Sept. 16, 1886.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



143 



■which they erected a small building and keep a boarding 

 house called the "Cottage Uotel,'' and G. L. Henderson, 

 their father, lives with thorn an a kind of Inisiuess manager. 

 He has made trouble for all the former Superintendents 

 nearly, Major Conger especially. lie came to see me 

 some time ago and "wanted me to giA'e them permission to 

 change the plana and specifications of their hotel building, 

 wliich had been apj^rov cd by the Secretary of the Interior, 

 and give them permission to erect a frame addition to 

 their hotel. I told him the plans and speciiieations had 

 been approved by the Secretary of the Interior and I had 

 no authority to give him permission to cliange them; but 

 told him to make a written application stating what 

 changes they desued to make and I would forward it to 

 the Department for its action. This he never did, but 

 went off and telegraplied the Secretary of the Interior 

 that I had prohibited them from proceeding with the 

 erection of then- hotel, and misrepresented and lied about 

 the whole matter. The telegram was referred to me by 

 the Secretary for an explanation, Avhich I inade stating 

 the facts and thi,s reply is on file in the Department. 



The charge that I allowed certain favored persons to use 

 the government sawmill at this place and denied the use 

 of it to others Avas made by this man Henderson, and like 

 aU the otiier charges he has made is a lie. The sawmiE 

 is under the immediate and exclusive control of Oapt, 

 Dan. C. Klingman, Corps U. S. Engineers in chai-ge of con- 

 sti-uction of roads and iiridges in the Park, :md a watch- 

 man is employed to take care of it. Henderson came to 

 see me about getting the use of the mill, and I referred 

 him to Capt. Kingman, which is all I had to do with that 

 matter. Capt. Kingman told him he could have the use 

 of the mill on the same terms that he had allowed other 

 persons to use it, viz. , hj giving bonds to deliver it up in 

 good order, which he refused to do. 



The order requiring all freight wagons doing husmess 

 hi_ the Park to be equipped with thes not less than 4in. 

 wide was made by the Secretary of the Interior on the 

 recommendation and at the request of Capt, Kingman, 

 and aj)plies only to heavy freight wagons. In enforcing 

 this order I have only carried out the mstructions from 

 the Department on that subject as I have tried to do on 

 all others. 



In regard to prices charged for transportation and the 

 complaint that I have allowed pex'sons to charge exor- 

 bitant and illegal rates, I have only to say that under 

 date of Sept. 2, 1885, I was directed by the Department to 

 ' 'assume no control over contracts for transportation made 

 outside the limits of the Park." As contracts for trans- 

 portation are usually made at Cinnabar or Gardiner, I 

 have no control over the matter. 



Since I took charge of the Park I have done nothing in 

 rny official capacity that I would not do over under 

 similar circumstances, and I have no apologies nor excuses 

 to offer. In order to see that the laws were properly en- 

 forced, I remained at my post all last winter, something 

 that was never done by any former Superintendent. As 

 a consequence, there was more game and better order in the 

 Park to-day than was ever known before, as the many 

 visitors this season and every one familiar Avith the Park 

 will testify. I have worked hard and have worked my 

 men hard. Last winter when the snow got too deeji for 

 them to travel on horseback, I sent them out on snoAv- 

 shoes, and they did their duty faithfully and well and 

 were always at then- post. I have made many lasting and 

 valuable impi'ovements during my administration, and as 

 to my administration 1 refer to Capt, Dan. C. Kingman, 

 Corps U. S. Engineers, and to Professor Arnold Hagnae, 

 Geological Survey. They have been stationed in the Park 

 and are familiar with all that I have done and know, too, 

 under what disadvantages I have labored. The many 

 visitors to the Park this season have ah expressed theni- 

 selves highly pleased with the condition of affairs, 

 and not a single complaint has been made by any one. 

 The laws have been strictly enforced , especially those in 

 regard to the sale of intoxicating liquors in the Park. I 

 have reported all official actions to the Dej)artment and 

 they have been approved by the proper authority. I have 

 done nothing of which I am ashamed, but on the contrary 

 I feel that I have accomphshed much to be proud of under 

 all the cu'cmnstances. 



Chief Justice Waite, Ex-Secretary Bristow, Gov. Hauser 

 of Montana, Mr. Adolph Sutro of California, Gen. John 

 O. Black and many other prominent gentlemen, who have 

 visited the Park this season, were highly pleased with the 

 condition of affah-s and so expressed themselves, 



D. W. Wear. 



Majimoth Hot Speings, Wyo., Sept. 1, 1886. 



