Apr ix 9, 1885.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



203 



haunts." Batteries have been in use here since 1843, nearly 

 fifty years, and still we have countless thousands of the 

 birds with us each year. I heard more than one old gunner 

 remark that last season we had moro ducks with us than 

 they ever remember seeing. Does this prove that they will 

 leave their haunts? 



As to the using of sailboats to gather up the dead ducks 

 and to keeping others on the wing, this— 1 speak of the fiats 

 —is positively Hot done. Days when the ducks will not fly 

 are invariably calm ones, and a sailboat would be of no pos- 

 sible use, and when there is a good breeze they are on the 

 wi'ag continually, although they do not always draw to the 

 batteries, "Sink boat" admits that "occasionally the yacht 

 is sailed around." I go so far as to deny this also. Rarely, 

 or ever, do you see a yacht or scow under sail, excepting 

 when there is a change "of wind, and they wish to go to 

 windward. I might say more on this subject, but will 

 leave it for "Sinkboat," as he is better able to handle it. 



Charleston, Md. PROFESSIONAL. 



HOW THE GAME GOES. 



Editor Ifbrest and Stream: 



I walked around this evening taking a view of the mer- 

 cantile houses in Wichita Falls which make a business of 

 buying and selling skins. At one place they were baling 

 the skins for shipment, and I w T as told that their destination 

 was New York. 



The stomach of your great city must be quite a devil of a 

 thing, since it seems eager to devour anything that may be 

 pitched into it, without regard as to whether it stinks or 

 smells sweetly. There were hundreds of skunk-skins baled 

 for shipment'to that place, and these stank so badly that the 

 air for several squares around was laden with the smell. My 

 clothes became infected with the smell, so that while I write 

 this in my room in a hotel I am almost overcome with it. 

 You see, one cannot go near a rose like that without being 

 penetrated by its fragrance. I suppose the paper on which I 

 write you this will bear the strange odor to you, and that it 

 may even be conveyed into the pages of Forest and 

 Stream. Can you tell us, Mr. Editor, what economy the 

 polecat subserves by smelling so badly? It has always 

 seemed to me a mystery — one of the most recondite things 

 in all nature. I asked 'if the smell of these skins would not 

 hurt the price in New York, but they said that the louder 

 the smell the greater would be their value there. 



I saw also shipped from the same house 10,000 pounds of 

 antelope and deer skins, and this made me feel really sad. 

 They tell me that the average weight of these, skins is two 

 and a half pounds each, so that they represeut 4.000 slain an- 

 telopes and deer. How many more have been shipped from 

 this place the past fall and winter I could not learn, but was 

 told that this one house had shipped not less than 100,000 

 pounds, and expected to ship a good many thousand more 

 from last season's shooting. Here then we have at .least 25,000 

 of these beautiful animals slain in one season in the country 

 which trades at Wichita Falls, leaving out other houses here 

 engaged in the same business. The shipments from Colorado 

 City, Big Springs, Marienfeld, Midland, El Paso, and other 

 Texas points, must be in the aggregate very much larger. It 

 is certainly within the bounds to say that 100,000 of these 

 animals have been slain in Texas the past shooting season. 



In 1877 I wrote you from Denison, Texas, about the enor- 

 mous slaughter of the buffaloes, predicting the early and 

 total extinction of that race of animals. Since then the buf 

 falo has appeared in Texas only twice in very feeble num- 

 bers. The past winter a herd of about eighty appeared on 

 the Staked Plain, and 1 am told that all of these were killed. 

 It is safe to say that he will uever be seen in his wild state 

 on Texas soil again. The volume of his history is about 

 closed, and he has gone glimmering into the past. 



At toe rate of destruction now going on in Texas, how 

 long will it be before the beautiful antelope has also taken 

 his departure? In less than ten years their race will be ex- 

 tinct. He, like the buffalo, seeks no hiding places. He 

 lives on the wide, open prairies, and hates mountains and 

 forests. Therefore he is always exposed to the deadly long- 

 range rifles of the cowboy and professional hunter. They 

 go in bands, always sticking together, and maybe shot down 

 by these merciless destroyers as long as they like. As for the 

 deer, he will probably be with us forever, but iu extremely 

 small numbers, because he has no special partiality for 

 the prairies, and flies for protection to the deep forests 

 and gorges and crags of the mountains. He is already 

 almost entirely driven from the Texas prairies, where I 

 used to see him in swarms of hundreds and thousands. 

 Some years ago he was rarely seen in the woods of 

 Eastern Texas. He is now more numerous there than in 

 any other portion of the State, except probably the wild 

 mountain district west of the Pecos. He has gone to the 

 forests and farmers of Eastern Texas to get away from the 

 terrible cowboy and pot-hunter. 



