372 
Forest and stream 
[May II; 1901. 
he Mmmt 
Leading dealers in sportsmen's supplies have advertised in our 
columns continuously for a quarter-century. 
California Coursing* 
Coursing is evidently rapidly increasing in popularity 
on the Pacific coast. The coming season promises to be 
an exceptionally interesting one in California in the 
number of events and entries at the various courses. 
More dogs and better ones are being constantly brought 
forward and those most familiar with the sport say that 
California now has as good dogs as are to be found 
ani'where. 
Perhaps the plentiful supply of hares has much to do 
with the growth and popularity of the sport. The west- 
ern jack rabbit is an unfailing product and a good reli- 
able sprinter. History does not tell how long he has 
held his own against the hordes of coyotes that have 
chased him over every acre from the Rockies to the Pa- 
cific. Certain it is that the coyote is a natural born 
rabbit chaser, and he has about the readiest means of 
rapid transit of any creature with four feet to manipu- 
late. The hungrier and thinner he is the less resistance 
air and space can offer to govern him. The lighter his 
plumage becomes, in his contention with his fleas,— 
when he gets so thin that the sun shines through him 
and leaves no shadow — the more the alacrity he exhibits 
in his efforts to annihilate space and encompass jack 
rabbits. He has obliterated so many of them that there 
are, at this time, but a few billion of them left. 
In Nevada a few years a<?o Ihe. stock raisers tampered 
with natural conditions by introducing a theoretical inno- 
vation. They offered a reward for the extermination of 
coyotes, and' it worked. So many coyotes were wiped 
out that, it is alleged, the rabbits thrived so well they 
not only ate up all the grass, but had begun to obstruct 
the railroad. A reward was then offered for rabbit 
scalps, a penalty threatened for any person who injured 
a coyote, and, at the time my informant came away, rab- 
bit scalps and ammunition were the only things to be 
seen in Nevada except the landscape. 
It seems to me the jack-rabbit does not do himself 
the credit with a brace of hounds after him that he does 
on his native heath with a pack of ki-yi-ing coyotes in 
his wake. The dogs do not make noise enough for him 
to think there is anything doinp^. Even when he does 
unlimber and wake up to the reality of things he seems 
to think he can dodge the hounds, and he always appears 
to be surprised that they pick him up while he is doing 
.some of his curves. A hotuid's nose is about three inches 
longer than a covote's. and the jack has not yet learned 
to make the allowance. After a while he will perceive 
that two or three inches on the forward end of a hound 
may have considerable to do with his personal affairs. 
However this may be, I have seen many a rabbit on the 
sage-brush plains give a pack of coyotes a longer and 
harder run than any I have seen made for the dogs. 
At the Open Stake Coursing at Union Coursing Park, 
San Mateo county, on x^pril 27 and 28, there were 112 
entries and the entire 56 brace of dogs were m form 
and participated in the event. The total of the purse 
was $875. First monev, $110, was won by Frank Jones' 
dog. Wedgewood, with F. A. McComb's Little Sister 
winning second money, $70. The remainder of the purse 
was awarded in smaller amounts. 
The first day was bright, with rather a strong wmd. 
A drizzling rain fell during most of the second day. 
while a stiff wind made it cold and disagreeable for the 
men and dogs in the field. The entire programme was 
carried out in a very satisfactory manner. Considering 
the number of events and the disagreeable weather of 
the second dav the management deserves much credit 
for the good work of its fielders, particularly for that of 
the judge. John Grace, and the slipper, James Grace. 
The "meeting was under the direction of the California 
Coursing Committee, which has announced the follow- 
ing events for May: 4th and 5th, Sapling and Open 
Stake; nth and 12th, Pitppy and Open Stake; iBth and 
19th Open Stake; 25th and 26th, California Coursmg 
Committee Stake. R.^ns.^cker. 
Sajt Francisco, April 29. 
Points and Fitjshes* 
Mr. 'M. T. Mason, of Chatham, N. Y., writes us as fol- 
lows : "There will be a bench show the week following 
the Pan-American event at Chatham, N. Y. It will be 
under A. K. C. rules, and will be the first annual show 
held by the Columbia County Agricultural Society. As 
Chatham is only tAventy-five miles from Albany, on B. & 
A. R. R., New York and Eastern exhibitors from the 
Pan-American will doubtless stop off at this show, espe- 
cially as a small entry, good premiums and Hberal classifi- 
cation will be a feature of this event." 
