178 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



IMabch 2, 1893. 



RIDING DOUBLE. 



The professional hunter is seldom a true sportsman. 

 The peculiar dash of knight errantry whicli distinguishes 

 the latter is generally wanting in the former; he seldom 

 attacks wild beasts from a love of adventure and has no 

 desire for the distinction of having brought down rare 

 specimens. His business is to kill game, and, Uke other 

 tradesmen, he seeks to gain the liighest profit with the 

 least possible exertion. Continual hardships and dangers 

 blunt most men against the romance of adventure, a 

 romance which can only be appreciated where the situ- 

 ation is novel. Besides, there is far less danger in himt- 

 ing ferocious animals than is generally supposed. A good 

 rifle, a steady hand and quick eye will ward off all brutes 

 with as much certainty as the quick and precise action of 

 au engineer will stop a train at the riglit moment, and 

 practice wiJl soon enable one to overcome aU nervousness. 

 When 1 descended for the first time in a New York ele- 

 vator I was thoroughly frightened, because I imagined 

 the consequences if the rope should break. When a fm-i- 

 ous rhinoceros charged me in the African jmigle I was 

 not in the least nervous, because I knew that my bullet 

 would break his leg ere he could reach me. 



In 1882 I ' 'settled down" among the Transvaal pioneers 

 as a schoolmaster. The hfe there is very different from 

 the sober routine of a New Yoi'k grammar school peda- 

 gogue. The Transvaal Boers are a nomadic race, who 

 travel in the winter toward the forests in the north in 

 search of warmer pasture grounds for their herds. In- 

 struction is only given when the caraA^an remains for 

 some days at one spot; for the rest of the time the school- 

 master is like his employere, a cowboy and a himter. 

 The forests were at that time still full of antelopes of all 

 kinds, and a journey of a few^ days would bring us within 

 reach of large game, such as the wildebeests (gnu) 

 kameels (giraffe), elephants, rhinoceroses and occasionally 

 an ostrich. 



We undertook these journeys not for pleasure, but busi- 

 ness. Beside the skins the biltong (jerked meat) of aU 

 game finds a ready market in the Cape Colony, and we 

 depended upon the sale of these commodities for our supply 

 of powder and lead. 



We never killed the Hons and leopards unless they 

 attacked our herds, and these animals seemed to imder- 

 stand the difference between the hunting methods of the 

 whites and that of the barbarous natives. They gener- 

 ally retreated from the neighborhood as soon as our rifles 

 were heard. The Boers argued that it was not worth the 

 while hunting a dangerous animal whose skin was of no 

 earthly use and could not even be sold unless a sporting 

 Eooinek* was about. But it is impossible to Uve in the 

 backwoods of the Transvaal without coming into contact 

 with the king of beasts, the lion, and such of his court as 

 the leopard, the baboon, the crocodile and divers rather 

 unpleasant members of the boa constrictor family. 

 Wolves are also plentiful, but not very dangerous, with 

 the exception of the werwolf, a large gray species. An 

 introduction to a member of this disfcinguished company is 

 always interesting and sometimes more exciting than 

 could be wished, especially where it is so sudden that no 

 preparation for a worth}'' reception can be made. In such 

 a case discretion is the better part of valor, and I cannot 

 deny that I have sometimes trusted more to the fleetness 

 of my Jiorse than to my prowess. But if the hoi-se fails? 



On a himting expedition in the Lebombo Moimtains. 

 which I made in company with a Boer named Van A ken ', 

 we obtained a number of chickens from the natives in 

 exchange for such portions of game as we could not use 

 ourselves. Our chickens roosted in a tree near the little 

 brook from which we fetched the water for om* camp. 

 The tree, a large mimosa of the kameeldorn species, was 

 peculiarly fitted for the purpose, giving excellent shelter 

 to our feathered property, while its gnarled and thorny 

 trunk prevented the snakes from reaching the sleeping 

 fowls, which did not stray very far from it during day-time. 

