Makch 6, 189'?] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
1§7 
meguntic Lake, where lie hunted and trapped for two 
years; then moving to Metalluk Point, on MoUechunka- 
munk Lake, where he remained for a number of years. 
Mr. Kich built the first public camp in the lake region. It 
was at Middle Dam, and he named it "Anglers' Eetreat," 
which still clings to the resort there. Probably no 
hunter in Maine was better known than Mr. Rich. 
Later in life he studied a great deal, and delighted 
in writing admirable hunting and fishing adventures 
for publication. The readers of the Forest and Stream 
will long remember his very readable articles. The re- 
port of his death says that he is the last of the old 
Rangeley trappers to pass away. This is an error. R. B. 
McAlister, of Andover, is still hale and hearty, though 
nearly eighty. He has hunted many seasons with Mr. 
Ricli,, and can relate many thrilling adventures. Mr. 
Rich had a good legal mind and was greatly respected by 
his townspeople. He was for many years a justice of the 
peace, I believe. Special. 
A NEW ENGLAND FOX HUNT. 
A Newspaper Man Tells of his First Day After 
the Hounds. 
BY HERBEBT L. JILLSOJir. 
This night's work was done and the boys upan the repor- 
torial staff of the S sat about the diogy editorial room 
lazily, save for two who were over in one corner playing at 
cbes's The smoky incandescents shone brightly from under 
their heavy green shades, revealing a floor strewn with news- 
papers, crumpled manuscript, cigar stubs and burned 
matches. Upstairs the "chunkety-chunk" of the linotypes 
broke the stillness, and occasionally the bell above the night 
editor rang three tim_es for copy. From below the sound of 
escaping steam and' the smell of the stereotype room gave 
warning that the hour for printing the paper was not far dis- 
tant. Outside the main thoroughfare was practically de- 
serted. The last electric had whizzed down to the barn, 
and only a few midnight strollers attracted the attention of 
the cabmen who had night stands; but as yet none of the 
men in the newspaper office had begun to think of going 
home. Tbe city editor had finished wielding the blue pencil 
upon the stuff that the new man had turned in. He came 
out of his den in his shirt sleeves and exclaimed, as he sank 
into a chair with a yawn: "We'll have a mighty good paper 
today." 
All was quiet for a moment. The man who had brought 
in a "scoop" looked proudly about as he puffed his cigar. 
The man who hadn't done anything took the opportunity to 
tell how hard he had worked as he filled his cob pipe. Con 
versation began and drifted from one thine: to another, and 
finally to fox hunting. The editor, who had been quiet, 
roused at this, and a tunny smile overspread his face as he 
remarked: "How well 1 remember my first fox hunt in these 
old New England hills." 
The fellows pulled up their chairs, relit cigars and pipes, 
and placed their feet upon the desks as the chief went on : 
"It was the fall followmg the summer that I became a mem- 
ber of the editorial force of this paper. I was full of en- 
thusiasm for the buiiine^'S and hopes for the future. It was 
the time when I covered the whole city without exhaustion 
and traveled a mile to secure what could as well have been 
obtained by going one-quarter of that distance ; when I car- 
ried one coat-pocket filled with note books, the other stuffed 
with daily papers, and had my vest-pockets bristling with 
pencils. I took occasion to inform every possible person 
that I was a representative of the 8 , thought that re- 
porters ahoul 1 be provided with a badge or uniforms to dis- 
tinguish) them from the ordinary p<;ople, and did many 
other things that a new man in the business takes such de- 
light in. 
"Well, upon the night in question I was just preparing to 
go home. It was midnight (I went home early in those 
diys) when the city editor called out from his little roo'm : 
'Have we got anyone here who can hunt?' There was no 
response. The boys were all very busy grinding out coj^y. 
Atier a moment's hesitation I ventured the mformation that 
I owned a gun and had done some shooting. 
