308 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[May 19, 1881. 



Ilere everything is done by rule aud measure, every precau- 

 tion taken to ensure safely, and every means used to prevent 



.rand. The room is divided into three com pari .merits, separ- 

 ated by strong brick walls, so that should an explosion OCCUt 

 in either the injury would be cm: lined to the division iu which 

 it took place. The floors of these rooms are always kept 

 damp and well swept. In the first compartment the barrels 

 are loaded by one man who has the 1 nereis arranged round 

 the room. I n front of him is an arch of copper measures 

 numbered successively from one up to about fifty ; upon 

 ascertaining the number stamped upon the barrel by the man 

 in the receiving room, he lakes up one of the measures bear- 

 ing a corresponding number, and having filled it with gun- 

 powder from a bowl by his side, he places the charge in the 

 barrel ; he nest, lakes a proper sized cork wad and a leaden 

 plug from a numbered box corresponding with the boxes, 

 and afterwards a second cork wad with which he loads the 

 barrel. Thus loaded the barrels are parsed into the second 

 compartment, where the charge is duly rammed home with 

 copper rods prepared for I be purpose. The barrel is then 

 passed on to the third compartment, where it is primed, and 

 then transported into the firing-room. The firing mom is a 



urge, lofty building, lined throughout with sheet iron, and 

 has ventilators; in the roof and The windows are apertures, 

 capable, of being immcdiatelv closed, with iron shutters 

 arranged upon the same principle as the Venetian blind. 



Ihe barrels are arranged upon a grooved rack, and tired 

 by a train of gunpowder which connects the breech vents 

 with each other. The train is fired by a percussion cap, 

 Which is detonated by a hammer working on a pivot and 

 pulled from the outside; the door is of iron, and it and the 

 shutters are closed before firing. The method of tiring and 

 arranging the barrels will bo better understood from the an- 

 nexed diagram, showing the interior of the firing-room while 

 the barrels are being proved. After Ihe train is tired the 

 doors and shutters are opened aud the smoke allowed to 

 clear oil, and the barrels may be seen then partially buried 

 in a sand heap behind the rack ; the bullets are shot into the 

 sand heap on the other side of the room. The barrels are 

 then collected, and those thai have through anv cause 

 missed fire are re-pri n.ed and again placed on 'Ihe 'rack • the 

 other barrels are conveyed to ihe inspecting rooins where 

 they are washed out. inspected and- if found 'perfect' 

 marked according to the Proof Act. The barrels, however! 

 have previously to stand ihe hoi-water test, Which consists 

 m plugging the muzzle wtt.li a lead stopper, filling the barrel 

 with boiling water, stopping the breech with a similar plug, 

 aud striking it with a hammer, so that the water, being- conv- 

 pressed, exerts an internal pressure upon the barrels/and if 

 there be any flaw or minute hole it will force, its Way 

 through. Common barrels have to stand for twenty-four 

 hours before being cleaned or looked over so that if any 

 flaws are in the barrels the action of the acid residue from 

 the powder will eat into them aud make them more ap- 

 parent. F 

 The plan of proving described is provisional proof, when 

 tiie barrels are in tubes.- fir definite proof, whdu the barrels 

 are together, and have the breech-actions aitached, each bar- 

 rel is bred separably. The guns when loaded arc taken to 

 the lobby ol the hring-room, and one gun is taken into the 

 room and proved at a time; the barrels and brfieeh-ai ion 

 ate fixed upon and fastened to a traveling block of the re- 

 quired shape, and fired by means of hammers dropping upon 

 a striker which slnkes ihe cap in the cartridge. The ham- 

 mer is pulled by -a oovd passing through a hole m the wall 

 Various shaped blocks are provided o", .„it the various sized 

 and differently constructed single rifle hreech-actions. 



