154 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



ISept. 11, 1890. 



A COON RACKET ON SKITCHAWANY MOUNTAIN 



T "WAS Eroitie to my wort one noon, and'was just turning 

 J. th° corner of the main street when, glancing up the 

 ro^d. T saw n team of two horses driven by a Frenchman — 

 o'd Black Pete he was called. In the wagon, which was 

 coverpd. and a large, one. was his wife with a whole family 

 of children. He was hound for his winter home in Connec- 

 ticut In the sprine he goes to Canada, and while on the 

 ro?d he is ready to whack np a borse trade, dog, or anything 

 else that he can make a dollar on. Tied to the axle were 

 six or eight dogs of all kinds, curs and mongrels, and among 

 them was a brindle hound, a perfect beauty and the only 

 brindle hound T ever saw. His ears were long and thin and 

 I did not think he was ovpr thve-f years old. I motioned to 

 Pete to stop, and as he hauled un I asked him how much 

 he asked for a little poodle next to the wheel. "Twenty 

 dollars; and a fine one. a fine one, nothing like him for a 

 pet, owned by one of the richest men in Canada." How 

 much for that lop-eared dog next to him? "Oh 1" exclaimed 

 Pete, "that is the greatest coon doer that ever lived, and I 

 got him in Canada for a man in Connecticut. He is one 

 good one, and I ask $25 for him and would not take a cent 

 less." 1 bought that bound finallv for S5. took him home 

 and tied him to a box next to my foxhound and they were 

 soon f -ist friends. That, night I took him out for a walk, 

 and I felt highly elated over my purchase, and resolved that 

 before many nights had come and gonelwould see whether 

 he was "one of the best coon dogs ever owned in Canada," 

 or not. 



There was a friend of mine who wanted to go, and the 

 third evening after buying him, about 7 o'clock, we started 

 out. About a mile up the road lived an old coon hunter by 

 the name of Furgersou, who had a notorious coon dog, part 

 hound and part mastiff, and he was a good one: no coon 

 could get away from him, and when he once got hold of a 

 coon , it was all up with him. We had sent word to old 

 Furg, and he was waiting for us. He slung his six-foot gun 

 ovpr his shoulders with his climbers, and we struck out for 

 Skitchawanv Mountain 



It was a beautiful eveningin Septem ber. The bright moon 

 was just climbing the distant hills, while the glint and gleam 

 of the lights in the farmhouses on the meadows could be 

 seen for miles up the fertile valley of the Connecticut River. 

 A dense fog hung low over the river, hut beyond toward the 

 mountains it was clear and frosty. We were soon in Ver- 

 mont, and following about a mile, up the road that ruus 

 along the base of the mountains we struck out to the left, 

 and on the edge of a fifteen-acre cornfield we slipped the 

 dogs and they sprang forward with a veil, but T don't think 

 they had struck any scent. We had just got up under the 

 mountain, wheu o'ldFurg's Bluch opened off to the north 

 about forty rods ou a hot, trail, and was soon joined by Brin- 

 dle, and they were soon making it hot for something, for 

 they were tearing around under the mountain at a great 

 rate 



Old Furg lit his lantern, and rounding a spur of the moun- 

 tain we found them at a stand on a thick knoll of hemlocks. 

 They were harking furiously as we got up to them, and were 

 leaping up and trying to tear the branches off a hemlock 

 which run up about forty feet high. "We have got him," 

 says old Furg, "sure." The tree being easy to climb, I vol- 

 unteered to go up and knock him off and let the hounds kill 

 him. Up I started with a stout club in my band, while old 

 Ferg held his lantern as high as he could, while I tore 

 through the thick branches of the hemlock, ready to knock 

 the stuffing out of any coon that ever lived I had got up 

 about loft., when bang went Furg's blunderbuss, and I 

 thought I was a dead man sure. A monster eat fell into my 

 arms and I let go. I could not hold on: my strength was 

 all gone and I thought my right ear was shot completely 

 away. I struck the grou ad all in a heap. The cat bounded 

 away, and old Bluch fastened on to my shoulder, and I was 

 badly shaken up before old Furg and Damon could beat him 

 off. They helped me to my feet and felt me over and pro- 

 nounced me all right, but a close call.' Taking a swallow of 

 rattlesnake poison annibilator, we struck out. My head 

 swam and began to ache, and I staggered along like a 

 drunken man. 



