FOREST AND STREAM. 



937. 



Cincinnati, Feb. 20, 1870. 

 Fran A y Denver Rifle 



Volo m 



Dear Sir: My telegram of last night gave yoi 

 score of the Cincinnati Shooting and Fistjii. 

 shot "with your team ou yesterday, viz., four hundred and 

 ninety-five points. 



Your club was represented by a reliable marker in the pit, 

 and by another who scored in the shooting-house. 



Your telegram, received this morning, sets at rest, at least 

 for the present, whatever notions the individual members of 

 the Cincinnati Shooting and Fishing Club may have enter- 

 tained in regard to the superiority o' their rifle team over your 

 own. Your score of five hundred aud nineteen points is a 

 good one— too good for the C. F. and F. C, as they have 

 never equaled it ; no such shooting has been done here yet. 

 Enclosed please find the original score, kept by your repre- 

 sentative, and also signed by the scorer of the 0. S. aud F. C. 

 On It are two protests noted, both of which have been decided 

 in your favor. 



The match was shot over snow, and snowing, with a stiff 

 breeze blowing irregularly. But bad all the conditions been 

 of the most favorable kind, the result would have been, in all 

 probability, but little, if any, cbauged. I can only return 

 thanks to the members of the Denver Rifle Club for the confi- 

 dence reposed in Yours respectfully, Wm. Hall. 



Abmt Rifle Pbaotiok.— The departments of the army are 

 evidently minded to make a better bid than ever for the top 

 place at Creedmoor nest fall, and the liberal disbursements to 

 the troops at the various posts of material for practice will re- 

 move any chance of complaint on the old score of want of 

 ammunition. The Ordnance Department has intimated that 

 it w'dl fill requisitions for reloading supplies as follows for the 

 average number of men that may be expected for duty in each 

 company during the year : Fifty Winchester reloading cart- 

 ridge shells, cal, .45, per man ; 500 lubricated bullets, Cal. ,45, 

 405 grains per man ; 500 charges musket powder, 70 grains 

 —in pounds (one pound of powder loads 100 cartridges)— per 

 man ; 500 primers, No. !!, for Winchester shells, per rnau. 

 One set reloading implements for each company, as follows : 

 One reloader for military cartridges ; one wad cutter, neces- 

 sary for reloading with reduced charges, for instruction of re 

 cruits ; one charge cup. The above will give each man more 

 than 500 shots per annum at a less cost to the Government 

 than that of the present authorized allowance. When com- 

 pany and post commanders find more ammunition to be ne- 

 cessary they will submit requisitions for the same. The cost 

 of material is nearly as tollows : One bullet, $0,006 j one 

 primer, fi0.002 \ one charge of powder, $0.0023; total, $0, 0103. 

 The Department of Texas reports for the month of December, 

 practice at 100 yards, the best regimental average for the 

 Twentieth Infantry at 70 per cent., while the best company 

 average was Go. B, Twenty-fifth Infantry, 76 per cent. Friv. 

 J. Bell, of Co. I Twenty-fifth Infantry, had an average of 96 

 per cent., or 24 in a possible 25, while the poorest man in the 

 Department averaged but 4 per cent. From the Division of 

 the Pacific the reports show averages as follows ! 

 First Regiment Cavaliy, 



Co A.. 

 CO B.. 

 CoC. 

 CO &.. 



100 yds 200 yds 800 yds 



....33 49 ' 38 Col — 



46 69 — Co K 63 



43 *fi — COM IS 



100 yds 200 yds 300 yds 



CoC 



t'uli.. 

 OoH.. 



.'14. 



Fourth Regiment Artillery. 



62 — CoL - 



SJ toil 50 



51 



33 



fit 



Second Regiment Infantry. 

 Co D, M at 200 yards, 30 at 300, 33 at -100, 3i at BOO, 24 at 000, IS at 700 

 yards ; Co F, 56 at 100 yards, 48 at 209, 43 at 300 yards. 

 Etglit.ii Regiment Infantry. 

