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FOREST AND STREAM. 



101 



second barren, going round a pretty lake, where Gamble 

 set some otter traps. Still no trace of our game. The sun 

 was now but an hour high. As the forests become dark at 

 five o'clock, when it is light on the barrens until eight, we 

 determined to push on through the third barren as far as 

 we could and camp there, so as to be near the fourth bar- 

 ren early next morning. After our supper of bread and 

 pork, without tea, we wrapped ourselves up in our blankets 

 and slept soundly. We were now fully twenty miles from 

 camp, as the bird flies, and fully thirty-five by the route we 

 had taken, Economy Lake being south of us, and we had 

 some two miles yet to make before we could reach the 

 fourth barren. It Avas dark when Gamble quietly awakened 

 me. We ate our breakfast quickly, and walked fully two 

 hours before dawn cleared the sky. As soon as it was light 

 Gamble climbed a tree. The country he said had changed 

 somewhat, as it had been seven years since he had been at 

 this barren. As he slid down the tree, by the expression of 

 his face and the glitter of his eye I felt sure he had seen 

 caribou. "Five of them in the barren, not more nor a mile 

 off, a feeding, sir." That was all. Now, with the utmost 

 precaution we traced our steps. Just on the south side of 

 the barren we found a distinct trail, which the caribou had 

 made through the woods. Their tracks resembled these 

 made by cattle, only a little more elongated, for the caribou 

 has rather long, low hoofs. The dung was even fresh, and 

 not much larger than that voided by sheep. They had 

 evidently laid down during the night at this very spot, as 

 little bits of hair were visible. We followed the track in 

 Indian file, Gamble leading, I in the middle, and Beese in 

 the rear. The gait was a slow one, and our feet were cau- 

 tiously placed on the ground, fearful that even a twig 

 should crack. Not a word was spoken. With one hand 

 on his gun, the other behind him, Gamble would signal with 

 his oustretched fingers which way we should go, or whether 

 we should halt. The track was almost 400 yards long, and 

 a small stream had to be crossed. Silently as otters we 

 went through it. Just then the barren opened on us. We 

 rested for a few moments, then got to the last screen of 

 trees, and saw for the first time our caribou. They were 

 hidden by a slight fringe of spruce boughs, and were not 

 more than 600 yards off. About 400 yards distant in the 

 barren there stood a huge boulder, of a greyish white, glis- 

 tening in the bright morning sun, and throwing off sparkles 

 of light from the quartz crystals in it. Could we reach it ? 

 If able to do that there would be the chance of a shot. We 

 all dropped to the ground, and crawled slowly on the moss, 

 worming our way round smaller boulders until we reached 

 it. Looking stealthfully over the top of it, I was now sure 

 that the caribou were just within long rifle shot. We waited 

 fully five minutes (it seemed to me five hours), hoping the 

 caribou would come nearer. When we saw them first the 

 herd — made up of two old bucks, two male yearlings, and 

 a doe — were playing together; now they were feeding. 

 Thinking Gamble the better shot, I had given him my Bal- 

 lard, reserving the Remington for myself. Every moment 

 I expected the caribou would move further off. Though 

 they could not wind us, every now and then the nearest 

 buck would pause, slowly raise his head, and look around 

 him, as if on his guard. Gamble looked inquiringly at me, 

 as if asking what to do. I made the motion of firing. 

 Indicating the buck I wanted to shoot at, I left Gamble to 

 pick out any one he chose. I carefully took a resting shot 

 on a sharp edge of the boulder. Presently the furthest 

 buck came a trifle quartering towards me, and taking the 

 most careful of shots, with a fine bead, aiming at the bris- 

 ket, I let him have it. Almost instantly afterwards Gamble 

 fired. My buck fell dead in his tracks. Gamble's caribou 

 gave one single, short leap, and fell dead not ten yards 

 from mine. One long, exulting shout sounded through the 

 barren as we screamed Avith excitement. The next moment 

 Gamble Avas down into the barren with gleaming knife in 

 hand, and the throats of two noble caribou Avere cut, The 

 buck I had killed was the finest of the tAvo, and would have 

 weighed 300 pounds. Gamble's buck was a trifle lighter. 

 The horns on mine Avere only fair as to size, while Gamble's 

 were the most magnificent ones as to size and spread I had 

 ever seen. My eight hundred miles of travel were amply 

 repaid. "If my grandsire drew a long bow at Hastings," 

 I must plead it as an excuse for entering somewhat into the 

 exact distance we fired at these animals. Pacing it off, I 

 ound that my buck was killed at a trifle under 186 yards, 

 and Gamble's at 170. We rested for aAvhile, and, seated 

 on our animals, ate and drank as only hungry and excited 

 men can. 