" 'You are just the chap,' said the editor, coming out;. 'I 
want you to go with the Fur Company to morrow. It's the 
day 01 the annual fall hunt. Men and dogs will be here 
from all parts of New England. They start^from the Lin- 
coln House at 5 in the morning. Be there and the president 
will look out for 3'ou. Give tuem a good story.' 
"Hastily gathering eaough note paper to last a year or to 
cover a Democratic convention, I started home, delighted 
with the prospect of a day afield and the opportunity to 
write a big story, and way down deep in my heart I felt that 
it would not bd at all strange if I should come back from 
the hunt with a pelt dangling from my btlt. 
"1 hardly shut my eyes that night, fearful of oversleep- 
ing, and long before the hour for starting was up preparing 
for the trip. I was the possessor of quite an outfit beside a 
gun: a brown corduroy suit, canvas leggings, a cartridge 
belt and a sweater, which 1 donned A short time later I 
was down town eating a sirloin, with French fry and coffee, 
in the restaurant that kept open all night chiefly for the ac- 
commodation of the newspaper men. Some of the boys 
were there reading the morning papers. They looked my 
ng over in an amused son of away and poked a httle good- 
natu ed fun at me. Hurrying through my meal, 1 went to 
the hotel The hunters were astir. Guns were being 
cleaned and polished, cartridge belts filled, lunches stowed 
away, and dogs fed and groomed. It was not long before 
several big barges rolled up to the doors and the hunters grad- 
ually piled into them. I got inside in rompany with several 
other scribes, men of experience. They looked my suit 
over, enviously, 1 thought. They wore "ordinary business 
suits, and one was without a gun. It seemed absurd to 
me. They were busy getting notes; I was watching tbe 
hunters. 
"A blast from the horn, and we were off for the meet. 
The barges rolled clumsily over the rough pavements, while 
the private teams sped off ahead. The city was quiet. Few 
. people were astir; but now and tiien a newsboy or some 
sleepy workman with a dinner pail, oblivious to all about 
him, would hurry by. Out we moved into the country, 
further and farther away from the city.' Pass the busy 
farmhouses and up the hill, from whicn, away off in the 
east, the glowing sun could be seen struggling through a 
mass of purple clouds, tingiag them wdth gold and making 
the dewdrops upon the grass sparkle like gems. The crisp, 
fresh, invigorating morning air sent a thrill through my veins. 
It seemed contagious. Men who had been snugly tucked 
jiway iu cproers roused themselves and looked about eagerly. 
The hounds sniffed the air, their eyes brightened and they 
yelped expectantly. The horses sped on over the road and 
we were soon at the farmhouse which was to be the head- 
quarters of the hunt during the day. Everybody was astir. 
The genial host and his hired men were assisting the drivers 
in unharnessing the horses from the barges. The hunters 
were taking guns from cases, while the hounds tugged at 
their leashes and yelped impatiently. It was a splendid 
sight, I tell you; and it must have been magnified to my 
uninitiated eyes— the picturesque corduroy and canvas suits 
of the hunters, the gleaming guns^ the blooded hounds with 
their glossy coats and mellow voices; all against a back- 
ground of timber that, for aught we knew, held so much 
sport in store. Suddenly the president of the club got hold 
of me and calltd: 
"■ 'Here, Fuller! take this man in with you. He is from 
the S and is to follow the hunt.' 
"Mr. Fuller drove up, and I was soon upon a rear seat of 
his fight wagon, behind a spanking pair of bays. 
'We'll hurry down the eastern road,' said Fuller. 'The 
hounds are to be put in back of the house, and if they start 
a fox in that growth, as I think they vrill, he will run in 
that direction,' and with that we were off at a clipping gait. 
Hardly had we rounded the curve which bid the farmhouse 
from sight when a sharp yelp broke the stilluessof the morn- 
ing air. A chorus of yells followed it. 