It seems that when T struck the ground, the cat, which 

 was unhurt, bounded down the side of the mountain with 

 Brindle close on to her. She struck out tor the nearest 

 farmhouse, about 200 rods away, and the farmer's hired 

 man told me a few days after in the village that he was just 

 going out to fodder the cattle when he heard the hound 

 coming. The door to the bouse was open and a cat shot, 

 across the threshold, while a streak of dog not afoot be- 

 hind dashed after, right into the kitchen. The farmer's 

 wife was just straining the milk, and she fell over in a dead 

 faint. The old farmer grabbed a chair and made a lunge 

 at the hound, which, was tearing around the room after the 

 cat, and he knocked it into splinters, and pandemonium 

 reigned before Brindle gave up, and soon joined us on the 

 side of the mountain. 



We then struck north, and followed along the base of the 

 mountain, and nad gone about a mile, when both hounds 

 gave tongue out on the meadow, a half mile distant. We 

 sat down and awaited results. Tbey soon got into an im- 

 mense cornfield; and I never heard such music, from two 

 dogs iu mv life. We could hear the hills of corn go down 

 before them in their frantic endeavors to get bold of him. 

 for they were right on to him; and it seemed as though they 

 would pick him up btfore he could make the mountain; and 

 it was a race for life. It was one continuous yell, and I was 

 surprised at the w-*y my new dog held his own with Furg's 

 old Bluch. They raced him around the cornfield for about 

 fifteen minutes, aud then he swung for the mountains away 

 to the north of us, and they finally came to a stand at the 

 foot of a monster white pine, all of 90ft. high, with not a 

 limb to be seen short of 70 or 80ft., and the top spread out 

 like an umbrella. All was now excitement. Our good 

 hounds were tearing off great chunks of bark in their eager- 

 ness, and were baying furiously. "Build up a roaricg fire," 

 shouted old Furg, as he commenced fcostrap on his climbers; 

 and we had a fire going, and it lit up the side of the moun- 

 tain for rods around. 



We wer*- rigut, m the vicinity of a rattlesnake den, where 

 numbers had been killed through the summer; and every 

 stick that I tore out of the leaves, I expected would turn 

 out to bp a six-foot rattler. But we were prepared for such 

 an emergency; and about that time would just as soon have 

 bearded the rattlesnake in bis den as nob. 



Furg had got his climbers strapped on and his gun loaded 

 and strapped on his back; and he started up while we held 

 our now crazy hounds back, thinking they would pull him 

 down. He grasped the huge trunk around and drove a 

 climber in, and started upward He was a long time going 

 up, and after reaching the first limb he swung himself over 

 it, and looking down at us with his one eye (the other he al- 

 ways said he lost in a grizzly bear fight in the wilds of 

 Maine), he. told us to stoke her uo. We piled on the wood 

 until the flames shot up to an immense height, aud old 

 Furg disappeared in the ranches. "Look out, I see him," 

 came from up between the heavens and the earth; and hang 

 goes his Krupp. The hounds sprang away from the butt of 

 the tre. and with open jaws ard eyes bulging out. and look- 

 ing upw rd for the expected coon, they stop their baying for 

 a mome t. But no coon came down. "I missed him," cried 

 Furg. "Keep a good fire agoing," and iu a few moments 

 he sang out, and a bright flash shot through the treetop, 

 followed t>y a roar that would have done credit to a twenty- 

 foot Columbiad. The hounds sprang back again and gazed 

 upward. The coon shot through the air like a ball. Both 

 hounds saw him in the glare of our fire; and, shades of 



Aunt Isaac! he fell right into the flames, and the dogs were 

 on him in an instant. 