 We did not, therefore, wish to move the chickens nearer 

 to our camp, which we had placed at the end of the 

 canon, about 1,200yds. off, and in a spot comparatively 

 free from mosquitoes. Our feathered colony was. how- 

 ever, threatened with destruction from an unexpected 

 quarter. A sjaotted leopard had discovered them and 

 fetched one regularly for supper. We objected to this. 

 Chickens were at a premium in the Barberton gold fields, 

 and we preferred to sell them to the diggers. Van Aken 

 had an old muzzleloader which he occasionally lent to 

 Platje, our Hottentot servant. We filled tlie old smooth- 

 bore with slugs and pebbles and set it as a trap gmi under 

 the henroost in the hope that the leopard would receive 

 enough of its contents to spoil lus appetite for spring 

 chicken. I baited 'the trap with a. lively young rooster 

 and returned to camp, calmly awaiting developments. 



The Amazwazi country is pecuharily unhealthy for 

 horses. That kind of pneumonia, which the Boers call 

 simply Ahe, horsesickness, is nowhere more dangerous to 

 equiue life than in the Lebombo Plains. It is therefore 

 impossible to go a hunting in those parts unless you have 

 a salted horse. Animals which have passed through the 

 fell disease seldom catch it a second time. They are then 

 called "salted" and rise considerably iti value. South 

 Africa is perhaps the only part of "the world M'here a 

 broken-winded, loose-skinned hoi-se is 150 per cent, more 

 valuable than a sound one, A written gixarantee that the 

 horse will not die of horsesickness within a year must 

 nevertheless go with the just mentioned attributes to raise 

 its price. My own steed, Black Maria, was not a hand- 

 some mare. Her shape was somewhat too angular from 

 an artistic point of view, and her arched nose and droop- 

 ing ears made it impossible to exhibit her among thorough- 

 breds. Her character was not much better than her 

 shape. She had a decided will of her own, was a cham- 

 ]pion biter and kicker, and a decided glutton. Above all, 

 she was terribly strong-minded. If a particular spot 

 suited her, no amount of coaxing and flattery could in- 

 duce her to leave it. Against whips and spur she remon- 

 strated with tooth and heel, she took a jnouthful out of 

 Platje's leg once, and if you tired her out she simply laid 

 herself down and rolled you off. But Black Maria was 

 salted, and I was happy. 



On the morning after the night on which we had set 

 the trai3 1 saddled the mare to look for some stray draught 



* Slang term for Englishman, lit. redneck, a playful allusion to the 

 fair complexion of the English. 



oxen. The morning w^as cool and misty, the horse's hairs 

 stood on end, and I saw that Black Maria had passed a 

 decidedly bad night and was very cross in consequence. 



She aimed a vicious kick at me, as was her wont on 

 such occasions, but did not balk, starting off at a sulky jog- 

 trot and swishing her tail in an angry manner. "As I 

 passed the chicken roost I noticed that the bait was gone 

 and on riding up discovered that the gun liad gone off. A 

 bloody trail proved that the animal had retreated toward 

 a little thicket of Tambockie grass near by, and a sudden 

 low growl admonished me to keep away. The mare 

 cocked her eaa-s, sniffed the air and backed directly to- 

 wards the thicket. Evidently the smeU of the blood con- 

 fused her and she did not know. I belabored the mare 

 with my heels and shouted my most vigorous exhortation. 

