FOREST AND STREAM- 



329 



THE NEW YEAR 



, — ■ ♦ . > 



THERE would be fewer attractions surrounding 

 Christmas and New Tear's Day as holidays, if they 

 t)pealed less to the feelings in which home is enshrined. 

 We are proud and patriotic as each recurring Fourth of 

 TuiV brings strongly and vividly before us the fact that 

 America is our country. At other festivals we are, or try 

 to be imbue 1 with the religious feelings befitting the oc- 

 casion. Christmas and New Year's Day are viewed simi- 

 larly and yet differently. They carry us back to the most 

 hallowed spots in "meni'ry's waste," and help to keep 

 green the feelings of youth. They are the festival of home, 

 and recall the old home circle, very much narrowed, it may 

 be since dropped out of the reach of its warmth and love, 

 but remaining fixed and unchangeable in our recollection. 

 Christmas has come and gone, and Santa Claus has whirled 

 aW ay in his car to be seen no more for another year. We 

 can onlv hope that our readers were each and all honored 

 by one of his mysterious visits, and that he left behind 

 souvenirs of love and friendship before 



"He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle." 

 We approach New Year's Day with feelings strangely 

 crossed and mingled. Its morning marks another turn- 

 stile to be passed on the way through life. As we stand 

 at one side we are despondent over retrospection; as we 

 stand at the other we are buoyant with hope and anticipa- 

 tion. 



Hope links us to the future— but the link 

 That binds us to the past is memory. 



In either case the contemplation of the past is, although 

 valuable, unattractive or even regretful. If it brought 

 pleasure we bemoan its departure; if it gave us only pain 

 that pain we feel again in memory. If it brought us to 

 conscientious self-examination, however, and the suffering 

 left us chastened and purified, its endurance would be a 

 blessing, and therein lies the advantage of marking at sta- 

 ted intervals the flight of time. We can measure our 

 present with our former selves, and determine whether we 

 have advanced or retrograded. The expiration of a year 

 is thus invested with a certain solemnity which it is well 

 for us to appreciate. It may be the measure of our rise or 

 of our fall, and stands as a milestone upon the way of life. 

 If it leaves us on the height we may look forward to other 

 heights shading off into the unknown beyond, where all 

 ouryear8 will mingle again in eternity. If it leaves us in 

 the valley we may look back regretfully to the summit we 

 have left, and forward to the hill we may never reach. 

 But 



"Full knee-deep lies the winter snow, 

 And the winter winds are weaiily sighing; 



Toll ye the chnrch. beh sad and slow, 



And tread softly and speak low, 

 For the old year lies a-dying. 1 ' 



and harily lias the knell been rung bsfore 



"There's a new foot on the floor' my friend." 

 He brings the new-born hope to take the place of the lin- 

 gering memory. It is a time less for wassail and rejoic- 

 ing than for high resolve, that 1877 shall leave us higher, 

 purer and better than it found us. It is well, no doubt, to 

 rejoice, to claim the friends that are left us and the bene- 

 fits we enjoy; but to many the future is terrible because it 

 is hidden. We peer into it fearfully, like children peering 

 into the dark. All that we can do is to step foi ward with 

 boldness and face our duty with all the consequences its 

 performances may entail. Though we pause upon the 

 threshold of the new year, it need not be in fear, but with 

 determination and an unspoken prayer that the bells 

 which have changed their solemn tolling to a merrier peal 

 may 



"Ring out the grief that saps the mind, 



For those that here we see no more; 

 Ring out the feud of rich and poor, 



Rin g in rtdiess to all mankind." 



_ «*•«» — 



"Fred Beverly's-' Expedition to the Little An- 

 tilles.— Before we can study the ornithology of the islands 

 of .he Gulf of Mexico and of the Caribbean sea with 

 profit, we must have a "re-identification" of the species 

 of birds which inhabit the Little Antilles. Dr. Gaudlach 

 has been hard at work in Cuba and Porto Kico for years 

 past, and now Mr. P. A. Ober, of Florida fame, who left 

 New York a short time since, goes to Martinique with, the 

 intention of assiduously studying the natural history of 

 that interesting island of the Windward Group. Mr. 

