66 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



|Fbb. 23. 1882, 



AR-KAN-SAW. 



THE notes that I have sent you from time to time from 

 this vicinity haw resulted in a great many letters of in- 

 quiry, reaching cob in one way and another from nearly every 

 State in the Cnion. As it is impossible for me to answer 

 these personally in detail, I ask the privilege of answering 

 them generally in Fouest md Stream. 



As for the" inquiries ashing information about this as a 

 game region, I have considered it as the duty of a fellow- 

 Hportsman to answer them as fully as in my power by the 

 first mail. But there are hut a very small portion of those 

 received. The letters that 1 cannot answer personally are 

 those referring to the cost of lands, quality of the soil, its pro- 

 ductions, health and climate. Lands in the peninsula lying 

 between the mouths of the Arkansas and White rivers, com- 

 prising the prairie region of the State of Arkansas, are very 

 cheap. There are in the counties of Arkansas, Prairie and 

 Lonoke large amounts of United States Government lands 

 subject to entry at ft. 35 per acre and to hornesteading and 

 timber claiming. The State of Arkansas has also in this 

 region a vast amount of lands forfeited to the State for taxes, 

 Agricultural College lands and military lands, among which 

 are the very best agricultural lands in the region, and over- 

 flowed and' swamp lands, These State lands of all kinds 

 are for sale in any quantity by the State, at prices ranging 

 from fifty cents to one dollar per acre. The State "donates" 

 160 acres of any of her lands to actual settlers who will 

 make certain specified improvements, or reside on the same. 

 The title given by the State to the "forfeited" lands, i. e., 

 those forfeited to the State for taxes, are necessarily in the 

 form of tax titles, or quit claim deeds. Such a title, when 

 it is good, is the best in the world. But these titles are in 

 some instances not good; therefore, a stranger coming here 

 should be very careful in looking up the title of any land 

 before purchasing. He should also be somewhat careful 

 when buying United States Government lands, for there is a 

 shadow of conflict in the title to a large amount of land be- 

 tween the State and United States Government— that is, you 

 can huy many tracts of land either at the Government or 

 the State lanol offices. But there is no reason why any one 

 should he swindled hy bad land titles here or anywhere else. 



This great plateau, lying between these two rivers, is one of 

 the largest tracts of alluvial, very fine, clayey silt, in the world, 

 its general surface very level; "its altitude above low-water 

 mark in the rivers is sixty to eighty feet. The prairies are 

 very level, but generally traversed by low, broad "ridges" 

 sufficient for drainage;* the region is traversed by streams 

 running from north to south, whose beds are nearly as deep 

 as those of the rivers. Theae streams are margined with pine 

 timber, the country between being prairie, dotted here and 

 there with islands "of timber. In fact, it is the most beautiful 

 and attractive level country to the eye when in full flush of 

 spring verdure in the world," I think. 



The soil — if we can call it soil— is, as I said .before, a very 

 fine, clayey silt, a soil deposited by roily fresh water, in color 

 from a chocolate to a bright light vermillion red. It is ex- 

 ceedingly peculiar — very productive of some kinds of vegeta- 

 tion and' crops, very poor for others. There is not a pebble, 

 proper, or a coarse grain of sand in it. It is highly impreg- 

 nated with iron, magnesia and lime. All kinds of trees and 

 fruits grow with great vigor and productiveness on it, and I 

 may say that all kinds of crops that w T e grow North or South 

 do splendidly on this soil, except corn and cotton; for these 

 two crops alone the soil does not appear to be naturally adapted ; 

 but, having been a farmer, nurseryman and fruit-grower all 

 my life in Illinois, I am confident that, with proper cultiva- 

 tion and enriching of the soil, excellent crops of cotton and 

 corn could he made, and I have also observed the proof that 

 this is a fact here. Now do not ask me, please, why corn 

 will not make a crop here ou this fine, rich-looking prairie 

 soil, because I cannot tell. I can only assure you positively 

 that it will not. 



