April 14, 1887. J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



251 



EXPERIENCE WITH CALIFORNIA GAME. 



FOR several days three of us had been talking of tak- 

 ing a trip back into the California Coast Range, to 

 look after some cattle there turned loose, and to brand 

 and bring back any of the season's calves; and at length 

 we started. The first thirty-three miles were to be made 

 in a wagon, so I took my gun and some cartridges. My 

 companions were Sam, an old stage driver of early days, 

 who had driven coach and washed for gold back hi the 

 fifties: and Bob, of about tweuty-five, who worked in the 

 gold mill at Sulphur Creek, from which place we started. 

 For several miles the way led up Bear Valley, beautiful 

 with its large fields of flowing grain and grassy meadows, 

 hemmed in by tree-covered lulls, and with a bright little 

 stream flowing through its center. 



I soon found that putting in my gun was a wise pro- 

 ceeding, for quail appeared frequently along the road. 

 Picking out the male birds (distinguished by a topknot), 

 we secured seven, shooting five from the wagon. Few 

 as these seem they constituted a meal, and 1 did not have 

 the heart to kill any more for the mere pleasure of so 

 doing. It would have been an easy matter, I believe, to 

 kill as many dozen, they were so plentiful. The Cali- 

 fornia quail is in color unlike our Eastern bird, and I 

 think it much the prettier. A topknot of one feather, 

 about an inch long, grows right from the top of the head, 

 and falling forward in a, graceful curve bobs up and 

 down as the. bird walks or runs. White feathers encircle 

 the neck, these gradually turning into dark blue upon 

 the breast, giving one the idea at first sight that the birds 

 are totally blue. On the breast are some brown feathers, 

 and under the wings are blue ones with white spots. The 

 birds described, valley quail, are about the size of the 

 Eastern bird, while the mountain quail are one-third 

 larger and in color principally brown. Jack rabbits with 

 their ears standing erect sat by the road side and watched 

 us pass. Two little cotton-tail rabbits came within range 

 and they too fell victims to nay gun. At times the road 

 ran through whole villages of ground squirrels, resemb- 

 ling the homes of the prairie dogs upon the plains. 



We reached Stony Creek toward evening and staid 

 over night with a Mr. Smith, a prominent man there- 

 abouts. Utilizing the fine water power for a saw and 

 grist mill, he supplies the neighborhood with flour and 

 lumber. Not a prettier spot had I ever seen than where 

 we stopped that night. It was in a little valley encom- 

 passed by low hills, which tapered toward a high snow- 

 covered mountain. The melting snows of this peak fed 

 a swift rushing stream, Stony Creek, running by the 

 house. Here the creek makes an island of small extent, 

 on which is built Smith's barn. Two sturdy old oaks, 

 measuring in girth 19ft. and 18ft. respectively, guard 

 the bridge from house to barn, shelter the fowl at 

 night and giving shade to the work horses eating their 

 noonday meal. Preparatory to an early rise I was asleep 

 by 9 P. M.; by 5 A. M. we had finished breakfast, and 

 7 o'clock f otmd us mounted and on our way. For a short 

 distance a road was utilized and then turning to the left 

 we took a rugged mountain trail, which led up a gorge 

 in an old stream bed now dry, for the rainy season had 

 closed more than a month before. 



As we started to ascend a ridge a large doe went leap- 

 ing across the top, disappearing on the other side. Reach- 

 ing the summit the deer was not to be found, but a very 

 beautiful view stretched away for miles. Through the 

 Sacramento Valley the Sacramento River traced its 

 silvery course as far as the eye could reach to north and 

 south between the snow-capped peaks of the Sierras and 

 the soft green tinted Coast Range. 



But stopping not, we passed along the divide for many 

 a weary mile, over a rocky trail 3,000ft. above the valley. 

 On one side we were sheltered bv St. John Mountain, 

 7,800ft. high, and on the other by Sheet Iron, 6,800ft.: to 

 the left ran Stony Creek, and to the right Elk Creek, 

 both of which I was told teemed with trout, but we did 

 not try them, owing to the difficulty of reaching either. 

