ftcB. 20, 1897.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
149 
THE MAINE GUIDES' SONG. 
From the Lewiston Journal. 
The projwsed law, whereby Maine guides mmc register, secure a 
license by ihe payment of $«i and wear badges wben engaged in their 
business, has ruffled these free-and-easy Leaiherstoeklngs. They pro- 
test in breezy fa hlon, especially to that clause whereby they are re- 
quired to beep a record of gaoas seen, game killed, flsh caugh', etc. 
A brand new Maine hunting song is resoecrfuily suggested to these 
recalcitrants, who ought to assist Commissioner Corieton In his re- 
forms. 
We're off, we're oif to the noble greenwood, ha, ha, and eke likewise, 
he, he. 
It's perfectly awful, but still we are lawful, authorized guides are 
we. 
Oh, say, is the duflle all tight and all right? Have you looked it care- 
fully o'er? 
Look out for the sun, for we have only one, hut of typewriters we 
must have nacre. 
For we're off, we're off to the good greenwood, with our badges and 
licenses too; 
With our legalized, authorized permits and modernized orders of 
what we must do. 
We must keep a li=t of the game that is missed and of critters that 
scampe>' away. 
We're got to keep tab whenever we nab a buck or a moose as we 
stray. 
And when we start out with a party to guide we're ordered to write 
out a census, 
With ages and names, square as old truthf ulJames ; and woe if a 
slip-up prevents us. 
So, hurrah for the wood, we will try to be good and descrilse all that 
crosses our way. 
We'll study stenography, typewriting, photography; we'll scribble 
away all the day. 
We'll try to deserve it-the Ucense we got; our badges we'll wear on 
our breast. 
We'll write of our rambles, our tussles, our scrambles, enumerate 
flies and the rest. 
And if we've permission, or if the Commission would like for to have 
us inform, 
We'll halt bucks and ewes and solicit their views on the question of 
tariff reform. 
Then hurrah for the wood, we are going, last call; do you want to 
go with us for fun? 
Take another typewriter; as the pack must be lighter, I guess we 
won't need the old gun. 
For I think when they see us with license and badge a-jotting down 
points, as I've Sdid, 
The deer that we're after will double with laughter and squirm in a 
fit and fall dead. 
Boston, Feb. 13 — The gui<ie license bill has passed one 
readiog in the Mnine House at Augusta with scarcely a dis- 
senting voice But Hincklev, of Rangeley, has a'-k>d for 
delay until Thursday, the 18ih, that he may offer an amend- 
ment providing that men simply working for sportsmeo tem- 
porarily shall not be obliged lo take out licenses. As the 
bill now stands, "any person engaging in the business of 
guiding, as commonly understood," is liable to a fine of $50 
if he does so without a license, Speoi.\l. 
Maine Moose Protection. 
Editor Forest ami Stream: 
Tae moose is the largest game animal and tbe most valu- 
able, and, unfortunately for him, the only anim 1 which can 
be calkd from Ma most si-cure places in the forest bv tne use 
ol the barb horD. The experienced guides can so cljsely 
imitate the call of the cow moo'c thnt the bull can be 
brought within a short range of the h mier's rifle. They are 
60 much sought after that the ambitious hunter had rather 
kill one moose than fi ty deer. Furthermore, there are so 
many more expnienctd guides ana hunters now that with 
vtry little trouble they can locate almost every bull moose 
in Maine. 
If a bull moose having a good head of horns is wnrt'i $100 
to the hunter. I think, he would be better vforth *1,000 to 
the S.ate of Maine to be left in the wilderness for five years 
for breeding purposes. If the bull moose is allowed to be 
exterminated, of what use is it to protect the cows? Protect 
all moose while there are some lo protect — don't wait until 
they are exterminated before takind action. If there is not a 
continued close time put upon moose at once I sincerely be- 
lieve there will be none left to protect when the Legislature 
meets again. 