 Co (B, 30 at 200 yards ; Co E, OT at 100 yanli ; Co G, 30 at 100 yards, 

 41 at 200, 33 at 300 yards ; Co J, 63 at 100 yards, 47 at 200 yards. 

 i-irs! Regiment Infantry. 

 Co A. 6? tier cent, at ion yards, fit at 100 ; Co B, 57 at loo yards, 41 at 

 lino, 40 at 300 ; Co C, :-:r. at 2ii>.>, is at. ;-;<«> yards ; Co E, 47 at WO yards ; 

 Co It, 41 per oent. at too, 40 at 200, 45 at aoo. 



General Hancock has issued a general order on the subject, 

 and his men at Governor's Island are doing excellent practice. 



Wimbledon Meeting.— The date fixed for the opening of 

 the camp at Wimbledon this year is July 14. Although this 

 date is unusually late it is probable that, owing to the increase 

 In the number of prizes and of competitors, the meeting will 

 extend beyond the usual fortnight. 



%mnq §Ji<tQ mid <§mu 



GAME IN SEASON IN MARCH. 



Hares, brown and gray. Wild duck, geese, brant, etc. 



F&K FLORIDA. 



Deer, Wild Turkey, Woodcock, Quail, Snipe, Ducks and Wild Fowl. 



" Bay birds" generally, including various species ot plover, sand 

 piper, snipe, curlew, oynter-eatciier, surf, birds, pkalaropes, avoeets, 

 etc., coming under tbe groop LimacoUe or Shore Birds. 



Massachusetts— #afc«i., March 3.— Our harbor and North 

 River are yet frozen up, but soon must be cleared. Off the 

 shores now are lois of whistlers, old squaws and mergansers, 

 but tbey are rather shy ; some cools in the bay. Snow bunt- 

 ings and shore larks arc not at all plenty. No cherry birds 

 yet, nor any robins. Some grosbeaks around Boxford. A 

 fine mallard taken at Gloucester. Quite a number of 

 butcher bu'ds have been about the city this winter, also yellow 

 rumps. Saw woodpecker last week. Crows move around 

 spring-like. I use Dumoleiu in all parts of my gun where. 

 grease is needed, except the locks ; on these I use porpoise oil 

 Bame as used by watchmakers in oar city, and find twice a 

 year often enough to apply it. Make Snipe. 



Shew toa Isi.AND,Feb. 28— This cold weather and the floating 

 ice seem to have driven off the fowl, and but few remain at 

 present. The coot, old squaw, etc., do not make much shoot- 

 ing on the east end of Dong Island in the spring months, 

 though sometimes the shell drakes are beautitul. They call 

 here the old squaws, old wives, and old Indians ; on the New 

 Hingland coast they name them generally " <2uandys," and on 

 the Virginia coast "South Southeiiies." The gunners here 

 generally slick to their old muzzle-loaders, but they are be- 

 ginning to understand the superior excellence of the breech- 

 loader, and a few of them are arming with that weapou. Some 

 of them have been borrowing of me your excellent paper that 

 they may learn where to send for a breech-loader. Last week 

 one of our gunners here shot a seal on the ice, which had been 

 driven into the bay with the floating ice. MoL, 



Abdhna— Aiken, Feb. 25.— On Saturday, the 22d 

 of this month, the Aiken bo hunting fever, and 



three parties hied away to different hunting grounds. Sheriff 

 Holly, with three prominent lawyers of the Aiken Bar, look 

 the celebrated pointers, Bory O'Moore and the Rose of Allen- 

 day for Low Town Well. 

 Old man John Williams and Capt. Jordau, with the dashing 

 pointer, Sam Patch, made for the high hills of Bridge Creek, 

 ami your deponent, with Mr. Criuimins, of New York city, 

 and the renowned old pointer, Jerry-go-Nimble, struck for 

 Croft's Plantation. The first named party, going twelve 

 ' 41 quail and 5 rabbits; the second party 



luail and raised 2 foxes, which they did not shoot; 



the third party got 7 quail, 1 rabbit and the finest woodcock 

 that ever stuck his bill in the mud. The hunting and shoot- 

 ing was nil fair and square, except that the old man, John, 

 who has passed through sixty winters, took three quail on the 

 ground from his horse at one shot; but the old fellow is some- 

 what short-legged, his blooded filly is long-legged, and he says 

 it worries him mightily to be getting up and down every time 

 Sam points. One or the Gang. 



