306 



FOREST AND STREAM: 



[Nov. 11, i8^6; 



AN ARKANSAS IDYL, 



BY "nESSMXTK." 



[Suggested newspaper accounts of a Southern family feud, in 

 •wMch the adult males on either side were nearly extermmated— 

 the feud being finally settled by intei-marriage.] 



TN a half decayed log cabin, ou the shore of Apple Lake, 



Dwelt a lank, ill-favored squatter by the name of Poker Jake, 

 (Which his real name Avas Likens), and he raised a motley crew 

 Of tow-headed sons and daughters, as such fellows mostly do, 

 "Without culture or good manners, and -svith no regard for law. 

 Trained to loafing, drinking, fighting, and to fish and shoot and 

 chaw. 



Seven miles below Old Likens, by a marshy, muddy sloo, 

 At the turning of the river, lived Old Simmons and his crew; 

 And as between the fathers or the sons of either gang. 

 It would be very hard to say which most deserved to hang. 

 And yet, though they were ornery, it must be freely owned, 

 They were exceeding chivalric— sui-prisingly high-toned. 

 One of them miglit abstract a horse, or rob the mail by night— 

 But just insinuate he lied— he'd slice you up on sight. 



Now, old man Likens had a mule, a spike-tailed smoky gray. 

 Which Ikey Simmons found at large, and claimed it as a stray, 

 And took it ofC and sold it, and pocketed the dust. 

 Which filled the tribe of Poker Jake with anger and disgust. 

 Then Yancey Likens took his gun and sallied out alone. 

 And soon the tribe of Simmons had a funei-al of their own. 



Such summary proceedings in a rural neighborhood 

 Produce unpleasant feelings, and resiilt in nothing good. 

 For Davis Simmons took his gun, and laid for Poker Jake, 

 And shot him, catching catties, in a dugout on the lake. 



Then all the neighbors felt that tliis had gone too deep for fun. 

 And that a deadly quarrel had undoubtedly begun. 

 For Yancey Likens at the grave was heard to swear aloud, 

 He'd lay for every Simmons and exterminate the crowd! 

 It was a rash expression, and could only be condoned 

 By the fact that he was fiery, and uncommonly high-toned. 

 Likewise he was the coolest man, and hardest shot by odds- 

 He had been known to hit a deer at five and forty rods. 



The Simmons cabin faced the sloo, with just a path between, 

 And on the other side came do^vn the forest, dense and green. 

 And just within the forest's edge, besids a sycamore. 

 Did Yancey Likens take his stand, to watch the cabin door. 

 And when lie saw Old Simmons come meandering round the sloo. 

 He took a rest across a log, and bored him through and through! 



Old Simmons had a daughter— Martha Washington by name, 



A round-limbed, blue-eyed, handsome jade, of most decided game. 



And she had loved this Yancey— but that was over now— 



She took a shotgun from its liooks, and registered a vow. 



She loaded up both barrels wth the biggest kind of shot. 



And went gunning after Yancey. Yancey, he got up and got. 



He was as brave in single fight as any man unhung. 



But could he harm the girl he loved, so brave, so fair and young? 



And so, although she prowled around, and hid beside the road. 



And bushwhacked every cowpath that led to his abode. 



And though Ma'am Likens got a charge of bird shot in a place 



That caused her to repose at night by lying on her face. 



And though old granny Simmons, picking chips beside her door, 



Got hit just where Ma'am Likens had been hit the week before. 



And thoiigh Andrew Jackson Likens got a bullet in his thigh. 



She could get no shot at Yancey. Yancey held his hand too high. 



Perhaps if Yancey chose to tell, he might explain just how 



It happened no one shot at her in all this precious row. 



But, anyAvay, she had her way, and played the Indian scout, 

 Until one afternoon, when strength and pluck were giving out. 

 She sought a quiet spot, and scraping leaves into a heap. 

