4 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[July 26, 1888. 



NATIONAL PARK AND ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 



PROTECTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE Y ELIjOWSTON E NATIONAL 

 PARK. 



For the construction and improvement of suitable toads and 

 bridges within the Park, uu ler the supervision and direction of 

 an engineer officer detailed by the Secretary of War for that pur- 

 pose, thirty thousand dollars. 



A NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 



Sec. 4. For the establishment of a zoological nark in the District 

 of Columbia, two hundred thousand dollars, to be expended under 

 and in accordance with the provisions following, that, is to say: 



That, in order to establish a zoological park in the District of 

 Columbia, fur the advancement of science and the instruction 

 and recreation of the people, a com mission shall lie constituted, 

 composed of three persons, namely, the Secretary of the Interior, 

 the president of the Board of Commissioners of the District of 

 Columbia, and the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 •which shall be known and designated as the commission for the 

 establishment of a zoological |jark. 



That the said commission is hereby authorized and directed to 

 make an inspection of the country along Rook Creek, beginning 

 at the point on that creek where the Wood ley road crosses said 

 creek, and extending upward along its couise to where said creek 

 is crossed by the Klingle road, and to select, from that district of 

 country such a tract of land, of not less than one huudrod acres, 

 which shall include a section of the creek, as said commission 

 shall deem to be suitable and appropriate for a zoological park. 



That the. said commission shall cause to be made a careful map 

 of said zoological p.txk, showing the location, quanity and char- 

 acter of each parcel of private pioperly to be taken for such pur- 

 pose, with the names ot the respective owners inscribed thereon, 

 and the said map shall be tiled aud recorded in the public records 

 of the District of Columbia; and from and after chat date the 

 several tracts and parcels of land embraced in such zoological 

 park sha'l be held as condemned for public uses, subject tno pay- 

 ment of just compensation, to be determined by the said commis- 

 sion and approved by the President of the United States, provided 

 that such compensation be accepted by the owner or owners of 

 the several parcels of land. 



That if the said commission shall be unable to purchase any 

 portion of the land so selected and condemned within thirt v day's 

 after such condemnation, by agreement with the respective 

 owners, at the price approved by the President of the United 

 States, it shall, at the expiration of such period of thirty days, 

 make application to the Supreme Court of he District of Colum- 

 bia, by petition, at a general or speci il term, for an assessment of 

 the value, of such land and said petition shall contain a particular 

 description of the property selected and condemned, with the 

 name of the owner or the owners thereof, and his, her, or their 

 residences, as far as the same can be ascertained, together with a 

 copy of the recorded map of the park; and the said court is here- 

 by authorized and required. up t n such application, without 

 delay, to motif y the owners and occupants of the land and to 

 ascertain and assess tne value of the land so selected and con- 

 demned by appointing three commissioners to appraise tne value 

 or values thereof, and to return the appraisement to the court; 

 and woen the values of such land are thus ascertained, said 

 values shall be paid to the owner or owners, and the United States 

 shall be deemed to have a valid title to said lands. 



That when the said commission shall have obtained the land 

 for a zoological park, as herein providtd, it shall have power to 

 layout the same as a park and to erect such building or buildings 

 thereon as may be necessary for the scientific purposes to which 

 the park is dedicated and proper for the custody, care and exhibi- 

 tion of a collection of animals. 



That when the said commission shall have established a 

 zoological park in the District o Columbia under the provisions 

 of this section, by a quiring the necessary lands and by laying 

 out the same as a park ana by the erection of the nece-sarv buikf- 

 ings thereupon, it shall be the duty of said commission to turn 

 over .he said zoological garden, with all its buildings and appur- 

 tenance-, to the custody and care of the Regents of the Smith- 

 sonian; and when such transfer of the custody nnd care of the 

 zoological garden shall be made, the duties of said commissi on 

 shall cease and its existence terminate. 



