Feb. 16, 1888.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



67 



of dredges, etc 

 "interferes \vi 

 cannot, lie seen 

 the bill in a: 

 committee. 



planting of oysters. It adds the words 

 slurbs," so as to secure convictions that 

 o law now stands. Capt. Hunting offered 

 .. But it was referred to the judiciary 



APPROXIMATE TRAJECTORY CURVES. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



SFjiere are many no doubt who would like to determine the 

 trajectories of their rifles, but who are deterred from doing so on 

 account of the want of scientific instruments, definiteness of 

 method, etc. To such 1 offer the following ready means of obtain- 

 ing the curve of a rifle with a very considerable degree of accu- 

 racy and despatch: 



If it is desired to make the test for 200yds. range, select a level 

 piece of ground and carefully measure off the positions of the 

 intermediate sources, which should be made of thin tissue paper 

 pasted on narrow pine frames, about 14xl8in. The target for 

 Pjyd8. point should have a black stripe painted horizontally 

 across its face. 



Fasten the screens and target on post s or otherwise at their 

 roBpootivo places, say 50yds. apart, so that the top of black Hue 

 on target and the bottom of screens are in the same approxi- 

 mately level plane. A. good field or opera glass will facilitate 

 this operation. Erect a muzzle rest for rifle at such height that 

 the sights will just catch tlie bottoms of screens and top of line 

 on target. Elevate sights for 200yds. and begin shooting. 



Measure on the intermediate screens the heights from bottom 

 to i enter of bullet holes, and the distance on target above or 

 below top of horizontal. This last representing error in elevation 

 must be combined with screen heights in direct proportion to 

 distance from muzzle, subtract! ve if above and additive if below 

 lino on target. 



The average of a number of shots should be taken, but for illus- 

 tration I will take the record of one shot. The fall of bullet below 

 horizontal line is taken as 4in.. and heights at screens as follows: 

 50yds. 100yds. 150yds. 



Screen heights 5.7in. 7.8in. 4.7in. 



Adjustment of errors l.Oin, 2.0in. 3.0in. 



Above liuo of sights 6.7in. 9.8in. 7.7in. 



If it is desired to refer to a straight line from center of bullet 

 hole in target to axis of bore, a correction must be added for 

 height of front sight above latter, proportional to screen dis- 

 tances from target. 



A more approximate method is suggested by the above _ using 

 one screen only, and dispensing with the muzzle rest by bringing 

 up the rifle until the sights line with bottom of screen and marks 

 on target. Making proper correction for bullet striking above or 

 below line, the trajectory is obtained. To show the uniform re- 

 sults which may be had if care is taken, I subjoin the following 

 est made off-hand on a windy day. I hope your readers will over- 

 look the indifferent shooting as the results by that very reason 

 more clearly illustrate the point. 



•No. of Screen Target Corrected screen 



Shot. at75vds. 150yds. heights. 



1 1.0 inch. 11.4 inch. 1+5.7=6.7 inch. 



3 2.6 " 9.0 " 2.64-4.5=7.1 " 



3. 1.8 " 9.4 " 1.84-4.7=6.5 " 



4 ..2.2 " 9.2 " 2.24-4.6=6.8 " 



| 1 6.0 " 2.2 " 6.0-1-1.1=7.1 " 



Average height at 75yds 6.8 " 



It will be noted that all the shots hit below the line, and half 

 this distance added to screen height gives corrected height. Re- 

 ducing I o axis of bore by adding one-half height of sight we obtain 

 «,8-|-0.3= 7. tin. T. H. G. 



Elizabeth, N. J. 



[Readers of the Forest \nd Stream will remember the very 

 complete trajectory tests made by this journal during the fall of 

 BBSS. The screen "method was used, but with the most exact 

 scientific appliances to secure satisfactory results. The report of 

 these tests embracing nearly forty rifles we put in pamphlet form 

 and may be secured at this office. Price, 50 cents.] 



ha mid Mit er 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Puh. Co. 



Angling Talks. By Geo. Dawson. Price 50 cents. Fly- 

 Bods and Fly-Tackle. By H.P.Wells. Price$2.50. Fly- 

 Fishing and Fly-Making for Trout. By J. H. Keene. 

