FOREST AND STREAM. 



in sight— how can it be otherwise? I asked at what these 

 lands could bo purchased now, and was told "from fifty 

 cents to a dollar an acre." But then where are you going 

 to get your fuel from, and your timber for fencing? 

 When this road reaches the great Brazos "Bottoms," only 

 a few miles from its present terminus, it will deliver you 

 splendid oak from two and a half to three dollars a cord, 

 find the vast pineries just east of Houston will furnish 

 illimitable resources for plank fences, cheaper perhaps 

 than in any prairie country in thewoild. And then before 

 the plunk fence decays, the pyraeanlh and osagc orange 

 hedges will be ready to take its place, lasting till the crack 

 of doom. When that thrifty population comes, this prairie 

 may well say: "Match me, ye gods!" 



AT THK TERMLNUS. 



About lp.m. we reached "Wimbcrly," where the road 

 now stops. I thought that as this place has a local habi- 

 tation uud a name, I should find it also a village or some- 

 thing of that sort; but there was not even a house, or the 

 sign of one! The road stopped short in the midst of a 

 solitary prairie, and Wimberly existed only in name. I 

 felt severely disappointed at this dreary prospect, as visions 

 of a snug saloon and hot punches had for some time been 

 tempting my appetite; and, moreover, I was hungry, and 

 chilled to the bone. However, Mr. Secretary Tracy soon 

 announced good cheer. Standing in the door of theapatt- 

 ment of the coach intended for baggage, he announced in 

 a loud voice: "Gentlemen, walk up, roll up, tumble up— 

 any way so you gel up— and let us have something that is 

 good. As I knew that Wimberly was as yet unprovided 

 with hotels and saloons, and ever mindful of the comforts 

 of the wayfarer, I have brought both hotel and saloon 

 along with us. If any man cannot here find good cheer, 

 let him charge it to the fault of his own stomach, which 

 does not know how to appreciate things that are good." 



In sooth it was so. Going forward I found both hotel 

 and saloon. There were wines, whiskies, brandies, of 

 which all partook amply; there were meats, breads, con- 

 diments and fruits, of which all stored away a heavy cargo. 

 After this it was arranged that the party, or all who 

 choose, should break into groups and spend three hours in 

 hunting, but that we must not go beyond the sound of the 

 whistle, for fear some of us might be lost or not get back 

 in time. 



THE HUNT. 



As I hud chatted much with Major Goodwin on the way, 

 we naturally consorted together when the parties were 

 made up. He is physically a splendid specimen of a man, 

 and I found him as sparkling as a bowl of champagne 

 punch. He was all spriglitliness and joviality. He was, 

 as I am told, a favorite engineer of the gr^at southern 

 general, Lee, and is responsible for many of the fortifica- 

 tions around Kichmond and Petersburg, against which 

 the Union army buttled so long. He, too, was armed with 

 a double-barrel shot gun. We struck out alone in a direc- 

 tion which none others had taken. By this time clouds 

 had covered the whole heavens, and there was a heavy 

 driving mist, scudding rapidly before the norther— be- 

 hooved us now all our stores of viands and fluid stimu- 

 lants to keep us warm. We hud walked only about two 

 hundred yards, when suddenly a flock of 



1'HAIRIK HBK3 OB UKOU6E 



rose almost from beneath our feet. We were not expect- 

 ing them, and no shot was fired. They flew hut a little 

 distance and we pursued. When they rose again each of 

 us fired two shots, Alajor Goodwin getting two birds, 

 while T got but one. They were noble fellows, about three 

 pounds weight, and as fat as butler balls. So largo were 

 they, and so steady their flight, that it seemed almost 

 impossible to miss them on the wing, and yet I had failed 

 with one barrel. Never mind, it is a long time siuce 1 

 have played the. sportsman. 1 have not. got my hand in 

 yet. Major Goodwin kept his t.ye on the living, while I 

 picked up the dead birds. Again they rose, somewhat 

 scattered, and each of us got one apiece, firing one barrel 

 each. "Now," snid Major Goodwin, as we bagged the 

 game, "we will let these fellows alone. We must have 

 some of that, flock for seed." We had bagged but five, 

 and it seemed to me there, were at least a dozen left; and 

 as they had again gone but a little distance I objected, 

 and proposed that we renew the attack, remarking that I 

 feared that if we gave them up we should find no more. 

