552 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
spared himself some indignation. It was the tremendous 
influx of shooters from other states who poured in 
upon the New Jersey shooting grounds that compelled 
that State in self defence to pass a protective statute. 
This incursion of foreign hordes was in great measure 
owing to the earlier season for woodcock. Men, who 
could not afford to wait until the 1st of August in New 
York State, crossed the ferry and Bpeedily found them¬ 
selves in a game country where they might kill to their 
heart’s satisfaction without fear of constables and magis¬ 
trates. The difference in date is unnecessary and, we 
trust, may soon be remedied. The non-resident regu¬ 
lation is wise. It is coming into favor elsewhere. There 
is no just reason why the residents of one State — especially 
of such a small State as New Jersey—should have their 
game pillaged by their neighbors. 
ALASKA IN SUMMER. 
SECOND PAPER. 
PROM OUR CORRESPONDENT ON BOARD THE JAMESTOWN. 
Sitka, July 13. 
Editor Forest and Stream :— 
Some day there is a steamer coming to bring to us 
exiles news from the outer world; that is, we hope so. 
She is due once a month, on the 9th inst.; last month 
the 23d brought her, and this, the 13th, has not been en¬ 
livened by -her presence. So we live on, hoping. Our 
last dates are June 1st. 
A sojourn in Sitka is an era in a man’s life time. He 
may have before, in the solitary wilderness of the Adi- 
rondaeks, or among the woods and mountains of Maine, 
or the Provinces, shantied out under the bark roof, with 
bis guide, and perhaps a companion and his dogs alone 
for company, fancied that he was "far from the madding 
crowd,” but he was not-. A few days at the utmost would 
bring him again into the domain of the newspaper and 
telegraph, the hotel, cars, boats, and other elements of 
life. Here we are beyond the reach of all such luxuries. 
You see I rate the least of them now as higher than 
necessities. We lie here moored head and stern; four 
anchors ahead to the south-east (from whence, some day 
in the fall, we may expect strong gales), and two to the 
rear, in imitation of our old time mariner, St. Paul, who, 
I believe, set the example of anchoring over the stem. 
Ahead of us and to the right are beautifully wooded 
islands, so close that with my Remington a 10 degree 
elevation lands the bullet in the eight-inch bulls-eye of 
the target erected on the beach, in a spot where a rocky 
bluff, in the rear, saves ns from the probability of slaught¬ 
ering clam-digging and berry-bunting squaws. In our 
rear, a mile distant, where the Straits of Olgo turn to the 
northward, a high wooded hill turn the bit of sea into a 
seeming lake. On our left is a row of high, densely 
wooded peaks, the summits of many of them still can¬ 
opied with snow, which at times is visible, and at others 
hidden by dense hanks of clouds and mist, which, like the 
sable cloth of Sable Mountain, roll over and envelope 
them. At the foot of these moutains nestle two villages. 
The one to the left is the Indian Ranche ; that to the right 
the white settlement. The former is composed of one 
story log cabbins, built of very heavy timber. In the 
front of each is a round hole at the head of a flight of 
steps, through which entry and exit are made. This row 
fronts the sea, and consists of perhaps fifty houses. Back 
of them the foot hills are dotted with little smoke-house 
like structures, painted red and white and blue, in which 
repose the ashes of their cremated dead. Between each 
pair of houses, canoes, both great and small, some of 
which will hold twenty or thirty paddles, are hauled up 
and covered with matting. These and blankets constitute 
wealth in this country. 
Just now the ranche is like the “ Deserted Village.’’ In 
winter perhaps a thousand Indians dwell there; now 
there are not a hundred. In all directions they are scat¬ 
tered, hunting the seal and sea otter, and fishing for their 
winter’s supply of food. Our great guns hear frowningly 
upon them, but a corporal’s guard could with safety 
undertake the task of quieting all sources of disorder, ex¬ 
cept the tongues of drunken squaws. These Indians are 
rapidly paying the penalty which all uncivilized races 
must pay when they come in contact with civilization. 