And the wild mustang, which I used to see in herds of 

 hundreds, and which I thought the most beautiful of all 

 animals, with their glittering skins and long black manes 

 and tails, has gone too, almost entirely. By Jove, what 

 times I have seen in racing with this wild, beautiful son of 

 the prairie on his native heath. 



But we can't help these things. Such is the devouring 

 white man, and such is devouring civilization. The buffalo 

 had to give place to the domestic cow, the mustang to the 

 domestic horse, the antelope to the domestic sheep and goat; 

 just as the wild Indian had to give place to the domestic 

 man. It is home and home things that are conquering the 

 world. Also I see from these hide houses here that the wolf 

 is giving way to the domestic dog. But pray, Mr. Editor, 

 what particular thing is it that the polecat is giving place 

 to? At this pomt I am lost in wonder. Will it. be to some- 

 thing that can shoot out a stronger smell? How can it be 

 possible? 



I met here to-day two noted Comanche chiefs, whose 

 names only a few years ago were a terror far down in Texas. 

 One was Wild Horse and the other White Eagle. I had quite 

 a long conversation with them through an interpreter. Wild 

 Horse is quite a fine-looking old man, with a really intellec- 

 tual countenance and the appearance of a born leader. He 

 is said to be a great orator. I spoke to them about the dis- 

 appearance of the buffalo and other game. "Yes," said Wild 

 Horse, "the buffalo is gone and all the others are going. 

 The Indian will soon be gone, too. My tribe in my day cov- 

 ered all this country from the big mountains to the sea. Now 

 you can cover us all with a blanket. A few years more and 

 we Indians are all gone." White Eagle's wife was standing 

 by listening to this conversation. As the old chief spoke 

 these words, she turned to her prattling pappoose on her 

 shoulder and loved him in a sad, but sweet and motherly 

 way, 



And see how civilization advances, sweeping all things 

 before it. When the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad 

 reached this place twenty-six months ago, there was nothing 

 here but a few hastily-erected tents and shanties, and there 

 was nothing in the country save a few adventurous cowmen, 

 with their ranches scattered very widely apart. Now here 

 is a bright city of 3,000 people, long rows of stately stone 

 and brick houses, and over $1,500,000 of taxable real estate. 

 The granger, with his plows and hoes, aud reapers, is set- 

 tling over the country in heavy force, and the cowman and 

 cowboy are going further west, in a few years to be driven 

 still further on by the inevitable granger. Like the buffalo, 

 the antelope and Indian, the inclusive cowman must go. 

 There is some cheer at least in the fact that the destructive 

 cowboy must go. In a few more years he will be a monster 

 entirely of the past. 



To-morrow 1 start alone on a buggy trip far up the Texas 

 Panhandle, where I may not see a human residence in a 

 day's travel. Yet I shall take no shooting irons with me, 

 not even a pocket, pistol. Thinly as that region is peopled, 

 the Fort Worth & Denver Railroad is now building into it 

 from this place, and in a year or two it will swarm with 

 bustling folks. Among some other duties I go to christen a 

 new city and to secure some choice town lots. There is now 

 not a house, save a stage stand, in ten miles of the place, but 

 in a few months it will be quite a city. Such is life in the 

 West, N. A. T. 



Wichita Falls, Texas, March 20, 1835. 



MASSACHUSETTS GAME PROTECTION. 



TWO or three reports by the Committee on Agriculture 

 in the Massachusetts' Legislature are encouraging as 

 looking toward better protection. An order was introduced 

 in the House in January last and referred to the Committee 

 on Agriculture touching the expediency of so amending 

 Chapter 169 of the Acts of the year 1883 as to allow the 

 hunting, chasing or killing deer within the counties of Ply- 

 mouth or Barnstable during the month of November in each 

 year. 



Chapter 169, Acts of 1883, gives a close season all the year 

 round to deer, and continues in force. Below is the report 

 of the Committee. It has been accepted by the House and 

 goes to the Senate next week for concurrence if they so vote: 



"The Committee on Agriculture report that it is inexpedi- 

 ent to legislate, on an order relative to so amending Chapter 

 169 of the Acts of the year 1 883 as to allow the hunting, 

 chasing or killing deer within the counties of Plymouth or 

 Barnstable during the month of November in each year." 

 The Senate can refuse to concur or can recommit the order. 



The following order was sent to the Legislature early in 

 February, and referred to the same committee: 



As to the expediency of amending Chapter 282 of the Acts 

 of the year 1884, entitled ' 'An Act for the protection of game 

 in the ponds known as Cockeast or Davol's Pond and Rich- 

 mond's Pond, situated between the Westport River and the 

 Rhode Island boundary line," so as to allow the shooting of 

 wild duck or fowl of every description, from a boat, raft or 

 float on the ponds named in said act at any time between 

 the first day of November in any year and the first day of 

 April following, 



This act was only passed last year, and now certain 

 parties want it amended so that for a portion of the year 

 shooting in the manner named may be allowed. It would 

 certainly be a great mistake to repeal this act, and fortu- 

 nately the committee thinks so. Here is their report: "It is 

 inexpedient to legislate, on an order relative to allowing the 

 shooting of wild duck or fowl of every description from a 

 boat, raft or float, between the first day of November and 

 the first day of April, on the ponds named in Chapter 282 of 

 the Acts of the year 1884, entitled an act for the protection 

 of game in the ponds known as Cockeast or Davol's Pond, 

 and Richmond's Pond." 