bhould any flaws or defects be discovered ariei 



barrels, they arc returned to Ihe maker, who remedies them 

 as he best can, and re' urns them for proof. Best barrels arc 

 frequently burst at proof, but they are more orten bulged in 

 which case the bulges are knocked down bv the maker and 

 the barrel re-proved, uut.il it either bursts or stands proof 

 Wo have heard that in one case a barrel was proved and 

 bulged eight times, but that it slood all right, after being 

 proved the ninth time. In the definite proof the weak 

 breech-actions are frequently blown to pieces, or else made 

 to gape at breech, in which case the maker hummers the false 

 breech till close, and case-hardens it. and when again proved 

 it generally stands. The proving of breech-actions is verv 

 necesspry, as it prevents, in a good measure, dangerous com- 

 mon breech-actions being sold. In the United States, France 

 Germany aud Holland, no proof-house cxisls, and we believe 

 it is only in London, Birmingham and Liege that barrels are 

 compelled to be proved by Act of Parliament. All small 

 arms bearing the Belgian proof mark may be sold aud used 

 in England without being re-proved, provided they do not 

 bear the name of any Kuglish maker. The Gun Barrel 

 Proof Act does not extend to Ireland, Scotland or the 

 Colonies, 



PHILADELPHIA NOTES. 



Pinr.ADKi.Miu, May 16, 1881. 



MR. FKAN KLIN JON KS, of Philadelphia, ex-president 

 of the Philadelphia Sportsmen's Club, has presented 



to the Philadelphia Mercantile Library 

 Fokest and Stukam, handsomely bound, f 

 of the journal to about May 1, 18S1. The 1 

 values the gift highly, anil 



udhc 



dam and G 



Nearly tw 



cycle, folic 



rid i 



(Vni 



The second annual li 

 town Bicycle Club wa 

 town. Three hares wcr 

 F. W. Corse, Clias. T 

 given ten minutes' start. 

 ed on every variety of 1 

 fugitives who left" behind" them a trail __ 

 hares were not overtaken and finished five: 

 tion to the time allowance ahead of the first 1: 

 all of the latter rode from start to finish 

 ticinating were several invited rcpiesentati . 

 clubs. 



A very exciting match between the two b 

 of the Riverton Gun Club lately took place at 

 the club. The gentlemen, whose, names I an 

 mention, made excellent shooting, and the o 

 thought beyond all doubt would win was » 

 winner astonishing every one by his coolness. 



Mr. L. M. Gilbert who furnished those "i 

 birds" for the late match between two membi 

 Gun Club at Bergen Point hud just such fly 



uplete set of 

 the first issue 

 .ry association 

 Sir. Jones. 



j" D. Gideon,'^ 



tity-five hounds 



din hot haste 



n pap 



• ib . 

 unds. 

 )ng tho 



I of otl: 



fler the 

 r. The 

 in addi- 



Nearly 

 i par- 

 r city 



shots 



e whom it to 

 luquished, the 



ondei-rul goinj 

 •s of the N. Y 

 rs at liiverton. 



We doubt if better pigeons could be found among the " blue 

 rocks of England." 



Within the city limits of Philadelphia woodcock have been 

 found Resting, on (.'rum QreefctUe dividing lino of Dela- 



ware and Philadelphia county, young birds just fledged were 

 seen last week — is this not early? 



The protection afforded by Our park has had the effect of 

 making it an excellent harbor for the quail, and we, are told 

 by one of the guards that a number have already paired off 

 and may be expected to raise broods. Last year several co- 

 veys Were hatched within the park limits, and favored ones 

 had the opportunity of working (without gun) their young 

 dogs on the birds. 



Many anglers are off trout fishing. Homo. 



HOUNDING VS. STILL HUNTING-. 



WE continue the publication this week of the numerous re- 

 plies received in response te our request, f, >t experience 

 and observation .oo the subject of deer-hunting. The par- 

 ticular points of the inquiry were as follows: 



1st. What is tho character of the country referred to? 

 2d, What is the prevailing method of hunting dec) 

 3d. Describe hounding deer, an practiced in the unction referred 

 to, and its effects. Does it drive deer crafc of the country J 

 4th. Describe in like manner still hunting and its effects. 

 5th. What class of men lull tho most deer?— market hunters or 

 parties of sportsmen ? — residents ov non-residents ? 