It is no reason for saying that moose are plenty that so 
many have been killed of late by the numerous hunteiv, and 
by poachers iu the deep snows, where the moose are so per- 
fectly helpless. That so many have bten killed is reason 
enough that they should now be scarce. There are 1,000 
hunters who go to Maine for the purpose of killing a mnose 
or other large game now, where theie were fifty twenty five 
years ago; and the guides are becoming more familiar with 
the forest since it has become so easy of access. 
Twenty-five or thirty years ago moose could be found all 
over the large forests in Maine, now there aie very few 
places in Maine where they can be found at all. 
Put a close lime on aU moose for five years, and a fine and 
imprisonment for the killing of any ; half tne fine to go to the 
informer. 
Oo all other game shorten the open season the mnnth of 
.D Ctmber. Permission to hunt in that month brings very 
little money into the Stale, and the dangei<.u^ slaughier 
in the snows of that mouth should be prevenied A fine 
should be imposed upon any one cariying firearms into 
the woods duriog close time. That will pr.jiect the game 
in the State of Maine, I believe, better than any other 
measure. 
The deer and smaller game are so plenty they will afford 
the hunter good sport for a number of years lo come if they 
are properly protected, and if a more hberHl approptiation 
could be made by the L-gislature for the protection of the 
flsh and game, it would enable the Commissioner lo do the 
work that is so much needed at the pr< sent line. 
D. H, Blanchakd. 
Boston, Feb. 8. 
Ducks in Maryland Waters. 
Stockton, Md., Feb. 4.— "When I wrote on Jan. 10 there 
had been no redheads and very few blackheads, and as far 
as I could hear the same lack existed all the way to tue 
capes. I had letters from three gentlemen who had been.to 
the Broadwaters; they reported lots of coots, south-souih- 
erlys and black ducks, but few bluebilis and no redheads. 
Another gentleman stopped here over night commg from 
there with the same report. As he had to take the lU :10 train 
North the next morning, I had him out on one of the islands 
by daylight. We put out a few decoys for cub-heada (a 
nice-siz?d duck, always fat, called whistler and jlngler on 
the Caesapeake and golden eye North), and were back by 
9 :30 with seventeen ducks, well satisfied with the two bouts' 
shooting. I state this to show that as far as I could learn 
there were few redheads bf-low previous to Jan 10. 
On Jan. 33 I was at the landing when one of the oyster 
boats came in. C<pt Tom said: "Say, boss, you ought to 
be out there now," pointing to the shoals, "it is alive with 
ducks and all /edheads " I aske i him if he would go out if 
I got my gun and shells. As it is only a quarter of a mile 
to my house, I was soon back. He had my box on board, 
and abjut 150 decoys, so we were soon under way. G iing 
ou^. I saw bunch after bunch coming down the eastern chan- 
nel and crossing to the upper shoals, which was evidence 
enough to me that they wtre northern durks. It was after 
4 o'clock when I was all fixed in the hix. Tom was to sail 
up the b ds, come back in half an hour, run down the drift 
of dead d icks and gathi r them. The ducks when routed 
came in great bunches of hundreds, made no offer, and in 
fad took no nonce of the decoys. However, by the time 
Tom got back I had down thirteen redhi'ads, all single ducks 
or pair^^ that had turned out ot the big flights. 
1 was pleased with the show, and that night telegraphed 
to some gentlemen in New York who were wailing lor such 
news. Sunday night the wind came out from the northwest, 
and blew a living gale up to the 27i,h.; then cha ged to the 
east, with snow Tnal night the wind went back lo north- 
\i est again, blowing very hard tor four days, freizmg up 
everv creek, cove and the great bay itself fr<»m shore to shore^ 
Feb 2 the wind turned to the south, warm; on the .3d and 4tli 
it blew hard from the east, but still warm, bringing in a big 
tide; and on the 5\h evevy panicle of ice was gone from tae 
b ly. S6me little cotild be seen where the ice had piled in 
shallow coves, but aside from this everything was clear. 
Eow it i^eems perfectly plain that thes.e ducks come from 
the Nofth in Iront of this most severe Storm. 1 was out on 
the shoals this morning; toere are a great many ducks there 
already, the majority, as far as I could see, being redheads. 
