Feb. 4, 1892.'] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



101 



could load "catteridges"' about as he lilted , but they would 

 resent any liberties taken by a greenhorn. 



I had a few duck bunts myself this fall, but, as Mr. 

 Woodyard Coupling remarks, "that don't belong to this 

 yarn." 



Your correspondent who thinks that a 12-gauge gun 

 will do good work with 3^drs. of powder, is right. In a 

 7 Jibs. 12, on grouse this fall, I shot 3drs. Hazard's "duck 

 shooting" and loz. chilled 6s, and never did better work. 

 My brother shot the same load successfully in his little 

 6£lbs. 12. For brush-shooting woodcock, I used l^oz. 

 chilled 10^ in right barrel, and up to 25yds. I never shot 

 a more satisfactory load. 



Late one afternoon, when out after woodcock, my 

 brother was beating out a small alder swale and I was in 

 the middle of a cleared field loafing. He shouted that a 

 bird had flushpd wild and was coming toward me. I 

 saw that the bird would pass at 45yds. range. The time 

 |,o ring iu a long-range shot on a cross-flying bird is, of 

 course, when it is opposite to and nearest the shooter. 

 Selecting this moment, I killed the bird with the above 

 load of 63 in the left (full choke) barrel. Later in the 

 season I duplicated this shot with the same Ipad, the gun 

 having missed tire at a closer range. 



One day my brother, who shot the light-weight 12, had 

 been beating a bit of isolated cover, and was coming 

 through a large field to join us when he routed a flock of 

 crows. One of them circled around him just out of 

 range, and headed up to the strong wind about 60yds. 

 away, when he fired and killed the bird dead. It was 

 the kind of shot that provokes applause, and he got it. I 

 am well satisfied that a 3drs. load of powder can do good 

 work, though I could not recommend it for 60yds. shoot- 

 ing. Speaking of feather-weights, I have shot them, and 

 the trouble is not the recoil, but my inability to gain any 

 command of them. When I swing it on a sight it passes 

 the object before I know it ; in short I cannot place the 

 sight where I want it. 



It goes without saying that a light-weight gun willgive 

 more recoil than a heavier one. of the same gauge and 

 style of bore. But with me recoil doesn't count. Give 

 me an ounce of shot, and two common black-edge wads 

 over powder, and I will fire a hundred consecutive shots 

 from a lUhs. gun, with all the powder that a Sfin. shell 

 will hold. Except when I shoot from some cramped 

 position that brings the thumb of my grip hand too near 

 the bridge of my nose, I never know anything about re- 

 coil. Whether it is because I throw a gun very firmly to 

 my shoulder, or have a physique capable of withstanding 

 ( hut kind of punishment, I do not know. 



McDonald's Corner, N. B. L. I. FLOWER. 



MR. CLEVELAND'S SHOOTING TRIP. 



] F there is any individual I envy just now it is Grover 

 Cleveland, for he is now on a hunting trip to the 

 finest private preserve in America, for certain kinds of 

 game, and this is the season when it is at its best. 



Take the map of Louisiana, and away over to the south- 

 west, beginning at Morgan City— where the Teche has 

 become a mighty river and flows into the sea— follow 

 that poetic stream. At New Iberia you leave Morgan 

 City 125 miles eastward. Looking southward from the 

 swarthy, quaint little French town I have named, where 

 you clear the Teche Woods line, you will see what at first 

 glance seems to be an uncommonly massive black cloud 

 rising out of the bosom of a great prairie or sea marsh 

 where sky and prairie unite. It looms high above the 

 level sameness of the long line of marsh. It is an extinct 

 volcano, and is Jefferson's Island, the winter seat of Joe 

 Jefferson, the actor. The island is a truncated cone. 

 There are 4,500 acres of the finest land under the sun on 

 its top, and nearly as much more sea marsh "appertains 

 thereunto,'' to use the old quaint legal phrasing. This 

 cone is almost surrounded by a lake of very deep, clear- 

 water. A short canal of less than a quarter of a mile 

 would connect the two ends of the horseshoe-shaped 

 water, and make "Jefferson's Island"' one in reality. 

