104 
FOREST AND STREAM 
A WEEKLY JOURNAL, 
Devoted to Field and Aquatic Sfortb, PractioalNatural History, 
FlFH CULTURE, THE PROTECTION OF GAME, PRESERVATION OF FORESTS, 
and the Inculcation in Men and Women of a healthy interest 
in Out-door Eecbeatton and Study : 
PUBLISHED BY 
Rarest and &irmg publishing <$ampatfj). 
17 CHATHAM STREET, (CITY HALL SQUARE) NEW YORK, 
TPost Unpick Box S832.j 
123 SOUTH THIRD STREET. PHILADELPHIA. 
Terms, Five Dollars a Year, Strictly In Advance. 
A discount o f twenty-five percent. allowed for five copies and upwards. 
Advertising Rates. 
In regular advertising columns, nonpareil type, 12 lines to the inch, 25 
Cents per line. Advertisements on outside page, 40cents perline. Heading 
notices, 50 cents per line. Where advertisements are inserted over 1 
mouth, a discount of W per cent, will be made; over three months, 20 
per cent.; over six m mths, 30 per cent. 
NEW YOKE, THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1876. 
To Correspondents. 
All communications whatever, whether relating to onsiness or literary 
correspondence, must be addressed to The Forest and Stream Pub- 
libhIno Company. Personal or private letters of course excepted. 
All oommunlcationsintended for publication must he accompanied with 
real name, as a guaranty of good faith. Names will not be published if 
objection he made. No anonymous contributions will be regarded. 
Articles relating to any topic wit hin the scope of this paper are solicited. 
We cannot promise to return rejected manuscripts. 
Secretaries of Clubs and Associations are urged to iavor ns with brief 
notes of their movements and transactions, as it is the aim of this paper 
to become a medium of useful and reliable information between gentle¬ 
men sportsmen from one end of the country to the other; and they will 
find our columns a desirable medium for advertising announcements. 
The Publishers of Forest and 3tream aim to merit and secure the 
patronage and countenance of that portion or the community whose re- 
tined intelligence enables them to properly appreciate and enjoy all that 
is beautifnl in Nature. It will pander to no depraved tastes, nor pervert 
the legitimate sports of land and water to those base uses which always 
lend to make them unpopular with the virtuous and good. No advertise¬ 
ment or business notice of an immoral character will he received on any 
terms; and nothing will be admitted to any department of the paper that 
may not be read with propriety in the home circle. 
We cannot he responsible for the dereliction of the mail service, if 
money remitted to us Is lost. 
Advertisements should be sent in by Saturday of each week, if possible. 
CHARLES IIALLOCR, Editor. 
WILLIAM C. HARRIS, Business Manager. 
Coaching.—W o are really to liave an exhibition of old 
time coaching in this city once more.- Col. DeLancey 
Kane, who drove a coach out of London last season, and 
has imported a vehicle of the most improved make, pro¬ 
poses lo commence on May 1st, making daily trips to Pel¬ 
ham Bridge, leaving the Hotel Brunswick on Fifth avenue, 
at eleven o’clock A. M., and the Bridge, on his return, at 
half past three P. M. The coach will he “horsed” in the 
best style, and the whole trip made very exhilirating and 
enjoyable. Fare $1.50 each way, with 50 cents extra for 
the box seat. 
Mb, Bishop’s Canoe Voyage.— In another column will 
he found the continuation of Mr. N. H. Bishop’s interest¬ 
ing narrative descriptive of bis voyage from the headwaters 
of the Ohio River to Cedar Keys, in the Gulf of Mexico, 
iu a duck boat. Mr. Bishop’s former voyage, it will he 
remembered, embraced the Atlantic coast, and was finished 
at Cedar Keys; with the completion of his present voyage 
he will have made a complete geographical study of the 
connecting water courses of the American continent. The 
results of his observations will be not only interesting, but 
valuable. 
