FOREST AND STREAM, 
933 
tion made heavy enough. “ Death to ducks,” was our 
motto, you know. A short walk took us up to the laud¬ 
ing. where we boarded the scow. As we were both ac¬ 
customed to go on shooting expeditions (on land), and did 
not expect to find a floating palace in a ducker’s scow, 
wo were agreeably surprised to step into a neat little 
cabin, finished in hard wood, about ten feet long, as wide 
as the scow would admit, with good bunks arranged on 
the sides—ample room for us and all our traps. Capt. 
Mitchell said that from the appearance of the weather he 
feared we would not havo a good day. Perfectly calm, 
the water lay smooth as a mirror. 
Greenhorns, you know, like to see all that is going on, 
so, instead of going to sleep we sat up until time to 
start, and indeed, although nodding sometimes for a few 
minutes, we were wide enough awake when the time 
came for us to take our places in the double sink box. 
We had a breakfast good enough for sportsmen, 
consisting of coffee, beefsteak, and hot bread. We 
were in the sink boxes before it was fairly light, and oc¬ 
cupied them all day, until too dark to see to shoot well. 
Killed but very few clucks, had a first class time. The 
Captain and liis assistants did everything in their power 
to make the shoot successful, but, not being “ clerks of 
the weather,” it was not their fault that there was no 
breeze stirring. They did their part nobly, and we were 
content to pay their charge of $25, feeling that they had 
earned it in pulling the scow down and back, furnishing 
the meals, and the general good attendance. Wo did not 
expect our money's worth of ducks, but we had it full of 
fun, and next year, if nothing happens, we intend to get 
the same good man and crew for the whole of the first 
week. We foimd that our 12-bore choked guns, with the 
ordinary sporting loads, would kill the ducks every time 
if held on, and did not sigh for young cannon. I have 
written this to you, not for the sake of telling you any¬ 
thing new, but seeing the letter of J. S. H. in the last 
issue of Forest and Stream and Rod and Gun, I want 
to let brother sportsmen know that an experience like 
that of J. H, S. does not fall to the lot of everyone who 
goes down to Havre de Grace, and to give the name of a 
goud gunner that I think can be depended upon. I deem 
it a duty when sportsmen meet with ill-treatment to 
give the names of the parties, and when reliable men are 
found, likewise a duty to tell of it. Hence, think that 
J. S. H. would have done a good service had he given 
the name of the unfaithful man, Ben O’Penn. 
Wilkes Barre, Pa,, Dec. 20. 
Algonquin Gun Club.— New York City, Dec. 19th.— 
At the annual election of the Algonquin Gun Club the 
following gentlemen were elected for the ensuing year:— 
James DuiiBeith, President; Dr. Henry Griswold, Vice- 
President ; Louis Brenner, Treasurer; Dr. Henry M. 
Bums, Secretary; J. Montgomery, Corresponding Secre¬ 
tary ; Wm. B. Lundie. Referee. Executive Committee : 
David Simpson, J. H. Boessenecker, John Male. 
Letters Without Bathos. —We are pleased to see 
that our remarks laBt week upon this subject have found 
such a ready response among our friends, and it gives 
us especial pleasure to publish the following note from an 
old time correspondent, whose initials are familiar to our 
readers. Of the second cause of complaint, the bottle, 
we may only add that since we first, a year ago, demol¬ 
ished this unnecessary article of a camping outfit, it has 
been chiefly conspicuous for its absence in our col¬ 
umns :— 
Poughkeepsie, N. Y., Dec. 19tli. 
Editor Forest and Stream :— 
I think your article in this week’s paper on the “For¬ 
ester School of Bathos,” very timely, and such as will 
be appreciated by all sportsmen and readers — not of 
that “ school’’—and I trust it is not the last we shall 
have on that subject from yourself and others. 
I doubtif there was ever any articles in any of the sports¬ 
men's papers that were more heartily enjoyed than 
“Letters from Sportsmen,” as published in the early 
numbers of Rod and Gun. They were transcripts of 
actual experiences of the writers, with slight if any draft 
on the imagination. Coming thus from warm hearts 
they met a hearty appreciation from every lover of the 
Rod and Gun. 
Although my experience of haps and mishaps by “field 
and flood,” has not been small, some account of which 
has appeared in the Forest and Stream, I would not 
dare to present them to the readers of any sportsman’s 
papers of the present time, as there is not enough of 
“ gush” in my style of writing to warrant any hope of 
their meeting the approval of either critic or reader. 
Another complaint I have to make is, that nearly all 
the “gush” writers insult most of their readers with 
their frequent and approving allusion to the use of stim¬ 
ulants under various names. To all such I say, beware I 
A sot’s grave is in that path, as many have found. 
