FOREST AND STREAM. 



395 



death! For ten days they had had nothing but a pound, 

 or so, of flaxseed meal and two rats, with a little slush or 

 refuse grease. The vessel was the "Georgie Staples," from 

 Brunswick, Georgia, for New York, thirty-nine days out. 

 Five times had they approached the coast, every time to be 

 driven back; once when within 200 miles of New York. 

 In despair, the captain shaped his course for Bermuda, and 

 struck the reef, as I have above narrated, without a 

 mouthful of food aboard the vessel. 



"Here were sufferings which put ours to shame. I con- 

 versed with the captain, afterwards, and he told me that 

 he lay at Brunswick while the yellow fever was raging there ; 

 lost one of his crew; was at enormous, expense during his 

 stay finally got away, was driven back, and started again, 

 ■with the result shown. The account he gave of the suffer- 

 ings of the little town was pitiful. I could hardly realize 

 that the cheerful, quiet town that I had seen in August, 

 could, in less than a month, be the deserted village he de- 

 scribed to me. 



"The captain, a Maine man, was cheerful under his heavy 

 misfortunes, and bore himself manfully. A day or two 

 after our vessel was towed away another vessel struck the 

 reef close by, and, yesterday, another, a brig, was reported 

 ashore at the same place. 



"When I hear any one disparaging our Government, es- 

 pecially the coast service, I cannot but reflect upon the 

 criminal negligence of the home government of England 

 in allowing such a reef, or system of reefs, to remain with- 

 out a light-house, lightship, bell buoy, or even a beacon, 

 to mark their bearings. These reefs are one vast cemetery 

 of noble vessels. 



"In St. Georges, when we arrived there, there were twenty 

 distressed vessels in port. The account of the sufferings 

 of the crews would fill a volume. In so short a letter 1 can 

 not give the particulars of the wrecking business here, as I 

 intended, and must reserve that for future use. 



1 'Our vessel is now repaired and icloaded and wc await 

 only a fair wind to sail again on our voyage. When next 

 your hear from me I hope to be a thousand miles nearer 

 the equator. The mail soon closes, thus effectually closing 

 me. ' 'Fred Beverly. 



"Hamilton, Bermuda, Jan. 10th, 1877." 



Report op Inspector General op RrFLE Practice. — 

 Col. Geo. W. Wingate in making his annual report to the 

 Adjutant General mentions that: — 



"To the ranges at Creedmoor, Mount Vernon, Oswego, 

 Poughkeepbie, Yonkers, Newburgh, and Rochester have 

 been added during 187b', ranges at Buffalo, Elinira, Auburn, 

 Watenown, Biughamton and Ithaca. These are described 

 at length. Oihers are contemplated at Albany and several 

 other points. The State has issued twenty-Mx target slabs 

 to Creedmoor range during the past year to replace those 

 worn out by the practice of the troops during the past 

 three years. This range has neeu used during 187(3 by 

 8,000 troops under orders, and by neariy 4,000 other indi- 

 viduals. As a rule $1,500 has been allowed to each divi- 

 sion district for the purpose of fitting up and maintaining 

 its ranges, the amount being reduced whenever practicable. 

 The tendency in laying out and constructing rifle ranges 

 lias been to make them upon too large anU costly scale. 

 From 500 to 600 yards is the utmost aistaoce that is requir- 

 ed for military practice. To obtain a longer range than 

 this is difficult and expensive, and the number who desire 

 to shoot at greater distances is always small. Neither is it 

 necessary that they shoul i be exactly level, as inequalities 

 of the ground can be overcome by the erection or firing 

 platforms at a slight expense. Accessibility is of the 

 greatest importance, and is too apt to be disregard from an 

 erroneous idea of the necessity of having a 1,000 yards 

 range. If not convenient a range will never become popu- 

 lar or the regiment using it likely to have many good 

 shots. If laud is high, the right to shoot over it on cer- 

 tain days can generally be secured at a moderate expense. 



"The skill displayed by the troops in their practice dur- 

 ing the last year has been in proportion to the care devoted 

 to their instruction in their armories during the drill season. 

