FOREST AND STREAM 
35 
after them, The pack ran "with their heads up; the seen* 
was warm, the ground grew rougher and rougher, and the 
joyous yelp of the pack was enougli to excite a dead mis¬ 
sionary. Again I blew my horn and hied them on. They 
were in full cry, and 1 was so hoarse that I could not speak 
above a whisper. Still I blew my horn at every jump. 
The pack disappeared around a hill, and at once there 
arose a tremendous row. They had got him sure. I blew 
my lioru to encourage them, putting the spurs into my gal¬ 
lant steed. I pushed ahead to ho in at the death, and as I 
dashed around the hill almost rode over an old woman, 
who, with a big club, was beating, off the pack, which, 
trucking her old sow, with a litter of fourteen pigs, 
through their morning wanderings, had at last brought 
them lo bay in her front yard. I am not sure but that tne 
old sow could have whipped out the dogs alone, but with 
the Old woman to help they hadn’t a chauce. 
Jerusalem! and is this fox bunting? 1 called off the 
dogs, inquired my way to civilization, and some time after 
dark 1 might have been seen—with alantern—pursuing my 
weary way into the thriving town of Greenbriar. The 
fox bounds, when I reached the borders of the town, I 
pelted with rocks until they.scattered and went home. I 
went, home also, and when my friends came, in, hinted 
Vaguely of a black fox which had led us off, and that the 
sport for a lime was glorious. 
My horse was for sale cheap. Not that hut he was a 
good horse, but lie knew the truth, and appeared intelli¬ 
gent enough to tell. Altqois- 
For Forest and Stream. 
AUSTRALIAN LEGAL WIT. 
W HEN I was in New South Wales, in 1871, a very 
good thing was going the rounds from the Court 
Of Sessions. Chief Justice Sir-, Bart., was presiding. 
The douket was full to an extent theretofore unparalleled, 
and the session was correspondingly prolonged. 
The day before Good Friday was reached, and a "heavy” 
day it proved. The sitting was protracted until benoh, 
jury, barristers, and all, dinnerless as they were, were 
ready to sink from fatigue and liuoger. At length Sir 
-announced that the court would adjourn until to¬ 
morrow. 
The feeling of the poor overworked souls, who had 
been looking forward to at least one holiday's respite from 
Ihtir labors, can better be imagined than described. In 
blank dismay they sal looking at each oilier, and a silence 
as of death crept over the whole court. 
Then slowly arose to his feet the old Attorney-General. 
He was an intimate friend of the C. J. Both had come out 
from England together, here they had labored together lor 
more than thirty years, and a ray of hope gleamed upon 
ihe barristers as tliey saw him prepare to address the Court, 
Very deliberate in manner, and slow' of speech almost to 
hesitancy, was Mr. Attorney-General. Leisurely raising 
bis eye-glass, and turning his gaze upon Sir-, he briefly 
Observed: "I beg leave to remind your honor that to mor¬ 
row is Good Friday.” And down sat Mr. A. G., and down 
went his eye-glass. 
“lam well aware of that,” responded his honor, “bu 
the pressure of busiuess upon this court is so immense that 
—in short, I feel absolutely compelled to sit to-morrow.” 
Dead and awful silence once more. Then, with a deep 
Sigh of resignation, the tali form of the A. G. slowly at¬ 
tained its altitude once more, and again the deliberative 
eye-glass beamed upon the bench as he plaintively drawled 
forth:— 
"Well, your honor—all I can say is—is—that your 
honor—is—the first judge—that I have ever heard of—who 
ever proposed—to sit “on a Good Friday since Pontius 
Pilate. N. YV. Beckwith. 
The Last. —We have heard of the man who, when 
shooting, split Ihe limb of a tree, over a river, on which a 
quantity of pigeons were roosting and caught them all by 
the toes; who afterwards linked a couple of ballets and 
cutoff the limb; who then waded into the river to bring 
out the limb, and in doing so caught a bushel of shad iu 
bis boots. But that story becomes truthful beside the fol¬ 
lowing, which we find in the Halifax Oitken of the 5th 
inst., which paper credits it to the Annapolis, Nova Scotia, 
Parmer ;— 
"Mr. J. Tufts informs us that he is indebted to the Bev. 
Mr."Bangs for the following story. A man named Lang- 
| Icy, belonging to Digby Week, went, to the bead of bt. 
