July 1, 1886.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



449 



not sympathize entiHy with my friend, the honorable Sen- 

 ator from Missouri, in the esthetic view he takes of this case. 



Mr. Vest— I am past tbat word "esthetic." 



Mr. Btjtler— I say it with all respect. Of course while 

 1 have great admiration and respect for that Senator, I do 

 not sympathize with him. He has had the good fortune to 

 have hunted in that great Park of the West, and fished in its 

 streams and enjoyed "its magnificent scenery. I have never 

 had that opportunity, and, as my friend from Mississippi 

 [Mr. George] says, very few of my constituents will ever 

 have that opportunity, and I do not know but that about the 

 best disposition which can be made of that Park would be to 

 do as my friend has suggested, throw it open for settlement 

 under the land laws of the United States. I think perhaps 

 that would be about as well as anything else. I agree entirely 

 with General Sherman about that, whose letter I will read. 

 I know nothing about this railroad bill except such informa- 

 tion as I have acquired by reason of my position upon the 

 Committee on Territories. The bill came to the Committee 

 on Territories, why, I confess I do not understand. It had 

 before had the unanimous report of the Eailroad Com- 

 mittee of this body, and I suppose I may refer to the other 

 House, because their Teport is before us, and it has had a 

 unanimous report from the committee of the House. 



At this point the debate was interrupted by the receipt of 

 messages from the President, and was not resumed. 



HOW LONG CAN FOXES RUN? 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Your correspondent from Massachusetts says that he never 

 saw a hound that could catch one of their foxes in 20 hours, 

 and that his pack has run them for 30 hours without a 

 catch. I agree with "Red Eye," of Virginia, that no hound 

 ever ran 48 hours; it is beyond the endurance of any dog to 

 run that loug. They may what we call trail a fox as long as 

 that; just follow the foot scent. 



Last season I visited a friend some 20 miles away for a fox 

 hunt. The night I reached his place was a beautiful bright 

 night, and he insisted we should have a run that night. We 

 struck a track about 9 o'clock (now remember I do not say 

 we started the fox). The fox was a gray one out hunting. 

 In 30 minutes after we struck the track I knew that the fox 

 had heard the dogs, and did not intend for them to get a run 

 on him. They trailed him all night and until about 10 

 o'clock the next day. I saw him about this time, and he 

 looked like a fox just started. One of our sweeping dogs, 

 Mait, swept and struck within two hundred yards of the 

 fox. His deep, powerful tongue soon called the pack to 

 him, and in 20 minutes the fox was dead. I can kill a red 

 fox with my pack much quicker than I can a gray. They 

 reach too far over a gray in his dodges ; so lose time and 

 give him a chance to put in some of his tricks. If the 

 gentleman of Massachusetts thinks one of his foxes can't be 

 caught in 20 minutes let him send one down, and will give 

 the fox a range of the country for a week so as to get the 

 best running ground, and if our dogs don't kill him in four 

 hours I will make him a present of a pair of our best dogs. 



I myself have had an experience with hounds for over 20 

 years, and never owned or saw a hound that could run more 

 than 8 hours without checks and losses. I should like to 

 know where the gentleman gets his authority that Col. 

 Tucker has the fastest hounds in the South. It has not been 

 my experience that they are fast, neither do I think any one 

 says so except Col. Tucker himself. Hounding. 



Pine View, Va. 



NEW JERSEY WOODCOCK. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I hope that you will not consider me annoying, but your 

 compilations of the game laws and your reply in your per- 

 sonal column to my inquiry a week or two ago in regard to 

 the legality @f shooting woodcock on the first day of July 

 has called forth the inclosed remarks which appeared in the 

 Bridgeton Emniug News of Saturday, July 25. 



I find upon looking up the revised game laws that in 1881 

 the following act was passed : 



"That from and after the passage of this act.no person 

 shall kill, take or expose for sale'or have unlawfully in his 

 or her possession after the same has been killed, any wood- 

 cock except only between the first day of July and the first 

 day of August and between the last day of September and 

 the sixteenth day of December." If your views are in any 

 way modified by this I hope it will call forth a prominent 

 reply in the columns of your paper and you may possibly be the 

 means of preventing a lawsuit which will undoubtedly occur 

 if any woodcock are shot on the first day of July in this 

 section of New Jersey. Hoping that none of our sportsmen 

 will involve themselves in a legal difficulty, I remain, 



David R. Streets. 



Bridgeton. N. J., Juue 2C. 



