386 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jtjkh 14, 1883. 



hope u! getting th«U to come back, I blew until my mouth 



was sore, aud then 1 turned my attention to shooting alliga- 



11 '" ' nearlj Mil my rifle ball- away before I 



heard or saw a dog returning;, without killing, as far as I 



could discoi ■ i a sui| le ftlligati Pi in ; ■ ; pretty good 



till ! ..:i!ii up and down, back and forth, 



' [1 in have been two o'clock in the after- 



i ] oni '■<■ ' It) - come to the water's 



' i a good drink, and then commence howling. J 

 blew my horn and rode along the lake, with the hope that 

 be would Follow my course on (lie opposite side, and not 

 d of lliat be plunged into the water 

 aud began swimming across to me. One of the largest alli- 

 gators that I bad seen, and at which 1 bad sltol Over a dozen 

 iii middle of the lake. He discovered the dog 



'■ ' iug, and as if con eiou las power to catch 



.im, acted like the cat that lets the. mouse run as if 

 he did uol intend to spring Upon it. He swam back 

 md forth, apparently without any intention or pursu- 

 ing the dog', and seemed to be eyeing me more than he did 

 rJlov Thedoghad gotteaovei half ways when 

 the listlctssneas of the ulligutoi gave way to the most poWer- 

 itl i (Tons to eitch bis prey, go great and bo swift was his 

 velocity in swimming, that the waves rolled far ahead of 



Mm, striking the Sore triierelwae aud running a few 

 inches up on the sandbar, The hound bad discovered be 



was pursued, Ms efforts oe n loublcd and he gave 



from time to time, quick, mournful bowls. I kepi rayrifle 



ready feS shoot at the last momeut, with the hope of making 

 a successful shol and saving bis life. On came the dog, on 

 followed his deadly pursuer, the distance between them les- 

 sening each stroke of the great paws ol the alligator which 

 kept its body entirely sunk out of sight, with nothing but the 

 .■■ eye- visible above the water, which rolled 

 in waves so high as sometimes to hide those eyes, i shouted 

 all the encouragement 1 could to I tic* dog, hoping 

 e alligator would turn back. But no, lie was determined 

 that poor dog. and I vowed to prevent it if pos- 



ii in sonic twenty-five yards of the 

 i ligator nearly close enough to seize 

 nim, of those great paddle feel, and he 



was up with him, but the heavy waves sunk the dog, Ihe 

 i i.i to the .-boulder, the forefinger ready to 

 touch the sprin _■ i e alligator raised his whole head 



out ol the water to look lor the sunk dog. and that instant, 

 the conical ball, loity to the pound, crashed through one 

 eye Of that alligator and burst through the brain, coming 



out n eenl i.i ihe bead. He -prang clear out of the 



water with Hi Ic - than twelve feet long, 



and dowu he came on his back, resting in the throes of 

 death for a few moments on the surface, aud then sunk out 

 of sight, the last seen being Ihe four great paddle feet, with 

 lie- long claws stretchy .1 out like the hands of a drowning 

 negro. The dog was saved. 1 fell happier over that shot 

 than auv shot I had made at any' lime of my life previous to 

 this. 



Three long blasts of the horn brought in twenty minutes 

 Mi Scarborough and .Mr. DmkraVc. The nice' shot and 



the exciting chase were related, the buck 1 had killed was 

 tied behind my saddle and we c ! to camp. 



While waiting for Ihe dogs to return. I had eaten my 

 lunch, and smoked up every cigar, and now 1 was as hungry 

 loci ■: . ■■. h rally get, anil nearly dead for a smoke. 



After a tremendous dinner, enough lor I lure men, 1 was 

 ready to rehearse the occurrences and join in getting ready 

 to return. The doer were put into two yawls, with some 

 negroes to row back to Monroe, the horses and dogs sent by 

 laud under care of some two or three negroes, and we seven 

 whites got into the third, the largest of ihe yawls, aud 

 ,-! .in d down the river, a bell i : , . i ol hunters never 



before landing tit that old picturesque and most Hospitable 

 city. 



ivc rowed up to the lauding oppo- 

 site the saloon of Charlie Austin, Coming in under "a good 

 chorus of a hunter's song, everybody was out on the bank 

 Watching for us, and when those great, fat, tine deer, thir- 

 teen in all, were carried up the banks by torchlight and 

 deposited before Charlie's door, main I.i sveri made as (o 

 Weight, and everybody that wanted a toddy or a glass of 

 wine, or a cigar, was invited to participate, air! thus ended 

 oue of the most delightful aud successful camp-hunts that 

 the oldest inhabitant had ever known to have taken place at 

 the "Horseshoe." 