This is pre-eminently a profitable stock region. There is 

 no region on this continent where stock can be growu with less 

 care for feed and shelter than right here, or where they would 

 be less reduced hy a rigorous climate. We have none of the 

 "northers," and very seldom any of the destructive drouths 

 of Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas. The country 

 is adapted to all kinds of stock growing. Now, don't under- 

 stand me as meaning the fattening of stock for the butcher, 

 but rather the raising of stock to be sent North to be "corned" 

 for fine beef, although our grass-fed beef is as good as can he 

 produced anywhere. 



At the present time nothing can be marketed from here 

 with profit for the want of shipping facilities, except stock 

 and cotton, but as soon as the country is opened up hy rail- 

 roads, two of which are now building through the county, we 

 will have markets for every kind of crops and products, and 

 it will be the early fruit and vegetable garden of the West. 

 Our prairies give a good crop of excellent hay, which will go 

 to New Orleans and the South by tens of thousands of car 

 loads. There will he a market for our magnificent timber and 

 everything else. As a dairy region it is unsurpassed on the 

 continent At least the country is good enough for me, a 

 central Illinois man, horn and raised. 



In health his about the same as the richer portions of the 

 Western States. With the same care, houses and food, I 

 would give this the preference. 



Society is yet to be formed. What people there are here 

 are law-abiding, hospitable and welcome strangers. Politics 

 do not cut a prominent figure; the disease is neither chronic 

 nor dangerous. The climate may be said to be one of the 

 very best. The summers are long, of course, but the heat is no 

 greater than at the North. The best half of winter is gener- 

 ally very wet, Imt the ground never freezes, therefore the 

 work of the farm can go on all winter, except when it is 

 raining. 



The best routes to come here are: Prom St. Louis take the 

 St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern .Railroad to Newport, 

 on White River-, thence by White River packets here, or 

 from Si. Louis or Cincinnati, boat or rail to Memphis, thence 

 by White River packets here. 

 ' I shall leave here in two weeks to settle up my business in 

 Illinois, and return here June 1, permanently. In the mean- 

 time my friend Col. Charles H. Bellknap, U. 8. Com., St. 

 Charles, twelve miles below here on White River, will with 

 pleasure answer all inquiries (in reason) concerning this re- 

 gion. Col. Bellknap is a resident here for nearly forty 

 years, and knows the whole country. Byrne. 



Crockett's Blots', Arkansas Co., Ark. 



- A Large RtJJJEBD Grouse. — The Conneautville (Pa.) 

 (Jourirr of Dee. 9, 1881, says: "Mr. Geo. W. Brown on 

 Monday shot a pheasant weighing thirty-three ounces. As an 

 ordinary j>heasant w T eighs about twenty ounces, and the 

 heaviest recorded in the"sporting journals, is 3&i ounces, Mr. 

 Brown leads the record in the United States. 



hii[nl !§i$t0t%. 



THE FAUNA OF SPIRIT LAKE. 



THIS country has heen emphatically a game region, even 

 since your conespondent came here. There ware once 

 buffalo and elk all over these beautiful prairies. The buffalo 

 were scarce, it is true, sixteen years ago, hut there were some. 

 Of elk there were large herds ; hut now r they have passed 

 away and are seen no more. This was a trapper's paradise. 

 Otter, beaver, mink, badger, fox, wolf and muskrat were here 

 in great plenty; even now these animals are quite abundant 

 in some seasons, except the beaver, of which a very few are 

 caught each year, and of otter none. Poxes are very plenty; 

 also prairie wolves, and annually a few deer are shot. Rab- 

 bits (hares properly) are in great plenty, and occasionally a 

 jack rabbit is seen. A few Canada lynxes are here, but they 

 are rare; four have been killed here since I came. The fur- 

 bearing animals bring quite a revenue yet, and they will con- 

 tinue plenty for a long time yet. There are no squirrels ex- 

 cept the red and striped and the gray ground squirrel. Gophers 

 are plenty. There are no poisonous snakes of any kind here, 

 although they are in the country all around us at a distance 

 of from fifteen to fifty miles. There is not a water snake in 

 all these lakes, which is somewhat singular. There are com- 

 mon striped snakes here and one or two other harmless kinds. 