 There is a splendid avenue of huge live oaks shading the 

 great drive up to the mansion, which is a fine old resi- 

 dence built of brick laid in water lime, so that the entire 

 structure is now as solid as stone. 



The largest orange trees in Louisiana are on this place. 

 It was out of the track of the two armies during the war 

 and was not plundered as some of the Teche places were, 

 and the orange tree finds something particularly congenial 

 in the soil and air of Orange Island, as it was called be- 

 fore Jefferson bought it 25 years ago. There are a 

 good many t>range trees in Mr. Jefferson's groves that 

 are 18in. in diameter 3ft. from the ground, and one, the 

 patriarch of the estate, is nearly 8ft. through. It still 

 gives its annual crop as regularly as it did thirty golden 

 years ago. 



But the glory of the place is in its game and fish. It is 

 protected by four families of Acadian hunters, who still 

 use the 3Gin. 16 bore muzzleloader and manage to kill an 

 uncommonly large quantity of game with them too. 

 These people keep off all other hunters from these waters, 

 for Mr. Jefferson leaves the place alone for six months at 

 a time and maintains a good supply of boats and fishing; 

 appurtenances. I have never seen such flocks of all 

 kinds of waterfowl as in the winter live on the lake, 

 and in the shallow' water and high grass of the sea 

 marsh of Jefferson's Island. Wild Canada geese, the 

 Western brant, the snow goose, or white-fronted goose, 

 wild ducks of every species, mallards, black ducks, 

 ' 'French'' duoks — a species of large duck whose scientific 

 name I do not know — bluebill.-?, the gorgeous plumed 

 woodduck, shining like an opal in the morning Southern 

 sun as he preens himself and ma jestically accepts the 

 homage of his modest-hued spouse, an occasional flock 

 of swans; these makeup the migrating waterfowl. Then, 

 too, there are the native birds; t lie great white ibis, the 

 wood ibis, gros-bees and bee-grcs entirely distinct birds, 

 each evidently of the ibis family, the shy "flamano"— 

 flamingo — and rarer roseate spoonbill, complete a list of 

 birds which are not often seen as they can be seen in 

 the great sea marsh and the hpavy timber of Jefferson 

 Island. Of the two kinds of teal there are simply un- 

 countable little flocks. They are not cannonaded nor 

 scared to death on their feeding grounds .by pot-hunters. 

 The few that are killed are shot on the narrow strip of 

 land between the points of the horseshoe as they fly fear- 

 lessly across, Of snipe and woodcock, in the cornfields 

 there are an abundance from one point to another. 



The fishing is equally fine. Huge lOlbs. big-mouth bass 

 can be seen any of these splendid Louisiana mornings 

 leaping and chasing schools of minnows up into the shal- 



low bays and coves, where cluck food is abundant. There 

 black baas, croppies, white and black perch, channel cat- 

 fish "goggle eyes," and the long, lean, hard- fighting pike. 

 There are other varieties, but neither time nor editorial 

 patience will permit a fuller list. And in the evening, to 

 take a beautiful light sail boat when the wind begins to 

 blow in from the summer sea, whose gentle ripple you 

 can almost hear, and glidea down the seven miles stretch 

 of deep water, as the Southern moon rises broad and red 

 in the east like a burning world; with all the mysterious 

 sounds of the night-life of nature softly repeated from 

 coppice, grove or woodland, and then disappearing away 

 in the misty blue, these things are some of the charms of 

 winter life in I he furthest South, 



You may travel for miles in this section, and from white 

 nor black will you hear one word of English. The soft 

 bastard French of a century ago, is the mother tongue of 

 this region. The few people in the country immediately 

 contiguous to Jefferson's Island, have their wealth mainly 

 in cattle, and those perfectly gaited, tireless little 

 "Creole" horses. You can buy all you want of them for 

 $30 to $40 each, and a more durable, faithful horse— in a 

 warm climate— one could not have. 



