July 8, lSa3.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



7 



Forest and Stream in the World's 'Fair. 



As Seen by Our Staff Correspondents. 



VII. 



The Cowboy Race. " 



Governor John P. Altgeld, the man who wants to abol- 

 ish the State Fish Commission, was so busy this week 

 pardoning out a lot of anarchists that he forgot to arrest 

 the Avicked cowboys who Avere racing from Chadron, Neb. , 

 to the World's Fair, and the winners arrived here safely 

 June 37, registering at Buffalo Bill's plaisance at Sixty- 

 third street. Jack Berry was winner of the race, getting 

 in at 9:30 A. M. His time for the 1,000 miles was 13 days, 

 15 hours and 50 minutes. His horse was a five-year black 

 stallion. Poison, a vigorous and compact animal which 

 certainly looked none the worse for wear. The next rider 

 in was Emmett Albright, who registered at 11:13 A. M. 

 "Old Man" Gillespie was third, at 1:35 o'clock. He is 58 

 years old, and the feat for himself and liis phenomenally 

 well preserved gray, Billy Shaffer, is to say the least re- 

 markable. The fourth man was C. W, Smith, on Dyna- 

 mite, at 1 :47. Dynamite looked anxious to do another 

 1,000 miles before dark. 



These men can sure ride plenty easy. I used to have 

 occasion once in a while to ride fifty or sixty miles with- 

 out getting out of the saddle, and I never had a horee 

 which, after the one daj^'s ride, did not look worse used up 

 than any of these horses did when I saw them at the Wild 

 West stables, at the close of a 1,000-mile ride. Incident- 

 ally there is talk about freight cars, but I trust it will not 

 be shown that the boys w^ere scared by Governor Altgeld 

 into secreting their horses in box cars, while they were 

 marching through Altgeldom. For those interested the 

 following is added to the record, showing names and 

 horses of the starters; 



J. Emmett Albright, Crawford, N"eb. ; weight, 1651bs. ; horses Outlaw 

 and .Joe Bush. 



James H. Stephens, "Rattlesnake Pete," Ness City, Kas.; weight 

 1401bs.; horses, Gen. Grant and Nick. 



George A. Jones, AVhitewood. S. D. ; weight, llSIbs. ; horses, George 

 and Romeo. 



"Doe" Middleton, Chadron, Neb.; weight, lesibs. ; horses, Geronimo 

 and Jimmy. 



C. W. Smith, Hot Springs, S. D. ; weight, 1651bs. ; horses, Dynamite 

 and Red Wmg. 



David Douglas, Hemingford, Neb.; weight, ISOlbs.; horses, Monte 

 Cristo and Wide Awake. 



Joseph Gillespie, Turne Butte, Neb.; weight, 1891b8.; horses, Billy 

 Mack and Billy Shaef er. 



Joseph Campbell, Denver, Col.; weight, llSlbs. ; horse, Boomerang. 



R. Fisher, Chadron, Neb. ; horses. Nigger Baby and Dixie. 



Jolm Berry, Chadron, Neb,; weight, ISOlbs.; horses. Poison and 

 Sandy. 



The W. W. Greener Exhibit. 



In the British section of the Manufactures Building we 

 met Jlr. Harry Greener, of the firm of W. W. Greener, 

 Birmingham, Eng. ; also Mr. II. J. Sprengle, who remains 

 in charge of the Greener exhibit after the retm-n of 

 Mr. Greener. Together we went into the spacious glass- 

 walled house which makes the firm's booth for the display. 

 The booth itself is handsomely and expensively gotten up, 

 and tastefully ornamented with heads of big game, etc! 

 Outside and in it bears the mark of very thoroughgoing 

 and tasteful work, and both it and its contents deserve 

 the most creditable notice. 



There are 130 different guns in tliis exhibit, and the dis- 

 play is by reason of its wide scope of the greatest interest 

 to even a very amateurish lover of a gun, to say nothing 

 of the knowing ones. Most people who take in only the 

 common impressions believe that the Greener gun means 

 chiefly the 12 gauge Greener pigeon gim now so common 

 at our ti-aps. This is only getting into the edge of 

 the Greener product. The firm make all sorts 

 of guns, and show here ' an assortment which AviU 

 give you a busy hour of curiosity and surprise. You 

 can see here a little .41-caUber' shotgim, for killing 

 smaU birds in collectors' work, and near by can take up a 

 single-barrel 4-bore which throws a handful of shot 

 300yds. with the most destructive effect. There are all 

 calibers, all sorts, and all prices, from $65 to the $600 special 

 double twelve. Not only shotguns, but also rifles, revol- 

 vers and ijistols are made by this firm, very good each in 

 its class. The elephant rifle is practically unknown in 

 America, and many gaze with wonder at the ITlbs. double 

 4-bore rifle used for this game of a foreign hemisphere. It 

 is a tremendous arm, but wonderfully well balanced and 

 easy of handling. I have 10-gauges which seemed as 

 heavy. 



