Forest and Stream. 



A Weekly Journal of the Rod and Gun. 



NEW YORK, MAY 10, 18 8 3. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



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 respeetfuhy invited. Anonymous communications will not be re- 

 garded. No name will be published except with writer's consent. 

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CONTENTS. 



Editorial. 



Fl.SHCUI.TUHK. 



The Right Men for the Place. 



London Fisheries Exhibition. 



Selecting the Men for the Team. 



Salmon Canning in British Co- 



Adirondack Survey Notes. -xvii. 



lumbia. 



Tin: SfoRTsjiAN Tourist. 



The Virginia Commission. 



Nimrod in the North.— vi. 



The Nebraska Commission. 



Those Bourns. 



ii l:,.m:i. 



Transatlantic Notes. 



The New York Dog Show. 



Natural Histort. 



1 In- GurJuD yt.-u.lnr.i 



Various Matters. 



Sporting Dogs. 



How Snakes Swallow. 



Kennel Notes. 



Spring Biids of Nebraska. 



Kennel Management. 



The Main.' 'laxklerinist l.nw. 



Rifle and Trap Shooting. 



The Sea-Serpent.. 



Muzzle vs. Breech. 



Game ISao aM> Bun. 



British Musketry Instruction. 



Trap vs. FJeluJUpoting, 



Range and Gallery. 



Through the Wilds of Tucker. 



Creedinoor 



Tin- Game of California. 



The Trap. 



Game and Fish Protectors. 



Jersey City Heights vs. Bridge- 



'■Baltimore flickers." 



port 



CAM' Fire Fuckerings. 



The Trap at Worcester. 



Sr.t and River Fishing. 



YACnTLNO. 



Quiet Sport.— n. 



"Fortunu. 



A Transformation Scene. 



Cutters. 



Woodmont Rod and Gun Club. 



CANOEING. 



The Pike Perch. 



A Word to Canoeists. 



Vermont Trout and Deer. 



The Coming Canoe Season. 



The I h . f i ] 1 1 i L i ". 1 1 ;- Silas 



Tandem Canoes. 



The Side in Schuylkill. 



Builders and the Association 



Angling for Whitefish. 

 What, the Fisherman Said. 



Rules. 



Answers to Correspondents. 



With its compact type and in its permanently enlarged form 

 of twenty-eight pages this journal fu rnishes rack week a larger 

 amount of first-class matter relating to angling, shooting, the 

 kennel, and kindred subjects, than is contained in all other 

 American publications put together. 



.SELECTING TEE TEAM. 



ON Monday morning next, at Creedinoor, will open the 

 .scries of four competitions which are to determine who 

 shall make up the American team of 1888. The general pre- 

 liminary conditions of those test shoots are already well 

 known through the notices which have been sent out calling 

 upon riflemen to compete. The committee in charge have 

 fixed an admirable working plan for each day's work, and 

 every precaution has been taken that the shoots shall be 

 scrupulously fair to each contestant. On each day the six- 

 ranges will be fired over, seven shots per man at each. There 

 may be practice up to 10 o'clock, but none from that time 

 until the opening of the competition at half-past 10. Then 

 the men will be called to the firing place by lot, two at a 

 time, and fire through their seven rounds alternately. No 

 one except the scorer will be permitted within twenty-five 

 feet of the firing point, and it will thus be a test of indi- 

 vidual merit of thy most exacting sort. Pair weather is to 

 be hoped for, and then with these scores before them there 

 ought to be no difficulty in determining who are the most 

 available men to put into the team ranks. 



J is imperative that no time be lost in having a captain 

 sc ted to head the team, so that practice on a sensible 

 \vc -dng basis may be at once proceeded with. Time is 

 short, and while the shooting thus far this season has been 

 most encouraging, yet it is idle to suppose that victory at 

 Wimbledom will be ours unless to that individual ability be 

 added the strength which comes from a united front against 

 the dangers of tricky winds and shifting lights. Luckily, 

 there is to be no experimenting ou ammunition by each man 

 for himself; that, senseless proceeding has been cut off and 

 uniformity on this very important point was assurred from 

 the very start. The Americans have been granted a very 

 important concession from the original conditions in the use 



of the windgauge, and the absurdity of having a match 

 fully a deende behind the times will not be repeated as in 

 1883. British conservatism bus been broken down to this 

 extent, ami it now remains to be seen whether or not our 

 leant can secure a winning score. If defeat comes, then it 

 is difficult to see where another match is to come from. 

 With the return of a victorious American team there ought 

 to be no trouble in keeping up a series of international 

 shoots. 



The forlorn hope of a victory which many of those who 

 watch ritle practice here indulged iu last year has changed 

 to a very fair prospect of a successful trip this year. With 

 shooting appliances greatly improved, the men have shown 

 a steadiness which augurs very well for an excellent result. 

