340 



RECREATION. 



A HUNT IN MEXICO. 



September ist I received a .letter from 

 my good friend J. C. saying all would 

 be in readiness to leave San Luis Potosi 

 on the 15th for our annual hunt. To me 

 the last week before starting time seemed 

 exceedingly long; my wife, too, was in poor 

 health and anxious to be away from the 

 noise and discord of city life. 



Accordingly, on the 13th we boarded the 

 Mexico-St. Louis Limited of the > Mexican 

 National railway, the fastest train in the 

 Republic, and were off. After 15 hours 

 around towering mountains and across 

 beautiful plains we arrived in San Luis on 

 time. There we spent Sunday with our 

 hunting friends, and Monday morning 5 

 men and one plucky little woman gathered 

 at the station. Besides J. C. there were 

 Jack H., Rev. D., and the Major. At 4 

 o'clock the whistle blew for Micos station, 

 and with guns, bedding, and grub, we 

 alighted and began arranging a temporary 

 home. 



The station house, with the exception of 

 a few palm leaf huts, was the only sign 

 of human habitation. Within a stone's 

 throw sweeps the deep, blue Micos river, 

 abounding with blue channel catfish. A 

 mile below camp the river makes a series 

 of leaps, producing the most beautiful falls 

 and rapids I have ever seen. Along these 

 rushing waters is a favorite resort of tur- 

 keys, faisans (a brown pheasant nearly as 

 *arge as a turkey) and many blue pigeons. 



Next morning before daylight we had 

 eaten our breakfast and were 2 miles from 

 camp up the track. To find game one never 

 needs to go tar from the railroad, as deer 

 and turkeys are seen daily along the right 

 of way, while the great spotted leopard 

 or tigre, as he is called here, must be hunt- 

 ed more persistently. 



The .mountains are heavily wooded, 

 while the smaller hills are bare in places. 

 There is much jungle, but enough open 

 country to make hunting pleasant. Great 

 swaying palms abound in every direction, 

 and these are alive with 3 kinds of parrots 

 and countless numbers of other birds, some 

 of most gorgeous plumage. 



Not far from the track I saw a white- 

 tail go into the thicket, and sent a 38-55 

 in that direction, with no evil effects to the 

 deer. After a few minutes I saw several 

 deer scampering up the mountain side be- 

 yond the reach of my black powder. I 

 returned to camp to find that every man 

 had seen deer, and every one had an ex- 

 planation why he did not get one. 



Jack had never killed a deer, and I had 

 promised to eat hair, hide and horns of all 

 he brought in. We were out bright and 

 early the next morning, and before 8 

 o'clock that very Jack had drawn first 

 blood. It was a yearling buck, and the 

 proud hunter returned to camp declaring 

 that a certain preacher would have to 

 spend the next month picking hair from 

 his teeth. This kill lifted the stigma from 

 the camp, and we had plenty o f fresh 

 meat. 



The next day I was to hunt through an 



open country where long shots were prob- 

 able. I took a Savage 36-30. About day- 

 light I was passing a small lake and saw 

 at the farthest end a tree full of turkeys. 

 With a determination to do my best with 

 a rifle, I began a detour through the palms 

 to get a. good position for opening the bat- 

 tle. While cautiously making my way 

 along I was startled by a noise not over 30 

 feet above me, and out went 2 turkeys ; a 

 different roost altogether. Crawling to a 

 big palm something over 100 yards from 

 the tree where the turkeys were seen, I 

 selected a big gobbler sitting on a barren 

 limb, lined him up through the sights and 

 pulled the trigger. My turkey flew, and a 

 few falling feathers encouraged me to try 

 again, as only 2 birds had flown. Such a 

 gobbling and calling as I heard ! Not be- 

 ing accustomed to shooting, they did not 

 know what to make of it. I saw across 

 the lake in another tree more turkeys, 

 making 3 roosts within a few hundred 

 yards. I selected another turkey, and at 

 the crack of the gun it came down. At 

 that there was a general flying down. I 

 sighted one on the ground about 150 yards 

 away and stopped him. These were my 

 first with a rifle, and I was content to re- 

 turn to camp. In the afternoon we caught 

 a lot of catfish for supper, and the morning 

 following 2 of us killed a pheasant each. 

 The next day I killed my deer and felt 

 satisfied to quit. 



They were 10 of the most delightful 

 days of my hunting experiences. We were 

 never without a choice selection of game 

 in camp, and it was hard to return to civ- 

 ilization and work. Mrs. Onderdonk gained 

 7 pounds, and the entire party possessed 

 an extra coat of sunburn. 



For deer, turkeys, spotted tigers, wild 

 hogs and small fowl shooting I do not think 

 this region can be surpassed on the conti- 

 nent. Cheap rates can be secured to Mexi- 

 co the year round. Take a through sleeper 

 at St. Louis via San Antonio and Laredo, 

 Tex., to San Luis Potosi via the Mexican 

 National, the only direct route. There 

 take a branch of the Mexican Cen- 

 tral to the hunting grounds. Anywhere be- 

 tween Cardenas and Tampico, a distance 

 of 100 miles, there is good hunting. Guides 

 are unnecessary, as game is plentiful near 

 the railroad track. I will take pleasure in 

 answering any questions about the coun- 

 try. 



F. S. Onderdonk, City of Mexico. 



Clarinda : You can't keep a dog in your 

 new flat? 



Florinda : No, we had to give Fido 

 away; but Frederick had his dear little bark 

 put in our phonograph. — Cincinnati Com- 

 mercial Tribune. 



"Have you heard about the latest insur- 

 ance company?" 



"No; what is it?" 



"It promises to pay alimony to both 

 parties in case the marriage should prove 

 a failure."— -Detroit Free Press. 



