THE AMERICAN SPORTSMAN'S JOURNAL. 



[Entered According to Act ol 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 22, 1880. 



CONTENTS. 



Answers to Cohhespondents 329 



Arciieuv :— 

 Pacific Coast Archery : The Literature of Archery; High- 

 land Park Archers ; Eastern Archery Association 



CEICKBT :— 

 The Cnnadian-Bnirlish Cricket Team ; Revolving in Cricket; 

 KnsjlMi IV, mi tor Ai:-Lr:il;,i : (.',-;,■ ,.',■■' \- ,,.| : n ,,„i ol rl,<- 



tJnited Sujl.es 



EDITORIAL:— 

 Notes; The Team for Ireland; Correspondei 

 sources of Alaska .... 



e: The He- 



H 



■Sims PIiteonBj Notes; North Carolina Game and Hospi- 

 tality; The Oiuuneis of Currituok: Arkansas Notes; 

 Another Complaint of Cheap Guns- Novel Shooting 

 Stands; Thread wound Cartridges ; Shooting Matches.... 231 

 i Kennel i— 



le New York Doe- Show: Comparative Table of Entries, 

 - 1STR, 1S7U, 1SK0; Points in Judyinc : .Mnrvland Pox 

 tins-; Hallock's Dog Fanciers' ' Dircctorv": Druble- 

 nwivel Chain : Pennsylvania Field Trials ; Crude Petroleum 

 for Mange : Cure for " Salmnucii " Do; s ; A Sagacious Ter- 

 rier; Importing Dogs; Notes , 226 



gbMKAANY :- 



A Two Weeks' Camp Hunt 228 



NATniAL History :— 

 Spring Notes from Minneapolis, Minn.; Unusual Nesting 



! ' : ". ■■i-"' i ' '',:..:■ I , ,i;-v i„ ihn Mallard; Raven 



Near Kingston, Out.; Note on i h. ■ i : . , .i i iio n | ; . ,-■..; 

 Bear; White Jack-Rabbits; A Tain e , nffedl se: Snake- 

 Eating Fish , 224 



Publishers' Department , 236 



The Brrr.E ;— 

 Range, and Gallery: The Irish- American Match; Noms de 

 Fusil ; The Fit of Bullets ; Express Bullets ; Non-Sticking 



Shells ..:.... .383 



Sua and River Fishing :— 

 "The Nipisigaiit and Metapedia;" Notes from New York, 



New Brunswick. Virginia, Minnesota aud Indiana 225 



Yachting and Canoeing:— 

 The National Yachting Association ; Eastern Branch N. Y 

 A. ; Yachting News gag 



3 B wo W ee k§* ££*mp Jp#«/. 



I HAVE been reading the letters of your correspondent 

 from North Park, and cannot resist the temptation of 

 indorsing the candor and truthfulness of his articles. 

 Every one who has studied Nature as she is— stayed with 

 her, not in imagination around a cosy fire in some well- 

 arranged parlor, but in her sleet and snow, days of bright- 

 ness and nights of gloom, will recognize at onco a true 

 picture in "Letters from North Park." 



The novice starts out with the idea that a "camp hunt" 

 in the mountains or on the plains is a life of elysiuni. 

 Ho wants no blanket, no lunch, no tobacco, no canteen, 

 no stimulants, nothing — but herds of antelope and my- 

 jnads of buffalo. In about two hours his ardor cools, 

 while his blood gets hot. He wants to know if you 

 brought your canteen. Two hours more, and he would 

 like to know if you forgot your lunch. Two hoursmore, he 

 wants to know if you have any stimulants about you, and 

 so on, till night, when you are compelled to share with 

 him your blankets, and probably sit up with him half 

 the night in the darkness and cold trying to stave off a 

 .St of cholera morbus or some othor impending disaster. 

 So one starting out for the first time on a camp hunt 

 ".onld fail to supply himself with every necessary, even 

 luxury, for at best he will feel the want of home 

 Eaforts. 



On the 7th day of October, 1879, Dr. P. and myself 

 eft this place for a two weeks' hunt in the heart of the 

 Great American Desert. We expected to give our atten- 

 to buffalo principally, as we bad been vaguely in- 

 formed that from two to five hundred were leisurely 

 Baming about on the plains, somewhere between the 

 Jansas Pacific and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe 

 Railroad, on the head of White Woman. When we ar- 





rived at Lakin, Kan., we fou 



having nothing better to do wi 



twenty-four miles south on tin 



Sanadian. Having secured t,li 



B&r a specimen of humanity 



State, we started in a lit tl 



Arkansas River and adjacent 



fifteen miles out we saw our first antelope of the season. 



Reaching our camping ground two hours by sun, we con- 



cluded to 

 sdwaters of the North 

 rvicesof about a a vul- 

 rer hailed from York 

 ring wagon over the 

 1 hills. When about- 



eluded to watch the lakes for antelope coming to drink. 

