554 
To secure his more difficult subjects the writer adopted 
the plan of covering up both himself and the camera 
with a large green bag. Some such protection is neces- 
sary for tripod cameras, and for this reason it does not 
seem that they are best adapted for game stalking. The 
ideal camera for such a purpose is one that can be used as 
easily as a gun, and with some approximate degree of 
certainty. Mr. and Mrs. Wallihan frequently lost pictures 
owing to the fact that their camera was not aimed cor- 
rectly and did not take in the subject they wished. The 
Englishman just quoted lost many pictures because his 
game would not wait while he made the necessary prep- 
arations for capturing its effigy. Under special condi- 
tions where sufficient time is at the stalker's disposal the 
tele-photo lens and camera would be of inestimable value; 
but for quick work and snap skotsit is out of the question. 
Billy Hofer, who used one of these cameras for photo- 
graphing big game in the Yellowstone Park last winter, 
found that even over snow and using his largest stop his 
pictures were under exposed. 
The ideal stalking camera should be a hand camera of 
long focus — say twenty inches. It should be provided 
with a ground glass for focussing on top of the camera. 
This ground glass should correspond in size with the plate 
used, and should at all times show the image of the game 
with regard to focus exactly as it will be given to the 
sensitive plate, necessitating an additional lens. The 
camera should be built to insure all attainable stiffness, 
and at the same time as light as possible. Under any 
conditions it would be heavy, as the lenses will be large. 
Such a camera will be ready for instant use. Running 
shots could be taken with great certainty and ease, 
Beside holding the camera steady it would be necessary 
only to keep one's eye on the ground glass and a hand on 
the focussing screw till the game was centered, and then 
the little finger could release the trigger, and barring cas- 
ualties a picture would result. No estimate of distance 
would be necessary, and after, a little experience one 
should be able to get a sharp focus almost instantly. 
Referring again to the tele-photo, the English writer 
quoted gives some hints with regard to development 
which are of general interest for this class of work. 
"Even when a decently exposed plate is secured, the 
development must be suited to the class of subject, most 
plates requiring all the contrast to be exaggerated; as, for 
instance, a rabbit on the bare sandy ground, or among 
grass and nettles; or a reddish or yellowish bird among 
green leaves in a heavy shadow. A delicate thin nega- 
tive on such subjects would be quite out of place; a well 
restrained developer, with a double allowance of pyro, is 
needed to make the most of what little contrast there 
may be. It is almost impossible to get a full exposure on 
such subjects. It is a great drawback that isochromatic 
plates are so slow, as they would be most useful in render- 
ing the correct color value of the birds. I have tried 
them and found them perfectly useless, never having yet 
been able to obtain a negative with them capable of giv- 
ing a [Tint. I have not tried them since reducing the 
length of camera, and thereby shortening -the exposure 
required. Still, they do not compare in point of speed 
with the fastest brands now made by the principal manu- 
facturers, at least in my experience." J. B. Bubnham. 
IN NOVEMBER. 
"Was there ever note so sweet, 
Bob White! Bob— Bob White t 
Tuned the hunter's ear to greet? 
Bob White! Boh— Bob White 1" 
Willis, the big driver of the farm wagon sent to meet 
us, greeted our arrival with the cheerful information 
that his mules had decamped while he was nodding over 
his stove, pending the coming of the midnight express 
that had just deposited us and our belongings in the freez- 
ing November air, and gone upon its way puffing and 
groaning through the moonlight. 
Tom A. , our host, at whose generous invitation we had 
delightedly undertaken the journey for a bird hunt on his 
plantation seven miles from the station, is equal to most 
emergencies; but for once his store of expletives failed 
before so ill a stroke of malevolent fortune and needs 
must be bettered by the combined efforts of Gene, H. 
and myself, that the pyrotechnic exhibition be sufficiently 
lurid to adequately meet the requirements of the sit- 
uation. After a council of war, followed by a banquet 
at which nothing was lacking but viands and coffee, we 
released our dogs from their crates, cached our baggage, 
excepting the fragments left from the feast, and. resolutely 
started out on a tramp toward quarters. Five miles of 
the distance were told without mishap, and then we dis- 
covered that a favorite dog, a young daughter of Kent 
Elgin out of Mack's Juno, failed to respond to the whistle. 
She had never been in the country before and we were 
afraid to abandon her to find the way to the plantation; 
so we retraced our step3 two lengthened miles, whistling 
as we went, all to no purpose, as she had returned to the 
depot, vhere she was rescued by the repentant Willis, 
who had remained to search for his team. 