All these seem to be coming up from the lower shoals, 
showing that they will not stay South, but are anxious to 
beyin their northern flight again. I saw also a few bunches 
of biaat and plenty of geese. Yesieruay I killed fl(re jack- 
snipe, the first tnis year; tney were thin and very wild 
O. D. FOULKS. 
Bob White in the Northwest. 
Latona, Wash. — Ranchers in the island counties of the 
Stale are not in love with dogs to any great extent, and the 
way hounds disappear down there makes deer hunters keep 
shy of those parts. This is a good thing, for hounding deer 
in the island country would .n time exterminate the deer on 
all the islands of the lower sound, and this the ranch owners 
do not see fit to permit. 
On the islands are many fi- Ids of oats, wheat and other 
small grain. Some parties procured a number o; Eistern 
quail several years ago and liueiateii them oo the most tav. r- 
ao.e spots. Tais year I siw Bob White in the Siiattle mar- 
kets as a refult. The biids have multiplied and spread over 
a good section of country. The average Si wash has no 
idea of sport, but he Knows how a Hudson Bay musket will 
scattershot, and he never wastes a load. Result— Eastern 
qa<iil at 15 cents per head in open marset in S-attle. 
"Where do you get them?" "On, down on the islands," 
answers tne butcher. W. S Pkilllps. 
Spring Shooting in New Tork. 
Troy, N- Y„ Feb. 12.— Editor Forest and Stream: The" 
following excerpt was clipped Irom yesterday's legislative 
proceedings: 
"Senator Krum, extending the open season for killing of 
plover, j icksnipe and other similar birds from April 1 to Dec. 
31, itj stead of from July 1 to Dec. 1." 
If this is the s )rt ot legislation that is to be advocated by 
the Chairman of the committee on game laws, we may ex- 
pt ct very little of good to be accomplished in the way of 
game protection at tnis session, notwithstanding the ad- 
vanced position taken by the Fisheries, Game and Forest 
Cummis loners in their recent report to the Legislature. 
Senator Krum's bdl is.wrong in principle, and should not 
become a part of our game law. M. Schenok. 
Louisiana Quail. 
Opblottsas, La,, Feb. 1. — We have just been experifnc- 
ineadreadtul spell of weather. We had sleet and snow 
and t je wnole country was covered with a white surface. 
Freeze after freeze followed and business and farm work 
we e stagnant. Exposed horses, cattle, etc., suffered terri- 
bly A c aange for the better took place night before last, 
and yesterday we had rain and lots of ii, which served ma- 
terially to thaw and melt tue cake of ice on the ground. 
Those who have been out afield have killed good bags and 
it is reported that quail were never more plentiful. A party 
of three gentlemen sportsmen (?; f rom New Orleiusweie 
here a few weeks ago and they, in company with a Jucal 
trap shot, bagged about l,a00 quail iu a week. This is what 
you call blaugulerin the first degree, and if such work con- 
tinues very Lng we will have little game left. T. A. J. 
A Bag in Up-Country China. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
My friena C. J. Ashley, of Shanghai, China, long a sub- 
scriber to >our paper, advises me, under oaie of Jan. 11, of 
his returu from his annual up country hunt. The paity. 
four in number, were aw,>]y eleven days, making a bag of 554 
pheasants, 26 ducks, 18 deer, 14 geeae, 20 teal, 10 woodcock, 
50 partridges, 7 hares, 1 fox, 1 wolf — 701 victims. 
