Auu. 23, 1888.] 



FOREST AND STREAM* 



A CAMP HUNT IN ARKANSAS, 



OUR hunt had been the theme of discussion on several 

 occasions. Dick and I were rather impatiently 

 awaiting the arrival of a friend who was desirous of 

 being one of the party. A most jolly fellow and accus- 

 tomed to "roughing it," his presence, we knew, would 

 add much pleasure and a great deal of life to our party. 

 The weather changed for the worse, and rain fell in 

 torrents, making the river and smaller streams that 

 crossed our road unfordable; and there was another 

 delay of several days. 



However, one Monday morning I went over to see 

 Dick about the start, and in a very short time we deter- 

 mined to set out that very afternoon and try to cross the 

 river at what is known as the Two-shoot Ford, having 

 learned that the river had fallen slightly and that there 

 was a possibility of crossing, as the water found its way 

 through two channels at this point, making the ford not 

 quite so deep. The rest of the day was spent in prepara- 

 tions for the hunt until 3:80 P." M., when, with packs 

 adjusted and mounted on our horses, we set our faces 

 westward and struck out on the trail to the Two shoot 

 Ford. Arriving here, we noted the height of water and 

 the swiftness of current, and with some hesitation turned 

 our horses' heads upstream and started diagonally across. 

 It was nip and tuck, but we made it barely without 

 swimming, though we had to perch well up on the saddle, 

 not being desirous of getting wet, for the day was any- 

 thing but warm and a ride of some twelve miles was 

 before us. We crossed the second channel with ease, and 

 after an unevenful ride^ arrived at our destination for 

 that night a little after dark, at the hospitable home of 

 the best woodsman and most successful deer hunter I 

 have ever met, Rex Jacobs. And I do not hesitate to say 

 that he has few, if any , superiors in woodcraft anywhere. 

 He stands full six feet in his stockings, built from the 

 "ground up," muscular, wiry, quick in every action, with 

 a good length of leg, though not out of proportion, and 

 no superfluous flesh, a swarthy complex ion. a restless eye, 

 and au ear always on the alert for any extraordinary 

 sound. He is of a jovial good nature, and with more 

 than the average intelligene, and a voice once heard not 

 likely to be forgotten for depth and lichness. Such a 

 specimen of fine manhood was our host, as he bade us a 

 warm welcome to his hospitable home that drear Decem- 

 ber night. 



The house, consisted of two large rooms under one 

 roof, with a gallery extending the whole length in front 

 and a spacious hall between. At the back of the house 

 were two smaller rooms, made by closing up Avhat other- 

 wise would have been a back gallery. Gallery is the 

 name here applied to what is known elsewhere as piazza, 

 or porch. A huge fireplace occupied the center portion 

 of one end of each large room, in which blazed a cheer- 

 ful fire. The cooking was done and the meals served in 

 a separate building — a log house — which stood just back 

 of the main building. 



It had been arranged that Jim and English B., 

 nephews of Rex, and both good hunters, should meet us 

 here the following morning. Of the former we could 

 hear nothing, and the latter, thinking it impossible for 

 us to cross the river, had crossed further up in a boat 

 and gone into camp for the expi'ess purpose of seeing us. 



That evening for supper we had some delicious venison, 

 cooked by Mrs. Jacobs. After a most refreshing sleep, 

 and long before we were ready for it, day was at hand. 

 We had breakfast, and then hour after hour passed and 

 still no sign of the boys. About eleven o'clock Calvin 

 B. came in, and in a few minutes our horses Mere 

 caught, saddled and packed, each one taking a bag of 

 corn in addition to our blankets, provisions, etc. With 

 Rex in the lead we struck out for Cross Mountain. 

 Before we had gone a half mile a drizzle set in and con- 

 tinued to increase, promising us a wet and disagreeable 

 night, for it must be borne in mind that we were not pro- 

 vided with a tent, and there was no shelter to be had on 

 the mountain. 



About two miles from where we had expected to make 

 camp, Calvin recollected a cave, but a short distance 

 from our road, and a consultation was held as to 

 whether it would not be expedient, considering the 

 weather, to camp in it for the night. We decided that 

 it would be, and turning to the right into a dim trail 

 were soon at the "rock of refuge," where we hurriedly 

 unpacked and unsaddled, and soon had ourselves stowed 

 away under the shelter of the overhanging rock. 



This "cave" was nothing more than an overhanging 

 mass of rock, projecting at an angle of about 45°, from 

 the western extremity of a small mountain spur. There 

 was a small cavity, with a complete arch overhead, at 

 the extreme end, and at 1 8in. from the floor, and extend- 

 ing across the narrow end of the cavity was a flat rock 

 with a sloping back, a most inviting seat had it been dry. 

 The whole space was in the form of a V. 



