364 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



I Dec. 0, 1883 



We had no difficulty in getting the balance to join her in 

 running anything oil which she opened. The trouble would 

 I if to get her lo the place where she would be most likely to 

 strike a wolf track lief ore meeting with a fox or wildcat. 

 Though deer were abundant we had no fear of findin| 

 so close the wolves. Our plan was for Mr. Hunter to lead 

 her into the thicket where he found the playgrounds, and 

 then encourage her to open on the fresh sign he had observed. 

 The rest of us we're to keep the balance of tlie dogs with us 

 until we heard Countess in full cry, and then break for her. 

 each man to follow on his own "hook" and do his best in 

 getting a -hot. 



The youne wolves must have been playing on their 

 grounds", and ran off at the approach of Hunter, for he had 

 no sooner let Countess I oo-,e than she ran into the marsh, 

 and in a moment was in full cry. In five minutes the entice 

 pack joined her. In addition to my thirteen, there were 

 half a dozen more good hounds of his young neighbors, 

 whom he had invited to the hunt, and who brought their 

 dogs with them. For fifteen minutes there was an unbroken 

 roar from this large pack, and then a stop — a confused noise 

 as of dogs fighting, and in a little while Hunter came out, 

 dragging a young wolf, but nearly as large as any of our 

 ill'--. He mounted his horse, requested us to keep a sharp 

 lookout, and stated he would ride into the thicket and force 

 them to leave so that we could get shots as they should 

 break for the hills. 



But a short time elapsed before the whole pack were under 

 full cry. Several times they made the circuit of the thicket, 

 then came the boom of a gun. The pack ceased opening, 

 but it was for a moment, when all again gave mouth, divid- 

 ing into three packs. A gun on the opposite side from where 

 1 was seated on Tom broke on my ears, and that pack, con- 

 sisting of two-or three dogs, ceased their cry. I knew a 

 wolf had been killed, and 1 supposed Mr. Hunter had killed 

 one also. The bigger portion of the pack were making to 

 my Stand, but soon turned out of shouting distance, and 

 rising a hill 1 saw two large black wolves scaling through 

 the bushes, with Countess not far behind them. Hunter was 

 riding like Jehu, keeping up with some of the rear dogs, 

 and hollowing every jump of his horse. As they were bear- 

 ing toward Cypress Creek, I knew at that late lime of the 

 evening 1 could do nothing, so I turned old gray Tom toward 

 the house and slowly rode home. Before supper two more 

 of the hunters came" in. bringing with them two more young 

 wolves, it was late when Mr. Hunter got back, and tied 

 behind his saddle was a verv large black she-wolf. He told 

 me, '-After we left the thicket tids old she nsadedirect for 

 Cypress Creek, not less than eight miles on the air line. Bile 

 ran the bottom for some time, but the dogs pushed her so 

 tight she made for the old Hurricane on her way back to 

 Where she was started, when the dogs overhauled her on the 

 high hills about four miles from home. She fought for her 

 life, inflicting some ugly wounds on Countess and crippling 

 several others before 1 could get a chance to shoot her with- 

 out killing a dog." 



YY c had scoured four in all— three young, and one old one. 

 The night was spent, until long after the small hour-, pis 

 ning how we should catch and kill the other, the next morn- 

 ing.. 



A heavy rain fell before daylight. It cast a damper ever 

 buoyant spirits, for we well knewthc other old one would re- 

 turn and take her young away from that part of thecountry. 

 to hide in some dense thicket, and it was now extremely 

 doubtful whether we coiild stumble on their trail after such 

 a rain 



The sun rose clear the next morning, but it was with no 

 jubilant feelings we mounted and rode to the thicket . with 

 little or no hope of striking a track. As we had anticipated, 

 the dogs could not find' a scent of one anywhere. From 

 there we rode rapidly to every apol we could think of as being' 