That whet; the said commission shall tender to the Regents of 

 the Smithsonian Institution the care and custodv of the zoological 

 park provided for in this section, the Regents of the Smithsonian 

 Institution are hereby authorized to assume the care, and custodv 

 of the same; an 1 the said regents of the Smithsonian Institution 

 are hereby authorized to make such rules and regulations for the 

 management of the park, and of the property, appurtenances, and 

 collections of the park, as they may deem necessary and wise to 

 secure the use of the same for the advancement of science and 

 the instruction and recreation of the people. 



That the said commission is hereby authorized to call upon the 

 Superintendent of the Caast aud Geodetic Survey, or the Director 

 of the Geological Survey to make such surveys as may be neces- 

 sary to carry into effect the provisions of tliis section; and the 

 said officers are hereby authorized and required to make such 

 surveys under the direction of said commission.— Siuirtru Civil 

 Service BUI. 



^ag %nd 



Antelope and Deer of America. By J. D. Caton. 

 Price $3.50. Wing and Glass Ball Shooting icith the 

 Rifle. By W. C. Bliss. Price 50 cents. Rifle, Rod and 

 Gun in California. By T. S. Van Dyke. ' Priee $1.50. 

 Shore Birds. Price 50 cents. Woodcraft. By '-Ness- 

 m«/c." Price $1. Trajectories of Hunt inq Rifles. Price 

 50 cents. The Still-Hunter. By T. S. Van Dyke. Price $2. 



A CARIBOU HUNT IN PISCATAQUIS. 



"iTS OOD-BY, boys; bring us a roast of venison," was 

 vT the parting salutation of a dozen or more old 

 f fiends, as we steamed away from the wharf in Belfast, 

 Me,, for the Carritunk region, Piscataquis county, for a 

 week's outing. 



There were three of us, the Judge, the Doctor and my- 

 self. Our route -was by steamer to Bangor, thence by 

 railroad to Blanchard, thence to the camp. We reached 

 Blanchard without let or hindrance at 3 o'clock P. M., 

 where we procoured stout horses and a buckboard which 

 had apparently done service before the war; we were a 

 little doubtful about the vehicle, as it seemed loose and 

 rickety in all its parts, but Brown, our driver and man of 

 all work, assured us that that was just the way it was 

 made, and it would carry us safely as far as we could go 

 by team. From Blanchard to Carritunk township is one 

 perpetual ascent for eight or nine miles. We then came 

 to a strip of table land about one mile Avide, ending at the 

 base of Mount Bald, or Pond Mountain, as it is sometimes 

 called. Here we went into camp for the night, intending 

 to get an early start in the morning for Harmony Camp" 

 on the top of the mountain and about four miles distant. 

 We found comfortable quarters in a lumber camp, and 

 while our guide was making things pleasant for us about 

 the camp we took our fish tackle to try the trout in Thorn 

 Brook, which was but a short distance from camp. We 

 soon found that we had not misjudged the capacity of 

 the stream. It was nearly dark, but in half an hour or 

 so we were able to count up twenty-three trout, some of 

 them weighing nearly half a pound. We hal them fried 

 for supper and enjoyed them immensely. We were up 

 and ready to start the next morning at daylight, trans- 

 ferred our luggage to the backs of our horses, and com- 

 menced the ascent near where the old Skowhegan road 

 crosses Thorn Brook. The ascent was tiresome. We 

 reached the summit at 9 A. M. and took up quarters in 

 Harmony Camp, situated on the shore of a beautiful lake 

 of about four square miles in extent. 



Here for several years Captain Nickerson and a few of 

 his friends have spent a few days during the hunting 

 season, and it was through his kindness that we were 



invited to occupy this camp. Marvelous stories are 

 related by some of the Captain's friends "of caribou 

 brought down at long range, and of huge antlers that 

 were taken but could not be brought out for certain and 

 various good reasons." Certain it was that we found 

 nailed up over the door of the camp a very fair-sized pair 

 of antlers. 