Further in rifles the gentlemen showed us the curious 

 oval-bore rifle, which made so distinct a sensation in the 

 world of gunnery; also the 12-bore double rifle, another 

 arm not known in America, but I should think a good one 

 for bear. StiU another odd gun was the combined rifle 

 and shotgUQ, one with the side by side arrangement of 

 the barrels, and one over and under. This is a favorite 

 gun in South Africa. The gun of the lot which most at- 

 tracted me for American big game work was the .50 

 double express rifle. This was really an admirable arm, 

 handling nicely as the best balanced shotgun. 



Still another oddity to our eyes was a four-barreled .45- 

 caliber pistol, for use at close quarters on big and danger- 

 ous game. It is claimed that this arm with its proper 

 cartridge gives an extraordinary penetration. Much 

 prettier, if not so deadly, were the small caUber pocket 

 revolvers shown. Oddest of all, and to remain odd, since 

 its use is so unfrequent, was a harpoon gun with lance 

 boom for use in the whaling trade. This gun is of ancient 

 model, but is standard and has been for half a century. 



Mr. Harry Greener speaks very highly of the "sporting 

 Martini" as a sportsman's rifle, and says it is a great 

 Africa favorite. It is of simple mechanism and will take 

 a lot of knocking about. Both this and the Lee-Speed- 

 patent repeating rifle are siiov\'n at the W. W. Greener 

 exhibit in tlie firm product. The action of both these 

 arms, and also of the ejecting shotguns, are made 

 plain and simple of comprehension by the full sets 

 of sectionals shown. The process of barrel manu- 

 facture as illustrated is especially interesting, as for 

 instance in the sectional views of the Henry, the 

 oval smooth bore, express and other rifle barrels of the 

 ciioked portion of the shotgun barrels. Take all in 

 all, the many curious gims. the many standard and well 

 known ones, and the details of their construction as dis- ' 



played, the books of W. W. Greener (in many different 

 languages), and above all the artistic arrangement of so 

 diverse a whole, I question whether many exhibits could 

 contain more to please the connoisseur or entertain the 

 curiosity seeker. Moreover the firm have done one ex- 

 cellent thing. They have gotten up a special descriptive 

 catalogue of this exhibit, not touching upon any articles 

 not shown. Any interested person can by aid of this little 

 book obtain imassisted a perfect idea of the exhibit in all 

 its parts. For instance, in describing the specially made 

 12-gauges, which alone would have made a handsome and 

 efficient exhibit for any firm, the catalogue speaks as 

 follows: 



"The eight guns following have been specially designed 

 and made for the Chicago exhibition, and are specimens 

 of the finest workmanship ever produced in gimmaking. 

 Several styles of ornamentation ai'e exhibited, among 

 which are guns with elaborately carved actions repre- 

 senting oak leaves and acorns, horns and scroll work. 

 Gold inlaying, chasing and damascening also adds ele- 

 gance to the weapons, they are all suitably engraved in 

 keeping with the designs, and artistically finished in the 

 very best style. Not only has the extra care and at- 

 tention been expended on the external appearance, but 

 infinite trouble has been taken to secore the best pos- 

 sible workmanship procurable from the selection of the 

 iron, steel and wood which forms the foundation, and 

 through every subsequent stage, even to the making of 

 the screws and pins." 



We may, therefore, conclude that the English firm has 

 brought to the World's Fair- the best possible specimens of 

 its handicraft. At the Fair the American and all others 

 may examine them. The one and the other are to be 

 complimented and congratulated on the deed and the 

 day. 



Other English Gun Exhibits. 



Near the Greener booth in the British section are also 

 the handsome cases of W. & C. Scott & Son and of Charles 

 Lancaster. These handsome goods should not come aU 

 the way over here without a word of welcome, but un- 

 fortunately there was no attendant at either case at any 

 time when I happened by, so that a later visit must be 

 made here before we can speak as we would like. 



Lieut. Peary's Tents. 

 This week's dispatches tell of the departure for the far 

 North of the intrepid young explorer, Lieut. R. E. Peary, 

 who expects to spend two years m Arctic regions in the 

 effort to reach the Pole. Through reading Forest and 

 Stream Lieut. Peary pm-chased, during his visit to the 

 Fair, two of tlie compact and comfortable Protean tents, 

 for summer use by himself and wife. One is 7x7 and 

 one 8 x8. It is a far call to the cold North Pole, but I 

 hope the Chicago tent will get there and use the hitherto 

 useless thing for a center pole. 



