FOREST AND STREAM. 
323 
places for tlie deer to 2:0 to the river andswin across. These 
openings were called “passes. ” A number of men now go 
within the fence, and from the wider enclosure they drove 
them to the narrow part, or to passes of the river where 
others were stationed, and thus killed the deer at their 
leisure. These deer fences are actually seen to extend 
thirty miles on the River Exploits, and how far into the 
interior no white man can tell. They are formed hy felling 
trees, and must have cost immense labor. The babe which 
constructed them originally must have been numerous and 
powerful, though now without a single living representa¬ 
tive. 
The Indians, especially the Mic-Macs, have another 
method of capturing the deer, which if it were not well 
attested, would seem almost incredible. Some of these 
Indian hunters will actually run down a stag. Only when 
fat is the stag worth such an arduous pursuit, and then 
only is he liable to such fatigued exhaustion. The hunter 
will commence the chase early in the day, and follow it up 
without intermission, and before night will make the stag 
his prey without firing a shot. The stag at first easily out¬ 
strips his pursuer, but after a run of four or five miles he 
stops, and is by and by overtaken. He lies down fatigued 
hut is again surprised; and thus the chase is kept up until 
the poor stag in despair of eluding his pursuer, plunges 
into a pool or morass to escape, where lie soon meets his 
.doom, man at length winning the day. 
^ It is remarkable that the horns of the cariboo vary more 
than those of any other species of deer, in fact no two 
adult stags have horns precisely alike. Some very remark¬ 
able horns are to be seen in St. Johns, 1ST. F. One pair is 
so lofty that when reversed on the shoulders of a man five 
feet ten inches in height, the horns touch the ground. 
Another pair has thirty-two points, including those on one 
brow, another which is palmated, while the other is a mere 
snag. These horns with just sufficient skull left to hold 
them together, weigh thirty-two pounds. Others are per¬ 
fectly straight and have the brow-antlers of similar form. 
The cariboo is noted for its tenacity of life. 
Some years ago, a barbarous practice was in vogue 
among the half-Frencli settlers who then occupied the Bay 
of Islands on the western coast. The cariboo in their 
southern migration, were in the habit of swimming across 
a narrow part of a large lake called Deer Pond, on the 
banks of which, at that season, were hidden both men and 
canoes. When a herd had entered the water and swam 
sufficiently far to admit a pursuit, the canoes were hastily 
launched and the chase began. On coming up with the 
deer, knives were drawn and deep gashes made on the 
rump of each deer to ascertain which was fatest, and these 
were instantly killed with the tomahawks, while scores of 
wounded and bleeding animals were allowed to escape. 
The slain, perhaps sixty or seventy in number, were then 
collected and towed to the River Humber which flows from 
Deer Lake to the setlement, some fifteen miles, and then 
into the sea. As the Humber on this part has some rapids 
and cascades, it does not admit of canoe navigation, and 
the deer were consequently allowed to float to the settle¬ 
ments, where half never arrived; and many of these that 
did were carried by the current out to sea. The savage 
cruelty of these hunters met with a just retribution. The 
deer forsook the route entirely, and now migrate by a path 
far in the interior, where the cruel hand of man cannot 
reach them. 
On the western coast a smaller species of deer is said to 
be occasionally seen by the settlers and is distinguished by 
the name of “little black-legged deer.” They are supposed 
to be the “Barren Ground Cariboo, ” or It. Qreenlandicus of 
the naturalist. A fat stag of this species does not exceed 
in weight an ordinary doe of the woodland cariboo. 
The intelligent traveller, Cormack, who crossed the island 
in 1822, remarks in his “narrative” that these natural 
herds are the best adapted for this climate and pasture; 
and he was of opinion, on witnessing their immense num¬ 
bers, that all that is required to render the interior, now a 
waste, at once a well stocked grazing country, could be 
done through the means of employing qualified herdsmen, 
who would make themselves familiar with, and accom¬ 
pany these herds from pasture to pasture, as is done in 
Norway and Lapland with the reindeer there, and in Spain 
with sheep. When taken young these deer become very 
domestic and tractable. Were the intelligent resident in¬ 
habitants of the coast, who have an interest in advancing 
the country internally,, to adopt a plan for effecting this 
object, under their own vigilance, benefits and comforts, 
now unthouglit of, could be realised. How useful the 
tamed reindeer might become to the Newfoundlander may 
he imagined from what we read of the Lapland reindeer. 
