FOREST AND STREAM 
147 
dred feet, waterway seven hundred feet, while both above 
and below the river has an average width of eighteen hun¬ 
dred feet. In the gorge the river is a succession of pools 
and rapids, and is crowded with masses of rock, and is 
altogether about as wild and rough a piece of water as one 
cares to trust himself alone with v During the early part of 
the war I was in charge of a corps of topographers in that 
district, and have accompanied many parties on a wild 
night trip from Chattanooga to Shell Mound, from whence 
the boats would be returned by rail; each boat would have 
a fire basket kept full of “liglitwood” and a dozen large 
gourds each with a turpentine fire-ball on a projecting wire 
from the blossom end, balanced when in the water by leaden 
rings around the gourd necks and a couple of six foot lines 
baited with minnows to each. 
When two or three boats each, surrounded by its fleet of 
floating fire-balls, with their long tongues of flame blazing 
up all over the water, are shooting frantically down the 
rapids or whirling in the eddies of the big rocks, the waters 
roaring, all hands yelling like fiends and every one’s hair 
standing on end, the matter really becomes rather absorb¬ 
ing, and the interest don’t flag when boats and gourds shoot 
out into the pool below where the chase begins after such 
gourds as go zig-zagging around the pool under the strain 
of the pig pike-perch that are sure to have taken some of 
the minnows. Then comes the re-saturation of the fire¬ 
balls, re-baiting the hooks and getting a good “ready” for 
another wild ruSli down the next rapids. 
To be sure the proceedings were occasionally varied by 
such little interruptions as upsets, or controversies with 
those chevaliers d'induslrie , the bush-whackers; but as every 
man was presumed to be able to do his own share either 
of swimming or controversy, it can truly be said that “our 
lines were laid in pleasant places.” At least they were 
pleasant to Ramblerod. 
Baltimore, April 6, 1874. 
For Forest and Stream. 
HOW TO SHOOT AT LONG RANGE. 
NUMBER FOUR. 
W E come now to those errors in rifle shooting which 
arise from external sources , and shall first consider 
those arising from physical causes , which make the projectile 
deviate in its flight high or low, right or left. Difference 
of temperature will make a difference in the elevation. It 
has been found by experiment that for each ten degrees rise 
of Fahrenheit there will be a rise at 1,000 yards of about six 
inches. This is hardly worth considering, except when re¬ 
ferring back to old scores one must make the correction for 
temperature in the required position of sight. A low bar¬ 
ometer also gives low elevation, and a high one the reverse, 
but how much we cannot say. Wind blowing toward the 
target will increase the velocity of the ball and lower the 
elevation. Wind blowing toward the marksman, the re¬ 
verse. A side wind does the same, but in a'less degree. 
In damp or rainy weather the fouling of grooves is damp 
and there is less friction and consequently greater velocity 
than when the grooves are caked with a dry deposit. But 
if the rifle is wiped clean after each shot, no regard need be 
paid to this. If, however, the dampness penetrates to the 
powder there will be a loss of power and higher elevation 
required. 
Wind blowing across the range will of course deflect the 
ball aside, a light one more than a heavy one and one of 
slow velocity and slow rotation less than or e of high veloc¬ 
ity and quick rotation. A good stiff breeze that would de¬ 
flect a Rigby projectile of 530 grains driven by 85 grains 
of powder ten feet out of its course at 1,000 yards would 
deflect a ball of 250 grains driven by 50 grains powder at 
least thirty feet, so that the unfortunate marksman would 
probably never be able to get on the target at all. It is of 
course impossible to lay down any rules or give any tables 
that will meet the infinite variety of cases caused by winds 
of different velocities, and blowing at different angles to 
the line of fire. Even if we could do that, it would be of 
no use in a gusty day, when the wind is changing its veloc¬ 
ity every minute. The only thing we can do is to recom¬ 
mend that poles with streamers be set up at each 100 yards 
and recommend the rifleman to constantly watch them. 
We should then move our foresight away from the wind, 
and not be afraid to move it considerably. Suppose the 
wind blows from right we move foresight to left and strike 
to right of bull’s eye. Move a little more, and gradually 
work up to it. The “drift” of the projectile, which is a 
horizontal deviation in the same direction as the rotation, 
should perhaps have been mentioned in our last letter, but as 
its effect is exactly the same as that of a side wind, it was 
thought better to consider it here. 