TRAVELS IN BOON GAH ARRAHBIGGEE. 



FROM THE DIARY OF JOSEPH GOATEE. 

 EDITED BT F. H. TEMPLE BELLEW, 



(Continued.) 



* * * W/"^ by any means confine om explora- 



T T tions to the land, but often taking the canoe 

 made excm-sions around the lake and among the hundreds 

 of smaU islands with winch it was filled. In no spot in 

 the world I have visited did I ever see such a superabund- 

 ance of animal life as in and around this piece of water. 

 Herons, snipe, si)oonbills and a variety of other waders 

 abounded, while the web-footed swimming birds seemed 

 endless in numbers and varieties. The gTOves were filled 

 with monkeys, lemurs, green parrots, cockatoos, snakes, 

 lizards, rabbits, porcupines and a great many other ani- 

 mals resembling nothing we are familiar with in America 

 or Europe, Some of the animals I speak of were ahnost 

 identical in appearance with those we have in om- own 

 country, the rabbits, for instance; and some deviated only 

 slightly in some respects from om- types, while others 

 again, though evidently belonging to' the same genera, 

 showed some marked distinction. It would be vain to 

 attempt to describe them all separately, but I shall do so 

 as I come across them in my perigrinations. 



As I have remarked before, the islands on this lake 

 were so close together that the limbs of the stately trees 

 that grew upon them locked overhead, forming tunnels 

 of dense foliage, through whicli om- canoe ghdes noise- 

 lessly along like a mute-borne coifin through the aisles of 

 a cathedral; an illusion only destroyed by the pipe of the 

 lemms scrambling from tree to tree overhead, and the 

 notes of the dense flocks of green parrots and other birds 

 that wound in long smuous lines in and out of the tortu- 

 ous wooded passages. The tranquil flowers gi-owing upon 

 the shore or floating on the sm-face of the water were no 

 less beautiful and interesting than the birds, beasts, fishes 



and gay insect life that gave such animation to the scene. 

 One's attention was never allowed to rest, something 

 novel continually presenting itself to diallenge notice. 

 Here clingmg to a ti-ee and scarcely discernilile from the 

 bark, was a gigaul ic moth, whose wide-open wings mcas- 

 lu-ed 12ft. from tip to tip. There seated in the crotch of 

 a gum tree, dosing stupidly in the noon day heat, squatted 

 a green ape with pendulous nose and flabby draped jowls, 



THE MAMMOTH MOTH. 



winking and blinking and noAv and then lazily or petu- 

 lantlj' brushing away an obtrusive insect "from his 

 nose with Ms bulboxis iuigers. A little further on would 

 be a flock of the abmidant marble ducks with plumage 

 marked out in h-regular geometrical forms of black, white 

 red, blue and yellow, precisely like some mineral produc- 

 tion of the quarry. This duck is the most delicious eating, 

 and in my opinion far surpasses our justly famous can- 

 vasback. In anotiier place a dense covey of scarlet duck 

 would make the Avaters appear- clothed Avith gore. And 

 m still another a dense mass of the woo-Avang with their 



THE MARBLE DUCK, 



long necks held vertically in the air and swaying back- 

 Avard and forward AA^ould produce the unpression of a 

 field of some strange reed or grain stalks waving- under 

 the breeze. 



At one point nay attention was ai-rested by an odd-look- 

 ing prehensile little beast Avdth a large, pointed snout, 

 hanging by its tail to the limb of a tree, about ten feet 

 over the water. The thing Avas i^erfectly motionless and 

 seemed to be asleep, but curiosity indiiced me to stop the 

 canoe and watch it. I had been doing this for about 

 three minutes Avhen suddenly it di-opped, there Avas a 

 splash in the water, a little foam, some circular ripples, 

 and it had disappeared. Pi-esently there w-as a terrible 

 commotion a httle fm-ther down, the water flew about in 

 all dhections and was lashed into soap suds. Then I saw 

 the little creature struggle to the sm-face Avith a good sized 



THE DIVTNG DINGO. 



fish impaled on its barbed, horny snout. With this it 

 struggled up the bank, and set to work cutting it in two 

 by vigorous saw-like motions of the snout. Presently the 

 two halves of the fish lay motionless on the grass, and the 

 little hunter set to work to eat it, after Avhich he disap- 

 peared in a neighboring bm-row. 