—Wo are indebted to W. A. Ryan, Esq., of Austin, 
Texas, for fiiendly call. Although a stranger to us, it is 
evident from our conversation with him that he is a skill¬ 
ful, enthusiastic field sportsman, and from him we have 
gained valuable information respecting the game abound¬ 
ing in that section of the country, Quail, pinnated grouse, 
and wild fowl are plenty enough to make excellent sport, 
and we tender lo him our thanks for a sportsmanlike invi¬ 
tation to visit him in season and try “conclusions in the 
field,” of which we intend to avail ourselves. 
Major Leech.—A dispatch from the other side indicates 
that Major Leech will again visit us as captain of an Irish 
Team. The many friends of Major Leech in this country 
will be pleased to hear this nows, and Iho gallant Major 
may be assured of receiving a hearty welcome. 
— Wc shall feel obliged if contributors, when sending 
us articles containing scientific names or terms, would 
‘print with pen such words legibly in their manuscript. 
— The annual meeting of Ihe New r York State Associa¬ 
tion for the Protection of Fish ami Game will be held at 
Oeaeseo some time in May 
STEEPLE CHASING. 
A MONG the many out-door sports which are either be- 
in g introduced or revived in this country, tho steeple 
chase is one which appears most likely to obtain a perma¬ 
nent foothold and attain important proportions. The 
experiment made last summer at Newport was not only a 
very creditable first attempt, but will in all probability bo 
followed up by larger and more important meetings during 
the comiDg season. Of course we are speaking of steeple 
chasing as carried on independently of the principal racing 
fixtures, where running on the flat is the main object and a 
jumping race is added merely lo give variety to the pro¬ 
gramme. If steeple chasing was once firmly established, 
hunting (we use the word in the English sense), and most 
probably coursing would soon follow. It is a sport in 
which gentlemeu take an active part as riders, and in fact 
is an outgrowth of fox hunting, originating in matches 
made between gentlemen to run their -horses across coun¬ 
try in a certain line, usually indicated by some distant 
church steeple. To Ihe present day the majority of horses 
starting in steeple chases in England are ridden by gentle¬ 
men, and the leading “cross country” event—-the Grand 
National, at Liverpool—has been repeatedly won by a gen¬ 
tleman rider. 
As the principal requirements in a horse for fox hunting 
are similar to those iu steeple chasing, the prosecution of 
the latter sport lias been instrumental In encouraging 
breeding, and has resulted in the production of the Eng¬ 
lish hunter, ahorse that, although he may have the letters 
h. b. after liis name, indicating a cross of cold blood; or, 
in slang parlance, a “cocktail,” or half-breed, is yet une¬ 
qualed for weight carrying, combined with speed, in the 
world. For making bold horsemen there is nothing like it, 
and as we have indicated, race meetings gotten up with 
steeple chasing as the object, would soon grow in favor, 
from the fact that gentlemen could actively participate 
without being jostled by a professional, or sandwiched at 
a finish between two diminutive sons of Ham. 
We would like to suggest, however, that the custom of 
starling horses in steeple chases with martingales attached 
to their bridles, which seems to lie the custom in this coun¬ 
try, he abolished. In taking a jump a horse requires his 
head to be perfectly free; in landing, the support which 
would be aflorded him by tho reins is obviated, and his 
head brought by means of the leverage of the martingale, 
between his knees, the consequence of which is a stumble, 
and perhaps broken necks for himself and rider. 
But before reaching the point where we can all own and 
ride our own horses, there is another branch of sport, a col- 
•lateral of steeple chasing—a preliminary canter, as it were 
—which could at once be entered upon without the expen¬ 
sive auxiliiaries required for the more pretentious amuse¬ 
ment. We allude to paper chasing, or, as it. is called at 
the English schools, hare and hounds: Here men take the 
place of hares or foxes, as well as hounds, and shanks 
marcs furnish the propelling power. And this reminds us 
of rather a good joke we noticed in one of the daily pa¬ 
pers a few days since. 1* quoted, as a singular instance) of 
mis-print or slip of the pen, an announcement., which it 
repeated verbatim from an English paper, to the effect that 
the meet of the London Hare and Hounds for a certain day 
was postponed on account of the sickness of the wife of 
one of the hares; the interpretation of which was simply 
that the wife of one of the gentlemen who proposed to act 
as hare was unfortunately under the weather. 