Now came the question of how to get, them to the lodge, 

 some forty miles distant. Gamble's and Beese's woodcraft 

 then came into play. In a half hour, with their axes they 

 had fashioned a sledge of hackmatack, on Avhich the cari- 

 bou Avere placed. Long Avithewood traces were made, and, 

 like horses, Ave went in double harness. AAvful hard Avork 

 it was. There was a little stream some three miles off 

 which emptied into Economy Lake, and here Avas -Avliere 

 our hauling Avould end and water transportation begin. 

 Seven mortal hours did it take us before Ave accomplished 

 those three miles. At sundoAvn Ave reached the stream. 

 A fire Avas built, our last bit of pork was devoured, a cup 

 of coffee, was made, and Ave all soon went to sleep, thor- 

 oughly used up men. Next morning was again fine and 

 clear, a trifle cold, but every particle of fatigue had left us. 

 There is some peculiarity in this rare mountain air, Avhich 

 makes a breath of it send the blood through the lungs 

 with renewed and freshened vigor. Gamble proposed 

 making a straight line for camp, and finding Dandy, avIio 

 Avould Avalk to Castlereagh, and from thence take the horse 

 and buggy to Economy Lake and meet us. It was no 



sooner proposed than off he started, going off Avith that 

 splendid swinging gait which only one who treads these 

 native wilds can acquire. Beese now built a raft; it was 

 but the matter of an hour. The game was loaded on, and we 

 were just about pushing off into the stream which emptied 

 into the lake, not more than half a mile beyond, when a 

 pleasant morning breeze sprung up. Here I must confess 

 that what nautical knowledge I may have had now came to 

 me as if by inspiration. From a large birch tree Ave took 

 some sheets of bark. Under my direction Beese seAved 

 them, a mast and a spar Avere rigged up, a pennon of birch, 

 bark was hoisted to the fore, and with a regular latine sail 

 we went* spinning down the lake, much to Beese's amuse- 

 ment. At the foot of the lake Ave found a settler's cabin, 

 and here Ave moored our raft, From the settler we hired a 

 span of oxen and a cart, and, loading our caribou, leisurely 

 reached Economy. There, sure enough, was Dandy, wait- 

 ing for us. 



I am writing this at Purdy's, in delightful quarters once 

 more. In a week or so I will go for moose, just as soon as 

 Gamble has made his crop. I shall take Gamble with me, 

 of course, and Beese and Dandy, for better hunters or more 

 trustworthy people I never came across. Gamble says Ave 

 may safely call the moose on the next full moon. 



T. F. 0. T. 

 «♦•♦- 



THE PEOPLE'S HUNTING GROUND. 



FROM the NeAV York Times we copy in full an admirable 

 article with the above caption. In a late number 

 appeared a communication entitled ' ' Stocking Trout Waters 

 with Bass," addressed to us by one of the first sportsmen 

 in the United States, Avhich exactly covers one- portion of 

 the ground taken by our distinguished contemporary. We 

 are only too glad that we have on our side such a powerful 

 advocate as the Times, and trust it will continue to advocate 

 the better preservation, of not only our forests and streams, 

 but of their inmates. 



" We hear nothing as yet from the Commission appointed 

 by the last Legislature to report on the subject of making 

 the Adirondack forest and mountain region a grand public 

 park and hunting-ground forever. The project is one Avhich 

 deeply interests our citizens. It is worthy of the dignity of 

 modern democracy that the people should have its hunting- 

 ground preserved and cared for, as Princes have had theirs. 

 The cost and sacrifice to New York State would be no more 

 than the grand act of the comparatively poor State of Cali- 

 fornia Avas to its people, in reserving the Yosemite Valley 

 as a public pleasure ground. The public are favorable t'o 

 the scheme, and are waiting eagerly for the report of the 

 Committee. But Avhateve^these gentlemen intend doing 

 should be done quickly. If some energetic measures are 

 not taken speedily, before the Adirondacks become a public 

 hunting ground, there will be no game left to hunt. The 

 extraordinarily healthful and invigorating atmosphere, as 

 well as the taste for wild life offered so conveniently in this 

 region, are attracting croAvds of tourists and sportsmen. 

 Every traveler must have, if possible, venison and trout for 

 his meals, and the inn-keepers strain every nerve to supply 

 the want. Each neAv fledged or experienced sportsman 

 must kill his two or more deer, or catch his basket of trout. 