MlNDEN, La. 



THE MINNESOTA LAW. 



^I^HE text of the Minnesota game law passed al the last 

 _L session Of the Legislature and.npprovcd March 5, 1883, 

 is as follows: 



"Section 1, No person shall kill, or pursue with intent to 

 kill, any woodcock, saving only during the month of July, 

 after the third (/id) day of said mouth, and during the 



lis of August. S-ptember and October; nor an;., 

 hen or chicken, nor any white-breasted or sharp-tailed 

 i or prairie chickens, save only between the 15th day 

 Of August and the 1st day of October in any year, nor any 

 qtxa.il or partridge, nor any ruffed grouse or pheasant, save 

 only during the months of October, November and Decem- 

 ber, nor any aquatic fowl, save only between the first day 

 of September and the fifteenth 1 1 &) day of May succeeding in 

 any year. Any person or persons offending against any 

 provisions of this act shall be punished by a line of not less 

 live (a) dollars nor more than fifty (50) dollars and by 

 the forfeiture of any and all of the above named game birds, 

 found in his or their posession, and by the forfeiture of an y 

 gun or guns and sporting implements and any flog or dogs. 

 in his or their posession, together with the costs of prosecu- 

 tion, or both, in the discretion of the court." 



Section 2. Section two (S) of the said chapter be. and 

 heieby is, amended by striking out the word "November" 

 when the same occurs therein, and inserting in lieu thereof 

 .ol "Dt camber." 



Section 8. That section thei.dof said net be amended to 

 read as billows. 



ion 5. No person or corporation, ol'«nj employe of 

 such corporation, shall, al any tiuie or in any manner, export 

 or cany out or cause to he exported or carried out, or have 

 in possession for the purpose of carrying out, or attempt in 

 Buy way to carry out of the limits of this State of the birds 

 mentioned in section one, (1) of this act, or any of the ani- 

 mal- i . pal'toJ animal mentioned in section two (2) thereof. 

 Any person 01 corporation offending against an} of the pro- 

 visions of this .section shall, for each and every such offense 

 be deemed guilty of a ini.-deincnor, and on conviction tbereof 



ment in the county jail not exceeding three months; and 

 provided further, that for the purposes thereof , the transpor- 

 tation or attempted transportation, or huving in possession 

 therefor as aforesaid of each bird or animal or distinct 

 part, thereof, shall be and constitute a distinct and separate 

 offense." 



Section X. This act shall lake effect, and be iu force from 

 and after its passage. 



THE NEW SPORTING POWDER. 



BT H. CnOI.MONDF.T.EY-rENNEt.T.. 



IT is not a little singular in Ibis age of chemical i 

 and in regard to an article of such universal demand us 

 gunpowder, that it should he still possible to say with accu- 

 racy that, until ipiite recently no powder, or substitute for 

 powder, has been invented which is not only not imperfect 

 but which is not open to one or more fata) objections. Such, 

 however, is literally the fact. Of all Ihe coilous, felts, com- 

 pounds and what-not, that have from time to time been intro- 

 duced with flourish of trumpet to the public notice — two 

 only — common black powder and Sehultze or Wood powder 

 — remain for practical purposes in existence-, and they are 

 both open to objections which, unless T am much mistaken, 

 will very shortly consign them to the category of the "tilings 

 thai have been." 



