Oct. 21, 1899,] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
827 
The pink or silver salmon are much tatter and are huer in 
flavor than the red. The humpback and dog salmon the 
natives will not eat, but thousands of cases are packed 
every year by irresponsible packers, and in order to de- 
ceive the public herring oil is put in the cans. It is gen- 
erally supposed that cleanliness is observed in the can- 
neries, which is quite true, but I would advise lovers of 
canned salmon to keep out of a canning factory when in 
operation; otherwise the unsavory odor and vision of 
dirty looking Chinamen will return at the sight of a sal- 
mon can. 
The common whale is plentiful along the coast from 
Sitka westward, but I saw more in Prince William Sound 
than in any other place. The sperm whales, so much 
hunted for commercial purposes, have all been driven 
north to the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean. It is not an 
uncommon sight in these waters to see the black whale 
attacked by the thrashers. These are about 2Sft. long and 
very powerful. They will come straight up out of the 
water 15 or 20ft. and let their whole weight drop on the 
back of the whale, in this way often killing them. 
Fur bearing animals, such as the sea otter, sable, black 
and silver-gray fox, are getting very scarce in Alaska, 
and in fact all over the world. The native Indians can no 
longer make a living by trapping. Raising foxes on some 
of the smaller Aleutian islands is quite an industry and 
is very profitable. The fur bearing seal are seldom found 
south of the Pribilof islands, iii Bering Sea. 
The spotted or hair seals are plentiful everywhere. The 
skins are cheap. The Indians use them for moccasins, 
caps and mittens. When they wish to be especially gay 
they sport a A'est made from these skins. I bought two 
of them from a Siwash squaw at $1 each, but never having 
found a disinfectant powerful enough to take away the 
smell of fish oil, I have not worn them regularly as ytl. 
Recently I did put one of them on to exhibit to a small 
circle of friends. The room being rather warm, the circle 
suddenly expanded and then disappeared entirely. The 
buttons, however, were much admired; they were nothing 
more nor less than the seals' teeth ingeniously fastened 
in true Indian stjde and were in as much demand as if 
they were made of brass and on the jacket of a real San- 
tiago hero. 
But to return to hunting. Cook's Inlet is the place [or 
big game, and Sunrise City, at the head of Turnagain 
Arm, which is the northern extremity of Cook's Inlet, is 
the best place to stop, so far as pleasant surroundings 
and accommodations are concerned; and this is the center 
for big game hunting, such as moose, caribou, mountain 
sheep and bear. 
While crossing Turnagain Arm this summer in a small 
steamer we were accidentally stranded — that is, we were 
obliged to wait for flood tide, which, by the way, runs 
from 30 to 40ft. high, as when the tide goes out of the arm 
it looks like mud flats. It was late in the evening, but 
light enough for us to discover two moose in a little 
opening near the shore. There were six of us on the 
boat, and all hungry for moose. We found on board a 
small Marlin rifle and a Colts revolver. With this equip- 
ment we paddled ashore and after some reconnoitering 
Nate White and myself were detailed to skirmish ahead, 
but cautioned particularly not to create a stampede of 
moose in the direction of our unarmed reinforcements. 
We crept up reasonably close, one on either side of a 
rise of ground, until we got sight of one of the moose 
again, and then opened a fusillade. The moose trotted 
leisurely almost directly toward my friend White, although 
badly crippled. He would have escaped into the thick 
spruces but for a bullet from White's revolver which 
struck him back of the shoulder. He proved to be a 
monster bull moose and required the united forces of all 
hands to drag him down grade to the beach with a rope 
about his neck. In the meantime the other one had dis- 
appeared m the growing darkness. I saved the scalp, and 
the head is now being mounted. 
I also brought out three other heads and soalps un- 
mounted, one the record moose head of the world as to 
size, beauty and massivness, spreading 73l4'm., with thirty 
points on the blades; width of blades, not taking in the 
points, ig^in. ; weight of horns and skull without the 
scalp, loslbs. This, together with the others, I am now 
having mounted. 
While I was at Sunrise City the Indians brought in 
several moose calves, having killed the mother moose. 
The calves lived only a few days, having nothing but con- 
densed milk. To me it seemed outrageous that this should 
be allowed, even in Alaska. 