MUZZLE vs. BREECH. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



1 notice a great mistake in my article in the turkey shoot in your 

 columns (April 8, 1886), which I wish to correct. It arose from an 

 error in copying it for I he press, and as it has called out; some criti- 

 cism on my muzzleloader shoo tine I wish to set matters right. My 

 rifle in that article stands credited with shooting but 175yds., which is 

 in fact less than otie-half the distance I shot it. It was the breech- 

 loaders which shot 175yds., their longest range, while my muzzle- 

 loader shot 385yds. ; neither of these distances were measured, but 

 were so estimated on the ground. I think I shot about 80 rods, but 

 have placed it at 75 rods. The breechloaders, be it remembered, did 

 not get a single turkey for dinner at 175yds., but they did get one 

 after it was moved up nearer to them two or three times. Poor tur- 

 koy, if he could have reasoned he would ha ve seen in these move-ups 

 his end approaching at some time. The breechloaders also got four 

 turkeys at 50yds. by shooting at their heads, but I took no stock in 

 this kind of shooting— it would have been murder indeed to the tur- 

 keys to have had my tifle shot at them at this distance. To repeat, it 

 stands thus: 



1. Muzzleloader, 70 rods, 385vds, killed 4 turkeys. 



4. Breechloaders, 32 rods, 175yds , killed 1 turkey, moved up. 



4. Breechloaders, same guns, 50yds., kiled 4 turkeys. 



Total kdled, 9, of which I got 4 out of 20 shots with my strange 

 rifle, and most of these shots were "feelers" among the feathers to 

 find the center of these birds of the "order turkey shoot," "genus 

 crow, ' "form flaxseed." The two long ranges not being given made 

 it the more difficult to adjust the rifles on their bodies, and it never 

 will be known how long tue breechloaders would have been at this 

 if that turkey had remained 175yds away only. My rifle brought out 

 the feathers 14 times in all, and if I had not been ruled out on killing 

 the fourth turkey I think my turkey meat after that last shot would 

 have stood me m about two cents per pound, a discount the turkey 

 man did not care to engage in ; so he ruled me and my "old Betsey" 

 sweepstakes out of the ring and play. All right I Not unusual! ! As 

 previously stated, the breechloaders did the most snooting. They 

 commenced early and banged away till late. They showed most ad- 

 mirable pluck considering the difficulties they encountered in getting 

 turkeys. ■ 



The trouble was they had come to the shoot with the wrong kind of 

 lfles— rifles that shot very weak from shooting too little powder be- 

 md ponderous bolts of lead, thereby imparting to the bullets but a 



slow velocity, thereby producing an unusual high curve or trajectory, 

 thereby, when used as hunting rifles, shooting over and missing most 

 of the game at ani along mid-range, and under and missing all of it 

 beyond the point blank range. They also scatter their bullets more 

 or less wildy. 



These great faults (and others) make them generally poor hunting 

 rifles, especially for all small game, and poor rifles forelose shooting. 

 I refer more particularly to Amei ican made breechloaders and their 

 ammunition, as they are issued from the factories. The English 

 rifles do some better— they use more powder and get flatter curves. 



All of these things have" been demonstrated and proven time and 

 again by Major Merrill and his experiments, by "P." and his experi- 

 ments, also by others, and then came your own invaluable trial of 

 hunting rifles last fall, which completely sealed the whole affair. So 

 what is the use of me to spend any more words, or for the few who 

 are at interest in these rides and the ammunition, to longer "kick 

 against the pricks." We are told it is hard to do so. 



And now comes, in your April 22 number, Mr. J. T. Clapp, who 

 offers his criticism on'my article and says: "I myself cling to ex- 

 treme accuracy and value any rifle, according to its' accuracy." This 

 is excellent doctrine indeed! Here we agree; let us both stick- to 

 these sentiments and show it by the rifle we carry. The "crowning 

 efforts." says he, "of killing or" wounding four turkeys, any rest (32). 

 thirty-two rods distant, by shooting twenty shots, is by no means 

 wonderful." He is right. Nor is it "wonderful" that the breech- 

 loaders could not get a single turkey at this distance. It often hap- 

 pens thus, or nearly so, and it often happens, as in this case, to say 

 the breechloaders were not "good ones." Here we again agree; they 

 were not good ones, as is usual, and so they got but little meat. He 

 will now learn that I killed my turkeys (not "wounded" them) at 

 385yds., if not over. This reminds me of the old spelling book fable 

 which reads: "And if, and if, said the farmer, that alters the case." 

 "Just so! Just sol" as Solon Shingle would say. And what does Mr. 

