172 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
\tEB. 2?, 1897. 
AN EIGHT HOURS' FOX CHASE. 
The most exciting hunt of the season, if ever better, was 
had to day in Hack's neck, formed by the tributaries of the 
Chesapeake, Pangoteague and Kawadna creeks. These long, 
narrow necks of land, lying along the eastern shore of the 
Chesapeake Bay, formed by the many tributaries making up 
into the mainland, abound with small game, and especially 
the red fox, while in the creeks duck shooting is good. 
There has recently existed quite a friendly spirit of rival- 
ry du/ing the hunting season between the Only and the 
Mappsburg clubs, each of which is known to have some 
very fine dogs, and to-day they threw their packs together, 
making a string of thirty, and assembled at the head of 
Hack's Neck to decide an unsettled question. Their com- 
bined packs started, and by 8 o'clock had reynard raised, 
and a little later under way. Off they went, at a terriiic 
rate of speed, through swamps, over fields and meadows, 
well packed, giving the best of music in the world to the 
people of Hack's Neck, the 100 huntsmen and the surround- 
ing country. The air being damp and still, the dogs might 
iave been heard for miles away. 
On they went, not making the shadow of a break or 
showing any signs of distress up until noon, when the fox, 
finding his case a hopeless one, and seeing that speed and 
endurance were unavailing, resorted to strategy, no doubt, 
by running a fence, leaving and making a cross double on 
his track in the rear of the dogs — a maneuver difficult for a 
pack to straighten up, and which occupied at least half an 
hour of time and gave reynard just so much rest. The old 
dogs, however, understood his tricks, and by making a 
broad circle again struck the trail, which by loss of time 
had become rather cold, and for a little while they had to 
work rather slowly. 
This bother settled, the dogs were at once close on the 
heels of the fox, and for the next couple of hours the chase 
jlf possible became more intensely exciting than before. It 
was a sight fit for a king to behold, the fox many times 
running the public road, then in the open fields, giving con- 
stant view as he struggled to escape his pursuers, which 
would have been long before unavailing had the ground not 
been soft and muddy owing to the recent thaw ; while the 
fox was an old coaster, not to be run down without a clear 
test of endurance. So the chase went on up to 3 P. JVE. with 
but one halt, to which we have referred. 
Hack's Neck is twelve miles from the head to the extreme 
point adjacent to the bay, and this route had been made by 
the fox and dogs five times during the six hours already run 
(8 A. M. to 2 P, M.), during which time the pack had per- 
formed well, standing together and exhibiting fine qualities 
of blood and staying power. 
The next two hours were very interesting, particularly in 
exhibiting endurance in the dogs. As we have said, the 
ground was in 'the very worst condition, especially in the 
fields, and now the pack began to strand, especially in dogs 
yet rather under age and those getting too old to stand a 
heavy strain, although the latter were still holding on, but 
far behind those of the pack yet going to the front. 
The fox was reported with tongue out and brush drag- 
ging the ground, it being no hard matter to sight him at al- 
most any time; the dogs still stranding until the pack was 
reduced down to eight or ten, three Black and Tans in the 
lead showing decidedly superior qualities of endurance. 
The club members were talking money on their respective, 
dogs, now reduced to about equal numbers, riding right 
along with the remnant of the pack, yet holding on, cheer- 
ing and forcing them to the front, ambitious whose should 
make the iinish and be the first to tackle reynard, whose es- 
cape had long since been out of the question. Still a field 
for a mile and a half was dragged over, the fox being some 
little way ahead of the dogs, and could have been rode down 
very easily, if this -were not against the rules of hunting; 
but on reaching the next woodland, where the dogs could get 
better foothold, the three Black and Tans brought the hunt 
to a close by the capture of an immense old dog fox, whicti 
no doubt had many times before evaded its pursuers. 
The clubs of Only and Mappsburg may well be proud of 
having dogs of great endurance, which must be of a fine 
strain of blood. T. G. Elliott. 
Keller, Va , Feb. 4, 
AN UNKNOWN HERO. 
SoMERvrLLE, Mass. — Editor Forest and Stream: I scarce- 
ly knew him more than one brief hour. His history and 
name were unknown to me. He was unwashed, unkempt, 
scarred and wayworn, but since the hour when his poor 
unloved life was so suddenly blotted out I have felt that 
earth held for me one true, unselfish friend the less. 