Rushing and foaming six feet in front of our retreat 

 was a creek, which, swelled by the increased volume of 

 innumerable rivulets and lesser streams, was momentarily 

 rising; its waters lashed into foam as it whirled and 

 rushed over boulder after boulder, fallen logs and ledges 

 of solid rock. 



We collected materials for a fire and were soon busily 

 employed making a pot of coffee. That drunk, with a 

 biscuit and piece of cold pork, we sallied out for our after- 

 noon hunt. It had stopped raining just enough to encour- 

 age us to venture out; however, with the exception of 

 Dick, we kept our "slickers" on, but notwithstanding we 

 all returned just before dark thoroughly wet from the 

 water on the bushes as well as the rain, which began to 

 fall soon after we started out. 



Under such unfavorable circumstances there was little 

 likelihood of any game being killed, everything being in 

 close cover. Rex was the last one to get in, and as he 

 walked up with a fine gobbler slung across his shoulder 

 the rest of the party, who had returned empty-handed, 

 hailed his appearance with joy. 



I had been fortunate enough only to see three deer. I 

 walked to within 65yds. of a young buck. He was lying 

 down under a ledge of rock, and seeing me first bounded 

 off, taking particular pains to keep as many trees between 

 himself and me as possible, a common habit they have of 

 "taking the tree on you" whenever they can do so, both 

 when running and when they stop, especially the old 

 bucks. I began following him on a double quick and 

 had gone some 400yds. when I jumped two does. They 

 were lying in a clump of bushes, and I saw them just as 

 they sprang, and throwing my rifle up gave them two 



shots as they went off, at 100yds. , but of course with no 

 effect, for I merely had a glimpse of their white tails as 

 they disappeared over a ridge. Rex had seen two deer, 

 making five that had been seen among the party. 



It would be difficult for me to describe the intensely 

 disagreeable night passed in that long-to-be-remembered 

 cave. A lot of loose rocks lay about the cave, which we 

 threw out, only to find a, flow of mud and water. It was 

 too late to look for flat rocks to pave the floor, and we 

 had neglected to bring a hatchet, though I had laid one 

 out, but forgot it at last; so we could cut no brush. There 

 was almost a spring in the back of the cave, where the 

 water leaped in through some crevice iD the rock, which 

 did not improve matters. 



So to the turkey we turned with one accord, to while 

 away the weary hours. No time was taken to pluck him 

 of his downy coat, but, with hunting knife in hand, his 

 skin was quickly peeled, and slices of beautiful white 

 meat were soon broiling over the fire on the ends of 

 forked sticks. He was not fat, but very tender, and with 

 ai flavor that his domesticated brother cannot rival. 



Little sleep was obtained by any of us that night; so we 

 smoked and shifted about from place to place, as ever 

 and anon a new leak in our rock roof would be discov- 

 ered by a drop that would find its way down one's neck 

 or into one's eye or ear, whereupon various ejaculations 

 would be indulged in to the discredit of the said raindrop. 



The harder it rained the faster the drops fell, until 

 drops grew into streams, and I do not believe there was a 

 space of two feet square that was the forty -second cousin 

 to a dry spot under the sheltering spread of our rocky 

 refuge. After smoking and standing about our flicker- 

 ing fire, that only fat pine knots kept alive, until tired 

 out nature demanded repose, first Dick and then I coiled 

 ourselves up as best we could on top of our corn (jags — 

 the bags still being full of corn on the cob— and attempted 

 to catch a little sleep. Our example was soon followed 

 by Calvin and Rex; but little sleep did any of ns get: and 

 to make matters worse, our fire almost extinguished and 

 the supply of xiine knots exhausted, we were compelled 

 to sally forth into the darkness and literally feel for wood 

 of whatever kind we might stumble on, for it was useless 

 to try to see. 



Finally the dreary night succumbed to the approach of 

 day, and by the time we had gotten our breakfast the 

 creek had risen until it threatened an inundation of our 

 camp, and a small stream had already found its way 

 completely around our fire, cutting us off from it. 



About noon English came in, having noticed where we 

 had turned out of the road, and thinking that we had 

 taken to the cave. That night we all got in to canip 

 early enough to floor the camp with rock, which raised 

 us out of the mud, and with our hunting knives we cut a 

 lot of pine bushes, which, when laid on the rocks and 

 covered with blankets, made our condition slightly better 

 than on the preceding night. 



The next day, Thursday, the elements still unsettled 

 and very threatening, we pulled out for Rex's home, and 

 glad enough were we to get under the shelter of his 

 hospitable roof. 



On Friday Dick and T, being thoroughly disgusted with 

 the continuance of bad weather, would have gone home, 

 but could not cross the river, which had risen again. 