 Clapp think of the shooting now? It is not "wonderful" to him, we 

 presume, but explain how it is in regard to the missing breechload- 

 ers— is there no "wonder" there? As for myself, 1 do not claim my 

 shooting to be wonderful. No, very far from it; but it was very good 

 considering this was the first time I had tried my rifle at this new 

 business. "Old Betsey" did first-rate, you see. 



He refers "to a person about to buy a rifle;" to such I would say 

 that my shooting on this occasion suggests in the strongest language 

 that there is much more "worth having" or possessing in the muzzle- 

 loader that kills the game, than the breechloader which misses it. 

 "The proof of the pudding is in the eating;" and the proof of a good 

 turkey rifle is in the turkeys it brings in from the turkey shoot, to 

 make up the family roast. Just so; and it is the same thing in the 

 woods and on a hunt. The steady shooting rifle crowns the. camp with 

 abundant food and this imparts much joy, while the unsteady weak 

 shooting one leaves it comparatively to emptiness and grief. Use 

 a good muzzleloader, and for all kinds of game you will always be 

 crowned with the very best possible success considering all the cir- 

 cumstances of shooting. 



"Why," says he, 1 'at a range in a small country to wn a few miles'f rom- 

 here, where nothing else is used but b"eechloaders, they shoot eighty 

 rods at chickens, not old hens, and hit them too, and more than four 

 out of twenty shots." Query, how many days old were these chickens? 

 Why not be more humane and shoot at the egg itself? Query, what 

 becomes of these "chickens, not old hens," after one of these long 

 breechloader bullets, of the young ramrod "order," and a little less 

 than two inches long passes through them? With light and small 

 bullet there was not too much left of the small turkeys; then how as 

 to the "chickens, not old hens?" Were their remainders circles of 

 flesh, or only scattered fragments of sinews and feathers? 



"That club," says he, "uses Sharps, Whitney and Remington rifles 

 without producing a gyratory motion to their oullets." This, if so, is 

 "wonderful." But he is in error and it is time he found it out. Proof, 

 study well the report of Forest and Stream, made on a trial of hunt- 

 ing rifles last September and October, where these three makes of 

 rifles were carefully tested from well selected specimens. This re- 

 port may be had for fifty cents by addressing the Forest and Stream 

 Publishing Co., 39 Park Row, New York, and every novice with the 

 rjfle should certainly have it, and indeed all old rifle shooters should 

 have it also. Especially should rifle makers have it and profit by its 

 useful lessons. If not satisfied with this proof, then make careful ex- 

 periments with these rifles by shooting them, say 200yds., through 

 successive screens, aligned 25yds. apart along the range, and then 

 work out and plot the shots, both vertically and horizontally. If 

 your trial is a careful and correct one, you willsoonfiud out that these 

 rifles do impart generally more or less a gyratory flight to the bullet, 

 and this too when shooting the long bullets from the shell. And if 

 the short conoidal hunting bullet shall be shot from the shell they 

 will fly much worse still, and the gyratory flight will be more marked 

 and of course the shots more scattering than with the long bolt 

 bullet. 



I leave others to explain why these things are so, and now comes 

 up, after many long years of trial, the question, can these evils be 

 remedied? If yes, proceed to do it at once and to issue to the public 

 a good strong and steady shooting rifle, and it will be satisfied with 

 it, as it was with the goou muzzltloader before fashion and folly set 

 it aside for the new style of rifle. The public are getting very tired of 

 these, as hunting rifles generally, and it only now wants a few bold 

 and disinterested leaders to forsake them "for the masses to follow 

 them, and with a high glee at that. 



I presume Mr. Clapp has never used and thoroughly tested a good 

 muzzleloader. Indeed, but a very few rifle shooters of this generation 

 have done so, and they are entirely ignorant of what they can do, and 

 what for a century they did do before they were run down, ridiculed 

 and advertised almost out of sight by monopolists, their agents and 

 followers. The tyros of to-day's shooting should, in my humble 

 opinion, remain silent for a time on the rifle, but in the meantime try 

 to learn the facts in regard to them from others of more experience 

 and knowledge, and after they shall have learned both sides of this 

 question and know their lessons well, then will be the proper time for 

 them to write, and then they may rest assured that attentive readers 

 will appreciate their writings. Let such now learn that the late trial 

 of Forest and Stream has, under existing conditions, settled and 

 sealed one question of great merit as between the muzzleloader and 

 breechloader rifle, and vastly in favor of the former. The question 

 was. which of these two types of rifles make the flattest curve or 

 lowest trajectory? 



As a very flat trajectory is the result of great velocity to the bullet, 

 and vice versa, a high trajectory is the result of slow velocity to the 

 bullet. The question under another form was which typeof rifles 

 sends its bullet the swiftest and therefore the straightest, provided 

 the rifle shoots steady? 



