o 



188 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Apeil 6, 1882. 



oi lira kind, two years and a lialf old, weight from three 

 1 ' 'i .uid fifty to four hundred pounds; and not so fat as 

 to Ik: burdened with it. He was raving mad. He had not 

 gt>t out entirely unscathed. Bill's shot had broken his right 

 leg at the wrist. "Load up, Bill," said Sol., "andplug 

 him through the head." Bill fell for his powder-horn and 

 found he had left it in camp. Old Sol's was there too. 

 ' 'Gimme that, flask, " said Bill. The flask was emptied at one 

 draught. He then sat his rifle carefully up against a tree, 

 ■tin lullv l.iniuiied up his coat— Bill was clothed i rom head 

 to foot with heavy buckskin— and then handed Jim his heavy 

 bun ling-knife. "What are you a-going to do, Bill?" said Sol. 



"I'm goin' to lick that 'ar haah, and bare handed at that!" 



"Oh, don't, Bill," said Jim, "I'll go back to camp aud get 

 the powder." 



"Powder be dauged," said Bill, "you just shut up your 

 yawp; you 'uns had your way over in the swamp— it's' my 

 turn now. I told you I was not afeard to tackle that old she 

 baah in the cane, and I certainly ain't afeared of a three- 

 legged baah in a corner. You gentlemen just call off them 

 'ar dogs aud hold em, and don't you let 'em go under any 

 Barcumstances or a couple of you will get the worst drubbiii' 

 you ever had in your lives." 



"Not if you give the word to let go the dogs?" 



' 'That's what I said, wasn't it— not under no sarcumstan- 

 ees." 



"But, Bid—" 



"Shut up your yawp," roared Bill; "call off the doses, and 

 see that you hold 'em off." The men saw there was "no use 

 to remonstrate. The dogs were called off and Jim and Sol 

 fixed them so as to hold them securely. Bill advanced toward 

 th: bear. The bear, seeing him advancing, became uneasy 

 and looked for a chance to retreat, but finding that impos- 

 sible, resolutely "faced the music." Bill advanced carefully 

 to about boxing distance, when they eyed each other for a 

 moment— then Bill let fly with his right, The bear countered 

 ■With his left and caught Bill's elbow with his claws "with 

 such force as to partly swing him around, and then clasped 

 him securely in his embrace. 



" 111 fared it then with Roderick Dhu, 

 That on the field his targe he threw, 

 Whose brazen studs and tough bull-hide 

 Hud death so often dashed aside; 

 For train 'd abroad his arms to wield 

 Filz-Jamts-'s blade was sword and shield, 

 lie practiced every pass and ward, 

 To thrust, to strike, to feint, to guard; 

 White less expert, though stronger far, 

 The Gael mamtaloi'd unequal war. 

 Aud tliricethe Saxon blade drank blood; 

 No stinted draught, no scanty tide, 

 The gushing flood the tartans dyed. 

 Fierce Roderick felt the fatal drain, 

 And showered his blows like wintry rain; 

 And, as firm rook, or castle roof, 

 Against the winter shower is proof, 

 The foe invulnerable still 

 Foil'd his Mild rage by steady skill." 



Bill was on his guard, ducked his head instantly low down 

 on his breast so that the bear could not take that "in, and the 

 bear seized one of his shoulders. But his buckskin coat 

 was there, "two-ply" and quilted inside, and his teeth would 

 not cut through. The coat being somewhat; loose, the 

 shoulder slipped out, leaving the bear's mouth full of coat, 

 Bill in the meantime was not idle. The bear had his fore- 

 legs around the mini's body, and one arm pinned solidly to 

 bis side. Bill was exerting his immense strength to get this 

 arm loose, and turn himself so as to get at the hear. But he 

 found that whipping a bear in a rough and tumble fight was 

 no hoy's play. At last in their struggles, both fell to the 

 ground. 



They tug, they strain I— down, down they go, 



The baah above, Judge Bill below. 



Here Bill got a moment's advantage and broke the 

 bear's hold from his shoulder, aud Bill got in a few heavy 

 blows, but. Was directly seized hv the arm bv the bear. 

