486 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jan. in, .rms 



0mtfe j^ag ai\d 0////. 



WHAT THE PEOPLE THINK. 



Vktftor /•'"irst Kin! Shy, m, : 



1 enclose n clipping from the Bbzeinan Avani Courier, the 

 lending Montana newspaper, containing » letter Erom fi 

 trustworthy cmrespondenl from the Upper yellowstonc: 



"The Park Improvement Company haven sawmill in 

 Operation at this place, getting oul lumber for u win -room 

 hotel Jto be huilt here next spring, and 1 ;mi creditably in- 

 Formed that Mr. E. Hiiupt. Superintendent of the N. P. I. 

 Co., has lei a contract fortwenty thousand pounds of veni- 

 son, a1 five cents per pound, to supply his men. lie lias 

 some eighty or a hundred now at. work, and is going to feed 

 them on elk, deer, mountain sheep, and biBon, killed in the 

 Hark. as it is cheaper than lieef. 



'Park Improvement C»,' doing fhis, and I sup- 

 pose they consider it rtj improvement to rid the Park, as far 



as possible, ol game— thus they who have means to get other 



ineat encourage in this way the destruction ofwbal little 



game there is left, for the sake of a few dollars (\ cry few) 

 profit, to themselves. ' 



The recommendations of Gen. Sheridan 1 heartily endorse, 

 although 1 am of the opinion that a '•mounted police," 

 selected from old mountaineers and men familiar with the 

 country would be far better than soldiers to piote.t the 

 Park from intruders. Before the National Park Improve- 

 ment Co. and the North Pacific K. R. Co, getthrough building 

 and improving the National Park, pretty near all the large 

 game will be killed off or driven Off. There never ought to 

 i • railroad inside the Park limits— good roads and trails 

 are .sufficient. One good hotel each at the Geyser Basin. 

 Yellow stone Lake and Mammoth Hot Springs, are all that is 

 required. If the contract between the Government and the 

 National Park Improvement. Co. should be declared valid 

 by Congress, all sportsmen and tourists traveling through 

 the Hark would be at the mercy of the National Park Im- 

 provement Company. According to the agreement the com- 

 pany would getll-lll acres at, each plot, which would take 



in all Mm best camping places, meadows, water and timber, 



and a sportsman or tourist could not camp anywhere near 

 a prominent place with his outfit, unless he pays'the National 

 Park Improvement Co. for the privilege of camping on 

 their plot, and pasturage fee tor the saddle or pack horses 

 The National Park Improvement Co. would have every- 

 thing their own wav, in fact control everything in the 

 Park 1 only hope that Congress will investigate the 

 affair and act accordingly-. 



A.\' Old Honteb ikd TiiAPPBai, 



Bozesun. Montana Territory. Jan. 4 



Htlitnr Fttrtftt ilml Sin, in, : 



Ir has afforded me great pleasure to see that Hie FOBEST 

 v-,l> STREAM was the Brst. as it was for a considerable time 



the only, paper in the country to protest against the bold 

 attempt of a few speculators to rob the people of the United 

 States or their National Park. The independence and feat' 1 

 lessnees of your course cannot be too highly praised, and that 

 it will be appreciated by the people tit large I cannot doubt. 

 Thanks to (he Forest and Stream and to Senator Vest, it 

 seems likely now that the Park will be reserved for those 

 who really own it. 



But does il nol seem as though ihe great wrong lies back 

 of anything that basyel been brought forward? If the 

 United States Government chooses to deed over lo me, or to 

 tiny mie else, till its public lands for oue dollar, am I to refuse 

 it? The Government acts through its servants, and suppose 

 the Secretary of the Interior, or' in hi.- tilismcr .Mr. .Mcrril 

 L. Josslyn chooser to make over to nte a big block of the 

 public land, you cannot reasonably expect me or any busi- 

 ness man to be virtuous enough to refuse the Opportunity 

 10 make an enormous profit, II appears lo me. therefore, 

 that the fault in till this matter lies with the law which per- 

 il, iit- 1 J j the Secretary of UiV Interior io be absent, and (2) 

 which permits a subordinate to make such an enormously 

 important contract, 



Of course it is clear enough that in making this particular 

 o, ulract the Government officials largely exceeded any 

 powers granted to them under the acts of 187S. We can all 

 see this now that it has been pointed out to us, Qui this point 

 might easily have been overlooked, and the lease made, and 

 then where would we have been? 



