FOKEST AND STREAM. 



295 



lime I had. Bleeping under a but of palm leaves iu the 

 midst of a tropical, mountain forest, shootiDg parrots. 



Mr. Ober has already sent to the Smithsonian lists of tb.3 

 pecimens which he has collected on each island, which wes 

 hope to obtain permission to publish soon. 



In the Antiqua letter referred to above, he ssys : 

 I have just returned from Barbuda, where 1 had glorious 

 spoil shooting guinea fowl, hunting deer, wild pigeons, doves 

 and plover. Plover shooting commences here after the first 

 northwest storm after Sept. 1. Golden plover come down in 

 swarms. Everybody owning a gun turns out. Everybody 

 has to have a license, too (not two licenses), to shoot ; costs 

 ten shillings ; I had to take out one before I could collect ; 

 that is, they collected from me before I could collect the 

 birds. This is the "Collect" they believe in. Expect to 

 leave here in a few days to plunge into the woods again. 



Alleged Swindling Scheme in Florida. — A correspondent 

 sends us some useful information in regard to schemes of bad 

 repute, which are apparently going on in Florida. We quote 

 the following from the Philadelphia "Evening Telegraph : 



For some time past public attention has been directed t 

 the efforts of certain people lo induce men to emigrate to Tex 

 irida and elsewhere, holding out such inducements as to 

 lead to the impression that land can be procured for little or 

 nothing. This morning the. matter was brought to the atten- 

 tion of his honor, the Mayor, by the reception of the follow- 

 ing letter, which fully explains itself: " Starte, Florida, 

 Oct 29— William 8. Stokley, Sir.- About a week ago I ar- 

 rived at this place a* one of a colony from Philadelphia, to lo- 

 cal e in this place, under the title of Flora City Colony, man- 

 aged by certain parties residing in Philadelphia. We came 

 by way of Savannah, Ga., and Baldwin to. Starke; but what 

 was our astonishment to find that there was no such place, 

 and no one knew of such a place. I, with the rest of our party, 

 bought land plots at $5 each. It was represented to us that 

 the land was all surveyed, and that was all we would have to 

 pay. We find, however, that we have to pay $5 more for 

 having it surveyed. I have been here a week, and I have not 

 seen one article of my freight. My wife and children are 

 suffering for the necessaries of life, and we cannot get them; 

 I trust, sir, that you will use all the power you possess to stop 

 others from being deceived, so that they may not leave their 

 comfortable home to come to a desert among strangers, who 

 hate them and charge two prices for everything they have to 

 sell. I hope, sir, you will cause this to be published in the 

 daily papers, so that others may not come. One of the par- 

 ties is now here, and will shortly return to bring others out. 

 I hope, sir, you will prevent him. 



R. Little, Starke, Florida. 



There are swindlers everywhere from Maine to Texas. It 

 behooves of course everybody to look carefully at any project. 

 It would perhaps be well for our Florida friends to get at the 

 bottom of this business. 



The Yellow Fever in Florida.— As there may be some 

 needless alarm about yellow fever in Florida, we take great 

 pleasure in publishing a communication from a distinguished 

 physician of Jacksonville, which must dispel all fears— such 

 cases of fever as nwy have appeared, were entirely confined 

 to Fernandina, and the cool weather bas dispersed all danger 

 long ago. 



Editor Forest and Stream .-—Many ridiculous stories and 

 statements have appeared in the public press regarding the 

 prevalence of yellow fever in Florida. It is a fact that yellow 

 fever existed in the city of Fernandina for several weeks ; 

 but your readers must remember that the city of Fernandina 

 is not the whole of Florida. It' is located on an island at the 

 extreme northeastern portion of the Stale. With the excep- 

 tion of four cases, one a quarantine officer, and the others ref- 

 ugees, the disease ha3 b=en confined to the affected city. The 

 City of Fernandina has been rigidly quarantined by the re- 

 mainder of the State, and in consequence the disease has 

 been limited in its ravages. 



Persons desirous of visiting the State need not remain away 

 because yellow fever prevails in one little comer of it. Jack- 

 sonville and East. Florida can be reached by rail without ap- 

 proaching within sixty miles of the affected locality ; and by 

 water from Charleston and Savannah without sighting the 

 island upon which Fernandina is located. 



During tbe last summer, Jacksonville has maintained its 

 reputation of being one of the healthiest cities east of the Mis- 

 sissippi. Our mortality during the summer months has been 

 very small. 