 This hurt, Bill struggled long and hard to break this hold. 

 In t lie meantime the bear was doing a nice job on Bill's legs 

 With his hind part, and if it had not beeu for the great 

 strength of the greasy buckskin, Bill would soon have had 

 the worst of the fight, As it was, he was becoming more 

 firmly convinced that he was in a pretty tight place. At 

 last i'u the struggle the bear came square, on top. His grip 

 on Bill's arm hurt fearfully. Bill struggled and squirmed. 

 But the bear held him solid. At last finding that he could 

 make no headway whatever in turning the bear or loosening 

 bruin's hold, he twisted his head out to one side and 

 shouted, "Men, let go them thar dogs!" But no response 

 came. He waited a moment and then shouted again, "Men, 

 please let go them thar dogs!" No response. The bear 

 gave a dreadful tug at Bill's arm. They struggled a mo- 

 ment, then Bill yelled, "Dod rot it, men, let loose them 

 dons, I give the word; I'm licked," But old Sol and Jim 

 were watching the fight very carefully. Bill had bragged 

 so, and so "bullied" them, that they had firmly agreed not 

 i ] I the dogs go without Bill's life was iu imminent 

 danger, so they sat as stolid as stones. This made Bill 

 nad, and with one mighty and superhuman effort he 

 1 bear's hold, and after struggling for a moment 

 they both sprang to their feet, and then for a time business 

 weSt on with a rush. Bill punished the bear fearfully with 

 ftjtfl and kicks. It seemed as if Bill was steadily gaining 

 i .age. His kicks were fearful. But unluckily for 

 Bill he tripped against a stone. The bear quickly followed 

 up the advantage anil soon had Bill pinned to the ground 

 again, ami euine very near catching him square across the 

 mouth. But. Bill jerked his head up past the bear's head, 

 when f he hear caught him again by the shoulder. Bill had 

 his rigid arm loose, and pelted the' bear vigorously in the ear 

 with his fist, but with little effect. In the meantime the 

 bear was putting in his work on Bill's legs again with his 

 hind feel iu real business-like style. This soon began to 

 tell fearfully on our hero, and hesoon commenced to call fran- 

 tically to let loose the dogs, again. But his comrades paid no 

 attention, 



At last Bill lost all patience, and hissed out between his 

 teeth, slowly and deliberately, "Gentlemen, if you don't, let 

 go ii! i hem "thar dogs, as sure as my name is Bill Jones, if I 



evi i out of ihis here tnssel alive as sure as there is a Rod 



mi heaven I'll kill you both." But Jim and Sol, seeing that 

 Bill Was in no immediate danger, tauntingly answered back. 

 ■"Bill, thai three legged baah is no old she bear, and you can 

 lick an old she- bear in a cane break any day. Who's white- 

 livered now, Bill? That's your fight, not burn." Bill saw 

 that he was iu for it, li.^ took it as quietly as he could for a 



few moments, " to gather his mind," and then "put in his 

 best licks." Soon both combatants were on their feet again, 

 with the bear apparently as fresh as ever, and with seem- 

 ingly no other thought than to whip or die. Around and 

 around they went in their narrow quarters. Bill saw that it 

 was greatly to his advantage not to have any more hugging, 

 so he guarded against it carefully. But his' best blows and 

 kicks appeared to have no more effect cm the bear than they 

 would have had on a bag of wool. He was well nigh in 

 despair, and lost no chance to urge the men to "let go them 

 thar dogs." The other hunters watched the battle veiy 

 closely. At last Bill quit calling to them, and they saw that 

 he had only two thoughts left in this world, which were, to 

 kill the bear, and then kill them, so they concluded that if 

 he got into a tight place again (hat they* would let the dogs 

 go. The animals by this time had become so excited that 

 the men could hardly hold them. At last Bill got in a 

 tremendous kick under the bear's short ribs, which doubled 

 him right up. He followed this with others in the same 

 ticklish place, Jim and Sol both saw at once that Bill was 

 master of the situation, and also saw the fix they Were in. 