 Price $2.60. American Anglers' Book. By Thad. Nwris. 

 Price $5.50. 



IN THE LAND OF THE M ICM ACS.—IV. 



T)1G PETER came to us in the evening, and in a con- 

 JL> fidential manner, with much show of wisdom, 

 advised us to be afoot early next morning, as then the 

 salmon would be almost sure to take the fly better than 

 later in the day. "You see, ole salmon, berry knowin' as 

 one ole fox. Sposeru two, tree weeks in river, walkum 

 up here, dodguni nets all time, hidum from spear an' big 

 fire in canoe, him get berry cunnin. Sartin, sposem any 

 salmon in river here, all ole uns, pappoose salmon not 

 berry wise, nets an' spear all catchum way b'low; sposem 

 sun walkum up over hill, ole uns seeum more better; him 

 walkum berry slow to fly, watchum sharp, byembye 

 thinkum seeum 'fore, more better no touchum, him 

 walkum off to bottom. Sposem little dark, no seeum 

 well fly, no seeum line: thinkum all same's one him 

 Catchum at night. Well, bitum, findum berry bad." and 

 Peter accompanied the words with a dreadful grimace 

 supposed to represent the surprise of the fish. 



In the morning we rose early, determined to test the 

 Micro ac's theory. Davey was already up, a bright fire 

 was burning, and a few rods away the Indians were 

 gathered around their fire. Davey' was out of temper; 

 what was wrong? 



•'Good morning," said James, emerging from the tent 

 and making his way to the fire: "you're out of sorts this 

 morning. "What's wrong?" 



"IverytMng what's not right, sur, not givin' ye a short 

 answer,"" retorted Cookey; "there's no livin' wid 'em." 



"With whom?" asked Walter, overhearing the last 

 remark, as he pushed his way to the fire, a pair of wad- 

 ing boots in one hand and long stockings in the other. 



"Wid thim durty scallewags beyant. They'd spile the 

 timper of a saint," giving the fire a vicious kick intended 

 to roll in one of the logs. "The lazy, tliievin" black- 

 guards. Ye tould me t' hev the coffee riddy airly in the 

 mornin.', so las' noight I gits m' wud un bark un kindlin' 

 un lays it forninst the fire, un m' kittle o' wathur frum 

 the sthream un puts it be the fire, too, to hev it handy 

 loike; but aid ye b'lave it, whin I gits up this mornin' un 

 goes t' make m' fire, not a hapurth o' wud ur whuttlin's 

 wus t' be seen, whipped off es clane es a whustle; un m' 

 kittle o' wathur wus spilt, un the breeks I wet las' noight 

 hilphr big Peter t' poke up those lazy fish o' yours, wus 

 knocked down into the ashes un the divil was to pay en- 

 toirely. I cu'dnt blave m' oyes, surs, so I rubbed 'im a 

 spell thinkin' they hedn't waked up properly, but it wus 

 all too thrue. Un thin I lucked at the black spalpeens 

 a-sittin' roun' a wee bit o' a fire no bigger nur a match, 

 un what ud ye think? the haythens wus a-pokin' aich 

 uther in the libs un a-pointin' ,at mysilf un a-grinnin' 

 loike monkeys at a fair. Troth I'll put up wid sich goin's 

 on no longer. M' wtird fur it, the nix durty curmudgin 



what middles wid mysilf in- Hi' wurk, I'll twust his head 

 off loike I would a chicken s.'' 



"It was a cold night, cook," said Phil, apologetically; 

 "the poor fellows had no tent nor wraps." 



"Nur desarved ''em aither," rejoined he; "why, man, 

 they're too lazy t' do any thin', ban-in' aitin', un dhrinkin', 

 an slapin', un pushin' a bit o' a boat es fight es a creel o' 

 feathers. Un at noight they pretind t' be tired, un loie 

 down loike dogs, widout a hapurth o' wud t' burn ur 

 bushes t' cover 'im; but faith they're smart enough t' go 

 prowlin' roun' whin mysilf is aslape, un sthale m' mornin' 

 fire un upset m' taypoi, un shmile un grin at me loike a 

 parcel o' Kilkinny cats, beggin' the cats' pardon. Be 

 jabers. they' betthur moind the grin Saybacktus made the 

 uther night." 