The fire flew in every direction. The yells of the wounded 

 coon, the yelps and howlsof thedogs, and old Furg ayelling 

 up among the clouds, must have made the old farmers along 

 the river think the evil one himself was having a night of 

 it on the. precipices as of old. The air was full of flying 

 limbs all ablaze. Damon and I jumped back for our 

 lives, yelling at the dogs; but soon a howling streak of fire 

 shot down among the rocks, and another went off to the left 

 and disappeared from view. Old Furg was soou down; and 

 he commenced to tear around for both coon and dogs. 

 Neither could be found; but I finally found old Bluch out on 

 the meadow, rolling ia the wet grass; and my dog came to 

 us in about half an hour. They were burned in spots all 

 over; their feet were terribly blistered; and they rolled and 

 licked themselves for an hour or more. 



We began to looj£ for the coon. The fire had gone down; 

 and we finally found him in a crevice in the rocks close to 

 the fire, still alive, but his bair was all burned off. We killed 

 him; and found that one of hislegs was shot away and hung 

 by a piece of skin. 



Our dogs were all used up, and we concluded to turn 

 homeward. We weighed the coon, and he weighed 261bs. 

 Old Furg wanted to keep my dog a few days and hunt him. 

 I let him have him; and that was the last I ever sawof him, 

 for old Fu rg came to me a few days after and told me he had 

 sold both dogs to parties down country. I just about got 

 my money back; and I guess the man got him in Connecti- 

 cut that Black Pete got. him for in the fall. 



G. R. GUSHING. 



Charmsstown, N. H. 



DOG TALK FROM ENGLAND, 



LONDON, England. — I notice Manhattan's remarks in the 

 Canine World of Aug. 29 re the bull-terrier White Won- 

 der. I think from my notes regarding the dog, that I mailed 

 a fortnight since, that there cannot be the slightest doubt 

 that he was deaf from birth, and that affair at Boston was 

 as I stated at the time "the greatest farce on record." Show 

 committees seem to think that any man who can write V. 

 S. after his name will give as good satisfaction at a show as 

 Dr. Glover or Dr. Sewall. A few such lessons as the Boston 

 show committee have received in 1888 and 1S89 ought to teach 

 them a thing or two. 



Welsh and Irish terriers are looking up here. The more 

 1 see of them the more 1 wonder why they are not more pop- 

 ular in America, they are very hardy, grand rabbit dogs, 

 and quite a number are used for bunting partridge and other 

 game, they are also very intelligent and tractable. 



At the Crystal Palace show to be held next month, there 

 will be 24 judges. Iu short a specialty judging list. This is 

 as it shouid be; the idea that one man can judge all classes 

 and give satisfaction is well enough for an agricultural show, 

 but it will not go down much longer at our Kennel Club 

 shows. The judges best known in the States are Mr. B\ B. 

 Craven for bloodhounds, Mr. J. S. Pybus-Sellon for bull 

 dogs, Mr. G. S. Lowe for pointers, Mr. C. Houlker for pugs, 

 Mr. A. J. Gosling for St. Bernards and Messrs A. H, Clarke 

 and A. Maxwell for fox-terriers. 



On the 29th and 30th of August there were six dog shows 

 held in this little country of England (little only as regards 

 area). 



Smothered dogs en route from bench shows are not un- 

 known to Englishmen as well as Americans. Mr. Lowe's 

 pointer was returned by the Tunbridge Wells show com- 

 mittee in a hamper too small for him with the usual result. 

 Mr. Lowe clai ms £100 damages. 



According to tbe Stock-Keeper at the French Gordon Set- 

 ter Club's field trials next month, all competing dogs must 

 have been wbelped and reared in France, have a pedigree 

 and belong to French owners. 



In the same paper I notice that Mr. Ellis is offering the 

 services of that most excellent bulldog Ch. Grabber, free to 

 breeders, on the payment of a small fee to tbe kennel man. 

 Methinks I hear of the like in America, "Wal, I guess not." 



The latest phase of the hydrophobia scare is a man at 

 Bridgton, Eng , that was recently bitten by a spider. The 

 doctors say bis symptoms are very similar to hydrophobia, 

 the Stock-Keeper proposes to muzzle all spiders hereafter. 



