64 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



after we heard the crackling of twigs and a creaking sound 

 which we could attribute to but one cause — namely, an ox- 

 cart much hi need of a lubricant. The party (for such it 

 proved to lie) soon after came to a hall, and through the 

 oppressive stillness of the forest we beard orders given"in a 

 language that sounded as sweet to us then as'the most 

 heavenly music, and soon the cheerful blaze of a tire illu- 

 mined the forest. 



We now cautiously approached the camp of the strangers, 

 and when the dogs' begun barking Whipley cried out in a 

 loud voice, "We are Englishmen in distress/' 



The dogs were beaten'haek and we heard a voice calling 

 us "to come into camp." This we were not slow in doing, 

 and we found the strangers to be a strong party of hunters 

 returning to Cape Town after a month's shooting. They 

 were thoroughly equipped with arms and supplies, and had 

 a pair of oxen to haul the cart containing them. The party 

 consisted of four Englishmen and ten trusted Oaft're ser- 

 vants, and when I asked one of the Englishmen if lie did 

 not fear an attack from the Bushmen who treated us so 

 treacherously be laughed, and said "he thought they 

 wouldn't bother us. If they did a volley from the rifles o'f 

 his Calf res would scatter them." 



We ate a hearty supper, after which our friends supplied 

 us with a blanket apiece, and as we were completely ex- 

 hausted we were excused from making a very lengthy re 

 cita] of our adventures that night. 



Nothing occurred during the night to disturb our rest, 

 and \cry early in the niniiniis ivt u'te our break fast, after 

 which the party resumed the march lo Cape Town, where 

 we arrived, without further misfortunes, late the same 

 night, 



Tiie last time I saw Whipley and Baker they were getting 

 ready a strong party of friendly GafEres "to have that shoot 

 out anyhow.'' They swore they should get even with the 

 Bushmen, and when this remark was made I saw by the 

 wicked look in their eyes they meant business. 



TWO AFTERNOONS. 



SAM and 1 had been hunting quail all day, and late hi the 

 _ afternoon, as we were working over toward Ellis Hol- 

 low, 1 sugge-tte j that we take a run through the alders down 

 iu the Hollow and get a few grouse before dark. "Sam,"' 

 said I, "do you rememoer how even our bags have always 

 been when we have hunted over here? We. have Usually 

 killed ahout-the same number of birds each, even if you are 

 the besi shot; but this time I'm going to beat you.'" The 

 only response was a simple grunt, which spoke -Volumes lo 

 me, as more skepticism was crowded into that one contrac- 

 tion of the vocal chords than could have been expressed by 

 any combination of words. 



Ellis Hollow is a gamy little valley, through which a small 

 stream runs. A strip of alders a few rods wide- shades the 

 richest of boring ground lor woodcock, and on either side 

 are knolls of beech and oak woods in which mlted grouse 

 are always to be Hushed, the birds usually being found alo g 

 the stream late iu the afternoon. Here' and there are open 

 places grown full of cat-tail rushes, and along the tumble- 

 down, lichen-covered fences the dogs sometimes get into a 

 chronic condition of pointing, with few intermissions, for 

 an hour or so at a time. 



Belle and Grouse screwed their noses up to their widest 

 gauge as we approached the alders, for they had been there 

 b&fore and knew what was to be expected. A little more 

 cautious step, a little more pausing with heads high in air. 

 and a more careful eye to each other's movements marked 

 their actions. Just as we passed through a clump of hem- 

 locks old Belle's legs commenced to grow stiff, and the 

 youngster Grouse was soon in the same condition. At that in- 

 stant, with a sudden rush, a grouse dashed from under a log 

 and flew straight for Sam's head, and the latter, turning 

 quickly around, coolly wound his gun up in a festoon of 

 grapevines, vainly trying to pull over that part, of the woods 

 to which the grapevines were attached, as the bird made his 

 WU3' across an open place in plain sight. Another grouse 

 sprang Out of a hemlock and disappeared quickly, leaving 

 only a little wave of branches to mark the place, and an 

 old' cock bird ran clucking out of a patch of briers close to 

 me, with crest raised and" tail spread widely, and started a 

 circle of rustling leaves in his wake as h. mounted on wing. 