About the time the stars gave promise of approaching 
day, foot-sore, weary and disconsolate withal, we reached 
a creek a mile from the plantation, only to find that the 
familiar foot-log expected to land us upon the further 
side, had disappeared, and a hasty search along the bank 
failed to reveal either substitute or make-shift that might 
perform a friendly office, and in safety bear our footing. 
Our disappointment was deep, not loud, and in sorrow 
more than anger we turned to gather fuel for a fire, 
igainst a possibility, most dire that men have shuddered 
at, that overcome of cold and hope deferred, we play the 
woman, and sit us down and weep. 
Again the fragments from our banquet were called in 
requisition, and soon a mighty log-heap was aroar with 
flame. The past, was past — almost forgotten. Cold was 
a fable; hunger a myth, and beds for dalliance. We 
knew them not, nor sighed for other fortune than haply, 
this, that gave us leave here to recount our daring ex- 
ploits by field and flood; swear history is prophecy, and 
bid our fellows mark how much more rich the future, 
brought to proof, than now our golden boasts. Each 
one had had his say, blown long and loud his horn, and 
when the blast was ended relapsed in silence, maybe, 
dreams, excepting Tom— his turn had come, along with 
the first gray lines in the east. Slowly he raised his head 
from off the friendly chunk that served him for a pillow: 
gravely began, as is beseeming in one who speaks of 
weighty deeds; 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
"In the day that shall vouchsafe for you something 
worth the doing, if, perchance, that day shall come, you 
boys will smile to think that once you spake of barnyard 
victories, and called them doughty deeds. It 'gars me 
greet,' but in the light of rich experience, gained from 
my happier fortune, truth schools my tongue to say your 
bags were hardly worth the count; your dogs but curs — 
Great Scott! What is that?" 
We sprang to our feet, and in alarm hastily glanced in 
the direction indicated by the trembling finger of our de- 
famer. Shade of Dogberry! not twenty feet away the 
stream was nobly spanned by a foot-log, hewn and 
squared, full three feet broad. Solemnly, quietly, with- 
out even a smile, we extinguished our fire and renewed 
our march toward the plantation, where, in silence still 
unbroken, we slipped into bed and besought nepenthe in 
sleep. 
It was noon when the cook aroused us for breakfast, 
and after a comfortable meal we shouldered arms and 
sallied forth to attack Bob White in his coverts. No rain 
had fallen for several weeks; the grass was rank and the 
ground as dry as the proverbial powder house. The dogs 
worked well, however, and we had sufficient shooting to 
bag birds enough for breakfast the following day, to say 
nothing of unnumbered charges that encountered no 
resistance excepting- air. 
We were up with the lark to greet the morrow's rising 
sun, and in an hour thereafter were in the saddle. The day 
was perfect in its beauty, and but for the lack of water, 
every condition ideal for the sport. Added to this, our 
dogs were fresh and gallant rangers, with nose and speed 
and training. Half a mile from home expectancy was 
gratified as we beheld a dog, while slashing through a 
field of corn, wheel quickly to the left, and in an instant 
grow rigid as if carved from stone. The picture, finished 
when his mates were in, was grand indeed, and for a 
little withheld our murderous fire that left the covey less 
by three, and sent the others deep within a nearby wood, 
a covert safe and sure for all but onr that hid from sight 
by a tuft of grass until a pointer, with a subtler sense, 
nosed him out and caught him where he lay. 
We had just remounted to resume our hunt, when we 
chanced to see a splendid covey cross the turn-row and 
scatter widely in a cotton field. A few sharp whistle-calls 
wheeled the dogs to gun, and point on point came so fast, 
and such a deal of powder greeted every speeding wing, 
that we marveled little at the old and purblind cotton- 
picking crane, who dropped her bag and fled, believing, 
as she told some folks who stood at gaze upon a neighbor- 
ing hill: "De Ku Klux [sho dun cum ergin." Despite all 
this, not every bird that 'rose was brought to bag, and 
following one or two well marked in sedge, we caught 
the welcome calling of another covey in answer, as it 
proved, to a crippled member too weak to even keep the 
gentle pace assumed in passing to and from their feeding 
grounds. The dogs were quick to locate a luckless trio, 
gluttons loath to leave the luscious peas when that the 
rest were filled. Two made proud the happy man who 
scored a double on the rise; the other fell, a solace to the 
enemy that assailed his slower motioned friends. Some 
rods beyond, the remaining birds were found, but before 
our guns were close enough to kill, a yellow, yelping cur 
had slipped among our dogs unseen and flushed the game 
that settled in the sedge upon a hill fully half a mile 
away. So great their number, so scattered was their 
flight, so well we marked them down and so strong the 
cord the owner of that trifling cm' interposed betwixt his 
pet and our virtuous threat to send him to some happier 
hunting ground, if even once again he sought to show his 
scorn of dogs unschooled to chase in this, our hope swelled 
high, anticipating unequaled sport to come. The oppor- 
tunity was beyond our hope, but alas! so poor our aim, 
that more than once the hero of the double most of all, 
we all bethought in sorrow on the cur, or any feeble pre- 
text that hopely might excuse the four successivee f uile 
charges that only served to accelerate the flight of several 
reckless birds that singly gave three men a chance to 
"wipe somebody's eye." To fill our cup of bitterness over 
full, a grizzled farmer, lean and long and lank, came 
riding by and paused to tell us that our shooting was 
more productive, far, of fuss than feathers; but to salve 
the wound his words of truth produced, he said that he 
would show us, in his field beyoud, the finest covey in 
the country— one that never heard a gun, and therefore, 
needed just the fright that we would give them to make 
them "ly to dog," against the time a friend of his could 
kill them. 
