Jan. 9, 1897.] 
FOREST AND -STREAM. 
25 
newed action. I anathematized Seco and all the Northland Indians 
for theli- fool methods of hunting, and increased my pace. The 
musk-oxen were now in full run to the north along the top of the 
ridge, gallopins? like cattle, with heads carried well out, tboiigh not 
lowered, and goinK at a pace and with an ease over the rocks tliat 
surprised me. Their bis bodies, with the long hair hanging down to 
emphasize the shortness of legs, gave a curious appearance to the 
flymg herd. 
The wmd was blowing a gale from the south, and we had hardly 
reached the top of the ridge on which the musk oxen had been run- 
ning when they disappeared over the nortliern end of it. By the 
time I reached the end of the ridgo the main herd was a mile away 
to the north, and still going, but four had separated from the band, 
and were running through some hollows that bore almost due east. 
1 instantly determined to follow these four because I saw I could get 
to the leeward of them, and I felt they would eventually head north 
to rejoin the herd. A caribou always circles up wind, biit musk oxen 
travel in any direction that necessity demands. Seco, with his dogs, 
was just ahead of me, keeping after the main band, and Eoheena I 
had lost sight of. I knew that separation from the Indians might 
cost me my life, but musk-ox was the flr?t and life the secondary 
consideration at that moment And I started off at my fastest 
gait to the northeast, keeping a ridge between the musk-oxen and 
me, and knowing if they crossed ahead to the north I should come 
on their tracks. . 
At last the hunter, utterly exhausted, found himself 
within 100yds. of two of the musk-oxen and felt that 
now he must take his shot, for he was nearly spent. He 
says: 
For a moment I rested to get my breath, and the musk-oxen were 
still going from me; and then another attempt. Tne fore sight for 
an instant held true— another second's breatiiing— a quick aim -and 
I pressed the trigger. What a feeling of exultution as I saw my 
quarry stagger and then dropl 1 was dizzy wita delight. I gave 
vent to a yeh, which, together with the report of my rifle, sent the 
other musk-ox into a wild gallop. It turned sharply to the left and 
went over a ridge with me tollowingon a run, all tna while endeavor- 
ing lo throw another cartridge into my ritle barrel. But the exces- 
sive cold, aided probably by my excited action, handicapped the 
mechanism, and the shell jammed. 
By the time I had sent tne cartridge home, running meanwhile, I 
got over the ridae, ana was .just drawing a head on the gallopmg 
uinsk-oxen, when two shots in quicii succession turned it staggering; 
and as it dropped I sent a bullet where it would do the most good— 
jubt as Echeeua and one dog came running down from a ridge oppo- 
site, so that 1 and Ecueena had the honor of scoring the lirst and 
second musk-ox. 'then i went back over the ridge to look at the one 
I had brought down. It was a cow. The sex was a disappoincment, 
to be sure, and I suould not take this head that had cost me so much 
to secure; but nothing could dull tne joy of having, after a tramp 
of about 1,200 miles, killed the most inaccessible beast in the whole 
wide world. 
This book is well worth reading, for it telis of a land 
ana a climate of whichi we isnow noching. It ia also a 
very handsome book in respect of its numerous and very 
beautiful illustrations, many of which are of implements 
and utensils peculiar to the far north and its inhabitants, 
either red or white. 
It should have a place on the shelves of every sports- 
man along with Mr. Warburton Pike's volume on the 
same subject. 
WHO OWNS THE GAME KILLED BY 
THE GUiDJi? 
This question was raised by something which some- 
body said a few weeks ago in Forest and wteeam, I 
thought it was a foolish question tor a sporteman to ask. 
AnyDody else might ask it properly enough, but for a 
sportsman to ask it — or even one who desired to be reck- 
oned as a sportsman — ^this, to my mind, involved an in- 
congruity. A sportsman, as a sportsman, owns and is 
entitled to count m making up his score only the game 
which he pursues, captures and kills himself. If, in ad- 
dition to this, he desires to bring home a bigger bag of 
game than he can thus secure, it is perfectly proper for 
nim to buy from his guide, or to buy in tne market 
house, or to buy anywhere he can. But game so ob- 
tained is not acquireu under any law or rule peculiar to 
sportsmanship. It comes under the law of purchase. 
JBuc when the question was asked, instead of keeping 
my thoughts to myself, as, in any but a moment of weak- 
ness, I would have done, I allowed myself to answer the 
question in black and wnite, wasted Z cents on a postage 
Buamp, and in due time it appeared in print. Ana that is 
iiow i got into trouble, as men generally do when they 
tamper with things which are none of their business. 