a hiding place tor the mother to take her young. AhoB 



miles from there, near Mr. Fasely's. Countess sti nek a very 

 cold trail, which we followed for two hours. Not another 

 dog would open on it, and we were uncertain whether it was 

 a wolf or a I ox. Becoming discouraged, our neighbors left 

 for home. Mr. Hunter Said he would follow Countess as 

 long as she would open. 1 quit in disgust and rode for a 

 iniled crossing— a famous deer stand — hoping that ere long 

 some kind of game would cross and give Miss Bettie achs ce 

 to put in her work. I must have been there some half hour, 

 until i was wearied out. I had twisted and turned so many 

 times in the saddle, that I was badly chafed, and no doubt 

 old gray Tom's back wius aching, i was actually nodding, 

 when I was aroused by two big guns in quick succession on 

 my right, followed by several ringing tally-hos. and then 

 the roar -of the whole pack. In a moment I was in exact 

 position, old gray Tom placed just so that 1 should have 

 a broadside" shot, and Miss Bettie laid before 

 me across the saddle, both barrels cocked. 1 was ready to drop 

 the bridle and shoot at the very instant f should get a good 

 opportunity. Very quickly, gray Tom's one ear stood for- 

 ward, the other flopped back, "while his head indicated that 

 he had seen something. The dogs were rapidly coming nearer 

 and nearer toward me. A minute more and 1 saw a small 

 red-looking animal which 1 took to lie a doe. .and not far 

 behind it was another still smaller, which I thought was her 

 fawn. It was apparent they would either come directly 

 toward me or pass in .gunshot, Though I did not see the. 

 dogs, from the eager cry 1 knew they were running by 

 sight. "Steady, Tom," I wdiispered, "don't you move a 

 foot or wink an eye. Steady, and we will have both, as sure 

 as Miss Bettie barks. Heavens! that fag prostrate pine has 

 turned them, they will pass loo far to kill, So, she is turn- 

 ing nearer, it is a long shot, my only chance, and" here 1 

 cut short my talk with' Tom. Jerking up Miss Bettie from 

 the saddle 1 tired ,'it wa.: mv ce'.ly hope) with S ri.dng tin 11 

 the red thing that seemed to fly over the high grass. The 

 smoke blew in mv tare, the report reverberated over those 

 hills, and the animal disappeared. My next idea Was (ogive 

 the second barrel to the lawn. But no fawn came in view. 

 Countess, whose color was that of a deer in the red state. 



followed by the whole pack, jumped the pirn. ; n 



maddened by my shot. My attention was so much taken up 

 with the running of the dogs that 1 proved too obtuse to 

 notice the actions of old ^vdx Tom. lie had dune everything 

 in his poweT except talk, and had he possessed the faculty of 

 speech, as did Balam's ass. no doubt he would have shouted, 

 ■Look out, look there', why don't you shoot?" as the object 

 at which I shot passed in thirty yards to my left and I did 

 ma see it, nor would I have believed it possible had not the 

 whole pack dashed past me, and then come to ba\ not 

 one hundred yards behind me. 



On galloping to The spot, none lint a hunter can imagine 

 my intense joy and gratification to see the largest tawny 

 wolf I ever met in all my hunts and wanderings. He was 

 lying with his feet under him. ready to spring if nece 



appn 



achi i 





■a 



thed 









and 1 



on nd 







but f 

 beaut 



Lful i 

 and 1 





ii 



st ret r 



bed f 



ill 



1c 



the blood was oozing from his left side in several places; 

 his tongue was lolling out of his big wide mouth, while fire 

 and fury gleamed from his flashing yellow eyes. Every 

 hound Was lying on the ground around him, afraid to at- 

 tack the "lion at bay." The evening before, the tight with 

 the she had taught them a bitter lesson, and they were profit- 

 ing by it. Bear in mind it was near the middle of August 

 and in the afternoon — as hot a day as ever comes in that 

 latitude. It was a picture worthy for some good artist, I 

 sat a few minutes on old gray Tom, then dismounted and 

 enough to" put my gun over the heads of 

 is I did so the wolf gave a sudden spring 

 i over the dogs. I shot as he cleared them, 

 liking a dog 1 tired too high, making a 

 Before he got fifty yards Countess seized 

 time T reached them the flock had him 

 igth. I jabbed a pine kuot in his mouth 

 lor him to bite, and after 'the dogs had bitten him to their 



1 i nl plunged my hunting kuife through his heart. 



Quickly Mr. Hunter joined me." and after resting I walked 

 back to measure the distance of ray shot. It was 1 12 yards, 

 yet mv beautiful Miss Bettie. a Id-bore, had planted one 

 Chamber of three shot in that greal wolf's side. 