Of birds we have a very large variety, especially aquatic 

 f ow l — gwans, Canada geese, pelicans, cranes, herons, ducks, 

 such as mallard, widgeon, teal, pintail, spoonbill and wood- 

 duck, which all nest here. Then we have as flight birds the 

 sawbill, canvas-hack, redhead, bluebill and bronze duck, and 

 many other different kinds ; with occasionally a snow goose, 

 and lots of cormorants and loons (great American divers). 

 The great white crane and its congeuor, the sandhill crane, 

 both nest here, as well as the loon, cormorant, swan and 

 Canada goose. There are prairie chickens without num- 

 bering, a few quail, and w T aders of all sorts, from the yellow- 

 leg down to the peetweet. We have the great blue heron, 

 the plumed or knight heron, the green-legged heron and a 

 smaller variety — the ibis, etc. ; mud-hens and divers in great 

 quantities; bald eagles, hawks, owls are in plenty, and in, 

 winter the great snowy owl. Of the smaller varieties of 

 birds we have nearly all that you have in the East, and some 

 that you do not, notably the yellow-headed blackbird. Dur- 

 ing the fall we have in considerable numbers the jack snipe, 

 the curlew of several kinds, the sickle-bill and the sora, some 

 seasons in considerable numbers. This comprises in the main 

 the various varieties of game in this section, and of these 

 most are in goodly numbers. 



A number of years ago I caught two white muskrats, real 

 albinos. The fur was of a creamy white, while the nose, 

 tail and feet were pure white, so much so that one coidd see 

 the pink veins through the skin. We have a species of fox, 

 called here by the trappers the "swift." It is only about one- 

 half or two-thirds the size of the common fox, and is gener- 

 ally of a lighter color. It is very active and cunning. 



A year ago last summer a party of sportsmen were out hunt- 

 ing chickens, when one of the party came on to a deer. He 

 banged away with both barrels with No. 8 shot, and in some 

 unaccountable way broke a bind leg, and then all the party 

 chased that poor deer, headed him this way and that, and 

 finally got him. You ought to have seen that crowd when they 

 came in. They were a proud set. A bag of fifty chickens 

 in a day's shoot is not considered a large one here, and it is 

 a wonder that we have any of these "birds left. They are 

 easily shot if a person does not shoot too quick, for at first 

 they fly irregularly, but when about the correct distance for 

 a good shot they settle down to business and fly as straight 

 as an arrow. Then it is nothing to bring them down. 



Mallards nest here in great numbers; so do teal, and I have 

 known boys to bring in dozens of eggs after a day's hunt. 

 Geese nest here in all the sloughs, unless too close to man. 

 They invariably build on muskrat houses. They commence 

 very early. I have found their eggs before the ice was all 

 out of the sloughs, in fact they sometimes freeze. I once 

 saw an old goose on a "rat house." She was watching me as 

 I came nearer (I had a boat). She grew very uneasy and 

 finally left. I ran the boat up to the house, got out and com- 

 menced to look for her nest. No nest there, not even the 

 sign of one. I then began to uncover the top of the house, 

 and lo ! there were the eggs. How that goose could cover 

 those eggs and have the surface look as though it had never 

 been disturbed, I leave for her to tell, for I cannot. In 

 mating season the ganders are very pugnacious and fight 

 each other fearfully and will keep up the battle for days even, 

 and until one gives up. They are strictly monogamous and 

 in that respect their example might be followed hy some 

 other bipeds with profit. 



Swan are of a more peacable disposition; they are very re- 

 tired and quiet, scarcely ever making a noise, and then only 

 when in flight. Their note is somewhat peculiar and very 

 pleasant to the ear. They nest in very retired places, and 

 generally at some distance from the shore. The sandhill 

 crane nests here on "rat houses" entirely. I never saw a nest 

 anywhere else. It is generally from two to four rods from 

 the shore of some small lake or slough. The young are 

 spunky little fellows, and will fight anything or anybody, 

 even among themselves. Unless one is very careful they are 

 hard to find, as the old birds are Very cunning and will mis- 

 lead a watcher, unless he is pretty sharp. They are rather 

 good eating, hut dry. The white crane is similar in its 

 habits. The great blue heron nests on the highest trees it can 

 find, and if not disturbed, and the trees are sufficient, the 

 herons are gregarious, having a number of nests in the same 

 tree. Their young are rarely seen. They live on fish, frogs, 

 and snakes, and consequently are not fit to eat. 