I cannot too heartily congratulate ywi on ihe .splendid 

 stand that you have taken. B IT 



ObIoAOO, 111, January 14, 1KS3, 



hjlil„r , h ',,rr.;l (UtA SI,;, in,: 



1 am so filled with admiration of your plucky and manly 



tight for the People against the Yellow-shine Park grabbers', 

 thai [ Cannot withhold some demonstration of applause. 

 The Scriptures arc not my best hold (I wish they were ; but 

 somewhere therein it, is said that when the hands of Joshua 

 weakened the outsiders stepped in ami held them up. that 

 Israel might gain the impending battle. Although there are 

 as yet no signs of your "weakening," yet the labor alone 

 might prove loo great for you; andsltould thai time come 

 there are millions of sturdy hands ready to brace you up to 

 the gooil work you have undertaken— to stive Israel's people 

 from the Phi lisliues. 



I hardly know which is the Joshua, you oi Vest. But 

 whoever holds up his hands in Ihe interests of the People in 

 sec i ring the great .National Park intact, the pleasure ground 

 of the world, will have the admiration and applause of till 

 generations f or all time. 



In your issue of January 11 you nave given the grabbers 

 terrific sledge-hammer blows.' Hammer nwni and the 

 people will sav, Amen. X 



I I I ■ n:.-», 0. 



Editor F,„;>*l ,iii,I Sir,,, in: 



Your fearless exposure of the shameless attempt to grasp 

 the very h earl and soul of the incomparable Yellowstone 

 Park, is one Of the most creditable things done lately by 

 ftny American periodical, 3Tou may be sure that the full 

 measure of the impropriety and unapproachable impu- 

 dence of this hold "grab'' has not yet begun even to be 

 realized by the people — the real owners of the wonderland 

 in question. 1 can scarcely think, among the scores of Un- 

 savory speculations which Occur to me, of one evidencing 

 a greater amount of "cheek" than this one; and these men 

 may rest assured that, even if they do Succeed in thus cheat, 

 ing the people, vengeance will be'visited upon them in some 

 suitable shape by an oul raged public. Lei every voter 

 write to his Congressman in vigorous protest against a 

 scheme which is saturated with impropriety and iniquity. 

 \Y Me K. Heath. 



Khilajj-Elphia, l'a., Jan. {*. IB88, 



A HOLIDAY HUNT. 



WUAT IIAITKNKn ,\NI1 SCCVrCTlltNO Wltl'H mil Not II WI'F.N. 



WITH us. in this far off southland, there is a full realiz- 

 ation of I he fact that— 



"riirisinias comes but once a year, 



very ilorkey has his share—" 



of whaicver joys can be had during the gala season. With 

 him the banjo and the riddle make all the instrumental 

 melody which his soul reqUh't'S, and bacon, and greens, and 



com bread, and whisky meet the demandao-F his internal 



physical system, while a flaming necktie of gorgeous colors 

 ana red-top boots afford the apparel most suited to his fancy. 

 Tiideed, Ihe African is a happy race, especially when freed 

 from those cares which the light of education always brings 

 along with it. For money nine-tenths of litem have no use 

 except to gratify the demands of appetite as some attractive 

 object meets the eye. ami. in consequence, it is an ex- 

 ceptional case, mIicii an increase of worldy goods takes 

 place. A 11 hough it lias been more than fifteen years since 

 the;, were declared to lie free, few indeed are else than "mere 

 livers from hand to mouth." On such a day as Christmas 

 the towns are black with them, and the retail groceries 

 which sell crackers, cheese, sardines oysters toys ribands 

 gew-gaws and whisky, do tt Ihriving business bv getting all 

 the cash, which is the result of many a day's' labor, f,-,,,,, 

 these thriftless descendants f Ham.' "The loud laugh, 

 which speaks the empty mind," is heard on every hand, the 

 popping of firecrackers jars on the ear. the whisky veil 

 gives variety to the confusion, and all is fuss and' din. 