Among the hotel improvements I may remark that the pop- 

 ular Windsor has been doubled in size, and refurnished with 

 every luxury and convenience, and is a palatial hostelry. It 

 is under the management of General Lewis, of Cincinnati, a 

 gentleman who knows how to run a hotel. The old and fa- 

 vorite Metropolitan has changed hands,_ and has been cleaned 

 and renovated from stem to stern. It is under the charge of 

 C. H. Edwards, who will be found an attentive host. The 

 terms are moderate, and cleanliness is the order of the day. 

 With regard to the table, I can assure your readers that I have 

 tested it for four months, and have found it all a gourmand or 

 gormet can desire. 



The old and favorite steamers are on the river and a new 

 one eighty feet long and twenty-four feet beam, named the 

 Border City, has been placed on the route between this city 

 and New Smyrna. From an examination of the craft I feel 

 assured that she is staunch and sea-worthy ; and last, though 

 not least, her accommodations are comfortable, A steamer 

 called the City of Bridgeton has been placed on the route be- 

 tween Savannah aud Enterprise, and will make weekly trips. 

 She is a line vessel, and possesses excellent accommodations 

 for a large number of passengers. 



In conclusion, I may remark that settlers, tourists and 

 Bportsmen run no risk and need not hesitate to visit, this State 

 on the score of yellow fever, for it is "cahbined, cribbed and 

 confined" on a small island at the extreme northeastern portion 

 of the State, where it will be caged until Jack Frost ends its 

 career. Al Fresco. 



Jacksonville, Oct. 29th, 1877. 



Hates' Poltot.— We wish to express our most hearty ap- 

 proval of the President's policy. Now, do not frown ; we, of 

 course, do not refer to politics. Whatever might be our reserved 

 opinion of the Southern policy, tbe Civil Service policy, or tbe 

 other fruitful themes of dispute, we certainly should not be so 



stupid as to obtrude our opinions through these columns. 

 But we do unhesitatingly indorse Mr. Ilayes' rule of con- 

 fining the official cares of his position to their legitimate 

 place, as was set forth in an interview with Barnum the other 

 day. The great showman, in his role of public benefactor, 

 called at, the White House to condole with the President over 

 the cares of his office, and, of course, to invite him to the 



Show : 



"I sympathize," said Barnum, "with anybody who holds 

 the office of President. Of course it is a high office, and all 

 that, but I have known every President from Jackson down, 

 and they all got gray under it, except, perhaps, Grant. How 

 weil I remember poor Polk ; his hair turned gray, his eye lost 

 its sparkle, his face became pale and his body thin. They 

 worry themselves to death." "There is no ganger to me, 

 Mr. Barnum," answered the President. " I do not intend to 

 grow gray in office." "But you can't help it,'' said the show- 

 man, "You make a mistake; you see it when it is too late, 

 and such things trouble you. You have a troublesome question, 

 for instance, to-day ; what do you do with it ? It stays in your 

 mind and follows you into your family and into your recreation, 

 if you take any. Your mind is at w r ork on it at night when you 

 don't know it, and before you are aware you will be gray- 

 headed." " Youare mistaken there, Mr. Barnum," quickly re- 

 plied the President ; " I do not allow my official annoyances 

 to follow me outside of this room. I go to my family, piny 

 with my children and forget that I am President. Nearly 

 every day when I leave this office, usually from 3 to 4, I go 

 for a drive, but sometimes I prefer to walk. I take wit h me 

 in my carriage some pleasant gentleman, who is agreeable to 

 me, and who I know will not talk to me of public business 

 and politics. A long drive settles my nerves, banishes the 

 sad eases that come to me which, I cannot help, and giyes me 

 an appetite for my dinner. In the evening I see many friends, 

 socially, and this is a diversion rather than a task. I am. 

 rarely trouble/1 with politics in the evening. Those who 

 come, both ladies and gentlemen, are generally known to us, 

 aud they come at our invitation. I retire reasonably early 

 and rise early, and so there is little danger of gray hairs in my 

 case." 



The Great London Circus. — A circus ! That is just one 

 of those things a man never tires about. It is said that a 

 theatre depends for its support upon a younger generation. 

