164 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Sept. 23, 1886 



ey, when I saw G.'s elephant stop and himself evidently 

 watching the g-rass and standing ready for a shot. Bang! 

 went one barrel in the du-ection of the hill, and the next 

 moment I saw him wheel rotmd, evidently bent on a 

 blind shot in the grass. Another shot, and" I heard the 

 rushing tlu'ongh the cover and saw the tall grass swaying 

 in nay direction ; the tiger came on, the elephant grew 

 escited as he came closer, for the beast came straight at 

 us to within seven or eight yards, when he swerved. I 

 gave him one barrel — at least the intention was good — 

 and followed it quickly with a second, which elicited an 

 angry roar, but he kept on his way, and G., who was 

 coming rapidly xip, now joined us; we pressed on at best 

 pace after the beast, which was evidently making straight 

 for the opposite hill. We had crossed tke pathway when 

 we saw him bound up the hill about a hundred and twenty 

 yards off. Our four barrels Avere fired in quick succes- 

 sion, and wliile I A^ as reloading &. poured in another two 

 from his second rifle. The tiger was noAv near the crest 

 of the hill, and as I raised my rifle I could see that he 

 cai-ried, or rather dragged, oue hiudleg; the next moment 

 he had disappeared. Pushing on to Mdiere he had 

 emerged from the grass, we soon sighted blood, and, dis- 

 moimting and giving our followers our second weapons 

 and a good supply of ammunition, we took up the trail. 

 Presently it occurred to me to fire the valley, and, broach- 

 ing the subject, we came to a, halt. There was a light 

 breeze blowing nearly down the valley, and our deliber- 

 ations soon resulted in an order to the mahouts to go up 

 to the head of the tall grass, fire it, and then crossing 

 the range, keep along its foot until they came up 

 with us. "We then followed the trail to the crest of the 

 liill, having plenty of blood to guide us, and looking 

 down could see nothing but tree tops; descending along 

 the trail we entered the forest which was fairly open, the 

 area being about equally shared by trees and bamboo 

 clumps; here it was necessary to advance with caution, 

 so committing the trail to one man, the other three kept 

 close to hinf with weapons ready for instant action. In 

 this order we advanced a couple of miles, sometimes 

 losing the trail and having to describe a circuit before we 

 could pick it up afresh, when on the shady side of a bam- 

 boo clump we came on a heavy patch of blood, indicat- 

 ing that our foe had taken a rest there; beyond this we 

 were xmable to recover the trail. We went round and 

 round in widening cu-cles, and at length espied a clump 

 of grass, to the right of the course we had come, and 

 made straight for it, keei^mg close together. Midway 

 from where we sighted it the trail was again struck, and 

 now speaking for myself, my heart began to palpitate, for 

 there was little doubt we were close on him; the grass was 

 not high, two feet perhaps, and nearly as I Cottld see 

 about half an acre in area. Advancing slowly we reached 

 the edge; I saw the grass move abotit twenty yards from 

 us, and the next instant with a roar the tiger came straiglit 

 at us. We all fii-ed simultaneously and dropped him, but 

 he still struggled to get at us, and made us open out. 

 As he rolled'over ifearly close to my feet, I gave him my 

 second barrel anywhere, and sprang back. By the time 

 I had reloaded he was pretty well done for, for the other 

 three had all fu-ed; he was on liis side and trjdng in vain 

 to sit up, gnashing his teeth as he did so. A No. 10 at the 

 base of the skull settled him, he arched his back outward, 

 then inward, stretching his legs to their full spread, wagged 

 his tail and all was over. 



We found ten holes in his skin, one in his saddle, one 

 just above the hock (an express shell, evidently, for it had 

 torn the tendons to shreds without breaking the bone), 

 one in the throat, two in the chest, one behind the right 

 shoulder, one through the left shoulder, two in the left 

 flank, and the finisher, winch had entered the brain. The 

 saddle shot was mine and admittedly the first hit, so the 

 skin fell to me, and the mountaineers had got it nearly 

 off by the time the elephants, guided by oiu- shooting, had 

 come up. As the work progx-essed, I got out the stomach 

 and bowels, finding nothing but deer hair in both, and we 

 had to submit to the mortification of knowing that the 

 man-eater had again escaped us. 



