FOREST AND S'i..ii.AM. 
his feet a nice fat doe. It was but the work of a moment to 
take the liver from the deer, and soon it was roasting in 
the hot embers. The two Indians quickly skinned and 
cut up the doe, and securing two oak saplings, placed 
the ribs to roast, the savor}' odor quickening the liunger 
te a ravenous degree. As the three hunters dispensed 
venison and salt, Tommy related his experience, which 
showed how nearly triey came to going supperless. After 
trainping many miles and the sun nearly setting, the 
Indian had discovered a bunch of deer on a broad sa\anna 
in the distance, but they were constantly on the alert. 
He had no chance to slip upon them, as the deer were 
windward, and they were out of rifle range. He watched 
the direction, they were feeding, and by making a large 
circle, he reached the side toward which they were mov- 
ing, and quickly hid in the edge of the timber till they 
came within gun shot. 
Breakfast was a repetition of supper — liver, rib roast, 
salt, which to the tenderfoot was getting rather mo- 
notonous. Not so to the Indians, who were in their ele- 
ment. 
It was now decided that all three should hunt together 
that day. Doctor Tommy arguing that as he was hidden 
from the deer, and had fired but one shot, they were not 
much frightened, and consequently would be feeding in 
the same neighborhood. After a brisk tramp of two miles 
through the wet grass, the trail was discovered where it 
left the savanna and led through the heavy tmiber. 
None but an Indian could have followed such a trail, but 
on they led, trailing with a readiness and a certainty only 
accomplished by long years of practice, aided by a native 
sense. Their eagle eyes following the trail as readily and 
unerringly as a dog would a fresh track. When "ques- 
'ioned by the white hunter as to their certainty of the 
'>iail, no evidence of which was perceptible to him, the In- 
dian would significantly point to a ripped twig, or stoop- 
ing down to the ground carefully remove a dead leaf or 
two and show the faint impress of the deer's hoof in the 
soft earth. Thus they trailed for almost an hour. The 
trail was a circuitous one and finally led them to a large 
prairie. Quickly the keen ej^es of the Indian discovered 
the quarry, and he exclaimed, "Echo chaw-kee bin," deer 
five, but observing the questioning look of the white man, 
■ who in vain had scanned the prairie, they pointed to a spot 
near the distant horizon, where gradually the faint out- 
lines of moving objects were discovered. Looking out 
on the broad prairie which stretched for miles in the 
distance, the bunch of deer could now be seen quietly 
feeding along. The white man soon realized that the only 
way to secure a trophy would be to employ Indian tactics 
and take his first lesson in creeping upon the game. At 
this point Billy Bowlegs returned to camp with the dogs. 
An open prairie had to be crossed where there was 
scarcely a bush or palmetto to altord a screen. At first 
they started at a brisk pace, which gradually, as they 
drew nearer, slackened to a slow walk in a crouching 
attitude; then, as the distance was lessened, they advanced 
on their hands and knees, and finally the last 200 or 300 
yards was made by crawling flat on the ground and 
pushing the gun ahead of them, the Indian leading and 
the white man acting as his shadow. The intense straui 
and excitement caused the tenderfoot's heart to beat so 
violently that, as he expressed it afterward, "he felt as if 
his heart-throbs would startle the deer." The approach 
was rendered more difficult from the number of deer in 
the bunch, their habit of constantly watching for an 
enemy keeping one of them on the alert almost continu- 
ously. The deer's practice of shaking its tail before 
raising its head to look for danger, enabled the two hunt- 
ers to make the advance only when their heads were 
down. Finally the supreme moment came. When within 
about 75 yards of the game the Indian quietly motioned 
to the white hunter to crawl in front, and at the same time 
telling him to select for his aim the large antlered deer 
at the left. At the crack of the gun the deer bounded 
off, the large buck aimed at taking the lead, the trembling- 
tenderfoot continuing to fire until the magazine of his 
gun was empty. The Indian had not fired a shot, but 
burst out laughing, saying, "Fun plenty. White man 
Kismas [Chri.stmasJ all same." The humiliation of miss- 
ing so pretty a shot after such an exhausting maneu- 
ver was very mortifying to the white hunter, and the- 
Indian, after enjoying his discomfiture for a brief season, 
remarked, "Big echo. You kill him." When questioned 
he remarked that at the first shot "echo's tail go down 
and no come up," which was later learned as a sure sign 
of a fatal shot. Going to the spot where the deer were 
startled, the trail of blood was found, and following for 
about half a mile the large deer was found dead. The 
joy. the excitement the tenderfoot experienced as he 
beheld his first deer can only be appreciated by those 
who have had a similar good fortune. Skinning the 
deer's legs iip from the hoof about a foot, the four feet 
were tied together, the Indian remarking, "Me carry 
echo. Willsie tired. Too nntch," at the same time 
placing his head in the loop made and walking off with 
the deer swung over his back as lithely as if he carried 
no burden. On, on the hunters walked, the tenderfoot 
insisting upon being allowed to carry the deer, the In- 
dian humoring him as he would a child. The white man 
was borne down by the weight, and a few yards con- 
vinced him he had undertaken no child's play, when 
Tommy, with a knowing smile, offered to take the load. 