 That is the fresher element which, ever being produced, takes 

 in with ecstacy the pleasures of the drama. True your old, 

 habitual play -goer, at least in America, is a rara atk. But a 

 circus ! There, at least, there are no strangling conventionali- 

 ties. The Lord made fine .horses ; one sees them in all the 

 beauty of that strength and grace, which no amount of train- 

 ing or handling can efface. There is exhilaration in the smell 

 of the saw-dust, and a whiff of it must always recall the time, 

 long ago, when the Spanish quarter, with the pillars of Her- 

 cules on it, was spent, aud the whole world, the plm ultra of 

 delight, was opened. There is a charming simplicity about 

 the downright, foolishness of the regular old-fashioned clown, 

 which is worth more than all the doubly-distilled wit of to- 

 day. See the thews and muscles of the circus men ! How 

 they stand out like whip-cords ! If you have not so much 

 brawn yourself it makes you wish you had it. Another man's 

 intellectual powers may be depressing ; you may be weighted 

 down by somebody else's braiDS ; but one never envies him 

 who possesses strength and agility. The fact is that we, all 

 of us, are inclined too much at times toward those amuse- 

 ments in which the mental powers are called entirely into 

 play. We seek recreation and are plunged all the time in a 

 brown study. It is physical enjoyment, such as can be taken 

 in by the eyes, that we oftentimes pine for. We don't know, 

 it is true, always, what we want to find, but we often go forre- 

 laxation to the wrong places. We defy any one to see that 

 famous lady, Miss Dockrill, in her four horse act, without being 

 carried away in a perfect rush, of enthusiasm. Every time she 

 floats over a barrier or clears a navrow hoop, the heart of the 

 spectator rises and falls in unison with her. Think of seven 

 funny men cracking off jokes in seven distinct languages ! 

 Then there are baby elephants, and all Noah's ark of animals. 

 The Great London Circus is an event, and Gilmore's Garden 

 never had a more attractive show than the one we have but 

 vaguely described. 



OUR WASHINGTON LETTER. 



THE CORCORAN ART GALLERY— ART AND ANGLING— STATUARY 

 AND SPORTSMANSHIP — DOGS AND DUCK SHOOTINO— SAi- 

 MON FISHERIES OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER, ETC., ETC. 

 [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ' 



^- Washington, D. C, Nov. 3, 1877. 



AMONG the many rare and valuable pictures in the Cor- 

 coran Art Gallery, that magnificent building at the corner 

 of Seventeenth street and Pennsylvania avenue, a monument 

 to the munificent benefactions of W. W. Corcoran to this com- 

 munity, are a number representing the pleasures of the chase, 

 the sports of the field and stream — all true to nature, and 

 many of them portraying such scenes as every sportsman fre- 

 quently meets. Such pictures are sure to steal over one with 

 all the charms of a personal reminiscence. This institution, 

 which is a conspicuous illustration of tbe zeal of Mr. Corcoran 

 in cultivating a love for tbe beautiful, and contributing to the 

 pleasure of his fellow man, is maintained by an endowment 

 fund of $900,000, yielding an annual income at present of 

 $63,000. Doubtless the distinguished philanthropist reaps as 

 much pleasure in distributing his wealth as he did in acquir- 

 ing it. I will not attempt a description of the gallery and its 

 valuable pictures, about which columns might be written, but 

 briefly refer to such pieces as are of interest to all sportsmen. 

 First, on account of its masterly treatment and its wide repu- 

 tation, may be named "The Lost Dogs," by O. VonThorcn,an 

 animal picture equal to Landseer's in point of close adherence 

 to nature. It is quite large, and represents two beautiful set- 

 ters lost at the close of a wintry day. The active distress of 

 one, "the wail of the lost," and the mute resignation of the 

 other are strongly portrayed. It is full of feeling, power and 

 nature, and is much admired by all visitors. The picture was 

 exhibited at the Vienna Exhibition in 1873, where it elicited 

 much praise, 



The next picture to attract the sportsman's attention is one' 

 representing "A Trout Brook in the Catskilis," by W. Whitl- 

 redge, of Ohio, an artist who has attained a high rank aud T 

 believe now pursues his art in New York City. Its exquisite 

 lints, the burst of sunlight and coffee-colored hue of the water 

 make it an effective picture. It is the only specimen of the 

 work of Mr. Whittredge in the gallery, and is highly esteem- 

 ed in that institution. 



Another is a characteristic American Shooting sceue, en- 

 titled "Duck Shooting." It represents two sportsmen engaged 

 in that charming sport on the Jersey flats, and it is the work 

 of Win. Ranney. A handsome red Irish setter has just re- 

 trieved a canvas-back, and approaching his master, sits up to 

 deliver the fowl. JThe, master, however, is ramming home a 

 charge (for the picture was painted in 1850, before the day of 

 breech -loaders), and his companion holds out his hand to lake 

 it from the dog, but there is an evident reluctance on the part 

 of the latter to give it to any one but his master. Several 

 ducks which have beeu shot are shown in the foreground, all 

 true to nature. The picture is full of vigor and truth. It was 

 in the private collection of Mr. Corcoran, and was donated to 

 the gallery with that collection. 