Before we got back to our horses the whole pack were in 

 full cry. Most fortunately we had stumbled upon the hiding 

 place of the remaining youug w r olves. Barely ever have fl c 

 had such sport as we had that afternoon. By the time the 

 sun set we had caught and killed seven young wolves, any 

 one of which was nearly as large as any of' our dogs. Taking 

 their scalps, we left their bodies to the buzzards, and lying 

 the old he one to my saddle, we returned home, getting in 

 by bed time. 



I skinned this large wolf, had it tanned with the hair on, 

 and used it for several years as a sleeping rug for my setter. 

 On opening the wolf I found part of the leg of a sheep indi- 

 gested. 



The next day was Sunday. We attended chunh everal 

 miles off in the neighborhood, and on inquiry learned that a 

 sheep had been killed on Friday night not less than twelve 

 miles on tile air line from where we jumped him. He had 

 eaten apart of it, and had bitten off a leg and carried it to 

 his youug. To satisfy ourselves on this point, as we returned 

 from church we rode by where we had caught some of the 

 young ones, and on opening one found the remains of a sheep 

 in its stomach. 



The young wolves had not been carried over three miles 

 from where they were reared. This old wolf could have 

 caught a sheep that night at Mr. Hunter's and saved bis long 

 trip, over twelve miles there and twelve back, making twen- 

 ty-four miles, to get food for his young. There was no 

 instinct in this. Instinct would have prompted him to 

 supply his larder from the nearest sheepfold. It was reason, 

 pure, unadulterated reason, founded on the principles of 

 self-preservation. The county court paid Mr. Hunter $60 

 for those twelve scalps. Geo. D. Alexander. 



■:. La. 



WILD MOSS CREEK. 



THE beautiful stream bearing the above Htle is located in 

 JL Carroll county, Missouri, 210 miles west of St. Louis. 

 on the Wabash Railroad, and is one of the finest fishing and 

 ducking resorts in the State. 



It is ,i. .spring-fed stream from 200 to 350 feet wide, tweiily 

 mills in length., with au average depth of ten feet, and emp- 

 ti is Into the Wakenda River Two miles west of Garrollton. 

 The wild mbss, from which it takes its name, grows from 

 its bed to tie- surf ice. and is the borne of a small insect 

 v, hirh the fish eat. 



Meeting my old friend, the Hon. James K Law Ion. pro 

 prietor of the "Wild Moss Mills," situated on the above 

 stream, he suggested that, I come up and haveasfioot.au 

 invitation which was quickly accepted, mid the following 

 Saturday evening found me aboard the train on my way to 

 Carrolltuii, where I arrived the next morning, and was 

 taken in charge by "Bill" and driven to the house, where I 

 found 14 eakfast awaiting me. after which I. was shown over 

 the grounds generally, so as to get the lay of the land pre- 

 paratory to tlie sport that was to take place next morning. 

 After dinner, we took a ride in the Sarah, a beautiful steam 

 launch, which he had built at a cost of over $600, and which 

 lie -ays is for the use of his friends. 



On our return we sat down to a bountiful supper to which 

 we did ample jtu i 8 tfter which cigars were passed around 

 and during the consummation of which plans were laid fora 

 campaign against the ducks on the morrow. When bed time 

 arrived I was Shown to my room, a neat one-story cottage 

 some 20 feet from the family residence, consisting of one 

 room about llixlfi feet and an'alcove. in which rested a bed 

 tit for a prince, and hid from view- by lace curtains extend- 

 ing from the ceiling to the floor, an elegaul»Brnssels carpet, on 

 the floor and furniture lo match, the sideboard well stocked. 

 1 was lukl that was lobe my room while I here and lo make 

 myself at home, which I at once proceeded to do. Just think 

 of it, where, is there another man in this part of the country 

 who builds a house and furnishes it in that style solely for 

 the benefit of his friends? 



In the morning, long before daylight, after a hasty toilet, 

 1 was on mv way to the pasture, in the center of which is 

 located a small lake which is a resort for ducks, and where 1 

 made my first bad break by scoring a clean miss, and at the 

 same lime scaring all the ducks on the lake, but after a few 

 moments spent in securing a good position to command a 

 view of the lake, I had the satisfaction of getting a shot at 

 a pair of milliards, one of which I brought lo bag. After 

 that it wa.s hit and miss until file bell announced breakfast, 

 at which time I had scored live clean hits. Aftei 

 1 again took up a position at my former stand, where I had 

 tolerably fair luck until near' 'noon, when 1 took a stroll 

 along the bank of the Wikenda, where 1 got two more, 

 making in all thirteen for the forenoon. In the afternoon 

 steam was got up on the Sarah, and we stalled up the creek 

 ;o -hoot ducks from a steamboat (have any of the readers of 

 FOREST and Stceam ever tried it''*i, and succeeded in get- 

 ting eleven in about two hours. 



