136 



FOREST AND STREAM* 



A WEEKLY JOURNAL, 



Devoted to Field and Aquatic Sports, Practical Natural History, 

 Fir*" ^n^TURE, the Protection op Game. Preservation of Forests, 

 aitd the Inculcation in Men and Women of a healthy interest 

 IH Out-door Recreation and Study : 



PUBLISHED BY 



^ottnt mti §ttrmn\ ffubliMhing %oni$M$i t 



AT 



17 CHATHAM STREET, (CITY HALL SQUARE) NEW YORK, 



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Advertising Kates. 



In regular advertising columns, nonpareil type, 12 lines to the inch, 25 

 Cents per line. Advertisements on outside page, 40 cents per line. Reading 

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 extra. Where advertisements are inserted over 1 month, a discount of 

 i0 per cent, will be made; over three months, 20 per cent ; over six 

 months, 30 per cent. 



NEW YORK, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7,1875. 



To Correspondents. 



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All communications whatever, whether relating to business or literary 

 Correspondence, must be addressed to The Fokest and Stream Pub- 

 lishing Company. Personal or private letters of course excepted. 



All communications intended for publication must be accompanied with 

 real name, as a guaranty of good faith. Names will not be published if 

 objection be made. No anonymous contributions will be regarded. 



Articles relating to any topic within the scope of this paper are solicited. 



We cannot promise to return rejected manuscripts. 



Secretaries of Olubs and Associations are urged to favor us with brief 

 notes of their movements and transactions, as it is the aim of this paper 

 to become a medium of useful and reliable information between gentle- 

 men sportsmen from one end of the country to the other ; and they will 

 find our columns a desirable medium for advertising announcements. 



The Publishers of Forest and Stream aim to merit and secure the 

 patronage and countenance of that portion of the community whose re- 

 fined intelligence enables them to properly appreciate and enjoy all that 

 s beautiful in Nature. It will pander to no depraved tastes, nor pervert 

 the legitimate sports of land and water to those base uses which always 

 tend to make them unpopular with the virtuous and good. No advertise- 

 ment or business notice of an immoral character will be received on any 

 terms ; and nothing will be admitted to any department of the paper that 

 may not be read with propriety in the home circle. 



We cannot be responsible for the dereliction of the mail service, if 

 money remitted to us is lost. 



Advertisements should be sent in by Saturday of each week, if possible. 



CHARLES HALLOCR, Editor. 



WILLIAM C. HARRIS, Business Manager. 



THE FALL MEETING AT CREEDMOOR. 



CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR THE COM- 

 ING WEEK.. 



Trttrsdat, October 7th.— Racing at Jerome Park; Nashville, Term. 

 Trotting at St. Louis, Mo.; Armenia, N. Y. , Prospect Park; Monroe, 

 Mich. Rifle— Forest and Stream Badge, Conliu's Gallery, 930 Broad- 

 way. Regatta at Owasco Lake, N. Y. ; eingle scall race, Ellis Ward and F. 

 Kilsbv, Watkins, N.Y. Cricket— Staten Island vs. Prospect ParkClub, at 

 Staten Island; St. George's Club vs. Picked Eleven, of Orange, N. J. 

 Base ball— Chicago vs. St. Lonis, at Chicago; Philadelphia vs. Boston, 

 at Philadelphia; Athletic vs. Quickstep, at Wilmington, Del. 



Friday, October 8th.— Racing at Nashville, Tenn. Trotting at Pros- 

 pect Park, St. Louis, Mo.; Owego, N. Y.; Cincinnati, Ohio. Annual 

 Eair at Monroe, Mich. Match of Resolute vs. Comet, in N. Y.Bay. 

 Base ball— Chicago vs. St. Louis, at Chicago; Athletic vs. Hartford, at 

 Philadelphia; Star vs. Chelsea, at Brookly n. 



Saturday, October 9th.— Racing at Jerome Park. Trotting at Pros- 

 pect Park; St- Louis, Mo. Rifle — Crouch Badge, Creedmoor. Four- 

 oared race, Princeton vs. Schuylkill Navy, National Course. Base ball 

 —Athletic vs. Boston, at Philadelphia; Flyaway vs. Nameless, at 

 Brooklyn. 



Monday, October 11th.— Base ball— Alaska vs. Chatham, at Brooklyn. 