 Ober takes with him bis photographic apparatus, with 

 which he will secure negatives of all interesting subjects 

 which will illustrate biology, He goes out under the au- 

 spices of the Smithsonian Institution, and will be encour- 

 aged in his efforts by two or three scientific specialists well 

 known to American naturalists. Mr. Ober obtained some 

 portion of his outfit from the Forest and Stream propri- 

 etors, including arms and ammunition, whereby we 

 have established some claim upon him for letters which, 

 he has promised to send u^ from time to time, as he has 

 opportunity. 



<•*•»- 



•-The receipt by us a few days ago of a large club of 

 subscribers from among the West Point . cadets, shows 

 hat the young fellows have the same appreciation of 

 forest and Stream as the officers of the Army on the 

 frontier and at Headquarters have. Forest and Stream 

 18 now represented at nearly every frontier post. 

 #«> — 



-Bermuda is one of the mo^t delightful winter 



resorts readily accessibly from/New York Yoik - II has 

 ao equable temperature of about 70° The steamers adver- 

 ted in our journal reach Bermuda in seventy-two hours 

 ? r Qm time of departure from this port. 



A Noble Present prom the Woods.— Allan Gilmour, 

 Esq., of Ottawa, Canada, (of the ancient and honorable 

 house of Gilmour, Rankin & Co.,) has made us a noble 

 Christmas present. It is an immense moose head, whose 

 spread of horns measures five feet; whose head, from tip 

 of nose to top of the occiput, just back of the ears, 

 measures two feet four inches; and the muzzle, or more 

 technically the muffle, twenty-five inches in girth. The 

 horns themselves are very symmetrical, consisting of two 

 pronged palmas whose width measures two feet and over. 

 It is a noble trophy of prowess which Mr. Gilmour should 

 feel as proud to have won as we feci honored to receive 

 from the giver. We shall mount this head in our office as 

 a symbol of our profession, and a tribute to the gentleman 

 who shot it, so that those who visit us hereafter may gaze 

 upon it and recall the happy hunting grounds where no- 

 ble game woos noble hunters. 



A Quail Breaks the Glass op a Locomotive Head- 

 Light. — While the train on the branch of the Camden 

 and Atlantic Railroad, which terminates at May's Landing, 

 N. J., was running to the latter place one evening about 

 the middle of December, the engineer discovered by the 

 glare of the head-light some object in the centre of the 

 road a short distance ahead. As the object was low 

 enough for the locomotive to clear he did not disturb his 

 speed, but kept a close watch of the object. When the 

 locomotive was within a few feet of the object it suddenly 

 separated in several directions through the air, a compo- 

 nent part striking the head light glass with such force as to 

 break it. It was a covey of quails! 



"Vanity Fair." — Very generous to our printers have 

 been the gifts of the manufacturers of the Vanity Fair 

 Tobacco. For the third time, at least, our editors, com- 

 positors, and type-stickers — from the head ' "devil" down 

 to the least— have been the recipients of a large box of 

 this delightful comforter, with the compliments of the 

 the season, and friendly Wishes for a "Merry Christmas" 

 and a "Happy New Year." His Infernal Highness.it is 

 asserted, delights in smoke; and hence the admitted ap- 

 propriateness of the gift, as well as its significance, as no 

 doubt implied in and by the donation. Could the faithful 

 men who have worked with and for us ever since the day 

 when the Forest and Stream was first started, and con 

 tributed to its success, be persuaded to speak, they would 

 no doubt express themselves with more fervor than we do, 

 and put their words in proper "form." As it is, although 

 "not an orator like Brutus," we shall simply speak "right 

 on;" and the point of our expression will be, thanks re- 

 newed, and a hope for the continued prosperity of Kimball 

 &Co., of Rochester, and a belief that their tobacco and 

 cigarettes will find favor with all who test their pungency 



and flavor. 



«*,«. 



More Oranges.— What a delightful season the children 

 would have if life was one long eternal Christmas! 