The Other Direction. 



Next to this tent space is the boat exhibit of A. G. 

 Spalding & Bros. , as I have said. On the same day the 

 tent started north one of the St. Lawrence pleasure boats 

 started south, for San Martino, Mexico, via Vera Cruz. 

 It was bought by Senor E. G. Gillow, and the freight was 

 over $70. 



Visitors. 



Mr. Thos. H. Wentworth, of Bangor, Maine, Commis- 

 sioner of Fisheries and Game for that State, is in the great 

 and only city for a few weeks. I hear there are only 

 four or five persons left back East now. They have to 

 come to Chicago. It is like the bridge of Avignon, "Tout 

 le monde y danse en ronde." That is French. I learned 

 French at the Algerian village this summer. 



From the other side of the continent, likewise leaving a 

 card for Forest and Stream, comes Mr. P. M. Fisher, of 

 Oakland, CaUfornia. Mr. Fisher is director of the Pacific 

 Excursion Company. 



Mr. J. M. Yorgey, steward of the Diana Shooting Club, 

 Horicon Marsh, Wis., called this week, and paused before 

 the big photograijh showing a scene on the Horicon 

 Marsh, which is one among the varied Forest and 

 Stream gallery of sporting views. There are many 

 inquu-ies whether these pictures can be duplicated for 

 sale, and also many inquiries for the originals in the 

 Forest and Stream amatem- photography competition. 



E. Hough. 

 The Cape Colony Exhibit. 



The exhibit of Cape Colony occupies a large space in the 

 Agricultural Building. It is one of tlie most interesting 

 in that department. By tlie w&j, the title of the depart- 

 ment — that is, the Agricultural Department — is, in a way, 

 misleading, or rather is not compreliensive enough in its 

 meaning. Those who imagine it is devoted to threshing 

 machines, plows and pumpkins are deceiving themselves, 

 and denying themselves much information and pleasure 

 if they refrain from visiting it. In it are exhibits from 

 every clime, containing not only the agricultural imple- 

 ments and products peculiar to them, but the utensils of 

 dornestic hfe, photographic illustrations of the natives and 

 their homes, and the flora and faxma of the country, as 

 shown by colored pictures of the former and mounted 

 specimens of the latter. 



One wiU be surprised, too, at the variety and novelty of 

 animal life. It is true that we live in an age of progress, 

 but the greatest student cannot keep pace, in his knowl- 

 edge, with the great sum of knowledge evolved by the ; 

 progress of the world. 



One has but to go through the Agricultural Building to ; 

 realize by it, more than any other, how the world at large 

 has advanced and developed in the last two decades. 



Particularly is this true in respect to Africa. Where, 

 twenty years ago or less, vast regions of it were in the i 

 atlases of that day marked "unexplored," or "miinhab- i 

 ited," or "desert region," are now large settled countries, 

 with fixed boundary lines, permanent government and 

 growing prosperity. CiviUzatiori is displacing and super- 

 seding barbarism. Not so much by destroying the bai'- 



barian as by restricting and educating him in so far as his 

 simple nature will admit. 



Civilization. 



As I gazed at the map of Cape Colony, showing boundary 

 lines, provinces, cities and towns, a gentleman standing 

 beside me broke out in enthusiastic speech. His accent 

 was mildly English, 



Said he: "England has done a great deal for the ciAdl- 

 ization of the world. See, where a few years ago were 

 wildernesses and savages, now under the development and 

 ; beneficence of civilization. Is it not grand ?" 

 1 "Yes," said I, but reserving mentally my prerogative 

 . as a dogman to concede nothing without a kick, "yes, 

 I but it is sad to contemplate that all this civflization and 

 beneficence was handed to the African on the points of 

 I bayonets. In India, out of a mortar." 



He replied kindly: "You must concede that we did not 

 make good savages as the Americans make good Indians. 

 When they were subdued, England treated the savages 

 kindly, and bettered theii- condition. Even if civilization 

 was forced on them, was it not better than savagery?" 



I was forced to admit that it was. The fact is that 

 almost every nation has a glass hotise of some kind, and 

 it does not do to tlirow stones too carelessly. I had for- 

 gotten that we helped ourselves to the Indians' land first, 

 offered him civilization in an economical way second, 

 and third, periodically prodded him into warlike activity 

 for general results. 



IVlr. Robert Lee. 



This gentleman, JMi-. Robert Lee, had charge of the 

 large and valuable exhibit of Cape Colony. 