Tuesday, October 12th.— Racing at Jerome Park. Trotting at Parker 

 City, Pa.; Pater son, N. J.; Rockland, Me.; Lowell, Mass. N. Y. Cen- 

 tennial Athletic Association, Capitoline Grounds, Brooklvn. Base ball- 

 Hartford vs. Athletic, at Hartford; Alaska vs. Olympic, at Brooklyn; 

 Concord vs. Cheb-ea, at Brooklyn; Malone vs. Active, at Reading, Pa. 

 Match of Resolute vs. Vesta and Dreadnaught, at Sandy Hook. 



Wednesday, October 13th.— Trotting as on Tuesday, and at Phila- 

 delphia, Terre Haute, Iud. Base ball— Hartford vs. Athletic, at Hartford. 



Obituary— "The Old Shekakry."— The death of a 

 gentleman so well known as a writer on sporting subjects, 

 and as a traveler, as was the late Major Henry A. Leveson, 

 deserves nolice and a slight tribute to his memory, even on 

 this side of the water. There are few who take an interest 

 in the sports of the forest and field, who have not read with 

 delight the graphic sketches of wild eastern life and the 

 killing of big game, from the pen of "The Old Shekarry." 

 "The Camp Fire," "The Hunting Grounds of the Old 

 World," and "Forest and Field," are books read wherever 

 the English language is spoken. Major Leveson served 

 with great distinction throughout the Crimean war and 

 was several times severely wounded. His graphic sketches 

 of sporting incidents will be sadly missed from the pages 

 of periodicals to which he was a frequent contributor, and 

 the public, as well as the large circle of friends by whom 

 he was loved for his personal worth, will mourn his loss. 

 Major Leveson, who died recently at Brighton, England, 

 in his forty-eighth year, was a sportsman in the true sense of 

 the world-, not killing for the sake of slaughter, but prefer- 

 ring contests with the larger and more dangerous game, 

 such as "Rogue" elephants, and man-eating tigers. He 

 was also a valuable contributor to science. We shall all 

 sadly miss "The Old Shekarry." 



WE devote considerable space in our rifle columns to- 

 day to the late contest at Creedmoor, which ended 

 on Saturday, October 2. This Autumn meeting of the Na- 

 tional Rifle Association concludes most happily what must 

 be considered as an exceedingly brilliant period in the his- 

 tory of American rifle shooting. It was not sufficient that 

 the attendance at Creedmoor should have been large, and 

 that all should have entered fully into the spirit of the oc- 

 casion, but it was a necessity that a manifest improvement 

 in scoring should have been made. Let any one compare 

 the shooting last October with that of this year, and it will 

 be found how much higher the percentage is. Shooting 

 which in 1873 and even 1874 would have secured to indi- 

 viduals and teams first prizes in the various contests would 

 this year have only been placed fourth or fifth. When one 

 takes into consideration, too, that the newer system of tar- 

 gets is employed, the scoring becomes even more remark- 

 able. The American people are fast mastering all the se- 

 crets of scientific rifle shooting, and there is no reason why 

 next year we may not look for even higher results. 



If there is some appreciable limit to man's skill in the 

 thorough command of the instruments he employs, those 

 secrets which he may still acquire as to the better construc- 

 tion of such tools have no limits. It would be absurd to 

 say that the rifle of to-day is the very best, and that beyond 

 it nothing can be done. If the breech loader has been 

 amazingly improved in the last fifteen years, what may it 

 not become in 1885? It is as certain as can be that before 

 long we will change the character of the targets so that 

 with better arms we may make further discriminations in 

 marksmanship. If we hear of there having been con- 

 structed lately in England a cannon which is to send its 

 ball a distance of eight miles, and a careful adjustment is 

 put on the piece, and gunners are to be taught, and what is 

 more, required, to drop their 600 pound cannon balls within 

 an area of one-thirty second of an acre, why are we not to 

 increase in time the range and the accuracy of rifles? Spec- 

 ulations of this kind are not at all visionary in their char- 

 acter. It may be supposed to be foolish to think how the 

 children of the men who shot at Creedmoor last week will 

 use their rifles, or what comments or inferences some fu- 

 ture writer in the Forest and Stream will record, but rifle 

 making and rifle shooting will not, at least in the United 

 States, remain at a standstill. 