J. K. D. 
"How Birds Affect the Farm and Garden " 
The Forest aod Stream Publishing 0 impany requests us to say that 
Miss Merriam'd p per wai be supplied at coat by that compauy for 
g'ensral uisu'l juiion We mike tue statement with the greatest 
pleasure; and we nope that tbis litile tract of thirLy-two pages may 
bavc tne (videsc possiole circulation. In every sease of tue word ii is 
a useful and mstructive tract. It does not iuuulge eveniu seniiment, 
tbouiib t-etitinieui, as oisiinguisiiea from seuumentaiism, is a tii;<tily 
mordltuini. The object of inis iracc i> lo s'ate soiiu /acts woicb 
oufcui 10 06 known concerning Dbe uscs of oird.^ in the oconomj of 
nature, ana lueir speeiil uliii y to toe f.iriner and tUe gardeiiei-. The 
autuor CBkdS up seriatuin a loug list . f Amertcau binis, and shows 
toe poculidr uiiliiy of eaen in tue uesiracticu or insects wui, b are 
pi ejauiciitl to tue p.aut. life fiotn wnicu the farmer and sa'iJiner 
mah.e their wealcn; Ihe iaference to.ljwlQg, as a mat er of cou.se, 
that the bird in question ous:bt to be carefully proi c:el by all ^ho 
are engaged in agriculture and horcicuUure.— Our ^rt;/>iaZ t'ritnnt. 
I*roprietoors of ft^hing reeortg will find it profltabte to ctdveTtite 
them w F0RB3T and Stream. 
ELKHORN.— II. 
OifE bright October morning in the past fall, when the bub 
began to peep above the hills near the big trestle, Jimmie 
Gibbons wended his way to the Midland Depot. He had 
made up his mind — as he often does— to go a-tishing, And 
where else could he go at that time of year — when the rains 
had retired from the front and taken on a season of absti- 
nence and th-i rocks were showing in the smaller streams — 
ttian to Elkborn. Oi l Hirrison, his colored porter, had 
borne his buCKet of minnows to the depot ahead of his 
arrival, and from time to time was adding a little more fresh, 
water, to liyen tdem up, from the hydrant under the bag- 
gage room. It was a choice lot he had selected for the day's 
sport — q-iick, active fellows, 4 and 5in long. 
With wading boots in hand, a cold lunch stowed away In 
his pockets, a slender cane rod of exquisite taper and elastic, 
steei-like temper, a No. 3 Mihm reel holding a supply of 
C ark's thread wound from a No. 8 spool, and with that in- 
evitable oue-h'ilf pint flask of "wratb" for sudden crampa, 
Jimmie Gibbons entered the depot just two minutes ahead 
of train-starting time, in the be-t or spirits. He thinks it 
awful funny to give the train the benefit of a minute or so 
of time, in the vague impression that it is going to get away 
before he arrives. But one day wnen his watch was wrong, 
or a customer talked too long, and he saw the rear end of 
the train stealing away up the long grade, it wasn't half so 
funny as it usually seemed. Oa this particular morning — 
the 21st of October— bt ing on the bright side of two minute*, 
he had nothing to grieve over and much toeX(>ect. Slowing 
his minnow bucket and himself and tackle in the baggage 
car, the train was soon climbing the lOOft. grade under toe 
labored pulsings of the engine. On the right were the pre- 
cipitous slopes and rough blastings of the big cut, while to 
the left the hillside was strewn with the d&>ris of 
stiattertd ruck, cast aside to make way for the passage of 
the iron horse. Below lay a peaceful valley, bending as the 
ra nbow, witb Frankfort as its bag of gold at one end and 
the other terminating on the Kentucky below Lock No. 4, 
The Buffalo Trace Trestle, with its slender columns, 
crossed, the summit a vanishing height to the rear, a quick 
transit o er Elkhorn Bridge and its adjicent trestle, a short 
stop at Elkhorn Station, and scarce twenty minutes have 
elapsed before the whistle announces Swiizer Depot. 
This is toe favorite stqpping place for scores ol flshfrmen, 
for close by is' the creek and the long, deep pr>ol »f Jones's 
Dam. The dam is in piain signt from the depot, and the 
old mdls, growing rickety with age, and turned to ignoble 
uses as tobacco barns form a quaint picture of the ■ vanish- 
ing age. Th lotting logs of ine uam, with here and there 
a great gaping rent on tne lower face, made by the winter 
floods, portend only too vividly when there will be a roar, 
a crdCking of timbers, a great ru h of waters, and Jonea'a 
Dam will be a thing of toe past; while the miles of deep 
water, brimming with fi:h, will go tearing away to the 
Kentucky River. 