It can draw a sledge over the frozen snow at the rate of 
twenty miles an hour. To the Laplander the reindeer is 
everything; and in his cold and barren country, covered 
with snow and ice nine months of the year, and producing 
few vegetables, he would perish were it not for the milk 
and flesh of the reindeer. These useful creatures are 
mostly in a domesticated condition, about four feet high 
and the same in length. A pair of them will travel in a 
sledge one hundred miles in twenty-four hours. To their 
acuteness of sight and smell their master trusts his life in 
the most dangerous paths during the darkest, nights of his 
stormy winter, and it is seldom that he has to regret his 
confidence. Their flesh is eaten either fresh or salted, 
their skins form tents, clothing and bed covering, their 
sinews thread for sewing, and their tongues are a well- 
known article of commerce. What has been done in Lap- 
land in taming these creatures could be done equally well 
in Newfoundland and on a far more extensive scale. 
M. Harvey. 
For Forest and Stream. 
-BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE, ADIRONDACKS 
^ Cafe Hathorne, June 15, 1874. 
A LREADY has the winter of our discontent yielded* to 
-yV glorious summer in these parts, and the faithful tide 
ot tourists and sportsmen is setting in toward the woods, 
youbtless from now till November snows will your desk, 
drawers and basket be filled with letters concerning the 
delights and joys here experienced. We do not know of 
any easier or more accessible entrance to the North Woods, 
especially to the New Yorker, than the route we have 
taken and always take, no matter at which point we may 
eventually aim. Leaving Albany at seven o’clock in the 
morning on the Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad we con¬ 
nect at Saratoga with the Adirondack Railroad, reaching 
^orth Creek, its northern terminus, at about noon. Thence 
stage to Dick Jackson’s, a distance of nineteen miles, 
where we spend the night. This is the last place on the 
route where one can experience the comforts of a good 
hotel, although there is soon to be one opened at Wakely’s 
on the Cedar River. Bright and early the next morning a 
buck-board wagon will take us to Blue Mountain Lake, a 
distance of twelve miles, over a road which has never been 
submitted to the process of Macadamization. You remem¬ 
ber it was one of Macadam’s theories that a bog was pre¬ 
ferable to a hard bottom in constructing his roads. There 
is plenty of substratum of that nature here. 
At Chauncey Hathorne’s shanty will w r e find a smoking 
hot fish-chowder in thirty minutes after we tear ourselves 
off the buck-board, and, in fact, it were no bad idea to con¬ 
sume a goodly portion of this time in gradually performing 
this operation. About twenty minntes is the average time 
allotted for accomplishing this in safety. A couple of rods 
from Chaunccy’s own camp, lies the one reserved for guests. 
It is dry and comfortable, with the beds aired plentifully 
during the day and nicely made with fresh hemlock boughs 
at night. He expects to have quite a log house built by the 
first of July, in which ladies can be accommodated, and to 
this end has engaged the services of one of the first arch¬ 
itects of this township with a competent corps of assistants. 
He says it will cost from sixty to seventy dollars and may 
hug one hundred before it be finished. Now that we are 
speaking of Cliauncey, we might as well say something 
more of him as landlord, guide and good fellow. He has 
been located here for the last thirteen years, and of late has 
wintered as well as summered here. In that time he has 
caught several trout, and tradition says, seen a fawn or two. 
llis greatness as a landlord has been thrust upon him. Liv¬ 
ing in the woods first for his health, he grew fond of it and 
remained for fun. Now his fame as an entertainer^of the 
sportsman has become so widespread that he continues his 
wood-life for business. He is still young, strong and gentle¬ 
manly in language and decorum. 
His shanty is situated on the eastern shore of tlie lake, 
with a most beautiful sand beach before his mansion. Back 
in the woods a piece is his ice house, in which is always to 
be fovnd a supply of fish and game—in season, of course, 
for Chauncey, although neither a fish commissioner nor 
game constable, is still very hostile to any interference with 
fish or deer out of season. He may be a little cloudied in 
his “resuscitative faculty” as regards the exact limits of 
the seasons, but that’s all, and the poor fellow keeps no 
almanac. He has been so long in the habit of doing his 
own cooking that he excels in the art. His knowledge of 
this region is complete. He knows just where every trout 
has his abiding place in all times, and more than one tree 
in the neighboring forests has an auger hole in it bored by 
him. He is likewise considerable of a “schollard.” When 
one finds in a hunter’s cabin such books as “Pascal’s 
Thoughts” next to “The last of the Mohicans,” “Junius’ 
Letters” sandwiched between “Young’s Night Thoughts” 
and the Forest and Stream, one regards the possessor as 
a man of profound and varied reading, and such certainly 
would we have regarded Chauncey, but for a copy of 
“Paradise Regained” which lay in one cornor of his cup¬ 
board. That w r as too much ! “Pascal?” Yes. “Young?” 
Yes. But “Paradise Regained”—never. The dying man, 
who asked his chief legatee if he had ever read “Paradise 
Regained,” and, receiving an affirmative reply, immediately 
disinherited him, understood human nature. He knew no 
man had ever read it. However, Chauncey does read, and 
occasionally also bestows upon the public some wood- 
knowledge in the shape of letters. 