 The lakes were covered with ducks, a»d a small herd of 

 antelope was grazing about a mile off, but showed no in- 

 clination to approach any closer. Near sundown some 

 men, with a herd of over four thousand sheep, coming 

 up from New Mexico, went into camp near one of the 

 small lakes which constitute the headwaters of the North 

 Canadian, or Cimarron. Two antelope came to water in 

 the dusk of the evening, but, as they were nearly half a 

 mile distant, our shot did little else except to frighten 

 them away. Our factotum had gone into camp some 

 three quarters of a mile distant, and as it was now dark, 

 and not finding the camp where I expected it, I pro- 

 ceeded on up stream, and after considerable hallooing 

 finally succeeded in making port. We had only cold 

 lunch for supper, but plenty of covering. We spread 

 our blankets upon the buffalo grass and took a sack of 

 oats for a pillow. The forepart of the night was still 

 and calm, but saon after lying down a fresh southwest 

 breeze began blowing, and as the night advanced the 

 wind blew colder and" fiercer until, to say the least, we 

 were quite uncomfortable. I could not sleep, and 

 amused myself until after midnight gazing up into the 

 starry vault in search after the newly-discovered planet 

 wandering in its mysterious course, amid star dust and 

 the shadow of innumerable worlds. Not succeeding 

 very perfectly in my scientific investigations, I turned 

 over and looked at the bloody face of Mars until I fell 

 asleep. 



My quondam friend, Dr, P., who is an old timer in 

 camp and field, but new in life, and who had been snor- 

 ing away all the forepart of the night, now woke up and 

 commenced to medita*e. The little dog brought along 

 by our driver, because he could whip his weight in wild 

 cats or coyotes, kept up a continuous barking. Soon the 

 coyotes set up a howl, and the Doctor thought that they 

 were the sheep, but the distant howl came nearer and 

 nearer, and instead of bearing down to the shepherd 

 camp it evidently was approaching our own retreat. 

 There is nothing very pleasant in contemplating the on- 

 ward march of a pack of hungry wolves, especiallv when 

 they are mixed up with an occasional gray wolf, one of 

 which had been seen just before sundown. Our fighting- 

 dog ceased to bark, which was remarkable, as the Doctor 

 said he could plainly hear the rustle of the grass as the 

 pack seemed to be gradually closing in upon us. We all 

 are apt to think that we would do so and so under certain 

 circumstances, but when an emergency arises there is 

 no accounting for the freaks of human nature. Instead 

 of arousing the whole camp, and giving us some show of 

 self-defense, the Doctor simply pulled the blankets 

 tightly over his head, regardless of a pair of No. 10 

 boots firmly attached to his distal extremities. What 

 his idea was, or what particular train of meditation his 

 mind had taken, no one but himself knows to this dav. 

 Probably something like this— for the mind, when thor- 

 oughly aroused, travels with incalculable speed, as we, in 

 our dreams, cover immense areas of space, and review the 



history of ages in a moment of time, so now "I will 



cover up my head. Tins is my only secure defense. 

 Nature has so taught the ostrich in the perils of his des- 

 ert home. Besides, our little fighting dog had become 

 paralyzed, with fear, not unlike the tiny warbler, flutter- 

 ing with intoxicated brain into the very jaws of death, 

 or the innocent kid, helpless and hopeless under the som- 

 nific breatb of the king of beasts, So, too, our little 

 dog, knowing by instinct that certain destruction 

 awaited him, had felt the palsy of death creep over him, 

 and bad gently turned over on his back, tucked his tail 

 securely for the last time, folded his paws across his 

 breast, extended bis head and ears upon the grass, shut 

 his eyes and opened his mouth. But then, should the 

 vicarious sacrifice of our noble dog fail to satisfy the 

 rapacity of the oncoming puck, in all probability, in- obe- 

 dience to the law of 'natural selection,' these" fiendish 

 scavengers might pounce upon that vulgar New Yorker, 

 aud finish their repast upon what would evidently be a 

 delightful morsel." At all events, I cannot think for a 

 moment that my tried and true friend— one who had 

 shared with me the joys and sorrows of camp and field 

 for a series of years — should for a moment think of leav- 

 ing me a prey to the gormandizing instincts of a pack of 

 "low down coyotes." But be this as it may, the sequel 

 was at baud ; the tread of distant feet had now become 

 a mass of discordant sounds. The breath of the adver- 

 sary was breathing upon us. There was a kind of tremor 

 that had taken hold of my blanket and pillow. The bed- 

 clothes gradually began' to move, and in spite of tlte 

 death-like grip of my friend, the covering was jerked 

 from over, and the sack of oats from under, our heads 

 with a frenzy that suggested desperation. This brought 

 the Doctor tp a sitting posture, aud with clenched fists, 

 hair on end and teeth set. he uttered a prayer — a prayer' 

 O Lardy [—while the cooling breeze of the* night nerved 

 him for the conflict; and when a momentary calm su- 

 |..-rvoii,d everything appeared as plain as day. The 

 stealthy tread of carnivorous brutes had simply been 

 metamorphosed into the tread of the old gray mare 

 which helped to bring us hither, and no doubt got a sniff 

 of the sack of oats, and hastened for them as fast as her 



hobbling feet would carry her, and she was uow enjoying 

 a midnight meal of delicious oats, while Dr. P. was sit- 

 ting up and cooling off, and no doubt feeling very grate- 

 ful for our safe deliverance. 