 Verily, I am glad Ihe time comes but once tt year, Indeed, 

 if I were emperor of till the earth, and possessed of un- 

 limited power, I should devote myself to the inauguration of 

 Several reforms for the benefit of my subjects, and among 

 them would issue my ukase declaring death, "without 

 benefit of clergy," or any other benefit, against all tin- man- 

 ufacturers of Roman candles, firecrackers and other devilish 

 inventions which disturb the quiet of towns and do no good 

 Whatever. 



In part to get away from the sort of noise which made 

 my house lose all its quiet, on Tuesday, the 86th, Jim Left. 

 and i got into a buggy with our hunting luggage, called up 

 Don and Branch, gave the word to "The gray 'mare Meg- 

 si better never lifted leg," or. if you prefer it* because the 

 name of Ihe nag is thus preserved — 



Wee! latched on to gray mare Molly. 



We split the mint— we (lid. by boUJ . 

 and made our way to the hospitable residence of our Mead, P. 

 N. 8., wilt, lives in the "Pork," about eighteen miles from 

 our home. Inasmuch as Tom. our host's "eldest hope." 

 who knew our inclinations, told the family that he was sure 

 we would be there that night, we found a capital sup- 

 per ready for us, io which, after a brief interval tit the fire, 

 we proceeded to do ample justice. On our route, for lack 

 of time, if for no other reason, we failed even to enjoy Ihe 

 lovely scenery, which is spread out as we rise the' hill on 

 which Ed. Ingram lives, and which displays the broad 

 bosom of the Pee Dee. dotted with many islands.aml the far dis- 

 tant hills ol'Stanlv and Montgomery counties. We take hut 

 a glance at. Ihe sil'e of the old blacksmith shop, the slab bot- 

 tom and tlietanyard, Where, in other days, the hinder placed 

 himself to mt creept a fleeing deer, as he was making his way to 

 the river to escape his pursuers. Ii is getting nearly sundown, 



when WC pass Ihe old barn, the eeiitcrofa nueefnmou- turkey 

 range, aud twilight had come when we crossed Smith's 

 Fold of Little River, on whose bank, a few miles above, 1 

 first saw the light of Heaven, and from whose Waters, when 

 a boy, I have drawn many a beautiful fish. Two miles 

 more, and we saw the cheerful light of our place of rest, 

 and found what I had already described, as well as that 

 hearty, but unpretending welcome which is shown to every 

 one who enters Ihe grounds. 



"The cheerful supper done," we went back to the parlor 

 mdra I ourselves arouud Ihe sparkling tire, ready to en- 

 gage in such conversation -is mighi spring up, aud make our 

 arrangements for the morrow's hunt. Tom being a "merci- 

 ful man." and acquainted with the prandial capacity of my 

 dog Branch— for B. is sound in Btomach as well as'in limb 

 and wind— weut out. in the meantime with a bountiful supply 

 oT corn bread, and soon came in reporting that the little ex- 

 ercise he had had did not seem to have weakened Ihe dog's 

 appetite, Don. also, had his supply of scraps, and bavins 



been raised a gentleman's dog, got a small portion of pork 

 for his share. Being satisfied ourselves, and knowing thai 

 out Hogs hail feasted royally. Wu discussed all sorts of 

 things, indulged in anecdote, "cracked of horses, ploughs 

 and kvc." inquired how our host's carp ponds were doing, 

 What Christmas festivities had enlivened the neighborhood: 

 and were congratulating ourselves upon having escapi tl "ihe 

 maddening crowd's ignoble strife. " when the sound of a 

 darkey's accordcon and hilarious chorus of darkey throats, 

 gave painful evidence that we were still within the bounds 

 of that sort of civilization. Still we managed to keep up our 

 "diseoiiise" until the hour came, when my habits required 

 thai 1 should bid entertainers and entertained my best 

 wishes tor a happy night, f sh-pt well, disturbed onlybythe 

 suggestions of a stomach rather heavily laden, and the 

 whining of a seller pup, which I had brought up as. a pres- 



cni to my friend Bishop Crickctt, of Saint's Rest, who lives 



just across the Pee Dee, and whom we expected to break- 

 fast with ns the following morning. 