We all know, alas! and only too familiarly, on both sides 

 ol the Atlantic, the vices of our old friends Curtis and 

 Harvey, et hoc. getvas mane; how they smoke, how they 

 coil, bow they foul— (the coagulated dirtiness net 

 moreover, with every additional shot)— in line 

 they merit their original sobriquet of ■■villainous 

 while the faults of their rivals, the 

 powder, though (unfortunately, perhaps) not lyi 

 on the surface, arc only too well-known to those 



are combined and improved upon. In pattern and pene - 

 tration alike, as has been shown by recent carefully eon 

 ducted and independent experiments,-'- the E. C. powder is 

 superior to both its rivals. This is fully confirmed by the 

 "practical" tests which 1 have applied myself, as chroni- 

 cled in the London FitJ.il. aud elsewhere. As in every leally 

 scientific experiment, however, complete success depends 

 primarily upon the requisite conditions being complied with, 

 and I recommend any one wishing to try the E. C. powder 

 to adopt the following rules in loading their cartridges: 



Charge.— The best game charge for 13-bore gun 'with \{ 

 ounces of shot is from forty-five or forty-six to forty-eight 

 grains of powder. For heavier charges 'of shot the powder 



should be increased proportionately. Avery good 'charge 

 for pigeon shooting or heavy work'is fifty-two or fifty-three 

 grains of powder and \i ounces of shot— which is the largest 

 charge that can be conveniently go into a 24in. ease, with- 

 out some mechanical means of compressing the powder. 



Wadding. — Wads are very important, in order to get per- 

 fect regularity of pattern and penetration, and 1 find the 

 following give the best results. Over the powder a common 

 (gray) cloth wad; then Sf felt; and over the shot igaiB 

 common (gray) cloth wad. The wads should all fit the 



uld fit tightly, 

 ould be added 



and in the ah 



ieh I have 



fating, 

 how well 

 saltpetre;" 



or Wood 



g so much 

 who have 

 ind espeei- 



eou shoot- 

 ing, manifest themselves in what may be described as their 

 regular irregularity, no two issues In ing apparently alike in 

 strength, and in (he extreme inequality of shooting which is 

 the natural consequence. But this is not the only, nor even 

 iu my judgment, the most formidable drawback to Sehultze 

 powder, V? hether owlng-to the different effects produced 

 by different amounts of pressure, or. as was lately suggest ed by 

 the editor of the London Fi.ld, to the large admixture of dust, 

 which possibly gets into the cap, it is certainly the fact that 

 while on the one hand it will happen, and not infrequently 

 in my experience, that there seems to be an almost total 

 absence of explosive force, it is occasionally developed in 

 such a, startling and inexplicable manner as to result in split 

 cartridge-rims, ghastly gaps between breech and barrels, or, 

 a-- sometimes happens in the more serious class of accid -nt.s. 

 a complete carrying away of wood and iron, after which the 

 Shooter may be only too thankful if Iris bead is left on 

 his shoulders. An" illustration of this sort of escape 

 occurred within my own small range of acquaintances 

 only during the lust month or two; aud several 

 of such accidents I have witnessed. I remember when 

 Lord Helmsley's gun burst at Hurlingham, and for the mo- 

 ment we all feared the worst. 1 recollect, also, seeing the 



gi fa Well-known pigeon-shot of his day broken right into 



two pieces, the barrels after the accident 'remaining in one 

 hand, and the stock absolutely divorced from its partners, 

 iu (he other; and I am satisfied from the extraordinary re- 

 coil which 1 have experienced over and over again in my 

 own guns that nothing but the circumstance erf invariably 

 using the very best and strongest weapons have saved me 

 from serious misadventure. Even with such guns, I have 

 not once, but a score of times found that the metal had been 

 so strained by the force of the explosiou that the action had 

 to be "re-jointed," as the gun makers phrase it. Of course, 

 there arc strong reasons which prevent these accidents, as a 

 rule, from coining before the public — such as, for example, 

 the direct and personal interest of the gunmaker, whose 

 weapon has furnished the rorpua delicti, etc., and besides, 

 the world i- getting so terribly ■■mealy-mouthed' where 

 trade and other ■■vested" interest's are concerned that few 

 people nowadays venture to call a spade a spade. I ran 

 have no hesitation, however, in telling plainly whatibelieve 

 to be unvarnished truth without circumlocution or beating 

 about, the bush. Probably, however, I have said enough 

 and adduced facts sufficient to show that my strictures are 

 not unfounded, and that despite its many advantages over 

 black powder, which have of late years caused its very 

 genera] use among sportsmen, Sehultze powder has its faults, 

 and those such serious faults that nothing but the very great 

 practical inconveniences of black powder have caused it to 

 he so long tolerated. It has been, in short, iu vulgar par- 

 lance, "Ilobson's choice." 



