AMERICAN SPORTSMAN 



JOURNAL. 



[Entered According to Act of Congress, in the year 1879, by the Forest and Stream Publishing Company, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.! 



NEW YORK, THURSDAY, APRIL 15,1880. 



CONTENTS. 



Answers to Correspondents ., 209 



Atcctiery :— 



The Private Practice Club : March Scores 208 



CurCKET:— 

 Cricketers' Association at the United Slates ; The Canadian 



Eleven; Notes; Revolving in Cricket 208 



Editorial :— 

 LongTslaurt ; The Lone-Distance Walk : The Irish-American 

 Match : Niagara asa National Park: " Good in Everything;" 

 Woodcock out of Season ; Fish as Food; Poukapog; As- 

 sumed Names 210 



Fish Culture :— 



Fish as Food ; New Facte Regarding California Salmon 201 



Game Bao and Gtra :— 

 Notes ; Manchester Shooting CI all ; Par Kockawav Gun Club; 

 The State Convention ; Au Unique V isitor : Ken ton County 

 Club; Tennessee Quail Potting; A Dock " Rliud ;" An- 

 other Man who Likes Them; A Gun not Easily Stolen; 



Notes; ghootlqg Matches : ... 211 



Game Protection :— 



Onondaga County Sportsmen's Club; Forest and Stream 

 Association 211 



The Kennel •— 

 Something About Breakers and Dog Breaking : Thud Paper; 

 The Now York Dog Show; Otto's Parentage; UreaUiog 

 Dogs with Cold Lead ; Pennsylvania Fox-Hunting; Ken- 

 nel Notes 205 



Miscellany:— 



A Day at Reelfoot Lake ; A Costly Perch 203 



Natural History :— 



Letters on the Sparrows ; Faleo Sacer near Montreal 204 



Publishers' Department 216 



The Rifle:— 

 "Nick" on False Names; The Palnia Conditions; "Perry's 



Green Book 1 ' for Scores; Range and Gallery 218 



Sea and River Fishino :— 

 Blank Bass Fishing in West Virginia : Connecticut; A Blind 



Tomcod ; A Patriotic Sportsman ; Fishing in Ireland 208 



Yachting, and Canoeisc :— 

 Yachting News ; Congress and the Taeh ting Laws: Balti- 

 tiranra Yacht Club ; The fcTitfieGm,/; Kemiuiseeuccsfrom 

 My Log; How-Faelug Rowing Gear 214 



leelfoot 



AWAY back among the " 50's," on a bright Novem- 

 ber afternoon, I was sitting on the porch of the 

 palatial residence that stood back some two hundred 

 yards from the east bauk of the Mississippi River, oppo- 

 site the then large and fertile Island No. 10, cleaning my 

 new double-barrel gun, after a previous day's duck shsot- 

 ing on the lake, when my attention was called to a sharp 

 I Hallo ! " at the front gate. I went through the hall, 

 opened the front door, and found the rotund figure and 

 smiling face of old Major Lewis sitting on his horse, 

 Who saluted me with " Hallo ! Alex., where is Wyatt?" 

 I answered, "Down at Nolan's." lie remarked, "All 

 right, I am on my way there and will see him. I am no- 

 tifying the boys of our deer hunt to-morrow. Ed, Novel's 

 is the place, and seven, sharp, the hour. See that you 

 pare not behind time." With that he cantered away, I 

 immediately went about my preparations ; cleaned the 

 I old man's gun, filled our flasks with powder, put fresh 

 caps and a dozen buck cartridges into each of our shooting 

 coats, and then settled down to steady my nerves for my 

 first experience on the morrow at a first-class deer stand. 

 The following morning was bright, calm and frosty. 

 Old Aunt Cheney had us up to an early breakfast, and 

 Bli o'clock found us in the saddle, our horses in a lively 

 canter down the Bend toward Nevel's plantation. We 

 had scarcely made a mile, when the distant notes of a 

 horn came vibrating through the woods front the direc- 

 tion of a neighboring plantation. " There," said the old 

 man, "that, is Ed's Horn." The last notes had scarcely 

 lied away, when the sound was taken up in a louder and 

 ;er blast away down to our right. "That is the 

 jor's," 1 remarked ; and our horses pricked their ears 

 "voluntarily increased their speed. They had made but 

 tfew leaps, when a new and clear blast came quivering 

 iown on our left. "Who can that be ?" queried my 

 companion. "That is Dick Donaldson's new horn," I re- 

 marked. By this time we came in sight of Mr. Hind's 

 plantation, and found Uncle Sandy H. at the gate equipped 

 and ready for the chase. We had just formed three abreast 

 and given our horses the bridle, when we were greeted 

 by the faint echoes of a horn coming trembling on the 



frosty ah- from away down in the lower end of the Bend. 

 " There, by-gad," said Uncle Sandy, " that is Billy Isler's 

 horn." 



We were soon at the rendezvous, and found the com- 

 pany riding up in pairs, until ten of us were gathered to- 

 gether. N, was leading his horse through the gate, hav- 

 ing his well-worn 10-gauge thrown across his shoulder. 