 The aggregate number reported as practicing in 1870 is 

 10,687 as against, 7,670 in 1875. Of these 5,266, or 50 per 

 cent., qualified in the third class (100 and 150 yards); of 

 these 2,881, or about 54 per cent., qualified in the second 

 class (300 and 400 yards)— a gain of 3.50 per cent, since 

 1875; the total number qualifying as marksmen was 907 

 (as against 533 in 1874), being 8.48 per cent, of those shoot- 

 ing. These figures show an average improvement in the 

 infantry of the 1st and 2d Divisions of 5.02, which is 

 equivalent to a gain of 18.17 per cent. In the 2d Division 

 '6'6 per cent, of those practicing remain in the third class 

 (Dec, 1875, 50 per cent.) In the 1st Division there are but 

 06 per cent, remaining in the third class (Dec, 1875, 60 

 per cent.) The new bronze badge is alluded to. Those 

 who qualify as marksmen in the beginning of the season 

 aie excused, from further practice, but to prevent loss to 

 their regiments they are allowed a credit of twenty-five 

 points each man in their class practice; an increase to 

 thirty five points is recommended. The annual improve- 

 ment would have been greater if the sub-calibre rifles or- 

 dered for armory practice had been delivered according to 

 contract; but twenty have as yet been delivered, The im- 

 provement in regiments from the interior of the State is 

 marked. They obtain a reputation beyond their immedi- 

 ate locality; their ranges are more accessible, business of 

 members less engrossing, and consequently opportunities 

 are better than those of the 1st or 2d Divisions. The result 

 will be that eventually rhey will as a whole attain a higher 

 average standard of marksmanship. Care must be taken 

 not to make the practice burdensome on the troops. The 

 duties of the rifle inspectors which have been overdone 

 during the past year will t>e lightened as the company of- 

 ficers become familiar with this branch of their duty. Col. 

 Wingate recommends that hereafter the practice at Creed- 

 moor shall be by regiments; markers to be detailed from 

 another regiment. The number of targets at Creedmoor 

 at the disposal of the National Guard should be increased 

 Worn fifteen, to twenty or twenty-five, Several aiming tri- 



pods should be kept there also for use by men awaiting 

 their turn to fire; prizes should be offered for correct esti- 

 mates of distance. The great object to be kept in view is 

 not the training©! a few skilled marksmen, but the instruc- 

 tion of the entire rank and file. The shooting of the di- 

 vision matches is postponed until too late in 'the fall. A 

 time prior to the fall meeting at Creedmoor (September) is 

 advised. 



"To prevent future disputes in regard to the filing of 

 sights by competitors as well as to improve marksmanship, 

 it is recommended that an established gauge be adopted for 

 the sights of the infantry rifle based upon the most approv- 

 ed models, and that ail sights be allowed to be altered so 

 as to conform to that gauge. In this manner the sights 

 would be improved without the cost to the State which 

 would follow an attempt to purchase new ones, while the 

 gauges (which would be in the hands of all range officer.-) 

 would form a standard which would enable a decision to 

 be made on the spot as to whether a rifle had been impro- 

 perly tampered with. The recommendation of last year in 

 regard to the sights of the carbine is renewed. Those now 

 in use do not permit of accurate shooting even at the short 

 range at which the carbine is available, as they are placed 

 so high upon the barrel as to carry over at short range." 



We regret that the demands upon our space prevent us 



from printing more than a brief abstract of this voluminous 



and valuable report. 



■ -*«+» ■ 



AN OLD RIFLEMAN ON RIFLE SHOOT- 

 ING. 



Putnam, Conn., Jan. 15th, 1877. 

 Editor. Forest and Stream:— 



Somehow as a sportsman I don't see the utility of shoot- 

 ing at these long ranges. I have shot the rifle for about 40 

 years, and although my eyes begin to fail and I have to 

 use spectacles, I lind these crack shots at Creedmoor ranges 

 don't beat me at a proper distance for all practical purposes, 

 say from 75 to 150 yards, off-hand. Last wiuter I had a 

 Creedmoor friend with me shooting in Florida, and he often 

 said ho only wanted me to show him a deer anywhere 

 within 500 yards, it would be his venison sure. Well, I 

 gave him every chance in the first case, we creeping up to 

 the top of a ridge overlooking a valley (near Orauge Dale, 

 in Marion county). I saw two deer witiiin75 yards quietly 

 lying'.down. "Now" said I, "Charley, take your time, don't 

 get flustered, they don't see us, be careful. You shoot the 

 buck and when the doe jumps up I'll kill her." Charley 

 fired and the deer jumped to their feet, standing perfectly 

 still. Said I, "Charley, put in another shell and give it to 

 him again." Bang went his rifle and away bounded the 

 buck. The doe stood just half a second too long and re 

 ceived my ball. Says Charley, "What the devil was the 

 reason I didn't kill him?" Oh! said 1, "He wants a Creed- 

 moor target." Charlie had two more good shots, one at a 

 deer and one at a turkey, before he killed, and said it was 

 one thing to shoot at a target and quite another to kill 

 game. 



