6 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[July 33, 1891. 



After Mj:. Crane's success, members of the Hartwood 

 Park Association, who reside mostly in New York city, 

 were generally anxious for a boar hunt, and efforts were 

 made last December to definitely locate the herd. It was 

 at this time that, as mentioned in a previoxis article, 

 several deer were seen by the guide and an officer of 

 the Association, standing within easy rifle ra.nge as if 

 temjjting them to break tlie game laws. In a conversa- 

 tion shortly afterward with the latter gentleman he ex- 

 pressed a wish that the boars might prove as difficult of 

 captxu-e as he believed they wotdd. Whether wholly due- 

 to brute strategy or in part to lenient design on the part 

 of the Hartwood Park Association, the boars have not 

 incurred serious molestation since last fall. 



Ever since the boars escaped from Mr. Flock's in closure, 

 live or six years ago, they have been a menace and 

 annoya.nce to the farmer of the narrow but fertile valley 

 of the Neversink. Every summer with increasing fervor 

 the agriculturists of that region are worked up to a high 

 pitch of anger owing to the depredations of the uncivil 

 foreigners in their potato and grain fields, and even in 

 their gardens. They have made many fruitless sorties 

 against the enemy. In organized bodies the farmers 

 have hunted them by daylight and torchlight, being re- 

 warded only by sundry fleeting glimpses of the swine. 

 Men armed with guns have perched in treetops all night 

 awaiting the arrival of the creatures to the .scene of their 

 havoc the night previous. Their vigils were never re- 

 warded with sound or sight of the boars, and yet, per- 

 haps, the very next night would fiirnish unmistakable 

 signs of their presence. All efforts to lead them into pit- 

 falls, snares or traps have proved futile. The lines of 

 corn leading over these dangerous cojistructions would 

 be followed up and devoured to within a few feet of their 

 location, then the boar would walk around to the other 

 side, foUow up and devour the rest of tbe grain. These 

 facts prove the extreme cunning and keen senses of the 

 boars. 



The agriculturists genei'ally concede the point that 

 they are not equal to a contest with wild swine, however 

 satisfactory their dealings with the domestic variety. Of 

 course they are all clamorous for extermination. They 

 would hail with open arms whoever furnished a good 

 recipe for accomplishing this end. The adage "you 

 must catch your hare before you cook him'' has a pecu- 

 liar application here. Many irate farmers with an eye 

 on millionaire Flock's treasure box are anxious to take 

 one of the depredators in the act in order to fix damages 

 on the importer. When this occurs the courts will be 

 called upon to decide just how far Jlr. Flock is respon- 

 sible for the acts of descendants of animals /'erce naturce. 



This season's reports of the doings of the wild "hogs" 

 in the valley of the Neversink have already begun to 

 come in. A few days since the following appeared in 

 the Port Jervis Gazette: "The wild hogs of the Shawan- 

 gunks still live and flourish. Indeed they multiply. A 

 veracious veteran of a valley .near the haunts of these 

 untamed swine recently saw a sow surrounded by a large 

 litter of little pigs, but" didn't see 'em long. As soon as 

 they became conscious of his j^roximity they fled like 

 frightened foxes, the little ones making as good time as 

 their maternal parent, and almost instantly they were 

 lost to sight. But their existence argues plenty of wild 

 hogs soon in the Shawangunks. Ere long wild hogs Vv^ill 

 be very abundant in this region and in Sussex, Sullivan 

 and Pike. They are prolific animals and are very hardy. 

 Wild hog hunting some of these days will be a famous 

 sport among the Shawangunks and other mountains in the 

 counties named." 



The same paper suggests that the agricultural societies 

 of the neighboring counties take the matter into consid- 

 eration, as these savage members of the porcine family 

 will soon become very destructive of ungathered farm 

 products. This is undoubtedly true. In Belgium, where 

 the pojjulation averages nearly five hundred to the square 

 mile, the wild boar still holds his own in the historic for- 

 est of Ardennes, and no longer than last summer grain 

 fields along the Meuse suffered from incursions of boars. 

