448 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 25, 1898. 



story of tlie old fort for the last forty years told by eye- 

 witnesses. "Here's where I stood" said Garry, "where 

 Eiel shot Scott. Here were we held under the rifles of 

 the half-breeds. I could see the puff of smoke, out of the 

 corner of my eye, but I could not see Scott without turn- 

 ing my head, and this we dared not do, for we did not 

 know but that that might decide our own fate. Here's 

 where they imprisoned the Governor, and here is where 

 he leaped from the window to escape." 



And so they talked on and exchanged little bits of 

 gossip, and asked after this one that went to Ungava, or 

 that one who was sent in command to the Mackenzie 

 Delta, and remarked on the degeneracy of the present 

 times. Yes! this was a favorite topic, and in connection 

 with it Garry gave a brief sketch of his own life. 



When a boy in Edinburgh, forty years before, he had 

 read Ballantyne's "YoimgFur Traders," and became forth- 

 with fired with a desire to enter the Hudson Bay Co.'s 

 service, and see this great Red River with its plains, its 

 buffalo and its wild life. It was no easy matter in those 

 days to get an appointment in this great exclusive cor- 

 poration, but he had influential friends, and after his 

 well backed application had been on file nearly a year he 

 was ordered to join their ship at Liverpool, and ultimately 

 found himself at Fort Garry as an articled clerk. 



"These were the happy days," said he, "all we of the 

 company were like brothers together, we had lots of 

 work, but also lots of play, we lived merry lives and had 

 as much of adventure as was necessary to vary them. 

 The Indians in those days were never starving, they had 

 plenty of buffalo and gave us no trouble. For thirty-five 

 years I have roamed this region in the service of the com- 

 pany, and during all of that time I have never once had 

 to defend myself from Indians, though I had to fight 

 many tinies to save myself or my goods from white 

 men. 



"In books we read continually of the North American 

 Indian, either as a 'bloodthirsty savage' or as the 'noble 

 redman'. One description is as false as the other; we have 

 always found them like a lot of big children, whimsical 

 and capricious at times, but usually disposed to be kind, 

 and always manageable if humored a little. Things went 

 smoothly enough in those days, and the first to break the 

 general good feeling was the advent of missionaries. I 

 don't say it is religion that was the cause, but the fact re- 

 mains, and we all observed it, that wherever a mission 

 was established trouble began, and the Indians, from 

 being wild men with no vices, became mere beasts, with- 

 out a single manly quality, with their own vices grown 

 rampant and every evil passion and disease of the Old 

 World added. The reason in part was no doubt that the 

 missionaries demolished one set of moral ideas without 

 replacing them with others, and also these teachers ex- 

 erted themselves continually to make the Indian settle 

 . down in one place to be taught. Now, this is incompat- 

 ible with hunting, and being a hunting race they had no 

 taste for agriculture, therefore they were simply reduced 

 to destitixtion, and the destitute population of the village 

 naturally became depraved and criminal. This, at least, 

 is partly an explanation, but of one thing every trader in 

 the company is sure, as long as an Indian remained wild, 

 that is, a real nomadic redskin, we could give him a year 

 or even two years' credit with perfect safety, but as soon 

 as the missionary influence began to manifest itself and 

 the Indian cut off his long hair and wore breeches, we 

 knew from wide and invariable experience that we could 

 not trust him as far as we could see him, and were not 

 allowed to give him credit to the value of a single copper." 



Ernest E . Thompson. 



RAILROADS AND THE PARK. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Col. Wm. S. Brackett, of Fridley, Mont., in a letter re- 

 cently published, couveys the idea that there is bat one 

 possible way to reach Cooke City by railroad, and that by 

 way of the National Park. This statement is not correct, 

 as a line of road has already been surveyed from Billings, 

 on the Northern Pacific road, to a point near Laurel, 

 where the Yellowstone is crossed, the road then following 

 Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone River, crossing Rock 

 Creek and Bear Creek, to the mouth of the canon of 

 Clark's Fork. Entering the canon, the line of road will 

 pass completely through and thence west by north into 

 Cooke City. As far as the canon of Clark's Fork the 

 road can be built at a very low cost. That portion which 

 will have to be built through the caiion will present the 

 same features as the engineers had to contend with on the 

 Northern Pacific, the Union Pacific and the Rio Grande & 

 Western. This survey was made by Phihp M. Gallaher, 

 chief engineer of the Billings, Clark's Fork & Cooke City 

 road, and the members of the engineering corps were one 

 of the best set of men that have ever rim a line through 

 the Western country; so that there can be no doubt as to 

 the feasibility of such a line, with the additional advantage 

 of not having heavy snows to contend with. 