I had quite an experience while at Sunrise City hunting- 
mountain sheep. We saw them first early in the morn- 
ing near the summit of a mountain range, which in places 
was covered with snow and in other places with a kind of 
frost grass and moss. The same Mr. White who figured 
in the moose hunt, and who had hunted mountain sheep 
for four or five years, said he was going after them, and ■ 
asked me to accompany him. I shall never forget that 
day. From Sunrise City we went straight across conn- 
try to the foot of the mountain through dense timber, 
over old logs, ridges and across gullies until my sporting 
blood had nearly lost its fever, but on going up a little 
rise or foothill we caught sight of the sheep again, and 
this spurred me on. 
They were at least three miles away; but three miles 
steeper than a roof, under the burning sun of a hot day 
in July, across banks of dazzling snow that blinded one's 
eyes and produced a pain, that was almost unbearable, 
was worse than an endless road on a level stretch. By 
going not to exceed 50ft. at a time, part of the way on 
hands and knees, and then resting, we managed to reach 
the top of the mountain at noon, only to find that the 
sheep had disappeared. 
Going along the ridge a couple of miles and examining 
carefully the patches of snow, we at last found that they 
were headed north. We followed this faint trail about 
five miles until the mountain ended abruptly, necessitating 
a halt on our part, but not so with the sheep. I told 
White we would surely find them about a thousand feet 
below with their necks broken if there was any way of 
our getting down there, but this not being his first ex- 
perience, he was inclined to scan the country below. 
Let me confess that just here I lost interest in moun- 
tain sheep, forgot I was tired and forgot everything, in 
fact, I was so enraptured with the magnificent scenery that 
presented itself from this point. Cook's Inlet and Turn- 
again Arm lay apparently at QVX feet S,oooft, below. To 
the north and east hundreds, and I might say thousands, 
of snow-capped peaks' rose against the sky — peaks and 
momitain ranges without names, in between numberless 
A'alleys unexplored, and here and there huge glaciers 
wedged in mountain passes. To the westward beyond 
Cook's Inlet as far as the eye could reach a long stretch 
of green timber, interseprsed with little open natural 
parks, extending up and back to the snowy range of 
mountains, which was studded by two volcanic peaks — 
Ilami and Redoubt — puffing forth now and then little vol- 
umes of smoke, all making a combination of scenery so 
grand and magnificent that everything I had seen before 
sank into insignificance in comparison. 
So much for scenery, We finally discovered the Sheep 
about 2,oooft. below us to the left in what appeared to be 
a glacier basin, which had an entrance on the north side, 
and I would have staked my last dollar that no living 
thing without wings could get out of it except through 
this entrance. By making a long detour we finally en- 
tered this natural corral in high spirits, satisfied that the 
most difficult game to capture known was at our mercy. 
Even White was chuckling in his sleeve at the march 
we had stolen on them. We approached cautiously. We 
had just come within easy gunshot when the sheep spied 
us. Instead of circling about and coming down the canon, 
as we confidentlj' supposed they must do, I am obliged 
to say in strict adherence to truth that those sheep sim- 
ply took wings and w^nt up what appeared to be a per- 
pendicular wall of mountain rock 2,ooott. high. Both of 
us were too astonished to shoot until they were far out 
of range. I felt that they deserved their freedom, having 
never before witnessed such an incomprehensible sight, 
and I shall never hereafter discredit any story regarding 
these mountain climbers. 
Crestfallen, dishearlencd and disgusted we started back 
toward Sunrise City. I always thought going down a 
mountain was easy, but I believe it was more tiresome in 
that instance than going up. To shorten the distance I 
proposed to my friend White that we slide down across 
a bank of snow about 200ft. wide that stretched out before 
us, but not being as tired and reckless as myself, he pre- 
ferred going around. With the gun under my arm, the 
barrel firmly gripped in my hands, and the breech settled 
in the snow to serve as a sort of rudder and brake, I cut 
loose. I am not going to do that again, either. That 
mode of transit, though rapid, has disadvantages. Go 
around at all hazards. Somehow I shipped my rudder at 
the first send-ofT, but not until it had swung me entirely 
around and I found myself .going like greased lightning 
keel first, with the gun far in the rear. I clutched wildly 
at the snow, but it was of no avail. Everything was 
going my way. I finally landed in a clump of bushes 
about ten seconds ahead of the gun, sustaining no serious 
injury except my wounded feelings, which attested the fact, 
that snoAV can become quite hot under certain conditions. 