Oth. Would resident sportsmen approve of a law prohibiting 

 hounding deer ? Would the residents assist in enforcing it ? 

 7th. 'Would they approve of a law permitting hounding, but pro- 

 f tho doer alter it has been run 

 l-yiTurtieable? 



, so far as you have per- 



igthe lulling or capta 

 into tho water ? Would sue 



8th. What is the open sea 



!!th. What are the winter 1 

 sonally observed them. 



MAINE— l'ENOS»OOT 0BITI0I3ED. 



"Penobscot " has given yOu the geography of a small por- 

 tion of our game region audits character, which applies to 

 the whole country drained by SieMaehias rivers, save, that 

 some of the townships are well timbered. I will not give 

 hounds, for an examination »f a map will show the region 

 drained by these rivers to be many times larger than thai de- 

 scribed by "Penobscot." 



I propose to ausw r er some points of his article, hoping 

 others will follow suit--" Having visited aud thoroughly ex- 

 plored a tract of country," etc. This must have been in' Sep- 

 tember, as I understand the bounding seasonis September; also 

 he must have killed two deer out of season. "My surprise is 

 boundless " when I see such admissions. 



" It is needless to state that this was not because of the 

 bounding, but in spite of it, and wholly owing to tin. 3pll 

 facilities for cover made by the growth of the tiinber during 

 the ten years of my absence, it being loo small to afford the 

 necessary protection at that time. " 

 facts just here. I have been upc 

 ten years, not as a hunter, bul ai 

 bermen, and frequeully at their 

 ihe interest I take in sporting am 

 me well posted, not only lor ihe 

 am well acquainted with nearly s 

 worth and Cherryfield to Calais, 

 explored, myself, this region last October, as fur :>s lhul- 

 dington. 



I did not see a hound or hear bis 'Minusic," onlyi 

 cur, dead, near a deserted camp. I did ndl viat L. Iv.'s 

 camp, where unfortunate gentlemen were said 10 buy game 

 to take home, with a wonderful story of its capture by them- 

 selves. 



Ten years ago deer were nearly exterminated bj crm 

 hunters with dogs and by wolves. After the wolves 

 had cleaned out nearly the whole they left, Wlv 

 we found that near the settlements tttpra 

 few deer remaining we set about to protect them, and then 

 commenced our trouble with the crust hunters. Every 

 worthless sciimp had a cur and an old army gun, ready foi 

 the first good crust, no matter when i;,..v, ih :■, January, 

 February or March (I will say here, in my opinion. Ih ;■ 

 season for all kinds of game in Maine should be from Scptem 

 berl to December 1.) We found the wolves were not our 

 worst enemies, but the dogs, hence the law against hnniiie 

 deer with dogs. 



Finding law aloneuseless, we formed a society for the protec- 

 tion of game, and have labored with a will until (he present 

 against no little opposition. 



These men, as a class, were poor and worthless, idle, dis- 

 honest and treacherous, and worse than all, have the sym- 

 pathy of a large portion of the community not interested in 

 game protection. 



We paid our own bills, sent men into the woods to look 

 after lawbreakers and dogs year after year, and soon the 



"Let us see wb-n the 

 ! past 



s lum- 

 owmg 

 e kepi 



i Ella- 

 mi hunted an 



pop' 



rtainly 



nd has 

 killed 



change came that yvas apparent to all. Dee 



rapidly increasing, and our can 



those who were our worst enemies when we begun, 



friends. Nearly all the crust bunting is stopped, 



been for several years. We admit that a few fleer 



out of season ; not many. Some of our late converted 



friends are our most active workers. Nearly all the camps 



upon the townships in this region have one or mere ofxrar 



friends who keep us posted, in each crew, which helps us 



greatly. All the pot. hunters, crust hunters, due] m 



bounders, etc., are known to us. That, there ha* ■- u : 



amount of hounding deer duriusr this time that " Penobscot 



alleges, I deny. That the increase of deer in this region is 



due to the efforts of sportsmen resident in this 



eastern part of Washington County, aided by tl 



not bvthe "growth of timber and horjading, 



to all. 