We settled otuselves comfortably, occupying the re- 

 mainder of the forenoon. After dinner we started out 

 to look for signs; made the circuit of the little pond and 

 found plenty of deer and caribou tracks, and one that the 

 Judge decided to be that of a moose. Returning we took 

 a wide circuit, observing landmarks and noting the gen- 

 eral lay of the land, in order that we might not lose our 

 bearing3 when hunting singly, a precaution which it is 

 always safe to take, but in this place it was hardly neces- 

 sary, a9 the mountain itself afforded us a conspicuous 

 landmark, and plenty of hard climbing would bring us 

 to camp from any direction. We returned to camp just 

 at dusk, highly pleased with the outlook and feeling 

 quite certain that we should have a successful hunt on 

 the morrow. 



We started out the next morning as soon as it was light 

 enough for us to see our way. The Doctor went to the 

 north, I to the west, the Judge proposed to station him- 

 self conveniently near a runway leading to the pond, 

 where to all appearances the game went down to drink 

 and feed upon the lily pads. The morning was most 

 propitious for stalking game, it having rained a little 

 during the night, so that our walking through the brush 

 was almost noiseless. For guns, the Doctor carried a 

 long range Ballard .38-cahber; the ju *ge and myself .44- 

 caliber Marlins, About two hours .after leaving camp I 

 came upon fresh caribou tracks going in the direction of 

 the pond. I followed them without difficulty, expecting 

 to see my game on reaching the pond some half a mile 

 distant. My carelessness lost me a favorable shot and 

 taught me when tracking game of this kind to be always 

 on the alert, expecting to see game at any moment and 

 especially in the most unlikely places, for after following 

 the tracks for 40 or 50 rods, a sudden cracking of brush a 

 few rods in advance, caused me to look ahead just in 

 time to see a large buck bounding away down the moun- 

 tain and out of sight in a moment. 



Deeming it useless to follow him now that he was thor- 

 oughly staitled, I kept on to the pond, hoping that by 

 secreting n^eif I might during the day get a shot. Se- 

 lecting a covert on a point running out Into the pond far 

 enough to give me a fair view for some distance on both 

 sides, I resolved, as I have often done before, that I would 

 stick to that spot until I saw game at all events. So mak- 

 ing myself as comfortable a stand as possible, I began my 

 tiresome waiting. Hour after hour passed by and no 

 game appeared. I had become chilled and cramped, but 

 stall resolved to stick as long as 1 could see to shoot. At 

 last, just as dusk began to settle down upon the lake, 1 

 heard the crackling of brush upon the right, which warned 

 me that game was approaching. In a moment the blood 

 was coursing through my veins, and instead of the chill 

 I was hot with excitement. I imagined from the sound 

 that the game could be nothing smaller than a moose, and 

 began to speculate on the chances of my stopping him at 

 my first shot. The animal had stopped before coming into 

 view in a thicket of birch bushes; this gave time to get 

 my nerves steadied for the fatal shot. Soon the bushes 

 parted and a caribou leisurely walked out into full view 

 about fifteen rods away. I was much disappointed in the 

 size of the animal, hut there he stood quietly nipping the 

 twigs that grew in the edge of the water. He was about 

 the size of a large buck deer, and had it not been for his 

 immense head, I should at first glance have considered 

 him a deer and nothing more. I study him for some min- 

 utes to determine if possible what food it is he seems to 

 relish so much. At last the right chance for a favorable 

 and certain shot presents itself, and at the crack of my 

 rifle the caribou, with one convulsive bound, falls dead to 

 the ground; I hasten to bleed him, and with no small 

 degree of satisfaction contemplate my first caribou. 



1 hang him up and start for camp, concluding to follow 

 the shore of the pond, as it had now become quite dark. 

 As I drew near the camp I heard my comrades talking 

 over the events of the day, and as I had heard several 

 shots from their rifles during the day I was feeling some- 

 what disgusted at my stupidity in not getting a telling 

 shot at the game I started in the early morning. I was 

 not so exultant over my first caribou as I anticipated. 

 Both the Judge and Doctor had shot at and missed the 

 same caribou in the forenoon, and as no more game came 

 in sight of their stands they got tired of waiting and re- 

 turned to camp. In the afternoon they had amused 

 themselves shooting at ducks on the pond ; they had se- 

 cured three and one large loon, and were congratulating 

 themselves that they were high liue for that day at least. 