 They let go the dogs and broke for the woods, knowing loo 

 well lliat Bill would be as good as his word, and that their 

 turn would come next. In a moment, the clogs had all seized 

 the bear. Bill continued to kick vigorously, nor did he let 

 up a moment until he was certain that there was no throb of 

 life left iu the bear. He then turned, fairly frothing at the 

 mouth, to keep his promise to Sol and Jim, but they had 

 vanished . He looked up the cliff and saw old Sol just vanishing 

 over its brow; he yelled, "Go it you old curse; I'll git you yft 

 if I have to live a thousand years." He gathered up his rifle 

 and staggered back toward the camp. As he approached it 

 staggering and tottering like a man of ninety years, his face, 

 hands and clothes all covered with blood, 'old Lark rushed 

 out to him, exclaiming, "Good golly gachious. Massa Bill, 

 what's de matta? Whar's Mass Judge Smith and Mister 

 Barker? Bofe killed?" "No, Lark," said Bill, "they are 

 not both killed yet, but they both will be befo' they get into 

 this camp. Gimme a pint of peach, Lark." "Want honey 

 in it, massa?" "No, you old black iinp," said Bill, "1 want 

 no more honey in mine. " 



Bill carefully wrapped himself around the pint of peach 

 brandy, loaded his rifle with great care, sat down on a log 

 wdierc he could get a clear view of the bluffs above, and then 

 said, "Lark, you go up thar whar I killed that haah. Skin 

 him, cuthimup and tote himin." Then lie patiently resigned 

 himself to watching for his revenge. Lark brought in the* bear 

 meat, a load at a time. Night came on with Bill on guard. 

 He found that he must have rest and sleep. He placed old 

 Lark on guard and told him if he saw anything move no 

 odds what, or heard any noise, to wake him at once, or he 

 was a dead nigger; to let him sleep three hours then wake 

 him up. Lark obeyed, aud when the time was up woke 

 the bear fighter. Then Bill stood guard so long as he could, 

 and so they passed the night. Bill' stood with ready gun all 

 the next day, then the night was passed the same as the 

 night before had been,' and the next day came on. 



Bill was bruised all over and sprained from head to foot, 

 Some of his bruises were very T deep and sore, but his skin 

 was not broken anywhere, thanks to the heavy greasy buck- 

 skin, except many deep scratches on his hands and face. 

 The next day after the fight he could only get up or down 

 with Lark's assistance. The morning of the second day was 

 bright and cheerful and he felt belter, but his eyes blazed out 

 cruelly as he searched the bluffs for his late* companions. 

 Toward the evening, under the softening influences of old 

 peach and plenty of bear's meat and old Lark's seared, piteous 

 look, he began to soften a little, and then when about sun- 

 down he caught a glimpse of old Sol's white, pinched hungry 

 face peering over the bluff he broke down completely, and 

 called out in a tone of voice that no one could mistake, 

 "Come in, old man, come in. I've been a dod-rotted fool, 

 and I hope I have learned a lesson." Old Sol did uot mis- 

 take the tone of voice. He knew T that Bill Jones was him- 

 self again, a giant that a babe need not fear, and he knew 

 that he had "been nearly three days without grub, which 

 was "slightly binding." Jim was where he could both 

 see and hear, and well knew that he. needed uo further in- 

 vitation; and so we will leave our heroes to enjoy their 

 suppers. 



I have told this story as I heard it, with the slight dif- 

 ference that as it was given to us by an old veteran in our 

 camp in the White River bottoms, Bill did not wound the 

 Uoar when it rushed froin the deu, therefore Bill did not 

 whip aud kill bare-handed a three-legged beat, but a sound, 

 ac.1:iv.e, healthy, four-legged bear. My excuse for this change 

 is that when I tell a lie in Arkansas, I want to tell oue that 

 somebody will believe, so as to not bo in fashion, Byiine. 

 CnooiiETT's Blotf, Ark, 1882. 



SOUND LOGIC FROM OHIO. 



THEBE has been very little shooting in this immediate 

 vicinity the past season. I have been unable to find 

 more than two small coveys this winter, and into these I did 

 not shoot. 



