182 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



jug of -whisky was empty, and as the air was raw and biting, 

 a squad were deputed to go to Powell's and get it refilled. Two 

 volunteers departed on this mission, but they stayed away so 

 long that a certain ill-defined suspicion was felt by the wait- 

 ing crowd, and another deputa'ion was sent out, who found 

 the two won hies, with the jug, reclining beneath a hedge. 

 Before their return the curs were all joined in a promiscuous 

 fight, while the huntsmen watched the scrimmage wnh inter- 

 est, betting drinks on the result. Just at this period an old 

 Mollie cotton tail— videlicet, rabbit — jumped up close by, and 

 away went curs, hounds and huntsmen in a regular scrub race, 

 Devil take the hindmost. It was a glorious chase across an 

 open field, and the hounds' deep tones, mingled with the 

 frenzied yelping of the short-legged, stump-tailed mongrels, who 

 found that in spite of their best running they were falling be- 

 hind ; while the riders were so convulsed with laughter at the 

 absurd spectacle that they almost rolled from their saddles in 

 the ecstacy of mirth. The old hare, running for her life, 

 cleared the ground in such 'fine style that soon none but the 

 hounds had the trail ; but in about, ten minutes poor Mollie 

 was overtaken, and gave up the ghost. 



Now began the serious business of the day. The leading 

 hounds were rebuked for chasing a rabbit and the n sent out 

 right and left in the newly cleared woods. Soon staunch old 

 Silvertongue gave forth a challenge which was answered by 

 the others, and as the scent became warm their united bay 

 rose grandly in the air, making 



Across on our right, a half a mile away, the fox could be 

 geen making for a dense cover. The cheery cry of the master 

 was heard, and away we went to place the hounds on Reynard's 

 trail. W e found the pad of the fox plainly imprinted in the 

 soil, when calling to the pack and pointing to the track, they 

 followed hard upon him in the dense coppice, which we our- 

 selves could not penetrate. By direction of the master we 

 scattered a half a mile or so on either side, and followed on. 

 The hounds were now in full cry, and we feared the game 

 would be mobbed in the woods and all our sport lost ; but it 

 was a cute old fox, a red one at that, who evidently had been 

 run before, and knew his business. " He's bound to break 

 cover," said Broadwater; "it is too hot for him in there." 

 " He won't leave until the last moment," answered Richard- 

 son, "for he knows his safety lies in those thickets." "That's 

 so," said Wilcoxen, coming up ; "boyg, I've chased that ' old 

 red' before, and he will give us the best ran you ever saw. I 

 am only afraid he may climb a tree or go into some hollow. 

 Hark ! there's a check now !" and so it was, the dogs had lost, 

 the trail. All was perfect silence, and we listened as eagerly 

 and excitedly as ever we did in a skirmish line in the Wilder- 

 ness in '64 



"Now we are all right," sang out Malone, "there's old 

 Music's challenge." The other hounds closed up, and then 

 broke into a full cry again, and out from the cover they went, 

 tailing be autifully across a narrow open meadow into the woods. 

 Putting spurs to our horses, we followed, neck or nothing, 

 Several getting some ugly crashers as they went, but, mounting 

 again, kept on. Into the woods, riding like mad, swinging our 

 limbs and ducking our heads, we rode like Mazeppa, with the 

 rushing pack in front instead of behind us, and the cheers of 

 the riders, mingled with the Stirling tones of the horns and the 

 haying of the hounds joined grandly together and floated 

 through the forest aisles, 



" While all the wooded liills reply 

 To hoof-clang, liound and hunter's cry." 



The hounds soon left us behind, but we followed recklessly 

 enough in their wake, and were beginning to fear that we 

 would not heinatthe death, when suddenly the full cry ceased, 

 and the baffled notes of the hounds were heard. We soon 

 came up and found the pack cold hunting, and clearly at fault. 