 But meaning still to keep awake, dropped calmly off to sleep, 

 And dreamed Iver love dream o'er again, and tJiat 'twas early spring. 

 And Yancey Likens came to her, and brought the wedding ring. 

 But -when ]ie strove to put it on, she saw it, with alarm. 

 Expand, and slip above her hand, and rest upon her arm. 

 And then the ring began to shrink, until it grew so tight, 

 The sharp compression caused her pain, and woke her in a fright. 

 And then slie saw, with sudden fear, a pair of brawny fists, 

 That most uncompromisingly imprisoned both her wrists! 



She fought like any mountain cat, and in her struggles swore 

 She never had been so misused by any man before. 

 She wrenched herself as she had been an acrobat on show. 

 And shrieked, "You low-down, ornery pup, how dar you squeeze 

 me so!" 



But stiU the iron grip remained, and o'er her shoulders fell 

 The steady gaze of steel-gray eyes— the eyes she knew so well! 

 A laughing face looked down on hers, and all in vain she tried 

 To free herseU', and then— and then she wilted down and cried. 



Ma'am Likens, vrfth a water-gourd, went hobbling to the spring. 

 She was too old and lame to dance— too cussed mad to sing. 

 She crooned and grumbled in her wrath, until she met her son, 

 A-galivanting down the path, wth Martha Washington! 



No ma.iter how they compromised each ugly word and deed- 

 Young Yancey had the leading mind— and leading minds will lead. 



Tl loy sent young Thomas Benton Likens off to bring a priest. 

 Likewise, a keg of applejack— ten gallons at the least. 

 The tribe of Simmons all came up— the Likenses were there, 

 The neighbors swore they ne'er before had seen a bride so fair.* 

 Young Yancey led the festive dance, with Martha at his side, 

 While jNIontagues and Capulets pranced after them with pride. 

 Ma'am Likens, primed witli appleiack, went halting thro' a reel, 

 While granny Simmons in her chair, kept time with toe and heel. 



They smoked the fragrant cob of peace, they drank their toddy hot. 

 They swore an everlasting truce and sealed it on the spot. 

 By digging tmderneath a tree a narrow grave and deep. 

 And burying the tomahawk where Martha went to sleep. 



♦This was written years before Joactuln Miller's "WlUlain Brown, of 



Oregon," saw the ligbt. 



^mtw ^Hg mid 0utj. 



Address aH communications to the Forest and Stream PuT). Co. 



Concerning Coots —Editor Forest and Stream: 1 

 notice in your columns from time to time enthusiastic 

 accounts of very enjoyable coot shooting on the eastern 

 coast. Now, if this coot is the same black, long, straight- 

 necked, tame, tough, fisliy, entirely non-edible, useless 

 bu-d that is called coot on the southern coast, I am 

 entirely unable to perceive wherein lies the sport of kill- 

 ing him, her or it. Will the ardent coot shooter rise with 

 his ai-gument? — O. O. S. [He is not, but is a black sea 

 duck of the genus Oidemia, of which three species are 

 common on the New England coast.] 



MOOSE IN MAINE. 



ALTHOUGH the open season has hardly been over a 

 month an open one, yet at least three moose have 

 fallen to the sportsman's rifle in Maine. The returned 

 hunters report "a good many moose, deer very plenty, 

 but shy." Tlie lordly old fellow of the Kehnebago region 

 has fallen to the toils of Capt. Thomas. He is reported to 

 have weighed l,1001bs., and to have stood 18 hands high. 