Cooke City, as I know it, consists of a low grade silver 

 camp, containing an immense amoimt of ore, also gold 

 ore in paying quantities, and I fear tha,t perhaps it is the 

 fact that there being such a valuable franchise to be 

 secured that is making it more apparent that it will not 

 hurt the Park or tend to cause the disappearance of game, 

 as it was considered it would do only a few short months 

 ago. 



As to the danger of fire, I think the people of Yellow- 

 stone and Park county, on the line of the Northern Pacific 

 Railroad, can and will testify that there is nothing more 

 dangerous as far as fires are concerned than to have the 

 locomotive running through that country. If they suc- 

 ceed in patting a line of road through the Park and should 

 use steam — as they certainly will if successful — we may 

 depend upon it that all the timber land will be burned. 



Mr. Brackett intimates that the people of Cooke City, or 

 at least a portion of them, threatened to burn the forests 

 of the Park and slaughter the herds of big game within 

 its boundaries. If Mr, Brackett pretends for one moment 

 to say that the desperate men, as he terms them, or men 

 who have become desperate through waiting for a road to 

 be built in to Cooke City expect to do anything of this 

 kind, I can assure Jiim that any jury of his fellow citizens 

 in Montana are perfectly competent to handle any such 

 characters. As far as my experience with Montana men, 

 miners and mine owners, goes, I have found them as a 

 class to be men of a great deal higher grade tlxan any- 

 thing Mr. Brackett would wish us to beUeve, and far 

 above any dirty incendiarism, and I fear that Mr. Brack- 

 ett must have received his information from rather a poor 

 source if he wishes us to believe anything of this kind. 



Mr. Brackett must know as he is familiar with that por- 

 tion of Montana that a road built in through the portion 

 of the Park that is spoken of would be impossible through 

 the winter and early spring months, the snow being any- 

 where from 15 to 40ft. deep along part of the line and 

 remaining always until late in the spring. This I under- 

 stand they expect to avoid by a system of heavy snow 

 sheds, but the fact still remains that all this trouble can 

 be avoided if the other road is built, that is the road 

 reaching Cooke City from the east. It would seem as if 

 this question of opening the Yellowstone Pa,rk to railroad 

 companies should be settled now once and forever, and 

 all corporations taught that the land given by the United 

 States to the people, either for the protection of game or 

 forest lands, as sanitariums for futm-e years or as a source 

 of protection of the water supply for the large river 

 systems either east or west, cannot be encroached upon 

 in any way or manner. If this could only be understood 

 thoroughly so that the question could never come up 

 again, it would seem as if some good work had been done 

 this year. I trust that the Government will put the 

 stamp of disapproval so strongly on this matter that it 

 shall never be heard of again. There is but one objectinn 

 that I can imagine can be brought against a road through 

 the Clark's Fork Caiion, and that is that elks crossing 

 from the Park to the Prior Mountains cross the lines of 

 the surveyed road at a point say from fifteen miles south 

 of Dilworth to the mouth of the canon. This ranch, if I 

 remember rightly, is known as Brown's, and the elk 

 crossing over through this gap are generally on the move 

 and are not apt to remain for any length of time between 

 through the two hills, so that I do not think the danger of 

 either frightening or killing would be at all excessive, 



I do not know Col. Brackett, and presume that his letter 

 was written in good faith and with a thorough feeling for 

 the ijreservation of the Park, as he claims it was; but I feel 

 that the other side of the case should be stated before any- 

 thing further is done in this case. Mr. Brackett is thor- 

 oughly mistaken if he thinks that sportsmen — or "mis- 

 guided sportsmen, who, as lobbyists," as lie terms it — 

 are opposing the wishes of the people of Montana. I fear 

 "the people" to whom he refers occupy a very small por- 

 tion of Montana, as the Montana people that i have met 

 and lived with are very proud of their Park, and always, 

 I trust, will be. I have yet to find any of these men who 

 are, as he states, incensed against the 'Eastern dudes who 

 are fighting the proposed railway to Cooke City. Mr. 

 Brackett must remember that these men are not fighting 

 a railroad to Cooke City by any other route; and in fact, 

 many of us have interests in Cooke City which we would 

 most gladly see something done with, and are only too 

 anxious to see a railroad built from any other part of Mon- 

 tana into Cooke City as long as it does not interfere with 

 the Park, 



I agree thoroughly with him when he says let us pre- 

 serve the forests and preserve the game of our park in an 

 enlightened, rational and broad-minded spirit. The last 

 clause fills the bill exactly. I trust Mr. Brackett will be 

 broad-minded enough to see another route is possible, and 

 let his line of road from Cinnabar along the Yellowstone 

 to Cook City fade away, for I am sure in later years Mr. 