 The master then examining the ground, was nonplussed, and 

 many reasons were given as to where the "old red" could 

 have gone. The ground was open, and could not have con- 

 cealed a rabbit, and yet his foxship had vanished. Many were 

 the conjectures; some said he had climbed a tree, others 

 that he lay skulking under the leaves, whilst one pro- 

 fane individual even asserted that he was gone to the devil. 

 All this time the master was busily engaged examining the 

 ground, it was an oak grove with no undeibush nor thickets. 

 An old worm rail fence ran through, marking the boundary of 

 a farm. The master placed a dog on the top of this fence : 

 the hound instantly gave tongue, and the whole pack began 

 to climb the fence. " Hurrah, boys ! Mount your horses; 

 the old fox has climbed the fence and headed back !" And so 

 it proved ; when in full rim the fox had scrambled the fence, 

 ran along the top of it and troubled, leaving the whole "meet" 

 utterly balked by this artifice. We retraced our steps, the 

 hounds running on either side of the fence, when just at the 

 corner of the woods the pack struck the scent and were off 

 again on the back track. In a few moments they (railed Rey- 

 nard back into the very thicket from which he had originally 

 started. 



We could hear them searching for him ; but if he was in 

 there he was evidently lying close, for except an occasional 

 yelp not a sound could be heard. It was very depressing, and 

 many j. ave up, saying that it was simply impossible to start 

 him from cover the second time, as he probably had his den 

 deep down in the earth. As it was late, about two o'clock, 

 and aicner hour had arrived, more than half the huntsmen re- 

 turned to the village ; and only too soon, as the sequel showed. 



Calling in the hounds, at d keeping them close, the master 

 sent several outriders to see if they could hearanything of the 

 fox. Within four minutes one of Ihem came faring back, 

 saying that a farmer had seen the fox cutting across a field 

 aWUt a niile distant. We lost no time in galloping to the 

 spot, and the bounds were sent to search, and soon old Silver- 

 tongue, throwing his head high in the air, gave a melodious 

 note, and then darted off like an arrow with every dog after 

 him. It was evidently a burning scent, so strong that the 

 hounds were running breast high. We followed at full speed 

 through some low swampy ground, when suddenly John 

 Thomas's plug stuck fast, and to John's whips, frenzied kicks 

 and yells, old Reb, for such was his nam?, gave only a series 

 of dismal, almost human, groans. " Good-bye, old Stick-in- 

 the mud, ' shouted Malone as he swept by, leaving John al- 

 most crying from vexation. Across the field a half a mile 

 away the fox could now plainly be seen heading for some 

 iino'er. A. deafening cheer burst from the horsemen, and spurs 

 were driven deep iuio the heaving flanks of their steeds. Across 

 the field w r as a stake and rail fence with a ditch on one side, "a 

 real cropper." As we approached it each rider seated himself 

 more firmly in his s iddle, held in Lis horse, and theu attempt- 

 ed the leap. Nearly all were old cavalrymen and understood 

 their business well, and all but three or four accomplished the 

 feat in safety. One got a crashing fall, and lay stunned in the 

 ditch ; another was pitched over the fence, clearing it himself 



in splendid style, but not carrying his horse over with him. 

 Douglas' horse fell headlong, so did mine, but neither of us 

 was hurt. Bill Thomas' young colt craned, and threw Bill 

 backward over her rump into the soft mud, and quietly started 

 for home. Bill, full of rage, pursued, hurling stones, sticks 

 and curses at her departing form. 



The excitement was now intense. Each face glowed , each 

 lip was compressed with determination, as in the olden times, 

 when they charged with Ash'.ry in the Valley, Stuart in the 

 gorges of the Blue Ridge, and Hampton in the Slashes of 

 Hanover. Another fence, and half the horses broke down, 

 and the best mounted kept on. The pace was terrific, and 

 the fox in plain sight, about two hundred yards away, run- 

 ning for his life. There was no time now for his artifices j it 

 was a srmare question of fleet ness and endurance, and Reynard 

 flew on as straight as a die, the whole puck running " mute," 