By the way, I wonder if friend Wade is seriously ill. For 

 the first time in six months (I had almost siid years), I have 

 picked up four papers published in one week and not found 

 a single article from his pen. NAmqtjoit. 



IRISH SETTER IMPORTATION.— The Kildare Kennel 

 Pittsburg, Pa., have recently purchased in England tbe. 

 Irish setter dog Tore. He was whelped Jan. 15, 1884 and is 

 by Cocksure and out of Granuaile. He is own brother to the 

 well known field trial winner Mac's Little Nell and has 

 done some winning at English shows. He should prove a 

 valuable acquisition to tbe Kildare Kennel. 



SOUTHERN FIELD TRIALS CLUB DERBY. — There 

 are 78 entries for the Derby of the Southern Field Trials 

 Club. The list came to hand too late for publication this 



week, 



KENNEL NOTES. 



HoteB must be sent on prepared blanks, which are fur- 

 nished free on receipt of stamped and addressed envelope 

 of large letter size. Sets of 200 of any one form, bound for 

 retaining duplicates, are sent for 30 cents. 



BRED. 



Prepared Blanks sent free on application. 



Hallowc" 1 en—Balkis. H. VV, HuntiDgton's (Brooklyn, N. Y.) grey- 

 hound bitch Hallowe'en (Zoedone — Cataract) to his champion 

 Balkis (Olvto- Primrose), Sept. 6. 



Brunette—Ormonde, C. E. Bunu's (Peoria, HI.) mastiff hitch 

 Brunette to his Ormonde, July 19. 



Piiaedra— Ormonde. C. E. Bunu's (Peoria, 111.) mastiff bitch 

 Phaedra to his Ormonde. June 23. 



Juno— Ormonde. C. H. Strother's mastiff bitch Juno to C. E. 

 Bvmu's Ormonde, June 12. 



Brunette II— Ormonde. W. Howatt's mastiff bitch Brunette II. 

 to 0. E. Brum's Ormonde, June 10. 



Coeo- Ormonde. W. Heberling's mastiff bitch Coco to C. E. 

 Buun's Ormonde, May 2. 



Nevada— Watch. Peter Boudn'e's (Toledo, O.) St. Bernard hitch 

 Nevada (champion Sir Charles— Clio) to John Posey's Watch 

 (Guide— Sans Peur), Aug. 3. 



Lady Nebo— Jersey. O. B. Gilman's (Boston, Mass.) cocker span- 

 iel bitch Lady Nebo (Sancho G.— Frantic) to J. P. Willey's cham- 

 pion Jersey ('hampion Obo II.— Darkle), Aug. 28. 



Slick— Oho II. O. B. Gilman's (Boston, Mas?.) cocker spaniel 

 biich Slick (champion Hornell Slick— Grade) to J. P. Willey's 

 champion Obo IT. (champion Obo— Chloe II.), Aug. 28. 



Rosaline- Border Clinker II. W. E Hofl's (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 

 Dandie . Dmmont terrier Rosaline (Badger — Jennie Lee) to J. H, 

 Naylor's Border Clinker II. (Border Clinker— Pansy), July 8. 



WHELPS. 



JSP" Prepared Blanks sent free on application. 



Phaedra. C. E. Bunu's (Peoria, 111.) mastiff bitch Phaedra, 

 Aug. 25, eight, (five clogs), by his Ormonde. 



Juno. C. H. Strother's mastiff bitch Juno, Auer. 16, five dogs, 

 hy C. E. Bunu's Ormonde. 



Brunette II. W. Howatt's mastiff bitch Brunette II., Aug. 14, 

 three (two dot's), by C. E. .Bunu's Ormonde. 



Coco. W. Heberling's mastiff bitch Coco, July 4, nine (three 

 does), hy C. E. Bonn's Ormonde. 



Violena. E. M. Barteau's (Babylon, N. Y.) pointer bitch Violena 

 (Spot— Lilly Faust), Aue. 13. seven (four dogs), by C. Floyd-Jones's 

 Bang- (Babg Bans— Peg). 



Fannie Obo II. O. B. Gilman's (Boston. Mass.) cocker spaniol 

 hitch Fannie Obo II. (Sancho G.— Frantic), Aug. 27, eight (four 

 dogs), by Mount Waite Kennels' Titus (Ptince &.— Lora). 