 Brackett would not be proud of having had a hand in 

 opening up our Park to the innumerable roads that would 

 be built through it. He must know that this is a case 

 of one out all out, or one in all in. He says that he wishes 

 to avoid impending and overwhelming disaster to the 

 Park, and at the same time do justice to the Clark's Fork 

 miners. On this point I am sure we will agree and I 

 trust he will see the justice of this course. 



Yellowstonk. 



THE QUEBEC WINTER CARNIVAL. 



Quebec, Nov. 11.— Editor Forest and Stream: A winter 

 carnival, in the historical city of Quebec, has been decided 

 upon, and the citizens of that grand old Gibraltar of 

 America have been heartily tendered the cooperation of 

 the sister cities of Montreal and others who will send 

 down large contingents of several hundred members of 

 military, snowshoe and athletic clubs. 



Quebec, with its grand old forti-esses, walls mounted 

 with cannon, and warlike surroundings; its natural to- 

 boggan slides in many directions, its imposing gftes, 

 forming arches, which may be appropriately decorated, 

 its spacious skating rinks, covered, and in open air, 

 where thousands may enjoy such exercise and take part 

 in hockey and lacrosse matches on ice, its renowned 

 curMng rinks and curlers, its beautiful drives, outside and 

 inside the walls of the city, its grand citadel, frowning 

 forts, batteries and glacis, with the military guards and 

 fine regimental bands, its Indian tribes from the great 

 Lake St. Jean and Lorette district, who will be encamped 

 in their wigwa,ms, with their dogs and sleds; there will 

 be also the typical Canadian trappeurs' huts, with aU the 

 accessories connected with the hunters' life. 



Every foot of Quebec and its surroundings, in all direc- 

 tions, has seen the fierce battles and struggles of two 

 great European powers, and the memorable disaster by 

 which Gen. Richard Montgomery, of the Continental 

 Army, on Dec. 31, 1775, lost his life while scaling the cliff, 

 fighting for its possession. Its history is filled with the 

 most important early records of America. 



Although Canada, by the fate of war, was changed 

 from a French to an English colony, a great portion of 

 its people have retained the use of their language and love 

 for fatherland. Thousands above and below Quebec can 

 only speak French. Time has made but little change in 

 their customs and habits, and there are many peculiarities 

 connected with their life, making them a remarkably at- 

 tractive and interesting people. Quebec has long been 

 renowned for the amiability and hospitality of its citizens 

 of all nationalities and stations in life, and has always 

 been the favorite garrison town of the British Army. 



The magnificent new Chateau Frontenac Hotel, one of 

 the finest in America, controlled by the Pacific Railway 

 people, will be open. It is built on a site unequaled in the 

 world (on the Dufferin Terrace), and will be conducted in 

 the very best style of a high-class hotel, and is now one 

 of the great attractions of the place, 



The enthusiasm shown by the Quebecers, and their 

 united eft'orts to make this carnival a success, will, no 

 doubt, be well rewarded. AU the railroad compani .s are 

 heartUy entering into the scheme, and cheap excursions to 

 the far-famed city during the first week in February will 

 no doubt attract an immense number of excursionists, 

 who will greatly enjoy their visit. 



The carnival is under the distinguished patronage of 

 their Excellencies the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen, and I 



the Lieutenant-Governor of the Province, and the execu- 

 tive committee is composed of s»me of its best citizens. 



Quebec, in mid-winter, is in all her glory; the weather 

 is cold, but dry and invigorating, and it is the gayest 

 period of the year; every one is ozonized, full of vim, and 

 outdoor enjoyments are in great vogue, and once enjoyed 

 are never forgotten. J. U, Gbegory, 



HORNS OF FEMALE CARIBOU. 



Boston, Nov. IS.— Editor Forest and Stream: Your 

 editorial in issue of Nov. 11 on "The Woodland Caribou" 

 surprises me in one particular, viz,, in the statement that 

 "the female usually has horns." My own impression was 

 that only about one female caribou in a dozen had horns. 

 I have personally seen no great number of caribou, but of 

 these only one female had horns. I have the head of this 

 one now in my possession. 



I think the guides and hunters in Maine whom I know 

 and with whom I have talked about this matter have all 

 agi-eed with my observation. If I am wrong in this I 

 would like to be corrected and hope you will receive and 

 publish enough testimony from such sources to settle this 

 point. 



The last bunch of caribou that I saw was composed of 

 one bull and four cows, and not one of the cows had any 

 trace of horns. Apropos of your items about "Abino 

 Specimens," let me say that Owen Chase, of Brownsville, 

 Me, , recently showed me the skin of a young white otter 

 secured somewhere in the neighborhood of Passadum- 

 keag, and he reported another specimen as having been 

 previously taken in the same region. C. H. Ames. 