 It is now merely a question of individual merit and a long, 

 strong pull together. The rifle will do everything which 

 can reasonably be expected. It is not one whit hehind the 

 English weapon, so that the question now is whether the 

 twenty odd years of persistent drill and practice before the 

 butts which each member of the British team will have en- 

 joyed can be overcome by the pluck, intelligence and hard 

 work of the American. With a good team system put into 

 play we feel safe in looking for an American victory. 



TEE RIGHT MEN J'VR THE PLACE. 

 ''piIE interesting relation of his Arctic adventures narrated 

 -*- in Forest AND Stream byLicul. Fred'k Sehwatka, 

 teaches more than one lesson. One oE the most important of 

 these is in strong confirmation of the views set forth by our 

 cotrespondent, Mr. J. C. Hughes, in our issue of June 29, 

 1883. In this communication the author called attention to 

 the folly of placing the attempts to reach the high northern 

 latitudes wholly in the hands of men who by education are 

 unfilled for a struggle against adverse circumstances on laud. 

 He says: 



In connection with Arctic expeditions that have from time, to time 

 been undertaken by various countries, one especial feature has 

 always presented itself to my mind. It has always appeared tome 

 that ihe expeditions have not been composed of the right kind or 

 stamp of men, and I have always, when reading the journals of any 

 expedition that has fallen under my notice, been strongly impressed 

 with the belief that, had the members of the expeditions referred lo 

 been composed of a different class of individuals, much bettor results 

 would have been obtained, and much suffering and, iu many cases. 

 loss of valuable life avoided. My idea is that each Arc-tie expedition 

 should include a certain proportion of a class of men commonly 

 known as North American trappers, who for a trip of this nature 

 possess certain qualities eminently fitting them to assist iu under- 

 takings of this kind. 



not among the bravest of the brave, they would 

 naturally shrink from undertaking a voyage that at any time is 

 liable to be changed to a land or ice march, when all their nautical 

 lore and experience does not tell for much, and perhaps bo thrown 

 upon a land trip iu an inhospitable country where to save their livs 

 might be a matter that would tax the abilities and best efforts per- 

 haps even of the very natives of the country, w ho, notwithstanding 

 a life of study of the various contrivances possible to be accom- 

 plished, have often sufficient to do to eke out a scanty subsistence 

 during the long and dreary winters of northern latitudes. 



Reverse the position and place men of the type of Kit Carson, 

 Daniel Boone, Joe Meek and other prominent trappers, at sea in a 

 vessel of the best elass, equipped and fitted with all the appliances 

 that science could suggest and money procure; leaic them to their 

 own devices, and what would they make of the situation? Gostdl 

 further, place them at a moment's warning in mid ocean in a ship's 

 boat with scanty supply of provisions, insufficient supply of water, 

 and what would tiiey accomplish, or be expected to accomplish under 

 Blich circumstances'? And yet the hardy and intrepid navigator cast 

 upon the ice is placed in almost as bad a situation in many ways as 

 the landsmen would be in the former mentioned ease. 



One very noticeable circumstance is apparent to readers of the 

 varrious narratives of all former expeditions, and this is, that to 

 such men as Ebierbing or Esquimaux Joe, who accompanied Capt. 

 C. F. Hall, were due the salvation of the party, who. unaided by their 

 efforts, would have surely perished by starvation, while Hans and 

 Petersen, in the voyages of Kane and Hayes, showed no less prouii- 

 nence iu their admirable fitness as members of a northern expedi- 

 tion. Indeed the annals of all the different exploring voyages teem 

 with abundant evidences of the necessity of incorporating men of 

 different classes in parties of the kind alluded to. 



While reading Strain's narrative of the trip across the Isthmus of 

 Darien, which terminated so disastrously to several of the party, I 

 could not help being struck with the disadvantages he labored uuder 

 for wantof practical men as a component part of the command, for, 

 while they were traversing a country having considerable jam-, ihe 

 rivers of which affording a generous supply of fish, although pro- 

 vided with arms and ammunition, they were unable to se- 

 cure enough food for their maintenance, and while possess- 

 ing personal bravery, indomitable courage, ability to en- 

 counter and endure great hardships, a large portion of the 

 command died from hunger, after the loss of their single and only 

 fish hook. Had such men as I have mentioned been attached to the 

 party, how long would it have taken them to make other fish hooks 

 out of portions of their guns or camp utensils, bones, etc. ? The 

 knowledge that a piece of wood or bone, pointed at both ends, tied 

 by the middle to a line, and when baited, laid alongside or parallel 



wed by a fish and 



a sha 



•p twitch given 



•ned in the fish's g 



diet or 



maw-, and con- 



g fish, such as calli 





others iuhablt- 



s one of the most 



effloia 



t fish hooks to 



the means of sa\ 



tag th 



3 entire parly. 



anil other appliat 





ultl have been 



m,who would lnu 

 e banks of the sir 

 o appliances for t 



e need 



ed nothing tint, 

 nd an ordinary 



ure Of fish and 



Spears, gaffs, nets, traps 



within the scope of such n 



the wood that grew on t 



knife to fashion them in 



game. Many of the animals of North America being nocturnal in 



their habits, seldom offer an opportunity to mankind to secure 



food by shooting them, but traps, when set by experienced trappers. 



meet the difficulty and supply food and clothing obtained by no 



other means. 