Speaking of oranges, we are the recipient of another lot 

 of oranges from Mr. Chas. J. Kendall's grove on Palmetto 

 Island, near Port Royal, South Carolina, and while we are 

 epicurian, and fond of what is lucious, we are philosophical 

 enough to take the "bitter (oranges) with the sweet," just 

 a3 he sent them, remarking sotto voce, "Such is Life," of 

 which there can be no mistake 



This Port Royal fruit is very fine and while we think 

 that of Homosassa is better, we are free to say that we 

 have seldom seen as good in Florida. 



*-•+. 



Mrs. Beecher and FloriBa.— Col. J. B. Oliver, Man- 

 aging Editor of the "Florida New Yorker," having re- 

 cently presented to Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher forty acres 

 of land on the Transit Railroad in Central Florida, that 

 lady, in a graceful letter of acceptance, wrote the follow- 

 high endorsement of Florida : 



Brooklyn, Nov. 13. 

 Col. J. B. Oliver, Editor Florida New Yorker : 



Dear Sir : Permit me to thank you for the forty acres 

 in Central Florida, that you are willing, through me, to 

 place in my son in law's hands, Rev. Samuel Scoville, in 

 trust, for his children. 



I have great faith in, and affection for, Florida. I love 

 this land of beauty, her hospitable, warm-hearted people, 

 her exquisite flowers, her luscious fruits, her sweet and 

 brilliant birds, her wonderful productiveness. This land, 

 whose soft and balmy air brings health and strengfh and 

 hope to the invalid, making life a pleasure far more appre- 

 ciated than in our dear, but less genial, climate. 



Under skillful management I am confident that Florida 

 can give to those who create a home on her soil all, and 

 more than your Florida JSew Yorker promises. Besieged, 

 daily, by those unfortunates who come to our door for 

 help, I see that the little one can give is but a crumb 

 among so many ; and I wish till my heart aches, that I 

 had the means to transport those who only beg for work to 

 this land of promise, and sure fulfilment for all who bring 

 to it efficient industry. 



You could scarcely have gi^en me greater pleasure than 

 by prestnting this land to my daughter's children, fori 

 have seen and do know what can be done in Florida, and 

 what her soil is capable of giving back in return for honest 

 labor. Yours respectfully, 



Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher. 



In his public and private lectures throughout the North- 

 ern and Eastern cities, as well as by the use of his well- 

 directed pen, as Managing Editor of the Florida New 

 Yorker, Col. J. B. Oliver is accomplishing a wbrk for the 

 State of Florida that can only be measured by millions of 

 money, and thousands of good settlers whom he is induc- 

 ing to go to that genial clime. From the business relations 

 which this genlleman has had, and now has s with the 

 Fo&bst akp S^ftBAMj as agent as«J correspondent^ we are 



willing to express much faith in his abilities and integrity 

 of his efforts to build up Florida. 



««►»»■ 



Peace and Quiet in Florida.— Some of our corres- 

 pondents have asked us, seriously, if it will be safe for 

 Northern men to visit Florida this winter. We have 

 spared ourselves and them the mortification of a reply. 

 But here is what Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe says in the 

 last number of the Christian Union : — 



"We find Florida extremely quiet. Nobody seems to be 

 thinking much of anything but their own business. Every- 

 body is longing and praying for the Northerners to come 

 down to buy their goods, to fill their hotels, to occupy their 

 boarding houses, and to keep business stirring generally. 



"Florida is quiet and will stay so. This is not the kind 

 of atmosphere to breed tumuit, and whichever way the 

 election goes we expect a sunny time here. One large new 

 hotel in Jacksonville has arisen since we were here last. 

 We hear of others arising at Green Cove and Palatka. 

 New boats are running on the St. Johns, and the old are 

 not diminished. The beautiful river is full of life and 

 everybody seems to be of opinion that, come what may, it 

 is best to keep goodnatured; which is good philosophy 

 both for Florida and life in general." 



A letter from Dr. F. D. Lcnte, dated at Palatka, Dec. 