Paper chasing is most exciting and invigorating sport. 
Two of the best miners, being started off with twenty min¬ 
utes’ lead, select a line of country and sprinkle the scent 
in the shape of finely cut paper from bags slung across 
their shoulders. Time up, away goes the pack in chase of 
them, trailing them liy the scent until they are sighted, 
and, if possible, caught. It seems strange that this sport, 
so popular in England, should never liave found favor in 
this country. Nothing will so improve the wind, as well 
as harden the muscles, as an occasional burst across the 
country. It is the following sports of this kind while lads 
that gives to Englishmen their stamina, and enables them lo 
lake the lead in all outdoor sports when men. 
Great Trapping. —Mr. Sewell Newhouse, of the Oneida 
Community, who is widely known as a manufacturer of 
traps, gave us a call Iasi week upon his return from the 
fur region of Virginia, whither he went last fall upon our 
suggestion. Reports authentic enough of the abundance 
of beaver in Nottoway, Brunswick, and Dinwidtlie coun¬ 
ties came to us constantly at that time, with serious com¬ 
plaints from the farmers that their crops were being de¬ 
stroyed by the vermin, which they had no means to exter¬ 
minate. To verify these statements we visited that section 
in person, and found evidences enough to convince us of 
their truth—large patches of standing corn being destroyed 
at intervals all along the creeks and river bottoms. With 
the assurances that Mr. Newhouse received, he started last 
December with two or three barrels of steel traps and the 
necessary outfit, aud was fortunate enough to obtain com¬ 
fortable headquarters at the centre of his field of opera¬ 
tions. Here he lived in primitive style, chiefly on the pro¬ 
ceeds of his gun and traps, employing such assistance as 
he needed in furtherance of his pursuits. The small farm¬ 
ers of that section welcomed him as a new Moses lo rid 
them of the plagues that infested them, and gave him what 
assistance they could, meanwhile receiving manifold les¬ 
sons in trapping. At first Mr Newhouse suffered a little 
from the depredations of vagabond negroes, who stoic two 
of liis traps and some trifling articles Of apparel; hut by 
judicious diplomacy, threats, aud strategy—especially in 
the display of an enormous iron bear trap with great teeth, 
that he declared he would set for them—he not only recov¬ 
ered everything lost, excepting one trap, hut enjoyed com¬ 
plete immunity from trespass during his entire sojourn— 
one scared darkey, in one instance, going so far as to ride 
ten miles at night to return a pair of secreted gloves. The 
history of his season’s operations, however, are contained 
in the results, namely, a net profit of some $800, includ¬ 
ing pelts secured and traps sold, to say nothing of prospect¬ 
ive sales of traps whenever the impoverished natives can 
obtain money enough to buy them. His galore includes 
the furs of heaver, otter, gray fox, mink, and raccoon. 
Most of the skins are very largo and remarkably fine in 
quality, some of the otters bringing $12 apiece. 
There seems lo be no end to the fur and wild game of 
this region. Mr. Newhouse avers that it is wortli far more 
than the land and standing timber. Quail and turkeys arc 
very abundant, and deer almost as tame as cattle. 'Jt was 
a sight to sec the rich returns of Mr. N.’s harvest of furs, 
the old veteran and his pack reminding one nf the flush 
times of the old mountain men, when Kansas was the “far 
West,” and the Black Hills amontk’3 journey from “Mis¬ 
soula;” when, in each spring, they came in with their 
heavy packs, squandered their proceeds, and then went for 
more. No doubt Mr. Newhouse’s success will attract 
mauy sportsmen, as well as trappers, to these prolific hunt¬ 
ing grounds next fall. 
EDITORIAL NOTES OF SOUTHERN 
TRAVEL. 