It was now half -past two o'clock; the roaring of the fire 

 over in the valley was distinctly audible, so we deter- 

 mined to have lunch. Fortunately one of the mahouts 

 had a water can with liim, which enabled me to wash my 

 hands, and both G. and I did ample justice to the cold 

 venison, accomi^anied with bottled Bass. By the time we 

 had finished, G. decided that it was useless returning to 

 the valley; we might perhaps find the chaired bones of 

 the last victim, but cut bono! the tiger was gone, at least, 

 unless this was the man-eater we had just shot. He didn't 

 trust so much to the hair test as I did. Tlie man-cater, 

 he argued, probably killed other game at times, and was 

 not Likely to eat the hair of the head of man or woman. 

 If there were no more victims he should conclude that we 

 had probably killed the man-eater, although he must ad- 

 mit that the chances were at least two to one against the 

 supposition. 



The meal finished we started for the scene of the day- 

 light conflict, about two miles oif, and got off the skin, 

 which was balanced agauist the first we got together. G. 

 offered me my choice, and on my replying that I had 

 none he selected the fresh one. 



Our watches chronicled a quarter to foui', and we made 

 straight for camp, which was about five miles off. On 

 the way G., who was about a hundred yards on my left, 

 got a shot at a spotted stag, and half a minute later I saw 

 another come out from behind a clump of bamboo and 

 cross my path. I fired, but as I pulled the trigger I saw 

 the beast fall, and my ball. passing over him rattled 

 against a tree beyond, G. caniie up on the blood trail and 

 claimed a hit, and I explained wdiat had happened. An- 

 other mile and G. bowled over a four-horned antelope, but 

 so completely smashed up his hindquarters that we let 

 him lie. I put up a boar, but reflecting that I could make 

 no use of him I reserved my fire. As we neared camp 

 another shot from G., followed by an angry growlmg, 

 made me push on at best speed, another shot silenced the 

 row, and coming up I saw it was a hyena, which was also 

 allowed to lie where he fell, 



A little further on we sighted the tents, but on getting 

 closer we saw a second encampment which we recognized 

 as ours, the first seen was the district officer's, and find- 

 ing him at the door of his tent, we accepted an invitation 

 to dinner, on the understanding that we might send over 

 any game dish we might find cooked. We gave the gist 

 of om- day's adventm-es and proposed a day's pig sticking 

 for the morrow. 



A bath and a change of clothes, followed by a glass of 

 sherry, were the first comforts we indulged in, and learn- 



ing on inqiiiry that there was plenty of venison soup and 

 a brace of jungle fowl on the sjjit, we ordered them over 

 to R.'s camp and strolled over to enjoy a crack, while din- 

 ner was in preparation. R. xjroduced a shoulder of mut- 

 ton, which I at-facked vigorously, having hardly had a 

 taste since my mishap at Hurdwar. 



We spent a pleasant two hours, and pleading fatigue 

 retired at 9 o'clock, having first arranged for an early 

 start in the morning, as E. would have to open court at 

 noon. On the way home G. explained that he would not 

 have spent another day with me if it were not to give the 

 elephants and camels a needed rest, as he was anxious 

 to start for Hurdwar and inspect his outlying division at 

 Gorakhpm- before Christmas. ' ShiKjIREe. 



[to be continued.] 