In the Whitworth rifle the twist of grooves and rotation 
is from left to right, and with 85 grains Curtis, Harvey’s 
No. 5, and a projectile of 530 grains, the drift at 1,000 yards 
is 65 inches to the right, requiring a movement of the fore¬ 
sight to the right of 5-100th of an inch. At 500 yards the 
drift would be about 32 inches; hence the necessity of mov¬ 
ing the foresight for each change of distance. The rotation 
of the earth causes deviation when not firing east or west 
but not enough to be taken into account. 
We come now to optical illusions , which make the 
marksman think he is aiming at the target when he is not 
and which perplex him more than all the rest put too-etlier 
at long ranges. The most obvious one is when the sun 
shines from one side or the other of the rifleman, say from 
the right, and lights up the right side of the foresight and 
the left side of the notch of the rear sight, making him 
shoot to the left. This is obviated by blackening the sights, 
and prevented altogether by the covered globe fore sight 
and aperture rear sight. Refraction or mirage is one of 
the most common sources of error. There are several kinds. 
One is where objects are magnified vertically and seem 
taller than they really are, or what sailors call “looming.” 
We aim at the image of the target instead of itself and our 
balls pass over the top of it. Hence we require to lower 
our sight. This generally occurs on very hot sunny days. 
There is another kind of mirage when the air has both ver¬ 
tical and lateral refraction, and objects are actually magni¬ 
fied as if seen through a telescope. In this case the reverse 
takes place, and when we think we are aiming at an object 
we are really aiming below it, and our balls ricochet unless 
we raise the sights. This takes place on those extraordi¬ 
narily clear days when we see distant objects with great 
distinctness. On such days our rear sight requires extra 
elevation. Sudden changes of light, such as take place on 
days when clouds are drifting rapidly across the sun, re¬ 
quire corresponding changes of elevation. 
Captain Heaton, in his “Hints to Riflemen,” says that 
if shooting on a dull day, the sun lights up the sights, leav¬ 
ing the target dull, more elevation will be required, but if 
he lights up the target while the rifle is in shade, less eleva¬ 
tion. If shooting on a clear bright day, with sun shining on 
target, if he disappears, more elevation; but if the target 
be shaded and the sights lit up, and the sun suddenly dis¬ 
appears, less elevation. At 500 yards Captain Heaton thinks 
this would make a difference of two feet. 
Any person who wishes to experiment upon this interest¬ 
ing subject can do so if they have from their house an ex¬ 
tended view, by fixing their rifle on a rest and sighting it at 
some distant object like the top of a steeple. As the rifle 
does not move, the object will appear to rise or fall. 
T. C. C. 
HOW OUR GERMAN FRIENDS SHOOT. 
From A. Yon Lehman, Esq., of Philadelphia, we have 
received the following interesting letter, describing fully 
the methods used by German marksmen at their rifle con¬ 
tests. As we are frequently asked to reply to questions 
having to do with Shutzen- Vereins, Mr. Von Lehman’s let¬ 
ter will be found giving exactly the information required. 
It may be quoted as authority, the writer being the editor 
of the Shutzen Zeitung , the official organ of the Philadel¬ 
phia German riflemen. 
Philadelphia, April 13,1874. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
Our, manner of scoring is different from yours. Our range is 600 feet, 
ring targets, divided in 25 rings (circles), 22-25 forming the black (centre) 
and 21 the white, 1 the lowest, 25 the highest number to each shot. Dur¬ 
ing the summer we have regular practice every Thursday, when matches 
of three shots are made at the ring targets. Scores of 60 win a silver 
medal, scores of 70 a gold medal, each to be won once a year and to be¬ 
come the property of the winners. Last year one gold medal was won 
and 15 silver medals. Bull’s eye targets have 12 black, with a four black 
bull’s eye; the regular practice is pool-shooting, at which only the num¬ 
bers of bull’s eyes count.and the money paid inis distributed proportion¬ 
ately. At match shooting the bull’s eyes are measured, l. e. from the 
centre of the bull’s eye to the centre of the bullet hole, the former being 
marked O deg. and the gnage marking tOO deg to 1 sec. For best shots 
that is, lowest figures of degrees we award prizes, while for highest num¬ 
bers of bull’s eyes premiums in money are given. Besides the ring and 
bull’s eye targets, we use the man-target. This represents the upper 
portion of a man’s body, divided in either 10 points, i. e. square sections 
With premiums corresponding to the more or less deadly effect which a 
shot in the corresponding section of a. man’s body would have, or in 19 
vertical sections, the middle one counting 10, the extreme left or right 1 
point. Sometimes we also use field-targets (German and Swiss model) 
of which the black is an oval 10x20, divided in three verlical fields the 
middle one counting 2 points, the side field 1 point. During the winter 
we have twice every week practice with parlor rifles (air rifles) at‘45 min. 