I had occasion often here to regret my lack of scientific 

 knoAvledge, preventing me as it did from properly classify- 

 ing the strange beasts I came across, or of even knowing 

 in what direction to look for the distinguishing marks of 

 different genera and species, but I trust that the crude 

 data I may furnish of Avhat I have seen in this truly mar- 

 velous land may come under the observation of minds 

 better stored with exact scientific knowledge and methods 

 than my OAvn, and be thus turned to profitable accoimt. 



Often as I have lam at night under the spreading limbs 

 of the beautiful mosomea tree, looking at the stars tAvink- 

 ling between its leaves, or at the broad moon sailing tran- 

 quilly through the broad sky, have I reflected on the 

 strangeness of my position, That same calm moon would 

 m a f eAv hom-s shine doAvn on my beloved ones at home 

 (ones alas! whom T was destined to see never more*), and 



♦This AYas added in a different colored ink, evidently -written 

 later, probably Avlien looking over bis earlier MSS.— r. B, 



they would gaze up at it as I was then doing, perluips 

 thinking of me and marveling what might be my fate. I 

 felt that this distant moou and tliese stars were our com- 

 mon ]H'oport5^ and liiilcs tliat bound us togetlier. And 

 liei-e waK I by an accident thrown ijito an unknown land, 

 of vviiioli C'iA'ilized ina]i Jiad no l^noAvledgc or conceptiort. 

 I alone of all tlie world kncAA^ of ity cxistcuce and the 

 marvels it contained, and yet the secret niiglit die with 

 me, for I knew then of no meauH of escaj^c. If this 

 comitry shoidd be an inland (au afLe]-A\ ard proA^ed to be 

 the case) with a swirling maelstrom of water ail around 

 it such as that tlu-ongh which I had passed, hoAv could 

 I possibly get aAvay," The natives had no idea Avhat- 

 ever of any human Avorld ontside. Beyond to them 

 was the futiu-e lieaA-eu or hell. They conunitted their 

 dead to the riA-ers, fclie rivers carried them into the 

 sm-rounding lake and tliey were gone.* Nonliving man 

 who had essayed to explore beyond the island had 

 ewer returned, and it aa as n<>\\- (considered an imyhous 

 crime against the Great .Spirit to malce the attempt. 

 Knowing only a few words of theii- language, I could but 

 glean a vague idea of their mysterious theology. One 

 thing wa,s "manifest, hoAvevcr, that AvLiih; tJiey" did not 

 absolutely worship an evU spirit, or devil, inost of their 

 religious rites were directed tov/ard propitiating him. 

 To the Good Spirit, or Godliead, AAdiom they also recog- 

 nized as the Creator, fchey paid little attention. He did 

 not need any piropitiation; he was on their side and they 

 on his. They seemed to feel toAvard him only an affec- 

 tionate comradeship, like soldiers to their general. This 

 they would manifest in various Avays. If they happened 

 to secure any particularly delicious" piece of fruit, or any 

 floAver or bird of more than ordinary beauty, they Avould 

 pat it affectionately, saying, "Aharooma bote urra, woo 

 Aharooma urra,^' "God, the good httle God, gave me that, 

 or sent that." The opposite emotion of displeasure was 

 conveyed by a guttural grunt. If they escaped from 

 some peril, storni or flood^ or wild beasts, or even some 

 trivial accident, or on the healing of a wound, they Avould 

 exclaim, "CZocfcf Aharooma, icoo Aharooma jicicJckadogne 

 warr, Wombai r, appapapackuxi.'" "Oh, God, little God, 

 Ave beat the devil that time, didn't we?" I shall have 

 more to say furtl ier on , Avhen I reach that part of my 

 diary, ahout their religious rites, devil Avorship, devil- 

 tribute, homage, or ('ession, whatever one may call it. 

 At present I must retm-n to my lake and ri ver experi- 

 ences. 



*In anotiier part of his diary "i\:Tr. Goatev speaks of tiie graves of 

 the mothers. This at first sii'uck me an bcinK inconsistent Avith 

 the practice— he here mentions of connnittf ug tlieir dead to the 

 rivers and lake. But I find in a J at er part of his journal he de- 

 scribes their burial rites and the erection of tombs ovei' tl\e laair 

 and nails of the deceased, tiiose beiiicc tiie only parts interred. — 

 F. B. 



•I- This Avord, Avhich I have spelled clock, is in renlity not an ar- 

 ticulated soimd, but a kind of report, or click, produced by draAV- 

 ing the tongue sharply from the roof of tlie moutli, and was an 

 uniA-ersal form of exclamation among the natives to expres sur- 

 prise or admiration.— J. Or. 