This is the curious country Mr. Cleveland will test his 

 double 12-bore, 81bs. Scott in, or the heavier 10 bore, 

 10£lbs, Purdey which he has taken along for noble game, 

 and his bass rod, made according to genial Joe Jefferson's 

 oxvii. which is evolved from much experience and knowl- 

 edge of what it must do. May the communion with 

 nature teach the ex-President bow fortunate is he who 

 understands our old mother! Wii, Hugh Roearts. 



CENTRAL NEW YORK ASSOCIATION. 



HPHE third annual meeting of the Central New York 

 J. Game and Fish Protective Association was held at 

 Ithaca , N. Y,. on Jan. 27, President W. S. Gavit of Lyons 

 in the chair.. Upon the call of the roll by Secretary 

 Hammorjd, delegates were found to be in attendance from 

 the counties of Wayne, Ontario, Seneca, Cayuga, Cort- 

 land, Tioga, and a goodly number from Tompkins county. 

 The president appointed the following delegates to the 

 Syracuse convention: Tompkins, Dr. A. H. Fowler, C. C. 

 Van Kirk; Wayne, W. S. Gavitt, Calvin Hotchkiss; Cay- 

 uga, Henry C. Carr, George R. Peck; Tioga, Fred Davis, 

 Elmer J. Shaw; Cortland, A. M. Schemerhorn, J. C. Gray: 

 Seneca, J, N. Hammond, Chas. T. Silsby: Ontario, J. G. 

 Stacy, Lyman Root. 



The treasurer submitted his report, showing a balance 

 on hand of $54.05, 



It was resolved by the association to recommend, and 

 by all honorable means to further, the passage of assembly 

 bill No. 228, entitled "An act for the protection, preserv- 

 ation and propagation of birds, fish and wild animals in 

 the State of New York and the different counties thereof," 

 in its entirety, and the representatives from the seven 

 counties from this district, in both branches of the legis- 

 lature, are earnestly requested to use their influence to 

 effect the passage of the same. 



An executive committee from each county, consisting 

 of three members, was appointed to assist ' the general 

 committee in the work of soliciting new names, and other 

 work of interest to the association. The following resolu- 

 tion was unanimously adopted: "That it is the Bense of 

 the Central New York Game and Fish Protective Associa- 

 tion in annual meeting assembled, That Henry C. Carr, 

 of Union Springs, N, Y., State Game Protector for this 

 district, is the right man in the right place; that we un- 

 qualifiedly endorse his past acts and proceedings for the 

 propagation of game and fish; that we fully appreciate 

 his honesty, fidelity and fearlessness in the performance 

 of his official duties; that we desire his retention in the 

 office which he has so ably filled, and we herewith pledge 

 him our support in the future.'' 



The time for holding the annual meeting was changed 

 from January to October, and the next meeting is to be 

 held at Lyons, in October, 1892. 



The following were elected officers for the ensuing year: 

 President, W. S. Gavitt, Lyons; vice-president, Edw. H. 

 Bostwick, Spencer; secretary and treasurer, J. N. Ham- 

 mond, Seneca Falls. 



BOSTON NOTES, 



8 caribou and 32 deer; 8,000 trout had been caught, and 

 probably not half of the number taken had been 

 registered. 



Mr. G. W. Wiggin, president of the Massachusetts Fish 

 and Game Association, followed in a short speech, com- 

 menting on the good feeling which exists between the 

 members of his own organization and the Megantics. 

 His remarks that this feeling ought to be encouraged 

 for the muttial benefit of both organizations were received 

 with applause. Col. Eliot B. Hodge, of the New Hamp- 

 shire Fish and Game Commission, spoke on the subject 

 of early experiences on the Megantic preserve and hoped 

 to see the time when that region would again abound 

 with game and fish as of yore. Hon. Frank B. Currier, 

 of New Hampshire, naval officer of the port of Boston, 

 proved to be one of the best speakers of the evening. His 

 remark, to illustrate the dryness of the Merrimac River 

 at certain seasons of the year, that it was difficult to see 

 a salmon for the dust he raised getting over the dam, 

 brought down the house and was received with laughter 

 and applause. Gen. Douglas Frazer proved very enter- 

 taining and aung Chinese and Japanese songs in an in= 

 imi table manner. Telegrams and letters of regret were 

 received from W. H. H. Murray, Gov. Russell, ex-Gov. 