 But aU in vain. The mare continued to go backward 

 where I noticed the yellow spotted skin of the enemy 

 among the taU grasses. Suddenly the leopard arose 

 from his lair and leaped on the horse, landing on its 

 haunches just behind the saddle. AVith a scream of terror 

 the mare started off. I never knew that she could run 

 Tmtil that day. Down the canon we sped, over boulders 

 and fissures, taking the bi'ook at a flying leap — up to the 

 little knoll on which our tent was situated. And aU this 

 time the leopard's nose was within a few inches of my 

 back, I could feel his hot breath even through my hunt- 

 ing shirt. His wicked expression was not softened by the 

 loss of one ear and a frightful wound in his shoulder, and 

 his gleaming eyes and ominous fangs were not pleasant 

 to behold. I was entirely unarmed since I had expected 

 an altercation with Black Maria, in which case the gun 

 would have been only a hindrance. Evidently, however, 

 the big cat enjoyed his ride as little as I did. He an- 

 nounced his dissatisfaction by a series of growls, but the 

 breakneck speed of the horse made it impossible for him 

 to j\imp off. 



i had a macintosh before me on the saddle. This I tore 

 oft" and wrapped it around my arm, determined to stuff it 

 into the brute's throat if he attacked me. Luckfly there 

 was no need for such extreme measures. As we neared 

 the camp the mare stumbled over the tripod on which our 

 breakfast was cooking, and fell. The dog's immediately 

 attacked the leopard, and a buUet from Van Aken's rifle 

 finished him before even I could get on my feet. The ani- 

 mal measured about 5ft. lOin. from the tip of the nose to 

 the tip of the tail, and was remarkably fat. The charge 

 from our tmp gun had torn away an ear and injrrred its 

 shoulder. 



In a few weeks Black Maria had entirely recovered 

 from wounds which the leopard had inflicted. The inci- 

 dent had nevertheless a lasting effect tipon her; she never 

 balked after that, and I was able to part with her at a 

 considerably better price than I had paid for her. But I 

 shall never forget that unearthly scream of the mare when 

 the leopard jumped on her, were I to live as long — well, 

 as long as Washington's coachmen. 



Hans Hinterwaldeb. 



A "NESSMUK" INCIDENT. 



Auburn, Cal., Feb. 15.— Dea/i' Forest and Stream: In- 

 closed you will find my contribution to the "Nessmuk" 

 memorial fund. I never had the pleasure of a personal 

 acquaintance with the old woodsman, as many others of 

 your readers have had, but his writings have given me 

 many a pleasant hour. 



One of the strongest reasons why I, a stranger, desire 

 to help keep his memory green is the following: In 

 "Woodcraft" he describes a visit he made to two of his 

 old chums in Michigan. In the cabin of Pete Williams, 

 near Saginaw Bay, were two little "kids," as he calls 

 them. To these "kids" his tender old heart causes him to 

 he, as unblushingiy as Uncle Toby swore, and like Toby's 

 oath, I hope his he was blotted out by the tear of the 

 recording angel. Here is the episode as he himself relates 

 it in "Woodci'aft:" 



* 'About the only inducements I can think of for making 

 a ten days' joumej^ through a strange wilderness, solitary 

 and alone, "were a liking for adventure, intense love of 

 nature in her wildest dress, and a strange fondness for 

 being in deep forests by myself. 



"The choice of route was determined by the fact that 

 two old friends and schoobnates had chosen to cast theii- 

 lots in Michigan, one near Saginaw Bay, the other among 

 the pines of the Muskegon. And both were a little home- 

 sick, and both wrote frequent letters, in which, knowing 

 my weak point, they exhausted their adjectives and ad- 

 ve"rbs in describino the abundance of game and the mar- 

 velous fishing. Now, the Muskegon friend, Davis, was 

 pretty well out of reach. But Pete Williams, only a few 

 miles out of Saginaw, was easily accessible. And so it 

 happened, on a bright October morning, when there came 

 a frost that cut from Maine to Missouri, that a sudden 

 fancy took me to use my new Billinghurst on something 

 larger than squirrels. It took about one minute to decide, 

 and an hour to pack such dutfle as I needed for a few 

 weeks in the woods. 