CAMPING NOTES. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Will not some of your reader tell several other readers how 

 to make a small A tent large enough to hold three persons 

 with the smallest amoimt of dunnage consistent with the 

 smallest amount of plain living, the object being to obtain 

 a tent that will shed water and at the same time not be 

 so heavy as to crack tlie hinges in one's spinal column 

 when he totes it with the rest of his share of the outfit 

 across a rough country? It shoidd have flaps at both 

 ends to insure ample ventilation; would be used only to 

 sleep m and for shelter on rainy days. I have an idea 

 that a ground area of 6x9ft. would suffice, allowing 6ft. 

 lengthwdse for the occupants and 3ft. at the foot for the 

 kit. I notice some one in the canoe camp at Grindstone 

 has a tent of oiled mushn; perhaps the oil woidd add too 

 much to its weight, lightness, cheapness and homemade- 

 ness being the main consideration. 



"D. R. B." in your last issue asks why some one does not 

 put on the market a small silk tent and hammock of light 

 texture. I presume it would be too costly for the majority 

 of sportsmen who would have use for such a tent, that is 

 for those who do their own toting. A silk tent would 

 not long stand the wear and tear, especially that due to 

 friction when on the back, and the sparks from the camp 

 fire would so pepper it with holes as to make it very 

 leaky. 



It is true as he says, the hammock is safe from reptiles. 

 I have slept on the ground over a great part of North 

 America alaove latitude 15 and was never afraid of an}^- 

 tliing except 6Corj)ions and our little black wood spider, 

 although I have sometimes been troubled by the black 

 ant of the tropics. The hammock would not be safe from 

 these pests and other good climbers. I camped a,t Tia- 

 daughton (Round Island), on Pine Creek, Pa. , years before 

 "Nessmuk paddled his canoe from that point of em- 

 barkation, on which vojage he had some experience with 

 a rattlesnake, the reptile crawled over his wrist as he just 

 waived up that dark night. I had some experience of that 

 kind. This Pine Creek Valley and Huckleberry Barrens 

 are densely populated with these reptiles. When we 

 pitched oui- tents a large paxty of log drivers who pre- 

 ceded us told us they had killed eight large rattlesnakes 

 during then- stay of a few days. One came into one of our 

 tents, where eight men were sleeping, on Saturday night 

 and rummaged around until 10 o'clock Sunday morning, 

 when she was frightened out by the rattle of tin plates 

 made by the cook setting the table for breakfast. She 

 went out the back door and did not give alarm imtil 

 closely pm'sued by the cook, who killed her Avith an axe 

 just as she was entering the brambles 40ft. distant. She 

 made no attempt to fight. I have never had any fear, 

 nor heard of a person being bitten by reptiles whUe sleep- 

 ing, although I do not say that such tastances have not 

 occuiTed. Of course if" one of the men had got up 

 in the night and stepped on her, or had the hammock 

 man got down, or had "Nessmuk" on that dark night 

 grabbed his snake by the tail, swung it around his head 

 six times, then, with a quick jerk endeavored to snap 

 her head olf, they all might liave been bitten. The 

 reason N. did not do so was because he did not think of 

 it until the next week. N. discontinued the voyage the 

 next morning-. Embarked on the cars. Went home. 



TlADAUGHTON. 



BOSTON AND MAINE. 



THERE is quite an exodus of Boston "sportsmen to the 

 Maine woods and waters. The weather has been 

 rather warm thus far, but the season is drawing to a close 

 on trout, and a number of gentlemen, anxious to get a 

 few days with rod and line and then a tvu-n at the larger 

 game, will time their departure so as to have a few days 

 in September for trout and then a few days in October. 

 Thus far even the hotel and steamboat men admit that 

 the fall fishing has been very poor, but cooler weather, 

 which is hoped for, is expected to improve it. 



Mr. Mark Hollingsworth, a veteran in angling, though 

 not in years, is at the Upper Dam, Androscoggin Lakes. 

 He has been there many seasons, both fall and spring. 

 Mr. Nutt, of this city, with ladies", is also there, Mr. 

 Sprague is occupying the camp of the celebrated Wliit- 

 tier. At Moosehead Lake it is reported that the accom- 

 modations are crowded. Several Boston sportsmen are 

 there. 



