442 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jtjlv 5. 1883. 



Ptr ^jrartsttfan $£otm$t. 



THE BLACK HILLS OF WYOMING. 



15EE0HED up here in my mountain home, 'neatfrthc 

 now smiling and now frowning foothills of the Big 

 Horn Mountains, yoTJi paper Is over welcome, and I read 

 with ever increasing interest the many tales of deeds done 

 in minp or field, in woed.- or by the streams. 



The Clear Fork of Powder Kiver eomes tumbling, Tour- 

 ing and foaming down from its home ana birthplace in the 

 eternal SHOWS Ot Oloud Teak, and finally emerges from the. 

 mountains to so scurrying, hurrying on thiough its com- 

 paratively open valley, filially to lose itself in the brown 

 and turbid flood of Powder Kiver. When first seen by me 

 in the summer of 1876, not a ranch nor a human being" was 

 known upon its banks. Then it w» all "Indian country/' 

 uud save the lonely prospector, hunter or trapper, few ever 

 saw it: it was one of the favorite haunts of the Indian. 

 But now in L88B naught but old ruins of ancient camps 

 mark the former Indian home, while ranch and lown and 

 fort show the permanent succession of the "pale face/' and 

 occasional visits for trade are almost the only evidence of 

 "PoorLo." in former years the home of the buffalo, now 

 the valley and surrounding country are the range of count 

 less herds of cattle, and with the Indians have disappeared 

 this noble game, only a few scattering head remaining to 

 remind us of what once was so plentiful. 



But the white man's advent has not destroyed all the 

 game in this region, Trout there never were in Clear Fork, 

 so no change has been in that. Deer, antelope, elk, moun- 

 tain sheep, mountain lion, bear, wolf aiut coyote are still to 

 be found in fair numbers by those who use the rifle; while 

 sage grouse, prairie chicken, mountain, blue and willow 

 grouse, ducks, geese, curlew, snipe and sometimes swan 

 await the ••scatter guns." By a ride of it few miles trout 

 can be find in abundance, and Whitehall (?) '■cats 1 ' and 

 suckers are ever ready lo be "taken in from the wet," even 

 in the otherwise barren waters of Clear Fork. 



Ko better Stream for trout, than Clear Fork have I ever seen. 

 Clear as crystal. cold :uid pure as snow wafer ever is, now dash- 

 ing furiously over rocks and ripples; now slumbering quietly 

 in sileut pool, it is the typical home for trout, but trout there 

 are not.and never will In, vxntit thestream issiocked.and then, 

 doubtless, they will live and thrive and give royal sport to 

 the lover of the rod and reel. Emptying, as it doesinto the foul 

 and muddy waters of Powder Kiver, the trout have never 

 sought its* clear waters, but, have passed by the mouth of 

 Powder Kiver to enter the clearer Waters of the Tongue 

 River, Big Horn and Little Big Horn, to our north: these 

 streams and their branches are the ho«ic of trout in this 

 region: but all the branches of the Powder Kiver arc barren. 

 So it is with other regions for some inexplicable reason; the 

 branches of the South Fork of the Platte River abound in 

 trout, while the North Fork and all its branches arc, or 

 were, barren! some may now have been stocked, but such was 

 the ease but a few years ago. 



Lying but B few miles north of us is the site of the old 

 post of Phil Kearney — now silent and deserted, save by the 

 wood and lumberman. A short distance further on is the 

 fatal grouud where Fetterman and his men were massacred 

 in years gone by. A few miles more and Custer's battle 

 ground is reached, now a smiling, fruitful region, rapidly till- 

 ing up with settlers: and where arc the haunts of many u 

 lordly elk or black tail, or surly grizzly. 



Lying nestled in its surrounding hills, the acrid waters of 

 Lake De Srael may be seen but a few miles from here. Here 

 is the home of the duck and goose; many breed here, and 

 iu spring and fall the lake resounds to the thunder of many 

 a doable-barrel, at (he eager sportsman stalks the. wildfowl 

 from the shore, decoys them to his blind, or drifts upon 

 Hicbi with his canoe. * About three miles long by from one- 

 half to a mile in width, and « ith its rank growth of water 

 grass, the lake is a favorite haunt, for wildfowl. There are 

 no flan, save of a curious type, resembling, if not identical 

 with, the axololl— if this e"an be called a tish. Prequently 

 these can be caught upon the rocks, and 1 have cut them 

 from the entrails of wildfowl. The lake has no visible out- 

 let, and, except in wet seasons, no visible inlet. Its waters 

 are alkaline, though I have drank them for want of better. 