 for the scent was so heavy, the game in full view, and the 

 gait so fast that tbey could not give tongue at all. A yawn- 

 ing ditch and every horse fairly tried it, but only four out, of 

 the dozen leaped. Blood was telling now. No common horse 

 could keep up the strain of running through swampy, muddy 

 land, fetlock deep, and taking every fence and ditch as it 

 came. No sound was htard save the rap of the flying hoofs 

 and the quick breathing of the horses and dogs. Fields sped 

 past ns in the mad chase,; farm houses darted past ; little 

 patches of woods came and spun off ; trees reeled aside, and 

 the pack of hounds, their bellies nearly touching the ground, 

 their hungry ejes fastened on the running fox a huudred 

 yards ahead, pursued, in desperate eagerness, their prey. A 

 half mile further on and another fence barred the way, and 

 the huntsmen again faced their failing horses for the leap. 

 Vain ! vain ! Broadwell's thoroughbred cleared it and kept 

 on ; so did another. Dick Martin's stallion leaped, kuocked 

 off the top rail, fell, recovered himself, and dashed on. It 

 was glorious to see the hounds jumping over one after an- 

 other; but the bunstmen could not follow, and they watched 

 with vexation and envy the three successful riders disappear, 

 "The poor fox was now sinking fast. His tail hung drooping 

 behind, but still he made frandc endeavors tp escape. It was 

 a wide field, with neither bushes nor stone, and as level as a 

 parade ground. The hounds were not fifty yards behind, 

 old Silvertongue a yard in advance, with bloodshot eyes and 

 hanging tongue, his lithe, sinewy body sketched to its utmost 

 tension. Broadwater in front, his thoroughbred, with tars 

 back, running like a race-horse on his last quarter stretch ; 

 and behind, each rider, with bent body and steady rein, fol- 

 lowed on. Poor Reynard's moments were numbered ; his bn sh 

 was dragging the ground, and Silvertongue's red, yawning 

 mouth was within a few yards of him, when seeing that the 

 game was up, he turned and stood at bay. A rush — the hur. 

 ried snapping of two scores of jaws ; a confused, struggling 

 mass of dogs, piled writhing, snapping, biting upon one another 

 —and the day was over. Broadwater reached the scene first, 

 and by a free use of voice and whip stopped the battle, and 

 held up the mangled body of the fox, while his cheer of tri- 

 umph rang through the evening air. 



Exhausted andhtmgry we wended our way back to Dun- 

 more, where a piping hot dinner refreshed and soon restored 

 us. Fain would I write of a grand hall, where bright eyes, wav- 

 ing tf esses, ruby cheeks, brilliant smiles and swaying forms, 

 keeping rythm to the sweet strains of the band, repaid the 

 wearied huntsman for his toils. All this would be very po- 

 etical, but alas, it was not our luck. Dunmore is not famous 

 for its beautiful women, and as for the musicians, they were 

 not. 



The "Dunmore Meet" was over, but ah me! the conse- 

 quences that ensued from that unlucky fox hunt 1 In the 

 first place the hunt brought to Dunmore Court House a young 

 city fellow who must needs fall in love with a Dunmore belle. 

 A misunderstanding with her suitor occurred, and the result 

 was a duel and a bullet through the stranger's shoulder. 

 More unfortunate still, Bill Thomas caught a cold, which 

 merged into a violent attack of rheumatism, and drew his 

 leg up so that one limb was now six inches shorter than the 

 other, and Bill hops about on crutches to this day. Then 

 Dick Martin went home drunk that evening, fell helpless in 

 his stable, was kicked in the back by a mule and confined to 

 his bed for a week. John Thomas' old mare died from the 

 effect of the unwonted gait ; that gallop was too much for 

 her, and she breathed her last that night, John used to say 

 that, if he could cheat the buzzards he would make his corn 

 crop next summer sure. But alas, John's babies may cry for 

 bread, but their wailings will be as unavailing as the frenzied 

 yell of the sans culottes in the days of Marie Antoinette. 