Grouse shooting in Maiae is still reported to be veiy 

 poor. It is hard to hear of a section in that State where 

 good shooting can be had. From some parts of New 

 Hampshire the story is rather better. Mr. Bart RolHns, 

 who goes shooting every fall with Mr, Green, his next 

 neighbor in the produce' trade, went up to Plymouth, in 

 that State, for three or four days last week, and they re- 

 port partridges more plenty than on the same grotmds 

 last year. They had good sport, but the non-ti-ansporta- 

 tionlawdid not permit them to bring liome the birds. 

 Some of then- friends spoke for their year's supply of 

 partridges, but they were disappointed when Bart and 

 Green came home empty-handed. They say tliat the law 

 that you can't bring your bhds home has helped in one 

 way. The other boys don't expect you to produce a bird 

 in proof of every one you say you shot, for the law won't 

 let you. It is easier to tell a— big story. 



The arrest of the Puffers, father and son, well-knovm 

 tradesmen, with a gentleman from Springfield, for vio- 

 lating the Mame game and fish laws, has created what 

 may°be tei-med a silent sensation here. They were 

 arrested at Calais last week. Lots of sportsmen here are 

 silent about the matter, for the reason that they know 

 that they are guiltv themselves. They listen to comments 

 without remark, "it seems that the Pufters, when ar- 

 rested, had a part of a deer in tlieir r;anoe, which the 



warden seized. The deer they oftered to pay the fine for, 

 but they were not allowed to escape so easily. The officer 

 claims tliat they were illegally fishing with trolling spoons 

 a few days before, and also' that each man is liable for 

 the full fine for killing the deer,, making |150 instead of 

 $50, which they offereii to pay. It is understood that the 

 parties wiU go to the Supreme Com-t before they will pay 

 so much of^ a fine on the order of the lower court; but 

 there they are sure to be beaten, for several such cases 

 have been tried before the Supreme Court in that State 

 and the parties have been found guilty, pai^i iccjjs criniinis, 

 and each has had the full fuie to pay, thougli not having 

 been even present at the actual kilhng of the illegal game. 

 It is suificient to convict if a person is one of a hunt- 

 ing party and sharing in the advantages of the himt. Tlae 

 officer claims that the Pufl'ers have been in the habit of 

 bringing dogs into that region for several seasons, and that 

 he has proof aga,inst them for hunting illegally in that 

 way. The case is a wholesome one for Maine game, to 

 say the least. Boston parties have been gomg too far in 

 that State for a long time, and the sooner they under- 

 stand that tJiey are in great danger from the law the 

 better. Had the earnest Fish and" Game Commissioners 

 the means to patrol the hunting regions, as they should 

 have, it would be next to impossible to steal game Crom 

 that State witliout detection and punishment, and the 

 chances are that the next Legislature will grant the means 

 to thoroughly do a wor\ of so great value, not only to 

 tliat State, but also to the whole sporting community. 

 Commissioner Stiliwell was here last week. He is grow- 

 ing old in service, but he feels that he has been re- 

 warded by an increase of deer undei' pnitection. He 

 justly complains of the unfairness — not to put it in a 

 legal point of view — of the man who persists in coming 

 into Maine and kiUing game or taking fish in defiance of 

 a law made to protect and allow such game to increase — 

 of the unf aumess, the meanness, of breaking the game 

 laws, wlien there is an open season, equally free to all. 