range, targets 8 con. diameter, with 8 5 min. rings, rings 7 and 8 black 
These are either stationary or pendulum (swinging) targets on a disk 14 
min. diameter. There are generally, during the winter, 3 competitions 
for prizes gi'ven by the club. For these we use as targets colored prints 
9 min. 11 sec. diameter disks, on which is marked in pencil a small four 
ring target, 2.50 con. diameter not visible from the stand nor exactly 
congruent with the centre of the disk, but, therefore, open to inspection 
before shootiug. On the pendulum a small prize is won every night 
when that target is used, the winner to give a prize for the next shooting 
evening. Besides, members give their likenesses to be shot for and to 
be presented to the club by the winners. In this way our meeting-room 
is really ornamented with likenesses, as altogether our hall, property of 
the club is generally called a self-appointed concern by visitors from 
abroad. 
The above will give you an idea of our system, and I may only add 
that we have no badges which change hands from year to year, while 
they remain the property of the association for all time. Rifles of any 
kind are admitted, provided they carry not less than 28 (round) balls to 
the pound; no rest or telescopic arrangement allowed. 
__________________ A. Yon Lehman. 
#4 ^uUm[e. 
This Journal is the Official Organ of the Fish Cultur- 
ists’ Association. 
—We are very glad to be able to print the following per¬ 
emptory denial to the statement of our Albany correspon¬ 
dent that Seth Green has ever stocked or favored the stock¬ 
ing of the waters of the North Woods with pickerel. We 
have seen this statement several times repeated and never 
denied, and while we regret that our columns should have 
seemed to aid in doing an injustice to this eminent pisci¬ 
culturist, we are rather pleased to bear the blame, that we 
may be the means of squelching the erroneous statement 
and setting him right before the public:— 
Rochester, April 11th, 1874. 
Mr. Hallock, Dear Sir:—I see in Forest and Stream 
of April 9th that an Albany coorrespondent savs “all the 
sportsmen are very bitter against Seth Green tor favoring 
the stocking of these lakes with pickerel, as they say it 
will strip them entirely of what few trout there is left. ” I 
never have put a fish known to be the pickerel in any waters 
of this or any other State, nor have ever recommended 
them to be put in any waters. Yours, Seth Green. 
In addition to this disclaimer of Mr. Green’s, we have a 
note from a friend at Keeseville, New York, explaining the 
origin of the mischief done to the Adirondack waters by 
introducing pickerel into them, the guilty one being a Long 
Lake guide without shame or principle. Hereafter we 
shall not assume the responsibility of printing anything of 
a personal nature without appending the real name of the 
writer. In the instance above noted we know that no 
malice was intended, the writer merely repeating the gossip 
of certain Albany anglers. 
—Messrs. Richardson Brothers, the fish culturists of Big 
Springs, Wisconsin, have invented a can for transporting 
live fish which differs somewhat from others in its con¬ 
struction. It is made of galvanized iron. About one 
fourth of the way down from the top is a pan made of the 
same material, and perforated with holes large enough to 
allow water to pass through freely. The pan rests on 
props riveted to the side of the can, and_ can be lifted out 
at any time. This supports a small tin pump, which reaches 
from the bottom of the can to a height sufficient to allow 
of a small piece of ice being placed under the nozzle and 
on the pan. A tight fitting cover, also provided with holes 
for the admission of air, when not working the pump, and. 
some strong handles, make the can complete. By occa¬ 
sionally working the pump the water is kept well aerated, 
and cooled by falling on the ice and through the pan. 