 The Major said, "Oh, we cannot go amiss for them. The 

 country is full of them. We shall find plenty." He then 

 stated that this bird is rapidly increasing in Texas; that 

 they ure more numerous this year than ever, and that he 

 supposed that it was on account of the increasing farms. 

 His opinion was that the grains of the farmers encouraged 

 them to increase and multiply, and that they are a bird 

 that loves proximity to human habitation. "I guess," 

 added he, "they are nothing but stray chickens after all, 

 and have had their characteristics permanently fixed by 

 long in-and-in breeding." 



SAND DILI, CRANES. 



Passing to the southwest some fifteen minutes more, 

 carrying our guns nearly at "present arms," I observed, 

 gome three or lour hundred yards off, through the driving 

 mist, an assemblage of moving objects, which I at first 

 took to be a herd of deer. A more careful examination 

 soon revolved them into birds, and my companion cried 

 out: "Sand-hill cranes! Now to got a shot at them we 

 •will have to be sharp." 



Ho proposed that we separate and march upon them 

 from opposite quarters, the idea beiug that if one of us 

 could get a shot at them while they were on the ground, 

 they might give the other a chance by Hying over his 



head. We withdrew the grouse charges from our guns 

 and loaded with heavier metal. He struck off obliquely 

 to the northwest, while I obliqued to the southwest. 

 After getting directly opposite to the cranes, both began to 

 move slowly directly upon them. They had not yet no- 

 ticed us, or had not appeared to do so, though we were 

 now within two hundred yards of them. They were feed- 

 ing leisurely towards uie, but gradually tending to the 

 west. At last they perceived Major Goodwin, aud began 

 moving in a course which, if continued, would bring them 

 within fifty yards to the west of my position . I concealed 

 myself behind a small thicket of briars, which gave just 

 screen enough to hide me. I cocked both barrels, and 

 watched the tall birds as they were marching gracefully 

 towards destruction. As they drew nearer and nearer, 1 

 was seized with a regular "buck-ague," and shook at a 

 terrible rate. I drew from my pocket a flask of brandy, 

 aud emptied almost the entire contents down my throat. 

 By this time the birds were easily within fifty yards, and 

 I raised my gun, still having the ague, and fired quite at 

 random into the array. Without noticing the effect of 

 my shot, I gave them the second barrel as they rose into 

 the air, and saw one big fellow tumble fluttering to the 

 ground. Instead of going towards Major Goodwin, the 

 flock flew to the southwest, doubtless seeking the advant- 

 age of the wind to get away as quick as possible from such 

 dangerous quarters. My friend had not got a shot at all, 

 at which 1 felt somewhat chagrined. My first shot had 

 also been effective, and I had two sand-hill cranes. 



These birds are majestic to look at. They staud about 

 three feet high, and move with a stalely motion, much re- 

 sembling at a distance that of a deer. They are, also, 

 about the color of a deer. Their weight does not come up 

 to expectations. They are mainly feathers, lees, neck 

 and tail. Seven to nine pounds is ubout the best of their 

 weight. They are excellent for the table when well 

 cooked, but if the cook be not skillful they are apt to be 

 too dry, They are extremely numerous on the prairies of 

 Texas in the winter, and are not at all addicted lo water, 

 so far as I have been able, to observe. They migrate north- 

 ward on the approach of spring. 



These birds were too big to thrust in our game bags. 

 The best that we could do was to sling them around our 

 necks with a string lied to each of their feet, and let them 

 dangle down our backs. 



ENCOUNTER WTTH WILD GEESE. 



The timber of Buffalo Bayou was now- close at hand. 

 We had crossed this stream :■. few miles east of Wimberly, 

 so i h:ii ii was now south of us instead of north, as it had 

 been most of the way. We moved to the stream, expect- 

 ing to way-lay a colony of ducks, but just as we readied 

 the edge of the timber, a large flock of geese crossed the 

 bayou a few hundred yards above us, and appeared to light 

 on the prairie just beyond. We now abandoned all idea 

 of ducks in our eagerness to attack the larger game. 

 Grossing the narrow channel on a fallen tree, we crept 

 stealthily to the edge of the timber on the south bank, and 

 saw the geese feeding about two hundred paces above us. 