Mary’s Bay to shoot wild geese. Seeing a moose on the 
Opposite shore, he fired. At the same moment a porpoise 
jumped and the bullet went through it, afterwurds killing 
the moose. The porpoise floated-ashore, and Mr. Langley 
used it as a raft to paddle to the moose, on reaching which 
ho discovered a hole in a hollow tree made by the ballet 
which had passed through the porpoise and the above 
named animal. In that tree a colony of bees bad laid up 
a winter’s supply of honey, which was flowing through 
the aperture made by the bullet. Stretching out his hand 
to grasp a plug to coufiue the honey, he caught a rabbit by 
the leg and hurriedly threw the animal f,om him, striking 
eighteen partridges, all of which he killed.” 
FLORIDA NOTES. 
Hommosassa, January 17lh, 18TB. 
Enrron Fobest and Stidam: — 
Living in til 1 : only sea board city of cold New Hampshire, I had read 
iaach in your paper, as well as in your booh, “Camp Life in Florida,” 
regarding the above place, and the latter part of December, in company, 
wi’h a friend, cbncludcd to spend the winter in Florida, starting from 
Boston, with llcheis over die Fail Diver Line via. Bay Line of steam¬ 
ers from Baltimore, through Weldon, Charleston, Savannah, we fli:a!ly 
reached the giaud center of railroads, Jacksonville, and pat up at the 
Metropolitan Hotel, which had just changed proprietors, and luckily hit 
“just the place,” for It was evident that the new landlord, Mr. Barnett 
SO 1 Indiana, who had just taken charge, knew how to ran a hotel. The 
charges arc three dollars a day, and the table luxuriant, nobody wunts 
better, •tie iirst thing we did was to bunt np “At Fresco,” aud we 
Found the worthy Doctor was a little to spry, for he had already left his 
ram at the 1)0 el for us. A great many Northern people have wondered 
who was this chap that had written so many and such valuable letters 
on the sports, climate, and topography of this earthly paradise, and wo 
Were not Surprised when we found him to be one of the clearest-headed 
men It was ei-ur our fortune to meet. The Dr. is a retired physician, 
Mid one of the most respected citizens of Jacksonville. His residence 
Isbn.one of the most charming spots in the city, and contains, with its 
lucroandiugs, every element of retinery and good taste, while Ms amia¬ 
ble lady tills just the niche to make everybody feel at home when they 
enter his domicil. Every facility for information was at once placed at 
oar disposal, and hoar after hour would tne Dr. sit and map out spot af¬ 
ter spot where one could obtain hunting and fishing to their heart's con 
tent. After a short rest we took up out tine of inarch for this spot, and 
here let me advise all sportsmen who come to this section what to avoid. 
Don't Bilip any of ypnr traps by the New York and .Fcmaridina lino of 
steamers. A whole week was consumed by us in obtaining our traps 
after the steamer was dne, and Ihe agent at Fernandina is about as thick 
a wooden-head as it was onr fortune ever to meet. Ship alt gun 'taps, 
if you have any, -via. Savannah, even at the slightest additional cost. 
It will prove a saving investment. The most direct route here from 
Jacksonville is by the way of Cedar Keys, and don't move a step In that 
direction, bnt wait at Jacksonville till you get a reply from Jones that 
he will meet you at the Keys, before yon start; if yon don’t, you will 
rue it. Our experience in that line made ns wish we had staid over and 
over again. There arc no first-class hotels at the Keys. The Cedar 
Keys House is the best place there, and the landlord Dies to make people 
happy; bnt it is a small place, and the market not of the best. Finally, 
finding we couli not communicate with Mr. Jones and get a reply under 
a week at least, we, through the kindness of Mr. Gove, editor of the 
atate Journal, and one of the best of fellows, got a boatman to take ns 
over in one of the small schooners for the sum of ten dollars, Our crew 
consisted of the captain aud his mate, a young street Arab of some 
twelve summers, and who was to serve the doublo purpose of mate and 
cook for the first few hours; we came lo the conclusion that we were for- 
tnnate in onr selection, aud things went on swimmingly. Our little mate 
seemed to understand tea faring life, and gave us some of his experience 
—saidhe had been turtliug with an old chap called Gornus, who paid 
him for his two weeks’trip twenty-five cents. tVe concluded Gornus 
had cheated the Utile chap, but before we got to the mouth of the Ho- 
mosassa we thought he got well paid, for without any exception he was 
the laziest little rascal lever saw. The weather oaring oar trip was 
splendid, not a cloud in Ihe sky. and we in our shirt sleeves all day long, 
with the thermometer at 75. Ouu of the most curious things in sailing 
along the coast is, lhat although we are from 10 to 13 miles out to sen, 
and the mil in land hardly discetniblo, yet wo could go overboard and 
wade to it with the water not up to our waist. The sea was so-calm 
that three days and two nights were consumed in sailing to Bt. Martin’s 
Keys. These small islands we reached at oarly dawn, and as the thous¬ 
ands upon ihousands of sea bil-ds of all kinds aud descriptions were just 
starting from the rocks and bushes, Ihe air was black with them, and 
their cries completely drowned alt other sounds, while millions of beach 
suipe circled in the air and flittered about ftom one island to the other. 