The no -a morning was a repetition of the first, With the 

 exception that a couple of fox-squirrels were added to the 

 bag, also a fine specimen of duck-hawk, the head of which 

 is now doing service on the hat of Mis. L. On the morning 

 of the Itiird day we took a drive about four miles to the Mis 

 r bottom, where there is a perfect paradise for 



ducks and geese, but not being able to secure a boat until 

 too late in the day. we did not have the good time we SS 



'V,-s. Her- burr H. folk's humor., us rree. aim ol on ..a 



a Steam bun , . . ■ .-'''' "' : 



rejoinder in the Lumber tor .feme :.' following. ■ ' ">'•"■■ r- - 

 truthful relation of. "Duel: Shooting by Steam Power, ra issue ol 

 88.— ED. 



pected to. ami from which we returned early to again try it 

 with the Sarah on the creek, where we met with good 



success. 



The four days .-pent at Lawton's will always remain a 

 green spot in my memory, for L. is a whole-souled, genial 

 good fellow, and the prjuceof hosts, bis "latch-string" is 

 always on the outside, as will he attested by any sportsman 

 who has over hunted along the Wakenda bottoms. 



To Mrs. L,, the affable hostess, is due thanks for kind and 

 courteous attention during mv brief sojourn, and I trust that 

 the day is not far distant when I will 'have the pleasure of 

 renewing the acquaintances so pleasantly formed! 



C\Mr-BEi i.. 

 St. Louis, Nov. 35. 



AMONG THE CAPE MAY SQUIRRELS. 



THERE are limes, election being over, when one desires 

 to get the taste of politics out of his mouth, and there 

 ins'when the "grasshopper'' of business becomes a 

 burden; and it is at such periods of a sportsman's existence 



when deep-sea fishing ffllsthi soul with joy, if the season is 



not over. The "croaker" had ceased to oroak . the simple 



Bounder had ei ne beyt nd the fishing banks, and themaek- 



ia cl ii.-i-l Bought fresh', saline iie|, Is and piscatorial pastures 

 new. In my despair of a place for two days in which to re- 

 cuperate my tired energies, as 1 longed for a shady spot in 

 Which I might review the pleasures of my youth. I bethought 

 myself of Col. J. L. Lansing, the most hospitable and reliable 

 sportsman on Cape Island. I telephoned to the telegraph 

 office, "Messenger wanted." He came on wings. I wired 

 thus: "Kov. 32, 1883.— Cc-h Lansing: Will you shoot the 

 gray squirrel with me Friday, starting at li A, M.V" The 

 answer came in half an hour. "Col j. M. S. : Come in 

 the first train and 'all will be forgiven!'— J. L. Lansing." 



I started in the afternoon train tor ( Jape May, ami at 7 P. 

 M, last Thursday 1 devoured a woodcock ,ai toast and a 

 broiled rock, which had been sporting in the briny deep at 

 12 o'clock noon of the same da\ . and with a broiled beef- 

 steak and abundant mushrooms, and a fragrant cup of 

 coffee, f smoked the pipe of peace with Col. .Lansing till 9 

 P. M. and then begged off for bed. 1 Opened wide the win- 

 dow to let in tlie sweet breath of the sea. for 1 was tired, 

 "my heart and I," and I slept a long restful, dreamless 

 sleep. At 5 o'clock I heard the stalwart step of Lansing as 

 he approached my door and rapped as if lo wake the dead. 

 He exclaimed, "Wake! 5 A. M. and broiled squirrel and 

 stewed rabbit, ami the wagon is ready." I dressed on the 

 double-quick, and my appetite for 'breakfast would have 

 done credit to PaJstan, the feeder and fighter of the men in 

 buckram. 