 I related to them the story of the day's hunt and informed 

 them where the game was hanging. They would not be 

 convince! that I was not hoaxing them, and after supper 

 I proposed that we take the canoe and go up and bring 

 the carcass to camp, remarking to them that a breakfast 

 of caribou steak would doubtless inspire them with more 

 perserverance in httnting next day. We found the cari- 

 bou as I had left liim. 



The sky was becoming overcast with every appearance 

 of snow, and on arriving the next morning we found 

 that about t wo inches had fallen and the weather had 

 moderated sufficiently to dampen it, everything was pro- 

 pitious for a successful hunt. We started early, the 

 Doctor and myself keeping together, the Judge preferring 

 to hunt alone. We hoped to come upon a family of cari- 

 bou, and after traveling some three miles we found fresh 

 tracks, where at least three had gone along. With the 

 utmost caution we followed the tracks fcr about two 

 hours, stopping every few minutes to listen (we had 

 taken the precaution to put on our white frocks and caps 

 so as to make as little contrast as possible between the 

 snow-laden trees and ourselves). At last we came upon 

 two caribou, a bull and a cow, both full grown. We 

 cautiously worked our way along toward where they 

 were feeding until near enough for certain shots, the 

 Doctor aiming at the bull, myself at the cow, our rifles 

 cracked simultaneously and both animals bounded out of 

 sight. We heard them crashing through the brush on 

 light and left. The Doctor was nonplussed, thinking he 

 had again missed his game. I felt absolutely certain that 

 I should find mine not far off, and knew from the con- 

 vulsive spring of the Doctor's that it was hit to kill. I 

 thought that most of the noise was made by other cari- 

 bou which we had not seen. 



On reaching the places where the animals stood we 

 found blood and plenty of it, and I soon heard the Doctor 

 shout that he had come upon his game. 1 had found 

 mine about ten rods from where he stood, the ball had 

 passed through the neck, severing the carotid artery. 

 The Doctor had hit his in the shoulder and lodged the 

 ball in or near t he heart. The game had run some thirty 

 rods before falling. After dressing the animals we made 

 a citcuit of the ground and found there must have been 

 at least seven caribou within a few rods of us when we 

 shot, and doubtless, had we brought our game to the 

 ground at once, we might have got shots at oihers, but 

 the snorts of the wounded ones put the whole family to 

 flight. We were well satisfied, however, with our first 

 four hours' work. While we were consideiing whether 

 to follow the startled animals or look for other tracks, we 

 heard two shots in rapid succession from the Judge's rifle, 

 and decided to go in that direction, as it took us to the 

 pond and camp, not doubting we should see other game 

 before getting in. We were dis 'ppointed, however, 

 although we found plenty of tracks. On arriving at 

 camp we found the Judge had not returned, but we be- 

 held the l&rgtst buck's head we ever saw suspended to a 

 limb in front of the camp, and as our toboggan was gone 

 we concluded the J udge had gone for the carcas. 



As the snow was rapidly melting we concluded to go 

 back and bring our game to camp. We found a small 

 horse sled in the hovel where we kept our horses, which, 

 With a little fixing, we thought would do for us. Solicit- 

 ing the assistance of Brown we soon had it in readiness 

 and one of the horses harnessed into it. We followed an 

 old logging road nearly to where where we left our cari- 

 bou, which saved us much hard packing. We judged 

 the combined weight of the two caribou to be about 

 6o01bs. On returning to camp we found the Judge with 

 his game, which consisted of the buck before mentioned 

 and a young caribou. The tuck could not have weighed 

 less than 375Ibs. alive. 



We were all completely tired out, but in the best of 

 spirits. It was a weariness that brings no languor. We 

 had already accomplished what we' had hoped to do, 

 which was to secure five venisons to take home with us. 

 We decided to break camp at once. 