On Ihe reefs stood, like sentinels, hundreds of cranes, their white plum¬ 
age glistening in the sun. Passing these reefs, a few hours’ tacking with 
a head wind, and the month of the Uomosasea gladdened our sight, 
ronnding the point and a cheer vvBnt up, as Mr. Junes, with a boat load 
of oranges, came ouL from the river, bound for Ihe Keys. He stopped 
and supplied ns with oranges, as our provisions had run short, awing 
to the lougirip, undfiuuilv. with the tide, we reached the wharf at Ho 
mosassa. An account of what we saw and what we did shall be given in 
o-y next letter. Axe. 
January 35th, J876. 
In my last letter 1 had got to this place. On arrival one glance at it is 
sufficient to know that you are at home. Dr. Kenwonhy's descrip¬ 
tion conveys bat 4 faint idea of tbe place, or the reception you meet 
at the hands of Mrs. Janes. Tue only Double here is the size of the 
place for the number who wish for rooms. A little description of the 
place may not he unpleasant reading. The house is a pleasant one, sur¬ 
rounded by a verandah. As yon sit. iookiug toward the boat landiug a fine 
gardon is laid out, while on either side are splendid orauge and lemon 
trees, and the fruit is tho finest I have ever seen ill Florida. The grounds 
comprise 6,500 acres, so yon have plenty of room. There is always a de¬ 
mand for fruit, after guests have Been here once, still I suppose one 
could have a box sent, if application was made in season. 1 see in 
your last issue some inquiries were made as regards the place and what 
to bring here. I was in the same fix, but a letter from “Al Fresco” set¬ 
tled that matter. Ducks have not been plenty thus far; but as for fish¬ 
ing, this place beats the world. Tho warm weather at the North has 
kept the ducks in that eeoLlon. Last year, it is said, they were here by 
the acre. Alligators are finite numerous. Yesterday we killed five aud 
brought them iu; they averaged about eight feet In length. It don’t do 
to take stock in all that is said by tourists in killing alligators. It is 
hard work, ballots of sport. You may shoot at. oue, and unless yon 
kill him at once, which is seldom done, down he sinks, and you must 
have a harpoon, or yon lose him. If he goes in deep water ho is lost. 
Very many ihink because they fire at one and he goes down in tho wa¬ 
ter, they kill him; bat l have seem hem with three bulletsin the head, and 
the negro has hard work to hold him, even if he does get a slit cut in his 
lad. What one needs most is a bout, and ir yon have a Bond's patent 
you are all 0. K. They are just the things, aud the only thiuglhatl 
have seen that is any nse here. Plenty of fishing tackle is another re¬ 
quisite, und powder, shot, and shell; all these thiugs can be had al; Jack¬ 
sonville, and as cheap as at the North. Old clothes are aiso good things, 
and take plenty of them; fine fealhers are in no demand here. Rubber 
hoots ate good things, but the moccasins of Good, of Manchester, are 
tiptop, Mr. and Mrs. Jones look out for the inner man, and you can 
rest assured of hem g n ell provided for—one wishes for .no move. The 
house to-day is full, and ir you waut to come yon must write weeks be¬ 
fore yon start, if not, you will be disappointed, for, as Mrs. J. says, the 
house is not rubber aud won’t stretch. Sufficient to say, If you want a 
good time, get to Jones', if yon can. Axe. 
WHERE TO ROUGH IT. 
W’e have received many ftiquiries as to a suitable place 
or places for “roughing it.” Jo the following letter Mr. 