The winter of 1881 was very hard on small game. There 

 were heavy falls of snow, and the weather was extremely 

 cold. Before the season was half over, 1 began to hear of 

 persons finding flocks of frozen birds in the fields. These 

 reports I was slow to believe until verified by responsible 

 persons; and, indeed, before the winter was over I stopped 

 at a woodland bivouac one day, aud counted fivejruail calmly 

 sleeping in the encampment of death. 



How many birds were lost in this manner, I cannot, even 

 conjecture, but I do know that in the fall of 1879 there was 

 an abundance of birds, and in the spring of 1881 you could 

 range for half a day and scarcely fiud one. 



The ravages of foxes, owls and hawks are to be taken into 

 consideration, but there is still a question in my mind if the 

 loss from cold weather would not. be very light if the birds 

 had free access to plenty of food. When there are heavy 

 falls of snow, it practicably excludes birds from feeding, and 

 if this is long continued, the cold weather merely consum- 

 mates the work starvation has commenced. Would il not 

 be wise, then, for the better protection of birds, to place in 

 sheltered places through our shooting ranges, such food as 

 would meet the wants" of our game birds? I think so. 



Now, the word "protection/' as applied to the game and 

 fisheries in too many sections of Ohio, is farcical. 



Every grade of society must have iis Moses, and the Ohio 

 Legislature is always iu the market, 



The last, one who has found his mission to be somehow 

 connected with the game birds, has .gol a bill through the 



Legislature prohibiting shooting Untll.tbe season of I 



that bill would prohibit, it would then be the correct thing 



for the shades of all the cock partridges slaughtered in lie-. 

 last twenty years to arise and call him blessed. But those 

 shades will rest on, and while the sportsman will Iaj 11 

 on the top shelf, the pot-hunter will be busv, abd the man 

 with his nets reap a bountiful harvest. 



LastwinterHon.il. 0. Greiner, of Barry county, i, it re- 

 duced a bill that afterwards became a law, 'authorizing the 

 proper county officials to pay fifty cents per head. . 

 and every hawk killed in any county throughout (he State. 

 The only mistake the honorable gentleman made was in not 

 substituting two dollars for the fifty- cents as the bounty. If 

 the losses growing out, of the ravages of hawks could be 

 stated in round numbers, it would be almost beyond belief. 



Where is there a farm house that is free from the raids of 

 these marauders? Ask any housewife how many chickens 

 she loses during a. season and she will tell you; "Oh! 1 don't. 

 pretend to keep count, any more." 



Now these agents, so 'destructive to the interests of I he 

 farmer, are equally destructive among the game birds: and a 

 person who has never had any experience, would hardly 

 realize how'swift and surely these feathery Saracens pillage a 

 country side, when left to make forays, undisturbed. There 

 is no borderland to keep them away. Ho spot, is too sacred 

 for them to visit, and being, as a family, little inclihi d to flic 

 languages, warnings to trespassers are lost on this branch of ' 

 society. 



One fall I assumed the guardianship of about fifty mem- 

 bers of the "Bob-White" family, and looked after them 

 closely up to the commencement 'of the shooting season. It 

 was later, however, in November, before I found time to 

 introduce my gun and dog to my young wards, and 1 well 

 remember what a formal affair it was, so to speak. T got. 

 a-field about one o'clock one afternoon; and sent the dog lip 

 wind, and no birds. Then I sent him dowu wind, and still 

 no birds. Then we circled-all for about an hour, and after 

 balancing on the last corner, took seats and figured up on the 

 net assets of (he venture. "Some one had been there since 

 I had been gone." That was sure, though not e\ id. deed l- 

 things seen or things present, but by birds gone. An old and 

 trusted friend dropped in on the conference just, in time to 

 solve the problem. 



"■My boy," he said, "you have come too late. The hawks 

 have held a picnic here for the last three weeks, r i 

 now offering a dollar a head for all the birds they have, left 

 out of the covey you are hunting. Day after day'the war of 

 extermination has been going on, and now il is iiuLshed." 



Now, Ihis is not true of our neighborhood alone, for just 

 such things happen in hundreds of localities every year. 



What is wanted iu this State is protection, and" not prohi- 

 bition, You may prohibit shooting for ten years, but it. will 

 not protect birds; for of all persons that shoot, the gun of 

 the sportsmaa alone is silent. 