 What a giant! If sitch game can be multiplied in Maine, 

 and it is certain that it is being multiplied rmder the 

 present protection, it is worthy of the best effort of every 

 true sportsman in the land. Another bull moose has been 

 killed in the Moosehead region. A worthy doctor, of 

 Boston, is the happy sportsman, if a sportsman can be 

 hajppy. The report is that the doctor killed his moose in 

 a little sti-eam that leads out of Mud Lake. The doctor 

 and his Indian guide were in the canoe, when the moose 

 answered to the call of what he would make his mate, but 

 alas, hke many fmother lover, he met his fate. The story 

 goes that the moose came down within a few foot, when 

 the doctor tired. His shot took clfect, but only to em-age 

 the moose and in a measm-e weaken him. Though the 

 bullet passed completely througli him just back of tbe 

 lungs, he came directly for the canoe, which was fortun- 

 ately in the very shallow water of the stream. The en- 

 raged animal, with antlers in air, ten feet from the 

 gi-oimd, struck tlte frail canoe with both feet. They 

 crashed through it like an eggshell. The animal, weak- 

 ened by the doctor's fii-st shot, fell on his knees in the 

 water as he struck the canoe. The cunning Indian was 

 too much for liim, and in a moment had him by the 

 antlers as he attempted to rise, when another shot from 

 the rifle of the now thoroughly trightened doctor put an 

 end to the struggles of auolher great moose in Maine. 

 The fellow had almost remarkable pair of antlers, spread- 

 ing over four feet and armed with twenty-fom* prongs. 

 The third moose is reported to have been killed in the 

 vicinity of Lake Nicatous. 



I give the above moose stories as they were told mo by 

 relTirned sportsmen whom I know, but yet, as they came 

 home a good deal excited at tbe success of tbcu- friends, I 

 do not care to vouch for the accuracy of tbe statement in 

 detail. It need only to be said that it is a pity to kill 

 these mcose till the increase of the stock is greater than 

 to-day. The killing of the bulls is not quite as tad as the 

 destroying of the cows would be, but it is true, as Com- 

 missioner Stillwell says, that even the bull moose are far 

 too scarce in Maine. It is a fact that will strike any care- 

 ful observer, that it is the male that always falls to the 

 wiles of the calling horn. It is in the deep snows of 

 winter where the f eniale moose suffer the greatest danger. 



A Boston gentleman, who has had considerable experi- 

 ence in hunting moose in Maine, is of the opinion that 

 the increase under tbe pro(,ection of the present law is 

 greater than might at first Ijo supposed. In tlie Ux)per 

 Slooseliead region, where this gentleman bas hunted a 

 good deal, he says there has been a very marked increase 

 in their numbers within a couple of years. He remarks 

 that he never saw the moose signs so plenty as this year 

 on his annual trip. The Indian giudes also tell large 

 stories of the number of moose seen and beard. To tbe 

 number already mentioned as killed this season must be 

 added two or three more. The principal difficulty now 

 appears to be to get some trophy of these moose killed, 

 out of the State; the very wise provision of the law pro- 

 hibiting even the hides or horr>s being shipped out of the 

 State. It is whispered that some underground railroad 

 will be found for getting out two or three noble paus of 

 antlers before the spring opens. In this it will be the 

 skill of the wardens and detectives against the cunning 

 of the Indian guides. It is now believed by some of the 

 sportsmen, who have been down into Maine the past sea- 

 son and killed moose and deer out of season, that even 

 the Indian guide is not always true. In fact, t vo or three 

 cases have lately come out where the Indian guide has 

 given the whole affair away and his affidavit has been 

 secured. Thus two or three moose have been paid for by 

 sportsmen quietly, lest their friends in Boston or some 

 other city get hold of the outcome of their hunting adven- 

 tures. 