 They were waddling along slowly towards us. Leaving 

 the edge of the timbers, we walked cautiously up the 

 bank of the stream until we thought we were about 

 opposite the geese, then turned short olf to the left. When 

 we got to the edge of the forest again there were the 

 geese, still unsuspicious, not more than sixty yards off, 

 and drawing closer and closer lo us. We arranged that 

 Major Goodwin should shoot into Ihem on the ground, and 

 that I should deliver fire as they rose into the air. The 

 Major fired both barrels almost simultaneously, and 1 

 turned loose with both of mine just us the birds were 

 flopping their wings in the air. There was a fluttering aud 

 a flopping for you! The Major Jiad killed three, and 1 had 

 brought down too. Now, thought I, here is a mess! How 

 are we going to transport this game? The best we could 

 do was to lie their feet to a siring, then fling them over 

 our backs with the cranes, and then abandon the chase. 

 We had as much game as we could well get along with. 

 Said the Major: "The next lime we go gunning we will 

 lake an ambulance." We trudged buck lo "Wimberly," 

 treating with the utmost indifference several flocks of 

 prairie-hens that we flushed on the way. They were se- 

 cure, because we were already gorged. 



Shortly after our return to Wimberly the other hunting 

 parlies dropped in, one by one, all more or less laden with 

 game. The last that came up, but one, was Floecfc, who 

 came staggeting under the weight of an enormous buck, 

 which he bore on his shoulder. He had disembowelled the 

 animal where he had fallen; and so saturated with the 

 buck's blood was his clothing, that he might have been 

 easily mistaken for a butcher just out of the slaughter pen. 

 As lie thiew the buck down he remarked: "I might have 

 got auother the easiest m the world, but I had in this 

 fellow about as much as I could well stand under, and my 

 eompadre would not consent to shoulder the responsibility." 

 He had shot the buck with a splendid Winchester»rifle, 

 which he had had manufactured to order at a cost of $150, 

 After Mr. Floeck came the list of the party— a boy who 

 hud confined himself lo blackbirds, and who had Bluffed 

 his game bag and pockets full. 



THE GRAND RESULT. 



When all were in, a census of the day's slaughter was 

 taken with this result: Deer, 1; Prairie Hens, 2:3; Ducks, 

 »; Geese, 10; Cranes, 4; Blackbirds, 09; Quail, 7; Hawks, 

 1; Owls, 2; Hares, 1. The thirteen-year old boy who had 

 snot the blackbirds was declared champion of the day. 

 Said he: "I could have killed a million if I'd had a wagon 

 to pack 'em." I asked what would be the money value of 



our game in the Houston market? Mr. Tiacy said the 

 grouse and ducks would readily bring twenty-five cents 

 each; the cranes fifty cents; the geese "seventy-five cents, 

 *nd the quail ten. A gentleman from Ohio, who was of 

 the party, said: "What a grand country is this, where even 

 men's sports will make them money!" 



On the return trip to Houston we found the prairies so 

 tilled with geese and grouse that several were shot down 

 from the cars while in molion. These, by common con- 

 sent, were given to Conductor Davis, and 1 believe his 

 share obtained in this way was larger than thai of any 

 other single individual. 



"WET- WEATHER MRUS. " 



While on the return trip I noticed hundreds of flocks of 

 very diminutive birds, much resembling the summer 

 sparrow, but of a lighter color. They seemed to go in 

 thousands, so that scores of them might be taken at a shot. 

 Mr. Tracy said they were the sweetest and fattest little 

 birds ia the world, but that it took "just two dozen to 

 make a breakfast for one." Another said that he called 

 them "wet-weather birds," 'tor," said he, "in wet or 

 damp weather the prairies are filled with them, and in dry 

 weather they are never seen. What becomes of ihem is 

 past finding out. I think they disband and take to the 

 forests." 



AT HOME. 



We reached Houston just, afler dark, the norther giving 

 us a stern welcome as we leaped from Hie coach. We all 

 parted happier, heartier, and I hope better than when we 

 met in the morning. I hope to tell you, Mr. Editor, of 

 many another day's sport around Wimberly. In the 

 meantime, you can say to Dr. Dio Lewis, that what he 

 says about goose-meat not being good, is all pure fiction. 

 Give me lots of fat, tender goose meat. N. A. T. 



Houston, Texas, Jan. lith, 1877. 



For Forest and Stream. 

 FOX HUNTING IN OHIO. 