The result of the prohibition of shooting afloat on Cock- 

 east and Richmonds Ponds has been to make the bodies of 

 water places where the ducks feel that they are safe. The 

 consequence is that they gather here in great numbers, and 

 in their flight to and from the ponds make good shooting, 

 where a year or two ago there was little or none. The re- 

 port above referred to was made in the Senate, and upon 

 motion of Senator Job M. Leonard, of Somerset, Bristol 

 county, it was recommitted and the House has concurred. 

 It is hoped that no steps will be taken toward repealing the 

 present law, which is most beneficial in its influence. 



SOME REMARKABLE SHOTS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In May, 1883, I was out near an ice pond, when my Irish 

 setter flushed a killdeer plover which flew to my left as I 

 fired at it, a cow bird flying in the opposite direction came in 

 line and received a part of charge. But instead of dropping, 

 as did the killdeer, the cowbird flew directly into the mouth 

 of my dog, who brought and dropped it at my feet. It then 

 immediately arose and commenced circling around in a 

 spiral motion until it disappeared from my sight. My dog 

 seemed as much astonished as myself. As it arose he made 

 a motion to catch it, but missed it, and then watched it for 

 some time in its spiral motion, until reminded that there was 

 other and better game than vagabond cowbirds to look for, 

 and he soon retrieved the killdeer. J. L. D. 



Lockport, March 28. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In 1875, while shooting for a company medal, with En- 

 field rifles, we used two targets, about twelve feet apart, six- 

 inch bullseye. My rifle being too heavily charged, I deter- 

 mined to shoot it from a rest, before the actual contest began. 

 Resting it in the crotch of a small tree, I aimed at the right 

 hand target and pulled trigger. The gun went one way, I 

 another, and while the target I shot at was intact, the one on 

 the left showed a center shot. Have never been able to ac- 

 count for it, or to repeat the shot. Rifle. 



Savannah, Georgia. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Seated at the desk to-day— the equinoctial, which Wiggins 

 has appropriated to himself, having piled the snow around 

 to such a degree as to render travel impassible — I read over 

 some of the remarkable shots in the back numbers of your 

 paper, and concluded to contribute my mite to the general 

 fund. Though I have killed game at something beyond the 

 usual range, and made many accountable and unaccountable 

 misses, I would not call any of my shots remarkable. How- 

 ever, I saw one made that, for the variety ot objects hit, 

 almost equals the recently published exploit of "Col. Men- 



dacity," One morning in September, 1870, Hiram Humph- 

 ries, the present postmaster at McDonald's Corner, in this 

 county, sallied forth to shoot a sheep. He was armed with 

 a brass-banded musket, with "Dautzic" on the lock-plate, a 

 regular old "dunder and blitzen," and it was loaded with a 

 round ball the circumference of which was equal to that of 

 the base of my thumb. When he got within forty yards of 

 his intended victim he was standing in a little hollow. Forty 

 feet beyond the sheep was a small knoll on which was a 

 flock of chickens. The village smithy stood directly in line, 

 about 160 yards from the shooter, and in the door stood 

 Odber Secord aud Isaac Humphries, the latter having his 

 hand pushed in behind the breast of his leather apron. Had 

 the boy taken an off-hand shot the bullet would probably 

 have buried itself in the knoll, but before any one of the 

 half dozen who were watching him realized what he was 

 doing, he dropped on one knee and fiied. The ball inflicted 

 a flesh wound in the neck of the sheep, and passing on killed 

 two of the chickens on the kuoll. It then grazed the top 

 rail of a cedar fence four rods from the shop and struck 

 Isaac on the arm four inches below the elbow, splintering 

 the bone on the upper side ; then passing through the muscle 

 of the arm about two inches from the head of the elbow, it 

 lodged between the double boarding of a horse stall at the 

 back of the shop. It thus passed through the double of his 

 arm and left four opeu wounds. The wouuded man was 

 then about twenty-three years of age, and had previously 

 lost an eye and had both legs broken. This accident un- 

 fitted him for his business, and he is now an operator in the 

 employ of the W. U. Tel. Co. This is not a fable; but you 

 will not have to dig deep for a moral: "Be careful in what 

 direction you point a gun." L. I. Flower. 



Queens Co., N. B., March 18. 