MARYLAND FISHERY COMMISSION. 
' Baltimore, April 4th, 1874. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
The Fisheries Bill, published in your columns recently, 
has passed the legislature at Annapolis, and under its pro¬ 
visions T. B. Ferguson, of Baltimore, and Philip M. Downs, 
of Caroline county, have been appointed commissioners by 
Governor Groome. They will at once enter upon their 
duties, one taking the Chesapeake and the Eastern Shore, 
and the other the Western Shore, with its larger rivers. 
Important questions of inter-State rights and comities will 
have to be settled with Virginia as regards the Potomac, 
and with Pennsylvania as to the Susquehanna. You 
may take it both literally and in its usual metaphysical 
sense when I say that the commissioners will have to begin 
ab ovo. As yet, Maryland lias made no attempt to pre¬ 
serve and protect her fisheries by a general law, although 
the waters of the State are pretty w r ell shingled over by 
special petty acts. Messrs. Ferguson and Do'wns will un¬ 
doubtedly be obliged to the commissioners of other States 
for information and assistance, and they will also have the 
valuable aid of Professor Baird. The appropriation is 
only of $3,500, “to be paid out of any moneys not other¬ 
wise appropriated.” Not to speak of this amount as inade¬ 
quate for building a hatching house, and all the expenses 
of a beginning in fish culture, there may be some difficulty 
in finding a dollar in the treasury unappropriated. The 
legislature has made a very clean sweep of it for some time 
to come in carrying on the State government. Probably 
the commissioners will find a way over this obstruction, 
and be enabled to utilize the immense water area (five 
eighths of the whole State) of Maryland. With a happy 
appropriateness it has been found that terrapins, perhaps 
crabs, and certainly oysters, are capable of artificial in¬ 
crease, and if in the future there should be any fear of the 
failure of these. objects of pride and glory here it is a mat¬ 
ter of satisfaction and comfort that they can be turned over 
to the solicitous care and nursing of these responsible per¬ 
sons. At present they will have their hands full with the 
Potomac and Susquehanna shad and herring, the trout and 
the black bass. C. C. 
—There are at present 80,000 lake trout at the State 
hatching house at Marietta, Pennsylvania. These will be 
immediately distributed throughout the streams of the 
State. There were also in the same establishment 150,000 
California salmon, which have been turned into the streams. 
One hundred and fifty thousand Kennebec salmon are in 
process of hatching, and as soon as of fitting size will be 
similarly disposed of. The commissioners report 2,700,000 
as the product of the young shad hatching at Marietta last 
year. This indicates that these officers have not been idle, 
and that if they are successful in their application to the 
legislature for additional appropriations they will in the 
course of a few years accomplish a work that will add mil¬ 
lions to the value of the State’s products. 
—The Richmond State Journal says:—“The Assembly 
joint resolution in reference to the improvement of the 
falls of the Potomac, so as to facilitate the passage of fish, 
is intended to give some Virginia moral support to the effort 
now being made in Congress to have that body authorize 
the fabrication of some sort of a contrivance that will allow 
the ascent of fish to the waters of the Shenandoah River 
and upper tributaries of the Potomac. ” 
—This is the first stanza of a touching song recently set 
to music, and we have room but for the one, the remaining 
half dozen running in the same solemn vein:— 
Oh! bury Bartholomew out in the woods, 
In a beautiful hole in the ground. 
Where the bumble bees buzz and the woodpeckers sing 
And the straddle bugs tumble around. 
So that, in winter, when the snows and the slush 
Have covered his last little bed, 
His brother Artemus can go out with Jane 
And visit the place with his sled. 
—We are requested by the Saratoga Rowing Association 
to print the following card: 
SARATOGA ROWING ASSOCIATION. 
It is necessary for the Saratoga Rowing Association to have the ad¬ 
dress of every amateur rowing club of good standing in the United 
States and Canada. The Association propose to issue soon its circulars 
concerning its annual regatta, which will be given some time in August 
Therefore it is to be hoped that all rowing clubs will send their address, 
giving name of President and Secretary, so that none may be over¬ 
looked, nor fail to receive circulars. Address 
SARATOGA ROWING ASSOCIATION, 