The trip, considering the time, had been one of the 

 most successf ul ones we have ever made. We were the 

 first party on the ground, and the game was more abund- 

 ant than usual, notwithstanding the fact that numbers of 

 both deer and caribou are ruthlessly slaughtered m this 

 region every winter, after the snow becomes deep, to 

 furnish meat for the lumbermen. Were it not for that 

 custom of slaughtering (which should merit the contempt 

 of every respectful citizen of the county) this region 

 would soon become one of the most desirable in the State 

 for hunting moose and caribou. Big Game. 



EARLY DAYS ON THE MISSOURI. 



I.— GAME AND HUNTERS. 



THE Missouri River valley in Montana was, twenty- 

 live years ago, a paradise of game. Words will 

 scarcely convey to the ordinary person the prodigality 

 with which nature had supplied that section with buffalo, 

 elk, antelope, mountain sneep, deer, wolves and bears. 

 I have ridden on one trip for five hundred miles in a 

 direct course, and during daylight was never out of sight 

 of vast herds of buffalo; as far as I could view with glasses 

 they were scattered in the same huge profusion. The 

 simile that presented itself to my mind was as if some 

 Brobdingnaggian pepper box had been heavily shaken ovt r 

 the immense plains and each gram a buffalo. The Gros 

 Ventres interpreter, who had just returned from a trip 

 to Milk River, tersely and with but little exaggeration 

 expressed the impression of a view of these thickly scat- 

 tered herds. Being questioned about the buffalo, he 

 replied, with an appropriate accompanying Indian sign 

 expressive of the words, "The country is one robe."' 



The buffalo never had a special range like other game. 

 These vast herds were continually on the march. If 

 undisturbed, they appeared to loiter and dally for days 

 without movement. Although the herds were scattered 

 for hundreds of miles and appeared motionless, the trained 

 eye could readily discern the direction of their line of 

 march; scattered as these grass-eating columns might be, 

 yet if any outlying or detached buffalo or herd became 

 alarmed, no obstacle could permanently turn them from 

 their mstinct-driven course. 



In hunting buffalo on horseback, this peculiarity was 

 taken advantage of. A few boys would be sent to start 

 a herd. The hunting party, stripped naked, mounted on 

 their best horses, were cached four or five miles in ad- 

 vance of the route of the startled herd. A buffalo can 

 run an immense distance if his speed is not crowded, so 

 the boys who start them, put them to their utmost speed 

 from the commencement of the run. On come the rush- 

 ing herd with starting eyes, heaving flanks and lolling 

 tongues. Now the hunters rush in, their blood-curdling- 

 yells, and the wild dash of the frant c horses spur the 

 terrified buffalo to their supremest effoit. But it is all 

 in vain. The speed of the fresh horses quickly exhausts 

 their remaining strength; their laboring" breath comes in 

 gasps clogged by their swollen lolling tongues. The 

 bison's relentless enemy is alongside of him; can almost 

 touch him. The sharp cracking revolver and the silent 

 deadly arrow commence their work, his vitals are 

 reached; the blood gushes from his mouth and nostrils: 

 he sways; he reels; with a last look at that grass-covered 

 prairie home the shaggy monarch falls, butchered that 

 his robe may purchase a few trinkets for a savage. 



As a buffalo hunt was conducted by Indians it was a 

 mere butchery. It was no uncommon thing for from 

 one to two thousand buffalo to be killed in a single sur- 

 round. Of this number of the killed, not five per cent, 

 of the meat would be taken, and oftentimes many would 

 not be even skinned. I have ridden for several days 

 through a country strewn with buffalo carcasses, 

 where not a pound of meat was taken except the 

 tongues, and a very large propoition were not even 

 skinned. Neighboring tribes, insanely jealous of each 

 other, wotdd strain every nerve to forestall their rivals 

 for the buffalo. 



The flesh of the bull buffalo more than three years old 

 is seldom palatable and his robe more difficult to tan; 

 when it is dressed it is worth less commercially than the 

 cow buffalo robe. The finest, fattest cows were always 

 killed fist. Aged bulls were seldom molested, except 

 from wantonness, when there were any other to be 

 killed. 