We christianize a very little, but we poison and kill a 
great deal. Ab the islanders of the Pacific have wilted 
away through the rum and diseases brought to them by 
“ Christians; ” as the Chinese millions have yielded to 
tliu opium curse, taught them by Christians ; as our red 
men of the plains have fallen through the fire-water, and 
frauds of white men, so are Jthese tribes-suffering from 
the curse ! They are not Indians, according to the ordi¬ 
nary acceptance of the term ; nor warriors, but simply a 
quiet, hard working lot of inferior men. Were it not for 
the vices they have learned from us they would not be as 
apt to commit outrages on whites or others, as would the 
same number of low class white men tempted by want, 
and unrestrained by every form of government. 
But in branching off from the legitimate track for a 
Forest and Stream letter, I’ll tell you what the Indians 
are doing for the country, if development of great re¬ 
sources can he so called. Yesterday and the day before 
one boat, manned by eight Indians, caught in their seins 
thirteen tons of salmon, which they delivered to the sal¬ 
mon canning establishment at Port Hunter. Now, if these 
Indians received, as I believe they do, one dollar each per 
clay, and the white men in charge of the boat three, it be¬ 
comes a Bimple problem. If thirteen tons of salmon cost 
$22, what does it cost per pound ? and at what price per 
pound can this be furnished to salmon eaters in the East? 
Throwing off one-third for wastage, we have 20,000 
pounds of raw salmon for $22, Of course, to this must 
be added the usual cost of manufacture, tinning, interest, 
freight, etc.., but the fact remains that these items paid, 
the raw material oost but little over one-tenth of a cent a 
pound! This may have been an exceptional catch, but a 
bad day’s work is still more exceptional. I do not believe 
that, all things considered, a tinned pound of salmon, de¬ 
livered in San Francisco, will coBt its producer above three 
cents. Upon a visit I saw over ten tons lying upon the 
floor; so said the superintendent, and I could well believe 
him ; and at the hour some eighty men had been at work 
two hours reducing the fish to pound packages. The sal¬ 
mon are in profusion here. At times the water is alive 
with them, but none of us have as yet been able to per¬ 
suade one to take hold of anything. When we see them 
they are too busy taking care of themselves. Huge herds 
of porpoises are among them, and black fish, all with an 
unlimited capacity for fish diet. 
The canning process is interesting. At a long table 
stands six or eight Indians, and to each a boy bands from 
the heap a salmon. With half a dozen rapid swishes 
with knives so sharp that they make one shudder at the 
probabilities, the fish is beheaded, disembowelled, and 
u n fin ned (to coin a word), and slipped into a big tank of 
fresh water, from which another gang, on the opposite 
side, are constantly lifting them, and putting them 
through a final careful, but very rapid cleaning. So far, 
it is about as we clean our trout at noon-day lunch and 
pipe on a trout brook, and the cook in the morning be¬ 
fore serving recleans. Then comes the ;cutting-up pro¬ 
cess. The length of a pound can is a fixed number of 
inches, and at these distances apart on a cylinder are re¬ 
volving chopping knives, and at one turn of the crank 
the Balrnon is cut into as many pieces as his length per¬ 
mits. These are passed along to other Indians, who in¬ 
sert in each can its load, consisting of a transverse sec¬ 
tion. From this out the process is the same as used in 
canning other meats, and all is performed by Indians. I 
have not yet seen a large fish. Mr. Hunter tells me that 
their biggest so far weighed forty-four pounds. None 
that I have seen would go over twenty, and generally 
speaking a fifteen pound fish is counted a big one. There 
are, however, many such. If one but reflects that all of 
these fish are taken in the spawniug season, and that a 
large proportion are females, it becomes evident that 
either the supply must be eventually exhausted, or that 
it is practically inexhaustible. 