THINKING a detail of how we hunt foxes In Ohio may 

 interest some of your readers, I will give you a brief 

 description. 



The sportsmen get together and decide upon a day and 

 place for a hunt, elect their chief officer and a captain for 

 each side, then advertise the day agreed upon, the territory 

 they propose surrounding (whirl! is generally ubout. four 

 square miles), and the hour for starting in towards theceu- 

 tre. The centre is designated by a tail flag stuff aud the 

 stars and stripes floaling therefrom. A small brush tent is 

 also put up for the foxes to bide in and rest when cornereil. 

 After closing in on a space about ten rods square, and al- 

 lowing the ioxes a few minutes' rest, the spoil I lion begins. 

 If a band is along they step in the enclosure uud serenade 

 what of the Reynard family may be housed there. Each 

 side is i hen allowed lo send in one person, generally a boy 

 about 1C years of age; the strife Ihen is lo see which side 

 will have the honor of catching the first or must foxes, 

 They must catch them by the Iftij aud lift Ihem up clear 

 from the ground at arm's length. No dogs, firearms, or 

 clubs, are allowed on the ground, whereby the foxes may 

 be injured, until after all ine sport is had with them that is 

 wanted. They are then sold to the highest bidder, the 

 proceeds going towards paying the advertising. 



Sometimes when there is an old sly fox cornered, he 

 makes the attempt to break through the ranks, but is 

 caught and thrown back in the enclosure, aud sneaks otf as 

 though he was ashamed of the trick. We bud seven or eight 

 of those hunts last winter, and on tome Occasions a thousand 

 or more persons would participate in the sport. 



One night in December there fell about lour inches id' 

 snow, aud in Hie morning my brother Will says, " Buck, 

 this is u good day to hunt foxes; won't you go?" I must 

 confess 1 did not need much coaxing, us 1 am ;i 

 sport. So 1 out my breech-loader together and took a few 

 cartridges of'F. F. shot, culled the dog, and muted forlho 

 woods where we thought we would he most likely to find 

 a fox. We had not got ten rods in Ihe woods before we 

 found where one had been along. We followed up the 

 trail and soon the tracks became so plenty we could not 

 keep one particular track, for sometimes three or four 

 would be going along together, and when they diverged we 

 eould not tell ono trom auother. We concluded we would 

 skirt around on ihe outer edge of the woods, ami perhaps 

 we might, find where one had left lor some, other piece of 

 timber. We soon struck a [rack that seemed lo be leading 

 off, and af|er following about half a mile we found wheie 

 he had gone down inside of a large poplar stump and 

 into a hole under a root. We ran a pole down some dis- 

 tance, but eould not feel him. Will then started tor a 

 spade and pick to dig him out. About the time he got lo 

 the house, which was about 80 rods off. the fox came to 

 the conclusion that he had belter try leg bail for it, and so 

 jumped out, knocking my dog off the slump backwards. 

 1 undertook to give him a load of shot as he started off, 

 but the cartridge failed to explode, and before I could get 

 the second banel ready the dog was between me and the 

 fox. There was a nice race then for ubout half a mile be- 

 fore my dog overhauled him. There was some (all fight- 

 ing done there by the looks of Ihe snow uud the noise they 

 made. We took his hide anil started for home, having had 

 sport enough for one day. We had not gone more than 

 half a mile before we struck another track and followed it 

 about ten rods and found a fox curled op in the hollow of 

 a tree. When we came up he went up in the hollow. We 

 got au ar and soon had him out. They were both very 

 large gray foxes. ^^^ Buck Shot. 



What is an Inch of Rain ?— An English acre consists 

 of 6,272,840 square inches ; aud au inch deep of rain on an 

 acre' yields 6,373.640 cubic inches of water, which at 

 277 274 cubic inches to the gallon makes 32 B33*fi gallons , 

 uud, as a gallon of distilled water weighs 10 lbs., ihe rain- 

 fall on an acre is 226,225 lbs, avoirdupois ', as 2,2-10 lbs. 

 are a ton, an inch deep of rain weighs 100993 tons, or 

 nearly 101 tons per acre. For every 100th of an inch a ton 

 of water fails per acre. 



, ■»♦♦- ■ 



—Eight thousand nine hundred and ninety quail have 

 been shipped from Salisbury, N. C, this season. 