" 'I told you they'd start a fox there,' said my host, and 
down came the whip on the backs of the bays. They 
jumped madly forward and we grasped our seats to keep 
from falling out as on we sped like the wind. The baying 
of the pack, now in full cry, came to our ears. It was great 
sport, I tell yout 
" 'The road is lined with good stands,' called Fuller; 'I'm 
going to drop you fellows out along the way, and if you 
wait patiently some of you are sure to get a shot, for the fox 
must come m this direction arid cross this road.' 
"Suddenly the horses were reined up with a jerk. 'Here, 
you, newspaper man !' called Fuller, 'get out and make for 
that oak on the hillside which stands just north of the 
cover. It's one of the best stands hereabouts. Nate Har- 
rington has shot tleven foxes there.' So out I tumbled and 
started for the tree, loading my gun nervously. 
" 'Get where you won't be seen, keep your eyes open and 
be ready to shoot,' shouted my companion as he drove away. 
"The grass was wet with dew and quickly soaked my 
shoes, but I heeded it not, for the baying of the hounds 
kept growing louder and nearer. I hurried on, stopping oc- 
casionally to listen and look. Reaching the oak, 1 concealed 
myself behind a neighboring bush. The baying was now 
loud and clear. At times it seemed to me that the fox must 
be in sight, so close did it sound. Then the voices would 
die away, only to come nearer again. This sort of thing 
continued for five, ten, fifteen aod twenty minutes wittiout 
change. I peered into the cover until my eyes ached, and 
held my gun ready to shoot until my arms were lame. 
There was apparently no change in the situation, and getting 
discouraged, I looked around. All along the road the 
hunters could be seen, some were hidden behind stone walls, 
others standing erect against trees. The hill was bristling 
with guns. Tney seemed to be waiting patiently for some- 
thing and I wondered what, having come to the conclusion 
some time ago that there was no fox ahead of the hounds. 
The baying at my right continued, now strong, now weak. 
Frequently the sound of the dogs as they thrashed about in 
the dead leaves could be heard, so near were they; but no 
fox could be seen, and, knowing nothing of the nature of the 
animal to play about in an endeavor to throw the pack off 
the scent, I left my stand and started down the hillside for 
the road, determined at least to be where there were other 
hunters and some companionship. I had crossed the first 
stone wall and started through the opening field adjoining. 
The baying grew louder and louder, but I paid no attention 
to it, so frequent had been the change. Down in the road 
the hunters seemed greatly agitated. They were waving 
their arms frantically and seemed to be beckoning mg. 
Thinking they wanted me to hurry, I started forward on a 
run, but they motioned to the rear, and stopping I tiuned 
slowly about. 
"The fox had broken cover within a few rods of where I 
had been waiting so impatiently, and was dashing down the 
hillside, with the pack in ljull cry running at sight. Chag- 
rined, I lilted my gun to fire, but realizing the folly of such 
an action lowered it and stood watching the magnificent 
sight, forgetting for a time my disappointment. Down the 
foot of the hill went the fox, a bit tirtd, to be sure, from his 
turning and twisting in the cover, but nevertheless in good 
condition for a long run yet. His tongue was out, and his 
handsome brush swayed to and fro as he jumped from hil- 
lock to hillock. Some twenty rods behind the pack was 
thundering along, frantic with delight at sight of the game. 
