the east end of the hills. The range of 

 hills is about: seven miles in length. One can stand upon 

 most any of the highest peaks and see the race between Ihe 

 hounds and reynard, and it is a close race. Coming to the 

 extreme west end of the hills, we have the great Peconic 

 Bay on one side, a large pond on the oilier, between Inl- 

 and pond a narrow sandy beach of eight rods in width. 

 This is Ihe place where reynard gets slaughtered. The 

 foxes are plenty, and the hunt is to continue until after 

 New Year's Day. A fox can be started in less time than it 

 takes to write "this after arriving on the ground. 



M. V. B. 6. 



Ma.ryl.and — December 23rd.— Sportsmen have had good 

 sport in shooting ducks from the railroad bridge crossing 

 the Gunpowder River, Maryland. Recently three gentle- 

 men from Baltimore are said to have killed there itl two 

 hours forty-OBe canvas backs and seven red heads. 



Indiana— Valparaiso, Dec. 24^.— Quail shooting good; 

 pheasants plenty, but in hard cover to shoot in; prosp -cts 

 good for plenty of birds next season. 11. 



/ Minnesota— Sliakopee, December Wh.— Yesterday, Ihe 

 15th, the time was up for killing deer in this State, and as 

 pretty much all other game is shut out now for another 

 year,' sportsmen will have to lay by their fowling pieces 

 and rifles, unless they indulge in target practice now and 

 then. That deer will" continue lo be slayod right along in 

 certain localities until Ihe approach of February, as in 

 days past, there can be no question. Yet, as the Fall and 

 Winter weather has been unusually favorable, on account 

 of a scarcity of snow am] but lew damp days during the 

 past six weeks, there wi'I lie a greatly diminished number 

 killed compared to the past few years. As the penally for 

 violating the law is severe, it is just possible that some of 

 our great hunters will be a little careful about how they 

 pop over the bounding doe from hillside aud ravine, even 

 if meat is scarce. These "anllered specimen" hunters will 

 doubtless have to submit to a much smaller supply of 

 horns of that kind this year. There are other horns, how- 

 ever, that trouble some of our would-be hunters extraordi- 

 nary, if the signs are correct, as this specimen item from the 

 Wright county Eagle affirms:— 



"Roe Tignor, or the Wild Hunter or Ihe Big Wood*, re- 

 turned home last week with his skin full of burnt powder 

 and poor whiskey. One eye was nearly blown oui, and he 

 looked as if he had been struck by lightning, chawed up 

 by grizzlies, aud had an altack of the Jim-jams." 



If the "Old Spoil" Hint has "done" the Adirondacks in 

 his palmier days will come out this way 1:> will 