 Then, most melancholy of all, there was a youth, one win. 

 could not touch liquor without being crazed. He had signed 

 a temperance pledge and was engaged to be married to as 

 sweet a little apecimcu of femininity as ever trod a number one 

 shoe. Well, this modern Amadis got drunk at the meet; his 

 Phyllis took him to task, a fierce quarrel ensued, and Amadis 

 banished himself to Texas, leaving the broken-hearted Phyllis 

 to deplore that meet, the Iliad of all her woe. All these evils 

 and many more came from the "Dunmore Meet." To offsi t. 

 these woes, Broadwater has the fox's tail, and if. of the read- 

 ers of Foeest and Stkeam, some should moralize that a 

 fox's brash is but a pa try return for maimed limbs, ruined 

 steeds and sundered loves, I at least have fulfill- d my task, 

 and have faithfully pictured a Virginia fox hunt of the pres- 

 ent day. Alex IIcntek. 



FOUR DAYS IN A ROB ROY CANOE ON 

 LONG ISLAND SOUND. 



MY boat was a fourteen feet, oak-hulled, dedar-decked 

 canoe of the orthodox Rob Roy pattern, carrying a 

 lug-sail, and weighing complete about sevent\-rive pounds. 

 She was built by Searle & Sons, of Lambeth, near London, 

 after the construction of the original MacGregor canoes. A 

 weight of seventy-five pounds is unnecessary ; Win. Jarvis, 

 of Ithaca, N. Y. , can build fully as seaworthy a boat, fifteen 

 pounds lighter. The cargo of the " Srar" consisted of a night- 

 shirt, a pair of socks, one handkerchief, necessary toilet arti- 

 cles and smoking materials. AIL of this was packed in a 

 water-tight rubber bag, one foot by one and a half— a capital 

 article for this purpose. The last and most important part of 

 the outfit was an U. S. Coast Survey Chart of the Sound. 

 Another rubber bag of cargo had been prepared containing 

 such luxuries as a pair of Indian moccasins, some potted eh ck- 

 en, a nip of brandy, etc., but unfortunately it was stolen be- 

 fore starting, and greatly missed. The uniform of the cap- 

 tain is easily described ; old flannel trousers, older flannel shirt, 



oldest flannel shooting jacket and a prehistoric wideawake. 

 The necessity of leaving behind everything that is not abso- 

 lutely necessary cannot be too rigidly impressed on the pro- 

 spective canoeist, for, when paddling against the tide and per- 

 haps ahead wind, an extra pound is a great deal. 



It is 2 p. xr, on Wednesday, July 11, and I am ready to 

 start; foot, bottom and back boards are adjusted, with cargo hag 

 fastened so that it cannot shift. The mast is stepped, and 

 the sail furled, as there is no wind, and the little red and blue 

 burgee hangs idly at the masthead. The chart is rolled up 

 and shoved between the footboard and the deck, where it is 

 least likely to get wet, and with a hearty handshake and a. 

 ' 'Take care of yourself " from my cousin and chum, P. T. , I 

 push off from the foot of Harlem Bridge, and as the water 

 covers my blue-bladed paddle for the first time, I try to guess 

 how many times it will dip, before I get to Bridgeport, seven- 

 ty-five miles from here along the shore, and wonder what 

 strange things are to happen to me before Baturday ; for I 

 must be at my destination at 4:50 on the afternoon of that 

 day, that I may catch the train which is to take me up into 

 the Berkshire Hills to rusticate for a couple of weeks before 

 returning to town and to business. 



I believe all canoeists will agree with me ■ that there is a 

 certain feeling of freedom and security in a canoe which is 

 not felt in any craft short of a yacht, and I do not think that 

 there is any solitary pastime which is less lonely than canoe- 

 ing. I do not mean to say that it is not desirable for two men, 

 to go on a cruise together, but I do say that the opportunities 

 for observation and thought offered to a man on such a soli- 

 tary cruise are not to be overlooked, particularly when the 

 trip lasts but a few days. 