The dogs made game almost upon the spot our friend 
averred we would find them; and at the rise more birds 
repaid our bettered aim than doubtless he expected we 
would tax the coveys. His applause, however, was gen- 
erous and free; and saying he would hold our horses, he 
urged us to pursue them in the stubble, where they scat- 
tered nicely. Intent upon the sport, we failed to notice 
that he followed close behind us until the birds, flushing 
wild and circling back, began falling to our fusilade. 
Then by the half glance we had time to throw, we saw a 
dead bird pound that old betraying farmer in the face, 
another strike the beast' that bore him thither, while a 
cloud of feathers floated all around him as though to veil 
his shame. When the flight was done the smoke from 
the one black powder gun had lifted, we beheld our 
horses in the distance, a madly galloping mule bore a 
badly frightened granger beyond the reach of danger. 
Our turn to laugh had come. "God bless that sturdy old 
farmer, for he is a regular, chump." 
Fifteen minutes' ride brought us to another farm, where 
a colored "aunty," assisted by an impish horde of dusky 
offspring, was picking cotton close to splendid cover. 
Evidently she had encountered sportsmen from the town 
before and knew their tricks and manners. We gave 
her the ' 'chaw o' manerf ac" requested and asked about the 
birds. 
"Lord er massy, yas sah! Heaps ob 'em all erroun' 
dat thicket ebry day." 
"What kind, Aunty?" 
"Yaller hammers, feelarks, jaybirds — " 
The dogs were on a point, and our interest in the orni- 
thology of the neighborhood concentered suddenly on 
quail. The covey proved a large one, and yielded gener- 
ously to our bag. 
"My King!" exclaimed our "aunty," "you all kin shoot. 
You's des fa'rly numbered. I des low'd ter ax yer ef 
didn't want ter buy sum patedges my boy cotch in er 
trap dis mornin', when yer foun' dat gang." 
Further on we met a native hunting rabbits with a 
hound and musket, who volunteered to show a covey jf 
[Dec. 22, 1894. 
we would repay his pains with a "load er two." The 
terms were easy and we quickly emptied shells enough 
to satisfy his avarice, demanding that he lead us to the 
slaughter. A mighty struggle through brush and briers 
almost impenetrable resulted in a single bird that wisely 
flushed far out of range and a rabbit that, in the language 
of our guide, was toppled over before he had time to say 
"dar she go." As we were departing this sable equivo- 
cator yelled after us: 
"Hi, gemmen, I tecks yer whar dar's er nudder gang 
ef gim'e sum mo' loads!" 
In answer we presented arms as if to deliver the 
desired ammunition at easy gunshot, but our tormentor 
tumbling heels over head into a convenient briar patch 
in a frantic effort to dodge behind a mammoth oak, we 
concluded that sufficient retribution had found him out 
and so left him wondering what effect our nitro powder, 
wadded with paper, would produce when fired from that 
rusty musket. 
It was now the halcyon hour for shooting quail — the 
last of sunshine due the day. How many times could 
each of us recall, when birds were scarce, or hard to find, 
we had abandoned hope and left the field but for the 
promise of this evening hour that seldom fails of recom- 
pense for those of energy and faith. 
Passing to another field we rode into a covey feeding 
in the corn, that flushed and winged a gracef ulflight to 
what we thought to be their roosting ground, a plot of 
golden sedge, a hundred yards away. It proved Golgotha 
for the major part, as here, if not before, we found our 
solace for the poor success that brought the farmer's 
scorn upon us, a few brief hours before. But one of all 
that rose before us escaped to answer with his piping 
treble the good-night calling that, from the other few 
unfound, would fill the twilight with plaintive melody. 