Returning from such speculations to the actual match, 

 the management on the whole was fairly good, but it might 

 have been improved. The fact is, that the National Rifle 

 Association has grown so fast and in such an unheard-of 

 way, that on grand occasions like the Fall meeting it be- 

 comes rather unmanageable. Though the shooting element 

 is admirable as to order and deportment, it wants punc- 

 tuality. Rules, and very positive ones, ought to be made 

 and enacted as to the scoring of the competitors at the 

 matches. Mr. A-, if he shoots in the champion match, 

 ought not only to have the day of the match indicated to 

 him, but should be instructed to be present at a fixed hour 

 to take his turn. If Mr. A. is not present then he ought to 

 lose his entry. A good many of the matches weie run one 

 into another, causing confusion. One or two men late in 

 a match may cause the tail men, who have been thrown by 

 accident among the last to shoot, to point their rifles at tar- 

 gets which are just visible in the gloom of the evening, 

 and chances are unequalized. 



The rule of shooting in rain or sunshine should be held, 

 and that, no matter what convulsion of nature should oc- 

 cur, save an earthquake, the match must be shot between 

 certain hours, and that after a certain indicated time in the 

 afternoon, fixed on beforehand by the officer of the range, 

 not a single rifle should be fired* On grand occasions of- 

 ficial scorers should be had, and paid for their services, 

 who ought to be always in position near the shooting point. 

 Then again, a sufficient clerical force should be assembled 

 to work up statistics of the matches. In many cases repre- 

 sentatives of the leading journals had just cause of com- 

 plaint, finding it impossible to make up their reports in 

 time. Tken again, that disagreeable business of listening 

 to protests and adjudging them should be delegated to a 

 selected body of officers, who should be always on the 

 ground ready to solve all mooted questions. Capt. Story 

 was indefatigable in his duties in the statistical department, 

 assisted at times by Gen. Woodward, but had there been 

 at least four able clerks to help these gentlemen it would 

 have not been more than sufficient to give the results. 



There is a very unfortunate clause in the rules regulating 

 the officers of the National Rifle Association which pre- 

 cludes any of them from being paid for their services. If 

 a feeling of devotion to the military interests of the coun- 

 try, and a pride in the honorable positions of President, 

 Vice President, or Director of the N. R. A. might prevent 

 any of the incumbents from being salaried, some executive 

 officer who does the every-day work should be paid, and 

 handsomely, too. What is everybody's work is generally 

 nobody's work, though in the N. R. A. there has been an 

 immense amount of very hard drudgery accomplished by 

 every officer, often at a great sacrifice of time and money. 

 In fact, with them all it has been a labor of love. We 

 trust those leading gentlemen who have given us our Creed- 

 moor, and have originated systematic rifle shooting in the 

 United States, will see that it is to their interests to have 

 this clause about giving a salary to some executive officer 

 inserted in their privileges, and then, if all things do not 

 move as smoothly as they should, we may at least have 

 somebody whom we can hold responsible, To Gen. Pakin 



as executive officer the greatest praise is due for haviu 

 done all in his power to bring the many matches to the' 6 



conclusion. 



GAME PROTECTION. 



THE call for the meeting of the Executive Committee 

 of the International Society for Protecting Gam 

 and Fish was issued last week. The appointing of stand- 

 ing Committees on Legislation, Nomenclature, etc., -which 

 will be the duty of the Executive Committee, must shortly 

 result in a more perfect system of game laws, and a more 

 stringent application of the same when they shall have be- 

 come legislative enactments. In this respect our Canadian 

 neighbors are already . taking the initiative, and are deter- 

 mined to have their laws enforced without regard to per- 

 son or position. Under the head of "Game Protection m 

 Canada," w T e find the following in the Peterborough Times' 



"On Saturday Mr. G-. B. Sproule was charged before the 

 Police Magistrate, by the County of Peterborough Fish 

 and Game Protective Society, with hunting deer and hav- 

 ing venison in his possession during the close season. It 

 appeared from Mr. Sproule's evidence that some of the 

 party had hunted on the 31st of August, but he had not 

 taken part in the hunt. A deer was brought into camp 

 that evening, and was divided the next morning, Mr. 

 Sproule taking a hindquarter. He was fined $10 and' costs' 

 for having venison in his possession. On Thursday a simi- 

 lar charge was brought by the society against Mr. D. Denne. 

 He was in camp while the same party were hunting, and also 

 received ashare of the venison. He was fiued $10 and costs." 