But I am getting out of the course, and am forgetting that 

 I have passed the docks of the Harlem water front, and am 

 now battling with the adverse tide in the Bronx Kills, north 

 of Randall's Island. Might is right here ; the current is soon 

 vanquished, and my little craft steers straight on, leaving the 

 North Brother on the port hand, and the South Brother and 

 Riker's Island on the starboard hand. There is a game of 

 ba^e ball in progress on Hiker's Island. Somebody sees me, 

 and ail hands stop to halloo. "Hallo:), yourself," I answer 

 back, which, if not true eloquence, is at least to the point. 

 And so I paddle on, stopping for a moment here to chaff the 

 skipper of a passing lighter, resting there on my paddle to get 

 some information from some one on shore, until finally 

 touch at Whitestone. Here rest for an hour, and some 

 picnickers near by stroll down to the beach and ask numberless- 

 questions while I am lunching. They a'e very kind, and one 

 of them goes fully a quarter of a mile to get me a dipper of 

 water, which you may be sure is gratefully quaffed. 



Off again, for it is late, and I must make Sand's Point be- 

 fore dusk. Right under the- guns of Fort Schuyler the little 

 ' • Star" rocks on the swell of the stea mer Bristol, and then I dash 

 on past the Stepping Stones light, and get a good view of 

 City and Hart Islands off the port beam. Manbasset Bay is- 

 covered with vessels at anchor, and is tinged here and there 

 with the color of the setting sun ; a mere beautiful sight 

 could not be imagined. Sands Point at last, and there is the 

 hotel not two hundred yards from the beach. A darkey is pro- 

 cured, and between us we cany the CaHOe Up and on to the 

 piazza. The jolly proprietor has given me a big room on the 

 ground floor, antl has ordered a specially good dinner, which 

 disappears like chaff before the. wind. What is pleasantei after 

 such a day than lying quietly in a hammock, stuoking and 

 thinking of nothing in particular- ? It is a well-eurncd lazy 

 enjoyment, and in its way is perfect. Later on in the even- 

 ma; mine host invites me to join him in a jorum of Sands 

 Point punch, the potency of which is marvelous. Some of 

 the guests, who have been dancing upstaits, come down 

 and join in, and it is fully midnight before I am permitted to 

 crawl under my blanket to dream of the- next day. 



About sunrise is the right time to start when traveling in 

 this manner, so that one may accomplish a good half of the 

 day's work before ten o'clock. The hours between ten and 

 four are wisely employed in eating a light lunch, taking a nap, 

 or walking, which is advisable, as the canoeist is apt to get 

 eramped if his leg-i are not exercised a little. To-day, how- 

 ever I am destined not to cany out the above good i tile, for, 

 half awnke and half asleep, I hear somebody playing a fist sole 

 on my door, and crying, "Nine o'clock, sit; breakfast isready." 

 To dress and eat does not take long, and in an hour's lime I 

 am on the water again. The ladies on the hotel porch wave 

 a l\t t ewe 11 as I slowly paddle past the point and on to the 

 broad sound. There is not a tipple on the water and the sun 

 is beating down , but we have no time to lose, so I shape a 

 diagonal course for the main shore, stopping only on the 

 shadyside.il' a'becalnaed coasting schooner to cool off and 

 ask the skipper what he thinks about the wind to-day. We 

 have a long confab, at the end of which he asks, "Air you 

 doiu' this on a stent V" Evidently he does not consider canoe- 

 ing a pleasure. 



The picturesque New York shore along here is studded with 

 villas. I will stop at one, where the lawn slopes down to the 

 water's edge and a wharf runs out invitingly, to ask for some 

 water, and then I row in under the pier where, in the cool and 

 shade, a smoke is indulged in. Presently some ladies come 

 down and encamp themselves right over my head. They see 

 the smoke curling up between the boards and smell it, but 

 cannot imagine that anybody should be underneath, and are 

 entry in a great flutter, which subsides into much 

 laughter, however, when I dart out. The wind is coming 

 now in lazy puff's on the port beam, so up goes the sail, and 

 with the sheet in the weather hand, ami storing with the paddle 