Much of Cookey 's strictures on the nature and conduct 

 of poor Lo was too true. Faithful, hard- working though 

 he be, when trailing on the chase or poling a canoe day 

 after day up some rapid stream, there is no more indolent 

 creature in existence when lying about camp or when 

 little is to be done. An Indian cannot be his own master 

 and prosper, for self-government means idleness and 

 want. Under such circumstances, lie takes no thought 

 of the morrow. When it is forced on his attention it 

 comes from the stomach, not from the head. "Sufficient 

 for the day is the evil thereof" is a maxim that domi- 

 nates his system from head to foot, and colors his life 

 from the cradle to the grave. The night had been very 

 cold, and Lo must have suffered a great deal before 

 Davy's woodpile was raided. Having experienced a like 

 sudden weather change and its unpleasant results scores 

 of times, still he does not seem to think it will ever occur 

 again or that any artificial heat may be necessary before 

 morning. So he curls himself into an unrecognizable 

 mass by drawing his knees up to his chin, and hooking it 

 over them; and then falls asleep. In a few hours, how- 

 ever, the night grows chilly, and the Indian becomes a 

 little uneasy. He grunts, turns on the other side, presses 

 his knees niore tightly against his body, hooks the chin 

 over them more firmly than ever, clasps his shins with 

 his arms, and tries to sleep. It's a failure. Over he goes 

 again, grunting a little louder, and being now dimly con- 

 scious that he is awake, and seeing where the fire was 

 when he lay down, he hitches toward it with a sense of 

 relief, but alas! there is no warmth there now. 



By this time he is clearly awake, and the thought occurs 

 to him, as it has done a dozen times before under exactly 

 similar conditions, what a nice thing a little extra fuel 

 would be; how in the world it came he didn't think of it 

 before nightfall, that he'll never be caught in such a fix 

 again, and perhaps he'd better unfold himself and start a 

 fire. Then he hears a loud combination of grunting and 

 whining from one of his companions, and is conscious 

 that he, too, is backing Jup toward the ash heap. Sud- 

 denly a new idea occurs to Lo. Could he not hold out a 

 little* longer? It's tough work: but then he knows that 

 the fellow fussing a.t his feet, looking for the fire place 

 and whining sadly, is fully awake and can't stand it much 

 longer. He may have to make the fire, or rather grope 

 around in the darkness among the bushes to look up some 

 wood. He thinks it's worth trying, anyhow; so he begins 

 to snore lustily, pretending he is in a deep sleep. That 

 will mean a good half hour's shivering for the other fel- 

 low. Well, this grim game, "I can stand it if you can," 

 goes on a while longer, until the poor devil wallowing in 

 the cold ashes surrenders, gets up, goes feeling around in 

 the dark, and takes the first thing in the shape of wood he 

 meets with. In this way Cookey's "mornin' fire" had 

 disappeared. 



In a few minutes we had dispatched our toast and 

 coffee, and were on the way to the pool. James soon 

 readied his favorite ledge at the head of the basin, 

 Walter was dropping down to the mouth of the North 

 Branch in his canoe, and Phil, whose claim was just in 

 front of the tent, was already skipping the fly over the 

 dark surface. The latter scored the first rise, and hooked 

 Ms fish. Just then some one muttered at Ms elbow, "All 

 same's me tellum, dis bes' time;" and glancing round he- 

 saw Big Peter radiant with smiles, with Ms broad mouth 

 open, exposing a circle of ivory extending almost from 

 ear to ear. 



As the fish was struck the water at that point boiled, 

 and a white flash was seen in the distance: but in a 

 moment the reel was humming, the fish was darting 

 with almost lightning rapidity across the pool, and the 

 angler's nerves and muscles were tingling with the most 

 enjoyable of all sensations. Presently it leaped into the 

 air, and what a decided contrast its silvery sides showed 

 to the dull morning light and dark surface of the river! 