"There were gangs of men and hounds." "Hounding in 

 Ibis region is practiced as follows." 



Thanks for the above information. "There is, as is- Well 

 known, a law prohibiting hounding at Buy and ail .-. 

 this State, but it is not enforced, and I doubt the propriety 

 of attempting to do so, as the great majority of our business 

 men." Business men hn 

 day laborers, and no moi 

 dogs to hunt as they plei 



le and 

 ; law. 



vident 



If 



the busm 

 a deer fo 



his fa 



The poe 



liljM 



of. I 1 



ut of 



rd the P c 



CO-ll.-l: ! 



be all 

 Briber, 



rwed 



,7 b.; 



1 m--u 

 n who 

 be sid 



. but. 



kill- 

 e the 



or not 



pro- 

 Aov 



deer in Augi 

 Cannot, any man see that it is either pre 

 tection? A law not enforced is worse tl 

 reasonable man can see that class legislation is out of 

 the question, for we all have equal rights bv the laws of our 

 country. We in Washington do not intend to have- this law 

 repealed, b-, if to I ave it. enforced, and for thai pvffpotewi 

 called for an appropriation, which we have, and more, in- 

 tend "to pull in," if required. 



"As to still huutiug" * - Still hunting is where true 

 skill tells, jo ' up i '.Mi csi) htjlp enjoying it, 



"In conclusion," etc., I will change this and have it read, 

 " I am convinced that if dogs are not allowed to hunt deer, 

 no other legislation will be required for their protection." 



Who are to protect our game — residents or non-residents? 

 We have a few T deer in Maine, besides some small game, 

 which is rapidly being destroyed, and, unless great care is 

 exorcised, we shall soon be without. Let us save it. 



We are sensitive— I mean »og not 7— for we feel our efforts 

 are in vain unless sustained by those who ought to be our 

 friends. We claim we are entitled to some respect for our 

 efforts to protect game from citizens of our own State. 

 Sportsmen cannot, afford to trample game laws under foot iu 

 any State much less this where game is so nearly extinct. 

 Who are the true sportsmen? 



I think I have shown the cause of the feeling against, dogs 

 in this State, and will say no more at present. 



In answer to questions, 1, Answered by Penobscot. 2. 

 Still hunting. 3. Don't believe in it; drives them off, etc. 

 4. New burns at night, or evening and morning upon light 

 snow, driving. 5. Market hunters. (3. Yes, yes. 7. No. 

 8. Oct, 1 to Jan. 1. 0. Yarding. Old Tug. 



MacMas, Me,, Mayio, is«i. 



The writer of the above sends us the following letter re- 

 ceived by him. The country referred to is a tract twenty 

 miles square: 



"Dealt Boetor: Because I have carried "rod and gnu" 

 about here for twenty-seven years, less thiriy-two months 

 during the unpleasantness, you ask me, " What do you think 

 of ' Penobscot's ' article in Fobbst and Stream of May 

 5?" 



I think it well calculated to mislead those not fully ac- 

 quainted with the facts. 



No comparison can, with any degree of fairness, be drawn 

 between the present time and ten or twenty years ago, SO far 

 as bunting deer witli dogs is in question. 



" Penobscot, " speaks of deer being hunted with dogs every 

 year for the past twenty at these lakes. Now, whatever of 

 value his article may have had, it is nearly destroyed by this 

 statement, for, fifteen or twenty years ago, deer we're almost an 

 absolutely unknown quantity, owing to the presence of large 

 numbers of wolves throughout this section. The wolves did 

 not all go away until within ten or twelve years, not leaving 

 until the deer were nearly exterminated. And it is only since 

 about 1S70 that they have begun to return and increase. 

 There has been comparatively little hounding as yet, being 

 against the law of the State. 



Since the organization of the game association at Machias 

 five or six years ago, and through their efforts to enforce the 

 law against illegal killing, deer have increased wonder- 

 fully. 