 Probably no wild animal is so well fitted by heredity and 

 instinct for an independent existence in proximity to the 

 haunts of man as the wild boar of Europe. In Great 

 Britain he is now extinct, but for upward of two thousand 

 years boar hunting has been a leading sport in France, 

 Austria and Germany, True, the boar is now limited to 

 a few extensive forests in the countries named, and these 

 have been greatly contracted within recent times. The 

 population of this countxy will have increased many fold 

 before there will be any marked increase in the number 

 of men who struggle for existence in the wilds of the 

 Shawangunk. Those who have studied the matter are 

 pretty well agreed that extermination of the boars, which 

 are now well acclimated there, is practically out of the 

 question. These animals have the best protection in tbe 

 nature of the ground they occupy and in the fleetness of 

 foot. They repose in almost absolute security in tlxe fast- 

 nesses of the mountains in which man can only penetrate 

 with extreme difficulty. 



In the table lands of Bengal the boar is hunted on 

 horseback. "Pig-sticking," as the English caU it, is there 

 a famous sport. Arabian coursers are used, and some 

 idea of the boar's fleetness may be had from the fact that 

 from twenty to twenty-five minutes are required to run 

 them down. When at bay he is a formidable enemy. 

 Not infrequently, if the spearsman be unskillful, aiming 

 at the chest belly or flanks of the horse, he inflicts terri- 

 ble, sometimes fatal, wounds with his tusks. 



At the breediag season the boar selects a well-secluded 

 den and leads a solitary life, and perhaps at no time is he 

 gregarious, in the strict sense of the word, although 

 several adults appear to join in their nocturnal foraging 

 expeditions. They have been seen in bands of seven or 

 eight, but this may include only a single family. The 

 domestic sow usually breeds twice a year, and twelve or 

 more at a litter is not uncommon. The wild boar and 

 the domestic swine freely inter-bi-eed. If it be true, as 

 men employed in the blue stone quarries of western Pike 

 county assert, that wild hogs, the descendants of individ- 

 uals which esca]Ded from railroad wrecks, are often seen 

 in that region, propagation by intermixture with the blue 

 boars may occur. 



These tales have heretofore been discredited, as it was 

 not believed that the domestic hog could maintain an in- 

 dej>endent existence through the average Pike county 

 winter. But the "American Cyclopsadia" informs us that 

 hogs run wild in the woods of Canada. From the saoie 

 authority we learn that vast droves of wild hogs abound 

 in the forests of South America, They are tbe descend- 



ants of individuals which, like those of the horses and 

 cattle of the llanos and pampas, escaped fx*omthe domestic 

 state. 



In what degree the boars suffer from the depredations 

 of their natural enemies who inhabit the woods with 

 them, we have no means of ascertaining. These are 

 principally the bears and the vaxious members of the 

 feline tribe. Bears have become very numerous within 

 late years in the Shawangunks, and bruin's proclivity 

 for fresh pork is well known. He will take great risks 

 to gi-atify this taste from the farmex-s' piggex-y. He has 

 been detected in the act of walking ofl: with a sqxxealing 

 porker xxnder his arm, with two or thx-ee dogs disputing 

 his right of way, I am inclined to think that a grown 

 up hungry black bear would ]Drove too xnuch for an aver- 

 age boa,r in a rough and txxmble contest, although in a 

 ixxnning match he woxdd not be iix it. Then there are 

 the wildcats proper and the lynxes or bobcats. These 

 may be destructive to the young boars. 



Assuming that the blue boars are as prolific as their 

 domestic relatives, it will be readily perceived that they 

 will soon be pressing on the verge of subsistence. Then, 

 indeed, they will become a trying ixuisance to the fax-mers 

 as well as dangeroxxs to those who invade their haxints. 