Buds must have cover, and during long and severe win I ers, 

 they must have feed. You can turn horses into the fields 

 when the brooks are frozen up solid and they would likely 

 suffer or perish for the want of water, and yet it is just as 

 easy for these same horses to dig through a. foot or eighteen 

 inches of ice, as it is for quail to burrow thrutigh two or 

 three feet of snow after food. 



Plenty of food is the first or elemen la ry study in protec- 

 tion to birds; plenty of cover is the second; and 'everlasting 

 retirement of pot-hunters, netters and trappers is the third- 

 an unceasing warfare on hawks, owls and foxes is the fourth, 

 aud then, if there is sportsmanlike shooting in season, each 

 fall will find the shooting ranges well supplied with game. 

 Any person can shoot a double barrel gun into a flock of 

 birds, say fifteen or twenty, and sweep them out of existence, 

 but humanity holds such practices in contempt. G round 

 shooting should be a penal offence. The day is coming when 

 the intelligent sportsman of this great. State will have lo un- 

 ravel the skeins that have been twenty years tangled. 



But I have written too long now, "arid while 1 send greet- 

 ings to the brotherhood, still hope that there are many others 

 beside myself who love to ramble through leafy temples and 

 worship before the flower-crowned altars of nature, that 

 know, "as my redeemer liveth," prohibition is uot protec- 

 tion. Bauson O'Gatu. 

 Band Iron Works, Ohio, 1883. 



SUCCESS IN TRANSPLANTING QUAIL. 



MANY of your friends appear to have met with indiffer- 

 ent success in their efforts to transplant quail. My r 

 own experience has been more fortunate. In January lasl'l 

 ordered of Mr. G. A. Vincent, of Ad Hall, Texas 300 quay, 

 and knowing the ill-luck which had attended the uff orts of 

 others, and believing that it was largely due lo mismanage 

 ment and careless preparation for shipment, 1 took pains to 

 send from here the cages iu which the birds were to here 

 turned. They were the. identical cages in which were re- 

 ceived the first invoice of migratory quail ever landed on this 

 continent, and are constructed as follows : Length, Six I'eet; 

 width, two feet; depth, seven inches. Oue side is fitted 

 with vertical wires, like any bird-cage, and has in Pronl ■ 

 feed box running nearly the entire length, and a watel ! 

 filling the space on that side not occupied by the feed box. 

 The other side and the ends are closed, except that holes are 

 bored at freemen), intervals to admit of ventilation, The top 

 is covered with sacking instead of wood to pievent the birds 

 from injuring their heads in their struggling. The ickhij 

 should be supported to prevent its sagging down upon the 

 birds. Such a box will contain three dozen birds; more 

 ought not to be put in, as crowding is fatal to them. 



On the 21st of March Mr. Vincent wrote me from Ad Hall 

 that he had shipped me 145 birds, which were all he could 

 ship owing to the lateness of the season. On the 22d my 

 correspondent at Galveston advised me I hat lliey laid left 

 there by express. They arrived here on the 381b iiist., and 1 

 counted out 139 birds, all strong and healthy, except one, 

 which, had its leg broken and has since died. The rest are 

 apparently healthy and strong; they eat freely of small grains, 

 wheat, buckwheat, etc., and of lettuce and such Other green 

 food as we arc able to provide for them at this season. 



This is my first experiment with native quail, bin so in oi 

 I cau now see, it is not difficult to transplant them, but care 

 must betaken and nothing left to chance. Cages, like the 

 ones described above, should be prepared at home and sent 

 to the point of shipment, for it may be assumed as a settled 

 fact that the shipper will not properly cage them. I would 

 make the cages in compartments another time, so aslo have 

 not oyer one dozen birds in a compartment; this would pre- 

 vent huddling, which is fatal to the weak ones. 



If, on the arrival of the birds at their destination, i 

 desirable to turn them out at once, they should be trans- 

 ferred to other and clean cages, in no case over si iren or 

 eight inches high, and always elot.ii covered. The bottom 

 of cages should be furnished with. clean sand, and the birds 