THE SEA ISLAND DISTRICT. 
T O those not affected by sea. sickness, the most agree¬ 
able method of reaching Florida is by the coastwise 
steamers. Very commodious and comfortable vessels they 
are, where one cau pass the sixty or eighty hours of his 
jouruey so agreeably as to be scarcely conscious of the 
lapse of time. Quite imperceptibly he slips from the realm 
of frost into the milder atmosphere. Before he has left 
the harbor of New York or Philadelphia behind, the cur¬ 
tain of night drops on the snowy landscape, and the next 
transition is to green verdure, rose trees, and palmetto 
Ronds. Mallory’s line runs to Fern aud in a direct, slopping 
only at Port Royal. By Clyde’s line the sea voyage is short¬ 
ened to Charleston, whence steamers run direct to Palat- 
aa, on the St. John’s River, stopping a few hours at Sa¬ 
vannah, Fcrnaudina, and Jacksonville. To those making 
a flyiiig trip, this route possesses two advantages; only one 
change of stateroom is made, and au opportunity is given 
to visit two of the most attractive cities of the Southern 
seaboard. Again, one can take steamer from New York 
to Savannah, aud there connect with a steamer that runs 
to Jacksonville by the “inside" route; that is, through anil 
among the sea islands. Where time is of no account, the 
tourist should select this route, oven though it may have 
its inconveniences, for the object of one traveling should 
he to see as much as possible. In any case, the expense is 
thirty per cent, cheaper than by land, meals aud staterooms 
being included in the rates of passage. Besides, one gets 
fresh air and vigor on the water, while at the end of a land 
journey he is apt to be enervated or exhausted. Notwith¬ 
standing these considerations, the tourist should take the 
land route, either going or returning, provided he has never 
visited the South before, for there is much of novelty and 
interest to be seen, and it is hardly worth while to travel 
1,G00 (miles to Florida without seeing the intermediate 
country. One must he governed entirely by circumstances as 
to the route he chooses. Old campaigners who go to Flor¬ 
ida each winter, will go direct to Fernamlina if they have 
much freight to carry. If one wishes lo spend a season 
among the sea Islands in the vicinity of Port Royal, this 
is the route to select, for the steamer will land him right at 
the shooting ground, together with his boat and decoys 
and general outfit. 
It is a marvel to me that this Soa Island District is not 
more frequented by sportsmen. In many respects it is far 
preferable to Florida, besides being nearer. Edible game 
is quite as abundant here. Deer, turkeys, quail, ducks, aud 
the varieties of beach and shore birds are numerous. As 
to ducks, the present year is an exception. I found them 
nowhere. There are comparatively few herons, cranes, 
water turkeys, limpkius, and the like, which are innumer¬ 
able in parts of Florida, and which the sportsman values 
only for their plumage, or as accessories to illustrate Bemi- 
tropical life. I am aware that few persons have any idea 
of the physical character of this district. Let me describe 
it. All along the coast of South Carolina, Georgia and Flor¬ 
ida, is a labyrinth of salt creeks and rivers, which cut up 
the land into innumerable islands, some of them merely 
grass hummocks that are covered at high water; others de¬ 
lightfully wooded with oak, cedar, and palmetto, where 
the old-time planter luxuriated on the profits of the long, 
silken staple, which sold at fabulous prices. Now the 
plantations are abandoned, most of thorn, and countless 
bevies of quail forage in the old fieidB. Herds of deer and 
droves of turkeys and ooons come out of the hammocks 
into the overgrown garden patches to feed on tlie succulent 
plants that have come up spontaneously year after year 
from self-sown seed. Here aDd there is an old concrete 
chimney, made of cemented oyster shells, where an over¬ 
seer’s house once stood; or tho decaying remnants of some 
negro quarter hiddeti in a tangle of orange trees, cat briars, 
sprawling fig trees, vines, and palmetto scrub. At inter¬ 
vals, on more eligible sites, ore groves of sombre live oaks, 