The sight of a deer or turkey is usually a surprise; they 

 put in an appearance just when and where least expected, 

 and the first View is either the bounding away with erect eel 

 plume of the deer, or the skulking swift run of the turkey, 

 dodging behind everything for a screen, with no time to 

 take" rest or call shots. Thirty or forty years ago we rifle 

 men used to practice in this way: Take three barrel heads 

 and nail them together, then select a hillside where they 

 would roll swiftly down, and at the foot of the hill drive 

 two stakes thirty feet apart, shooting at the wheel while it 

 is going between these stakes. Then stand off 50 or 75 

 yards, and if you can hit the wheel near the center most 

 every time you can stand a good chance to kill a deer on the 

 jump between the trees, as they strike into an opening or 

 eross a road. The bounding of the wheel compares with 

 the running of the deer. 



One seldom shoots at a deer or turkey at over 100 yards, 

 and usually within 50 yards. Seventy-ive yards in the 

 woods seems farther than 150 out on an open field. One 

 old hunter told me he killed a deer over 300 yards; after- 

 wards he showing me just where he stood, I paced it and 

 it was only about 90 paces. I will allow that when one 

 paces his own shots he steps only, say two feet and four 

 inches, and when he paces the shots of others he generally 

 stradles or steps at least three feet and two inches. 



G. F. W. 



American Arms Abroad.— The Providence Tool Co. 

 has commenced to complete its contract with the Turkish 

 Government, and are about to put on their usual quota of 

 hands, numbering 1,800, distributing thereby $100,000 

 monthly for help and materials. It is well known that the 

 Ottoman exchecqucr has been much depleted, and until 

 the Sultan could settle little differences over here, he could 

 not expect any more Martini-llenry rifles from this quarter. 

 The threatened war has caused an imperative demand for the 

 balance of the orriginal contract for 600,000 pieces, of 

 which there are yet to be delivered 335,060 guns. The gold 

 having been forthcoming the Company has entered upon 

 its labors with renewed vigor, with trie double assurance 

 that in future no such contingencies shall arries again. 

 . -»«» ■ — • 



Conlin's Gallery.— Most of the best gallery shooting 

 on record has been made at Conlin's Gallery, 930 Broadway. 

 Mr. Conlin now offers an elegant gold badge to each person 

 who can excel any of the following scores of the various 

 styles of shooting. They are the best ever made in the va- 

 rious galleries : 



RIFLE SHOOTING, OFF HAND, DISTANCE 110 FEET. 



L. V. Sone, 10 consecutive bulls eyes, 200 yards, Creed- 

 moor reduced target ; Charles A, Cheever, 144 out of a 

 possible 150, 200 yards, Creedmoor reduced target \ J. B. 

 Blydenburgh, 97 points in 15 shots, cartons counted ; L. V. 

 Sone, 10 shots measuring 4.6 8 inches from centre of bulls 

 eye ; W. E. Bliss, 4 swinging pipes out of 5 shots. 



RIFLE SHOOTING, OFFHAND, DISTANCE 75 FEET. 



W. B. Farwell, 20 shots measuring 7.7 8 inches ; G. W. 

 Hamilton, 11 consecutive bullets (size, old-fashioned mus- 

 ket balls) ; Wm. Hayes, 175 consecutive bulls eyes (3 inches 

 diameter) ; Gen. W. E. Strong, 60 consecutive bells at word; 

 Wilson MacDoaald, 41 bells out of 45 shots at word "one; " 

 Charles A. Cheever hit 26 pipes out of 30 shots. 



PISTOL SHOOTING. 



Frank Lord, 10 shots, 60 feet, measuring 11.7-16 inches ; 

 L. Livingstone, 6 shots, Colt's revolver, 60 feet, measuring 

 10^ inches; H. Baraquanuth, 00 feet, 15 shots, measuring 



15.1116 inches ; J. T. B. Collins, 60 feet, 20 shots, measur- 

 ing 17.7-16 inches ; Frank Lord, 60 feet, 4 bullets out of 6 

 shots ; Pemberton La Grand, 6® feet, duelling pistol, 8 bulls 

 eyes in 10 shots ; Frank Lord, 12 paces, 2 caps out of 3 

 shots (common musket caps), 46 out of possible 50. 

 . -♦** 



GAME IN SEASON IN JANUARY. 



Hares, brown and gray. 



Wild duck, geese, brant, &c. 



FOR FLORIDA. 



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



Remarkable Flight of Woodcock.— Our correspond- 

 ent, George A. Boardraan, writes that, recently while at 

 Charleston, on his way 10 Florida, he heard of a wonder- 

 ful flight of woodcock, more than they had for twenty 

 years. The market was glutted at $1.50 a dozen, and a 

 bag o+' 30 to 40 for a half clay's shooting was common. 

 The very cold weather has driven them south. 