 The Parker was on him in an instant, and he tinned over 

 and over in the ah, leaving a stream of feathers floating 

 back on the breeze as he bounded in among the winter- 

 greens. 



"Tell you what it is, Sam," said I, "this wood powder isa 

 fine tiling. Toucan see your bird wilt so prettily right 

 before your eyes, and can fairly see the shot hit him." 

 "Yes," said Sam, "that's a fact; but my bird didn't happen 

 to wilt, and, besides, I ran a stick so far into my eye that it 

 poked my hat off from the back of my head." "That's a 

 poor excuse, old boy," I answered, "and you want to get 

 another excuse ready forthc next bird, anil hurry up with 

 it. too." Old Belle "fetched the lifeless bird proudly, with 

 h?r short tail wagging and ears up, while Grouse stood try- 

 ing to poke a feather off from the end of his nose with his 

 paw, and then we started into the alders iu earnest, but 

 worked clear across them without finding anything ex- 

 cept a rabbit or two. Both dogs again made game tit the 

 edge of a beech knoll, and the bird flushed "wild. Sam 

 failed to slop him, and as be came hurrying past me at forty 

 yards distance, I held ahead and pulled. One leg fell dang- 

 ling in the air, but the grouse still kept on, flying like an 

 arrow, and wi»nt way up in the swamp. We started after 

 him, but he had not alighted at the place whore we marked 

 him down, and the dogs linalh had to give it up. It gives 

 one a very disagreeable feeling" to wound a bird and then not 

 lie able to find the poor thing and put it out of its misery; 

 but Ibis bird did not want to be put out of his, and we left 

 ir, lo his choice Working along through Ihe alders again, 

 we found a lot of borings wherea late woodcock had stopped 

 over night, but the bird could not be found, and I he dogs 

 started off. on a new trail, with a grousev sort of behavior, 

 trailing toward an old fence when.' we usually started a 



f rouse. Sam kept near the dogs, while 1 went to one side, 

 oping to get a more open shot. 



Suddenly Sam called out that both dogs were steady on a 

 point, and at the sound of Ins voice B bird arose, a dull thud 

 immediately following the report of his gun, Just then 

 another grouse sprang out from almosi under my feet, and 

 by the time that he was fa i enough away lo shoot at, the 

 alders nearly hid him from sight. A quick double snapshot 

 failed to stop him. and he went a long way up on the side 

 hill and over the fence into the woods. "I suppose that vou 

 are wondering why you didn't kill that; bird," said Sam. 

 "but if you'll look ahead there vou will see that you've cut 

 out about six rods v ( solid alders, and the patch will be 



cleared up well enough to plant potatoes on in the spring." 

 "That's all right, Sam," said I, "but I usually use the right 

 barrel to clear up the brush with, and I he left one for kill- 

 ing the bird after 1 have got him shucked, and that bird 

 was certainly hard hit," Sam was vary skeptical, but I 

 started up to cross the lot to the place where the arouse had 

 entered the woods and there found him lying on Irs back as 

 dead as a stoue, and nicely laid out on a wide bed of green 

 moss. I picked the handsome fellow up, smoothed his 

 feathers and folded his wings close lo his side, and then slid 

 him down head first into my big inside game pocket where 

 he fell with a thump against the one already there and the 

 quails. How nice it feels to shake the edge of your coat a 

 little and settle a heavy bird down in the corner where he 

 will fit. And how your dog's eyes do sparkle as he watches 

 the bird sliding out "of sight and' knows that it is safe. 



Turning back toward tne aiders again I heard a 

 quick double shot below me, but no following "w-h-o-o-p" 

 from Sam, and two grouse hurrying oil' over the tops of the 

 trees told the story. 