 For over two hours we rode opposite the mountains, the 

 wild scenery ever changing; each minute as we turned 

 some rocky point new snow-filled gulches on the moun- 

 tain appeared. We passed one little cabin in a pocket 

 of the mountain, the home of a hunter, who hunted and 

 trapped for bear in the wallows around the many springs 

 near by. At times a pine forest sheltered us from the 

 sweltering rays of the sun, and how often I dismounted 

 to drink of the cool waters of some babbling brook, I 

 dare not say. Crossing a divide we reached Cold Creek, 

 named from its icy waters, and following it for a guide 

 were led to a larger stream marked on the map as Eel 

 River. Fording this but half a mile further and reached 

 the cabin. 



Bloody Rock, as the place is called, takes its name 

 from a fight said to have occurred there between early 

 trappers and the Indians. Bob and I each took one of 

 the spears standing by, and made our way to the river in 

 hopes of getting a salmon; but it was too late in the sea- 

 son, all the fish having gone to the sea, not to return 

 until the rainy season. Salmon fairly swarm up the 

 stream in winter, and for proof I saw large fish bones 

 and shrivelled skins lying around on the ground, where 

 the. man who stays at the cabin all winter had thrown 

 them. 



Early the next morning, returning with horses from 

 where we had picketed them in a glade the previous even- 

 ing, I saw a deer on a knoll about 50yds. away, but Bob 

 reached the cabin before me, and was back in a minute 

 with his rifle; however, he was too slow, and the deer 

 had gone elsewhere. 



Sam and I got off about 10 A. M., and as Bob was going 

 another way to drive some cattle. I took his rifle. It was 

 loaded and I very foolishly shot it off at a mark. Think- 

 ing it not worth while I did not reload. When a mile on 

 our way I regretted this oversight, for just in the woods 

 ahead stood two deer. I loaded quickly, but it seemed 

 as though everything was against my securing any large 

 game, and the deer were gone before I could shoot my 

 old muzzleloading telescope rifle. Deer paths at times 

 branched off from the trail, and but for the instinct of 

 our horses we would repeatedly have lost our way. 



Opposite St. John Mountain is a little valley, in the cen- 

 ter of which is a huge mass of red-colored stone. Having 

 always in mind the discovery of a rich claim, we went 

 over, leaving our horses on the divide, pecked out a few 

 specimens and posted our notice for a mining claim (600ft. 

 wide by 1,500ft. long). Quail became very numerous as 

 night approached, awakening the echoes with their shrill 

 calls. Along Dry Creek I must have seen several hundred 



in coveys of from two to ten , Jack rabbits seemed to be 

 stirring at that time also, and just at dusk I emptied my 

 rifle at one seated on his haunches 100yds. away, hitting 

 just under, making the dust fly, and he sprang off in the 

 flurry. 



We reached Stony Creek at 8 P. M., night closing down 

 upon us just as we finished a long, tiresome ride. The 

 next day dawned bright, as it was sure to do there, much 

 to my sorrow, but nothing daunted we were soon away to 

 the stream. My outfit consisted of a stiff pole with short 

 line tied to the end, and a brown fly. After several casts 

 in a. riffle near by I had a rise, and throwing again hooked 

 my fish, and in a very unsportsmanlike style I jerked him 

 ashore. He was a beauty; a trout weighing about three- 

 quarters of a pound, of bluish tinge, and having a good 

 many of those beautiful colored spots so characteristic of 

 our eastern fish. Then how I did wish for a split bam- 

 boo and a picked book of flies. Moving a little up stream 

 I cast again, securing another fish. My star was brighten- 

 ing. Thinking bait might answer better, I put on one of 

 the lizards very numerous around there, and threw him 

 overboard. His motions immediately attracted a large 

 fish, and suddenly the water boiled about that lizard, 

 calming as quickly and revealing to ray astonished eyes 

 a line devoid of bait and hook. Having another hook, I 

 rigged up and tried again, but I don't suppose they 

 indulge in more than one lizard to each meal. 



