Oct. 11, 1888.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



226 



NATHAN S. HARRINGTON. 



EX- PRESIDENT OF THE "WORCESTER FOR COMPANY. 



AMONG the sportsmen of Massachusetts there is prob- 

 ably not one more widely known or more universally 

 respected than the gentleman who is the subject of this 

 sketch, and I have so often had occasion to mention his 

 name in my correspondence with the Forest and 

 Stream, covering a period of ten years, that possibly 

 your readers may like to become better acquainted, for 

 such as he elevate sportsmanship. I have known him 

 from my boyhood, and for the last twenty years there 

 has been an intimate and unbroken friendship, during 

 which lie more than any one man, has been my shooting 

 and fishing companion. 



"Uncle Nathan"— for by that familiar title he is known 

 and addressed by young and old alike — is seventy-three 

 years of age, a living example of a temperate, thrifty life, 

 with a generous sprinkling of days by the stream and in 

 the field with rod and gun. Leaving his humble home 

 at the tender age of eight years to earn his living as chore 

 boy on a farm, he saw very little of the sunny side of 

 life, until at the age of sixteen he engaged as an appren- 

 tice to learn the gunsmith's trade with the late Ethan 

 Allen, the inventor of one of the first revolvers known as 

 the ' ' Allen pepperbox. " This was the beginning of better 

 days. A few years later, at the breaking out 

 of 'the California fever, there was a great de- 

 mand for the then famous pistol, and he took 

 a contract in the fitting department; this 

 proved very profitable, and the proceeds he 

 invested in the real estate which has ever 

 since been his home. Being pleasantly and 

 centrally located, this estate has greatly in- 

 creased in value and with the improvements 

 he has made now yields a handsome income. 

 His love of field sports, especially shooting, 

 developed very early in life, and this passion 

 has been indulged generously throughout all 

 these years, and yet he has always been an , 

 industrious, thrifty man. Firmly believing 

 that, with enough to supply every rational 

 want, there was something in life to enjoy 

 besides the accumulation of wealth, at the 

 sacrifice of health and all recreation, he has 

 followed his inclination, and who shall say 

 he is not a winner? After he had secured 

 comfortable home he conceived the idea of a 

 shop of his own for the manufacture of 

 jointed fishing rods, which at that time were 

 just coming in fashion. In those days ang- 

 lers were content with a common bamboo, 

 but with commendable enterprise he kept 



Eace with the times, and in later years his 

 ne fly-rods would have been creditable to an 

 establishment of greater pretentions. Uncle 

 Nathan's shop is a model of disorder. There 

 are just three articles that are always in their 



Elace, his work bench, forge and lathe. Ask 

 im for any tool except the one in his hand 

 and it means a general hunt, and as a rule his 

 visitor can find it first. For years it was the 

 trial of his life to keep traOk of his glasses, 

 but at last he found a remedy in the purchase 

 of a stock, which is distributed about the 

 room. For many years his shop has been a 

 general resort for sportsmen, not only of 

 Worcester and vicinity, for so extended is 

 his acquaintance he has many visitors from 

 all over New England. His hospitality knows 

 no bounds, and many sportsmen who read 

 this sketch will remember with pleasure their 

 delightful call on Uncle Nathan, with the in- 

 evitable pitcher of cider and dish of apples. 



He has always been a firm believer and ad- 

 vocate of strict game laws and their enforce- 

 ment, and strict integrity, courtesy and re- HHH 

 spect for the rights of others has marked his mwmm 

 life as a sportsman. Possessing a genial, 

 happy temperament, he has for years been a 

 general favorite, and consequently his com- 

 pany is in great demand by his friends as a 

 fishing and shooting companion. Appreciat- 

 ing the privileges granted him by farmers and land 

 owners, he is always careful of their interests, and is 

 therefore a welcome guest; and those who would have 

 Ms companionship must do likewise. 



The story of his painful accident, eleven years ago, 

 while fox hunting, was told in Forest and Stream, but 

 so long ago that many of your readers may have for- 

 gotten the particulars, and I will briefly repeat it. There 

 had been a light fall of snow on this eventful morning, 

 and the day was about perfect for fox hunting. Uncle 

 Nathan was out early and soon had a fox started on 

 Burncoat Plain, about four miles from the city. In 

 hurrying down a hill to reach a runway he caught his 

 toe and fell headlong, discharging one barrel of his gun, 

 the muzzle of which was within a few inches of his foot, 

 literally tearing the front part to shreds and necessitating 

 its amputation at the instep. After crawling a long dis- 

 tance through the snow to a pile of rails, he climbed upon 

 them and was then able to make himself heard at a farm- 

 house about a fourth of a mile away. The man quickly 

 harnessed his horse and was soon on his way to the city, 

 but the old gentleman was rapidly growing weak from 

 loss of blood, and fearing he should faint he requested 

 his friend to stop at the door of an acquaintance and ask 

 for whisky. A tumblerful was brought him, which 

 served to brace him up to a degree that he retained con- 

 sciousness till he reached his home. Three skilled phy- 

 sicians were called and detecting the odor of the stimu- 

 lant, inquired at once if he was addicted to its use. Being 

 informed that he was a strictly temperate man, they re- 

 plied that they were very glad to know it, as otherwise 

 his chance of recovery would be very small. It was 

 a very difficult and painful operation, and he was. con- 

 fined to his room for many months, but his correct habits 

 and robust health told to his advantage and resulted in 

 his complete recovery. 