The loon (spotted), nests here, and the man who finds a nest 

 will find what thousands of old trappers and hunters never 

 saw, for the very good reason that they can never find it. 

 The loons deposit their eggs in a slight excavation made in a 

 bog on the very edge of the water and not concealed. The 

 very carelessness of their way causes the hunter to overlook it. 

 Their eggs are very long, very hard and of a very peculiar 

 color. The cormorant builds its nest in trees. The nest is 

 very frail, and if a person stands under it he. can see the egg 

 through the interstices. Large numbers of nests are built on 

 one tree, but if trees are not to be had they will huild on 

 bushes and even on the ground. Their eggs are somewhat 

 long and quite rough and of a bluish white. These birds, both 

 varieties, hve almost exclusively on fish and are not edible. 

 The brant, both white and spotted, are here in large num- 

 bers iD the fall. They are very shy, though frequently shot. 

 Being gramniverous, at least'whiie here, they are splendid 

 eating; in fact, I don't know of any wild fowl better for the 

 tahle, especially a young fat one, and they are very fat just after 

 getting here from the rice fields of the North. They do not 



nest here, neither do the pelicans, although great numbers of 

 the last named are frequently seen performing their beautiful 

 evolutions high in air, or resting on some long point jutting 

 away out into the water. They are easily killed if one can 

 get near enough, for they are very wary, shy, and hard to ap- 

 proach. The "bald eagle's nest here, around the lakes, but the 

 reckless hunter has about destroyed them, which is a specie? 

 of vandalism, for no matter what these birds may do else- 

 where, they do no harm here, and it is a grand sight to see 

 this noble bird slowly passing across from shore to shore, or 

 expanding his magnificent wings in serial circumvolations. 

 The fish hawk is seen here but very seldom, and does not 

 make his home here, which is somew T hat curious, for one 

 would naturally suppose that this would be just the place for 

 him. I have noticed that around lakes where water snakes 

 were plenty, fish hawks were so also; if there is any reason 

 why, somebody else may explain. 



l" do not think the canvas back or redhead ducks nest 

 here, although an old trapper once told me he was satisfied 

 they did. They are here in considerable numbers in the fall 

 and I think are increasing, but do not imagine they are as 

 good for the table as they are in the Chesapeake waters. They 

 are fair eating, hut that highly prized flavor is wanting, 

 Sometimes quite large bags of these noble ducks are made 

 here. Toward fall ducks begin to come into the lake from 

 the surrounding sloughs, and a mixed set they are, I once 

 crawled upon a lot sunning themselves on a sand har, and 

 shot nine at one shot, and found I had got seven different 

 kinds. 



Of game fish we have in plenty bass, pike (walleye), pick- 

 erel, cat, perch, rock bass, croppy, etc. Of other kinds we 

 have huffalo and suckers, the first in immense numbers; 

 suckers are rarely if ever seen here except in running time. 

 A catch of from fifty to seventy walleyes in a day is not un- 

 common, and added to these some pickerel, bass and perch. 

 The bass are very vigorous and afford grand sport, and will 

 weigh from two to five pounds. The pike average say 

 two and a half to three pounds, pickerel larger, cat none less 

 than twenty pounds, and getting scarce at that ; gar very plenty 

 and very large, but afford no sport, and are not eaten. Most 

 of the fishing is done with the hook, except in winter, when 

 they are taken principally with the spear. We have in the 

 ■lakes East Okoboji, Gar, West Okoboji, and Spirit, a shore 

 line of some sixty miles; and fishing is good most anywhere, 

 though of course some places are. better than others. 'Besides 

 we have quite a number of other lakes near, in nearly all 

 good fishing, and there are some lakes here that have never 

 been fished, or at least but very little. 