Across stream I saw a rocky point, around which I felt 

 sure some trout lay hiding. The ford looking about ISin. 

 deep I stepped in boldly to cross. Water at^ times is de- 

 ceptive, and recovering from a headlong plunge, I found 

 it was up to my waist, hut being in I went over. Climb- 

 ing the ledge of rock and looking down I saw a deep hole, 

 in which were swimming some large trout, which seemed 

 to be a foot and a half long. My line was short, and to 

 cast I was obliged to expose myself — a bad thing in trout 

 fishing. Several rises rewarded my efforts, but only one 

 took hold and he went with the stream, continuing right 

 on when all the slack fine was exhausted. Perhaps he is 

 going still, for line and hook went with him. My star 

 was out. 



With good tackle no doubt T would have had fine sport, 

 for they told me of a man who once waded the stream, 

 fishing with a limber rod and reel and he caught more 

 than one could carry. He was talked of as a great fisher- 

 man, but you see he just had the rigging. No luck at- 

 tended my partner, and the next day we returned home, 

 killing many quail on the way, enough even to supply 

 the Sulphur Creek Hotel. 



I cannot truthfully say the trip was a complete success, 

 as our gold specimens contained iron and the deer killed 

 were not many. G. F. B. 



AN OCTOBER DAY. 



JACK came to call on me on the 14th of October, and 

 after remarking that "the law would be off on quail 

 the next clay," said he supposed that he "must load some 

 shells, etc," as we were about to start on our annual vaca- 

 tion that we had talked over for a year previous. One 

 would gather from that remark of' Jack's that he had 

 nothing in preparation, and was quite indifferent about 

 the matter, but I well knew that his trunk was all packed, 

 the guns were in their cases, and most of his duffle had 

 been ready for weeks before, and was only waiting for 

 the 15th of that month, which of all the months in the 

 year stands pre-eminently at the head for the hunter and 

 sportsman. We arrived safely at our destination, and of 

 course Uncle John was at the depot with old Billy and 

 the express wagon to meet us. Uncle John informed us 

 that "it was an excellent year for game, partridges and 

 squirrels were as thick as hops, and quail were quite 

 numerous." 



We were up and stirring before light in the morning, 

 and such a sight as the woods and fields presented to our 

 view I had never seen before, or at least had noticed the 

 glories of nature as I did then. There had been a very 

 heavy frost, and as the sun came up, the long meadows 

 for two miles below looked like a sea of diamonds, as the 

 particles of frost glittered, glistened and sparkled in the 

 rays. The leaves were well off at this season, as the 

 frosts came early, and the oak and pine form a rich con- 

 trast in their dress of red and green in the background, 

 while near us we see the yellow buds or blossoms of the 

 witch hazel and red berries of the black alder, all of which 

 are well frosted and are sparkling in the sunlight. The 

 brook which runs through the meadow back of the house 

 is trimmed with icy fringe, and as we watch its course 

 down to the river below, we catch sight of a pair of black 

 ducks on the wing and steering their way due south. 

 From the lulls beyond came the cawing of crows and the 

 scream of the bluejay, while from the "oak lot" we hear 

 the chattering of the red squirrels as they search for their 

 morning meal of acorns, and the blackbirds are talking 

 Canuck French down on the island; and on all sides 

 nature is alive and stirring. Our rifles are in hand, and 

 with some instructions from Uncle John about the best 

 places for squirrels we take ourselves to the woods, and 

 not untd I had been in the timber for some hours could 

 I realize that I was really away from the dirty smoky 

 city, away from the cares of business and free to follow 

 any path that my fancy might dictate. 