Before proceeding any further I registered a solemn 
vow never to be inveigled into hunting the innocent 
mountain sheep again in Alaska. F. H. Russell. 
Collecting Menagerie Animals. 
I, — ^From Parrots to Rhinoceroses. 
Previous to i860 nearly the whole importation of 
wild animals into the United States arrived at Salem, 
Mass. Up to that date almost the entire trade with 
South America and the West Coast of Africa was carried 
on by vessels hailing from that port, and strange to re- 
late, the collector of the port and his immediate as- 
sistants handled the animal branch. Residing in Boston 
about that t#ne, I frequently made short trips to Salem 
hunting livifig zoological specimens. One of my favor- 
ite modes of procedure was to arrive in the town during 
the night, and early the next morning pass through the 
various alleys and back ways of the municipality, when 
1 would be able to hear the sounds made by the various 
specimens of the parrot family, which had been brought 
home by the crews as presents for their relatives and 
friends. The location was mentally marked, and after 
breakfast a call was made at the front door, when I 
generally succeeded in making a purchase. Of course 
I soon became well acquainted with the collector, from 
whom I purchased specimens of all the larger kinds of 
beasts and birds. 
Gradually the trade drifted to Boston, when I made 
it my business to make the acquaintance of all the ship- 
ping masters in the port, and I soon made it to their 
interest to introduce me to all the captains and mates 
bound for ports where they would be likely to pick up 
wild animals, birds and reptiles. On the day of sailing 
I would be on board and make myself acquainted with 
the sailors, from whom I generally'- got my supply of 
parrots. I had a contract with a dealer in New York, 
who took all that I could get, allowing me $1 per head 
commission. So it is easy to figure that whenever a 
vessel arrived with each sailor bringing one or two par- 
rots my commission amounted to quite a sum. 
Another source of supply was the different sailor 
boarding houses; but I am sorry to say that this was not 
a very satisfactory branch, as a greater portion of the 
birds had been educated to use the vilest kind of 
phrases. I well remember running across one, whose 
cage was set behind the bar of a noted resort, which 
used the most complete collection of oaths that can pos- 
sibly'- be imagined. I wrote to my customer about him, 
and he replied that he would not have the bird at any 
price. A short time subsequently I was surprised at the 
receipt of the following telegram: "Express blackguard 
parrot immediately." I did so. and some time afterward 
going to New York I wished to know what had become 
of the bird. The dealer burst out laughing, and said: 
"One morning a young gentleman came into my store 
and said that he lived with two maiden aunts Avho had 
become affected with the parrot mania, and he wished 
to purchase one wliich could swear like a trooper, as 
he detested the birds, and wished to cure his relatives of 
their maniacal desire. I telegraphed you, and on the 
arrival of the bird it was turned over to him at a good 
round price. A few days subsequently he stepped in 
and said that he thought the bird was a fraud, as it had 
never spoken a word since its arrival. I requested him 
to have a little patience until it became accustomed to 
its surroundings. About a week after he made his ap- 
pearance with the bird and his face wreathed in smiles. 
It seems that during the morning one of the aunts had 
addressed some endearing terms to her pet, and in re- 
turn received a volume of phrases such as are heard 
generally in places similar to the one in which it had 
long resided. The result was a near approach to a faint- 
ing fit, and the instant banishment of the culprit. The 
young man insisted on my sharing a bottle of cham- 
pagne with him, and ordered decapitation for the 
naughty offender." 