Tennessee— Washville, Feb. 37.— Snipe are anxiously looked 

 for, now being about the time they pay 113 a passing visit. 

 Valentiue and Mitchell will try their luck after them to-mor- 

 row. Valentine will take out his puppy Prairie Belle ; he 

 says she is remarkable in the field for one so young. 1 heard 

 to-day that a bill for the protection of game in this State had 

 been framed and presented to the legislature, and that it is 

 now in the hands of a committee who havesuch mailers under 

 their charge. J. D. H. 



Alabama— Mobile, Feb. 28.— Snipe are just arriving. My- 

 self and companion were on Madri Gras and bagged 44 in an 

 evening's shoot. Black George. 



Hunt-sniffle. — Ducks remain all winter on the Upper Mis- 

 souri. They are seen constantly at Fort Benton. H. A. K. 



Texas— Willis, Feb. 22.— I'm going to try some Express 

 bullets at deer ; have just ordered some from the TJ. M. 0. 

 Co. I think when I shoot one into an old buck's neck he will 

 hand in his checks. How would I have heard of the Express 

 bullet or the Dittmarjpowder had it not been for the discus- 

 sions in Forest and Stkeam about them ? If I had used the 

 Dittmar powder this winter on cluck I would have doubled 

 my bags ; but I bad no confidence in it until the hot discus- 

 sions got up, although I think that was run in the ground. I 

 have lulled lots of mallard, wood, teal and black duck this 

 winter. They were quite plentiful on our streams and ponds, 

 but are about returning north now. Our next game to play 

 is on wild turkey. "Oh, them's 'em 1" And now for the 

 solid little .38 'Wesson or .40 cal. Nichols #■ Lefever. But 

 shotgun, "nix, nix!" We want no Express for an old gob- 

 bler, but a clean little, solid shot. We want as small a hole 

 through him as possible. It would spoil le cuisine were it 

 otherwise. There is much about this bird that thousands 

 who are sportsmen never even learned. C. L. J. 



Ouio.— The Youngstown " Forest and Stream •'' Sporting 

 Club still lives. Old officers re-elected for another year. The 

 club has been vigilant, during the past year in securing a gen- 

 eral observance of the game and fish laws. Last October some 

 six of our number took a flying trip to Twin Lakes, in Mont- 

 morency Co., Mich. Had a good time, such as sportsmen 

 only know how to enjoy. Bagged five deer, one 'coon, many 

 ducks and geese. Fish — well, we did not keep count. 



F. S. W. 



California— Los Angeles, Feb.21.— Dr. Shorb, of SanFris- 

 co, Mabury, and I killed 21d quail one day last week, 



H. M. M. 



—Capt. Bogardns was at Mobile, Ala., on the 0th of.March 

 where he was engaged to shoot, 



The Auxiliary Eifle Babbel— Winn, Me., Feb. 20— 

 Editor Forest and Stream : I have been using the auxiliary 

 rifle barrel in my shotgun, and after repeated tests of its accu- 

 racy and effectiveness, am very much delighted with my pur- 

 chase. This barrel is certainly all that the manufacturers 

 clunu lor it, and sportsmen will find it fully equal to the many 

 sporting rifles. R. J . Gushing. 



Unexplored Florida. — We have another very interesting 

 letter from our correspondent, who is engaged in the Govern- 

 ment Canal Survey in Okefenokee Swamp. The information 

 which he gives us of those unexplored regions is very instruc- 

 tive and entertaining : 



Okejenoeeb Swaxip, Georgia, Feb 13, 1879. 