There is this difference, however, between the adminis- 

 tration of the game laws in Canada and this country. In 

 the former there is engrafted upon the minds of- the people 

 generally a strict deference for the laws relating to game 

 which is an inheritance from the mother country, where 

 the slayer of game out of season ranks with the poacher 

 and vulpecide. With us, particularly in the case of men 

 living on the outskirts of civilization, game laws are felt as 

 a restraint, and are too irksome to be observed. They must 

 be taught that a respect for them will ultimately be a ne- 

 cessity of their own existence. We had the pleasure a few 

 days since of a call from Mr. Wm. Eastland, of Peter- 

 borough, and Mr. J. W. Sheridan, formerly of the same 

 place, both gentlemen largely interested in the preservation 

 of game. We are informed by them that the Canadian 

 Legislature, in order to prevent as much as possible the vio- 

 lation of the laws induced by the prospect of a market on 

 our side of the border, have given instructions to all their 

 Customs agents to refuse the customary export entry for 

 all game or fish which may be offered for transportation, 

 and to seize the same. This is one step in the right direc- 

 tion. If our Government would issue similar instructions 

 'to its Customs officers, the practice of rinding a market for 

 illegally killed fish and game could be effectually prevented 

 as between the two countries. 



There are doubtless innumerable instances of game being 

 killed through ignorance of the laws — a wretched excuse, 

 as every facility is now offered for procuring the informa- 

 tion, which should be the sportsman's first object on start- 

 ing on an expedition, particularly if it be to a State other 

 than his own. A case in point is now under our observa- 

 t'on, We published recently an account of a trip to Maine 

 written by a gentleman who probably had nothing further 

 from intention than a violation of the game laws of that 

 State. Yet he nevertheless killed caribou in the month of 

 September, and boldly published it over his own sigj 

 nature, notwithstanding the fact that it is illegal to kill 

 caribou before the 1st of October. The publication of -the 

 article in question has brought forth a letter from a leading 

 citizen of Maine, noted also as being devoted to the pres- 

 ervation of game, and a gentleman of high scientific at- 

 tainments. We do not feel at liberty to publish the letter 

 in full, but the sentiments expressed are so admirable, and 

 the case so well put, that we cannot refrain from printing 

 a portion of it : — 



"As men's positions in this world by education or property are influen- 

 tial, in the same ratio are they responsible to society for the example 

 they set. The greatest obstacle that I have met in this State in my own , 

 pergonal experincee to the enforcement of our game laws is, the contin- 

 ual cry that we want to preserve ihe game for the rich, etc. Guides 

 themselves have told me that when they state to their employers lhatto 

 kill this or that game is against the law, the reply is, "O, we'll hold you 

 blameless, and pay all expenses if it is found out." In many cases these 

 very men, thus inciting our guides to commit a crime, are the very men 

 who cry out loudest for the severe punishment of poachers, and for the 

 better protection of e;arae. These are the men who come to our State 

 and slaughter our trout by tons and call it sport. These are the men 

 who boast that they made a bag or creel of 50, or 100, or 500. A good 

 sportsman kills his brace of two or four, pound fishes, or as many as ni3 

 needs require, then casts all back. Your true sportsman, like your brave 

 soldier, is never a braggart of the number killed. We must establish a 

 good healthy public opinion in sporting matters. We must discounte- 

 nance these raids over the border by outsiders, who, when at home, are 

 beyond our jurisdiction. They are welcome to take our game «P° 

 equal terms with ourselves, but they must not corrupt our guides wi 

 their money and their example, and then seek safety from their own ac s 

 by flying over the border. Of what possible use are our State laws, ex- 

 cepting to place Maine sportsmen at a disadvantage, under the influen 

 and example of such sportsmen as the party alluded to?" 



Our correspondent further suggests that as a graceful ac 

 the killer of the caribou pay over to the Governor of the 

 State the full penalty for every deer or caribou killed, the 

 money to be devoted to charitable objects. 



We have received another letter relating to a subject no 

 less important, viz. : the probable extinction of deer in 

 Adirondacks, and we cordially indorse Mr. Wales' sngge^ 

 tion that the deer should be closely protected for a o 

 years, until they- have had opportunity to increase andm 

 tiply. There is no section of the country where a str 

 enforcement of the game laws is of more importance 

 the Adirondack region, and special officers should be P 

 pointed whose sole duty would be to prevent andprosec 