The little that I know of him can soon be told. One day 
in October, 1896, I had occasion to visit a country town some 
thirty miles from Boston, I had planned to take the noon 
train back to the city, but, owing to some unforeseen com- 
plications in the business which had called me away, was 
unable to do so, and to my vexation I found myself stranded 
at one of the most unattractive of country stations, with a 
long two hours' wait before me. To pass this time in the 
dull waiting room, odorous of stale tobacco smoke and 
kerosene, was not to be thought of. A short distance down 
the track, however, I found a tolerably comfortable resting 
place in the shade of a half-grown maple. Here I settled 
down to re-read the morning paper. As I had already 
abstracted everything of interest from its columns, however, 
some hours before, this was not a particularly absorbing oc- 
cupation, and my mind soon wandered from the printed 
page before me to ponder over certain business puzzles 
which had been claiming my attention for some days past. 
So great was my abstraction that I lost all remembrance 
of my surroundings, till, through the mists of my reverie, I 
became conscious of a continuous, cool, moist touch on my 
hand, and came back to the present with a start, to find 
that I had for a companion a large dog, who was licking my 
hand affectionately. He belonged to no particular type. 
So far as I could determine, he was ' jist dog;" but to what- 
ever station in life he was born, his best days were evidently 
long past, for he appeared now to be scarcely better than a 
tramp. But the one eye that looked up into' mine from the 
poor forlorn face instantly riveted my attention. It was 
the most pathetic, beseeching eye into which I had ever 
looked. It seemed to say to me, "Be my friend. I am 
alone and homeless. I am nobody's dog." My heart in- 
stantly responded to the silent appeal. Notwithstanding 
the unattractive outward appearance of my canine compan- 
ion, in some mysterious way I felt irresistibly drawn to 
him. 
"Good dog," I said, "nice old fellow," stroking and pat- 
' ting his shaggy head till he went into raptures of delight, 
frisking awkwardly about me witli m evident attempt at 
emulating his puppy days, long past. Presently he settled 
down by my side, seemingly perfectly content, with his 
head on my knee and his rnournful eye looking gratefully 
up into mine. Every few moments he would give my hand 
an affectionate lap. Somehow I felt strangely drawn to the 
poor old creature, and really began to consider the possibility 
of taking him home with me, resolving to ask the agent, 
when I returned to the station, whether he knew anything 
of his antecedents, and if he were in truth as friendless as 
he appeared. 
Suddenly upon the stillness broke the whistle and shriek 
of a locomotive close at hand. My friend, for as such I 
shall always remember him, who had been lying on the side 
furthest from the track, gave one leap to my other side, 
pushing me further away from the approaching train as he 
did so; then, without an instant's pause, sprang directly in 
front of the locomotive. A moment more, and the train 
was gone, speeding away into the distance, but my late com- 
panion, where was he? Gone forever from the world which 
had held so little of comfort for him, his poor life cruslied 
out in an instant's time by the cruel iron monster. My eyes 
were unused to tears, but a strange blur came over my 
vision, blotting out the countrj'' landscape, and mercifully 
hiding from me the cruel red stains on track and wayside, 
and the mutilated remains of my poor lost friend. The sta- 
tion agent came leisurely down the track toward me. 
"What'_s the matter? Dog killed?" he remarked coolly. 
"Well, he's better off; d id n'c belong to nobody hereabouts, 
just picked up a livin' here an there; a mighty poor livin' 
too, I guess 'twas, sometimes. I'll send Jim out to clear up 
the carcass," and he was gone again. 
"Clear up the carcass!" How the words rankled in my 
sore heart! The carcass of what? Of whom? Of him 
who had nobly given his life to save mine. For so I believed 
then, and so I shall always believe. My theory is that when 
the train came upon us so suddenly he was seized with a 
quick terror for my safety, and that is why he sought to 
thrust me further from what he believed to be the oncoming 
danger. But when, my safety assured, he sought also to 
save himself, his poor blind eye played him false, the leap 
was taken in the wrong direction, and in an instant's space 
all was over for him. His death, coming in this way, 
touched me as deeply as though it liad been that of some 
human friend, and, resolved that he should have a resting 
place w©rthy of his hero soul, I again sought the station 
agent, and arranged that he should be placed in a quiet cor- 
ner of a little cemetery whose white turrets I could see 
gleaming in the distance. Over his grave now stands a 
plain white stone bearing this simple inscription: 
AN UNKNOWN HERO, 
Died Octobee 13, 1896. 
To this day I cannot think of him without feeling a chok- 
ing sensation in my throat, and for his sake f always have 
a friendly feeling for all dogs who are homeless and friend- 
less as he was, till the day when a painful death opened up 
for him a way into everlasting rest. E. Mayfield. 
Amateiir and Professional. 