Notice. 
All communications intended for Forest and StreAjJ should 
always be addressed to the Forest and Stream Publishing' Co., and 
not to any individual connected with the paper. 
Burl ey— Hello, Hurley ! Where did you get the dog? 
It isn't full-blooded, is it? 
Hurley— Well, no; not exactly. I call him Heintz— 
fifty-seven varieties, you know. — Town Topics. 
The Manitoba Field Trials Club, through its secretary- 
treasurer, Mr. Eric Hamber, has issued a circular letter 
giving much valuable information to those who contem- 
plate attending or participating in its trials. The matter 
concerning the customs arrangements is specially note- 
worthy. Derby entries close on July 1. All- Age entries 
close Aug. I. ' Champion Stake nominations are to be 
made on or before Aug. i. Mr. S. C. Bradley has again 
consented to act as one of the judges. 
Take inventory of the good things in this issue 
of Forest and Stream. Recall what a fund was 
given last week. Count on what is to come next 
week. Was there ever in all the world a more 
abundant weekly store of sportsmen's reading f 
*Mid Reef and Rapid —IX. 
BY r. R. AVEBB. 
The Lewis dam is btiilt at the head of a conglomera- 
tion of small islands, located in a sharp turn of the river 
to the left, so that the dam seems to be simply a con- 
tinuation of the left bank in a straight line, until the 
.other bank curves around and meets it; and, to the 
canoeist descending the stream, all that appears to re- 
main of the diniinishing river disappears through a tall, 
massive head gate of hewn timbers into the race — the 
mill itself not being visible from the dam, as it is lo- 
cated half a mile below. On landing on the dam, how- 
ever, the canoeist discovers several little channels lead- 
ing down among the islands, no one of which appears 
larger than a good sized creek. The most direct and 
practical one is the old boat channel, the one nearest the 
left end of the dam, and down this narrow, shallow little 
stream — after easily sliding our canoes over the dam — 
we now made our way, alternately wading and floating 
on the swift, rare-like shoot for a quarter of a mile 
until the open river was again reached, and with it 
plenty of water. 
A fine stretch of river is presented below this place; 
the river, flowing broad, swift and deep between low 
banks overhung on either side by giant sycamores which 
cast their grateful shade far out over the water, behind 
which lie broad stretches of rich, well tilled fields — a 
lovely pastoral reach — until it ends at the Lewis mill half 
a mile below in a steep, gravelly rapid, down which we 
shot with exhilarating speed, successfully avoiding the 
numerous big rocks strewn around in careless confusion 
at the foot of the rapid. 
A mile or so below, a ledge juts out from the right 
bank and extends in a long, slanting, down-stream line 
clear across the river. One or two small, grass-grown 
islands are strung along it, and a gravel bar breaks the 
otherwise three or four foot fall into a short, steep rapid. 
In fair water the shoot down this short bar is a fine one, 
and a passage is ea.sily found almost anywhere along its 
length, but at the present stage the bar is impassable, 
and the old boat channel at the extreme left must be 
taken. It winds around over the end of the ledge next 
to the bank, and turns sharply to the right out into the 
river again, while right in the turn, just over the verge 
of the shoot, in the swiftest water at the most awkward 
place imaginable, is a pectiliarly ugly, jagged mass of 
honeycombed limestone. It is partictilarly hard to dodge 
without running the canoe ashore on the rocks which 
line the sides of the narrow shoot, yet it must be dodged, 
as a sharp blow and rub against its vile, petrified, sponge- 
like edges is more than the stoutest canvas — or cedar 
either, for the matter of that — can stand. 
We knew this nasty little shoot well, and therefore 
approached it with great circumspection, the more neces- 
sary because, as we were well aware, places of this char- 
acter are at their worst in the lowest water. 