 Dick accompanied Rex to the post office, eight miles 

 away; and taking my rifle I turned my face down Cow 

 Creek. I went to the river, four miles, and on my return 

 ran on to what appeared very much like preparations for 

 a ' wild-cat," commonly known as a still. There was no 

 one in sight, but I made the rocks rattle from under my 

 heels as I rapidly left that vicinity in the rear. My laced 

 boots and hunting coat were not calculated to make a 

 favorable impression on the mind of the native, who at 

 all times in such places regards any unusual style of dress 

 as denoting an U. S. M. 



About 10 o'clock Saturday morning, with provisions, 

 feed, blankets and a wagon sheet for a tent on the wagon, 

 we started on hunt No. 2. Rex drove and I sat beside 

 him, while English and Calvin B, lay about on the soft- 

 est spots they could find among the dunnage. We 

 pitched upon a pretty camping place, on a haw branch, 

 and as soon as we had gotten in shape, all struck out in 

 different directions and returned about sunset empty 

 handed. 



Captain Perringer, a friend of Rex's, passed by, and 

 told some of the boys who had gotten in ahead of me that 

 there was a deer hanging in a tree about three miles 

 back along the roadside, with a blouse over it, and that 

 he had never thought until past it some distance that the 

 blouse over it meant for him to bring it on to camp, and 

 that he "reckoned that Rex had killed it." 



We had seen Perringer at Allison's Mill, and of course 

 Rex calculated upon him bringing the venison to camp, 

 as he had a wagon and lived but a short distance beyond 

 where we were located. It was getting dark, but Eng- 

 lish and Cap mounted a couple of horses, and in a gallop 

 that assured a speedy return, started for the deer. 



Not long after they had left Rex came in and we heard 

 just how it was. He had killed a deer soon after leaving 

 us and carried it out to the road, hanging it in a tree and 

 putting his jacket or blouse over it for the express pur- 

 pose of attracting Capt. Perringer's attention. He had 

 not gone far from where he killed his first deer, when he 

 saw a drove of them and killed another, and after a long 

 chase killed still another, making three deer during the 

 afternoon, a much better outlook than on our first hunt. 



There was another member of our party I have not 

 mentioned, and a most useful little fellow to his master 

 and a great favorite to us all. Raleigh was a fat, good- 

 natured and good-looking cur dog, and he never failed in 

 tracking a deer if the scent was anything like fresh , trot- 

 ting or walking just ahead of Rex, adjusting his pace to 

 that of his master. 



On this occasion we did not rely on any more rock 

 caves, but stretched the wagon cover over some poles, 

 and this afforded us a very fair shelter. Each night a 

 big log was cut and rolled in front of our tent, against 

 which a good fire was kept going, replenished from time 

 to time with pine knots. 



Next day being Sunday we took a stroll for our health 

 — just to keep in training — and being afraid to leave our 

 guns in camp took them with us. 



When I got back, about noon, there was a fine fresh 

 saddle of venison hanging in a tree, and a large set of 

 horns just under it. 



"Halloo!" says Cap as I came up, "ain't that a buster? 

 Dick killed him, and that makes one the start of you." 

 And poor, unsophisticated I smiled faintly, and with the 



remark that "by the gods of war, he's a fine one!" dropped 

 down on a convenient log and began to moralize why some 

 people would break the Sabbath! I noticed that Dick 

 didn't appear to be as highly elated as I expected he 

 would be after committing such a deed, but I'll own up 

 that I was gulled, and what is more, they kept it up on 

 me for a couple of days, and then fearing that I might 

 walk myself so death to get even, quietly told me that it 

 was not' Dick who had killed the deer. I had my revenge. 



On Monday it was Cap's luck to bring in a little horny 

 fellow , his first deer, and he was not a little proud and 

 greatly elated. Calvin also brought in a nice^ buck, and 

 left another hanging in a tree across Robinson's fork. 



The next day Rex, Dick, Cap and I decided to ride over 

 the line into the Nation to a section of country that we 

 had hunted over earlier in the season. We breasted the 

 woods to Ash Creek, jumping several deer, but not get- 

 ting a shot. Here we left our horses, and two of us on 

 each side of the creek commenced our hunt. I had not 

 gone far when a doe jumped from a clump of bushes, not 

 thirty steps ahead, but owing to the dense undergrowth — 

 an old "hurricane" — I did not have an opportunity to shoot. 

 She did not go more than 150yds. before she stopped, and 

 I slipped into a hollow and began a stalk, but she did not 

 wait for me, and when I came to where I ought to have 

 seen her she was not in sight. 