 Fish, except, perhaps, "cat" and carp, could not live in 



and t 

 ids th 



e due: 



but \ 



thout success, and 

 1 cover on land, and 

 sman can claim for 

 :;csl Seagulls are 



them. Wild 



the natural grasses for food, 

 canoe on water, are all the a 

 success in his extorts after tit 

 also plentiful, and afford 301 

 ducks are scarce or hard t o ge t 

 sionally fouud. 



I have just returned from an afternoon's drive to this lake. 

 "Esculapius First" and I, seated in a auek-board. behind a 

 spanking pair of mules, soon covered lite eight miles. We 



ids 



the 



i Ho 



•iippci 



Ma; 



■cful lake sleepi 



g upon its quiet, waters 



ng or paddling about 



nd aftej 



species 



M bipeds 



res. Tt 



1, but p 



i report i 

 ■ could ha 

 referred 1 



mliatlj 



dozei 



were well repaid by the g 



in their eternal snows, and 



alternate light and shade, an 



large numbers of duel fjui 



with their broods of "fluppe 



sat and watched them, so tai 



vestigation as to what 



sailed away again, dc 



species and character!' 



apiece had we so desir 



their family cares, hoping later to be able to 



intimate acquaintance with them. Our visit, harmless as it 



was to them at fliis time, brooded them no good, for it was 



to introduce a stranger to the haunts of these birds, and to 



see about having blinds, sink-boxes, etc., built from which 



to deal out destruction later on. 



We saw two dead specimens of the "water lizard" (axolotl) 

 above mentioned, that were nearly eighteen inches in length, 

 hut left them as of no value. On our way home we flushed 

 a sage-hen, leaving her also undisturbed to return later in the 

 season and care for her chicks, if chicks she had. So our 

 ride, though bootless as to our "bag," was profitable in our 

 "outing," our splendid view of nature, and in informatien 

 gathered for future use. 



Such excursions are now our sole resource of pleasure. 

 Though our game law allows the killing of game for one's 

 use within ten miles of one's home at all seasons, no one 

 thinks of killing, but, every week «>nc or another goes out "to 

 look," to enjoy a day's ride to the magnificent views from 

 hill to mountain, to become familiar with the country, and 

 to keep ourselves and horses "in training" for the work soon 

 to come totcr on. I first saw this country in 1876. It was 

 only a passing view, as Crwok's expedition passed through 

 ufter hostile Sioux. 1 saw it again in 1878; first in a sum- 



mer camp, and later with plenty of hard work, building 



what now is the beautiful post of'Fort, McKinucy. On those 

 occasions (here was but little chance lor sport or for becom- 

 ing thoroughly familiar with all the insiu.ul outs of the conn 

 fry. Greater opportunities have presented themselve; ft and 



they me being fully taken advantage of, to the benefit of 



health, and a building up of pleasant reminiscences of beau- 

 tiful scenes and exciting times in the chase of various kinds 

 of game. 



Kising quite abrupily from the broken though open coun- 

 try, the foothills of the Big Horn range arc quite easily in 

 eessihlc, and on lop aic quite easily traveled. Old bison an 

 Indian trails, will) now- and then a wood road, form tl: 

 thoroughfares winding in and out amid scents of beauty ami 

 grandeur. Frequently elk, deer, and sometimes mountain 

 sheep will lie espied quietly feeding. 



What greater pleasure, except to stalk them, than that, in 

 the quiet time, when with pipe and field glasses, one lies 

 amid lovely (lowers and watches their innocent, pastime and 

 becomes familiar with their habits? But a few days agp, a 

 lordly buck, with horns "in the velvet," and about half 

 grown, burst 00 my view- and bounded quietly away un- 

 harmed. Beautiful and majestic in form, and powerful and 

 graceful in action, he was a fitting adjunct to a lovely piece 

 of nature. I had no eun. Had 1 had one he would have 

 gone away unscathed, for wanton killing is no sport, and 

 now the (leer, while "growing their horns,' deserve a better 

 fate than the bullet ot some thoughtless sportsman (?) whose 

 glory it is to boast of the size of his bag — in season or out of 

 season. 