 The consequence is that every nook and corner of the Avoods 

 is scoured for venison, and every pond and streamlet whip- 

 ped for fish. We have knoAvn an inn-keeper have eighteen 

 hounds out at once for any unfortunate deer that might be 

 in the neighborhood. The present laAV— if Ave are not mis- 

 taken—permits " hounding," but alloAvs no killing of deer 

 before the middle of -August, or the first of September. 

 Yet it is Avell known that an indiscriminate massacre of 

 these beautiful creatures begins early in June. During the 

 present year does were killed in that month, and we know 

 one instance Avhere a doe Avas shot, with tAvo fawns within 

 her, Avhile neither her flesh nor skin were of the slightest 

 value. Fawns and mothers are murdered without mercy all 

 through the early summer. Parties Avere in remote ponds 

 and lakes of the Adirondacks even during July of this year, 

 AAdio hounded or killed by "jack-light," fifteen or eighteen 

 deer. We believe, from careful consideration, that some- 

 thing like a thousand deer are killed each year in the Adi 

 rondack forests. It will be seen that Avith such a merciless 

 and inconsiderate slaughter, it Avill not need a long time 

 before the supply of deer will be exhausted. In fact, Ave 

 have no doubt that, if this killing be allowed to continue, 

 within three years a red deer will be as scarce in the North 

 Woods of NeAV York, as he is now in those of Connecticut, 



The same thing is true of the trout. It is well under- 

 stood by all anglers that mere rod-fishing in the season will 

 never destroy this delicious fish in any given stream or lake. 

 A remarkable instance has been given of this recently in 

 Scotland. The best fishing-ground in the United Kingdom 

 is considered to be Lock Leven, in Kinross-shire. This lake 

 is only three and a half miles long, by tAvo and a half 

 broad, and open to the world, on the payment of a certain sum 

 per hour, during the months of May, June, July and August. 

 For the rest of the year the lake is closed to fishing, and 

 the spawning-beds are carefully watched. There are in the 

 lake the pike and perch, bitter enemies of the trout, but 

 these are kept down by the use of the net. For fifteen 

 years the catch has been increasing, giving immense sport 

 to the anglers, and a handsome profit to the proprietor. 

 Last year upAvard of 17,000 trout were taken there by the 

 fly, and during May and June of this year about 9,000, the 

 average, weight being the remarkable size of nearly one 

 pound. 



The truth is that man's angling is the least destructive 

 agency Avhich diminishes the increase of fish. The fatal 

 agency is whatever destroys the small fry or injures the 

 female fish before spaAvning. In the Adirondack waters mil- 

 lions of future trout are destroyed by fishing on the spawn- 

 ing-beds, and much havoc is occasioned by " set lines. " To 

 add to the destruction, some guide has introduced into Long- 

 Lake and the Kaquette waters that " fresh -Avater shark," 

 the pickerel, or, perhaps, the muscalonge, and in Raquette 

 Lake, the Fish Commissioner himself is said to have put 

 the black bass, Avhich Avill make terrific havoc with the 

 best fish of American Avaters. Even at the present time, 

 the sporting parties find it extremely difficult to take any 

 trout, and if this goes on, it will need only two or three 

 years to make ' ' speckled trout " a tradition in the Adiron- 

 dack lakes. When one thinks of the vast amount of pleas- 



ure and health obtained from innocent sport, such a result. 

 Avould be really a public calamity. This and the corres- 

 ponding destruction of the deer can only be prevented by 

 some vigorous public action. We have Taw enough, but the 

 difficulty is in its execution. If the " Sportsman's Club" 

 — which has already done "yeoman service" in preserving 

 game — would present a form of an act through their well- 

 known counsel, Mr. Whitehead, to the next Legislature, 

 creating an office of " State Game-keeper," similar to one 

 already existing in Canada, and then have him or his assist- 

 ant placed in the Adirondack region, the game #night yet 

 be saved. If there was a question about creating a new 

 salaried office, the club would have no difficulty in making 

 up the few hundred dollars necessary, and plenty of bold, 

 experienced men could be found in the woods to take its 

 undesirable risks. It is true that the towns have the right 

 now to appoint " game constables," but they cannot pay 

 enough to make any one ready to incur the odium and risi 

 of the office. Moreover, a State official woidd have' far more 

 authority. Let us save the game in time. 

 » ■ 



— -♦ — 



—The St. George's Club of New York and the Marion 

 Club of Philadelphia, will play a match at cricket on the 

 grounds of the former at Hoboken, tomorroAV and Saturday. 