"Remembering Pete's two brown-eyed 'kids,' and 

 knowing that they were ag^^e-stricken and homesick, I 

 made a place for a few apples and peaches, with a ripe 

 melon. For Pete and I had been chums in Rochester, and 

 1 had bunked in his attic on Galusha street for two years. 

 Also, his babies thought as much of me as of their father. 

 The trip to Saginaw was easy and [pleasant. A 'Eedbhd' 

 packet to Buffalo, the old propeller Globe to Lo\ver Sagi- 

 naw, and a ride of half a day on a buckboard brought me 

 to Pete Williams's clearing. Were they glad to see me? 

 Well, I think so. Pete and his wife cried like children, 

 wlule the two little homesick -kids' laid their silken 

 heads on my knees and sobbed for very joy. When I 

 brought out the apples and peaches, assurmg them that 

 these came from the little garden of their old home — liar 

 that I was — their delight was boundless. And the fact that 

 their favorite tree was a 'sour bough,' while these were 

 sweet, did not shake theii- faith in the least. 



"I stayed ten days or more with the Wilhams family, 

 and the fishing and limiting were aU that he had said — 

 all that could be asked. The woods swarmed with squir- 

 rels and pigeons; grouse, quail, ducks and wild tm-keys 

 were too plenty, while a good hunter could scarcely fail 

 of getting a standing shot at a deer in a morning's hunt. 

 But, cui bonof What use could be made of fish or game 

 in such a place? They w^ere all half sick, and had little 

 appetite. Mrs. WiOiams could not endure the smeU of 

 fish; they had cloyed on small game, and surfeited on ven- 

 ison. 



"My sporting ardor sank to zero. I had the decency not 



to slaughter game for the love of kiUing and leave it to 

 rot, or hook large fish that could not be used. I soon grew 

 restless, and began to think often about the lumber camp 

 in Muskegon. * * * 



"Early on a crisp, bright October morning I kissed the 

 little fellows good bye and started out with Hance, Avho 

 was to put me on the trail. I left the children with sor- 

 row and pity at heart. I am glad now that my visit was 

 a golden hiatus in the sick monotony of theh yomig lives, 

 and that I was able to brighten a few days of their dreary 

 existence. They had begged for the privilege of sleeping 

 with me on a. shake-down from the first; and when, as 

 often hapi)ened, a pair of little feverish lips would mur- 

 mm- timidly and pleadingly, 'I'm so dry; can I have 'er 

 diink?' I am thankful that I did not p"ut the pleader off 

 vdth a sip of tepid water, but always brought it from the 

 spring, sparkling and cold. For, a twelvemonth later, 

 there were two httle graves in a corner of the stmnp-black- 

 ened garden, and two sore hearts in Pete Williams's 

 cabin." 



The man's nature must have been a tender one thus to 

 have considered the feelings of two little homesick child- 

 ren; and his heart a true one, to lead him always to go to 

 the "cold spring" in the middle of the night to procure a 

 refreshing draught of water to cool their fever-parched 

 tongues. 



Show me the man who loves children, and who will 

 undergo personal discomfort to show that he does, and I 

 will show you a man whose memoiy is worthy of being- 

 cherished. I believe it was this trait that brought Mr. 

 Sears so near to nature's heart. He loved all feeble and 

 unprotected creatures, and never took Ufe in a spirit of 

 wantonness. 



Let his memory be kept green! Ajrefar. 



We had a pleasant personal acquaintance with Mr. Seare 

 during the last five years of his life, and I called at his 

 home the last time in September, 1888, and passed a few 

 delightful hours in his company. If his grave is in the 

 principal cemetery in Wellsboro, his resting place is not 

 like the typical "village graveyard" we all know, but is 

 in a park-like eminence, comrnanding a view of the town 

 and of his beloved hills. The place is covered with noble 

 trees, contains many fine tombstones and monuments, is 

 well kept generally, and is a credit to the town. 