A little while previous to this I had heard two shots 

 across the creek and below me, and I had not gone 50yds. 

 from where I left off my stalk when I caught sight of 

 a yearling buck and doe coming up a gulch to my right 

 and nearly toward me, evidently frightened from the 

 rifle reports below. I tried to stop them when they got 

 abreast of me, but without success, as they did not ap- 

 pear to care for a "blate," so drawing for the buck I 

 fired, and apparently without effect, for they whirled 

 aw ay tram me, then into a little ravine and' down the 

 mountain side, but they did not get out of sight until I 

 had pumped four more balls after them. The boys, 

 speaking of it afterward, said that it sounded like a 

 considerable skirmish, and as I put in the shots while the 

 deer were traversing only about 50yds. , I guess the boys 

 were about right. However, I found considerable blood 

 and followed it some distance, but finally lost all track 

 and gave it up. Now, I am confident that had Rex and 

 his dog been at hand I'd have gotten my game. Nothing- 

 is more discouraging to me than to wound anything and 

 then lose it. I'd rather it were a clear miss. 



I went on down the creek about half a mile and then 

 turned back, as it was agreed, before we left our horses, 

 to he back by 1 o'clock. I found Cap busily employed 

 eating hickory nuts, and immediately joined him. It 

 may not be believed, but I have seen, and have in my 

 house now, hickory nuts as large as English walnuts 

 from this part of Arkansas. Dick and Rex soon joined 

 us, and we saddled and breasted back to the river, as we 

 had come, empty-handed. 



Rex had fired the shots I had heard at a long distance, 

 but without result. Cap had fired once, and Dick saw 

 some turkeys. At the crossing of Robinson's Fork we 

 found the deer that Calvin had hung in a free the day 

 before, and another that he had killed since we passed 

 there this morning, so we loaded the venison on our 

 horses and were soon in camp. By this time we had 

 eight deer strung up, and they made a very pretty ap- 

 pearance. 1 have not spoken of the delicious venison 

 that we enjoyed; plump back strap and tenderloin, split 

 in two and broiled on the end of a forked stick over glow- 

 ing coals, and when nearly done a slice of fat pork al- 

 lowed to melt and drip over it; or fat ribs stewed thor- 

 oughly ! And for bread wc had meal and water and a 

 little salt mixed together and baked in an old-fashioned 

 bake oven; tliis, with sorghum and coffee, constituted our 

 diet, and we all enjoyed it thoroughly, judging from the 

 amount of meat and pones of bread that disappeared 

 thrice a day. 



On Wednesday we hunted about camp in all directions, 

 Cap being the only lucky man. however, and brought in 

 another young buck. 



Next morning we held a council of war, and it was 

 agreed to strike camp and pull out for home. Horses 

 were saddled and harnessed, wagon loaded with our veni- 

 son and camp equipage, and in a short time we were 

 moving, some breasting to the right and some to the left. 

 I was the first one to get to the ford on Rolling Fork, 

 next came the wagon, and after a wait of fifteen min- 

 utes Calvin came along with a young buck that he had 

 killed a couple of miles back. 



We waited some time for the others and started on. 

 We all got together again at Allison's Mill, and as Dick 

 came up to the wagon I pointed to the fresh-killed deer, 

 and said, "Well, Dick, I got one. Did you see the pile of 

 stones I put around his blood at the ford?" And I had 

 my revenge when I saw that he had swallowed the bait. 



In an hour from here we were at Rex's home, and as 

 soon as dinner was over Dick and I mounted and rode 

 home. And so ended as pleasant a hunt as I was ever 

 on. Rex had wanted a thousand pounds of venison, and 

 it was secured. Antimony. 



Antimony City, Ark. 



SHORE BIRDS. 



SALEM, Mass., Aug. 13. — The past week has shown up 

 some birds about here, and at Ipswich and Plum 

 Island. One man got sixteen summers at Mill Pond 

 Branch, Salem, a few days ago. A Peabody man got four 

 uplands in Poor Farm pasture, Ipswich, a week ago. 

 They have been heard but not seen at Plum Island until 

 yesterday, when I saw fourteen. One or two jack curlew 

 have been seen. Small birds have been fairly plenty, 

 though rather scarce just now. I mean peeps and 

 ringnecks. A few sanderling (C. arenavia) or white 

 birds are along; also a few beetleheads (S. lielvitica). 

 No terns around just now. Some coots are beginning to 

 come along, and black ducks {A. obsmra) are moving 

 about. The marshes are in excellent order for birds, and 

 though mosquitoes and midgets are troublesome at times, 

 yet the greenhead flies are unusually scarce. For full ex- 

 planation of my local names brother gunners can refer 

 with both profit and pleasure to Gurdon Trumbull's book. 

 It is a regular dictionary of bird lore. X. Y. Z. 



Connecticut.— Thomaston, Aug. 15.— There are good 

 prospects for ruffed grouse in this vicinity, with some 

 quail.— E. M. C. 



