2 68 



RECREA TION. 



the bow he is gone; and as he left, he re- 

 sembled nothing so much as a yellow streak. So 

 with the jack; when once he has become wild 

 his swiftness is amazing, and is proven by the 

 fact that four, six, and even ten feet, is none too 

 much lead to give him at forty yards. It was a 

 beautiful day late in November, when my friend 

 and I first conceived the idea of a rabbit hunt on 

 bicycles. "With the bluest of skies, such sun- 

 shine as is found only on the prairie, and a crisp 

 frosty air, we yearned to go ; livery was expen- 

 sive, and walking on the vast expanse of prairie 

 decidedly discouraging. Why not ride our 

 wheels ? 



Armed with ten gauge guns and plenty of 

 goose ammunition, we rode out amid the jeers 

 and sarcastic comments of our friends. Once 

 out of town we left the road, and at the risk of 

 puncturing our tires on the villainous cactus, we 

 pedaled rapidly through the grass. ^The ball 

 was soon opened by a vigorous and thoroughly 



the effect could not have been more beautiful, 

 nor yet more terrible. The sky, too, was pure 

 and blue as only a mountain sky can be. During 

 most of the afternoon the trail of the game I was 

 following had kept me facing the sun. The signs 

 were fresh ; I needed meat and was loth to quit 

 the trail. The pain in my eyes became intense. 

 I blackened my face and did what else I knew to 

 alleviate my sufferings, but to no purpose. The 

 aching in my head became unendurable, and my 

 swollen, blood-shot eyes would serve to me no 

 longer, so I was forced to camp. 



Sitting by the camp fire, with my eyes tightly 

 bandaged, the outlook was anything but pleasing. 

 I must abandon the trail and return without my 

 meat. But to reach my cabin on Clear creek (in 

 the Canyon, four miles above Ft. McKinney, 

 Wyo.,) would require at least two days. I firmly 

 believed that two hours more of this terrible sun- 

 light would render me totally blind. 



Racked with pain and depressed by gloomy 



THE ROBINS EYE PROTECTOR. 



alarmed " John." Somewhat rattled by the 

 sudden dismount, I missed with my first barrel. 

 The second caught him amidships and broke 

 him up in business completely. A circuit of 

 eight or ten miles sufficed to load us down. The 

 accompanying picture was taken after our re- 

 turn. With an even dozen we quit the hunt, 

 having demonstrated the utility of the bicycle in 

 an entirely new direction. 



AN EPISODE OF THE BUFFALO DAYS. 



E. W. ROBINS. 



SOME years ago, when nearly blind, and suf- 

 fering intense pain, I made a discovery which 

 has been of great value to me. it was in Feb- 

 ruary, 1882. I had been riding nearly all day. 

 The snow was pure, light and feathery. Had 

 each tiny flake been a diamond, of the first water, 



forebodings, I sat and thought until dying em- 

 bers and falling mercury reminded me that it was 

 time to act. 



Late in the evening of the second day follow- 

 ing I arrived at my cabin with both horses 

 loaded with meat and myself well and happy. 

 All this was due to my having made the best 

 possible use of two chews of fine cut and a small 

 bit of leather. The tobacco was used as a poultice 

 for the eyes, being frequently removed and 

 cooled in the snow. (There is nothing better for 

 reducing inflammation.) By morning my eyes 

 were much more comfortable, and though very 

 sensitive, I was still able to bear a little light. 



The bit of leather did the rest. Since that 

 time it has made just as many trips into the moun- 

 tains as I have. Here are the instructions for 

 shaping it : Select a heavy piece of leather. 

 (That's what's the matter with my saddle skirt.) 