 The St. George's eleven will consist of Cashman, Jones, 

 Moeran, Sleigh, Smith, Bowman, Lennon, Harcombe, 

 Sonter, Talbot, and Ewing. Wickets will be pitched on 

 Friday at 2 o'clock, and on Saturday at 10 o'clock. The 

 Marion Club have a strong eleven, and an interesting match 

 is expected. 



— The Prospect Park Club have resumed their practice, 

 having ceased to play for thirty days in consequence 

 of the death of their,; late a Vice President, George T. Keil- 

 ler. 



— The Germantown Club of Philadelphia, have challeng- 

 ed the St. George's Club of this city to play a match at Ho- 

 boken on October 3d. and 4th. 



— The following professional players have made engage- 

 ments Avith clubs for 1874:— Hicks, Malone, McA 7 ey, Clapp, 

 Allison, Cummings, Zettlein, Spaulding, McBride, Mat- 

 thews, Mack, Barnes, Fisher, Carey, Ferguson, Meyerle, 

 .Sutton, Fulmer, Force, Burdock, Radcliffe, George Wright, 

 Henry Wright, Cuthbert, Leonard, Remsen, York, Pike, 

 White, Fisher, Gedney, McMullin, Hines, Eggler, McGeary, 

 and Glenn. 



—The return match between the Excelsior Quoit Club of 

 Dartmouth and the Komos Club of Halifax, Nova Scotia, 

 was played on September 17th, on the grounds of the latter 

 club, and resulted in favor of the Komos Avho won hand- 

 somely in both innings. Many of the best players of both 

 clubs were conspicious by their absence. The substitutes 

 played remarkably well. The rest of the day Avas spent in 

 lunching, toasting and speech making. 



—The annual fall game of the New York Athletic Club, 

 will be held October the 4th, on their grounds foot of I33d. 

 St. Harlem. 



—The Atlantics were defeated by the Baltimores in Balti- 

 more on Friday, the 19th, by a score of 14 to 5, 



—On Saturday, the 20th, the Athletics beat the Atlantics 

 at Philadelphia, by a score of 11 to 5. The batting and 

 fielding of Anson was the most noticeable feature of the 

 Athletics' general good play, Burdock bearing off the palm 

 for the Atlantics in fielding. The game] was impartially 

 umpired by Fulmer. 



—The eighth game of the champion series between the 

 Bostons and Mutuals, took place at Boston, September 20th. 

 The play was anything but good on the part of the Mutuals 

 who only scored in three innings, they being virtually beat- 

 en on the sixth inning. Nelson played second base finely 

 and Eggler excelled in the field. The score, Bostons 7 

 Mutual 1. 



—At a meeting held in Baltimore last week $4,900 was 

 subscribed towards securing a nine for that city for the sea- 

 son of 1874. 



Sagacity of Birds.— A great mental quality which birds 

 seem to have m excess of other animals is a very fbae cal - 

 culation of distance, and this, too, in direct subordination 

 to their own well-being. It has been shown again and 

 again— and Mr. Leith Adams refers to some facts in sup 

 port of it in this essay— that as new weapons of offence are 

 invented many species of birds narrowly observe the range 

 of the new bows or guns, and keep out of range, not even 

 troubling themselves to go at all farther than is necessary 

 to be out of. range. Quite recently we have read, thou gh 

 we cannot verify the reference at present, of some birds 

 that adapted themselves, within a few days, to the increased 

 range of the rifle, directly after they had learned its range 

 for the first time, having been previously accustomed only 

 to the fowling piece, and kept just outside the 2,000 yards' 

 1 '! ll lf e V 01 ; wlmtever range it was, retaining their composure 

 at that distance. We. suppose the wonderful accuracy of 

 the traveling birds in striking the exact point for which ' 

 they are bound, of which Mr. Leith Adams gives us- 

 wonderful illustrations, is a still greater proof of the 

 same power. Mr. Adams tells us of swifts which af- 

 ter eight month's absence in the South, at a distance of 

 some 1,800 or 1,900 miles, return not merely to the same 

 region, but to the same nests, which they had deserted 

 and that, too, year after year, the individuals having been 

 marked so that there could be no mistake as to their iden- 

 tity, unless indeed there is such creatures as "claimants " to 

 abandoned nests even in the ornithological world. Again 

 the delicate adaptation of the power of geometrical meas- 

 urement to the welfare of its species, seems to be shown 

 by the weaver-bird of India, which hangs its " elaboratelv- 

 constructed, purse-shaped nest " from the tops of branches 

 overhanging deep wells, in order to render it particularly 

 difficult tor enemies to get at the nest without running a 

 great risk of falling into the well.— T/r Spectator. 

 ■«» » 



Brute speech— Deer-stalking. 