With ruined homes, blasted hopes, and bloated forms 
all about us, who dare in any way, by pen or word, give 
the least sanction to a practice that may lead to such sad 
results. 
The idea that intoxicating drinks are a necessity, either 
in camp, boat, or field, has been so thorough!y exploded 
by the experience of many, that it needs no argument to 
disprove it longer. 
Sportsmen as a class are generous, free hearted, and 
jovial; and often when in camp indulge in practices they 
would avoid at home with their families; hence the need 
of caution at that point. 
There is no better place, or mode of finding out any 
man’s real disposition than camping out with him, where 
the restraints of home and society are thrown* off. I 
tliink many a man has thus had a revelation of himself 
to himself, that has surprised him. 
One thing more, and my pen shall rest as in the past. 
I am glad you have devoted a liberal space to letters from 
our “ sisters and our cousins and our aunts," yes, and 
wives, too. I am sure their influence will be l'or good. 
J. H. D. 
Massachusetts.— Worcester, Dec. 16th .—The open 
season for birds closes Jan. 1st with us, and our two clubs 
are making ready for weekly glass ball shoots. The Wor¬ 
cester Gun Club, the junior club of the two, has been 
busy the past month erecting a neat and very convenien 
club-house" ou its range, and on the above date the club, 
with friends and a delegation from the Sportsman's Club, 
dedicated the house with a glass ball shoot. Mr. William 
R. Schaefer, of Boston, was present as guest of President 
McAleer and the club. All present, complimented the 
boys on their very fine grounds and house. The club was 
organized in June last, and includes lots of workers. Mr. 
L. R. Hudson, one of the oldest gunners in the city, is to 
shoot a glass ball match with Mr. S. Perry of fifty balls, 
on his return from Currituck, ducking. Mr. Perry to 
use liis new Parker 20-bore, and Hudson a 10-bore Scott. 
Hudson and C. C. Houghton are now at Currituck, and 
several more Worcester sports are soon to follow, X. 
Duwbury, Dec, 11th. — 1 The past season has proved itself 
a good one, as regards game of the feathered tribe; blue¬ 
winged teal and rail, in large flocks, having passed us— 
something unknown for years. Woodcock came early, 
and remained very late, one being killed about a week 
ago. Quail quite plentiful, but very sby and hard to bag, 
they having made it a practice to tree when flushed, 
Partridges few and far between, owing, doubtless, to 
the ravages of the woodtick last year and foxes tiiis. 
Rabbits can be found almost anywhere, and at any time. 
Several large bags of sea fowl (coots) have been reported 
from the Gurnet ; ninety-eight, eighty-six and fifty-six 
being the largest Bingle clay's shoot. Geese moving along 
now daily ; not inclined to stop, however, The bay is 
full of whistlers and shelldrake. Grouse. 
The Beaverkill Club— Secretary's Office, No, 93 
Nassau street, New York, Dec. 23d.— Editor Forest and 
Stream :—The annual report of the Beaverkill Club, 
which has just been sent to the members, is too long for 
you to print the whole of it, but the following items will 
probably be of interest to the roaders of Forest and 
Stream. Up in the Catskill Mountains, where our pre¬ 
serve lies, the thermometer was often down to 4.0 deg. in 
June and August, and 45 deg. in July ; the average tem¬ 
perature for May was 60 deg., June 63 deg., July 71 deg. 
and August 60 deg, The club this yoar numbered fifteen, 
of whom only eight were able to go to the stream, but 
they caught in all 218 3-16 pounds of brook trout. These 
are wild trout, no pains are taken with them ; they are 
not fed by ns. They take what they can get in Balsam 
Lake and the headquarters of the Beaverkill, where 
there has never been saw mill nor tannery. We weigh 
and measure our trout, two of fourteen inches in length 
each weighed twelve ounces. Most fishermen, who do 
pot submit their fish to the inexorable balances, would 
probably testify under oath that they are “ experts,” and 
that in their judgment and opinion a fourteen-inch trout 
would weigh at least two pounds ; very many would say 
three pounds. But Beaverkill trout are not smaller than 
the average in the Eastern States (I leave out Maine), and 
they are delicious in taste, especially when a couple of 
the club stop about noon in the shade on the stream, and 
skilfully heap sticks and stones and light a fire, when 
they boil a pint of water, and make coffee in the French 
coffee-pot one has carried, and upon the wire oyster-boiler 
that the other takes from his creel strap, broil half a dozen 
of the purple and green mottled, crimson-dotted, delicate 
fish. A biscuit and a glass of sherry and a segar are all we 
need take along. Trout fresh from the stream are like 
green peas fresh from the garden. The Beaverkill club 
keep a warden on their part of the stream during the 
whole season, They have got an honest, capable man, 
and pay him well. The whole expense of the club during 
last season was $412 4-lc. We shall long regret the un¬ 
timely death, last November, of kind, rosy-cheeked, tire¬ 
less Mrs, Weaver, with whom we have heretofore 
boarded, “ There my hostess-, which, I may tell 
you, is both cleanly, and handsome, and civil,-, hath 
dressed many a one for me. * * * and I warrant it 
good meat. ’.(Walton). Geo. W. Van Siolen. 