LocnsviLLE, Ky. — Editor Forest and Stream: In Pobest 
AND Stream of Feb. 6 I notice your remark that the ama- 
teurs who competed in the Combination Stake, which was for 
professionals and amateurs, have by so doing become profes- 
sionals. 1 profoundly regret it if such is a fact. On look- 
ing up the names of the amateurs who competed, I find they 
were Messrs. Philip M. Essig, Natchez, Miss. ; J. H. Mcll- 
henny, Avery's Island, La.; W. F. McCarley, .Jackson, 
Tenn.; and from my knowledge of those gentlemen 1 am ab- 
solutely certain that they never intended to become profes- 
sional handlers. If they have become professionals, the 
U. S. F. T. C. was very careless, to say the least, in so ar- 
ranging an amateur stake that it would make professionals 
of all who engaged in the handling of it. So improbable 
does it seem that I am inclined to think that there is some 
mistake about the matter. Surely the club would not arrange 
an amateur stake which would make professionals of the gentle- 
men who compete in it; and on the other hand, if a stake 
were so arranged, the gentlemen would not compete in it. 
A sportsman who runs dogs for pleasure and not for profit 
dislikes to be classed as a professional handler. If he makes 
his livelihood by some other business, he should not be 
classed as a professional. He may be classed as such on a 
mere technicality, but it is an injustice to him if the techni- 
cality does him a wrong. My own opinion is that, though 
running in an amateur stake which was run in the All-Age 
Stake, they remain amateurs still. Fair Plat. 
Manitoba Field Trials Club. 
A REGULAR meeting of the Manitoba Field Trials Club 
was held at Winnipeg on Feb. 8. All the members were 
present. The resignations of the Second Vice-President, G. 
B. Borradaile, and Sec'y-Treas. , John Wootton, were read 
and accepted, John Wootton, of Manitou, was elected First 
Vice-President; W. C. Lee, of Winnipeg, Second Vice-Presi- 
dent; G. B. Borradaile, of Winnipeg, Secretary-Treasurer. 
It was voted that the club offer the following prizes to be 
competed for at their annual trials at Morris, Manitoba, on 
Sept. 6, 1897: 
Derby Stake, for setters and pointers whelped on or after 
Jan. 1, 1896. Entries to close July 1, 1897. Purse $350. 
First, 1100; second, |75; third, $50; fourth, $25, $10 for- 
feit, $5 for starters. 
All-Age Stake, for setters and pointers who have not won 
first place at any recognized field trials in any previous 
year. Entries close Aug. 1, 1897. Purse $250. First, 
$125; second, $75; third, $50. $10 forfeit, $5 for starters. 
Amateur Stake, for setters and pointers (dogs eligible 
mufct be the property of amateurs residing in Canada; the 
following are barred: dogs having won first place at any 
recognized field trials in any previous year or whose owner 
may have trained for money; all dogs to be hannled by 
owners or other amateurs). Entries close Aug. 1, 1897. $3 
forfeit, $2 for starters. Prizes will be announced later. 
Pres. F. G. Simpson, Second Vice Pres. W. C. Lee and 
Sec'y-Treas. G. B. Borradaile are a committee to secure a 
judge. G. B. Borradaile, Sec'y-Treas, M. F. T. C. 
POINTS AND FLUSHES. 
At the annual meeting of the American Fox Terrier Club, 
held in Copley Square Hotel, Boston, on Feb, 2, a list of 
gOTernors for 1897 was elected as follows; Messrs. Ruther- 
ford, Cobb, Belmont, Rathbone, Ritchie, Belt, Carnochan, 
Foote and Hunnewell, Eight new members were elected. 
The present membership numbers forty-six. The next an- 
nual meeting will be held at the New York show in 1898. 
In the future the challenge cup will be put up during the 
year at the three shows that the governors consider most 
desirable, and the dog winning it twice will be proclaimed 
the American Fox Terrier Club Champion for the following 
year. In 1897 the cup is to be competed for at Boston, New 
York and Chicago, The Stud Dog Stakes will be left open 
till June 1 of each year. The Yankee Stakes have been 
changed to read from July 1 to July I, instead of from Jan. 1 
to Jan. 1. The Homebred Stakes, in case the N. E. K. C, 
in 1898 holds its show in February, is to be twinsferred to 
some other show and some other stakes substituted for it. 
Ten per cent, of the Stud Dog and Grand Produce stakes 
will annually be reserved by the club to pay expenses in- 
curred by all the stakes. 
KENNEL NOTES. 
Kennel Notes are Inserted without charge ; and blanks 
(famighed free) will be sent to any address. Prepared 
Blanks sent free on application. 
NAMES CLAIMED. 
Mr. A. B. Hughes claims the name Jim ]I for Irish setter, whelped 
Nov. 7, 1896, by Faddy Borstal Norna. 