 A blast or two of his horn brought the snarling pack to 

 attention, He mounted, turned down the long lane, fol- 

 lowed by the cavalcade two deep, then through the 

 woods and the canebrake toward Reelfoot Lake. 



After a brisk ride, and many a sharp cut with the 

 whips at the eager dogs to keep them in check, a halt 

 was called, and by mutual consent N. was chosen leader. 

 That veteran huntsman surveyed his followers, mapped 

 out his ground, and said, "I will go with the dogs my- 

 self. Major, you take the lower stand on the lake shore'." 

 Then, turning to me, " Alex., you want to kill some- 

 thing ; I will give you the Big Sycamore stand, so come 

 with me. You, gentlemen, remain hero until I come 

 back." I followed him some distance tln-ough the cane- 

 brake until we emerged into an opening some forty feet 

 across, a well-beaten path running across it? center, and 

 a large sycamore tree standing on the left side. " Here is 

 your stand (pointing at the tree), keep your eyes and ears 

 open ; have your gun in hand ready ; and, when the 

 game runs along the path, aim a little ahead and fire." 

 He turned and left me, adding, Keep cool ; don't get ex- 

 cited." 



Two long weary hours passed as I stood by that tree, 

 gun in hand, my eyes fixed on the opening in the brake, 

 and my nerves strung to their very highest tension ; no 

 deer appeared. Shall I ever forget that trying time ? How 

 much I have learned since then 1 Listening attentively 

 my ears began to drink in the sweet music of the hounds 

 in full cry miles up the lake shore — faint, very faint at 

 first, but growing louder by degrees. On they came, 

 awakening the echoes on the further side of the lake. 

 Oh, how it thrilled my nerves, sending the warm blood 

 coursing through my veins on a double-quick ! Even 

 now while I write I live the exciting moments over 

 again, One boom was followed soon after by a second 

 and a third ; then two more in quick succession told 

 plainly that more than one gallant buck had run his last 

 race. On the dogs came, apparently right toward my 

 stand. You ask me how I felt ; well, it is useless to deny 

 it, 1 trembled like an aspen leaf, and I don't think I could 

 have hit a barn-door, to say nothing of a deer. Bang 

 went the Major's gun, some two hundred yards to my 

 right, and with it the course of the hounds was turned 

 back up the lake shore. This gave me. a little time to regain 

 my composure, and at the same time threw me off my 

 guard. I stood my gun up against the tree, took one step 

 from behind the cover, folded my arms across my breast, 

 attentively listening to the receding chase, when in an 

 instant, without a moment's warning, out trotted a huge 

 black bear right in front of me, and njt more than ten 

 paces distant. Discovering me it stopped, raised itself 

 slowly on its hind quarters, and surveyed me as calmly 

 as if I had been a brother Bruin, and there I stood like a 

 stump, my gun heavily charged with twelve buckshot in 

 each barrel, on full cock, within easy reach of my left 

 hand, fascinated, riveted to the spot, my eyes fixed on 

 those of the bear, forgetting that I was out hunting, for- 

 getting my dogs, forgetting my gun, in fact forgetting 

 everything but the towsey brute before me. How long 

 we stood thus eyeing each other I know not. Finally it 

 showed its teeth several times, dropped on all fours, 

 sprang into the brake, and disappeared. I turned my 

 head slowly and looked at my gun, and uttered the single 

 ejaculation, " Lucifer !" I was myself in a moment, re- 

 alized my loss, and expressed myself in language such as 

 none but a ba filed hunter can command. There was no 

 more game for me that day ; but I held my post until the 

 horn sounded the recall, when I joined my companions. 

 N. had a line buck strapped behind his saddle. Major L. 

 also had one, and Dick D. one, and Billy I. had killed 

 two. I said nothing about my stupidity or loss, and 

 thereby saved my back from being rubbed against the 

 rough bark of a tree, the usual punishment for all such 

 mishaps. 



We soon reached Mr. N.'s house, where our generous 

 hostess had prepared a feast equal to that of a king's. 

 While we were discussing the pleasures of the day at the 

 festive board, the game was being dressed and' divided 

 into ten equal parts ; and as the sun was glinting over the 

 tree tops in the west we each, with a hearty by -by, turned 

 our horses homeward — your humble servant a disap- 

 pointed but wiser huntsman. Cape Rock. 



Cape Girardeau, Mo, 



i 



A COSTLY PERCH. 



The Dogs' Home, op London, Eng.— The nineteenth 

 annual meeting of this institution was held on Mure h 

 27th at 105 Jermyu street, Col. Burdelt in the chair. The 

 report showed that during the past year the Batlersea 

 Institution had found homes for 5,280 dogs, being 508 

 more than in the previous j ear. Twenty-four new "com- 

 partments bad recently been made, other erections had 

 been completed at the cost of about £800. 



THIS perch inhabited the waters of Lake Richmond. 