For a few days later the editor of Forest and bTREAM 
sent me a brutal sort of a note, whicn redd as follows: 
"New York, Dec. 12.— Dear Mr. ahaganoss: I printed 
your sentiments on the guide game buoject, although I 
am inclined to think that you were somewhat harsn in 
your judgment. Tnat is to say, suppose one should go 
out in the Jackson's Hole country witn Billy Hofer, and 
because of myopia snould fail to bring aown game, and 
they were in menace of starving to death, aon't you 
think that if the sportsman should nave Billy kill an elk 
and if he brought home some of the jertea venison and 
sent you a chunk of it, lie might look upon it as one of 
the legitimate fruits of the expeditionV" 
A mce letter that for an eaitor to send to "one of our 
esteemed correspondents!" Just as if I had nothing to do 
except to answer Jackson's Hole conundrums. Tne fact 
is that when the letter came 1 was off on a brant-shoot- 
ing trip down on the Virginia coast, and since returning 
1 nave nad to work witn the ailigence of a barrel of 
sweet cider in order to make up lor, not lost time — for 
time so spent is never lost — but to make up for time so 
utlhzdd. 
Buc to the letter. "Come,- let us reason together," 
saith the editor. ' 
First — A man so seriously afflicted with myopia that he 
cannot see to shoot an elk fiad oetter stay out or Jackson's 
Hole. 
ciocond — The laws of sportsmanship, though unwritten 
are as well settled and as unalterable as any that Mede or 
Persian ever m ido, so far as they apply. 
But in the language of the immortal Jack Bunsby: 
"Tne bearings uf this obserwation lays in the application 
of it." 
Tnird — When a man, either from myopia or for any 
other cause, is '"in menace of starving to death," ne 
passes ouisiue the domain of the laws of sportsmanship, 
and becomes subject to the code wherein ••self-preserva- 
tion is the lirst law of nature." He would then be fully 
justitted in getting game in any way possible— kdling it 
with a club, for example, 
i^'ourth — If, after satisfying the demands of hunger, 
any "jerked venison" shouia be left ever, the great law 
of chanty would then apply, Of course, it snould be 
given to the poor, and consequently a "chunk of it" — and 
a big chuuK: too — would come to me. Bat this, too 
would be outside of sportsmanship. It would be cnaricy 
pure and simple — anu a pot-hunter can be as charitable 
its anybody, if he wants to, and in the practice of chanty 
or kmdness to others he is entitled to full credit for 
what he does. 
Fifth — The first great law of sportsmanship impera- 
tively requires that as against the skill of the sportsman 
the game shall be given a fair chance to utilize its cau- 
tionary iBstincfca as regards the avoidance of danger, as 
well as its speed and shrewdness in escaping from danger. 
A man who disregards this law in the capture of game 
has no right, in re such capture, to the name of sports- 
man. To the extent to which he so disregards it he 
adopts the methods of the pot-hunter and should take 
rank accordingly. 
Guides sometimes conform to this law, and sometimes 
they do not. In the latter case the sportsman gains 
nothing in respect of sportsmanship by claiming the 
guide's game. He might just as well buy the same game 
in the market house, where he could get it much cheaper. 
Sixth — Following this rule of "giving the game a fair 
chance," we get the chief est pleasure of sportsmanship — 
the pleasure derived from the pursuit of the game, en- 
hanced, when fortune favors, by actual capture. This 
includes the pleasures of the camp, the pleasures of the 
woods and the waters, the pleasures of genial fellowship 
and sometimes of generous rivalry, and the semi- barbar- 
ous pleasure of outwitting the cautionary instincts of the 
game, and of overcoming its speed and endurance in 
flight. The pursuit and capture of game by a hired 
guide is no pleasure to me. I am no better for it in any 
way. I might as well ask him to join me in taking a 
doge of pills when I get sick. His operation will not cure 
me. 
Seventh — If a ihan wishes to bag the game which his 
guide kills he should make a bargain to that effect be- 
fore he starts out. He can then claim to be commercially 
honest at least. And while, as regards the game which 
lie kills himself, he may be a sportsman, he should re- 
member that as regards the game which he hires his 
guide to kill he is not a sportsman — no more so than if 
he had bought it at Fulton Market. In both cases he be- 
comes owner by a contract of purchase. In the one case 
he buys for a day's pay the product of a day's shoot; in 
the other case he buys a specified quantity for a specified 
price. And in both cases the game may be lawfully ac- 
quired, but it is not in either case acquired under any 
laws or rules peculiar to sportsmanship. 
Eighth— Primarily, the man who captures wild game 
owns it — always and everywhere. If, being employed as 
a guide, he sells it as a part of his contract of service to 
his employer, then his employer owns it, but not other- 
wise. But this, though an honest way of getting game, 
is wholly outside the domain of genuine gportsmanship. 
SHAGJANOSS. 
GEORGIA'S POSSUMS. » 
Wrow, the Atlanta Constitution. 