 Long, Hon. John Tilton, minister of Marine and Fisher- 

 ies of Canada, Mr. Samuel Wilmot and others. 



Capt. Fred C. Barker, the oldtime guide and proprietor 

 of the well known Bemis Camps in the Rangeley Lake 

 region, is spending a week in Boston, enjoying the hos- 

 pitality of his many sportsmen friends. Few visitors to 

 the Rangeley region are unacquainted with Capt. Barker, 

 and his great popularity testifies to his worth. 



Mr. J. K. Souther, of Boston, left last week for Cuba, 

 intending to devote some time while away to fishing in 

 Florida waters. Mr. S. is a devoted angler, and delights 

 in catching bass in the inland waters of the State. Each 

 winter finds him engaged in this pleasant recreation, and 

 some of his catches have been almost phenomenal in 

 numbers. 



The celebrated Jock Dai ling, of Maine, who has re- 

 ceived so much notoriety in the past for alleged violations 

 of the game laws, is stopping a few days in the Hub, 

 Boston sportsmen who have met him have been agreeably 

 disappointed in the gentleman and pronounce him a very 

 pleasant and genial fellow. His reminiscences of oldtime 

 fishing and shooting in the wilds of Maine are very inter- 

 esting. Wm. R. Scott. 



Capt. Fred C. Barker, well known to the Forest and 

 Stream and to the sportsmen who annually visit the 

 Rangeley Lake region, with Mrs. Barker, has been stopp- * 

 ing a few days at the Hub. He is quite enthusiastic con- 

 cerning the deer in this part of the country. He says that 

 there were but comparatively few killed last year,and that 

 the woods are well supplied with them. One has to go 

 but a very short distance in the woods this winter to find 

 fresh tracks. If the crusters will let them alone, the 

 breeding supply for next year will be in excellent shape. 

 As for the trout, he believes they are in good supply not- 

 withstanding the very low water and poor success in 

 autumn. 



Game Warden Jonathan Darling was present at the 

 Megantic Association dinner, and he created a very favor- 

 able impression upon those who had occasion to see most 

 of him. One gentleman remarked, who saw him there 

 for the first time, that he looked like an honest, deter- 

 mined man, and one who would go ahead in what he be- 

 lieved to be right in spite of many obstacles. 



Charles H. Hubbard, a well known sportsman and guide 

 of Kelsars Falls, Me . , has come to end his life in a way 

 rather sad to those who knew him best. He was out with 

 his gun on the thin ice of the early winter and fell in. 

 The cold water and the long walk home gave him a chill 

 that rapidly developed into typhoid pneumonia, and noble, 

 strapping fellow that he was, he could not survive against 

 the disease. He had been cold and wet hundreds of times 

 before, but the last time was too. much. He was well 

 known to several Boston sportsmen who annually visit 

 that section of Maine, and genial, honest and kind-hearted 

 as he was, they will read of his demise with sorrow. 



Special, 



A SHOT WITH THE OLD MUSKET. 



BOSTON, Jan. 30— The fifth annual dinner of the 

 Megantic Fish and Game Corporation, which took 

 place at the Hotel Brunswick, in Boston, on the evening 

 of Jan. 28, was a gathering of sportsmen long to be re- 

 membered. About 220 lovers of the rod and gun from 

 all parts of New England were present, and all entered 

 with a keen zest into the enjoyment of the evening. The 

 main dining room of the hotel, in which the banquet was 

 held, presented a magnificent sight. The entire stock of 

 Mr. Frank Blake Webster, the taxidermist, was placed 

 at the disposal of the club for decorating purposes. 