Jack carried a Winchester .32-cal. repeating rifle, while 

 I had a Maynard .22-cal. rifle, using a center fire 10-grain 

 shell. This is the best rifle for a .22-cal. toy that I ever 

 saw, and I most heartily indorse this kind of an arm for 

 all those who like to shoot squirrels and small game. I 

 have doubled up crows repeatedly with it at from 75 to 

 1.50yds., while at short squirrel-shooting ranges it is sim- 

 ply perfect. The rifle was mounted with Lyman's rear 

 and muzzle sights, which I consider the best hunting 

 sights I ever saw. I have used them exclusively now for 

 several years, and can do better shooting with them than 

 any other. So much for digression on rifles. 



We were out for a vacation and not for meat; for rest 

 and recreation and not for work, and for pleasure and 

 not for profit; and, therefore, about the first thing that 

 Jack and I did when we came to an inviting old log on 

 the sunny side of a hill just above the river was to sit 

 down, fill our pipes, and chat for some minutes, when 

 Jack saw sometlung below us that disturbed his peace of 

 mind, and although he was not certain of its being alive, 

 ventured to throw a stone down at it. His aim was too 

 true, for soon at the water's edge lay a cotton-tail rabbit 

 kicking its last kick; the stone had struck it in the head 

 and the bag received its first deposit. 



As we sat smoking our attention was attracted by a 

 swirl in the water below, and soon Jack said he thought 



he saw a pickerel or fish of some kind, so taking a care- 

 ful aim six inches behind or under it, he fired." A feu- 

 bubbles from the mud below rose to the surface, soon fol- 

 lowed by the white belly of a'large pickrel. Jack cut an. 

 alder and gathered him in, and wrapping him in fern 

 leaves, stowed him away in the bag. We strolled along 

 over the "oak lot" and sat down to watch for squirrels. 

 Soon one showed himself on the top of a stone wall, 93 

 good long paces away, and I asked Jack if he could kill 

 Mm from a rest. "No," he replied; "if I came within six 

 inches of him 1 would do well." I suggested that he try 

 the little Maynard on him, for as I knew Jack to be a 

 good shot and the Maynard to be a good rifle, while the 

 Lyman sights were perfect, I. thought that the whole com- 

 bination might be rather too much for the squirrel; and 

 so it proved, for at the crack of the little gun the squirrel 

 rolled off from the wall with the tiny .45gr. bullet 

 through his heart. Jack was very much pleased witli 

 his success, and said that he wished that it were always 

 October, pleasant weather, and we could loaf around in 

 the woods. 



We went down a hill where there were some shell-bark 

 walnut trees, and gathered quite a supply to take home 

 with us. We soon found that the trees were inhabited, 

 for the chatter of a red squirrel set us to thinking about 

 our rifles. In a few minutes I see a gray one move and 

 try to play peek-a-boo with me around the crotch of a 

 limb. I immediately raised the little gun, and as the 

 white ivory bead came in a line with his head, he conies 

 whirling down and goes into the bag. At the report of 

 the gun I see Jack raise his Winchester; crack it goes, 

 kerchuck goes the lever, crack speaks the rifle again, and 

 another gray goes into the bag. I soon kill a red one, 

 and then, whang goes somebody's gun, and as we look 

 down the old road Ave see Uncle John with a partridge 

 which he had "ground sluiced." He said that, although 

 he had seen the time that he could not have done such a 

 thing, he was glad that now he was able to shoot them 

 any way; and as he is over 70 we forgave him, and so will 

 the reader I think. The rest of our shooting I will tell 

 you about in another letter. Iron Ramrod, 



Massachusetts Association.— Nearly 75 members of 

 the Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective Association 

 met at the Tremont House April 5, on the occasion of 

 the society's monthly dinner. The following gentlemen 

 were elected to membership: Mark F. Bums, Charles V. 

 Campbell, James H. Jenkins, D wight M. Clapp, James N. 

 Fry, Charles A. Lawander, John P. Tre;. dwell, J. A. 

 Newhall, Herbert Merriam, Wan-en B. Witherell, W. H. 