Frantic. O. B. Gilman's (Boston, Mass.) cocker spaniel bitch 

 Frantic (Hiainpion Black Pete— Fannie Obo). Aug. 10, five (one 

 dog), by J. P. Willey's champion Obo II. (Oho— Chloe II). 



Pansy W. O. B. Gilman's (Boston, Mass.) cocker spaniel bitch 

 Pansy W. (champion Oho II.— Lady of Lansing), Aug. 19, two (one 

 don), hy J. P. Willev's champion Black Pete (Obo, Jr.— Phonsie). 



Daisy G. O. B. Gilman's (B ston, Mass.) cocker spaniel bitch 

 Daisy &. (Jet— Beauty), Aug. 7, three (two dogs), by his Titus 

 (Prince G.— Lora). 



Vigil. E. C. Ray, Jr.'s (Mamaroneck. N. Y.) fox-terrier hitch 

 Vigil (Venator— Nellie), Aug. 22, two bitches, by C. IX Purroy's 

 Bracken hhrst Quick (The Moonstone— Brockenhurst Dainty II.). 



Lady Fidget. E. C. Ray, Jr.'s (Mamaroneck, N. Y.) fox-terrier 

 bit' h Laly Fidget (Music -Thistle). Aug. 31, six (three dogs), by 

 his Oxford Trap (Dusky Trap— Old Silver). 



SALES. 



]PW Prepared Blanks sent free on application. 



Dandy G. Liver and white cocker spaniel dog, age not given, by 

 Carlo out of Gyp, by A. McDonald, Rockland, Me., to O. B. Gil- 

 man, Bost°n, Mass. 



Border Dandie. Pepper Dandie Dimont terrier dog, whelped 

 Feb. 17, 1888, by Border Clinker out of Forest Vick, by Jas. Mc- 

 Ph"r=on, Roekford, HI., to Wm. E. Hoff, Chattanooga, Tenn. 



Forest Lass. Pepper Dandie Dinmont terrier bitch, whelped 

 Oct. 28, 1888 by O d Jock out of Gypsy Queen, by J . R. Naylor, 

 Mt. Forest, IU , to Wm. E. Hoff. Chattanooga, Tenn. 



Pride of Leader. Pepper Dandie Dinmont terrier bitch, whelped 

 Aug. 20, 1882. by Sbem out of Little Welcome, by J. H. Naylor, 

 Mt. Forest, 111., to W. E. Hoff, Chattanooga, Tenn. 



Rosaline. Pepper Dandie Dinmont terrier bitch,whelred March, 

 1887, ov Radger out of Jennie Lee, by J. H. Naylor, Mt. Forest, 

 111., to Wm. E. Hoff, Chattanooga, Tenn. 



A VOTE OF THANKS. — Editor Forest and Stream: 

 Kindly allow me space in your kennel department to thank 

 Mr. Frank A. Cars well, Supt. of the bench show held at Wil- 

 mington, Del., Sept. 2 to 8, for the way my poiuter dog Brake 

 looked when he was returned home. There are so many al- 

 ways finding fault, a word in praise may not be amiss. Brake 

 was sent trom here Monday and after wiuning first and 

 special for the best pointer in the show, arrived home Satur- 

 day A. M. in splendid condition. This being the first time I 

 have ever shown him, without having some one in charge of 

 bim, bis condition when he arrived was highly gratifying. 

 — Stantok W. Pentz. 



INDIANA FIELD TRIALS. — Editor Forest and Stream: 

 The Indiana Kennel Club will again hold its field trials at 

 Brikneli. This decision was reached by the club, after re- 

 peated overtures by tbe good people of Bicknell. By mak- 

 ing this change the expenses will be materially reduced, con- 

 sequently the purses will be enlarged accordingly. The club 

 in making the change feels that it has acted wisely in tbe 

 interest of its patrons. —P. T. Madison (Indianapolis, Ind). 