 Almost every native wild animal and game bird of New 

 England was represented in the collection, and the results 

 attained by the committee were superb. A life-size black 

 bear stood ready to embrace the guests on entering the 

 room, and the number of moose, deer and caribou heads 

 scattered around were sufficient to arouse enthusiasm for 

 the chase in a heart of stone. Added to these were a 

 number of splendid fish paintings from the studio of 

 Walter M. Brackett. They were gems, indeed, and were 

 very much admired by all present. President I. O. Wood- 

 ruff, of New York city, received the members and their 

 guests in one of the parlors of the hotel from 5 to 6:30 

 P. M. Then began the movement to the dining room, 

 and in a short time all were seated and enjoying to the 

 full the splendid repast provided by the club. The Ger- 

 mania Orchestra were located in one corner of the room, 

 and discoursed sweet music during the greater part of the 

 evening. At 9 P. M. President Woodruff started the 

 speech making by a statement as to the condition ot the 

 club. He said that during the past year the membership 

 of the association had increased from 217 to 283. At the 

 annual meeting of the stockholders in May, it was decided 

 that the remaining shares iu the treasury up to 30a should 

 be sold at $100 per share, the remaining shares up to 500 

 to be sold at $500 per share. During the past year he 

 stated that the club had paid off bonds to the amount of 

 $3,200, leaving in the treasury to-day $2 235 in cold cash. 

 By acquiring the Seven Ponds district last year the club 

 has now 159,600 acres, or nearly 250 square miles. It was 

 shown that the Megantics controlled ( with the exception 

 of a few strictly private clubs) the largest preserve in the 

 United States. The president also said that during the 

 past year there had been killed on the preserve T moose, 



HOW many of us can remember our first shot at game ? 

 I was slightly built and ten or eleven years of age 

 when I discovered that a flock of woodducks frequented 

 the creek. I resurrected the old family flintlock musket, 

 which family tradition said had seen service in the War 

 of the Revolution, and has been used in the War of 1812 

 in the endeavor to repel the British , when Buffalo was 

 burned. The flint was gone. I searched the field where 

 I had seen flint Indian arrow heads, and found one out 

 of which I manufactured a passable flint for the old gun. 

 I obtained some blasting powder from a neighbor and 

 crushed it fine. For shot I cut some pieces of lead to a 

 suitable size; wadded the powder and shot firmly with 

 tow. Proceeded to the creek crawling through the short 

 brush as only a boy or rabbit can do, trailing the old 

 musket, which was so heavy I could barely with the 

 exercise of much will powerbring to my shoulder. Ar- 

 riving near the point where I believed the ducks were 

 located, I carefully raised my head above the brush. The 

 ducks rose. I brought the old gun to my shoulder and. 

 pulled the trigger. The old musket went off and so did 

 I— head over heels, seeing stars the names of which I 

 never knew. I picked myself up with a bruised shoulder 

 and a bloody nose, and the old musket, good for further 

 service, and — five ducks ! Stars, bruises and bloody nose 

 were forgotten. Glory ! I guess I huzzaed. And was I 

 not the hunter of hunters among my mates of whom 

 there were many? Over a half century has passed since 

 I made that shot, to me then a famous one. Yes, but 

 where are those mates? Of them all 1 almost alone 

 remain. If. L. 



Sportsmen's Association of Cheat Mountain. — Pre- 

 serve, Cheat Bridge P. O., Randolph County, W. Va.— 

 Pittsburgh, Jan. 26. — A.t a meeting of the Sportsmen's 

 Association of Cheat Mountain, held Jan. 19, the follow- 

 ing officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, 

 W. M. Kennedy; Vice-Presidents, W. K. Shiras, D. McK. 

 Lloyd, W. S. Edwards, Utilles Baird, Nathaniel E wing; 

 Secretary, Theophilus Sproull; Treasurer, D. P. Cor win: 

 Naturalist and Surgeon, Dr. W. J Riggs: Board oi' 

 Directors, Hillary S. Britnot, A. P. Tallman, Dr. J< s. N. 

 Dickson, S. B. Elkins, W. G. Crown, C. C. Scaife, M, S. 

 Verner.— Theophilus Sproull, Sec'y. 