We perceive we have rather shuffled together our remarks 
on the landlord and the man, but, after all, we have known 
several landlords that were men. Nor do we regret speak¬ 
ing so fully of Chauncey and his beautiful home, for we 
believe that in all these woods there is no better guide than 
the one, nor more satisfactory camping ground than the 
other. 
This lake, we think, is destined to be the great point of 
interest in the Adirondacks. From it one can go by water 
to almost any desirable point. It opens into Eagle Lake, 
where Austin, another entertainer of sportsmen, lives in 
the house built by Ned Buntline. Here is buried the lat¬ 
ter’s wife, although one looks in vain for marble slat or 
wooden stick. A tiny island in the western corner of Blue 
Mountain Lake is pointed out as the spot where Ned was 
wont to hatch his blood and thunder stories. 
Eagle Lake, which is a mile long, opens into Ulawana 
Lake, a very pretty sheet of water some three miles long, 
and a favorite haunt of the deer. Within a week we have 
seen a number on its southern shore. Below this lake we 
have Marian River and then Racquette Lake. From Blue 
Mountain Lake to Long Lake there is a more direct route 
with four miles of “carry,” but even the guides when 
traveling light, will take the longer and all-water route. 
The trout in these lakes are very abundant and large. We 
caught one on the 6th of this month that weighed 11-J- lbs., 
and a day or two before a gentleman secured one which 
only fell half a pound short of our weight. The flavor of 
the trout in this lake is superior. A little north of Blue 
Mountain Lake is a little pond literally filled with brook 
trout, and they respond most quickly to the fly. We took 
one that weighed three and a half pounds. A plain, brown 
hackle was the executioner. In the lakes trolling alone is 
in order. The season here has been very backward. The 
ice only went out of the lake on the 15th of May, and a 
considerable pile of snow remained to see the month out. 
For the next two months the fishing hereabouts will be very 
fine. In the fall there is no spot in the Adirondacks where 
deer and partridges are more plenty. Chauncey can point 
out to you the place over yonder, on Panther Mountain, 
where the deer “yarded” last winter. 
If we have been too early for good brook fishing, we are 
just in time for black flies. They are as busy as the little 
bee, but tar and glycerine make their trade somewhat dull. 
Their day will now be soon over and their close season will 
be devoutly wished for by all handlers of the rod. The 
interchange of ideas on different fishing and hunting 
grounds is a worthy one. We all hold some one spot as 
superior. Yours may be on the Nepigcn; mine here. If 
you persuade us to test your ground, and we induce you 
to try our favorite place, we shall both be wiser, if not 
better. Of course you yourself know this Blue Mountain 
region as well as we, but some of yOur readers do not, and 
to them we confidently recommend it. Boyd. 
—George Dimock of Barnegatt, Yt., has a biddy which 
is somewhat inclined to be aquatic. She has chosen ducks 
and geese for her associates, and has been seen to plunge 
them into water, swim across the pond, come our and shake 
herself like any old water fowl. In swimming she natur* 
ally falls behind in consequence of her feet not being 
well adapted for paddling purposes. 
JP? W or H % Ip/irsf 
—On Thursday, June 26th, the racing season at Fleet- 
wood Park Course opened, with a fair attendance. The 
first race was a dash of three-quarters of a mile for horses 
of all ages, Minnie Mac, Erastus Corning, Scratch, Frank 
and Nellie Devoe starting; won bv Minnie Mac by half a 
length. Time—1:17, which was very remarkable time. 
The second race was a failure. The stipulation being that 
three horses should run, and only two horses offering, the 
race was off. The third was a hurdle race, eight jumps in 
two miles, welter weights. There were six entries, but 
only two horses, Victor and Cordelia, starting. A beauti¬ 
ful race, both horses coming in together, and making a 
dead heat. Time—4:03f. In accordance with the very 
just rule of the American Jockey Club, it being a dead 
heat, the purse was divided. 
—On Friday took place the second race meeting at Fleet- 
wood Park. Weather was unpropitious, though the at¬ 
tendance was fair. The first race was for the Stuyvesant, 
House Sweepstakes. Two mile dash. Four entries, three 
horses starting, Ransom, Lizzie Lucas and Utica; won by 
Ransom, beating Lizzie Lucas after a gallant struggle. 
Time—3:40. The second race was one mile and a quarter 
for three year olds; four entries, three horses starting, Mol- 
lie Darling, Scratch, and Erastus Corning. Mollie ran a 
waiting race and won. Time —2:14. The third race was a 
mile dash, four entries, and all the horses starting, Scratch, 
Mollie Dailing, Aerolite and Victor. Scratch came in 
ahead, winning in 1:45^. 