Louisiana xnd New Jersey.— Hillside, Stanley, N. J,. 
Dec. 29th.—Editor Forestand Stream: —A sharp contrast 
this, between the orange groves, rose gardens, straw¬ 
berries in bloom and berry, mocking-birds, blackbirds, 
yellow-birds, wrens, teal, mallard, poule d'eau, red-heads, 
marionettes, wild turkeys and quail, of Louisiana ami 
Mississippi ; and leafless trees, songless birds, icy streams 
and snow-covered hilis of Morris County ! 
Last Tuesday morning I left New Orleans for home, 
spending the day on the lovely plantation of my esteemed 
friend Fernando Gautier, Esq., at West* Pascagoula, Miss., 
fronting the rich and beautiful Pascagoula River. I had 
a few weeks before been the recipient of his genuine 
Southern hospitality, and in company with his son, 
Henry Gautier, enjoyed two days of glorious 6port with 
the ducks in the ponds and bayous opening from tho 
Paseagoida, 
Although my experience with this variety of game has 
been somewhat extensive—bounded by the Rangeley 
Lakes, Saco Bay, Me., and Squam, Capo Ann, Mass., 
East, and Minnesota, West —I never before fully apijre- 
ciated the term common to the majority of your vera¬ 
cious correspondents, when they use the word “count¬ 
less,” I oannot truthfully thus indicate the number of 
ducks that met our gaze, but I should require a week to 
execute the task. 
And then the variety of species—many of them new to 
me. The one most abundant was called by Mr. Gautier 
poule d'eau. It resembled a devil diver, or dipper, in 
form ; was about twice as large, and the color of a dusky 
coot. Another variety is called tiro black duck, hut it 
was only two-thirds the size of our black duck, aud much 
darker. 
The most beautiful specimen I shot was a marionette 
about a third smaller than a teal, with most delicate pen¬ 
cilling in grey and white on a dark ground, 1 selected a 
specimen of each, packed them nicely, and paid the ex - 
pressage to New Orleans, addressing the package to Rich¬ 
ard Rhodes, Esq., gunsmith. I attached an explicit let¬ 
ter of instruction, reciting that the enclosed were the 
first specimens of these ducks I had ever seen : therefore 
I wished them carefully mounted by a skillful (axerder- 
misfc. To prevent all possibility of error, I marked in 
large plain letters, on the outside of the package, “ These 
ducks to be stuffed. Please send to taxidermist.*’ 
On my return to New Orleans 1 called ou Mi-. Rhodes, 
who, by the way, is a fine florid Englishman, with gray 
hair and full habit—indeed, a typical representative of 
the British soil. “Your ducks! Why,’pon me soul, I 
had them stuffed, to be sure ; but it was with onions, and 
at ma house I Was it that ye meant they were to bo set 
up by a bird stuffer ? Well, ’pon me soul, I didn’t read 
your letter until after the birds were eaten, you know.” 
Thus I lost my ducks, my expressage, and, most to bo re¬ 
gretted, possibly, the knowledge as to what the correct 
name of these beautiful birds may have been, 
I sincerely trust, Mr. Editor, my meagre description 
may enable you to inform me in a note appended to my 
communication. 
My companion, Henry Gautier, Esq., a gentleman in 
every sense of the word, is a model sportsman, a fine 
6hot, a successful angler. His greatest exploit happened 
last winter. He was stiU-huutiug deer. They frequently 
are found within a mile of his residence. He came sud¬ 
denly' upon two. He got in one shot only as they ran. He 
was loaded witli buckshot. One fell dead ; the other 
ran two hundred yards, and dropped, mortally wounded. 
A favorite amusement of Mr. Gautier’s is to harpoon a 
dolphin in the Pascagoula River, and then, standing up¬ 
right in his narrow piroquo, bo drawn at lightning speed 
over the water. Twice he has actually been drawn under, 
so rapidly did the great fish dart away after being struck. 
In the first paragraph I alluded to the “ songless birds" 
of Morris County. But that is partly correct to day. I 
was out for an hour this afternoon, giving my two 
youngest children their first sleigh ride, dragging them 
on their big brother’s clipper sled, when the air was 
filled with sweet melody by a flock of the common yellow 
birds. They sang with all the vivacity of June. Indeed 
little Florence, our five-year old, insisted “ they must 
have nests right up there in the trees 1” As I saw and 
heard tho same variety in Louisiana, it seemed very 
strange that any members of that family should have 
ventured to remain in the bleak, cold, icy North. 