Communications for this departm^t are requested. Anything on 
the bicycle in its relation to the sportsman is particularly desirable. 
Packing' on Bicycles. 
In the cm-rent Outing Lieut. James A Moss gives some 
details regarding the method of packing bicycles employed 
by the 25th United States Infantry Bicycle Corps, of Fort Mis- 
soula, Mont. It will be recollected that on the Yellowstone 
Park trip made by the corps an average of about 801bs. of 
equipment and supplies to each bicycle was carried. 
In describing the method employed, Lieut. Moss says: 
"One of the first problems to be solved was a system of 
packing, which was devised as follows: The knapsack was 
strapped to the handle bars on the front of the bicycle; on 
the knapsack was can-ied the blanket roU, containing one 
blanket, one shelter tent half and the tent poles; the haver- 
sack was carried either on the front of the knapsack or on 
the horizontal bar, well to the front; the tin cup was secured 
under the saddle, and protected from mud and dust by a 
cloth bag; the canteen and cartridge belt were on the body 
of the soldier; every other soldier carried a rifle strapped 
horizontally on the left side of his bicycle; those not so 
armed carried revolvers, and had canvas luggage cases in 
the diamond of their wheels; every man carried thirty 
rounds of ammunition. 
"To facilitate the packing of the rations, the flour, salt, 
sugar and coffee were carried in rubber cloth bags about 8in. 
by 20in., and stored away either in the knapsacks or the lug- 
gage cases; the bacon was cut into small chunks and wrapped 
in cloth. Can goods, such as corn, baked beans, jelly, deviled 
ham, etc., were generally carried in the knapsack. 
"The cooking utensUs, consisting of three dripping pans, 
one patented baker and one large coffee pot, were carried in 
a tin case attached to the front of the bicycle and resting on 
a frame. 
"Every soldier carried in his knapsack one summer 
undershirt, one pair summer drawers, two pairs summer 
socks, one towel, two handkerchiefs, one winter undershirt, 
one pair winter drawers, one pair winter socks, one tooth 
brush and powder, one cake soap, one blanket, toilet paper. 
Every other man carried a comb and brush, and every- 
one carried in his haversack a knife, fork, spoon and meat 
can. 
********* 
"On Aug, 15 we left for Yellowstone Park, na Fort Har- 
rison, Mont., where we were to draw a fresh supply of 
rations. The following is a list of the provisions with which 
we started out: Slbs. prunes, 251bs, flour, 141b8, sugar, 41bs. 
ground coffee, 161bs. bacon, 3 cans milk, 1| cans syrup 
(181bs.), 4 cans baking powder, 1 box pepper, olbs. rice, 2 cans 
jelly, 3 cans deviled ham, lOlbs. bologna sausage, 1 jar Ar- 
mour's extract of beef, 2 cans chocolate, 4 cans corn, 6 cans 
baked beans, 5 cans salt. 
"Besides this we carried medicines, tools, repairing mate- 
rial, tents, blankets, extra underwear, cooking utensils, 
arms, ammunition, extra bicycle parts, one pair extra tires, 
and a number of personal effects." 
New Tork's Good Roads Bill. 
Senatok Higbee's Good Roads Bill, which has the sup- 
port of the League of American Wheelmen and all who are 
interested in securing a uniform system of good roads 
throughout the State, provides for the appointment of a 
"State Highway Commission," to consist of three members, 
to be confirmed by the Senate, one of whom shall be a civil 
engineer. They shall serve for three, four and five years 
respectively, as the Governor shall order. Each commis- 
sioner shall receive $5,(i00 annual salary, and the commis- 
sion shall have $10,000 for office expenses annually. 
The commission shall determine upon the bvst method of 
constructing roads, and shall advise county, city, town or 
village oflicers of their conclusions. The commission shall 
hold a public meeting at least once a year in each county of 
the Slate and cooperate with highway oflicers throughout 
the State, and furnish plans and directions for improving 
public highways and bridges. 
The road construction contemplated by this act being for a 
substantial and permanent roadway, Ihe State Highway 
Commission shall cause plans and specifications of such roads 
or sections of such roads to be thus improved, to be made 
either for Telford, macadam, or good gravel roadway or 
other suitable construction, taking into consideration climate, 
soil and materials near by where the road or section is to be 
built or improved, and the extent and nature of traffic likely 
to go upon such road, specifying in each section or subdivi- 
vision the kind of road a wise economy there demands. The 
improved or permanent highway or roadway of all roads so 
improved shall not be less than 8 nox more than 16ft. in 
width. 
. The commission shall designate what road improvements 
shall be subject to State aid. A Board of Supervisors, by a 
majority vote, or upon the receipt of a petition representing 