It had been twenh years since I had peeled fhe bark 

 around a gray squirrel's head with my old breech-loader, in 

 Floyd county, lnd., and I was eager 'for the fray. 1 took 

 thirty shells, thinking we might kill a dozen squirrels, albeil 

 that genial gentleman. Judge" Miller, himself an arbil 

 j/firi/iai-itii) among the lovers of forest and stream and rod 

 and gun, had the very morning 1 started doubted whether 

 there were twelve gray squirrels in Cape May county. This 

 nettled Lansing no little, for he is "king pin" among hunters 

 by the sounding sea and "high hook" when the light is for 

 black drum or channel bass. 



fjooked out of the door. 5:15 A. M,. and there stood an 

 open buggy with a little gray pony thereto attached, looking 

 like a Norway "rat." But the gallant colonel insisted thai. 

 the "rat" was gamer than rhe "rat" Bill Tracers (known lo 

 fame) wanted JimFisk to buy, when Fisk's rat terrier ran 

 away from a rat in the rat pit iu New York. "Hadn't you 

 better buy the rat"? said the witty Travel's. The gray pony 

 made good time, considering that ha had "two heavj 

 weights" behind him— 221) avoirdupois each. Alter w'e 

 passed Cold Spring Church, on the right we met Foster with 

 his squirrel dog. This gave new aesl to our expedition for 

 if there was a squirrel between the hoard walk (Cape Ma.\ i 

 aud upper township. I knew that dog would scent him out. 

 In the West, hunting squirrels with a dog was a novel thing 

 iu the days of my youth. The firsl two hours were bis i] 

 The dog made no sign, and Lan-he/.s Gift r le n Bl rdid 

 not make a point. J began to despair. But the gallant 

 colonel, turning to hunter Hoffman, a bom squirrel hunter,, 

 who accidentally joined oiu- caravan as we neareil his log 

 cabin, down deep in the Riley Woods, said : "Suppose we try 

 Maurice Crosse's woods?' "That's the spot," said- hunteu 

 Hoffman, and Foster cheerily chimed in. 



One hour's beating through the low timber brought us 

 around to the M lurici I Iressefarm, near tin- sorghum factor; 

 where Tom Scott's son has invested someof his surplus thou - 

 sauds in making sugar out of cane: and with successful re 

 suit. 



Wo tied the gray rat to upending sapling, having taken him 

 out of the wagon Beauty, as huntei 



called his dog. If ite" did not wait an-instant, but skipped 

 through the "cupple" and treed a squirrel before we could gel 

 our shells into their places. Lansing led the van. followed 

 by the writer, Foster ami Hoffman.'" Wen we reached the 

 tree there was no sign of the frisky rodent. But [ Spied a 

 fresh-looking nest at the top of a big oak. and lei drive with 



my left barrel straight into the nest. The scared n 



slipped out on my side of the live, and before the cunning 

 Lansing could, bring gun to shoulder, fhe.sqiu, i 



'; righl barrel, and Lansing tired in midair. But 1 reck 

 on'ed without my host when i thought 1 could beat this son 

 oj Eiabelais, Eoi onco his eagle eye "lit'' on a squirrel, that 

 bushy tail had only to conie"dow'n like Oapt," HcOl 

 for if the gun didn't kill with tin- lirsl barrel. I ho dog -was 

 in to bag the bounding rodent before he could gather him- 

 self up for a run, and the shooter's practiced eye was equally 

 fund to the squirrel as he jumped. Foster 'and Hoffman, 

 with then - old-time muzzle-loaders, looked with unbounded 

 admiration and dazed astonishment at the brilliant shooting 

 of Col. Lansing's breech-loader. They did not attempt to 

 interfere with him. A light rain had commenced falling 

 about noon, which made it a perfect day for squirrel hunt 

 ing. Before ltiuch we had a baker's dozen. I was ready to 

 quit, 



. art Colonel expressed himself ready to half for 

 an assault on the lunch basket. We repaired to the phaeton, 

 and while the "rat" munched his salt bay at his ease, we 

 devoured sardines, hard-boiled eggs, oyster pie and cold 

 turkey, Lansing insisted that nothing less than twenty-live 

 squirrel scalps should adorn his belt that day. I was' con- 

 tent. Lansing quoted Shakespeare thus: "When lope my 

 mouth let no squirrel dog bark." But Bute sounded the 

 alarm far off i o t he right , a ud we wen 01 a g skyward 



for a squirrel, just where the tall fop of ; 

 joined and overlapped the trunk of a great oak was a huge 

 nest looking extremely "squirreUy." The tip o! s 

 confirmed my suspicions, and a tag stick from Hoffman, the 