Both dogs commenced working together again along an old 

 cart path, and slowly and cautiously followed up the bird 

 for several rods, finally coming to a point in a narrow strip 

 of alders. Old Belle was crouching low, with nose raised 

 and tail as stiff as a poker, while Grouse stood square along- 

 side of her with his head a little low T er and so intent in his 

 anticipations that he had forgotten all style, and stood with 

 one hind leg raised in a most awkward attitude, but one 

 which meant business nevertheless. Sam stepped oyer on 

 one side of the alders and I stayed on the side with the does 

 and very near to them. For a moment we watched them 

 admiringly and then, with a sudden rush, outwent the bird, 

 drawing up his legs as he jumped aud raising his crest as be 

 whirred by with spread tail not more than ii'rod away from 

 me, and flew out across the open. How pretty the" black 

 bars on his sides and the spots on his back did look as I 

 fixed my eyes upon him and waited until he was four or 

 five rochj away. The gun came to my shoulder, fitting as 

 neatly as a glove, aud I coolly pulled the trigger. The lusty 

 bird halted in his swift course, aud dioppi'hg his head anil 

 folding his wings plunged headlong downward, knocking 

 the gay leaves from a little swamp maple and making the 

 branches swish as he tumbled crookedly through, and then 

 lay beating a tattoo on the ground with his wings, leaving a 

 few prettily marked feathers hanging in the branches of the 

 maple, while two or three others floated dowu with the 

 gyrating leaves. Belle fetched the bird eagerly; and after 

 smoothing out lih feathers and feeling of his' plump breast 

 1 slipped him into the pocket ou the "other side of the coat 

 for ballast, 



By tins time we were almest at the upper end of tile- al- 

 lien, and the dogs were making game near the edge of 

 the brook. There in a patch 67 soft ground on the 

 bank were several groups of small round holes bored iuto 

 the rich mud. with here aud there a pal eh of white about 

 the size of a half dollar. We expected every instant to hear 

 the familiar twitter of the loug-billed, brown-breasted, soft- 

 feathered bird, that had left his mark, but we could not 

 have the pleasure of seeing him top Hie alders and fall life- 

 less back, for he had evidently only tarried there awhile the 

 evening before on his journeySouth. 



It was fast growing dark, and we started for the roa , 

 stoppiug at a farmhouse long enough to get a couple of 

 glasses of sparkling eider and to light our pipes, preparatory 

 to our long walk home iu the clear November evening. 



The next day was devoted entirely to grouse in a favorite 

 hunting ground of ours, and we killed 'as usual enough to 

 make us thank our fortunes that we were hunters. J re- 

 member one remark which Sam made ou that day. We bad 

 flushed a magnificent cock bird twice without g'etting him, 

 and finally cornered him under a fallen free-top.' Sam 

 Mounted the the tree-top. and as the grouse dashed out with 

 a startling whir-r r, sent him head over heels into the yellow 

 brakes; and when the bird was fetched. Sam held the splendid 

 bird out at arm's length, and gazed at him fondly for a 

 moment; then, taking a deep breath, exuitiue.lv said:' "Look 

 at that bird! Just look at him' Who cares lor titles! Who 

 cures for millions! They are all vanities! Shallow! when 

 a bird like that grows wdld in our woods!" How many 

 times since in memory I have seen Sam standing there iii 

 the -Indian summer light under the overlmnging'branehes 

 of the great forest trees iu an inspired attitude, repeating 

 that sentiment. 



Shall I ask pardon for this digression'.' Well, we will go 

 on to the following af'ternoou. Sam and 1 had again been 

 hunting quail, and had gradually worked over into the 

 vicinity 01 Ellis Hollow again. It was getting rather late 

 in the day, and Sam suggested that we had just time enough 

 to take a run through the alders, and give him a chance "to 

 get even with me on the previous score made there. I wil- 

 lingly consented, and we started in enthusiastically, but 

 hunted over one favorite bit of ground after another with- 

 out raising anything except a couple of rabbits, which 

 Grouse watched wistfully with one eye, as lie kepi the other 

 on my wdiip pocket. When we had almost finished the 

 strip of alders, and were wondering what had become of the 

 birds, we suddenly noticed that the dogs were quiet, and 

 just Iben a grouse jumped out and was handsomely tumbled 

 over by Sam. The dogs instantly began following another 

 trail, and followed it, clear to the" last" bunch of aiders, and 

 as I turned to look for Sam a grouse flushed close lo me 

 aud made off in Safely, my charge of shot being stowed 

 away in the trunk of a dead tree about four feet away 

 That was provoking certainly, for it did not seem possibf 

 that that grouse could get away in such an open place, but 

 the fact remained that he had gone, and we marked him 

 down closely. Although the day was fast closing, we 

 decided to go back after the bird, and before we had gotten 

 half way to him I walked "right on top" of a pair of grouse 

 that had probably just come down into 1 tie alders. As they 

 climbed away a charge of No. 8 was sent quickly after 

 each, but a forked branch held my gun barrel about a foot 

 under the first one, and something else from the bird's 

 lucky star prevented n.e from getting bearings on bird No. 