Thouaauds ot beautiful and toothsome flsh have been 
caugbt in Jones's Dam — mainly silver perch — and there are 
thousands yet that swim in its miles of cool, clear, placid 
waters, broken only by the ripples brushed up by the incon- 
Btant wind. 
Close by Switzsr Depot, nestling under the brow of the 
hill, and only a stone's throw from the rustic creek bridge, 
is the hospitable home of Uncle Billy Bristow, wnere tired 
fi hermen find a hearty welcome; soft, clean beds, and an 
old-fashioned Kentucky meal that my mouth waters now 
to think about. His attentive wife knows when the corn- 
pones are browned to a nicety and cri^p with sweetness; 
when tbe fish are dune to a turn, and the chicken tenderest, 
with its juice:, basted in butter gravy; and adding fresh but- 
termilk iiom the churn that stands tver ready for duty in 
the back porch, there floats in suggestive lines a vision of the 
old plantation days before the war. When I invadtd those 
piled plates of corn pones, and drank the rich buttermilk 
flaked with ungathered tidbits of butter from the stone 
churn (such diet is loo rich for city folk nowj, involuntarily 
my thoughts ran back to the long ago, when the Kentucky 
farmhouse was the home of hospita,lity and comfort. 
Most of ttie incidents that gave attractiveness to that 
time are gone now, or aie going fast — the simple things, 
whose presence gave cheer and content — the suppers of 
short'nin' bread and fresh sweet or buttermilk, with golden 
butter without age; the big tire-place and huge mantlepiece; 
the crane in the caimney, with hjoks pendant for the ket- 
tle; the broad, sione hearth; the blazing fire of hickory 
against the big back-log; the coals drawn under the oven 
and sprinkled over its heavy top; the yeast bread in the pan 
drawn to the corn, r to get its "rise" for the morning meal; 
the ebony cook bustling with importance to have things in 
shape to please the bouse lolks; -the barefooted pickaninnies 
sittiug in the cornen? , grinning and g ggling, and anon 
scr juging for the best seats, their toes making prints and 
furr...w8 iu the ashes, and ocea ioually "het up ' with a live 
coal — well, well, tempora nMtantur, et nos miUamur in iUis. 
Ii we sit still we will get ruij over in ibi luiiiiaiiun age — this 
ru bing, grasping, piactical age, when pleasure iisell is too 
otien, alas, made a business, cut to lengths and widths. 
But we must not lose signt ol our fiiend Giboons, who has 
aliguted from the train, gataered his traps, and is siaxting 
Westward down the track toward the branch that enters the 
creek at the loot ef the Pump House Po 1. The sua was 
now Well up in the east and its genial warmth started the 
bli'he clurrup ot the ciickets under almost every stone. The 
brown grasshoppers that liy in the warmer dust of the pike^ 
thai rati parallel with the track, at iiit ivals would spring up 
in the an and go through that stationary fanning of the 
wings that we presume is part of their daily puysical' exer- 
cise. 1 his athletic performance was gieatly tacilitated by 
the quick step or Gibbons, who was eager to reach the creek 
and lest the tetnpcr of the bass. 
Turning to the left beyond the rustic bridge that spanned 
the branch, and following tne farm road by a tobdcco barn, 
it was but a tew steps tin tue ghattning waters of Eikhorn, 
as th y broke spaikliuj over the suoal at the toot ot the 
Pump Houae Pool, CdUghc hia eager ey s. Tnis Pump 
Houie Pool, utxt beluw J ^n o'o Daiu, gets its name f loiu a 
wind mill pump, Ijcateu on jts noutii bank, to supply water 
to a larmer's mtock on the Utighis adjAceut. The upper end 
of the pool, which latter la quite broad and generally shal- 
low through its length, haa detached fragments of brush. 