J. H. Batty, the well-known naturalist and hunter, gives 
some valuable information on this point.— 
Editor Forrst and Stream:— 
Aa there are many of your subscribers who wish to *'roue[lx it,” and do 
eo in a country where there is no dauger from hostile Indians, I give the 
following notes for those who may “pull out” from some frontier town 
for a few months next spring. Denver, St. Paul, Cheyenne, Fairplay, or 
any mining town in Colorado or Montana. wiU be a good point to start 
from. Do not spoil what might be a pleasant trip by following a wagon 
train, over dusty plains and rough roads, through endless sage bushes 
and prickly pears. Start out with confidence well fixed for any emerg 
ency, aud if traveling on the plains, keep near the river bottoms, where 
coiton-wood timber abounds, and an undergrowth of willows, aspens, 
box-cedar, and “bull” berry bushes. The game naturally collects in ihe 
scattering belts of timber in the bottoms, and the huuter has but to 
watcli some favorite sand-bar, or grazing grounds ou the edge of the 
timber. I will guarantee plenty of game m the Missouri Valley, any 
where from Fort Bentou to Fort Abe. Lincoln, or the western terminus 
of the Northern Pacific R. R. Oue can go to Bismarck and thence by 
supply boats to any woodman’s camp on the upper “Mesuri.” Wood- 
meu and trappers aro occasionally “taken in” by the Dakota’s or Sioux 
Indians, yet if one employs a good hunter he can bunt in comparative 
safety. The scenery on some parts of the Missouri River is grand and 
picturesque. Large cliffs rise perpendicularly out of the water, and their 
flat vertical sides cast gloomy shadows over the Handily waters. In 
many places the limestone and granite rocks loom up on both sides the 
riv^r.looking in their curious forms like the ruins of somegiunt city. Many 
rocks have spires miming high in tho sky, and others have natural win¬ 
dows and cornices which adds to the sight the doluaion of a ruined city. 
Amoug these rocks the mountain sheep collect in large bands, running 
out in bold relief on projecting craigs, and wonderingly watch our pass¬ 
ing bouts. In the evening the wandering prong horaB—antelope—me 
seen gating from the tablelands above, or wending their w ay in coutin 
uous, though broken lines, down well worn, trails among loose rocks, 
occasionally stopping to nip the green grass on the natural shelves or 
flats, preparatory to taking their evening drink, when reaching the river. 
The white-tailed, or mule deer, are found in small baud**, and singly In 
the willow bottoms, and the large wide spreading tra^k of tbe pouderons 
elk is seen on every trail. At night the bulls roam about bellowing— I 
cannot call it whistling as Borne people call it—their continued bugle- 
like notes until Ihe canons and valleys echo to their cries. Bruin is oc¬ 
casionally found; yet farther back in the mountains he is most frequent¬ 
ly met. The slap of the beaver’s tail is often seen to brook the calm of 
“tho rolling river,” and the numerous slides cutting into the river banks 
shows plainly where the beavers get their timber for dams. In many 
places I bUyv minks skipping along the sand-bars in a playful manner 
until they reached Ihe friendly banks Was it not for the parties Of 
friendly (?j and benovolent red men who occasionally visit this hunter's 
paradise, the naturalist and hunter could enjoy himself to the fullest-ex¬ 
tent. lie could travel hundreds of miles through the mott interesting 
country by “bull bouts,” canoes, or skiffs, aud not have to pack a pound 
necessarily. 
Cat fish are abundant in the river, thoneh trout are only found in ft* 
tributaries and lakes in the mountains. There are too many IndianB m 
the mountains for one to wander carelessly about, aud they often Lum 
up rather unexpectedly in the bottoms. 
In the Sierra Madre Mountains in Colorado, a few score miles west of 
Denver, parlies can hunt in safety, and find gnmein abundance. In 1873 
I killed deer—mule deer—in the foothills m South Park, and in some 
localities they were common. On the range of mountains running from 
Mt, Lincoln to the Horseshoe Alt., there are pleuty of antelope, and they 
can be reached from Fairplay in two or three hour’s ride. I have often 
lert Fairplay in the morning wild killed and packed tin antelope back to 
comp in season to have some of its chops tor an early snppcr. 