 3, so' that they escaped inline style. 



My chagrin was rendered more poignant at seeing a 

 grouse arise at a long distance from Sam and fall circling 

 back. <Vnd it seemed lo me as though Grouse and Bclf 

 glanced leproaehfully at me as tile bird was brought in Lo 

 Sam. I firmly decided lo kill the grouse which we bad 

 marked down anyway, and as both dogs pointed staunchly 

 at his hiding place il ' -eemed that the" bird must come my 

 way. He didn't do anything of the sort, however, bui 

 acted just as grouse have acted before, by getting behind 

 the fence, and keeping behind it tudil out of range. An- 

 other bird jumped up a short distance from Sam, and the 

 latter started I he feathers but did not kill the bird, wide 1 1 



followed the first one. aud we watched both as they climbed 

 up the side hill, and on bent wings went sailing into the 

 woods. In a moment we were upon them again, and the 

 dogs had hardly commenced to work before they pointed. 

 Sain flushed one, and as it came down past me at full speed 

 it fell deadbofore mv very nose just as rn\ trigger was on 

 the point of being pulled.' The oilier bird then started from 

 behind Sam, and as il made straight for Die tops of the 

 trees, Sam pulled and reversed the" bird's lever so that it 

 came quickly backing down agaiu. The grouse on striking 

 commenced Buttering mid bounding at a great rnteand went 

 tumbling down the steep side hill This was too much for 

 he nerves of young Grouse, and iu spite of his knowledge 

 of the rules of propriety, he rushed in and made a grab fur 

 the bird, stumbling as he did so, and rolling over aud over 

 alongside of the fluttering bird, his feel in "the air and his 

 neck stretched to its fullest extent, reaching for the grouse 

 amid a showei of dry haves which were being kicked in to 

 the air. The spectacle was so amusing that it was hard to 

 punish the eager youngster afterward, bill it was neoessajy 

 to punish him fust a little to remind him that there were 

 certain limits lo his usefulness. 



Sam now had four grouse and I had none, and il was 

 already dusk. We had" hardly re-entered the alders, how- 

 ever, before both dogs came to a point near an old fence, 

 where the brush was so thick that 1 could barely see them.' 

 A dry stick thrown in flushed the bird, and. catching a Faint 

 glimpse of him, I fired a snapshot, A whoop from Sam 

 was enough to show that the grouse was down but 1 rather 

 doubled the fact until the thumping of his wings on the 

 ground pushed Ihe fact into my willing sensoriuiu. Sam 

 could see the whole performance from where he stood and 

 swore that my shot did not kill the grouse. He explained 

 by saying that he believed the bird to have been so mortified 



at bei 



tie. 



pc 



;essed cheek 



enough to try a snap shot like that, that he flew against thf 

 top rail of the fence and deliberately committed suicide. 

 Sam accounted for Ihe shot marks b\ 'sayiu" that it was a 

 bird which he had tired half a dozen charges into during 

 the autumn. "Now, see here. Sam," said I. "you know ; 

 perfectly well that that was r better shot than" you ever 

 made. All of your birds this afternoon gave you such easy 

 shots that I could have billed them myself with a fishpole if 

 I had been standing in your shoes. I'd rather have this bird 

 in my pocket than a dozen of yours, but anyway we will 

 bunt for grouse all day to-morrow and try and get our 

 records smooth again. I'll acknowledge that you are even 

 with me on the score we made here day before ye sterdav, 

 but don't think that it was quite fair in you to li'v aud get 

 ahead." 