The New York dealer once wrote to know if I could 
get him any live wood ducks. I immediately began to 
visit Faneuil Hall market, to see if I could find any 
carcasses on sale among the poultry dealers. After sev- 
eral visits I ran against a quantity of bodies at one of the 
stalls, and tried to arrange with the dealer to secure me 
some living specimens, but could get no satisfaction out 
of him, as he evidently thought that I wished by some 
means or other to interfere with his business in that 
line, as his was the only stand in the market which kept 
that species of duck on sale. Fortunately one morning 
in passing I saw them unpacking a barrel of the car- 
casses, which bore a label of the American Express 
Company. During the day I called at the ofiice and was 
informed that the birds came from Burr Oak Station, on 
the Michigan Southern Railroad, and were consigned 
to a clerk in the post office, who sold them to the 
dealer. On interviewing the clerk he told me that the 
birds were netted by his brother and proffered to write 
immediately and ascertain if he would be willing to keep 
them alive until I could reach him, so as to properly 
crate and ship them. A short time subsequently I was 
notified that it was too late to do anything that season, 
as the flight was g^bout over; but during the next fall 
there would be no difficulty in supplying me. I im- 
mediately wrote to New Y'ork and received an order 
for the entire catch. Whereupon I closed upon that 
basis, and the next fall, on notification of the close of 
the catch, I made the trip to Burr Oak and found ,300 
pairs awaiting my arrival. The netter's house was situ- 
ated on a wooded knoll, around which ran a creek, on 
the banks of which were three nesting beds, all being in 
full view of the house, so that the owner could sit at a 
window and see whenever the ducks were feeding up to 
the nets. For my especial gratification he removed the 
bait from two of the beds, thtis forcing the ducks to fre- 
quent the remaining one, -so as to insure a good catch, 
and one afternoon during my stay I was so fortunate 
as to catch forty-six black ducks at one pull. I arrived 
in New York without a loss, and the wood ducks were 
all shipped to Europe, where they were distributed 
among the various fanciers and zoological gardens. 
Consequently to-day they can be procured from thence 
with less difficulty than in this country. At present I 
have a price list of the Jardin d'Accliniatation, Paris, 
in which 100 pairs are cjuoted at 35 francs per pair. 
As time progressed, I found my trade again shifting 
from Boston to New York, where a majority of my 
customers were located, thus forcing me into direct com- 
petition with them. After due consideration, I de- 
termined to go abroad, and picked out South Africa as 
my destination, trusting to secure specimens which 
would be new to the home market, as I had met with 
but few beasts and birds hailing from that region. I had 
to wait for some time before I could hear of a vessel 
bound for that region, but finally hit on one loading 
flour at Long Wharf, Boston. I secured passage for 
Port Elizabeth, Algoa Bay. and was promptly on board 
on the morning appointed for sailing. I found the mate 
in trouble, and hurrying to get away from the wharf with- ■ 
out the captain, who resided on Cape Cod, and in driv- 
ing to the railway station had been upset and unfor- 
tunately broken his leg. This was during the Civil 
War, when sailors' wages ran high, and every man be- 
fore the mast had received two months' pay in advance, 
consequently the officer was anxious to haul out and 
anchor in order to prevent desertions. Just as the tug 
made fast to us, and the mate was superintending the 
casting off of our lines, an express wagon drove out on 
the wharf and a party'- on it sang out, "Pass down the 
line!" It was immediately done, and made fast around 
a seaman's chest, and the party used it hand over hand 
to get on board. The driver of the wagon called out: 
"Captain, I hope you will have a quick trip." Casting his 
eyes aloft and taking a survey of the vessel's rigging he 
answered, "I'll make the old sugar box sail if there's any 
sail in her." And he did make her sail, for he made the 
voyage out to Algoa Bay in fifty-one days. He had 
always been, in the Mediterranean fruit trade, conse- 
quently was a driver, and it was a most fortunate thing 
l"or the owners that he had been selected to fiU the 
position of the crippled master. 
Immediately after my arrival I began to look aroiand 
for natural history specimens, and soon found out that 
the sole source of supply was from farmers, who brought 
them into the morning market, where they were sold 
at auction by the market master. As my line of busi- 
ness was something new in the community, it was soon 
noised that a crazy Yankee had arrived, who was will- 
ing to purchase all kinds of ferce natures. Consequently 
I was able to pick up a number of specimens at what 
I considered fair prices, but they were nearly all hay eaters, 
particularly the various species of antelopes peculiar to 
that region, which had been captured while young and 
kept as pets. x\mong them was a pair of bush bucks, the 
only ones that I ever secured during all my South 
African tours. 
I returned by the same vessel which had carried me 
out, and on my arrival in New York disposed of my 
entire stock to the dealer for whom I had formerly 
purchased parrots. A few days after the sale I was 
hastily summoned to the store, and found that a pair 
of baboons had been sold, the purchaser of which wished 
collars and chains put on them. In making the attempt 
one keeper was severely bitten and another had nearly 
all his clothing torn off him. I had experienced trouble 
in caging them for shipment; but succeeded in master- 
ing them without any serious mishap. They had not 
forgotten the lesson, and I surprised the purchaser by 
passing my hands into the cages and affixing tke collars 
and chains. If he was surprised I was much more so 