Geo. Shepard Page. 
*rnsougouln Is Indian, and means ‘'Bread Eaters." Great quan¬ 
tities of the Indian yam were (frown here. 1 procured some. 
Nevada— New Boston , Nevada, Dee-. 6th. —I have re- 
recently returned from a hunting trip to Fish Lake Valle.C 
aud the White Mountains. The latter was barren of results, 
as we were too late to hunt on the Summit (14,000 feet 
high), and too early for the snows which drive the game 
down into the canons. We saw a few tracks of deer and 
mountain sheep, and some signs of dusky grouse, but no 
living game. In Fish Lake Valley, however, we had excel¬ 
lent SiootiDg, giving me an opportunity to thoroughly test 
my new 12-gauge, 8 lbs., breech-loader. I brought to bag, 
1 goose, 74 ducks, and 7 Wilson snipe. About half tho 
ducks killed were a new variety to me ; the ranchers call 
them the “ Grey Russian.” They were almost the color 
of a female mallard, themalesonlyhavingabandof green 
across the wings. They were a little larger than a mal¬ 
lard, much more elegant in their form, and very much 
longer wings : their feet aud legs were brown ; very swift 
of wing, flying high over the pond, and dropping sud¬ 
denly with a noise like a rushing wind. Are these the 
gadwall ? They gave us sport of the very best descrip¬ 
tion. There were four in the party, armed with new 
breech-loaders sent to us by your constant advertiser 
Henry C. Squires. We sent him an order for six, and 
every one gave the highest satisfaction; and if any sports¬ 
men, living at a distance from any of our great centres 
of trade, wish for a new breech-loader, they camlot do 
better than to send their orders to Mr. Squires ; and, my 
word for it, they will be fully satisfied. Fenobscot. 
Oregon— Salem, Dec. 1st. —We have plenty of game 
here all seasons of the year; also good fishing, principally 
trout. I have discovered a plan by which the wads on 
the shot can be securely fastened. It is, after you have 
loaded and marked the shells, to take a brush aud rub 
some dissolved gum arabic over the wad, so that the 
edges of the wad are stuck fast to the sides of the shall. 
It makes the charge solid, and I have used the paper shells 
as high as ten times without any inconvenience, I use 
a W. W. Greener, No. 13, breech-loader. On my last 
trial I killed nine snipe with ten shots, using three 
drachms powder, one ounce shot, No, 10, killing some at 
sixty yards. I have several kinds of dogs—spaniels, 
setters, double-nose pointers, shepherds, English and 
Scotch, black and tan, and fox terriers, etc. I am a fancier 
also of fino poultry, embracing twelve varieties, but do 
not make a livelihood by any of the above. L. M. 
1 Portland , Dec. 9th. — Messrs. Bigbee, Church and 
Scroggies returned yesterday from a little skirmish down 
tho river with fifty duck, several large geese, and 
a magnificent swan, which fell a victim to the prowess 
of Church. They report large numbers of swan and 
geese, butnota great many duck, Multnomah. 
California — Los Angeles, Dec. 1st.—Quail are unusu¬ 
ally numerous. Jack snipe, plover, and ducks just com¬ 
ing in. Sheriff. 
Central Illinois Association,— The Central Illinois 
Association has a membership of more than twenty clubs. 
There is every promise that it will be an efficient body. 
Combination of forces ought to tell. 
The Songless Bird. —The sparrow comes from a good 
family, having a host of representatives in Europe, and a 
full list in North America ; but, strange to say, it is the 
only scion of this large division of the bird tribe, from 
which the gift of song seems to have been entirely with¬ 
held. Everybody who has strolled in the country during 
May and June has listened to tho sweet love carols of nur 
chipping and song-sparrows, but no one ever heard the 
sparrow in question utter a single sound that possessed 
the faintest melody—nothing but that incessant com¬ 
plaining chirp and distressful chatter from one end of the 
year to the other — no intermission, no rest. If it could 
sing like the cat-bird, or even the clumsy robin, for in¬ 
stance, the opposition to it which exists would, it is 
safe to say, never have been aroused, because in all fair¬ 
ness, waiving the question of song, the sparrow oannot 
be any better or worse than the rest of its kind, which 
are all plump, sober, dull-pluruaged birds.— H. W. Elliot, 
in Harper's Magazine, 
—A country paper tells about a sportsmen's club’s 
quiet shoot at glass balls. Now, if that club has found 
any way to have a gnn go off without making a noise, w 
should be pleased to hear all about it. 