At the Beacon Park Races for horses that had never beaten 
2:26; on Wednesday 24th, a spirited race took place. There 
were four entries; won by Barney Kelly. Time—2:3<H, 
2:29, 2:28-1, 2:27f. On the same occasion, a race for 
horses that had never beaten 2:39. Best three in five, in 
harness. The purse was won by Dolly Varden. Time— 
2:36L 2:38, 2:33*, 2:35. 
—At the Beacon Park Races, Boston, on Thursday last, 
for horses that had never beaten 2:34, mile heats, best 
three in five, in harness, there were seven horses starting; 
won by Lady Mac. Time—2:36, 2:35, 2:37, 2:35*, 2:35, 
2:39,2:41. Same day for horses who had never beaten 
2:29, five horses started; won by Annie Collins. Time— 
2:33, 2:33, 2:35, 2:344. 
—At Beacon Park, on Friday last, there was a large 
assemblage. First race* was for horses that had never 
beaten 2:40, best three in five; won by American Girl. 
Time— 2:25, 2 ;22, 2:25, 2:26, 2:25. 
—On Wednesday last the opening meet of the Waverly 
Trotting Park took place, with two good races. The first 
was for three minute horses, mile heats, best three in five, 
in harness. Seven horses started; won by Adelina R. 
Time—2:45, 2:45, 2:42, 2:43*. The second race was for 
2:38 horses. Mile heat, best three in five, with six horses 
starting; won by Eddie. Time—2:394, 2.41-1, 2:40. 
—On Friday, at Waverly Park, for horses that had not 
beaten 2:45, mile heat, best three in five. The race was won 
by W. H. Farce. Time—2:404, 2 ;424, 2:424, 2:434. The 
second race was two mile hurdles, eight jumps, won by 
Idaho, eight horses contesting. Time—4:18*. The Con¬ 
solation Race ended the day; mile heats, best three in five; 
won by Lady Penny. 
—At Utica, on Thursday, the Ladies’ Stakes for two 
year olds was run, Ino, Mattie A, and Nannie McDowell 
starting; won by Ino in 1;484. In the one and a half mile 
race, five horses starting, Katie Pease won in 2:43. For 
the Hotel Purse, mile heats; won by Springbock. Time— 
1:45 and 1:42*. On the same day the second trotting 
matches of the Waverly Park Course took place. The 
first race of the day was for horses that had never beaten 
2:30. Six horses started; won by F. C. O’Reilly. Time: 2.43f, 
2:36, 2:40. Second race, for horses that had never beaten 
2:50; there were seven entries; won by Adelina R. Time— 
2:40, 2:42£, 2:42*, 2:42*. The finishing race was for run¬ 
ning horses, mile and repeat; won by Gculd. Time— 
1:52, 1:51. 
—At Utica, Saturday, the second annual running meet¬ 
ing took place. From a personal visit we can speak in the 
highest praise of the excellent character of the grounds 
and the many notable improvements made there. All the 
approaches to the course have been put in capital order. 
Apropos op Cremation. —An old writer, Bertram, men¬ 
tioning the customs of the Florida Indians at that time, 
says : “ The dead are placed on an elevated stage till dried 
up, when a set of elderly gentlemen, with very long nails 
on the thumb, fore and middle fingers, who travel through 
the nation, take the skeleton down, scrape the bones, burn 
the scrapings, and, after painting the head Vermillion, de¬ 
posit the bones in a chest, weep over the remains and then 
lay them on the shelf for a year. At the end of that 
period the friends and relatives gather around, take the 
chest down, weep over it, refresh the color of the head, 
paint the box red, and then deposit him to lasting oblivion. 
An enemy and a suicide are considered unworthy such 
ceremonies.” 
Now, here is something sensible. Must we look to the 
despised aborigine for an improvement upon our method? 
Why cannot we compromise the matter with these crema¬ 
tors, and instead of reducing the whole body to ashes, 
merely scrape the dry bones and “burn the scrapings”? 
And only think how much more respectable to be scraped 
by a decent old gentleman who lets his nails grow long for 
the special purpose. And how cheering to a dying author 
to know that his frontal will be red . That, one might call 
dying for effect. What a consolation to know that your 
bones, after being wet with the tears of these elderly gentle¬ 
men, will be nicely packed in a little red box, and laid on 
the shelf, neatly labelled, “Bones of Tom Collins—or who¬ 
ever it may be—departed January 4th; dried and scraped 
February 6th, painted 7tli; to be kept over A. D. January 
4th, 1875. Peace to his ashes.” 
—In our last, when giving the points of certain dogs, Ihe 
omission was made of crediting the article to the Fancier 
Gazette from which it was taken. 