As a swift bullet is indicative of great power and force in the rifle 

 to penetrate, paralyze and kill. The question under a third form vir- 

 tually was, which type of rifles shoots the swiftest, strongest and 

 straightest, and which, therefore, makes the best hunting rifle under 

 this test. 



The answer, you see, came at each shot and every trial throughout 

 from Alpha to Omega, from the beginning to the end, in favor of the 

 old, true and much honored muzzleloader. Then bow to great 

 merit. 



Proof. Seethe "Tabulated Summary of Trajectory Test," in the 

 pamphlet report of Forest and Stream's trial at the Creedmoor 

 range, Sept. 20-Oct. 10, 1885. There were in all thirty-one breech- 

 loaders presented by the best makers and tested at this trial ; also 

 one English-made breechloader, presented indirectly by Mr. Bland, 

 the maker; also two American muzzleloaders. Behold the general 

 result. 



1. Thomas Bland & Sons' English double express, .45-cal. breech- 

 loader, beat (and very badly, too) the 31 American hreechloader It 

 shot strong, very strong, and almost equal to the two muzzleloaders. 



3. But Romer's muzzleloader beat Bland's rifle about 15 per cent at 

 mid range in a 200yds. trajectory, and also all the 31 American 

 breechloaders, and very, very badly, too, to wit: From 39 per cent as 

 the least (Remington, .32-cal., No. 9) up to 243 per cent, as the most 

 (Stevens's hunter's pet, .32-cal., No. 25). (Special— Trajectory No 

 21a, Whitney, being abnormal, is not regarded.) 



3. Merrill's muzzleloader also beat Bland's rifle (very slightly) and 

 all the 31 breechloaders at 50yde. in a 100yds. range, very, very" badly 

 (and Romer's slightly), to wit: It beat the 31 American breechloaders 

 all the way from 38 per cent, as the least, up to 278 percent as the 

 most. 



4. Summary: The two muzzleloaders individually beat all (32) the 

 breechloaders individually from the beginning to the end of the trial, 

 most wonderful. 



To say they "beat them very, very badly" does not fully express it 

 The American rifles were, in sporting language, more" than "dis- 

 tanced." every one of them was left behind in speed, "way out of 

 sight" in fact, ae the relative heights (inversely as the velocities) of 

 the trajectories prove. What more on this score can possibly be 

 asked of the muzzleloader? Pray tell us what more and it will re- 

 spond? If the trial had been for steady shooting and a close target, 

 I feel warranted in saying that my own experience, as well as the re- 

 marks that are made by the editor in Forest and Stream as well as 

 in the pamphlet, that the beat of the muzzleloaders in steady shoot- 

 ing, as against the average of all the 31 breechloaders, would have 

 been much greater than the great beat in flat curves, and not much 

 short of 500 per cent, beat on a general average for the 31 rifles, 

 200yds. range, and 250 per cent, for the 100yds. range. 



Napoleon Merrill. 



Allen's bow-facing oars can be attached to any boat in 5 minutes. 

 Try them. Little catalogue free. Fred A, Allen, Monmouth, HI. — Adv. 



Massachusetts.— Salem, June 23.— Woodcock are re- 

 ported by several parties as doing well, and I think par- 

 tridges ought to be fairly plenty. Peeps, ringneoks and 

 some summer yellowlegs. ought to be along in the course of 

 a couple of weeks.— X. Y. Z. 



FAifiFrET/D, Nebraska, June 5.— The quail in this section 

 of Nebraska, and probably in the State generally, were al- 

 most all killed off by last winter's severe cold and abundant 

 snow. — F. M. W. 



> Hope Island, as described in our advertising columns, 

 is a capital ground for a sportsmen's or yachtsmen's club. 



'm mi §iver egishing. 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Publish- 

 ng Co. 



AN OUTING ON NICKATOUS. 



THE months of anticipation from May to September had 

 at last passed away, and our time had come. The 

 preparations which had been going on for several weeks 

 were completed, and the boxes "containing provisions, 

 blankets and tent, with personal luggage, had been checked 

 for Enfield, Maine. 



Our party consisted of three, one lady and two gentlemen. 

 "Without a northeast storm was raging, but within the com- 

 fortable, lighted car, we gave ourselves up to the feeling of 

 perfect satisfaction, which can come only with a release 

 from the'business and home duties of the past year, and the 

 beginning of the fulfillment of the plans for a fortnight in 

 the woods, which had been in view for several months. Es- 

 pecially was this true with the lady, for this was to be her 

 first experience in camp life. 