On this same day, and but a little whileaffer the buck had 

 passed from sight, a herd of does were discovered. To leap 

 down from pony and turn him loose, and then to sit down, 

 seeing but not seen, were hula moment's work, and for an 

 hour or more, with fragrant pipe, I lay and watched them 

 feeding. Their fawns T did not sec. "They weie probably 

 not far away, or were hidden by the high and luxuriant 

 grass. Finally they grazed out of sight. Remounting, 1 

 had but to ride a short distance to gain the summit of the 

 foothills overlooking the open country, and from there feast 

 the eye on a boundless expanse, ami 'jot down in memory 

 the various landmarks, while meadow larks' music and the 

 "booming" note of the wild dove filled the air. Far below 

 me, but almost at my feet, the silver thread of Clear Fork 

 wound its way onward. Fort McKiuncy stood out in its 

 quiet beauty, "plainly marked on its elevated plateau. Lake 

 De Smet seemed so close at hand that, one might almost sky 

 a stone into its quiet, waters; and for miles on miles the open, 

 rolling country stretched away, with here and there a glint 

 of light on Crazy Woman, or Powder River. Behind; the 

 everlasting snow burnished the heights of Cloud Peak; the 

 crags and walls of the oanons marked the course of many a 

 roaring stream; the heavy timber clothed the expanse in its 

 sombre mantle, covering the hiding place of many alordly 

 buck and band of does in all directions, and infinity of space 

 and distance and beauty indescribable. 



Finding the deer so close at, hand was rather unusual, as 

 they are now, for the most part, pretty well back en the 

 I'flDge, and the antelope arc up next, the' foothills, lip near 

 the snow line and in the heavy timber arc the places now to 

 find both elk and deer, the bulls and bucks growing their 

 horns, and the cows and does cither carrying or caring for 

 their young. Ltrrge .herds have been seen, but by common 

 consent they are left iu peace, the general sentiment being 

 greatly against killing in the closed season. As a conse- 

 quence, game is on the increase, and one docs not need to go 

 far, in the seasou. to secure good shooting. 



These regions, those of (lie Black Hills of Wyoming' and 

 the* Casper Mountains, are quite favorite resorts for Eastern 

 and English sportsmen. Parties are in here nearly every 

 year, and carry away a rich harvest, of fine heads. It in- 

 expensive, however, 'for unless one lives in the country, or 

 comes in with one's own outfit complete the hiring of packs, 

 wagons, etc., with the necessary men, runs up a rather 

 heavy amount. 



The country can be reached by stage either from Rawlins, 

 on the Union racihe Railroad, "or Custer Junction, on the 

 Northern Pacific Railroad, ll is about 340 miles from the 

 former point and 180 miles from the hitter, and both are 

 good roads when dry and the streams at their normal stage. 

 We have been much troubled by high water and wet roads 

 this year, so traveling has been and is now rather difficult. 



The anticipations of rare sport this fall arc fondly in- 

 dulged in as we all quietly wait for the season lo open and 

 the game to gel, fat and in full VigQr. Camp outfits, hunt- 

 ing suits and" paraphernalia, are being overhauled and put in 

 order for the bill campaign, and it is to be hoped that many 

 a line I rout, many a pair of horns, bear-skin or other 1 rophy 

 will lie the reward of the spoil. 



Still-hunting is the only method followed here in pursuit 

 of the larger game; I he country is too broken for coursing, 

 and toe little known and too great in extent for successful 

 hounding. Though plentiful, "the game seems to range in 

 "streaks," necessitating a thorough knowledge of the i ouu- 

 try to find it; one might go for days and not sec a deer, 

 because he does not hit the range, and still deer may be 

 close at hand on their lavorite grouud. Pack outfits are 

 the best, though wagons have been taken upon the range at 

 various places; the camps are pitched in some desirable 

 locality near the ranae. but so as not to run the deer out, 

 and many days of royal sport may fie had. Berries and 

 wild fruits are plentiful in places, and there the bears "most 

 d0 congregate"; SO one has only to know the game they 

 Wflnt, to be aide to tell the most' likely country for it; and 

 whether greater or less the success as to the hag, the hunt 

 will surely prove a success in the delight of out-door life. 

 the beauty of the scenes one. lives amid, and the store of 

 health he lays up, as well as in the friendships formed and 

 the pleasant reminiscences on which lo let fond memory 

 linger. C. D. 



Ii'ohtMcKi.nxhy, yy.yoiiiiiiK Territory. 



Abolish Siimkkk Shooting. — Boston, Juno 28. — I'Jdihr 

 ForM and Shram: 1 have purchased your paper for \ cars, 

 ever since Wilbur Parkei edited it lis Rod and <?JM», and 

 have taken a meat interest in letters and suggestions tending 

 to preservation of game. I think that letter of "Octp" was 

 good and to the point, as I have no doubt but what there arc 

 more ruffed grouse and quail killed by woodcock shooters 

 during August than there are in September or October I 

 think as "Octu" does, that, the season on all game birds 

 ..jould open at the same time. There is lots about setters 

 anil pointers iu your paper. Why don't some of the lovers 

 of thai grand little dflg, the cocker, write them up, and let 

 people know what (hey are capapblc of; for my part 1 have 

 had much better sport over the cocker than I have with 

 either setter or pointer. — CooKBB 



"OLE LAWYER." 