Hallock : this counting salmon by the ton is demoraliz¬ 
ing to a disciple of Father Isaac. All the poetry is knocked 
out of the lordly “ salmo s alar” and as for trout! One 
of my hopes cf future happiness (in this world—I mean 
the other part of this world), is gone forever. I don’t be¬ 
lieve that ever again I will be willing to tramp all day in 
a trout brook, and come home, tired, wet, and pleased 
because my ten pound creel is full. Why, I have only to 
drop this pen now and take it up again in two hours, and 
in the interval have caught as many half to a pound 
and a half trout as I oould of cunners in the same length 
of time, were I off Cape Ann instead of here. I have 
though stUl one new sensation in store. Next month the 
salmon will crowd up the little rivers, where I now catch 
trout, so thickly that the Indians and bears and boys and 
hawks and squaws -will scoop them out. And in a few 
weeks the ducks will come, and grouse be in. condition, 
so there is something left. 
We have a curious climate here. It rains considerably, 
but as yet we have had more pleasant than unpleasant 
weather ; but in the rainiest day the atmosphere is not 
damp. Wet clothes hung under the awnings will dry ; 
our cigars and tobacco remain free from mould and mil¬ 
dew, and our guns keep easily in good order. I have suf¬ 
fered more from dampness in one day at New York and 
other places in the Sound, than I have here altogether. 
We have a healthy temperature, 54 to 64 degrees, and all 
keep in good condition, and hope to till we see you again. 
Yours truly, PlSECO. 
—Sharp’s Rifle Co., of Bridgeport, Conn., have juBt 
Issued a new illustrated catalogue of their arms, &c., in 
which large reduction in prices are noted. It contains 
much matter of interest to sportsmen, notably that relat¬ 
ing to Express Rifles and'ammunition, in which the much 
discussed subject is briefly but intelligently and exhaust¬ 
ively treated. Military marksmen will find the article 
relative to steeTshellsfor short range and gallery practice, 
of practical benefit. We advise our readers to send to the 
Sharp’s Company for a copy, which will be mailed to any 
one on application, 
§ M §¥ ?■ 
A Worthy Officer _The New Haven Register of 
August Uth, says that Major James E. Stetson, brigade 
inspector of target practice on General Smith’s staff, 
being about to leave that city for three months on an ex¬ 
tended tour of the extreme western States and Territories, 
tendered his resignation to the General, who, instead of 
accepting it, forwarded it to the Adjutant-General disap¬ 
proved, but recommended and requested that the Major 
be granted leave of absence for three months instead. 
By this course the services of a superior officer will be 
saved to the brigade. Capt. J. L. Woodbridge was ap¬ 
pointed to fill the temporary vacancy. Major 1 Stetson is 
not only one of the best shots in the State, but has been 
inspector of rifle barrels for the Winchester Arms Co. of 
New Haven several years, and his western tour is for the 
purpose of explaining and introducing the new Hotchkiss 
or Bolt gun, which bids fair to revolutionise the military 
arms of this country. As an expert on arms or ammuni¬ 
tion the Major has but few equals. Capt. Woodbridge, 
who fills his vacancy in the interim, is a veteran shot, 
thoroughly posted and equal to any emergency. The 
Major is having made a handsome gold badge or medal, 
to be presented to the member of the Connecticut National 
Guard making the highest score in the “Individual 
Match,” upon the occasion of the brigade rifle tourna¬ 
ment, occurring about October 1. It will be valued at 
about fifty dollars. 
Creedmoor Prospects.— At the regular meeting of the 
Board of Directors, National Rifle Association, held Aug. 
5th, the Committee on programme presented the follow¬ 
ing schedule of contests for the seventh annual fall meet¬ 
ing of the association, which will commence on Tuesday, 
Sept. 16th : 1. Directors’ Match, 200 yards, directors only; 
2. Judd Match, 200 yards, military rifle, all comers; 3. 
Short Range Match, 200 yards, any rifle, all comers; 4, 
Champion’s Match, 200, 600, and 1,000 yards, any rifle, ten 
rounds at each range, all comers, gold, silver, and bronze 
championship medals and cash prizes ; 5. Cavalry Matches, 
200 and 300 yards, five rounds at each, for carbines and 
State troops armed therewith, teams of six; 6. Cavalry 
(State) Match, same, but teams of seven men and Beven 
rounds, stated prizes ; 7. Gatling Match, teams of twelve 
men from all companies of New York State troops, 500 
yards, prizes, a Gatling gun and other prizes ; 8. Army 
and Navy Journal Match, teams of twelve from any mil¬ 
itary or naval organization in the United States' rifle 
issued to corps, 500 yards, prizes, a trophy worth $750, 
and other prizes; 9. New York State Match, teams of 
twelve men from all New York State organizations, usual 
military conditions, four prizes, worth $750; 10. First 
Division Match, same conditions, but for First Division 
troops only, prizes valued at $222; 11. Second Division 
Match, same conditions, but for Second Division only ; 12. 