 Editor Forest and Stream: 



We have halted for the night at Nixon's, forty miles from 

 Homerville, on the A. G. R. R., the nearest railroad station 

 to the hunting grounds of any note. We have traced the 

 Suwanee from where it enters the swamp, at this place, up- 

 ward about twenty miles. At some points it flows with a 

 deep, sluggish current ; at others it forms mtny little stream- 

 lets that diverge from the main and form drains to vast prai- 

 ries, and in three places the river is spread out through a 

 dense cypress swamp, where it seeks a southwesterly course, 

 but does not remain without a well defined channel for more 

 than a half mile at either place. Any canoeist with perse- 

 verance can find the retreat of aboriginal times as well as in- 

 QUmerable alligators and wild fowl, which were most plenti- 

 ful in the vicinity of Floyd's Island, so called from the fail- 

 ure of Floyd to secure the Seminoles that were encamped 

 upon it ; and if a million men had entered their village by 

 the cypress lands they could not have caught one of them, 

 nor even see one, as they could easily escape in canoes by 

 routes which were known to them alone. Their descendants 

 remain here unmolested. The mounds which cover them are 

 of various forms ; the largest is obloug, 100ft. by 30ft. and 

 8ft. high, and has uo evidence of the earth being taken from 

 near it to form it ; and others have trenches alongside. The 

 centre of the island has the appearance of having lost a greater 

 portion of its trees by camping parties, no stumps remaining. 

 The land has an occasional pine and a low growth of scrub 

 oak in the centre, and at either end a dense growth of live 

 ani I water oaks, as well as various other woodB and almost 

 impassable canebrakes. But do not attach the word swamp 

 to ibis island, as it is nearly surrounded by prairies, and its 

 land is high and rolling, and among the pines is not unlike 

 the sand hill near Rockaway, except in the shape of foot- 

 prints, which are as abundant as one could wish to see in a 

 well-stocked deer park, which it proves to be by our abund- 

 ant larder, and several seen on our way out alongside, in the 

 ahgator crawls, that serve as boat routes from the rivers 

 which flows in sight of it on the north. I have never before 

 found a locality where deer were ao free from the visits of 



their natural enemies, unless bruin can be classed as one. He 

 roams here and raises his children, and the marks of 

 playful antics are abundant on the bark of many trees near 

 the hammocks which arc found all about its outskirts, afford- 

 ing resting-places for deer when the rain season is over, aud 

 places to hide, should they be pursued by dogs. 



I shall fail to do justice to it in describing the chaiu of 

 lakes found here. In my mountain home, in the Granite 

 State, I have been led to express contempt for a landscape 

 without a mountain ; but here nature has realized the need 

 of a substitute, and furnished it in a variety of forms. Nb 

 one of its lakes resemble another, except in the varieties of 

 fish, which are plentiful in all, and, when fished for, c 

 had with the least experience and the crudest of fishing 

 tackle. But a word that may not come amiss I will put in 

 here. I would not give any one who is not a sportsman in 

 its truest definition a word of encouragement, if he contem- 

 plates a visit here. Prepare to rough it, or you will have to 

 return too soon if you do not. Edw. Norton. 



—Messrs. J. Palmer, O'Neil & Co., whose advertisement 

 will be found in another column, are a very popular firm of 

 Pittsburgh, Pa., and sportsmen of the vicinity will find in 

 their extensive stock a fine choice of excellent firearms. 



DITTMAR POWDER. 



BiNGiiAMTON, N. Y, Feb. 22, 1879. 

 Edit oh Forest and Stream : 



Sir— Although you are severe in your editorial of a late 

 issue on the white powder, I must say that I have to thank 

 your paper for having been able to make my powder perfect, 

 as I begin to think and to try to obviate faults as soon as any- 

 thing serious appears against the powder in your columns. 

 Letters such as you bring from time to time come seldom to 

 me personally, most of my letters are very flattering, aud I 

 can see only the powder becoming more and more popular ; 

 but I like to hear just as well what can be brought up against 

 it, as I want the powder so that every one can use it without 

 any trouble or extra care, and with perfect safety. You can- 

 not, nor do I, expect that my powder will supersede the old 

 and tried black powder in so short a time as the new powder 

 has been out, but I feel absolutely sure that I shall see it 

 sup ersede the old powder, as breech-loaders have superseded 

 muzzle-loaders. Its cheapness is the test, and it is now cheap- 

 er than the best black. Since November 5th last, all I have 

 manufactured has been tested with the Government pressure 

 gauge, and is perfectly reliable and safe with heavy charges. 