 Wilkinson, Sidney P. Brown, Augustus B. Bradstreet, 

 Frederick T. Proctor, Eliot B. Mayo and Winthrop Thayer! 

 Fish Commissioner Brack ett read a copy of the proposed 

 law to be asked for from, the Legislature for a close season 

 for lobsters, extending from August 1 to September 15. 

 The proposed law is drawn in conformity with the Maine 

 law. The penalty proposed for killing, buying or selling- 

 lobsters out of season is a fine of not less than $10 nor 

 more than $100. A penalty of from $25 to $50 is also 

 prescribed for the selling of lobster nets or traps out of 

 season, and a penalty for the sale of lobsters less than 10^ 

 inches long is also imposed by the proposed law. Prof. 

 F. W. Putnam, of Cambridge, then gave an address upon 

 "The Prehistoric Races of America." He displayed speci- 

 mens of implements which were the earliest evidences of 

 the existence of men in the ante-glacial period of North 

 America. Human remains, too, have been found in the 

 auriferous gravels of California, showing that man lived 

 on the Pacific coast before the glacial period on the east- 

 ern coast. We find in Europe the same condition of 

 things, so far as the gravel in the river beds is concerned, 

 evidence of the existence of man prior to the period of 

 the deposit of those gravels. There is every reason to be- 

 lieve that man existed in Europe and America at one and 

 the same time prior to the glacial epoch. In northern 

 North America are found the evidence of the occupa- 

 tion by the prehistoric races. There is in existence a 

 portion of a skull of that time, showing that anatomically 

 the man of that time was as perfect as the man of to-day. 

 In America we find two types of skulls, the short skull 

 and the long skull. These skulls represent different races. 

 The long heads seem to be found along the Pacific coast, 

 and then extend across 4 the country to the St. Lawrence, 

 and then down the Atlantic coast. The Esquimaux are 

 probably the remnants of the .oldest race in America. 

 The short-headed people came from the south. This in- 

 dicates that a short-headed race came'from the south and 

 spread northeast until it met the long-skull race of the 

 north. This short-headed race apparently reached South 

 America from Asia by the way of the South Pacific 

 islands. The old Mexican people, the cliff dwellers, were 

 of this race. A line of fortifications extending across the 

 country, traces of which stil exist, was evidently to resist 

 invasion from the north. The northern race probably 

 reached America by the Aleutian Islands, driving back 

 the primitive race of man, of which the Esquimaux are 

 probably a remnant. It is evident that America was not 

 peopled by one race of men knowen as Indians at the 

 time of Columbus. Successive migrations — not a single 

 migration — from the east made up the population of 

 America. Prof. Putnam exhibited photographs of 

 spear heads, fish hooks, and of the interiors of the curious 

 mounds of Ohio, 



Deer and Dogs on Cape Cod. — East Wareham,Mass., 

 April 4. — Editor Forest and Stream: The following inci- 

 dents were told me to-day by a young man from Marston's 

 Mills, Cape Cod: On the' 24th of last month, a man driv- 

 ing along the road from Sandwich to Marston's Mills, 

 when about i-J miles from the latter place came upon 

 three hounds which had just pulled a deer down and 

 killed it in the road. The dogs ran off as he came up, but 

 as he did not care to be seen with a deer in his possession 

 L. drove on and left them. They had just killed it and 

 had had a severe struggle, for the road was all tracked 

 up and blood and hair were trampled into it. In Febru- 

 ary last, a man near Newtown in Sandwich, heard hounds 

 after something just at night, and thought they were 

 after his sheep; on going out he found that three hounds 

 had got a deer down in a meadow and had bitten it in 

 the hind legs and so tired it out that it could not run any 

 further. He drove off the dogs and carried the deer up 

 to his house thinking it might recover, but it died the 

 next day. An instance of a deer being found dead in the 

 woods is so common as not to excite much comment. I 

 will furnish the names of all the parties to any one who 

 will investigate this matter. — Walter B. Savary. 