The Georgia possum was under discussion in the House 
of Representatives last night, The House failed to pass 
the famous bill of Mr., McOook, of Chattahoochee county, 
although Mr. McCook and friends of the bill succeeded in 
voting down various and sundry amendments designed to 
bring the bill into disrepute and burdening it with pro- 
visions which would make it one of the most remarkable 
acts on the statute books if passed. 
When the bill came up the House immediately lost its 
dignity, and for an hour there was a continual uproar. 
The occasion was one of merriment, and grave legislators 
put their feet on their desks and listened to possum ora- 
tory and other kinds of oratory for an hour. At one time 
it looked as if the Hause would have to sit and discuss 
possum all night. No quorum voted, and by reason of 
the peculiar parliamentary situation the Speaker ruled 
that no motion could be made, nor could the House trans- 
act any other business, nor adjourn until the pending bill 
was disposed of. 
After the amendments sent up from all parts of the 
House had been read, discussed and voted down, the 
House finally reached a vote on the bill as originally in- 
troduced. The vote resulted: For the possum bih, 66; 
against the bill, 31. Tne bill was in favor with the great 
majority of the members, but the constitution of the 
State requires that to be passed all bills shall receive a 
majority of the whole House, 88. For that reason the bill 
was declared lost by the Speaker. 
The bill is a simple measure and it is clothed in no mys- 
terious terms. It is what the title says it is, a bill to pro- 
tect the possums of Georgia. The bill makes it unlawful 
for any person to catch or hunt possums between March 1 
and Oct. 1. A violation constitutes a misdemeanor. 
It was 9:45 o'clock last night when the bill was reached 
on the calendar. 
Mr. Fogarty, of Richmond, is friendly to the Gsorgia 
possum, and ne said on such an important bill, one lu- 
volving the interests of the whole State and South, mem- 
bers ought to give it grave consideration. He thought it 
eminently proper that the Georgia possum be protected, 
and well protected at that. For the information and edi- 
fication of the House he thought it would be well for the 
author of the bill, Mr. McCook, to explain the provisions 
of tne measure. 
"Has the gentleman from Richmond ever caught a 
possum?" asked Mr. El wards, or Haralson. 
"In reply to that I will ask the gentleman from Haral- 
son if he ever went rabbit hunting," said Mr. Fogaity. 
Mr, Gliarders, of Lumpkin, put nimself on record as' an 
enemy of the possum. He said it was nearly 10 o'clock 
and in his county a good hour to kill possums. Ha 
wanted the Houstj to kid the possum bill at that hour. 
There was a storm of nays. 
Mr. McCook was recognized in support of his bill. He 
said: 
' Mr. Speaker, I think this is a good bill. The bill is all 
right. ]No farmer in the State will object to this bill be- 
cause it protects possums. I introducea this bill seriously 
and regrei to see that fun is being made of it. Possums 
are good game and they ought to be protected. Possums 
are now destroyed by boys and negroes while they are too 
young and not good to eat. The committee on agricul- 
ture thinks this a good bill and it has beea reported 
favorably. 
"I thmk more protection ought to be given the possums 
than any other game. Tne boys go into the cane fields 
and pastures and catch young possams before they get 
old enougu to be good, and tnat is a waste of Dossums. 
I hope the bill will be adopted." 
■ •'! would like to ask if tne bill would apply to a person 
who catches a possum with a chicken?" said Mr. Coi-e- 
land, of Walton. 
"No, sir, that would be killihg a possum in self-de- 
fense," replied Mr, MoCook. The house roared and Mr. 
Copeland was for the bill thereafter. 
At this point the colored member from Liberty county, 
J. R, Law, was recognized. He delivered a speech, 
which kept the members laughing. The speaker at- 
tempted to proceed and he started off by addressing "Mr. 
Speaker and members of this House," and the address 
was repeated several dozen times before the colored mem- 
ber was allowed to proceed with his argument. He 
finally said the bill was a good one in some respects and a 
bad one in some respects. On the whole he was opposed 
to the bill. It aff ected the interests of many poor people, 
he said. 
Upon the conclusion of the debate, which was of a 
rather informal nature, members sent amendments to 
the desk and they were read and acted upon. The first 
amendment was offered by Mr. Felder, of Fulton, as fol- 
lows: 
"Provided that this act shall not apply to the counties 
of Liberty, Rabun, Habersham, Chatham and Bibb." 
The question was taken and the amendment was lost. 
By Mr. Charters, of Lumpkin: Provided that this law 
shall not be operative in any county having a population 
of less than 100,000. 
By Mr. Dickerson, of Clinch: That the following 
words be added after the word possum in the bill: 
"Coons, gophers and high land terrapins," so as to make 
the bill protect those creatures. 
By Mr. Charters, of Lumpkin: Provided that it shall 
at all times be lawful to catch a possum when no ad- 
vantage is taken of him by catching him on the ground. 