That, evening, after we had reached home and had dis- 

 posed of an enormous quantity of slap-jacks, stewed grouse, 

 milk and pumpkin pie, Sam set a big pitcher of cold cider 

 on the table aud we tipped our chairs back on two legs 

 against the wall, lighted our pipes and told yarns till bedtime 

 with two or three of the boys who had dropped iu tip usual 

 after supper. iM ark West. 



AROUND THE COAST OF FLORIDA. 



BIT DR. J. A. UliNsirAl.l.. 

 Fifth Paper. 



WE left Miami at eleven o'clock iu the forenoon with a 

 light ensteily wind. .Mr. K O. Cjuvnu. Mayor of 

 Key West, having concluded his business a! Miami, and the 

 mad schooner not leaving for several days, in fact had not 

 yet arrived from Key West, we offered him a passage, as we 

 intended going direct to that city. We greatly enjoved Ids 

 genial society "on the I rip, for being well informed, and a 

 close observer, he possessed an abundant stock of informa- 

 tion of that seel ion of the country. 



As we sailed out of Miami River, Ihe line of keys shutting 

 in the bay from the ocean were plainly visible toward the 

 southeast, the most northerly being Virginia Key, then Key 

 Biscayne. Soldier Key and Ragged Keys. The'soulh point 

 of Key Biscavue is Cape Florida, upon which stands the 

 lighthouse tower, now abandoned as a light station. East- 

 ward of Soldier Key. aud rive and a half miles S.E. ] S. from 

 Cape- Florida, is Fowey Hocks Lighthouse, oil the northern 

 extremity of the Florida reefs. It is an iron framework, 

 with the lantern one hundred and len feet above the sea. 

 showing a fixed wliite light, visible in eh-ar weai her some 

 sixteen miles. This light is situated at the northern entrance 

 to Hawk Channel, leading between the line of Florida Keys 

 and the outlying reefs, along the Florida Straits to Key 

 West. The channel is from three to five miles wide and is 

 about one hundred and forty miles from Virginia Key to 

 Key West. 



Biscayne Bay is broadest abreast of Bagged Keys, and 

 about here begin the Feather-bed Shoals, a series of parallel 

 sand shoals stretching across the bay. They are easily dis- 

 cernable, showing quite white at a distance, and by follow- 

 ing the shoal in either direction an opening will soon be 

 fOUtirl Below Ragged Keys is a long one called Kllioll's . 

 Key: near its southern extremity a group of small keys 

 stretch across Biscayne Bay. separating it from Card's 

 Sound Small boats may proceed through Card's and Barne's 

 sounds, aud then keep under the lee of the line of keys to 

 Key West; bul it require- some previous knowledge (ir Ihe 

 employment of a competent pilot, to avoid the many mud 

 lints, shoals and reel's of this route, for the water is shallow. 

 It would prove a delightful and interesting canoe trip, which 

 I hope some flay to make. Owing to the many keys, man- 

 grove islands and shoals, with the "mainland to the north and 

 the Florida Keys to the southward, Ihe water is always com- 

 paratively smooth. There is an abundance of shore and 

 wading b'irds. an endless variety of fishes, oyster-, tunics. 

 etc.) while on the Indian hunting grounds on the mainland 

 there is plenty of large game. Indeed, with a few carries or 



portages, the entire coast of Florida can be circumnavigated 

 in a small canoe, capable of being sailed aud paddled, and it 

 is surprising to me that some of our enthusiastic aud ven- 

 turesome canoeists do not attempt it. 



Sailing down Biscayne Bay we took a number of tarpum, 

 groupers, crevalle and barracudas on the trolling lines, anil 

 saw numerous loggerhead and green turtles. At the' south 

 end of Elliott's Key is a passage to the sea called Ciesar's 

 Creek, winding between Unit key and some smaller ones. 

 YY'e followed ('sesar's lieek to the main channel inside the 

 Fiorina reefs, before' mentioned, where w r e anchored »i sun- 

 down, some thirty five miles from Miami. The next morn- 

 ing bioke clear and fine with a Irish E N.E. breeze, and 

 leaving the mouth of Cresars Creek we went dashing along; 

 leaving Old Rhodes K.y to the starboard. We next .nine 

 to tie- largest of the keys. ( ayo Cargo, ,u the dead of which 

 we caught tlae last glimpse of the mainland llial we would 