\ STORY TOLD IN CAMP. 



ON the night following Major Jim's recital of his "bar 

 slewm story,'' as Sieve call'id it. Ben II., old Steve and 

 myself, having according to immemorial custom lighted our 

 pipes, sal, toasting our shins around our camp tire, when 

 ben remarked that George W., who had lately vn, , 

 the Swamp horn the hills, had (old him that the negroes out 

 there were destroying the game birds by trapping anil shoot- 

 ing them on the ground. 



"Don't ycr bleve dat, my master," said Steve; "de only 

 game-bird nigger ebcr stroy is cr hog, sur." 



■'That's how you keep so fat," said Ben. 



"Oh no, my master," he replied. "I des noes out in dc 

 moraiu', an' 1 looks at dc sun, an' evy time 1 SHee^e I swal- 

 lers bout, er pint cr huffier nats. Dai's dc way 1 keeps in 

 sick good order, my master.'' 



"Ah, Steve, said Ben, "you and Dave had jtl || 



shut up now. That Mister Stager, man, as you call him. can 

 go it alone and "uker" you both without a trump in his 

 hand. He is no fool, 1 tell you." 



"I diinno 'bout dat, my master," said Steve, "1 nuver 

 knode one cr dem big motif fokes, but wan't hall fool, sur. 

 .My ole marstei what live nigh Sharlodyitle in old Firgiuny, 



caze he wer always givin* tongue an' diden have uo sense'; 

 diden have er bit er sense, my master. My ole mars wer 

 rich, I tell ycr. He had heaps er niggers. Go dar any 

 worky day you sec DOTC u er kindred little nig: rs crSLwlin 

 loun' dein quarters wid er block an' chain rouii'dav necks 

 like dem meuny yard dogs Day we,' smart niggers too. my 

 master, Veptin' dat ole tool Lawyer- he diden have er hit or 

 sense. But bless yer, dat ole Lawyer nigger cood oni-ine <V 

 Jews when he stretch his motif on er camp-meet in' hime 

 chune. An' he des ez leve sing one chune ez ernuther of you 

 tell him fwer er hirnc chune. Qftt he had. sur. One Sadday 

 'bout sundown Mars Garrett, dat warmy young niar.-ier. sur, 

 he and .Mars Shep, what come courtiu' my young missis, 

 caze he want, some ole mars' niggers, day'eo'me out ter de 

 horse lol wharl wer feedin'and Mars Garrett, he say, 'Sieve, 

 Olefeller, you come up ter my room ter night and hi una- vcr 

 banger, I wants ycr play an' sing soma fur us, hut don'l 

 yer let dc ole guvner know nothin' 'bout if.' An' 1 sav. 

 A'as, Mars Garrett, I'll be dar sure fur ecrtin.' Arlcr dark 

 I clum ober de gardin palin', an' I crep' up behine de 

 chimbly, an' I ketch holt dc ligbtnin'rod an' gin it cr shuck. 

 Dim Mars Garrell. put his head out de winder, au' he say, 

 'What dedebil you slandin' dar fur; don't you hear de o'le 

 Guvner snoriu'V f sav, A'as, Mars Garrett, but I thoit 

 twer dat yarler house gal grinin coffee.' Den Mars Gsrretl 

 lalf an' he say. -Come er long, fool, you's got er mighty 

 po' ear fur music' Den I crep' up de stars, an' when 1 

 walks in de room I seed Mars Garrett boltin* de file do 

 an' f hears somlhin fumlin rouu' in dar. But Mars Garrett 

 he move his cheer au' make a noise like, an' den he say out 

 mighty loud, 'lsc glad (er see yer, my brur; now we'll "open 

 tliwine services by singin' er hime chune.' An' den he come 

 up. close wear I wer an' he say sorter low like, '-Steve, ole 

 feller. 1 wants yer ter sing an' play dal hawk an' goose song 

 fur me an' yer Mar-; Shep, an' I wants ycr ter spit it out 

 loud, too.' I say, 'Yas, Mars Garfett, but you wants dat 

 hime chune fuss don't ycr?' Den Mars Garret! say out loud, 

 •O yas. we'll have dat buterful hime chune fuss thing,' an' 

 den he come u> close whar 1 wer ergin, an' he say easy like, 

 •You sing dal hawk and goose song, damyer : ciat'.s all f'wanls 

 yer sing here ter nitriit. do you hear, "ole nigger V 1 say. 