The new K. 0. powder, which takes its name from the 

 Explosives Company, by whom it was patented and brought 

 out, is, so far as rnv judgment and experiments go, entirely 

 free from the defects of both the black powder and the 

 Sehultze powder. It belongs to what is technically termed 

 the uitro-compound class of explosives, in which the oxygen 

 required to produce the explosion is present in the form of 

 nitric acid in combination with some organic substance; 

 while in ordinary black powder the, nitric acid is united 

 with a mineral substance, commonly potash. In both com- 

 pounds the nitric acid is converted into gas at the moment 

 of ignition, its oxygen uniting with the carbon and hydro- 

 gen present. In the E. 0. powder, the nitric acid molecules 

 being in "chemical combination" with the carbon and hydro- 

 gen, combustion is so complete as to almost entirely do away 

 wilb the after-smoke ; whereas in the case of black powder, 

 ihe e-irbc:i and sulphur f.cin;- only ::ieel:ar.ii£.ll,V mixed 

 with the nitrate, combine but, imperfectly with its oxygen 

 the uneonsumed particles mixed with the solid products ol 

 the explosion issuing from the barrel in the form of smoke. 

 Again, the fouling produced by black powder is cumulative, 

 the recoil, of course increasing in proportion to the obstruc- 

 tion created in the barrel : whereas with the E. C. powder 

 the recoil is reduced to a minimum, the very slight "granu- 

 lar" deposit Which is left being removed by the wads at 

 each fresh discharge. The grain of the new powder is 

 hard, spherical, and free from dust, so that it readily admits 

 of being accurately measured and equally compressed 



tridge closely. The fell Wad especially * 

 Willi SJJin. 'cases an extra -fig felt wad 

 over the first felt, wad, to till up Die space. 



Pressure. — A heavy pressure is essential 

 sence of a machine adapted to Ihe purpo 

 little doubt would give still better results, I get the best pres 

 sure that I can with the muscles of wrist and arm. i place 

 the cartridge-case (filled as to powder, and with the lust 

 cloth wad inserted; in front of me. on the loading-table, and, 

 holding the rammer with both bands, apply the full weight 

 of my body, giving at the same two or three heavy lungus 

 or downward jerks. I repeat the same pressure on the sec- 

 ond, or felt wad. The pressure of one hand and arm on the 

 wad over the shot is Sufficient, 



Cartridge-cases. — Up to the present, moment none of the 

 cases I have tried give such good results, either in regular 

 shooting, pattern, or penetration, as on these manufactured 

 by Messrs. Eleytte Co., expressly for this powder, and which 

 have a specially constructed cap. anvil, and Hash-hole. 



A gentleman is now in America endeavoring to get up a 

 company to develop the E. C. Powder Company's powder 

 in America, where sport is getting to be almost, more popu- 

 lar than in the Old Country.' 



Kanblagh Polo Club, St James street. London. 



THE OUACHITA SPORTSMEN'S CLUB. 



PERMIT rue, to call your favorable attention to the 

 recent organization of the "Ouachita (pronounced 

 Wasliii.-n Sportsmen's Club," of this place. The following 

 are the names of the members: 



Dr. T. Y. Aby, President; W. C. Williams, Vice-Presi- 

 dent; M. N. Coe, Secretary and Treasurer; W. A. Bracey, 

 J. 8. Boatner, C. J. Boatner, T. G. Dabney, F. Y. Babney, 

 Austin Green, A. A. Gunbv, P. G. Hudson, W. H. Harris. 

 P. W. Hilton. M. J. Liddeil.,1. E. McGuire, R. Richardson, 

 Wm. Sundell. L. W. Stubhs, E. H. Rills. 



(Limited to twenty four members.) 



"The object of this association is to promote skill ill shoot 



g by practice and competition with other clubs. The 

 preservation of game, aud stocking our rivers with game- 

 fish, Procuring the enactment of proper game laws, the 

 due observance of the same by the members of this club, 

 aud t he enforcement of such observance among others. The 

 recreation of its members by encouraging fiealthful field 

 sports and target practice, the "preservation and cultivation 

 of fraternal relations and good feeling toward all other simi- 

 lar associations, and the co-operation with other clubs in the 

 furtherance of these objects." 