 These animals promise to add an interesting chapter to 

 the natxxral history of this region. It must be admitted 

 that the Amerioaix sportsman is a very destructive being 

 as regards all manxxer of game life, yet the time seems at 

 hand when he may be bidden God's speed in doing his 

 worst to the wild boars of the Shawangunk, for it prom- 

 ises to become a patriotic dxxty to lesseix then' numbex-s. 

 In Europe it is considered unsportsmanlike to shoot the 

 boar, but I opine that the conditions of the huxxt will be 

 considerably altered in the Shawangunks, and that he 

 will not be deemed unworthy to be called a xximrod who 

 captures a boar even by shooting him. B, F. IIURLET. 



Port Jurvxs, N. Y. 



PORCXJPINES IN Michigan.— New Albany, Ind.— In the 

 Forest and Stream for Jxxly 16 Dr. Gibbs says he has 

 hunted in both peninsulas of Michigaix and never saw 

 over 25 porcupines. He must have struck bad seasons for 

 "porkies." Some half-dozen years ago I spent some days 

 on Gogebic Lake. A St. Louis party camped near us 

 were compelled to shoot 30 or 40 of them to prevent their 

 camp being devoured. A party from Nashville, Tenn., 

 killed nearly as many. One of the latter party was 

 sitting on a box writing a letter telling how numeroxis 

 porcxipines were, when he heard a gnawing sound, and 

 looking dowxx discovered one of the stupid creatures eat- 

 ing up his seat. Our party killed a half-dozen or more 

 about the camp.— Jap. 



Canadian Duties.— Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, July 20. 

 — The Collectors of Customs have been notified that they 

 may accept entry and duty on guns, fishing rods, and 

 other equipments of parties visiting Canada for sporting 

 purposes, with the conditioxx that tlxe duty so paid will be 

 refunded on proof of the exportation of the same within 

 a period of two months from the date of entry. 



Gardiner's Island. — F. Augustixs Schermerhorn, of 

 New York, has leased the privilege of shooting and gun- 

 nixxg on Gardixxer's Island, in Long Island Soxmd, for five 

 years from Mr. Gardiner. The sport is excellent on the 

 island. Mr. P. Douglass was the former lessee. 



The World Moves. — Alpheus Fatten was fined $25 

 in Oatskill, N. Y., last week, for shooting a wild duck at 

 night. 



"Forest and Streann" Nursery Rhymes. 



A ^nner went out to shoot, 

 An owl commenced to hoot. 

 They both came together. 

 Result — nary feather. 

 With a busted gun to boot. 

 Boston. REiGNOXiDS. 

 Next! 



m{d ^iv^r f08hing. 



The full texts of the game fish laws of all the States, 

 Territoiles and British Provinces are given in the Booli of 

 the Game Laws, 



ON THE NORTH SHORE.-XII. 



i_Concluded from Page sik] 



THERE was a little swell from the recent blow, but it 

 was fast dying out as darkness approached. The 

 drizzle, which had all along been gently falling, began to 

 enlarge its tiny di'ops, and though at no time it assumed 

 the proportions of rapidly falling rain, it was enough 

 to make every one exceedingly uncomfortable. The 

 men stood around, wrapped up in their great overcoats, 

 and rxxbbers, like silent spectres, the steady chamj) of the 

 engine sent the pulsations into every timber of the little 

 tug, the steam puffed out with a shrilly scream; the re- 

 ceding waves rose and fell with clock-like x-egularity; 

 the vapory masses swept with a chilly influence, and 

 when darkness finally engulfed us in its sable folds the 

 situation wxis truly dismal and absolutely cheerless. 



"The depressing sitxxation was still further aggravated 

 when the aroma of coffee and the flavor of "baked 

 meats" arose from the cabin, where a favored few, who 

 had taken an earlier passage than us, were feasting. We 

 wei-e in the condition of the fabled Tantalus who, amid 

 the most temptiixg fruits, could neither touch nor taste 

 them. Our philosophical spirits were, however, eqxxal to 

 the occasion, for the delicious odors were suggestive of a 

 prospective meal which was rapidly organizing within 

 us aiad which would realize when we were ashore. 