I saw a number of skins spread out here and there in 

 the exhibit, skins of strange animals, some sewn into 

 robes, others whole by hemselves. In short, there was 

 so much which was strange, I was constrained to ask 

 Mr. Lee for information. I found htm a most affable 

 and communicative gentleman, and thoroughly famihar 

 with his country's resources. 



In reply to my query whether there were any game 

 birds in Cape Colony, he said: 



"We have a variety of game birds. There are wild 

 ducks, quail similar to the American quail so far as I have 

 been able to judge by the specimens I have seen, Guinea 

 fowl, native pheasants and partridge." 



I then asked him if setters and pointers had been inti'o- 

 duced into Cape Colony. 



"Yes," he replied, "there are quite a number of them, 

 but they are used chiefly by the military and a few of the 

 wealthier people. Setters and pointers are not at aU 

 strange in our country. " 



"What are yomr varieties of lai'ge game?" I asked. 

 "There is a large variety of big game. Springbok, reib 

 buck, bless buck. There are also leopards, elephants, Hons 

 and several kinds of the tiger species, though no tigers. 

 The hunting is confined to certain comparatively small 

 districts. Among the best are certain parts of British 

 Bechuanaland. Civilization has already had its effect in 

 exterminating big game." 



Noticing no fish exhibit, I asked: "How about your 

 game fish in Cape Colony?" 



"The rivers have very few good fish in them," he said. 

 "The summers are very dry, and then the rivers in con- 

 sequence have very low water or dry up entirely. There 

 is not, as you might imagine, a scarcity of water in 

 summer. At a depth of 12ft, in most cases, or at 20ft. at 

 the greatest, plenty of water is foimd aU through the 

 provinces. There are imderground rivers. There is an 

 abundance of fish caught on the coast. About 50 or 60 

 varieties of food fiijh are found there. There is a very 

 large crab, resembling a lobster in a manner, which sells 

 for one cent. A snook, weighing from 16 to 181bs., sells 

 from 4 to 6 cents in equivalent of American money. 

 Cape salmon, 12 to 151bs., about 8 cents. There is very 

 little inland fishing, " 



Mr. Lee gave me much interesting information on the 

 wild animals of the South African country. While the 

 exhibit is a grand one it was a mistake to neglect making 

 a fuU exhibit of these wild animals. Such as are exhibited 

 are more in relation to domestic usefulness or commercial 

 value than to them as being /me natural. 



There were a number of robes made up of skins. One 

 was of tiger cat, and was valued at £20, It did not ap- 

 proach, in beauty or quaUty, robes of American manufac- 

 ture, made up much better and at a lower figure. Skins 

 of the Zambesa cat were shown, and of the lynx, the lat- 

 ter highly valued by the natives for its suijposed curative 

 powers when worn by persons who are afliicted with 

 rheumatic ailments. Undoubtedly good flannel would 

 have the same curative effect. 



A tawny skin of a Hon was draped on the side of a 

 table. Two holes in it showed where the bullet of the 

 hunter snuffed out life. A lion's skin does not look very 

 lordly when the lion is absent from it. The skull of the 

 Hon was nailed up among a lot of Zulu ornaments, uten- 

 sils and weapons. If the expression of the skull, with its 

 strong, curved fangs, large eye sockets and strong jaws is 

 any data by which to judge the animal in Ufe, it must 

 have been a most petulant brute. Skins of the silver 

 jackal did not suggest beauty. Why they are called silver 

 jackal is diliicult to understand, as they are said to be of 

 a variety of colors. Skins of the leopard and laughing 

 hyena were not uninteresting. 



A springbok, indifferently mounted, was the single rep- 

 resentative of the deer family. It was a tiny specimen, 

 weighing, when alive, about 40 or 501bs, 



Two Boer goats, specimens of descendants of the wild 

 goat, but now representing the domestic goat, were 

 most interesting studies. They are large, strong animals, 

 cleaner and longer of limb than our domestic goat, short 

 coat, and in body shaped more like a six-months-old calf. 

 The head somewhat resembles that of our domestic goat, 

 though the horns are much smaller. The larger speci- 

 men would, in life, have weighed fuUy 2001bs. , the smaller 

 about 150. They were set up on an elevation about 5ft. 

 from the floor, and, with Angora goats, fat-tailed sheep 

 and the springbok, made an interesting group. 



The Ostrich. 



Two ostriches, a male and female, were the center of 

 constant admiration. They stood on an imitation of 

 desert sand, out of which was an imitation growth of 

 the small, stunted, scraggy bush, growing only one in a 

 place, the food of the ostrich. On the ground were young 

 ostrich chicks, about the size of common hens. 

 It occurred to me that ostriches might be shot over the 