A. AND E. G. K. 



Central Lake, Mich., Feb. 14. — Please correct the quo- 

 tation from WhitJtier which appeared last week in my re- 

 marks concerning the Nesamuk memorial. It should have 

 read: 



—haply in some liill of life, 

 Some truce of God, which breaks its strife. 



The printer made it "some trace of God," and it re- 

 minds me of the wail which "Eangfisher" sent up my way 

 Avhen this same printer transmogrified ' 'sf orzando" into 

 "skilligalee," or something to that effect. Kelpie. 



WINTER NOTES FROM FLORIDA. 



The Lake Worth Country. 



Oak Laavn, Dade County, Fla., Feb. 15.— The Lake 

 Worth section appears to gain popularity, the tide of tour- ■ 

 ists and visitors overcrowding the boats on Indian River 

 and the hotels here. The winter has been imusuaUy cold 

 previous to this month, there being frost at Jupiter, 13 

 miles north, during four days m Januai-y. 



This month the weather has been most delightful, tem- 

 perature ranging from 70 to 80", with constant balmy 

 breezes from the southeast and blue skies with small clouds 

 floating by. 



Tomatoes are being shipped North in abrmdancc, and i 

 the strawberries are so delicious and the visitors so selfish! 

 that they are consumed ;is l ;ist os they ripen, so that there 

 is no possible chance of tlieir getting North. 



Many imijrovements have been made along the shores 

 of thelake, and every place looks bright and j)rosperous. 

 Many varieties of motor launches, catboats and schooners 

 are constantly passmg to and fro on the "summer sea." 



As we sit under the shade of the palms we can hardly 

 reaUze that at our Northern homes blizzards, snow and 

 frost still reign supreme. 



To-day I caught with rod and line in two hours with 

 cut fish bait 11 fish, mostly bluefish, three of them weigh- 

 ing olbs. each, red snapper 61bs. , and a cavalle. Yesterday a 

 3ilb. pompano, which was immediately baked for dinner, 

 and pronomiced most delicious. Some of the sailboats by 

 ti-olhng catch 50 bluefish ui a, day, the largest reported 

 being 131bs. in weight. 



The water from the ocean is remai'kably warm, sup- 

 posed to be caused by the prevailing winds forcing the 

 Gulf Stream upon the coast. J. M. T. 



The Halifax River. 

 New-Smybna-on-the-Halifax River, Fla., Feb. 13,— 

 I begin by teUing a genuine dog story, which corresponds 

 with some already known, showing to what a high degree 

 that which is sometimes called the sixth sense is developed. 

 A dog belonging to Mr. Avis, of Daytona, on the Halifax, 

 was brought from Virginia, his old liome. After remain- 

 ing in his new home f<jr iieai'ly two ss'eeks he suddenly 

 disa]:»peared and at tlie end of ;t montli iqjpeared again at 

 his olil Virginia home. He a\ as returned to Florida by 

 express and kept chained for several weeks. Immediately 

 on his release he again disappeared and this time ax^peared 

 at his old home within two weeks afterward, making 

 better time perhaps from having better learned the way. 

 This time he was permitted to remain at his old home and 

 among his familiar haunts, having demonstrated his intel- 

 ligence, his determination, his love of home and old asso- 

 ciations. Those who deny intellect to animals would call 

 this an exhibition of what they speak of as "animal intel- 

 ligence," which is only a stupid way of saying: "We 

 can't admit of anything that looks like human intelligence 

 in a brute." 



This part of the Halifax River is one of the most charm- 

 ing sections of Florida. The river is full of islands and 

 abounds in fish, so that the sportsman never retiu-ns 

 empty-handed, while the numlierless channels running 

 about among the islands afford ample opportunity for aU 

 forms of pleasm-e, sailing, rowing, etc. 



These islands affords refuge and f eeduig groimd for a 

 great many heron, who may always be seen in their fav- 

 orite attitude of api^arent meditation, which is really one 

 of ^\dde-awake attention toward aU his surroimdings, to 