 Lake Richmond is situated in the town of Rich- 

 mond, Berkshire County, Mass., about twenty-two miles 

 east from Chatham and three miles west from Pittsfield,on 

 the Boston and Albany Railroad. To this point the grade 

 is up, hence it is called by the railroaders " The Summit." 

 The lake covers an area of about one hundred acres, and 

 was once quite famous for pickerel fishing, and a favor- 

 ite resort for fishermen. 



Five winters ago a party of Chatham boys, ten in all, 

 resolved upon an excursion to this lake. The time was to 

 be fixed by Ken, who is esteemed, by common consent, as 

 the '■ boss" fisherman in the place. No party is complete 

 without Ken for a leader. He is a thorough believer in 

 the "signs." Ken is as familiar with the zodiac as the 

 schoolboy is with his alphabet. Among his fishing para- 

 phernalia is always to be found a "Fanners' Almanac," 

 which must be consulted. To the impatient ten the 

 time seemed long, the sign was so slow getting round to 

 the old man's neck. Finally Ken pronounced the sLn 

 right, and the boys must be off the next day. All was 

 made ready by night. Wednesday morning dawned 

 with every promise of a perfect day. The air was 

 keen and motionless, and the sun, as it rose 

 above the crest of the hills that skirt our village on the 

 east, seemed to smile approvingly upon the enterprise. 

 Before 8 o'clock we were all on board the train, and off 

 for Richmond. We found the conductor very obliging 

 — our number being so respectable, I suppose. So he 

 waived the ceremony of taking us to the station, a mile 

 beyend. and dropped us out at the nearest point to the 

 lake. A. party from Pittsfield had arrived there before 



us. Among Uiem was Dr. . As we filed out of the 



hushes upon the ice, one after another, ten in all, the 

 Doctor looked amazed, and as the tenth man emerged from 

 the bushes the Doctor exclaimed, "Good Lord I are there 

 any more of you in there V" When we assured him that 

 there were no more, he seemed relieved, though I noticed 

 _ deep shadow seemed to rest on that man's hopes, until 

 the winds were unbottled and swept "The Summit" like 

 a hurricane, which dispersed the Doctor's hopes alto- 

 gether, and even the Doctor himself, for soon he and his 

 party vanished out of sight for that day. 



The plucky Chatham boys determined to weather the 

 storm, meantime hoping that, its fury might abate, and 

 bring some luck. Ken watched the signs and published 

 weather reports. When there was a little lull he would 

 report favorably, and our hopes would revive, only to be 

 dashed away the next moment by a fresh gale. 



During the short pauses the winds were only gathering 

 up their strength for a fiercer blow. The air was snow, 

 not ether, and in its tremendous rush it cut our ears and 

 blinded our eyes and stopped our mouths. Our lines 

 were frozen to" wires, and would have taken as many fish, 

 J thev had been crowbars, with grappling hookB attached. 

 The gale picked up the lid of a tin pail, and it spun along 

 upon the ice like a runaway top, with a man after it, 

 which he did not recover till it reached the shore, almost 

 a mile away. We constructed as best we could a bough- 

 house, and behind it we all sat, with a few glowing 

 embers at our feet, disconsolate enough, with our coat 

 collars up about our ears. 



For a long time we sat there, listening to the sighing 

 of the winds. Nota word was spoken, when one of the 

 party broke the silence by asking Ken when the sign 

 would be right again. Such a shout of laughter as burst 

 forth from those throats was never heard upon "The 

 Summit." It resounded above the. storm. If ever the 

 gloom of nature was relieved by a good, hearty laugh it 

 was then. The joke sticks to Ken. It got about in the 

 village, and ever since, on the street anil in the store, the 

 interrogation is frequently heard : "Ken, when will the 

 sign be right again?" But Ken is a good-natured fellow, 

 and his faith in signs remains unshaken by the winds. 



Another episode behind the hemlock boughs : It was 

 almost night, Not a fin had been taken. Tall, who was 

 of the company, and who is alao a good fisherman, being 

 seized with a sudden fit of desperation, jumped up and 

 resolved that we should not go home euchred ; we should 

 have one fish, anyway. So lie baited a small hook, 

 cleared a hole in the ice. and settled himself down to 

 business. A nibble, a twitch of the wrist, and the fish 

 was safely landed. Tall leaped, danced, shouted, and all 

 laughed at the antics he cut up. He could not have been 

 happier if be had caught all the fish in the lake, instead 

 of a four-ounce perch. He strung up, satisfied ; so did we 

 all and trudged awav to the station to lake the next train 

 home. It was dark when we arriveu at Chatham. The 

 day had been pleasant there, and our lellow-townsmen, 

 wlio felt enough interested to go to the depot, were 

 awaiting our arrival with their little speeches of con- 

 era I ulation all ready. I alighted from the train on the 

 platform, and soon "found myself the focus of many in- 

 quisitive eves and the hapless victim of all soils OJ ques- 

 tions and "cross-quest ions. I was greatly embarrassed, 

 and turned to my comrades for relief, when h> I every 

 one of them had left ihe train on the opposite side Irom 

 the depot, and had gone across lots home. So now we 