[As stated in the editorial to which our correspondent 

 refers, the female woodland caribou usually has horns. 

 All the authorities agree that in the genus Rangifer — 

 which includes the caribous of the new world and the 

 reindeer of the old — both sexes bear antlers, and if we are 

 not mistaken it was Mr. Montague Chamberlain, who first 

 called attention to the fact that a considerable proportion 

 of the females of the woodland caribou in Maine and New 

 Brunswick were hornless. We have been told by hunters 

 of the district north of the Bay of haleurs, that, in their 

 experience, it was the exception to find a female caribou 

 without horns. Mr. Ames's testimony as to the proportion 

 of horned females among those that he has seen in Maine 

 is interesting so far as it goes. We refer om- correspon- 

 dent to Caton's "Antelope and Deer of America," pp. 199 

 to 210, and "Standard Natural History," volume 5, page 

 305, or to any good work on natural history or almost any 

 work on hunting in northern latitudes. 



A recent letter from Mr. Chamberlain, in answer to a 

 request for latest advices on the point in question says: 

 "Regarding the hornless cow caribou of Maine and New 

 Brunswick, I still have the opinion that I expressed in my 

 letters to Forest and Stream. After the letters appeared 

 I continued my research among the hunters, and all that 

 I learnec. confirmed the opinion that very few of the cows 

 have horns. Some hunters had not met with any cows 

 wearing horns, some had seen many examples."] 



SHARK AND REMORA. 



Probably none of the fishes in the Aquarium at the 

 World's Fair have attracted more attention than the 

 sharks with their almost constant attendants, the 

 remoras. Many visitors have mistaken the remoras for 

 yoimg sharks and have expressed wonder at the wise 

 provision of nature by which the young are carried 

 aroxmd and protected by their mother. Some even went 

 so far as to suppose that the mother nursed the young 

 while attached to her body. 



As a matter of fact, the remora differs widely from the 

 sharks in sti-ucture and habits. It belongs to the spiny- 

 finned fishes, near to the crab-eater and the mackerels in 

 the modern systems of classification, while the shark has 

 its nearest relatives among the skates and chiraseras, fish- 

 like vertebrates with cartilaginous skeleton and other 

 peculiar characters. 



The remoras are commonly known as "suckers" or 

 "sucking-fish," They have a very wide range, being 

 found in all seas, though most abundant in temperate and 

 sub-tropical regions. Four species occur on our coasts 

 and all of them are parasites on larger kinds of fish or 

 other aquatic animals. Some of them are f omad attached 

 to vessels, other fasten themselves by preference to 

 sharks, swordfish, billfish and turtles. One of them is so 

 constant in its attachment to the swordfish that it is 

 called the swordfish sucker; another one is equally weU 

 known as the billfish sucker. 



The largest of the remoras, individuals measuring 4 or 

 oft. in length, according to Mr, Silas Stearns, are to be 

 seen about vessels on the red snapper banks, in the Gulf 

 of Mexico, where they remain to secm'e the bait that is 

 thrown ovei'board. 



The peculiar sucking organ by means of which the 

 remoras attach themselves to their hosts, is shown in the 

 accompanying drawnng by Mr. Baldwin; it is a modified 

 dorsal fin, moved forward to the top of the head for the 

 convenience of its possessor. This disk is a very power- 

 ful organ, as may be discovered when a living fish is 

 allowed to attach itself to a table and one attempts to pull 

 the fish away. 



Does the presence of the parasite worry its host? Cer- 

 tainly, if we may judge from the efforts made by sharks 

 to rub off the remora by contact with the rockwork in the 

 aquarium. The sharks often become greatly emaciated 

 and worn out by their efforts in swimming with such im- 

 pediments. It is not unusual to see too or three remoras 

 attached to the same shark in captivity. The parasite 

 does not feed upon its host, but darts away to consume 

 any fragments of food remaining from the meal of the 

 shark, and as quickly returns to its lodging place. 

 Although perfectly able to swim well, it prefers to be 

 carried around without unnecessary exertion. 



The early discoverers of North America saw the 

 remora and wrote about their habits, especially their use 

 by the natives of the West India Islands in fishing for 

 larger sea animals. The following account, from 

 Ogilby's "America," is pubUshed in the "Fishery In- 

 dustries of the United States:" "Columbus from hence 

 [from Cuba] proceeding on further Westward, discover'd 

 a fruitful Coast, verging the Mouth of a River, whose 

 water runs Boyling into the Sear. Somewb^t further he 