 As I expect our own pressure gauge in a few days from the 

 Springfield armory, I shall not let a single pound of powder 

 go out without having it tested thoroughly for strain. I con- 

 sider the Orange Lightning as the mildest black powder, and 

 I shall make it the standard to go by. There are other black 

 powders in the market which strain the guns considerably, 

 but if anything happens to the gun no one blames the powder. 

 Now, to distinguish this new issue of my powder I shall send 

 it out in sealed packages only, the seal being the warrant that 

 it is safe. The kind I made last year up to Nov. 5 is also per- 

 fectly safe if used according to directions and with no heavier 

 charges than recommended in the circulars. I made that 

 kind according to Capt. Bogardus' views, who has used it ex- 

 tensively, and who is perfectly satisfied with it as he loads it 

 just right, not using more than necessary. In his great shoot 

 at Gilmore's Garden he used a lot which was returned from. 

 St. Paul, Minn., as being too strong and straining guns. That 

 it does not strain if loaded according to my instructions be 

 has proved at that great shoot, and also a short time ago in 

 Chicago at the great tournament in the Exposition building ; 

 the same ammunition was used by every one who shot in that 

 contest, and every one assured me of his satisfaction at the 

 working of the powder. I found, however, that heavy 

 charges are more in use than small charges, at least in the 

 West, and therefore, to obviate mistakes, I shall make only one 

 kind for all purposes, for strong and weak guns, light and 

 heavy charges, without any more instructions than to use two 

 tight fitting wadson top of powder, otherwise no more care than 

 in the use of common black powder. As to the charge of the 

 powder being less reliable, because it absorbs moisture more 

 readily from the nature of its ingredients, I claim that the 

 new kind absorbs less moisture than any other powder, every 

 grain being coated with a waterproof composition, which at 

 the same time makes the ignition slower and dampens the ex- 

 plosive and straining force without impairing the propelling 

 power. My experience is that the powder keeps any length 

 of time when loaded, as well in rifle as in shot-eun ammuni- 

 tion. This is easily proved if you will allow me"to send you 

 some ammunition sealed up in a package and to be opened 

 and used after six months or longer. If your correspondents 

 who complain about the powder not keeping when loaded 

 will give me their full address I will forward them some of 

 my own ammuuition for trial. As to the injuring of the 

 interior of a gun barrel I must say it cannot be from free acid, 

 as the powder reacts alkaline, which every one can notice 

 after a shot. Smelling at the muzzle or breech he will smell 

 ammonia. If your correspondents would give full particulars 

 of the trials 1 could find out what the trouble is. In the case 

 of Mr. O. M. Starck I think he either used only one wad on 

 powder or two not tight fitting wads. In that case he will 

 have found that in withdrawing the empty shell some yellow- 

 smoke coming out of the barrel, and in looking through the 

 barrel he would have found the gun fouled, while when using 

 two tight fitting wads white smoke comes out of the barrel 

 and the gun is clean. In the first ease part of the powder may 

 have only burned without exploding, the burned powder giv- 

 ing a different composition of gas from the exploding powder. 

 In such a case I would clean the gun. I can see no ill effect 

 of the powder in my own guns. 



Captain Bogardus, who has used more of my powder than 

 any other man, never made a remark to me about the eating 

 out of his barrels. If Mr. Stark will uso the same amount in 

 bulk of my powder us of black he will get better pattern and 

 penetration. I do not thmk it entirely f a ir to use A dr. more 

 of black powder in a comparative trial, and then publish the 

 result. 



I must again say that my powder is not a " wood pov. 

 as it is entirely different iu its composition. I use partly 

 paper pulp, which may not be of wood at all ; but 1 use so 

 many other ingredients besides that, the pulp is but a small 

 portion of the whole, and it is not only different in composi- 

 tion, but also in properties, from the real " wood powders," 