By Mr. Felker, of Walton: By adding the words 
"hog" or "coon" to the bill. 
By Mr. Felker, of "Walton: That the act shall not ap- 
ply to James Sheata, of Walton county. 
By Mr. Copeland, of Walker: Amend by adding after 
the word possum the words "bull frogs and br'er rabbit." 
By Mr. Nevin, of Floyd: Amend by adding to the 
original bill the words, "Provided that this act shall not 
apply in counties where persimmon trees grow over 10ft. 
high. 
By : Provided that this law shall apply only to 
such possums caught after sunrise and before sundown, 
except such possums caught with chickens. 
All of the amendments were voted down, and the 
House then got into a tangle on the question of passing 
the bill. The result was as stated, the House adjourning 
at 10:4.5 o'clock, after having defeated the bill. 
MASSACHUSETTS TRAPPERS FINED. 
Office of the Massachusetts Fish and Game Pro- 
tective Association, 5 Park Square, Boston, Deo. 28, 
l!596. — Editor H'orest and Stream: A few weeks ago 
President Clark, of our Association, sent me a letter re- 
ceived by him and deemed of sufficient importance to 
require attention, and which I think will interest the 
sportsmen who read your paper. Leaving out the signa- 
ture for obvious reasons, I will give you its contents: 
"West Granville, Mass., Oct, 26, 189Q.— Dear Sir: In 
regard to trapping, I would like to ask a few questions. 
In the first place, there are a good many partridges and 
other game caught in traps in this part of the State. It 
has been going on in this manner for years, so I am told, 
and to all appearances it will continue for a good many 
more, or until all the game has disappeared, and, judging 
by the amount that is caught every year, the supply cannot 
last much longer. There are men here who make as high 
as $300 from September to January trapping birds, so you 
may judge the number of birds they capture. I myself 
have found out who does and who does not trap birds. 
The latter are in the minority. They have been in the 
business so long that any information on the part of a 
stranger would be very apt to meet with a reproof in the 
form of a charge of buckshot, which would not be pleas- 
ant to receive. The reply they make if any mention 
of the law, fiaes, etc., is made to them is, 'Catching be- 
fore hangiug,' so you may see that they feel perfectly 
secure and do not give a straw for the law. The only 
way to catch the parties is to trap them as they do the 
game." (Signed) , 
A copy of the letter as above was immediately sent to 
Chief Rafus R. Wade, of our State District Police, he 
having previously assured me that he would attend to 
any matter of the kind that might be referred to him. 
The result will be told in few words. The trappers were 
trapped, and at Westfleld D wight Barnes was fined $120, 
George R.idmund 140, and William Reeves $30. Charles 
Rdeves escaped into Connecticut and was defaulted. 
Great credit is due not only to the officers detailed on 
this case, viz., Detectives Proctor and Rhoades, but to 
Caief Watie for his promptness in sending them. 
The readers of the Forest and Stream will recall the 
fact that last spring our able and popular Governor, Roger 
Wolcott, prevented a reduction of the legal length of tne 
lobsters from 10^^ to 9 inches by interposing a veto, and 
it is well known that the Governor is friendly to th© 
sporting interests. In this respect he is following in the 
footsteps of our late lamented ex-Governors GreenhaJge 
and Russell. It is to be hoped that his great influence 
will bd felt in the way of a rigid enforcement of the game 
and fish laws. 
Oar State is paying out annually from $15,000 upward 
for the care and protection of fish and game, but hitherto 
but a small proportion of that sum has been expended for 
the improvement and increase of the fish m our streams 
or the oirds in our forests. 
, The bulk of expenditures, as I understand, has been in 
connection with shore and salt-water interests. 
A meeting of the Massachusetts Fish and Game Associa- 
tion was held on Tuesday evening, the 22 d ins t,, at the 
Coi)ley Square Hotel, and Dr. E. W. Branigan, chairman 
of the committee to nominate officers for 1897, presented 
the name of Col. H. T. Rockwell for president, Mr. Clark 
wishing to retire from that office. I will send you a list 
of our new officers after the annual election, Jan. 13. 
Very truly yours, 
Henry H. Kimball, Sac'y. 
Travel up to Date. 
The New Yoru Central offers unequal advantages for through 
travel oecween tue Easi aud West, li is (.lie only Trunk Line enter- 
ing the city of New York; its Graad Ceulial Siaiion i.s in ihe very 
ceuter of ihe. raeiropolis, io the midst ot the hotel, residence and 
Uieacer district; ic is the only line protected its entire lengch by 
block signals; it has the fasDesi trains iu the world; the Unesl equip- 
ment; sct-nery including the Hudson River, Mohawk Valley and 
Niagara Wa^M.—Adv. 