They looked more like a flock of bees than a pack of 
hounds, so closely were they massed. At the head ran a 
little black rascal — Dick Luther's Nigger — more fleet-foott.d 
than the rest. The dogs were gaining I Hunters forgot all 
about concealing themselves in the excitement, and jumped 
to their feet. They stood all along the path that the fox 
surely must go. There was no possible way of escape Turn 
which way he might now, and he would run under the bar- 
rels of half a dozen guns. On, on went, the dogs and the 
_ fox like the wind. The excitement increased as ' the chase 
drew nearer the hunters. Suddenly the little animal turned 
sharply and started up the hill under cover of a stone wall 
straight for a bunch of hunters. A rod more must be his 
last. Half a dozen men raised their guns to shoot. There 
was a puff of smoke from behind a rock at the left, and the 
report of a gun. Reynard staggered for a moment, but pulled 
himself together and leaped on up the hill. The dogs, now 
close at hand, were wild with frenzy. Another puff of smoke 
and report from the same location, a falter, a fall; but as the 
hunter started out from his ambush the fox regained his feet, 
and with a final supreme effort gained a rift in tne ledge and 
disappeared. A score or more of hunters, most of them 
within gunshot, looked stupid. The baflied hounds bayed 
franliraily at the hole; but the sly creature had escaped the 
hands of its executioners, probably to die beneath the earth. 
"The hounds were leashed and a little chat ensued We 
learned that a fox had trotted out ioto the road near the 
farmhouse just after we left, and, while he stood gazing in 
wonderment at the unusual signs of activity, was knocked 
over, A short time alter a trio of hunters had kicked a fox 
out of the corner of a pasture, which they shot easfiy. 
"Then the hunt was resumed and the foxes were soon 
going in all directions; but the 'balance of the day, good 
sport as it was, offered bo such excitement as the first chase. 
As the moisture dried upon the grass the sport grew dull, 
and an hour or more of uneventful riding was followed by 
a jolly lunch, af t«r which came a cold bottle, cigars aad fo^ 
hunting stories ealore. The day's sport ended with a series 
of splendid drives at sundown. The hunters gradually 
found their way back to the barges and the city. In the 
evening came the hunt dinner. Six foxes lay upon the table 
at the head of the hall. And the dinner! Such a delicious 
spread I never hope to taste again. No man who has not 
spent the day afield can have any conception of how good 
the things were. 
"My story? Well, it didn't contain as complete a^lisf^of 
the hunters and the dogs as the other fellow's, and the city 
editor asked how I happened to get left on them; but we re- 
ported that particular drive to the Queen's taste. I did 
many a hunt after that," remarked the editor as he put on 
his coat preparatory to going home, "and learned to love the 
quiet of the woods and the music of the hounds more than 
anything else on earth in the way of outdoor sport ; but I 
never hope to as thoroughly enjoy a hunt as I did that one." 
Then be lit his pipe, tooK his lunch basket, and with a 
cheery "good morning" went out as the newsboys were 
tumbhng downstairs into the street with the morning papers. 
THE X PLACE. 
Texas, Feb. 22. — Snevets, with whom I usually go hunt- 
ing, was mad because I had asked another party the time 
before. Snevets is sensitive, and didn't want to go, but 
when I told him that I had permission to go to the X place 
he reconsidered his determination and forgot that he was 
offended. •'« y 
Snevets was pessimistic. All the way to the X place he 
contended that it would rain, he knew it would rain, and 
expatiated at great length upon the unpleasantness of shoot- 
ing in the rain — but it didn't rain and we had a great day. 
"Good mawning, sahl" said Mr. X, as I knocked at his 
door. "Good mawning! Come up to shoot my birds, have 
you?" Mr. X has very decisive views in regard to the first 
clause of the game law that we are trying to pass in this 
State, i. e., that all game shall be considered the property ef 
the State, and that killing thereof shall be construed to be a 
privilege, not a right. He says, "The game on my place is 
not the property of the State and never will be; it's mine, 
and I'll kill it ia or out of season, as I like." 
From which it will be seen that, m order to get the de- 
sired permission to shoot on his place, our game law pro- 
clivities had carefully to be suppressed, and our friend to 
be placated by reference to the fact that at any rate he kept 
market-bunlers out. 
"Just follow the hedge that begins here at the house until 
it comes back— this being a quaarilateral, it does— and by 
that time 1 will be ready and take you down in the valley," 
he continued. 