After all the family got together, before breakfast next 

 day, a suggestion was made that, as their Christmas had not 

 quite ended, it might nol be disagreeable to partake of a 

 glass of egg-nog. The motion was duly seconded, and 

 passed mm, '-'ii'.. and we were regaled with "as good tl 

 article of them kind of spcrrifs*' us was ever fixed "up for 

 the enjoyment of the human palate. The "flavoring ex- 

 tract" was obtained by a distillation of the fermented juice 

 of the peach — Whichj by ilie way. is unsurpassable for 

 Thomas and Jeremiah— Tom and Jerry, if you like — or that 

 mixture of sugar and whipped cream called syllabub. And then 

 that little tinkling sound was heard which indicated thai hot 

 Java and biscuit and butter and "sassci'.gcrs" aud "chicken 

 livings' 'and chitterlings were not far off ; and we also par- 

 took of that . Then, having made arrangements to send our 

 horse and buggy up to Smith's Ferry, we went down to the 

 river, not over a quarter of a mile off, to see if its bottoms 

 contained any of the birds we hail come to kill. In a short 

 while ihe elegant form of the Bishop, astride of his mule, 

 was seen approaching, and close by his dogs, Jack and Pal- 

 metto. The prelate and 1 took the bank, of the stream, 

 while Jim LeG. and Tom went along the margin of the foot 

 hills. 



We found thai birds were scarce, and when we reached 

 ihe ferry our bag consisted of only ten birds, while the other 



party h.td succeeded in getting more than twice that, num- 

 ber. Tate in the afternoon, after Tom burl left us. we were, 

 hunting tt piece of sedge and some adjacent ditch banks- 

 Jim gave notice to Saint Martin— t'.e Bishop— and me that 

 Don had found a covey on the opposite side oft he Hitch. 

 Being an agile man, he had easily leaped it, and told us to 

 go below and cross. AVc were ready enough to do so. and 

 going to the bank of it. and inspecting its size, upon ihe 

 same principle that governs 



•The dog whit by insHnot turns aside 

 When he sees the ditch too dee,, and wide," 

 it was deemed prudent to seek another crossing place, so 

 we went further down and soon found a hog ford, which 

 gave ns the safe means of getting to the game side -of the 

 drain. When we gol over, we saw Don on a full stand, 

 with Branch behind him. LcG. was within ten feet, and 

 he requested us to remain where we were, for the birds 

 would fly licit way, and we could get a shot, Of course 

 our reply was that, we bad no idea of being hit. by him for 

 any such eliswiec, and had no special aspirations to make 

 him our target, we 'Started to approach, and before we 

 had gone live yards, we heard his gun, (hen saw the flying 

 covey and heard his second barrel. The truth of history 

 compels me lo say that no bird stopped. Then he called to 

 us to come up. for there were more birds. That we did not 

 credit, and so we stood still. Pretty soon he had about a 

 half dozen more on the wing, and he got one with each 

 barrel. We then pursued the first part of the covey, which 

 had lighted on the side of a large ditch, and the Bishop and 

 1 got one each. Coming back. LeG.. who is a capital hi 

 and an industrious hunter, told me that he knew where one 

 had settled on th, sideof the first ditch, and, as he had had 

 four chances. 1 could take it. And I did take if. adding tt bird 

 io my bag. Going in pursuit of the others. 1 got, anothel 

 shot, wounding, and LcG. another, killing. Then the 

 Bishop got a crack, which he missed, because of the thick 

 brush through which Ihe bird was Hying. We then twitted 

 LcG. on his' Hushing the covey when we were get ling to 

 lot... and then learned front him that as we were approach- 

 ing, he saw what he took to be a huddle of birds in "the head 

 of a side ditch, and thinking he could get a half dozen at 

 one pop, he tired into— a bunch of leaves. Ami then we 

 berated him soundly for' his unsportsmanlike conduct in 

 more respects than one, and announced our purpose to try 

 him before a. court-hunting that night upon his "grave 

 crimes and misdemeanors against the law. in such cases. 

 made tint! provided." And' that night, at his mother's 

 house, where we are always welcome, we put our threat into 

 execution, convicted him, and suspended judgment on con- 

 dition that he would afterward put himself upon his good 

 behavior. 