At last camp was in sight, the tenderfoot happy, over his 
prize, but completely used up. 
On reaching camp a joyful surprise was waiting for 
fhem. Before the camp-fire Avas the cook of the hunting 
party busily at work preparing dinner, which to the 
hungr.v tenderfoot looked like a feast that kings might 
envy. The half-famished man could not be ceremonious, 
but taking the boiled grits to one side ate and ate like a 
starving man, the Indians standing by with comical smiles. 
When the deer hunters did not put in an appearance at 
the Indian village by bedtime on their first day out, as the 
old hunters fully thought they would, the friends of the 
white man grew anxious, and it was decided that the old 
chief and the cook should get an early start in the morn- 
tng, take som.e provisions, and at the same time cut a 
Dee tree that was near the point at which the hunters 
were to. camp, and thus add to the sweets of the trip, 
The chief, Tallahassee, cut the first chip from the large 
pine tree and turned the axe over to Billy Bowlegs. 
When the tree fell with .a crash the old Indian stood' 
Tpady with a bunch of moss to stop the hole, and then 
with a smoke made of burning rags to discourage the 
angry bees all was in readiness to open up the hidden 
treasure of pin-e, rich Avild honey and take it out. The 
reader may picture the scene that foUoAved. 
Seated on a log underneath tlie eool shadows ot a 
large palm tree are the tAvo white men, with heads 
throAvn back looking like ancient cherubs as they suck 
the nectarine comb in SAveet silence, while at their feet 
on the grassy sward are the picturesque Serainoles 
similarly occupied, and thus Ave leave them. 
Minnie Moore- Willson. 
KiSSIMMEE, Fia. 
*'Mme Ease in Mine Inn/' 
"Shall I not take mine ease in mine inn?" — l-'alstaff. 
There is a charm about the South which is all its own. 
We may go North, East or West, but do not experience 
anything like it. And long days after Ave have returned 
home the memory of it abides Avith us. In what does this 
charm consist? Hard to say, as in the case of most 
charms. But of one thing I am very sure, and that 
is that it did not consist in one or two" hotels I had the 
fortune to run up against during a recent trip down there. 
I haA'e already contributed to Forest and Stream some 
notes on this trip, but confined myself to the sporting 
side of my experiences. If you will permit me, 1 shall 
noAv dilate a little on the domestic or hotel side. But I 
want to disclaim any intention of reflecting. on Southern 
hotels generally. I only wish to relate what I knov/ of 
one or tAvo of them, in the hope of affording some enter- 
tainment to your readers and at the same time stirring 
the consciences or self-interest, at least, of the proprietors 
of the said establishments, if perchance my Avords should 
reach them. 
In Richmond, Avhere I made a brief stay, I confess I 
found things all right. Perhaps the service might have 
been a little more alert, but for Avhat it lacked in this 
respect it made itp in civility. Bidding farewell to the 
comfortable bed, the bath tub and the plenteous table of 
the Richmond hostelry, I set my face toward — Avell, let 
us call it Slocum Podger, Va. For three or four hours 
we jogged along by rail, stopping every fifteen or tvventy 
minutes at some little Avayside station. My traveling 
companions were for the most part of the ebon variety, 
and these amused themselves with playing upon 'a 
harmonica or mouth organ. Whenever one exhausted 
his repertoire he Avould hand the organ to another, and 
immediately proceed to fall asleep, his example being 
imitated all round. The spectre of care does not cut much 
figure here, thought I. At length a junction point Avas 
reached, and the conductor informed me that I should 
have to Avait an hour and a half here. "Any hotel or place 
of refreshment?" I inquired. "Oh, yaas, sail — elegant, 
suh!" Taking up my grip and other belongings I left 
the train and found myself on a little platform among a 
croAvd of negroes and fatigued-looking Avhites. One of 
the former edged up to me and sedulously inquired; 
"Want a nice hot dinnah t'-day, sah?" 
"Well, no," I ansAvered, "but I Avouldn't mind having 
a sandwich and something to drink." 
"Heah, boy," then cries my accoster, "take the getn- 
man's bag and shoAV him to de hotel." 
_ Following the boy I mounted a hilly road leading from 
the station, but noAvhere could I see anything looking 
like a hotel. "Have we far to go?" I inquired. 