Nobody ever makes a trip, takes a hunt with, or remains in the 

 company of an experienced hunter and trapper, without learning 



they do of other sciences. The only place to obtain education in this 

 branch is the school of experience, and the study is of such magni- 

 tude that it is never completed. Necessity being the mother of in- 

 vention, perhaps there is no other class of men who are so often 

 placed in positions requiring for success ability to adapt themselves 

 to circumstances; henc-e the value of their services iu all matters 

 requiring prompt measures, decision, and capacity to make the best 

 of the situation. How important it is, therefore, that the very best 

 material should be selected for all such hazardous undertakings as 

 Arctic explorations. 



How many men of even average intelligence can procure fire with- 

 out matches ? and when procured, does It strike one man out of a 

 thousand, when needing fire for warmth at night (clothing being in- 

 sufficient), that the proper plan is to build two or more llres, and lie 

 dow n between them and thus almost do away with the necessity for 

 blankets at all? No, it does not: but he builds one big fire that he 

 cairt get near, if fuel be plasty, and the unfortunate person presents 

 the unhappy condil ion of being nearly roasted on one side, while, 

 being nearly froze on the other, and after various feats of ground 

 and lofty tumbUng, morning returns to find him more tired than 

 when lying down the night previous. Many other examples of the 

 devices, contrivances and shifts appertaining to a knowledge of 

 forest life might be introduced here as illustrative of Ihe correctness 

 of the theory involved in this article, but those mentioned will per- 

 haps suffice. 



There are representative men of the class spoken of who will leave 

 the settlements, make a trip through an uninhabited region (occupy- 



ing months 

 matter ho w 

 a party pro- 

 simply niea 



i) a! oj 



.ml Hvi 



'Clin 



clad 



to brave the dangers of 

 without endangering 11 

 which they must, from 

 or nothing. 



It may be said that tt 

 to be had in the capacil 



The while race the wo 

 they a 



s the season or inclement the weather, wdiero to 

 th a much better outfit such a journey would 

 by starvation, unless some of the party were 

 :-i ies of woodcraft. The one would live, so to 

 of the land; the others would scarcely see n bird 



reason to send out men who are willing not only 

 s of it"' >eas with which they are acquainted, 

 g their valuable lives in a land or ice march of 

 ran the condition of their past lives, know little 



natives of the country are the best persons 

 of guides, hunters and auxiliaries. This is 

 ;ument being good to a limited degree only, 

 d over is superior as a class to any other; 

 the use of firearms, means of travel, eudur- 



many other ways. What a white trapper would learn in 

 a few days in Greenland would enable him to discount, the average 

 native in anything except perhaps the management of a kayak or 

 something of like nature. Then (here is a moral courage that is 

 associated with education and intelligence, that frequently is of the 

 utmost importance, which in matters requiring decision of character 

 and judgment, more than makes up for a large amount of physical 

 courage, since .superstition, going hand in hand with ignorance, 

 renders the uneducated native of very little account in many affairs. 



The heroism of seamen is loo well understood lo need any 

 praise, but from the very conditions of their education and 

 training, it is apparent at once that they are at a great dis- 

 advantage when forced to face on land n condition of things 

 which might appall even the natives themselves. They are 

 not accustomed, as are the trapper and mountain men of the 

 West, to depend for their comfort, and even life, ou l lie 

 country and its indigenous animals. They know nothing 

 of the giime and fish, nor of its habits, and so may starve in 

 the midst of plenty. That landsmen, and especially those 

 brought up in Ihe rough school of the mountain and forest, 

 would add inconceivable strength to any Arctic expedition is 

 very clear. 



If we remember the story of the hardships and dangers 

 undergone by the early explorers of America, we see an 

 analogous condition of things; the early Spanish and French 

 exploters iu Florida and the Sotiih, though passing through 

 a country swarming with game and abounding with frui Is 

 and vegetables, often starved to death, or only relieved 

 their wants by robbing the Indians of their maize. 



How different is the case in the last Franklin search expe- 

 dition. Lieut. Schwatka and his men lived on the country, 

 adapted themselves. to Ihe easterns of the unlives, took les- 

 sons from them in hunting, house building, dogdrivingaud 

 a dozen other subjects, and really underwent little or no 

 suffering. This shows very clearly what can be done by 

 men thrown on their own resources, who take advantage of 

 every circumstance, even iu ihe frightful climate of the 

 extremest north. 



The article from which we have quoted has been exten- 