Tite next day we found still fewer birds, and succeeded in 

 getting only about thirty, notwithslaudiug a laborious day's 

 tramp. Night found us under the same hospitable roof, 

 where we got Ihe egg nog. The Bishop, who had lost his 

 Palmetto bilch, having to go back a mile or so to rind her, 

 reached the house almost half an hour after we did. He 

 told us that he found her lying cosily down at the place 

 where we took our lunch, doubtless, expecting us. to return 

 in time to give her another bait of scraps. During the da\ 

 the bitch had sorely tiled the Christian philosophy of her 

 handler by swallowing instead of retrieving a bird which 

 the Bishop had sh.,t. But the prelate, knowing full well 

 that "he wdio spaiclh the rod spoilcth the child," applied 

 the sanction of the law by giving her "many stripes" for her 

 misdeed. 



We stayed all night, and my clerical friend, who had not 

 sought, the night before, lo get a divorce a mrnm el iharu 

 from me, bul shared the couch with me, complained so 

 much of ray unfortunate hai.it of snoring thai our host 

 placed him in a separate apartment. Next morning, ,-.t an 

 extremely early hour, I heard a knocking at the outer door 

 of my room, which was on the ground floor, and connected 

 with' I he parlor, and recognizing the familiar voice of my 

 former bedfellow, I emerged from the warm bed and "took 

 him in." 



lie apologized for the disturbance, alleging as a reason 

 that he was anxious to make an early start for home, to 

 avoid, if possible, the "nursed wrath" of his "dame," 

 which might, grow too "warm" for him if he failed longer 

 to make an appearance, and had inadvertently left his hat 

 in the parlor. Then he apologized for his having deserted 

 me, and lold me. with a sorrowful voice, that in doing so 

 he had "jumped from the frying-pan into the tire." "How 

 is that?" said I. "Did Tom' or Jim LeG. open their nasal 

 batteries on you?" "No, no— far worse than they could 

 do." "What calamity, my dear friend, has befallen you?" 

 "Why, that infernal' He. Gines came in from a dining 

 pari v in the neighborhood at Squire Willy Smilers, and was 

 pul 'in bed with me. In a little while he opened till the 

 vials of his accursed cacophany, and kept emptying them 

 upon my already shattered nervous system, so that 1 could 

 not sleep a wink. Yours is as the 'music Of the spheres' 

 or Ihe soft, soothing tones of the jEolian harp, compared 

 With his. He plays on the Chinese gong, diveisitied with 

 that peculiar puff of a locomotive toning up grade with a 

 long train of box cars behind it. 1 won'i dp SO any more. 

 I'll stick to you hereafter; your harmonies shall be nay 

 lullaby." My" sympathies were enlisted in his behalf, and I 

 freely* forgave him for his offense. 



After breakfast, we sent our buggy about a mile dou n iln- 

 road toward home, and we took the fields lying on the river, 

 if TM could not find some birds to take home with us. 

 We got up several coveys, did some good and some von 

 poor Shooting, bagged eighteen, and the hour came when 

 we must ride. The morning had been rather clear, but 

 about twelve, "the gathering storm" looked ominous, and we 

 had sixteen miles? of muddy road to travel. Haying n top 

 buggy and a good blanket 'we thought we could stand any- 

 thing which might come, and so Molly was told to lessen 

 the distance. Alter going about three miles, some small 

 white drops began to fall, aud in a few minutes they eauie 

 "fast and furious" driving in our faces, and making the 

 homeward journey anything but a pleasant recreation. But 

 as t he face of nat lire was covering itself w it.li a dark veil, we 

 enlcred our portals, hungup our wet blanket to dry, w eut r li s t 

 to the blazing wood lire, and were grateful that we not only 

 had a home, but were enjoying some of its comforts. Our 

 good wife— I have one, and some people say she 

 is at least good enough fur me— fold me site was 

 glad 1 had come, for she had invited several of my 

 friends to come up that night, and do methe honor of eating 

 some birds— but as 1 did not reach home in lime, she 

 obliged to resort to some of the contents of her larder to sup 

 ply the repast, and when the guestseame, she would show me 

 What she could do wnen she set her head loit. in the way ot 

 furnishing victuals to hungry people, 1 asked her if it was 