It is always great fun for the boys when they can get 

 a good joke on Uncle Nathan, and his habit of forgetful- 

 ness furnishes many an opportunity. Perhaps heedless- 

 ness would be the better word, as it is not the forgetful- 

 ness of age, but a confirmed habit. His friends have 

 learned that it is always safe to look him over carefully 

 before starting off for a day's shoot, for on more than 

 One occasion he has been known to forget his gun, to say 



nothing of articles of less importance. It was a great 

 trial to give up his muzzleloader which had served him 

 faithfully more than thirty years, and which he called 

 the "old umbrella." He considered the matter carefully 

 and finally concluded lie could kill a fox further with a 

 chokebore, and purchased a breechloader of fail* .quality, 

 but in bird shooting he occasionally takes the old gun. 

 On one of these occasions he finished the day at a cover 

 about ten miles from home, meeting his friend at the 

 team which was hitched by the roadside. He set the 

 •'old umbrella" up against a tree, put on his overcoat, 

 and then located himself in the wagon. His friend, who 

 was busy unhitching the horse, didn't notice it, and when 

 some six miles from the spot the old gentleman broke out 

 with, "Is my gun in the wagon? No. I left it standing 

 against the tree. Never mind, drive on, let's go there 

 shooting again to-morrow and we shall find it right 

 there." They found it next morning all safe and drip- 

 ping with the morning dew, but the affair leaked out 

 and furnished fun for ah evening at the rendezvous. 



One morning in woodcock flight the writer called early 

 for Uncle Nathan and drove twelve miles to a famous 

 cover. It was a most delightful October day, and we 

 found birds quite plentiful. He was using the "um- 

 b-ella," and whenever a bird flushed I would hear a 

 "click," the cap would explode and that was all. "What's 



'UNCLE NATHAN ." 



HUNTING THE GRAY SQUIRREL. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your last issue "Von W.," of Charlestown, N. H., 

 says, "I know 'Iron Ramrod' will support me in saying 

 that it requires some woodcraft as well as gumption to 

 successfully circumvent these wary and nimble climbers; 

 and what makes a better dinner than a squirrel stew or 

 pie?" 



Tire novice that goes forth from the city or town that 

 is unaccustomed to the haunts and habits of this beauti- 

 ful little rodent may perhaps get an occasional glimpse 

 of him as he waves his "brush" to him in a derisive kind 

 of way, and bids him good day in the distance. He has 

 taken Ms gun for a short trip to the woods and thinks it 

 easy enough to shoot a few squirrels, and so he rambles 

 around on one of these fine October mornings with but 

 an occasional sight of a squirrel and returns home with 

 an empty bag. The writer prefers a small-bore rifle for 

 squirrel shooting, as he usually hunts them without the 

 aid of a dog; but as most sportsmen like a shotgun then 

 I would say that a chr kebored 12-gauge gun is the best 

 gun for squirrels that the writer has tried. As all who 

 have shot gray squirrels can testify, they will "stand a 

 good deal of killing" before they will give up, and I have 

 used small shot on them with such poor effect that I at 

 once dropped to No. 4 chilled, and even with 

 No. 4 there will be some of the shot lodged 

 ; (3 inside the skin on the opposite side. Many a 

 squirrel have I shot with No. 7 or No. 8 and 

 had them crawl into some hole or crevice 

 where. I could not find them, or if I did, 

 would find it impossible for me to dislodge 

 them from their lofty hiding place. When 

 struck with the coarse shot, however, they 

 at once give up and come tumbling to the 

 ground without catching on limb or crawl- 

 ing away out of sight. 



To successfully hunt the gray, of course, 

 "requires some "woodcraft," but the great 

 secret, if any there is about, is to sit down 

 and keep still. Don*t keep running around 

 in the woods and through thick underbrush 

 where a squirrel would never think of going, 

 but look about for "signs" of their work. 

 Hickory nuts, chestnuts, acorns, beech nuts 

 and maple seeds are what the squirrels eat 

 mostly in this part of the country, and gener- 

 ally speaking the oak trees give the best re- 

 turns for a squirrel hunt. Two persons can 

 bunt the gray squirrel more successfully than 

 one. as he is full of "ways that are dark and 

 tricks that are vain" for eluding the eye of 

 the hunter. Choose a trusty companion and 

 go to the woods. If the squirrels are about 

 | you will see their "signs," which are these: 

 branches with a few nuts on them will be 

 found lying around under the trees, showing 

 9HH|| that they have been gnawed off by them and 

 gP dropped from above; hulls and shells will 

 [PPffl also be found that have been bitten and 

 partly eaten, and many other signs will show 

 mBB| that the trees are being "worked" by them. 