Monroe is a very pretty town, situated on the east bank of 

 the Ouachita, also a very pretty river. This stream is about 

 one thousand feet wide, and navigable, except at low water, 

 for the largest steamboats. The water ' 

 is unusual in alluvial countries, and 

 bathe the lower branches of the luxe 

 its banks, and wash Ihe green grass; 

 beautiful picture. At low water it 

 fishermen, as it abounds in black i 

 former called trout here, and the latt 

 perch, the. finest of our fresh water h 

 game, as well as several other earn 

 known as sun perch, goggle eye. etc. 

 tion of about 3,000. it is almost pe 

 gentle slope, sufficient for drainage, : 

 bunk, a characteristic of alluvial form 

 is exceptionally high, enti 



where desirable, and i 

 accordance with its chemical con 

 aud equality in the Strength of 

 is manufactured, or, at any rate 

 gories; that for shotguns, tin 

 fight pinkish shade, and that fo 

 is yellow and the grains considi 



3 foi 



always 



exact 

 egulan'ty 

 acb issue can be IttSI 

 issued, iu two separate eate- 

 irrains of which are of a 

 rifles, of which the color 

 ably larger 



is always clear, which 

 when high enough to 

 iriant trees that Iringe 



,- slopes, it presents a 



affords line sport to 

 md striped bass, lin- 

 er bar fish; also white 

 ible lish. but not very 

 ■tic, of perch, locally 



Monroe has a popula- 

 ifectly level, having a 

 rway' from the river 

 ations. The town site 

 e overflow. II is of 

 leltled before the cession of 



CT n of the great Mississipi 

 the 3~d parallel of latitude, being 

 ranscontinental railroad route. It is 

 irg on the Mississippi River, by a line 

 irg. Shrevepoit, & Pacific, which is 

 westward to Red River, and will be 

 «■ supplying the only missing link in 

 Between the Atlantic and Pacific 



hide. 



at variety of game. Iu the 

 lakes and bayous literally 

 woodcock are plentiful in 

 dino.st every field east Of the 

 Blf bagged" thirty-four snipe 

 a last winter, almost within 

 , The teal actually roosted 



of lat 



ad - 



i il !,, i i i I, '., a line not, execcdinu one hundred While the drawbacks inherent "in black and Sehultze >i; 

 ($100) dollar nor less than ice i n.. :-'."», or by imprison- 1 powder are thus entirely obviated, the advantages of each J of February 3, H 



Spanish origin", having been 

 Louisiana to the United Slates, 



It is on the extreme 

 Delta, and is nearly i 

 on the great southern trat 

 connected with Vicksbur; 

 of iailroad. the Vicksbur; 

 also under construction w 

 completed this year, thus 

 the chain of communicatk 

 seabonrds, on this parallel 



This country abounds in i 

 fall aud winter, the uumei 

 swarm with ducks. Snipe 

 the low grounds, that is, in 

 river. A companion and m 

 and a half dozen teal one even 

 the corporate limits of the tow 

 in the suburbs. 



In the overflowed region, extending from hero to the Mis- 

 sissippi River; the extraordinary high "water ol last year, 

 which made a vast river, seventy-three miles wide, from here 

 to Vicksburs. pradicalh exterminated the non-migratory 

 game, such as deer, bear, partridges (miscalled quail iu the 

 North), and wild turkeys, all of which were more or less 

 abundant before. The squirrels are still very plenty every- 

 where West, of here, the count ry extending from the Oua- 

 chita to Red River, about one hundred miles wide, is up- 

 land for the most, part, and in many localities deer and 

 turkey are very numerous. 



On "three different "drives" during last, winter, a party., ol 

 which I was one, "jumped" live deer each time, within five 

 miles of Monroe,' but failed in every instance to bag a deer, 



• "Experiments on Velocity, Time of Flight etc., of Small Shots.'' 

 By Major W. Mel 'Unlock. It. A.. Assi-st.uit Supen.-iteaieiit Royal 

 Small Arms Factory, Enfield Lock. Published in the Loudon lucid 