"Oh, no, sah — right heah!" and Avith that he darted 
across the road and entered a building Avhich I could 
have sworn Avas only a barn. I entered close behind 
him and found the "oflSce" littered Avith papers and tAvo 
or three cats and dogs lying around asleep. There Avere a 
few rickety chairs and a Avriting table in the corner, 
with half a broken bottle for an inkstand. The Avoodwork ^ 
of the Avails and doors was cracked with age, and evi- 
dently had never rejoiced in a coat of paint. As I stood 
gazing about and wondering within myself, a door opened 
and a great fat negress presented herself, boAving and 
smiling. "Nice hot dinnah t'-day, suh. All ready, suh !" 
Glanciijg within the room behind her I saAV a long deal 
table set with knives and forks and a fcAV dishes containing 
great chunks of butter. In the remote distance was a 
smaller table, on Avhich was an immense fat ham and a 
fcAv etceteras. "Nice hot dinnah t'-day, suh !" repeated my 
hostess. 
"No. thank you ; I intend dining at Slocum Podger, but 
I would like a sandwich and a bottle of beer." 
"We don't keep heah, sur, but j'ou can git it at the sco', 
suh. Boy, show the gemman the sto'." No show of dis- 
appointment or displeasure — no inciAility or rudeness! 
Whether to be more surprised at the shortcomings of che 
establishment or the extreme courtesy which prevailed 
therein I knoAV not. At the "sto' " 1 got my bottle of 
beer, but nothing to eat. As I was drinking the beer I 
saw an aged darky standing diffidently some short dis- 
tance aAvay. As soon as I left the counter he went up to 
it and asked the proprietor if he had any "cohn Avhisky." 
The proprietor said that he had tAvo kinds — "white and 
yelloAV.'' Then the darky asked Avhich Avas "de best." 
"Oh, the white, I reckon." '"GiA'e me ten cents' avo'iIi of 
de Avhite," came then, Avith the production of a ginger ale 
bottle. This was nearly filled, and Avhen it Avas passed 
over to the customer he proceded to empty half che 
contents into my uuAvashed beer glass and drank it off. 
Ambling out of the place he made his way to an ox cart 
which Avas standing near the station with the partner of 
his joys and sorrows (evidently)- seated contentedly there- 
in smoking a pipe. To her he passed the bottle, Avhich 
she sampled with great seeming relish. A barrel of flour 
Avas then got aboard, the oxen Avere Avhipped up and the 
Avhole caraA^an mounted the hill at a snail's pace, while 
the slanting rays of the evening sun fell upon them^ per- 
fecting the picture, Avhich might have been taken, so to 
speak, from the pages of Virgil. 
Continuing my journey to Slocum Podger, I arrived 
there about 5, and Avas met at the station by the proprietor 
of the hotel with his surrey. A drive of ten minutes 
took us to the place where I had hopefully looked forward 
to ample consolation for my experiences at the junction. 
But, alas, I had reckoned Avithout my host, literally and 
figuratively. After being requested to register with great 
formality, I was introduced to a room, which immediately 
struck a chill all through me. Carpetless, with white- 
washed Avails, the furniture consisted of an old-fashioned 
bedstead, wide enough to hold three people, at least; a 
washstand, a looking glass (Avhose reflections suggested 
those of an agitated pool), a cane-bottomed chair and a 
little old rusty stove. Left alone I cast my eyes around 
■and a feeling of desolation stole over me. "Great 
Scott!" I cried, "this won't do. We must have a fire. 
"Here, bOy," I cried through the window to a little nig- 
ger, "come in here and light my fire." "Yaas, suh," was 
, the Avilling response, and in he came. The stOA'e was full 
of logs, not coal, and as the boy began' to operate on 
these it wasn't long before he had the room half-filled 
Avith smoke. Seizing my hat I fled into the air and con- 
soled myself with a pipe in the quiet of the neighboring 
woods. When I got back I Avas greeted by my friends 
H. and B., who had just returned from shooting. This 
cheered me up a bit, and following B. to his room I then 
had the privilege of observing a scene long to be re- 
membered, viz., the herculean B. bathing in a basin. •"And 
they Avon't even half-fill my jug!" he remarked, laugh- 
ing. 
When AA-e sat doAvn to dinner— "Ah," I imagine I hear 
the sympathetic reader here exclaim, "surely now you 
received compensation — wild turkey, venison, or quail at 
the very least." BelicA-e it not, fond dreamer! Wild 
turkey, venison and quail cost money, but pig's meat, or, 
in the vernacular, ham, with the concomitant eggs, Ave 
received and continued to receive morning, noon and 
night during my stay. It wasn't bad ham; on the con- 
trary, it was good—" 'cohn' fed," as they say — but an 
unvaried diet of even the best ham, Avith the freshest 
eggs, becomes a trifle monotonous. I ventured to Avax a 
little sai-castic Avith the landlord at the expense of his 
table (expressing my fear that the supply of pigs might 
run short down there), but he regarded me with such an 
expression of naive astonishment as almost made me feel 
ashamed of myself. I Avas reminded of the story of the 
Irish waiter in" the Avilds of Connemara, who, on being 
asked by the English tourist Avhat he had for dinner, an- 
swered, "Bacon and eggs." "Nothing else?" queried the 
tourist. "Nothin' else !" exclaimed Pat. "And fwhat 
else Avould yez be Avantin' ? Isn't that fwhat they all get?" 