This leaping is always a source of anxiety to the angler, 

 for it is done when the greatest strain is felt on the line, 

 and the fish seems to know that an extra rapid spurt at 

 that moment is most likely to rid it of its strange tor- 

 mentor. When, therefore, It falls back into the water, 

 the angler is agitated by hope and fear as he reels in his 

 line, and happy indeed is he when he finds the strain on 

 the rod increasing and his oiled silk pointing directly 

 into the pool. Such was Phil's experience when he found 

 his fish "solid" after the first -vault. Several runs and 

 leaps were made in succession, but finding itself still in 

 the clutch of its enemy, the fish began to change its 

 tactics, and commenced that most disagreeable of all 

 movements known as "giggermg." If an angler fears 

 the result of a sudden leap when there is a heavy strain 

 on the line, he dreads still more the latter operation. He 

 is always in doubt what's best to be done. Some believe 

 it's a sign that the fish is well hooked and advise holding 

 Mm hard; others regard it as evidence of being lightly 

 hooked and recommend careful play. Whatever the 

 reason, the wily fish often frees himself. Phil had an 

 anxious time of it for ten or twelve minutes, when the 

 fish darted up stream, reeling off 60 or 70yds., but finish- 

 mg up with a very weak jump, and being easily led down 

 again as line was taken in. Then began the last tactics, 

 always a sign of exhaustion. The fish's movements are 

 very irregular, the angler believes him tired out and eager 

 to have the prize secured, attempts to force him shore- 

 ward, but all at once he rolls over and strikes out vigor- 

 ously for deep water. TMs sudden plunge under a short 

 line and strained rod frequently liberates the fish, 

 especially if lightly hooked. Just here let me remark 

 that during the whole of my angling career I scarcoly 

 ever heard a sportsman desire in camp any further sport 

 than the playing of a fish; he would be satisfied with 

 tha,t, whereas I never saw anything but dissatisfaction 

 shown at the pool when a fish was lost, even though it 

 had been played off its legs and escaped at the eleventh . 



hour. At last Phil's fish was landed, big Peter gaffing it 

 in shallow water. It weighed tOlbs. 



For three hours or more the anglers plied their sport 

 and succeeded in killing five nice fish, besides losing 

 several others. We all voted the Micmac's early morn- 

 ing fishing a success. 



In less than'half an hour we were seated at breakfast 

 — one of the most enjoyable meals I ever ate amid the 

 wilds of America. More than pleased with our luck, we 

 felt happy to know that our long arduous journey was 

 proving successful. The cool morning air, the delightful 

 exercise and exposure of the last few days had toned up 

 the nerves, sharpened and enlarged the appetite, and re- 

 freshed the whole system. The sun threw round our 

 forest board a soft mellowed brightness which would not 

 have deepened the tender rosy tint on an infant's cheek; 

 the birds were singing their varied songs from treetop, 

 bush and grassy cover; the hills and mountain peaks were 

 yet sleeping beneath wraps and mantles of mist, out of 

 which the morning sun had chased every trace of sombre 

 night und changed it to a fleecy whiteness; great giant 

 arms of fog were i-eaching up wooded ravines, rifts and 

 gulches, marking the descent of mountain streams, clear, 

 cold and pure, fresh and sparkling from nature's foun- 

 tains. And above all rose the roar of the falls, filling the 

 air and our souls with its inspiring music. 



And so we sat around our woodland board. Fresh 

 salmon, hot and steaming, fried potatoes, warm rolls, 

 canned corn, bread, butter, tea, etc. There was no hurry 

 now, no anxiety to pry into the unknown resources of 

 the dark pool, no uncertainty 'with respect to accidents 

 ahead, or about finding suitable camping ground, or being 

 made wretched by a storm. All this was over. Here we 

 were free, our own masters, situated comfortably for 

 several days. And so that meal was discussed as only 

 jubilant sportsmen could discuss it. Davey was in 

 ecstacies over the compliments paid to his skill in cook- 

 ery, though he began to entertain fears that our meals 

 were becoming too Micmac in time and volume. Indeed 

 he declared the Indians were "larnin' us fast, in faith we 

 were apt scholars." 



As we were about fimshing breakfast, an animated 

 discussion was observed gomg on among the red men, 

 and it was easy to see good-natured simple-minded 

 Sebatis was the subject of it. Presently the latter was 

 seen to take up a small bundle aud disappear among the 

 bushes. We then called the Indians and gave them 

 directions about splitting, salting and Otherwise pre- 

 paring the salmon for smoking next day; but Sale shook 

 his head in a solemn way, muttering something about 

 rain. 