THE IRISH SETTER CLUB SPECIALS —The Irish 

 Setter Club of America have offered two specials of S125 and 

 $75 for the best two Irish setters entered and run at the field 

 trials of the Eastern Field Trials Club in November. No 

 special entry is required. All dogs entered in the Derby or 

 All-Aged Stake are eligible. It is to be hoped that owners 

 or this breed will enter their dogs and make this event an 

 nteresting one. 



EASTERN FIELD TRIALS CLUB.— At a meeting of 

 the Board of Governors held at the office of Mr. F. R. Hitch- 

 cock on Tuesday, Sept. 9, the names of Messrs. H. Hulman, 

 Jr., Terre Haute, Ind., and A. D. Lewis, Hempstead, N. Y., 

 were proposed for membership. Reports from the grounds 

 of the club at Otterburn Springs state that birds are well 

 grown for the time of year, and are very plentiful. 



TORONTO DOS SHOW.— Toronto, Sept. 8.— Editor For- 

 est and Stream: The entries for the Industrial Exhibition 

 Associate >n Grand International bench show of dogs from 

 Sept. 15 to 19, closed with some 500 entries comprising, the 

 grandest dogs on this continent. The buildings are com- 

 pleted, and everything is in good shape for the show.—C, A, 

 ■Stone, Sec'y and Supt.. 



RANGE AND GALLERY, 



THE CANADIAN WIMBLEDON. 



OiTAyvA. Sept. 1.— The twenty-third annual matches of the 

 Dominion Rifl^ Association commenced this morning. As early 

 as 7 o'clock riflemen residing dowu town were wending their way 

 toward the banks of the R : deau, while the dwellers in tents on 

 the brow of tbe lull were astir long before that hour. The flag on 

 the pole in th« rear of the targets whs anxiously scanned aud a 

 moment sufficed to show the riflemen that a rigbt wind was 

 blowing. La er on in the morning a number had learned to their 

 cost that the wind was stronger Hian rhey had supposed, as to hit 

 the target the allowance ot the full bar was necessary. Added to 

 this the wind w^s inclined to be tricky. Otherwise the day was 

 a splendid one for the marksmen. The light was good and old Sol 

 shone ou splendidly. Tbe work of the meetine was commenced 

 at 8:30 hy the opening of all the targers for extra series shooting, 

 and at 9:15 the actual matches commenc d with firing in the 

 bankers 1 match, in which the ''green" shots alone participated. 

 The result of the Nursery showed that some good men are coming 

 up and that the average of the shoo'ing was better than last year, 

 when 17s took prizes, while no fewer than ten 18s were counted 

 out to-day. 



In the Macdougall match some surprising variations of fortune 

 took place. Competitors who left the 400yds. butts with excelL nt 

 scores went to piecs completely at the longer range through 

 miscalculation as to the force of the wind. The popular '"Jack" 

 Oreau, of the Q. O. R., came within a point of being top man and 

 for a long time it seemed as if he were to hold the cup for tnenext 

 twelve months. The honor, however, fell to Private J. F. Abbott, 

 of ihe 59th battalion, Cornwall, and a "nurseryman" at that, his 

 score being 15 out of a possible 50. Private Abbott was one of the 

 last men to shoot at the 600yds. range, and his score upset the 

 chances of the Toron to mar . 



The Gzowski and British Challenge Shield matches took up the 

 whole of the afternoon, and the light was getting poor as tbe last 

 teams were finishing. During the day there was a large gather- 

 ing of interested spectators on the range, among them being^ Sir 

 A. P. Carbon, Minister of Militia, and Mr. H.A. Ward, M. P. Hon. 

 G. A. Kirk patriek, president of the Association, is expected hero 

 to-morrow. The new svstem of squading the men cannot be said 

 to have been a great success, but after this morning's experience 

 it is expected that matters will run more s-noothly. Last year 

 there were 416 competitors; the number this year will likely be 

 greater. . 



The Bankers' Prize— Nursery— Open to members of the Associ- 

 ation who have not at any time previous to priz- meeting of the 

 D. R. A. won a prize of 88 or upward; range, 500yds.; 5 rounds; 

 Snider rifles: position, any, with head to target; highest possible 

 score, 35; 