 20, says :— 



"If any of your friends have any apprehension about 



coming to Florida on account of political troubles you may 



assure them that they will be as tree from molestation, or 



even from unpleasant associations or remarks connected 



with politics as in New York. There is no exc'ttrmnt m 



this part of the State whatever, nor do 1 hear that there is 



in any other. 



«»•«. 



Sportsmen Murdered. — It is very rarely that we are 

 called upon to record an incident of the character of the 

 one described in the letter printed below. If the particu- 

 lars as given are correct, we should think that the people 

 of Tennessee would, for the reputation of their State, or- 

 ganize themselves into vigilance committees and extermi- 

 nate the outlaws: — 



Nashville, Tenn., December 6th, 1876. 



The intelligence of the murder of four sportsmen from 

 Kentucky, on the Cumberland mountains, was received in 

 this city a day or two ago. They left Kentucky a few 

 day's previous, and upon reaching the mountains" hunted 

 all day. While sitting around a fire at night, they were 

 suddenly attacked by a band of outlaws who infest the 

 hills near where the unsuspecting hunter's were. They 

 made a desperate resistance, but were finally forced to 

 yield to the greater number. They were all shot and 

 stabbed, and left lying dead upon the scene of their fancied 

 security of a few hour's previous. The robbers took their 

 hunting accoutrements and departed. The bodies of the 

 murdered men were discovered next morning by a man 

 who passed by them, and who soon summoned a number 

 of other persons to the place. When the pocketb of the 

 unfortunate men were examined, their names and places of 

 residence were ascertained from letters and papers. Their 

 relatives in Kentucky were notified of the faie of the 

 sportsmen, and immediately look steps to have the bodies 

 taken to their homes. Robert J. Miller. 



OUR WASHINGTON LETTER. 



FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. 



Duck Shooting on the Potomac— Distribution of 

 Salmon and Cakp in Maryland and Virginia Wa- 

 ters—The Salmon Fisheries of the Columbia 

 River— Protection of Buffalo, Etc., Etc. 



» 



Washington, D. C, December 23d. 



WE have just had another Polar wave, which brought 

 the mercury down to the neighborhood of zero, 

 and as a consequence sportsmen in this viciniiy have done 

 but little shooting recently. Usually in this latitude De- 

 cember is one of the mildest winter months, but this year 

 it has been extremely severe. We have already had ice 

 from six to eight inches thick, and at least half a dozen 

 snow storms, though all of them were light, but sufficient 

 to render walking over country fields disagreeable. The 

 followers of aquatic shooting in many instances have been 

 deprived of trips down the river, which they oftentimes 

 enjoy about this period, on account of the extreme cold 

 having frozen the river to a distance of twenty or thirty 

 miles below the city. Before the freeze several parties 

 who spent a day or two at various points below Mount 

 Vernon had good sport. Accounts from the Lower Poto- 

 mac and Chesapeake Bay are to the effect that ducks, swan 

 and geese are as numerous as they are every season on this 

 beautiful river, the products of which in the shape of fish 

 and fowl supply our tables to such an extent. Many 

 points might be mentioned between Mount Vernon and the 

 mouth of the river which are celebrated as good feeding 

 places, and where canvas backs,. red necks, mallard and 

 other varieties are abundant. Not many years ago there 

 was good duck shooting in the waters of the Potomac and 

 Anacostia adjacent to the city, but the big guns have been 

 used to such an extent that the ducks have been driven off 

 and now they are not to be found near the city in large 

 flocks as informer days, Good canvas-back ducks are now 

 sold in our markets at $2.50 a pair, red necks at $1.50, and 

 mallards at $1.25 Swan are selling at $1.50 each, and wild 

 geese at $1.00. Referring to our market brings to mind 

 the fact that the people of Washingten are blessed with 

 as abundant supply of fish and game as those of any other 

 city in the Union; besides that above mentioned we have 

 partridges, wild turkeys, pheasants, venison and other 

 game. In the way of fish we have cod, white and blue- 

 fish, haddock, halibut, drum, rock, perch, smelt and other 

 varieties, and all to be obtained at .prices very reasonable. 

 There is quite a large and successful trade carried on in 

 these, luxuries, and heavy consignments arrive daily for 

 the dealers, 