But there comes a bitter complaint from these punished 

 moose hunters, and from some other people, about the 

 niunber of moose killed by the lumbermen at their canips 

 in winter. One of them declares tbat be has positive 

 evidence that three moose were killed at one camp last 

 winter, and that another was supplied witli moose meat 

 all winter. These sportsmen say tbat the number of this 

 noble game killed by hunters from without the State, is 

 very insignificant when compared with the number that 

 the lumbermen and the guides who trap in the winter 

 destroy. There also comes a complaint, and doubtless a 

 tnie one, that the Indians come from over the Canadian 

 border and crust-hunt moose, deer and caribou in Maine 

 to a very alarming extent. To tliis it may be answered 

 that these hunters and sportsmen who are awaie of such 

 destruction to the noble game of Maine, will render the 

 Commissioners a great service and help their own future 

 success in hunting, by giving all the evidence in their 

 power, in order that the' offenders they mention may be 

 brought to justice. The large game of the country 

 has almost been di-iven into extermination by worth- 

 less skin-hunters and irresponsible poachers, and it 

 is now a good time for the true lover of the 

 woods and what there might bo in them to turn a 

 helping hand toward those who are trying to preseiwe a 

 showing of Maine's noble game for the future. What 

 stronger reasoning does the reasonable man need than 

 that such game has increased wonderfully rmder the in- 

 significant protection— insignificant because of the penu- 

 riousness of the State itself— it has had, and that in the 

 open season he and every other man is allowed to come 

 into Maine and obtain bis shaie. There is no restriction, 

 yet it might be mentioned tbat at the time the present 

 game laws of that State were being framed, that a gi-eat 

 many members of the Legislature were in favor of put- 

 ting on some soi-t of a restriction or tax, cither utterly 

 prohibiting sportsmen from out of the State from taking 

 ! moose, deer or caribou, or not giving them more than 

 j half of the open season. But the Commissioners said 

 I "No; we want no such restiiction." Much as these Com- 

 I missionera are blamed by those who have been punished 



for kilUng game out of season, they might have had such 

 a restrictive law against hunters from out of the State if 

 they had asked for it— yes, even if they had permitted it 



to pass. SPEOIAIi. 



The forests of Maine have ever abounded with this 

 noble game. Up to 1855, through all the border counties 

 near Canada, and unsettled townships of wild lands 

 thi-oughout the State, the moose roamed in great freedom, 

 yarding on the tops and sides of almost every mountain 

 thi-ough the long cold winters, living on the bark of the 

 maple, moose wood, willow and some other ti"ees, and 

 descending to the low lands in early spring, when the 

 snows melted and the warm south winds gave notice of 

 opening spring; then wading the waters of opening bogs 

 and rivulets as tbe summer advanced, to feed on the suc- 

 culent water plants, as weU as to rid themselves of the 

 millions of flying insects wliich preyed upon then- mam- 

 moth bodies. 



In May and June, while the cow moose is bringing 

 forth her young and caring for them, the male is culti- 

 vating his soft growing antlers, which he had shed dur- 

 ing tbe thaws of winter ; and when fully grown to their 

 natural size — with a prong for every year of his life after 

 his first year— in July he retires to the fastucEses of the 

 motmtains and isolates himself from his kind, until the 

 soft velvety substance is thoroughly hardened. This 

 occupies about a month's time. Tlien he descends to the 

 low lands, bogs and waters again, and may be found in 

 August and September in company wdth others of both 

 sexes or alone, wading secluded lakes, rivers and poke- 

 logans, in early morning and late evening's. He may be 

 called from his hidden day retreat by the imitating soimd 

 of the bu'ch bark trumpet, near the fatal boat of the 

 hunter, through all the early fall. Later he slowly 

 makes his way toward the mountain highlands, 

 around the foothills of which he feeds on the tender buds 

 of underbrush and shi-ubbery, occasionally stripiAng the 

 bark from the small maple or willow trees until the snows 

 of winter remind Mm that it is time to commence the 

 slow ascent of his mountain home. When the moose is 

 undisturbed, the hunter can trace him to hisAvinter yai'd- 

 ing ground by tbe manner of his feeding. For instance, 

 as he faces a certain way, he breaks tbe end of the twig 

 over Iris under teeth — ho has no upper teeth— leaving a 

 strip of the tender bark of the twig still out beyond the 

 break of the main twig, thus showing the way he stood 

 when he broke off the bud of the bush. By watching the 

 general du-ection the moose is pursuing, the hunter can 

 follow on the trail with no other sign for miles, and with 

 comparative good speed. Footprints, among the_ leaves 

 and undergrowth of thick woods, are scarcely discerni- 

 ble. A good moose hunter can follow a moose from one 

 winter's feeding ground to another through all his 

 meanderings, by his feeding signs alone, providing the 

 moose is not driven off his stamping grounds by outside 

 influences. 