We were pleasantly surprised to find among our fellow 

 passengers several whom we had met before on our fishing 

 excursions, and therefore the hour or two before we turned 

 in was agreeably spent in recalling reminiscences of former 

 trips, and in indulging in speculations of coming days. 

 Arriving at the country station at 8 o'clock in the morning, 

 we were ready for the ten mile ride. The morning was 

 bright and clear; the atmosphere keen and bracing; the roads 

 in fine condition after the recent storm, and our ride over 

 the hills, giving us fine views of scenery, distant mountains 

 with beautiful lakes nestled at their feet, was full of the 

 keenest enjoyment. Now and then, old Katahdin lifted his 

 head away in the north, and to the west, the range of hills 

 which lay over toward Monson and Blanchard. Bright 

 bits of color from tne changing maples added beauty to the 

 scene, and it was all too soon that we drew up before the 

 comfortable hotel, kept by mine host Page. 



Monday dawned muggy and rainy, but with that uncer- 

 tainty which is always perplexing. If you decide to start it 

 is sure to rain • but on the contrary, if you decide to stay it 

 win certainly clear, just too late. Our baggage was loaded, 

 with the two canoes lashed over all, and we followed in a 

 lighter wagon later. Not many miles had been covered be- 

 fore the clouds disappeared and the sun came out bright and 

 warm. 



Our route after a few miles changed iuto a rough tote road, 

 used only by the lumbermen in winter to cart in supplies. 

 Rough was no word for it; over rocks and trees, into deep 

 mud holes we plunged, until it seemed as if every bone in 

 our body was out of joint, and walking was much less 

 fatiguing than riding. Reaching Oilman's' at last— the only 

 frame building for miles around— we found our guides had 

 loaded our baggage and canoes on a jumper and were readv 

 for a three-mile carry to the river above the falls. After a 

 half hour's rest and a light lunch we followed over a fair 

 carry, all the way through beautiful pine woods and the for- 

 est primeval. The river was reached none too soon, our 

 canoes launched and baggage loaded as only those experi- 

 enced men of the craft know how. It is surprising how 

 much can be stowed away in a canoe — boxes of provisions, 

 bales of blankets, tent, axe, fishing rods, nets, etc., and yet 

 room for the guide and two passengers to each canoe. A 

 comfortable seat, raised slightly from the bottom of the 

 canoe, had been arranged for my wife. At length all was 

 ready, and taking our paddles against the strong current, we 

 headed up stream. It was simply delightful! The con- 

 stantly changing scene which every turn of the river brought 

 to view; the brilliant coloring of the maples on the shore 

 touched by the sinking sun; the deep dark green of the for- 

 est, and not a sound to break the stillness except as our 

 voices sounded over the water. On we paddled, occasion- 

 ally coming to the rapids, when all was excitement, as we 

 chose the deep channels and pulled the birches against the 

 rushing water. An hour brought us to the lake, and carry- 

 ing round the dam at the outlet, we launched upon Nicka- 

 tous Lake, one of the prettiest sheets of water I have ever 

 seen. 



Now we must take strong, deep strokes with our paddles, 

 for daylight is fast passing, and camp must be pitched and 

 made ready for night. Two miles up the lake we found a 

 convenient camp ground, in a sheltered inlet from the shore 

 of which a tote road had been cut, used in winter to haul 

 logs to the water's edge. Upon high ground, one hundred 

 feet from the shore, was a small clearing surrounded by 

 heavy timber, out of sight from the lake, yet commanding a 

 view up and down for several miles. 



Here we pitched our tent, started our camp fire, gathered 

 browse for our beds, and had supper under way just in time, 

 for the daylight had gone, darkness had come, and by the 

 light of our camp-fire we ate our first supper iu camp. What 

 a world of suggestion in that expression! How it brings to 

 the mind of each camper thoughts of the pleasantest hours 

 of one's life. 



Such appetites! The slice of bacon done just to a turn, 

 the boiled potatoes so mealy that their jackets drop off, the 

 hot biscuit, and the cup of tea, and finally the buckwheat 

 cakes with maple syrup to top off. All better than one's 

 own mother could make. We actually look at our supplies 

 in alarm, and wonder if they will hold out. 



Supper over and cleared away, the fir bows laid thick for 

 beds, everything made snug, and we are ready to sit around 

 our fire and lay our plans for the morrow and listen to a 

 story or two from our guides. It does not take long to get 

 acquainted with Willis— droll fellow. He provokes many a 

 peel of laughter with his odd expressions and funny stories, 

 and the genial warmth of the fire (for the night is cool) is 

 pleasant. But we have had a hard day's work, conversation 