"The Disputed Shot," by J. M. Stanley,an artist well known 

 on account of his famous Indian portraits, maay of which, it 

 will be remembered, were destroyed by the disastrous fire at 

 the Smithsonian Institution some years ago. This picture illus- 

 trates a scene of Western life. It 13 worked up with delicate 

 details, and is perfect in drawiug, finish aud c dor. Three 

 hunters having returned to their cabin from the chase, have 

 just assorted their game, consisting of a deer, number of ducks 

 aud various birds ; and while two of them are apparently dis- 

 puting as to whose shot brought down the deer, they are 

 watched with grave dignity by a noble setter in the back- 

 ground. 



A very humorous picture is that of a fat, happy-looking 

 monk fishing in the moat beside an old castle. He is sur- 

 rounded by an abundance of tackl 3 and a huge landing net 

 but the only evidence of bis success are three bull-frogs lyino- 

 by his side. The picture is the work of L. A, G. Loustenau, 

 and came from the Paris Exposition of 1874. 



Another picture entitled "Wood Scene with Hunters," by M. 

 Bouquet, represents a party of sportsmen who have been en- 

 gaged in the chase, resting in the forest surrounded by their 

 hounds. The incident is admirably told, and every part of 

 the work painted with great force and clearness. Mr. Mac- 

 Leod, the curator of the gallery, ha3 a specimen of his own 

 work on exhibition. It h a picture of the Great Falls of the 

 Potomac, the favorite black bass fishing locality in this sec- 

 tion. The Falls and surroundings arc given with strict local 

 truth. 



There are numerous.other attractive works whose merits de- 

 serve an extended notice, but which time and space forbid at 

 present. Among them may be mentioned " On Catskill 

 Creek," by W. B. Boggs; "Dog and Parrots," by F. Lack- 

 enwitz ; " Tiger Hunt " (/water color sketch), by A. L. Barge; 

 and "Scene in the Catskilis," by Paul Weber. Of course 

 there are many grand pictures in the gal'ery by renowned ar- 

 tists, but I have referred to such as represent sportiug scenes 

 only. 



In the display of bronzes, in a large hall to the left on the 

 first floor of the building, are over one hundred pieces com- 

 prising the collection of the late Antoine Louis Barye, of Pa- 

 ris, a famous sculptor and professor of animal drawing in the 

 Jardin des Plantes, Paris, a position he held at the time of bis 

 death, in June, 1875, and one in which he gained an astonish- 

 ing knowledge of the forms and habits, quiescent and fero- 

 cious, of the various animals there. He was perhaps over 

 fond of showing the ferocious instincts of the brute creation 

 but their gentler moods are quite as successfully represented. 

 Among the many attractive pieces in this collection are the 

 following : Two Arab Horsemen Killing a Lion ; An African 

 Horseman Surprised by a Serpent ; An Indian Mounted upon 

 an Elephant Crushing a Tiger ; Ape Mounted upon a Gnu • 

 An Erect Bear; Two Young Bears; Theseus Slaying the 

 Minotaur ; Theseus Slaying the Centaur ; A Wolf Seizing a 

 Stag by the Throat ; Lion Devouring a Hind ; Lion and Ser- 

 pent; Two Young Lions; Tiger Surprising an Antelope; 

 Jaguar Devouring a Crocodile ; Ocelot Carrying off a Heron ; 

 A Deer Bragged to Earth by Two Scotch Hounds ; A Group 

 of Deer ; A Group of Rabbits j Pheasant ; Virginia Deer - 

 Wolf Caught in a Trap; A Frightened Hare; A Panther- 

 Stag of Java ; Couching Fawn ; Tortoise ; A Bear Flying 

 From Dogs; Huntsman in Costume of Louis XV., A Bear 

 Overthrown by Bulldogs ; Greyhound and Hare ; Deer, Hind 

 and Fawn; aud many other beautiful pieces representing wild 

 and domestic animals, birds and serpenta, the whole forming a 

 most interesting collection. 



In the Hall of Antique Sculpture, among many grand 

 works of art, is a statue of Diana, the Goddess of Hunting 

 from the original marble in the Louvre. The goddess is 

 represented as snatching from Hercules the miraculous deer 

 with golden horns and brazen feet, which he had chased for a 

 year. The sculptor is unknown, but it is supposed to be the 

 work of the same artist as the Apollo Bclvidere, the famous 

 statue discovered at Capo d'Auzo early in the sixteenth cen- 

 tury, and placed by Michael Angelo in the Belvidere Gallery, 

 Rome. This latter statue Byron describes as 

 " The lord of the uuerrlns bow, 



The god of life and poesy am light— 

 The sua in human limbs arrayed, and trow 

 All radiant from his triumph lu the fght." 

 The original of the Diana above mentioned is suprogsd tQ 