Deer are often found along the South Platte above Fairplay, yeti 
never succeeded in taking but one there, «a the country iies had for still 
hunting. There are good trails—for tbe country—running for miles into 
tho Rocky Mountains west of Denver, and with a few puck animals one 
can roam for weeks over snow-capped mountains, hunting deer, sheep* 
antelope, aud bear, aud in the valleys does are round at evening, also 
dusky gronse, marmots, coyotes, foxes, &c. In fact the collector need 
not wander about long in search of u living target when he has crossed 
the South Platte or “Arkansaw” rivers. The Mighty Arkonsaw la 
formed by several large boiling springe in a natural pasture lying among 
rolling bills of pines. I have followed the brook uniil it becomes a large 
river from the Tennessee Pass to a point weal, of the Buffalo Mts. A 
day’s ride through ihe pass and beyond the pourceof the Arkansas, brings 
tbe adventurer lo Pacific water, and tbe bead of the Eagle River which 
is the prettiest scream ■ have seen In the Rocky Mountains. Another 
day’s ride down the river and trout can be caught with grasshoppers by 
the hundred weight. Opposite Lhat almost inaccessible mountain, the 
Holy Cross, the fishing is best, and mule deet, benr, und elk abound. 
It was at that point I first heard the so-called elk “whistle,” as one came 
tearing through the busiien, mistaking my picketed horse for a cow.* 
Several days after 1 hunted with a rifle for elk, but all I had to show for 
niy climbing, fallen timber, and loose rocks for the time, was soleless 
moccasina and a bouncing big porcupine, which smelled so strongly of 
spruce that it made my companion nek, who helped ms puck him on a 
pole to camp. In conclusion, I would say, ihut if there sire any persons 
who wish to “rough it” ami do mil know where to go,. I will direct them 
to a good country by addressing me at the Fobest and Stream office, 
or at New Utrecht, N. Y. J. II. Batty. 
Natural §istorg. 
[1 his Department is now under the charge of a competent Naturalist, 
indorsed by the Smithsonian Institution., and will henceforth be made a 
special feature of this paper. Alt communicatvms , notes, queries, re - 
marks, and seasonal observations wiU receive careful attention . J 
NATURAL HISTORY AT THE CENTEN¬ 
NIAL. 
A COMMITTEE was appointed fly the counsel of the 
Boston Society of Natural History, at the meeting 
of October 33d, 1870, to matte definite propositions to tho 
Massachusetts Centennial Commissioners’ Department of 
Education and Science with regard to the part, if any, 
which was to be taken by that society in the Centennial 
Exhibition. Such propositions were prepared, aud are now 
being considered, their adoption depending upon the ac¬ 
tion of the present Legislature in appropriating the neces¬ 
sary funds. The plan is as follows:— 
Pint — 1 That the society furnish a printed account of their 
past history and present condition and operations. This 
would include an explanation of the arrangement of the 
museum and its uses in connection with the educational 
system in Massachusetts; information with iegard to the 
LoweJl lecturers on Natural History, and the Teachers’ 
School of Science supported by Mr. John Oummings. 
Second —That the society endeavor to furnish plans of 
their building. The building is claimed to be one at least, 
if not tile best of its olasB yet constructed! Together with 
these plans, the committee would propose to show draw¬ 
ings of the cases and furniture. The cases arc probably, 
though made in the plainest manner, unsurpassed in ef¬ 
ficiency, and will compare favorably with the elegant 
structures of the New York, Smithsonian, and British 
museums. 
Third —That the society furnish a synoptical collection 
exhibiting the extent and qualiiy of the museum and its 
mode of arrangement. The museum contains a classified 
series of collections. Tire visitor is first introduced to 
minerals in the Mineral Room, then to the association of 
minerals in the form of lock-masses in the Geological 
Room, then to the characteristic fossil plants and animals 
of each stratum of rock in the Palffiohfolflgjc,. I Rooms, 
then to ihe systematically arranged pl.niis and animals of 
the present lime, which occupy all the rooms of the re¬ 
mainder of the boikliug. Tlie same natural order is pre¬ 
served in each room or department, the elemeoiary forum 
being shown first, aud the more complex ill one or more 
series of ascending scales. In order lo show this plan fully, 
aud make an impression upon all persons interested in educa¬ 
tion and science, it would be necessary to allow one or two 
cases to each department, thiB being in about the proportion 
of one-twenieth or one-thirtieth. The whole number of cases 
necessary would then he fifteen, and whim set up would oc¬ 
cupy 105 feet of iuDer measure. Tlieir other dimensions 
should be as follows: Dep'hlo wall, eighteen the lies; height 
from floor, seven feet. The 'attractiveness and beauty of 