A DEER HOUNDING INCIDENT. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In connection with the recent discussion in your columns 

 regarding deer hounding, and to show the abject terror of 

 the pursued deer, the following incident, may be interesting. 

 Last week E,, a young farmer, living about three miles 

 east of this place, while putting his team in the barn, about 

 3 o'clock A. M., after returning home with his wife from a- 

 dance, was startled by his wife's screams at the house, 

 where he had left her but a moment before. Running to the 

 house, his surprise can be imagined at seeing, standiug in 

 the middle of the room, a two-year old buck, panting and 

 trembling in every limb, the heaving sides and protruding 

 tongue plainly showing that a long chase through the deep 

 snow had completely exhausted him. Quickly taking in the 

 situation, E. closed the door, and springing upon the 

 frightened animal, after a severe tussle overcame it, and 

 with the aid of his wife securely tied it. 



It seems his wife after enteriuc the house did not close the 

 door, but struck a light, upon which the deer came bound- 

 ing into the room. The house is but a few rods from the 

 woods, and the deer probably coming to the edge of the 

 clearing at the moment the light appeared through the 

 open door, ran directly toward it, in the frantic effort to 

 escape the dreaded pursuer. 



In the morning E. brought the deer to town, and wanted 

 to sell it to me, but not caring to buy, I allowed him to put 

 it in the inclosure with my own deer, who at first resented 

 the intrusion, but are now on the best of terms with the 

 stranger. 



E. said the deer was followed by a lynx, which was 

 probable, as one or more of these animals are known to 

 frequent a large swamp near his place. This was too good 

 a chance for a chase to lose, so taking my two trusty "fox- 

 hounds Range and Sport, and the heavy' gun, a ten and a 

 half pound Parker, 10-gauge. a half dozen three-inch metal 

 shells, loaded with 5 drams Hazard ducking powder No. 4, 

 and 1 ounce No. 1 chilled shot, two No. 8 pink-edge wads 

 on powder and one cardboard wad on shot (by the way the 

 correct load for a fox at fifteen rods), and last but not least a 

 pair of snow shoes, which the twenty inches of snow on the 

 ground made a necessity, I was soon with a friend as 

 anxious as myself, driving rapidly toward E.'s place. 



Arrived there, after putting guns together, adjusting 

 snow shoes, etc., we proceeded to the place where the lynx 

 left the track and turned back into the woods. Our disgust 

 can be better imagined than described when wc discovered 

 that the much wished for lynx tracks were made by a 

 hound who, running still— that is, not giving tongue— had 

 seen the light and hearing the noise at the house, "and E.'s 

 watch dog barking, had discreetly turned about and taken 

 his back track, without feasting on venison, as he surely 

 would have done, had not E. happened to return borne at 

 the time he did. P. M. R. 



, White Cloud, Mich., March 81, 1885. 



A Long Shot at a Swan.— March has been a terror here 

 abouts, but the reign of the tyrant is nearly ended. Wild 

 geese are flying, and 1 hope for some ducks ere long. Swans 

 are flying too. Let me tell you of what 1 call a remarkable 

 shot: The other morning, March 16, to be exact, a boy 

 came to my door and told me, "Swans are flying; do you feel 

 well enough to go down and try for them?" Of course I 

 did; I got my gun, stuck in my pocket half a dozen shells, 

 some of them loaded with 12 buckshot, three chambers, set- 

 tled with No. 12 chilled shot, the others were charged with 

 BBs, one ounce. All had 8+ drams Orange ducking behind 

 the shot, three Eley wads over powder, one over shot. My 

 gun weighs only six pounds, so you can see I am not much 

 afraid of recoil. I reached the dam, took position and waited. 

 The air was very cold, and I regretted having come out. 

 Presently a flock hove in sight; I shpped a "buck shell" into 

 my right and a BB into my left barrel. The swans passed 

 over, but so high that I thought it useless to fire. My friend, 

 the boy, said: "Try 'cm, won't you? Don't let 'em go with- 

 out one shot." "Nonsense," said I, "they're too high." 

 However, my gun came to my shoulder, I drew the trigger 

 of the right hand lock, and to my surprise one of the flock 

 turned tail skyward and fell. He had not come down more 

 than two-thirds the distance to the water, when he seemed 

 to recover and started off again. I sent the BBs after him 

 and he came down. The boy went and brought him to me, 

 and I found that the buckshot had cut off his bill entire close 

 to the head, while my BBs had killed him. I can tell you 

 nothing of the distance of the first shot. I thought, however, 

 that the bird was out of range. 1 am satisfied the second 

 shot exceeded 100 yards. The remarkable thing to me about 

 the first shot is that buckshot would go as a ball the distance 

 I have mentioned. One shot could not have carried away 

 a swan's bill so clean as this was carried away — Amateur 

 (Somerset, Pa., March 23). 