Mow, as to the effect of hounding. Does it frighten or 

 drive them from the country? There is a large, tract of al- 

 most unbroken forest, nearly twenty miles long, and from 

 one lo four or live miles wide, and lies so near I ho settlements 

 as not to have been molested by the wolves. Lumbering 

 operations have not been one-half as extensive as through the 

 Mopang section. Ten years ago deer were far more plenty 

 here than any where on the .Maehi .- w ibis. The conditions 

 foi hunting With dogs were unusually favorable, owing to [he 

 many lakes it contained. -Now. while the swamps here, as 

 about Ihe Mopang, have become mora dense ami impenetra- 

 ble, yet the deer, although so much more plenty ten years ago, 

 have nearly ail disappeared, and there has been but little 



"Still hunting.'' but a good deal of dogging. 

 While every other p:^ o within twenty-five miles report 

 -.- every year, this large tract has become almost 



Sp. 'i ■-nun I mm a 1 road came here a few years ago and 

 hired Indians or cheap natives imd showed them this easii f, 

 although unlawful way of catching deer. I cannot learn 

 dm very many have been killed- not more ihftn thirty in 

 one year. The belief entertained by all is that they have 

 been driven— fri.-hteued away by dogs. I think from wdiat 

 testimony 1 can gather that there lias been more dogging 

 here thai; at any oilier place in Hit: country, with ihe result; 

 mentioned. 



I do not believe thai one deer in a hundred killed in Eastern 

 Maine previous to 1875 was driven into the water by dogs. 

 This method is of quite recent establishment. Local sports- 

 men have had one of their best bunting grounds completely 

 ruined— the game all driven away or destroyed by dogs— and 

 all done in defiance of law. 



One experience of this kind is quite sufficient. We now 

 say most emphatically, and mean it, too, "Not any more doe, 

 please!" 



Sportsmen about here petitioned the Governor last, winter 

 to appoint a deputy to look after this matter of game viola- 

 tions. We now have just, the man we want -one thoroughly 

 acquainted with game and wood-craft — the best shot and 

 most successful hunter any wdicro in this section. He pro- 

 poses to have the law respected, certainly so far as relates to 

 hunting deer with dogs, or taking ducks with nets, and is 

 sustained by sportsmen and taxpayers. While we are glad 

 to meet with brother sportsmen from abroad, and will insure 

 a hearty ami cordial welcome lo all who respect our laws, i K , 

 one coming with tho avowed purpose of breaking the law and 

 disregarding public sentiment need expect anything different 

 from what lie deserves. C. F. S. 



ModuM, Ale., May 12, 18.91. 



TUB AllIlloSllACKn. 



I notice with sympathy Adrion Ondack's article, March 

 10, On hounding and still hunting, lam well aware it is 

 a iialmal prejudice that hounding is ruinous to the interest 

 of deer hnuling, and I ask by whom is this hue and cry 

 raised? By sportsmen who are satisfied with one or 

 two deer a week? By men who rather bring down one 

 buck crashing through the thick undergrowth with a single 

 bullet than butcher fifty, standing knee deep in water, un- 

 suspecting danger, with a broadside of buck-shot? Echo 

 answers in both instances "No!" Those who oppose with 

 such vigor hounding, of course wiih some exceptions, are 

 comprised chiefly, as your correspondent says, of hotel pro- 

 prietors and market hunters, and the latter generally gel; rid 

 of their game at the hotels, in or out of season, it makes little 

 difference. What I say is through personal observation. I 

 have sent many a speeding bullet on its deadly mission, 

 having hunted from the northern wilderness of New York 

 to the parks of the Rockies, and from Hie timber of Minne- 

 sota to the river bottoms of the South, and my experience 

 has been that ten deer are gained byslill hunting to one 

 hounding. For illustration, ' spent four happy months 

 in the Adirondack. 1 - last season, from, lime umil October, and 

 the following will he an exact account as to my obsi ryations 

 COiici I ning deer hunting, lleft Paul Smith's July 15 with two 

 guides, camping utensils, provisions, and Other requisites for 

 I an extended trip of two months. Our route lay via Bay 