 Even a htmting trophy is not of sufficient value to make 

 it worth while to stain one's conscience. Special, 

 Boston, Sept. 20^ 



ROBERT O'LINCOLN. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



You find fault -nith me in your issue of tlie 9th for 

 "inviting game law violation," as you put it. and casting 

 reflections on the Legislature that passed the last law pro- 

 hibiting the " snaring, liming, poisoning, or kilhng" of 

 certain" small birds. I sometimes thmk that the cheerful 

 and ubiquitous idiot, who has so much influence on 

 human affairs, is preeminently prominent in securing the 

 passage ol' enac:tments for the prolcction of game, but 

 possibly tlie itreparation of such staliiies may be a more 

 difficult matter than is generally supposed. It will be 

 apparent to any one, however, after a slight examination 

 of tlie last and worst statutorial folly, tliat the legislators 

 had no idea of what they were doing when they made this 

 bobbery over bobolinks, and created into crimes tlie shoot- 

 ing of pewees or tomtits, and were most likely tricked in- 

 to the passage of the law. It is an insidious attack on the 

 modern ladies' fasliioii of wearing feathers in their hats 

 which the author did not dai-c attempt openly, or is only 

 the crystallization of a ma^vl-cisli sentiment that regards 

 small bh-ds as beautiful and tries to pretend that they are 

 useful. That the feathers are a part of the bu-d, no one 

 can dispute, and hence a lady who wears a feather of a 

 wild bird in her head-dress is hable to imprisomnent and 

 fine. If the game protector of om- district were to enforce 

 this enactment literally, or should sue the dealers in 

 feathers for the millions of dollars foi- whicli they may be 

 liable by a strict interiiretation, I should not on] not urge 

 him on, but I sliould urge him very strongly to the con- 

 trary, and should promptly recommend his removal from 

 office, and 5 et the folly of punishing a man for selhng 

 feathers is not greater than tliat of fining liim for selling 

 bii'ds of food which by no stretch of imagination can be re- 

 garded as bu'ds of game. If you had read my last book 

 as carefully as I had hoped, you wonld liave noticed that 

 the hero sacrificed the oppovtunity to k-ill a lordly sickle- 

 bill, the largest and grandest of bay snipe, in order to shoot 

 a sea gaill for Ins lady's hat, and 1 am free to confess that 

 I think he was right. We give the fairer and hetter por- 

 tion of creation too much to deny them the wings of 

 small birds if they hanker after them. Moreover it is a 

 question still unsettled wliethei' small biids are not of 

 more injury than benefit to the woiid and especially to 

 the farmers, a question that the ornitholugical department 

 of the government is at this moment trying to solve. The 

 counsel for the St. Lawi-ence Association, one of the most 

 useful and powerful organizations of the State, condemns 

 the law as sti-ongly as I have and even suggests that as it 

 forbids the snaring and poisoning of all manner of vvild 

 birds "except game birds," it may by inference permit 

 the snaring and poisoning of game birds. Did. not the 

 Legislature merely suppose tliat they were passing a law 

 to forbid the taking of the life of feathered songsters in 

 illegitimate ways? Could they have intended tliat while 

 there was a statute existing which allowed farmers to kill 

 robins when destroying fruit and market-gunners to kiU 

 them when they were fit and proper for the table, to 

 prevent their kilhng altogether and declare that they as 

 farmers must sit by while the robin was stealing their 

 grapes, strawberriers and cherries and while the crow 

 was tearing up the corn or the hawk carrying off their 

 chickens, for this statute not only expressly mcjitions 

 certain buds but by a sweeping provision includes all 

 others not game of which it gives a very learned if not 

 accurate list. Wherein is the meadow lark of value ex- 

 cept for his feathers in connection with ladies' hats or to 

 serve as marks for youtliful sportsmen, unless it be under 

 a sentimentahty of wisdom that confounds it with the 

 lark of England. This law is indeed protection run mad 

 and is the modern evidence of a mania for exaltnig trifles 

 into crimes. The only; bird which my agricultural ex- 



Seiience convinces me is of use to the farmer, the miller- 

 evouring sparrow, is expressly given over to unhmited 

 and mu-cstrained annihilation. If Ave are to iirotect tom- 

 tits and pewees tliis year, why should we not protect 

 humming bhds, moths and beetles next, and make it a 

 crime for the tiller of the soil to destroy the cut worm or 

 the apple borer because they tiu-n into such pretty butter- 

 As to yomr slur on the Association for the Protection of 

 Game, that "its plethoric bank account has been swoUen 

 by fines," permit me to say that never has an association 

 been managed with less" greediness or with more dis- 

 interested regard for the public good. It has remitted 