Ned foxmd on board one of his old North Shore boat- 

 men. Louis Miron, a half-breed, who is now acting as 

 liglitliouse keeper at Gargantua. They Jiad ciuile a talk 

 over old tinxes, and when Loixis told him that lie had 

 seen several, large trout the other day w^hen out in his 

 boat, Ned's eyes' fairly sparkled with that excitenxent 

 which iiatui-ally comes to an angler who is so agreeably 

 reminded of his geixtle pastixxxe. Louis gave him a very 

 pressing invitation to visit his place next summer, prom- 

 ising to give him all the sport he desired among tkQ 



scarlet-hued tribe. Ned booked himself for the trip, so 

 he and Miron will doubtless have a delightful time along 

 the rocky coast, luring the huge fontinalis that abide in 

 those icy waters. 



Charley Pirn, another lighthouse keeper, who is Sta- 

 tioned at Caribou Island, was also aboard. He carries on 

 a large fishery in connection with his official duties. He 

 says that in the fall his catch is simply enormoixs, and 

 that tlxe whitefish average ixear ISlba. There is a reef 

 fifteen xixiles long extending from the island, on which he 

 fishes, and though in the fall and early spring it is fre- 

 quently white with foam, his men, who are expert sailors, 

 maixage with caution to make their "lifts." The 200 

 barrels of salted whitefish aboard the tug belonged to 

 hinx and were his first shipment that season. In fact he 

 had chartered the boat especially for ihis, trip. 



Pirn, like all seafaring men of the North Shore, is of a 

 hardy axxd muscxxlar form, though small in statixre, and 

 oix his weather-beaten features is written, in tmraistakable 

 language, that dauntless courage which his hazardous 

 calling so frequently requires in fierce encounters with 

 terrific gales. Aboxit seven o'clock we neared the Bache- 

 wanaung Lightlxoxxse and soon after entered the bay. A 

 whistle or two from the boat, and then a couple of lan- 

 terns were seen flashing at the landing place. In the 

 course of half axx hour we were alongside the bank, an 

 improvised landing made from the refuse of sawmill 

 timber, and as the passengers started to leave the tug the 

 captain sang out, "Look out for tlxe slabs." 



It was a prudent warning, bxxt some enterprisuxg pas- 

 senger who was eager to reach terra firmo, jumped from 

 the guards, and came down with a groan and a laxxgh from 

 the passengers. Another "smart Aleck"— not your dis- 

 tant correspondent— tried the same involxxntary feat, and 

 was as successful as the first. After these two examples 

 of fallen greatness, the remainder of the party picked 

 their way cautiously to the shore and over tlxe suppery 

 slabs. 



,Ioe took oiu" boat down to our old camping ground, 

 where we joined him, and soon there was a clxeerf ul fire 

 blazing and a meal in coui'se of preparation. Our fire 

 attracted some of the supperless passengers, and of course 

 the hospitalities of the camp were freely extended to 

 them. Supper over, the tents were soon up, and after a 

 thorough drying out at the fire, we retired into our tents 

 where Morpheus soon took us to his slumbering arms. 



At three o'clock the next morning we were all up, as 

 the boat Avas to leave at four, and after a hurried break- 

 fast to which we gave cordial invitation to all those who 

 had again joined us around the fire, were soon ready to 

 embark on the Annie Clarke. A few more tons of freight, 

 in the shape of two fish cax'S for ballast (?; I presume, 

 were put aboard the boat, and then the whistle rang oxxt 

 in the early morn, and the passengers crowded aboard 

 and disposed themselves in the circumscx'ibed space on 

 deck, on fish barrels, in the cabin, and wherever they 

 could get an eyebrow hold. I was lucky in getting my 

 old seat on the stanchions, and there I sat like a piece of 

 rude scxxlpture during the entire trip. 