 "Yas, Mars Garrett, I hears,' but 1 thinks ter myself it's er 

 mighty curus kind ei 'ligun Mars Garrett got in dal, loll', fur 

 ter call dat hawk an' goose song cr hime chune, but 1 never 

 say nothin'. I des ketehed tip my ole hanger an' I gin ter 

 chune her. But bless yer, she hnrhlcn say •lung lung' 

 niore'n 'bout twice, fore 1 im-rd siinicpiin' kinder groan in 

 dat closet. 1 des stops right dar, an' I sorter shoots my eye 

 ober todes dal do', but. Mars Garrett lie jump up ergui, a"n' 

 move his cheer, an' den he cum close op whar 1 war. an' lie 

 Bay, 'Damyer, nigger diden vcr nuver hear ole Sanker lorkiu' 

 m his sleep befo'V But I knode (want ole Sanker iu dat 

 closet, fur I seed little Joe tolin' ole Sanker au' de two pups 

 off 'posum huntiu' when I clum ober de gardin palin', but. 1 

 nuver say nothin'. 1 des chune up dat ok banger, an' I .dug 

 dat hawk an' goose sm» ez bess 1 knowd how. Au' when 

 I nits turous'li'Mars Garrett he say, 'Bully, ole teller, des 

 sing dot buterful hime chune ober fur us ergim it's de bess 1 

 uver lisen ler.' I didmknow what. Mai's Garrett mean calliu' 

 dat hawk an' goose sou ger hi me el i line, bin 1 .nuver say nothin'. 



ides ran back an' 1 dood my bess on her ergin. YY hen 1 gits 

 through uuther time Mars Ga'm n -ay, 'Siug her ergin, Steve,' 

 an' UleSS yer, dcy lies kip' me singin' dat same song ober 

 (well mose ovoad day. An' den 1 hears dat soinclbiiCgroan 

 in dat. closet ergin, an' 1 say, 'Mars Garrett, ole Sanker 

 muss he sick,' Den Mars Garrett he jump up an' he say. 

 'Damyer, you git out eu here now, I wants ter go ter but.' 

 Den up i gits an' 1 goes down dem siars sortei hebby like, 

 but not. too heliby, iur (wer fecrd I'd waken ole luarster. 

 An' When 1 gits down ter de front do' 1 sot down on de step 

 an' pull off my shoe, an' den I creps hack up dem slats an' 

 put my ear ter de keyhole, an' 1 lisen. I hears .Mars Gar- 

 rett say, 'You kin come outen dar now, Brur Lawyer: 1 

 hopes you bin highly entertain' by de eveniu' services.' Au' 

 de ole'fool he sav, A'as. Mars Garrell. bieSS dc Lord, I is.' 

 Den Mars Garrell sav. M hopes you lamed dat buterful 

 hime chune we bin singin' all de ebeuin'. An' Ole Lawyer, 

 he say back, 'Bbcry word on it, Mars Garrett.' Den Mars 

 Garrett say, 'Wilt' you be so kiue ter sing it ler us, Brur 

 Lawyer?' and bless vcr. dat ole nigger des rar back his head, 

 an' lie sing dal, hawk au" gooaesoug ues ez good ez 1 euoii. 

 Den Mars Garrett gin uiin lopuiice an' tell him he bettei go 

 now; an' when i hears Ole Lawyers shoe creak I des slid 

 down dem bannersters. an' I put my shoe on my foot, an' 1 

 lit out from dar. 



"iVex" dav mde raornin', Mars Garrett tell old mai'ster 

 day wer gwine ter hab er new town nigger fur ter preach at, 

 the cullud church dis morniu', au' he bleve he'd go down dar 

 i' make 'em 'have dayselves, an' not be shoutin' an' 

 holleriu', aV sturbin' de whole naberhood. Den be an' Mais 

 Shep dav dress up mighly fine, an' day goes down ter der 

 cullud church, an' walks in an' tuck day seat right behine 

 Ole Lawyer, 



"Presenly that yarler town nigger he des riz up in dc pul- 

 pit, an' he draws out his while' pocket hiiukcrcher, an' he 

 open his red incrrocker hime book, an' be say, AV ill some 

 brur dekin please raise de chune, while de minister sefeck de 

 services fur de 'eashun';' 



"Den Mars Garrett he des lean ober an' he say ler Ole 

 Lawyer, 'Now's yer time. Brur Lawyer, ter giv cm dal 

 buterful hime chune yer sung so sweetly lass night.' Bless 