SAM LOVEL'S CAMPS.-V. 



THE next day's daAvn came with slow reluctance to 

 cUmly light a dismal landscape, over which had come 

 one of those disheartening eiiangcy so frequent in our 

 northern latitude tha,t it seems strang(3 tiiey are not ex- 

 pected as in the common course of nature, rather than 

 Avondered at and spiritually rebelled against. The suc- 

 cession of the seasons had apparently been turned back- 

 Avard in the gloom and mystery of oire night, and where 

 yesterday spring was jubilantly triumphant over the re- 

 conquest of her realms, Avinter Avas reigning again. Snow 

 had been falling for an hour or more, driven by the north 

 wind in a long slant from the leaden sky to the eartli, 

 whitening the dun fields and turning the browir and 

 green woodlands to spectral graj^, tilt the trees looked 

 like ghosts of the slain embodiment of spring. The slug-' 

 gish waves of the Slang beat with a sullen wash on the 

 Avind-swept shores, but in the sheltered coves a seal of 

 leaden ice Avas set uj)on them. The Avild ducks, happy 

 and content in any weather that gaA'e them open water, 

 were splashing and diving a,nd breasting the black floodj 

 but the land bu'ds were in sorry plight. They huddled in 

 the thickets for shelter, and if one attempted to pipe a 

 song, its thm, half -frozen notes added no cheer to the day, 

 but rather made it all the more dreary. 



When Sam aAvoke with a dull sense of changed weather 

 in his bones, and sat up in bis Ijed to look abroad, the pic- 

 ture set in the triangular frame of the shanty front, a 

 pointed bit of gray sky above Avhite Qelds and black water, 

 with a foregi-ound of snow-laden buslies, tlie blackened 

 stakes, cross pole and brands of the dead camj3-fire, was 

 so utterly cheerless that only the deshe of com]janionship, 

 eA^er craved by misery, impelled hhn to arouse his com- 

 rades. The homicl came stretching ami yaAvning forth, 

 and after a sorroAAi:ul look abroad and a sniff of tlie damp 

 ah-, gave a dolorous whine, crejot bade to his dark corner 

 to comfort himself Avith forgetfulness of the outside 

 world. "While Pelatiah suffered in silence,with unworded 

 wishes for the comfortable warmth of the kitchen stove 

 at home, Antoine loudly denounced the meteorological 

 change. "Ah'll never see so many damn wedder in litly 

 Avhile all ma life tam, bah gosh! Wliat for he ant jus' 

 AA^ell be sprim wen he'll get all ready, jus' Avell as jomp 

 raght back in midlin of winters? Bah gosh, Ah dunno, 

 me! Wal, Ah don' care, Ah 'spose Ave'U got have it some 

 fire on aour stofe, ant it?" and getting himself together he 

 began a search, axe in hand, for some dry kindling. Chip- 

 ping away the weather-beaten outside" of an old stump, 

 he soon got at its yellow lieart, and with shavings and 

 splinters of it presently had a cheerful blaze lapping- the 

 snoAV and dampness olf the back-log. Breakfast Avas 

 hardly in preparation when the snow tmiied to more 

 dreary rain, that came pelting doAvn with a dull patter, 

 freezing as it f eU. All hands turned cooks and made fre- 

 quent rapid dashes from the shanty's shelter to the sput- 

 tering fire, one encouraging its feeble effor ts with a punch 

 or a morsel of dry fuel, another giving the frying fish a 

 turn or a shake, another snatching out of the veil of 

 smoke a hm-ried glance at the pot that Avas fully pos- 

 sessed of the proverbial pei-verseness of watched j)ots, and 

 stood long on the order of its boiling. 



When at last patience was exhausted and hunger would 

 no longer be temporized Avitb, they made a sally and 

 brought in the half-cooked rations. The potatoes seemed 

 to be suffei-ing an epidemic ossification of the heart, for 

 every one had a "bone in it," and the fish, except the out- 

 side and thinner parts, was raw, Antoine's onions did 

 strong and excellent service in helping out the sorry meal, 

 and when it was got tlu*ough with the little party settled 