If a large single tree standing out alone away 

 HHH from the woods, take your position — your 

 companion on the opposite side from you — 

 whei'e you can command a view of the whole 

 of the tree. Sit down and keep still, do not 

 speak to each other or make any noise, but 

 keep both eyes wide open, the chances are 

 that within ten minutes you will see first a 

 head with two shining black eyes, then his 

 body, and perhaps if you should happen to 

 wink he will give one grand flourish with 

 lEHH that monstrous tail of his that will make him 

 look as large as a common house cat as he 

 HSH whips around to the opposite side of the old 

 RHHI oak; his intention was to have gone down on 

 the opposite side of the tree to the ground, 

 and then keeping the tree between you and 

 him he would have left for the woods, saying 

 as he went, "Well, good day, 111 see you 

 later." But your companion has taken in 

 the situation at a glance, and just as Mr. Gray shows up 

 on his side of the tree a sharp report rings out on the 

 clear frosty air, and there is a dull thud as the squirrel 

 comes to earth. Gather him in and put him carefully 

 away in the bag, but do not think that this little 

 racket that you have made will end your sport. Sit right 

 down again as before, and the chances are that in a few 

 minutes you will see another one come out to look and 

 see what all that fuss was about. Many a time I have 

 shot two squirrels that way without leaving my seat. In 



the matter, old man?" "Oh, 1 don't know; that was a 

 beautiful shot, guess I'll prick in a little powder." 

 Having fixed it all right he went on, only to get another 

 shot with another miss-fire, and so on till about 2 o'clock 

 in the afternoon, when he concluded "that it was about 

 time to investigate," and very deliberately drew two 

 charges of shot from each barrel. 



As a wing shot he has ranked far ahead of the average . 

 especially in woodcock shooting, which is his favorite 

 bird. I think, however, that there is no sport that he , .. 



enjoys quite so much as fox hunting, and in that he has the groves or woods where there are many trees the 

 no superior. I fully believe there is no man in central "signs" are to be looked for in the same Avay as before, 

 Massachusetts who has killed as many foxes ahead of a 



hound, who has confined himself strictly to the open 

 season, viz., from Oct. 1 to March 1. Possessing great 

 powers of endurance, and with courage and tenacity, he 

 would always stay as long as the daylight lasted and 

 improve the last chance to kill a fox. 



On one occasion, a few years ago, he had worked hard 

 all day, the dog having driven his fox from early.morn- 

 ing, and at about sunset was playing him beautifully on 

 a line of ledges, while Uncle Nathan was covering a run- 

 way on a road at the foot of the hill. A gentleman driv- 

 ing by invited him to ride to the city. "Thank you." 

 said the veteran, "but I guess I wont leave the old dog." 

 It was almost too dark to shoot when the fox attempted 

 to cross the road, but he didmt get by, and the old gen- 

 tleman walked nearly five miles to the city by moonlight 

 with the brush hanging from his coat pocket. A true 

 sportsman, a genial Mend, a worthy citizen and honest 

 man. May he live to enjoy many clays in the chase, in 

 the field and by the stream in years to come. 



E. Spragxje Kn/q-wxejs, 



Worcester. Mass., March, 18S8. 



Georgia Game. — Liberty Hill, Ga., Oct. 1.— The shoot- 

 ing season is fairlv opened., Partridges are very plenti- 

 ful, having been left untouched last season. We had 

 the earliest frost ever known in this part of the State 

 (Sept. 29), and predict an early fall. Rabbits are also 

 very numerous and are doing considerable damage around 

 the swamp lands. Dove shooting is over, the sportsmen 

 have made unusually good bags this season,— T, U. F. 



but your companion will take his station further away, 

 and you will not watch the same tree. If a squirrel 

 seems to take fright and attempts to run away from you 

 don't chase him— for you never can catch him— but sit 

 still, his curiosity will not let him stay long, and he will 

 probably soon be back again to the same place he started 

 from. I remember once while watching one that had 

 slipped down the outer side of the tree and ran away 

 from me, of seeing him go clear around a large pasture 

 on the wall , and it was nearly an hour before he returned ; 

 but he came back again to his death. 



Regarding the squirrel being considered as game, I see 

 no reason why he should not be, and if he has not been 

 so considered heretofore, let us henceforth and forever 

 give him a rating among our list of game animals. He 

 is handsome, smart, cunning and tricky, while as "Von 

 W." says, what makes a better dinner than a squirrel 

 stew or pie? There is one thing, however, that should 

 not be overlooked when preparing the gray squirrel for 

 the table. There h a kind of gland under the forelegs 

 that should be removed or else the squirrel will be 

 ' 'strong" and unfit to eat. Soak the meat awhile in salt 

 and water to remove the blood clots, and then parboil. 

 The cook will then take care of them until they are on 

 the table ready for you, and if you are fortunate enough 

 to have an appetite such as the writer is blessed with, 

 you will say that the gray squirrel is game in every sense 

 of the word. 



Gray squirrels are ripe now, and I wish every reader 

 of Forest and Stream might have a sample of good 

 squirrel shooting. Iron Ramrod, 



SoMEHvnvLK Mass., Oct. ti. 