He too, no doubt had failed, but for the strange delusion 
of the gunner nearest to his flight that mistook him for a 
lark until a second glance, too late, responsive to our 
guying, convinced him that "it was a bird." 
The day was done — at least, the actual zest of point and 
flush; of rapid aim and deadly trigger pull was past; its 
real pleasure just begun. For there was in the old plan- 
tation home a cavernous fire-place with a roaring log- 
heap lighted for our coming; a dinner on the table and 
an appetite to eat it that money could not buy. And 
there were pipes of comfort; a glorious bag to count and 
string for city friends. Last of all, and well accounted 
best, was the vigor thus renewed for months of arduous 
toil; health obtained wherewith to strive for honor, 
wealth or bread; pleasant memories to beguile a many 
weary hours to come and friendships here begun and 
here revived to brighten life forever. Will Scribbler. 
THE CAMP OF THE N1MRODS. 
Manistee, Mich. — Prevented by the cares of business 
from taking my usual hunt with the Nimrod Club, I had 
to content myself with a flying visit to camp for one day. 
The club members are all young business , men who can- 
not get away for any length of time. So the camp is 
always located within driving distance of the city. The 
hunting is not so good as further away, but we have to 
content ourselves with doing the best we can. 
I found the camp, about fifteen miles out, located on 
the banks of a clear cold trout stream, where it was 
sheltered on all sides from the wind. As I descended the 
steep hill to the creek, my eye caught sight of three deer, 
a big buck and two does, suspended from trees. As the 
boys had returned to town to vote, and had actually 
hunted but four days, they had made a good beginning. 
To say that the eamp was a "dandy," a "daisy" or any- 
thing else which in the current slang denotes superiority, 
does not express it. We have always had a nice camp, 
but this went ahead of all previous ones. Proximity to 
the city enables us to take out many comforts and luxur- 
ies which can be done without on a pinch, but are ex- 
tremely nice things to have. 
Placed in a row on the bank of the creek were three 
tents, each one of which was set on the top of a.box, of 
its own size, formed of 2-inch plank set upon edge, to the 
height of 2ft. This made the walls 5iin. high, and greatly 
increased the standing room inside. The "house" tent 
was a 12x20 and was furnished with a floor, wire spring 
cot beds for seven persons, with mattresses and pillows in 
abundance, sheet-iron heater, gunrack, wardrobe, large 
table and everything d la mode, not forgetting a keg of 
cider in one corner. 
The cook tent, wherein presided Carl, a snuff-colored 
"gemman," presented an appearance of great style with 
its ample stove, set in a box filled with sand, neat lockers 
and cupboards for dishes and cooking utensils, and long 
dining table with a white oilcloth cover, and benches 
alongside. Carl was an artist in the culinary line and 
the dishes which he set up, considering what he had to 
do with, were worthy of a French chef. Eaten with 
hunger sauce they were enjoyed by us as nothing ever 
served to pampered appetites could be. The third tent 
served as quarters for the horse which was kept there for 
dragging in deer and for taking trips to the city. Every- 
thing about all the tents was as neat as wax and afforded 
such a contrast to the condition of things in neighboring 
camps that the outfit was known as the "dudes' camp." 
The "dudes," however, had none the worst of it in the 
show of game at the end of the season. i . 
I met with a hearty welcome, and after viewing and 
duly admiring the camp, was taken in to dinner. This 
over Bob kindly piloted me out through a mile or two of 
old pine choppings to some green timber which grew on 
edge of a large swamp. The choppings had all been 
swept by forest fires during the summer and the only 
feed for the deer was in the swamps and along the 
streams. Posting me upon the top of a cone-shaped sand- 
hill which commanded ja view of a considerable portion 
of the swamp, Bcb went off to his own stand further 
away. There were plenty of hunters near the upper edge 
of the swamp and it was expected that the deer in fleeing 
from their pursuers there would cpme toward our end, 
The day had so far been warm and pleasant, but now 
the wind began to blow from Lake Michigan, not half a 
mile away, and the air momentarily grew keener. The 
surf on the beach, at first only a gentle murmur, grew 
louder and louder as the wind increased in force until it 
became a steady roar. The sun disappeared in huge 
bank of clouds and soon a few fugitive flakes of snow 
came drifting into my face. A few moments later a ver- 
itable blizzard was getting in its work, and mindful of 
my lonely drive home I concluded to start for camp. 