From 1850 to I860 the number of mcose visibly de- 

 creased, until it became apparent that unless there was 

 some stop put to the wholesale slaughter, they would 

 soon be entirely annihilated. PubUc opinion now turned 

 toward om* Legislature to enact some law to jji-otect the 

 game, and the first law passed was to stop the white man 

 from killing — but allowing the Indian perfect liberty in 

 the premises. It was soon discovered that the Indians 

 killed more moose than all the rest of the State, and left 

 the carcass to rot in the woods, only saving the lude, with 

 which to fill snowshoes, or for the market. Thus in the 

 eastern part of the State, among the lakes and ponds of 

 the gi-eat basins of the headwaters of the Penobscot and 

 St. Johns rivers, the Indians, in canoes in the summer, 

 and on snowshoes in winter, desti-oyed hundreds, if not 

 thousands, of moose yearly, and saved only a moiety of 

 the carcass. AVith this knowledge and because of the 

 growing scarcity of game, the public became alarmed, 

 and our Legislature passed another act— this time to stop 

 the killing of moose for five years by everybody. But 

 this noble game had become so thinned out that even the 

 five vear close time only loft us a few scattering animals. 

 One great reason for this was, that the sentiment of the 

 people in the backwoods was not schooled up to game 

 laws ; and frontiermen felt that they had a natural right 

 to the game of the forest for a living, and that the law- 

 protecting the game was more in the interest of the city 

 sportsman than for their benefit, and so whenever the 

 opportunitv presented, he helped himself to what he con- 

 sidered his"" by the rights of the higher law. 



At the present time we must say the supply of moose in 

 our forests is very meager. Of course an occasional speci- 

 men exists, but" there is no abundance. Thi-ough the 

 summer season guides conducting parties to the head- 

 waters of our rivers to fish for trout in the fai- away ponds 

 and lakes mark well when they discover the track of the 

 moose in the soft sands of the shore, and when the open 

 season arrives, with or without tha same party, they 

 return to the haunts of the game and with much skill 

 and patience secure the coveted prize. It is far more 

 honor to kill a moose now than it was back in the forties. 

 Then a novice could kill a moose, srunmer or winter. In 

 1841 the winter snow fell to the depth of 7ft., and.it was 

 common to go into the woods armed with nothing but 

 a knife; fiiud a moose yard, trace it up, follow 

 alongside of the animal, and, with the knife 

 tied to the end of a short pole, cut his throat, 

 as the animal was entirely helpless the moment 

 he left his beat or road, or as the hunters call it, break 

 his yai-d. In the Rangeleys in those days every settler 

 depended as much on Ins saddle of moose as his crop of 

 barley for bread, and it was a common occurrence to kiU 

 a moose in both winter and summer- Lying in wait in 

 a small canoe, I killed my first moose in June, 18^14. I 

 had never seen a moose before and was not much used to 

 a gun, but I brought him the first shot and it was late in 

 the evening and no moon. I had taken the precaution to 

 chalk the top of my gun so I could get a sight along the 

 baiTel. Any one who never tried that will be siu-prised to 

 find how much better he can get a sight in the dark. The 

 fli-st night I ever camped out alone was where theKenne- 

 bago Camps are— owned bv tbe Oquassa Angling Associ- 

 ation—near the locahty of the boat house, and I remem- 

 ber there was a moose "carcass at the landing, which had 

 been killed a few days before, I remember, too, that 

 there were in those days two kinds of moose— a short- 

 legged black moose and the long-legged gray moose. The 

 short leg was a round-bodied animal, more like the cari- 

 bou, and the gray moose was slab-sided. 



A large moose was killed three weeks ago by a gentle 