Laflin & Rand Match, military, but seven rounds, individ¬ 
ual members of military corps, prizes aggregating $270 ; 
13. Inter-State Match, one team from troops of each State 
or Territory, military conditions, prizes, “ Soldier of Mar¬ 
athon’’and other prizes; 14. Short Range Team, teams 
of four from any rifle club or military organization in the 
United States, 200 and 300 yards, stated prizes ; 15. Inter¬ 
national Military Match, teams from Army and National 
Guard and any foreign country: 10. Military Champion¬ 
ship Match ; 17. Inter-State Long Range Match, teams of 
four men, usual conditions; 18. Wimbleton Cup Match, all 
American citizens, 1,000 yards, thirty rounds, for the 
Wimbledon Cup and other prizes ; 19. A match at 600, 
800, and 1,000 yards; 20. The Running Deer Match. 
Seven rounds in all matches when not otherwise stated. 
The committee believe that cash prizes would be 
more acceptable than the usual trophies. Col. J. H. 
Cowperthwaite was elected Executive Officer; Major 
James H. Jones, Statistical Officer; and Hon. D. W. 
Judd, Financial Officer of the meeting. The amend¬ 
ments to the general regulations governing matches at 
Creedmoor were then taken up, and the following changes 
made: Movable rear sights are to be permitted on mili¬ 
tary guns; sights may Decolored in any manner ; slings 
may be used to assist in lessening the recoil of guns ; fixed 
rests will be allowed at distances over 600 yards, where 
the conditions of a match do not prohibit their use ; no 
more than four competitors will be allowed at a single 
target; two competitors will not be permitted to use the 
same gun in a match ; no match shall be shot with less 
than ten competitors. Major Jones, the Secretary, was 
authorized to submit a new plan for deciding “ ties ” at 
the next meeting of the hoard. 
Creedmoor— July 30.—The New York Rifle Club met 
at Creedmoor to-day to shoot for the “ Donaldson” tro¬ 
phy under the following conditions : 200 and 300 yards ; 
off-hand ; number of shots, seven at each distance ; win¬ 
ners once will be handicapped one point at each distance ; 
winners twice will be handicapped two points at each 
distance, 
200 .5 
Total, 57. 
200.4 
Total, 67. 
200.4 
Total, 66. 
200. 4 
Total, 65. 
200 .4 
Total, 54. 
200-4 
Total, 64. 
200—..... 4 
Total, 52. 
200 .4 
Total, 61. 
200.4 
Total, 40. 
Mr. Howlett having won the badge twice, was handi¬ 
capped four (4) points, leaving Mr, Alder the winner. 
FRED. AIDER. 
4 4 5 4 4 4-80 1 800 . 8 3 4 4 4 5 4-27 
A, J. HOWLETT. 
4 4 4 4 5 5-301300.....4 3 4 4 4 4 4r-37 
B. B. BARKER. 
4 4 5 4 4 4-291300.3 4 3 4 4 8 3-28 
J. S. COXIAN. 
4 4 5 4 4 5—30 | 300 . 3 3 3 4 6 3 4—25 
V. DAEV. 
4 3 4 4 4 4-27 I 300 . 3 8 5 8 5 4 4-2T 
W. II. DUNLAP. 
8 5 4 4 6 4—29 | 300 . 4 3 4 3 3 4 4—25 
N. O’DONNELD. 
4 4 5 4 0 4 — 25 | 300—. 4 4 3 5 3 4 4r-27 
J. W. MANGAM. 
3 4 4 4 5 8-37 1 300. 4 3 8 4 4 8 8—34 
Y. 3. DONALDSON. 
3 4 5 4 8 3-281300. 4 4 2 3 4 0 3-20 