It was vei'y evident after we had entered the broad 

 lake that we would have a very lumpy sea, for the waves 

 were tossing in foam and the breeze increasing every 

 minute. The little tug ploughed along over the billows 

 with a full head of steam that tossed the foaxny water 

 from her bow, which spa,rkled in the sunlight and raced 

 along her sides in rippling cadence. The sky was full of 

 white and purple clouds, which constantly passed over us 

 in great swirls, now ci'eating a sliglxt haze and 

 again a tx-ansparent condition of the atmosphere, that we 

 though would soon allay the spitefulness of the wiixd, 

 which was rapidly txxmbling the lake into sxxrges that 

 buffeted the tug with considerable violeixce. About 8 

 o'clock the lake had reached a condition that was not so 

 pleasant to contemplate, as we were compelled to almost 

 run in its trough. The wind was northwest, and that is 

 a wind that excites more than any other, as it comes 

 sweeping along its entire length, and when it begins to 

 narrow, as it does here, the tumultuoixs waters command 

 reverent respect. The three boats in tow were being 

 tossed around on the high seas in a very ugly manner, 

 and as one of them, the smallest, contained two occu- 

 pants, soldiers from the "Soo," there was evident danger 

 of being capsized. The men, however, sat there perfectly 

 unconcerned, unaware of danger, consequently not fear- 

 ing it. As the men were under charge of a lieutenant, 

 who was aboard, it is presumed he, like the men, was un- 

 aware of the peril. We had now crossed Goulais Bay, and 

 the Pillars of Hercules and Gros Cap Island were coming 

 into view. On went the little tug straining and strxiggling 

 under the buffeting of the unruly waves. The big seas 

 were now beginning to break over the guards. First it 

 was a sprinkle of spray, and then some hxxge sea would 

 conxe tumbling agaiixst the windward side and, breaking 

 over tlxe railing, cover the stexTx deck, where we all were, 

 three or four inches deep. The water thus received would 

 go dashing aroxxnd the toppling tish barrels until it finally 

 escaped through the scuppers. There was always a 

 general tumble for the baxTcls when such an immersion 

 took place, and the most active fared the best. Some 

 hxxmoroxxs seaman would occasionally cry out on such a 

 deluge, "Three inches and i-ising;" while a pallid-cheek 

 tenderfoot, whose heart was beating with anxiety, never 

 could see where the humor of that "sailor man" came in. 

 1 stuck to my stanchion and took my uncalled-for bath 

 as complacently as I could, though at no time did I feel 

 as "cool as a cucumber." The wind seemed to increase 

 with the passing hours, and the waves came tumbling 

 over the railing with a frequency and freedom not at all 

 relishable, Occasionally a barrel or two woxxld roll over 

 and go tumbling aboxxt, and then the big fish-cars would 

 groan and tremble as if they, too, would like to take a 

 hand in the game of rough and tumble. All at once Joe, 

 who was endeavoi-ing to make oxu- boat ride the waves in 

 a straight line by manipulating the rope, cried oxxt, "She's 

 broke loose." Ned and I ran to the stern, and there we 

 saw our boat riding the crested surges some distance 

 away. Knowing it impossible for the txxg to turn aroxxnd 

 in sxxch a heavy sea, we heaved a deep sigh and about 

 gave her up as a total loss, as well as all our^ tackle and 

 traps, which iix round numbara we valued at $500, There 

 was that little <.;bubbrod, which I valued more than 

 axxght else and which I cherished for tlxe skillful battles 

 it had so gj-andly assisted me in winning, departing 

 on the tumultuous sea, I sighed to think of xt: a.nd 

 then Ned groaned for those little bags of tackle 

 which were priceless pearls to him. It was really an oo- 

 caaion for tears, aud "vntb bowed heads and bumble hearts 