After dinner an adjournment was made to the "office," 
Avhere the various wise men and sports of the tOAvn used 
to congregate of an evening to smoke, exchange opinions, 
or sAvap yarns. Here a stove was burning, and soon the 
atmosphere became so droAVsy, and not alone from the 
stove, I am bound to say, that I Avished H. and B. good- 
night and betook myself to my bedroom. Yes, I told my- 
self, despite all its discomforts, I knoAv I shall sleep well. 
So into bed I got, but seemed to roll on the springs in- 
stead of the mattress, so thin was the latter; then lay 
for aAvhile in trepidation, noting my sensations, but these 
being normal, Avith a sigh of thankfulness I turned on ray 
pilloAV and Avas soon fast asleep. I might have slept all 
night, but sad to relate, shortly after midnight, as I judge, 
I had a dream of a horse tramping about in a stable, and 
presently aAvoke to hear my neighbor Avalking up and 
doAvn in his shooting boots on the bare floor. For an 
hour or more he kept this up, during Avhich, of course, I 
lay awake. But when I got to sleep again, I am glad to 
say, I remained undisturbed till morning. The gray light 
of dawn is never particularly cheerful, but, ugh I when you 
behold it through the medium of a bedroom such as mine, 
then it is positively uncanny. 
Shall I go on or shall I stop here? I tliink I had better 
.stop, for fear of being accused of hypercriticism or laying 
it on too thick. But I Avould like to give a Avord of part- 
ing adAHce to my friend Boniface. "Wake up! This is 
the end of the nineteenth century. You are anxious for 
guests, sportsmen and others, and you should know that 
the Avay to get them is to make them feel sure of being 
Avell treated— of home comforts, in fact. Sportsmen can 
rough it, and on occasion like to do so, but I have yet to 
meet that one Avho likes to rough it in his hotel. Take 
my advice and wake up ! There's a good, honest man ! 
I began by saying that the South has a charm of its 
own, and I Avill end by repeating it. You get up in the 
mornings and go out, and even if your hotel is such as 
mine you soon forget all about it. A hundred and one 
things, rare or unseen before, interest you. You feel as 
if you Avere in a neAv country, and chiefly because of this : 
Wherever you go, Avhomever yoir meet, you receive 
nothing but courtesy— kindness. The rude answer and 
the "marble heart" are practically unknoMm there. If 
you are a sportsman you go into the Avoods and find 
game in plenty, and if you are a tourist in search of the 
picturesque and historical, you are equally successful. 
The long dreamy day (I am speaking now of the fail)' 
comes to an end at last, and at night aS you stroll about 
smoking your cigar, the moon is floating serenely over- 
head, the crickets lisp somnolently and perchance a strain 
of dialect negro melody comes Avafted from the mysterious - 
woods. An atmosphere of peace and romance almost" 
surrounds you, and if you are not utterly material I say 
you Avill quite forget that you have eateri of hara and eggs 
three times that day. F. Moonan, 
New Yor^, December. 
Ruxton's **Life in the Far West/' 
St. LotiiS, Mo-.« Dec. 25. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
I am keenly interested in Mr. Wm. N. Byers' article in 
your issue of Dec. 30 on Ruxton and Williams. It con- 
tains material that is' new to me; but I wish to correct 
one error. Mr. Byers states that Ruxton left only the 
unfinished manuscript of "Life in the Far West," and 
that the book, as it subsequently appeared, was the work 
of another hand. The fact is that "Life in the Far 
West" first' appeared as a serial in Blackwood's Maga- 
zine, running from June, 1848, to November of the same- 
year. Ruxton died in St. Louis, Aug. 29, 1848, and Avas 
buried here in the old Episcopal cemetery. 
■ The editor of BlackAvood's Magazine says, in an 
obituary notice: "The narratiA'e of 'Life in the Far West' 
was first offered for insertion in BlackAvoods' Magazine 
in the spring of 1B48, when the greater portion of the 
manuscript was sent, and the remainder shortly followed. 
The AA'ildness of the adventures Avhich he relates has, per- 
haps not unnaturally, excited suspicions in certain quarters 
as to their actual truth and fidelity. It may interest our 
readers to know that the scenes described by the author 
are faithful pictures of the results of his personal ex- 
perience." Then folloAv extracts from his letters vouching 
for their fidelity; among others, this: "I think it Avould 