Early the next morning Dr. P. and I started on up the 

 plain, afoot, for the purpose of stalking antelope. Before 

 leaving camp we gave some small change to our Jehu, 

 with instructions to goto the shepherd's camp and pro- 

 cure, if possible, some coffee for our breakfast. We had not 

 gone to exceed half a mile, when we discovered a small 

 herd of antelope grazing, but before we could get within 

 anything like gunshot," they scampered away. Wj had 

 now become separated about four hundred yards. To 

 the left of Dr. P., about two hundred yards, a young 

 buck was lying down. The Doctor discovered him 

 squatted and commenced waving his hat. I, at first, did 

 not know what the Doctor meant, but thought that he 

 was beckoning for me, and knowing that his gun would 

 sometimes refuse to go oft" under the most favorable cir- 

 cumstances, I concluded to hasten to his aid. But the 

 vigorous up and down motion of the old black hat sug- 

 gested the idea that it was intended for me to "down 

 charge," so I dropped on the grass. This solitary young 

 antelope started toward the Doctor. His step was stately 

 and grand, walking a few paces, then looking — again ap- 

 proaching, until finally he was within seventy or eighty 

 yards. He stood for a moment ; then, with a quick 

 bound, turned and ran away for dear life. When quite 

 out of gunshot Dr. P. let fly one shot after another until 

 his magazine was about empty. I now joined my friend, 

 and sought an explanation of his conduct. 



" Well," said the Doctor," "you know that wild ani- 

 mals seeing a strange object are very apt to come near 

 enough to satisfy their senses what it is." 



"Yes ; but why did you not shoot, when the antelope 

 was so close? It couldn't have been over seventy-five or 

 eighty yards." 



"Well, I have heard it said that they sometimes play 

 about, first running off, and then approaching even 

 nearer, and I thought that I would try it." 



Tlte end, however, not justifying the means, we came 

 to the conclusion not to attempt the proof of any more 

 fine spun theories with antelope. We returned to camp 

 and found our breakfast ready, the men with the sheep 

 sending us all the coffee they had, and very kindly re ; 

 fusing to accept anything therefor, as they expected to' 

 reach a station by night. They also sent us two large 

 California snipe, a bird evidently belonging to the Scolo- 

 pax family, but, for all practical purposes, about as pala- 

 table as our Western mud-hen. Our driver roasted one 

 over the lire and devoured it with a great deal of gusto 

 first taking a bite of raw onion, and then a bite of sm'pe, 

 and then a drink of cold colfee. I ate the other bird, but 

 found it " fishy and sedgy." 



The Doctor and I now started for the lower lake, about 

 a mile distant, for the purpose of lying in wait for game. 

 We saw seven antelope in the distance which seemed to 

 be working their way to tho water. Wo lay flat down on 

 the grass, as there was no blind to hide us from view for 

 miles around. Nearer and nearer approached the deer. 

 The Doctor was at the east side and I at the south end 

 of the lake, some two hundred yards apart, I was afraid 

 to move. I saw at least a dozen places preferable to the 

 one I had, for it seemed as though I was on a little 

 mound. I placed my left hand under my head, resting 

 my elbow on the ground. I kept this position for at 

 least an hour, not daring to move. The does were now 

 within fifty yards of me, and the Doctor toinking, by 

 my not shooting, that I must be asleep, hallooed to wake 

 me. This caused two of the does to stop broadside— one 

 just beyond the other. I could have killed them easily, 

 but then I thought about what we should do for meat 

 next year. The old buck was standing with his head 

 to me two hundred yards away, apparently meditating 

 and oblivious to any approaching danger. But the Doc- 

 tor's voice, or something else, caused him to look up, 

 then quickly walk fifty yards nearer and stop. Turning 

 broadside he commenced grazing in the direction of our 

 camp. He had espied our teamster, who, contrary to 

 orders, had broken camp aud started following us up. I 

 now thought it was my chance, so I took up my rifle 

 with my right hand, and removed my left from under 

 my head cautiously as possible, but found my left arm 

 almost paralyzed from its long continued cramped posi- 

 tion. I took deliberate aim on the middle of the shoul- 

 der, using Major Fulton's position, and pulled trigger, 

 At the crack or the gun, down went the big buck with a 

 thud, and away scampered tho does. Losing all thought 

 about meat for next year, I sent four or five wicked shots 

 after them, but am glad to say, "never touched." Dr. 

 P. sent in a parting shot at two hundred yards and 

 creased one. causing her to drag her hind parts for a few 

 paces, hut then she righted up and went like the wind. 

 We now gave three cheers and started lor the struggling, 

 bleeding "victim. Found a terrible rent through the 

 shoulder, completely severing the spinal column. Had 

 my aim been two inches higher i doubt whether we 

 would have got any meat. The driver now came up, 

 when we loaded and started for Lakin, arriving late in 

 the evening, 