New York— TJtica, Jan. 20th.— Very little shooting has 

 been done in Oneida county this winter, on account 

 of the snow, which 13 now about 40 inches deep on the 

 average. Most of the ruffed grouse are in the trees; wood- 

 cock, though plenty this fall, we have heard nothing of; 

 probably very few remain here now. Deer in the Adiron- 

 daeks are plenty, as usual, but sportsmen have had no op- 

 portunity to get at them; but if we should have a thaw, it 

 would score considerable for the hunters. One of the 

 Becraft's killed a fine buck with a knife a few weeks ago, 

 and just before was chased by a panther. Ptarmigan have 

 been seen in some of the northern counties, but no reports 

 of any bags are given. Snowy owls never were so plenty, 

 and the taxidermists are reaping a rich harvest of them lor 

 the summer trade. A flock of Parus hudso/iicus were seen 

 near here on the 18th. "Avis." 



Meacham Lake, Jan. 20.— Winter is fairly with us ; we 

 have about two feet and a half of snow, and for the last 

 week intense cold. The deer find it difficult getting about. 

 A very little more snow will oblige them to travel. Par- 

 tridge have kept under the snow. I have not seen a track 

 since December 28. If there is not a let-up to this severe 

 weather soon they will suffer greatly. The foxes are very 

 busy. 



A few days since I discovered a fox on the lake crossing 

 from the Spawning Bed to Green Point. The lake is one 

 mile wide between these two points. I let him get out 

 about mid-way, then called my puppy (Jack), a Scotch Re- 

 triever, nine months old. I ran out with him till he saw 

 the fox, then I fired a shot in front of the fox, when he 

 turned to back-track ; the pup instantly scented ; they 

 were about forty rods apart ; each did his best, but the 

 pup caught the fox when he was within thirty feet of 

 shore. There was just snow enough to give them good 

 footing, and it was certainly a tine race. Many of your 

 readers will understand the situation, and some, no doubt, 

 will remember the dog, as one of them when here asked me 

 why I kept such an ugly pup. But he is not ugly now, 

 and shows good points ttutl will hunt anything. 



I have had no mail since November 25, but expect some 

 New York papers this week. A. R, Fuller. 



South Carolina— Port Royal, Jan. \Uh.— On the 12th 

 inst. we had a pleasant change to warm weather; the Mer- 

 cury at 00 to 70° Fahrenheit. 1 am too much occupied 

 with my gronnds to go out shooting. Some parties have 

 had good success lately shooting deer on the Hunting 

 Islands. Mr. Wallace made a notable double shot, secur- 

 ing two with two barrels. The Riibsian fleet has left us 

 out in the cold, much to the disappointment of those parties 

 who were expecting to profit by its patronage. The great 

 northern cities offer more attractions than Port Royal in 

 its present condition. C. G. K. 



AMERICAN GUNS. 



New York, Jan. 2d. 

 Editor Forest and Stream: — 



If not taking up too much of your valuable time and 

 space, I should like to say a word about American guus. 

 I have had considerable experience in American guns, both 

 as a sportsman and as a dealer,and I do not think there is any 

 prejudice one way or the other among buyers. They will 

 take the gun which they consider the cheapest for the 

 money. It matters not to them whether it is English or 

 American. There has been a great improvement of late 

 years in the manufacture of American guns, and there aie a 

 hundred sold now where there were live sold ten or fifteen 

 years ago. The great trouble at present, is the want of good 

 sound work. There is no use in making one gun good and 

 the next ten bad. I do not wish to mention names, but I 

 have seen some American guns act very badly while out 

 shooting this fall, and know of some very slovenly work 

 having been done. This must be remedied before 'Ameri- 

 can guns can take the place of the English. In rifles it is 

 a different matter, there we seem to oe ahead. Judging 

 from what 1 have seen of American, work during this past 

 year, I believe that in five years from now, the American 

 guns will drive the foreign makers out of the market. But 

 even now the fine locks, barrels and stocks are imported. 



W. HOLBERTON. 



Bending Gun Stocks. — A correspondent writes us from 

 Stanford, Ky., on this subject as follows; — 



"As a suggestion to W. H. C, of Attleboro, in reference 

 to having the stock of his shot gun dropped, I state that 

 an accomplished gunsmith dropped mine by sawing through 

 the "checker work," and then gluing. The neatness of tie 

 job defies closest inspection, and the strength is not impair- 

 ed. The stock being too short was lengthened by a piece 

 glued to the but. ,; J. T. B. 



We can not agree with our correspondent. If a gun 

 stock is sawed through it never can be glued together 

 again as tight as it was before the wood was cut into. Be- 

 sides a drop of aa inch can be obtained by steaming, ahcT 

 we have known of one being bent an inch and a half by 

 this process. 



■*••» — — 



— Beavers are again becoming abundant in the westers, 

 parts of Nova Scotia. 