In the space of twenty-five square miles there are probably 

 nearly one hundred lakes, all affording excellent sport, both 

 for the gun and rod. The people are very sociable and will- 

 ing to render information when required. We have hotel 

 accommodations, hut they are at present somew T hat limited, 

 but great efforts are being made to be ready for the summer. 



Ahout as good a way as any for tourists, is to bring tents 

 and hammocks and pitch them near the "Lodge," so called 

 here, so that you can get your meals there. There are plenty 

 of nice cool groves all around, where one can tent in com- 

 fort and get meals at the house. The waters are very good 

 for bathing, being generally sand bottom, smooth and fine. 

 This country is an undulating prairie, eighteen hundred feet 

 above the Gulf of Mexico ; in fact we are on the apex of the 

 surrounding country, the waters from this section passing to 

 the Mississippi, Missouri and Minnesota rivers. The air is 

 somewhat rarified, and there is hardly a day without some 

 wind to make it a healthful place. Asthmatic people fre- 

 quently are cured here without the aid of medicine. 



Take it all in all this place will become a noted one, if not 

 already so. We need steamers here, and I understand some 

 parties are contemplating putting one or more on the lakes 

 this season. We have several fine sailboats of eight or ten 

 tons, but there are not enough of them. Of course time will 

 rectify all these shortcomings. A. A. Moshek. 



Spirit Lake, Iowa. 



RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS. 



A FRIEND writing from Waukesha, Wis., twenty miles 

 from Milwaukee, on the 13th inst. , says : ' ' W e are hav- 

 ing very mild weather now — no snow or rain, and the mer- 

 cury to-day stands at about 60 degrees ; it runs from 10 to 

 50 degrees daily. We do not know what to make of it, but 

 fear we shall have to pay for it later. The birds have al- 

 ready returned, pigeons, ducks, robins, quail, bluebirds, etc. 

 The" red-headed woodpeckers that were so plenty in the 

 fall laying up acorns, can be seen any day hopping and fly- 

 ing about the trees. Last year at this time the snow was four 

 or five feet deep, and we were almost banked in by it until 

 near the 1st of April, with the thermometer below zero much 

 of the time. This winter has been a very good one for game 

 and we may expect good hunting next fall. There were some 

 squirrels about and they have wintered well and now have 

 plenty of acorns under their noses from the abundant crop of 

 last season. Rabbits and ruffed grouse are as usual plenty, 

 and all game is doing finely. Indeed, everything around re- 

 minds me more of spring than of winter." 



The residence of the above, writer is situated amid a clump 

 of stately old oaks, which abound in acorns annually. In 

 the dead parts of these trees the woodpeckers colonize quite 

 extensively each year. That thev store up their food iu the 

 acorn season is well known, but I was greatly astonished last 

 fall while for hours I sat in the door of my friend's house and 

 watched the movements of these happy creatures. My as- 

 tonishment was caused by the great dexterity with which 

 they picked the acorns from the delicate waving branches, 

 and then quickly fiew to some old tree with rough bark and 

 crevices, in which thev stowed them away, This operation 

 they continually repeated, and I believe they thus laid up 

 many quarts a day. But there was another thing which 

 puzzled me greatly, nor could I satisfactorily account for it. 

 I have often thougftt of it since, and perhaps some one can 

 enlighten me. 1 will state .the case. There was one old 

 male redhead that daily chased a young male from tree to 

 tree and branch to branch, the young bird would no sooner 

 light in a spot than the old one' would be at him, and the 

 young one would fly to the next lighting place, continually 

 pursued. I could not decide, after watching them for hours, 

 whether this was a lesson, orsport, or a kind of warlare on the 

 young bud. Sometimes they would close up and interlock 

 their wings iu mid air, and hoth would come tumbling to- 

 gether from a height of thirty to sixty feet to the ground, 

 whence, after lying for a few moments, they would rise again, 

 but only to renew their usual performance. I saw no anger 

 manifested on the part of either, and I finally came to the 

 conclusion that the old bird was engaged in teaching the 

 young one how best to develop its wing powers, as we teach 

 the young child how to develop its leg powers by taking it 