We followed directions and the hedge, and we found the 
birds, two large, strong coveys of quail that looked as if they 
had not nad a shot fired at them tuat season; and when we 
had worked the hedge round to the house again we found 
that we had — no, 1 won't say how many, as we did not have 
nearly as many as we should have had, but we had enougn 
for a starter. 
Then our friend Mr. X took us, or rather we took him, 
incur buckboard down in the valley, it was beautiful 
country to us, for most of this section of the Slate is flat, 
with hills rising all around the valley, from whose tops we 
could see the city, twelve miles away, with the sunshine 
glinting on each house top and projeciion of the roofs, the 
whole hallowed and softened by distance. " 'Tis distance 
lends enchantment to the view," says the poet, which one I 
really have forgotten:; out if the poet had been with us he 
would not have lingered o'er the view, he would have done 
as we did— chased nimself do wn into the valley to the hedges 
and the birds. We found them. Oh, didn't we find them! 
They would get out of the hedge in coveys that seemed, 
without exaggeration, to have 20Q birds in them. 
And we would ishoot, and shoot, and shoot, and sometimes 
get one and sometimes not. Once 1 did actually kill turee 
on the wing with a right and left; and then too, on one glori- 
ous occasion never to be torgolieu, 1 wiped Snevets's eye, 
and Snevets almost had the suik.8 about it, until by some un- 
foreseen accident I missed a bird whicn he killed. 
This was because i had much the longer shot.jand because 
I stumbled, and because i didn't see Ihd bird soon enough, 
and because the gun was too dirty. 1 had stveral other rea- 
sons at the time, but 1 have forgotten them now. 
Then we had dinner, consisting ot breakfast bacon cooked 
on the end of a stick held in tne flame. This would seem a 
rather unappetizing mess to the uninitiated, but to those 
who know tnere would be no mystery us to why we steadily 
cooked bacon, put it between two shoes of bread, ate it and 
repeated the operation till we could hold no more. 
Up to this time we had had lair success, but in the after- 
noon after trying the quail again we stumbled on to a pond 
full of jacksuipe — ana tnen we had more fun. So did the 
jacksnipe to a certain extent; then Snevets wnaled his puppy 
most unmercifully because ne wouiuu't reiiieve them, and I 
guyed him, and we hau sonie more general good time. 
And then we went home and diniriouted thirty-one quail 
and sixteen jacksnipe. And we nope we may go again. 
Makion WAltNEB. 
Penns^ Ivania. Game Laws. 
New Yokk, Feb. 21. — Editor Fi>red and Stream: Your 
this week's issue contains notice of propoaition to change 
game laws of Pennsylvania. I belicVe the woodcocK. season 
IS a curse to tne ruffed grouse. .Why not make tne wood- 
cock season uniform with that of the ruffed giouse? 1 have 
hunted iu Monroe county. Pa., for the past itiirteen or 
fomteen yeais, and never nave seen but one wood- 
cock ; neither have 1 seen any wojdCQck shot by auy other 
hunter. 1 believe tue wooacock (,?j hunters of July and Au- 
gust shoot the young ruffed grouae. 
Is it intended to prevent a hunter from bringing his game 
borne with him? 1 reside in this city but always huut in 
Monroe county. Pa 
Why not limit ihe number of ruffed grouse which may be 
shot by one person in a seasun? F. W. S. 
Brant Killed by a JLiglitbouse. 
Keller, Va., Feb. 26 —After a deuoc fog on last Sunday 
night iho keeper of H .g Island Ligut Was pleased, on saun- 
tering irom his babication at early dawn, to gatner up 11.5 
line brant that had fallen within the grip of UiS lominuus 
rays during the night. Thhty of the birds were wing 
broken, while the rest were stone dead. This beats gun 
practice out of hollow. 
We quote from Chincoteague Bay: "Wildfowl, especially 
ducks, never so plentiiul in our waters. Mr. Daniel Bow- 
doin killed 105 redheads this week, which he sold tor $100." 
T, G. E. 