"Why do you think it will rain?" queried James, of the 

 dark weather prophet, who stood gazing at a few faint 

 clouds in the east. 



"Keelooleet sin gum rain, no smokem salmon morrow; 

 hearum now?" 



Perched on one of the topmost branches of a dead 

 spruce sat Tom Peabody, whistling away in a half-hearted 

 manner, for his song was lacking both in energy and 

 length. 



"Sartin keelooleet al'ays tellum Injun when one big 

 rain," said Sak. "Sposum big rain putty soon, song 

 berry short; sposem sing more, rain two t'ree days; 

 sposem singurn all song, good time campum, Injun dry 

 all time, same's in wigwam." 



"How is he smging now?" asked one of the party. 



"Jes' hearum," replied Sak, looking earnestly at the 

 bird, just then beginning to sing. "See? he no sayum 

 all song, •Kee-kee-keelooleet.' that all him sayum; more 

 better him sayum 'keelooleeV two t'ree times, sartin then 

 no rain." 



"But, Sak, how does that little beggar find out about 

 the weather?" inquired Walter, eager to hear the whole 

 of their superstitious belief concerning tMs feathered 

 Wiggins of the Micmacs. 



"Ah," replied he, shaking his head solemnly, "keeloo- 

 leet one berry wise bird. Sposem sleep, keepum one eye 

 open. Then wakum up one hour, singum in night. Shut- 

 turn other eye, watchum all same. Singum at end one 

 more hour. Doum same all night. Some Injun callum 

 hour-bird — jes same's one watch, for him tellum Injun 

 time of night. Him gettum up berry early morning, 

 flyum berry high on tree, hoppum more high, byemby 

 gettum to top. Lookuui roun';eyeum moon an' stars 

 an' sky, watchum clouds berry sharp, smellum air an' 

 wind, then tellum Injun what like to-day an' to-morrow 

 an' one day more go to be. Keelooleet Mm all same 

 doum now." 



'Never mind keelooleet, Sak, split and salt the salmon 

 to-day," interposed James. 



"Berry good, brudder, me doum all same, but rain 

 soakuni to-morrow. Keelooleet no lie to Injun," and 

 Sak and party went off to do as directed. 



We were leisurely reclining in front of the tent, with 

 Davey a few yards away putting his dishes in trim and 

 talking mcessantly, when all at once he stopped as if 

 transfixed, gazed in the direction of the Indian camp-fire, 

 and exclaimed, "Glory, gintlemin, what in the wurruld 

 is this?" and a cup fell from his hand and broke to pieces 

 unnoticed. Springing to our feet we beheld an object 

 approaching, the very sight of which provoked roars of 

 laughter. It was poor, unsophisticated Sebatis, decked 

 in his half -burnt garments already alluded to. One leg 

 of the pants was gone from the thigh down, the other 

 from below the knee, showing his dark, copper-colored 

 limbs as naked as when he was born. Around his waist 

 was a great girdle of swarthy nakedness where the shirt 

 had lost its lower half, while one sleeve was gone clear 

 to the elbow. Just then we heard some noise in the 

 direction of the bank, only a rod or two away, on the 

 face of which the rest of the red men were cleaning the 

 fish, hidden from view by a fringe of low, thick bushes; 

 and on turning our attention thither discovered several 

 dark, grinning faces peering through the leafy cover. 



As Sebatis came up with head bent, looking very sober 

 indeed, James managed to borrow breath enough from 

 the laugh to inquire, "What does this mean, Sebatis?" 



Throwing down a blue bundle which he carried in Ms 

 hand, and which we now saw contained the pants, shirt 

 and finder we had given him the night of his encounter 

 with Davey, he replied, "Me no wantum, brudder, dese 

 good all same for Sebatis,'' running his dark, bony hand 

 over the surviving fag ends of the late accident and 

 smoothing down their crisp edges. 



"Troth un ye won't ba makin' a baste uvyersilf roun' 

 here wid yer bare shanks, un arms and durty body, a 

 makin' honest Christyuns wake at the stummick wid the 