George was in the lead, and, after backing and filling 
around a few minutes for position, he let go and shot 
OA'er the verge and down the shoot. He succeeded in 
dodging the ledge in mid-stream, but was swept heavily 
ashore on the rocks at the side of tlie shoot below, where, 
after vigorous shoving, pushing, poling and swearing, he 
succeeded in freeing himself, and passed out into the 
deep, still pool below, where he floated idly, his paddle 
across his lap, intent on seeing the fun as the rest of 
us negotiated the shoot, while I lay up in the shade 
under the bank above for the same purpose and to profit 
by the other fellows' mishaps. 
Lacy went next,- and his experience was quite similar 
to George's. The Colonel then essayed the shoot, and 
smashed up against the reef squarely amidships with a 
crash that made the stout timbers of his big, heavy canoe 
fairly crack and groan. Considering his quite respect- 
able' avoirdupois, the blow was a terrible one, and I was 
really surprised to see him shove off from the rocks and 
go bumping and dragging down the remainder of the 
channel into the still water below, apparently unharmed; 
and my respect for the toughness and strength of a well 
made canvas canoe— already well founded — was most ma- 
terially strengthened by the incident. 
It was my turn next; so, cautiously drawing my canoe 
out from under the bank, stern first, into position, back 
paddling carefully as I drifted down into the powerful 
suction of the shoot, I approached. 
In order to avoid beaching on the rocks below, as 
George and Lacy had done, it was necessary to lay close 
to the reefs in 'mid channel, so I steered as closely as 
I dared— a fatal mistake, for I saw in an instant that I 
was to share the Colonel's fate. 
Hastily shoving my paddle out to port, however, with 
a vigorous jab I caught the reef firmly with my paddle 
blade and eased my canoe gently down against it, hold- 
ing the boat off all I could. 
In spite of all my efforts, however, the harsh, coral- 
like finger tips rasped horribly along my side as I gently 
dropped down away from the dangerous proximity. I 
made the remainder of the shoot at the expense of a 
few thumps from the rocks at the bottom and speedily 
rejoined the others, who had turned their bows down 
stream again and were lazily paddling along. 
■ "Did you strike hard, Colonel?" Lacy was saying as 
I came up alongside. 
"Oh, no," replied the Colonel carelessly, as he struck 
a match on the hatch framing which lay inverted in front 
of him and lit his pipe again. ''I just bumped and scraped 
a little as I came down; that's all." 
'■'The Colonel never strikes hard or sticks fast," said 
George. "When he gets out into the water he does it 
because he likes to wade." 
"How did you get that little hole in the side of your 
canoe, then ?" Lacy continued. "Why, I can crawl aboard 
through it!" 
"Great fish hooks, Colonel!" exclaimed George, "the 
whole side of your canoe is busted in!" 
"Oh, get out I what are you giving us !" exclaimed the 
Colonel. "Why, I haven't shipped a drop of water!" 
"Well, I advise you not to lean too far over to port, or 
you'll speedily ship a boatful of it," I put in. 
"Put your hand down, man, and see for yourself," 
added George. "The break's just above the water line." 
"Jeem — sis cousin ! why, I can shake hands with my- 
self, right through her side!" exclaimed the Colonel in 
consternation, as he took this simple advice, and reach- 
ing down along the side of his canoe, discovered a 
ghastly rent in the canvas along the freeboard just above 
the water line, a foot and a half long. 
"The fram.e timbers are smashed, too! the whole side 
of the boat's smashed in!" he continued, in utter dismay, 
as he investigated the break from the inside. 
"Yes, you touched a little bit heavily, I'm afraid," said 
Lacy drily, as he lit his little brierwood. 
"That had better be attended to at once," I said 
"Yonder is the old Governor Walker place," as the 
fine old mansion opened up to view, around a wooded 
point. Embowered in stately trees, its well kept grounds 
sloping gently down to the river in front from the little 
eminence on which it stood, it presented a stately ap- 
pearance as we dropped down toward it. "We'll land 
there for lunch and then repair damages'." 
"I expect that would be best," replied the Colonel; 
"the rent is above water and I expect I could easily run 
to our camp at Three Springs, which is only three or 
four miles below, but I might hang up on a rock or fish 
dam on the way, and the boat careen and fill with water 
before I could get off." 
' "Yes, and there's plenty of rough water before we 
get there, with reefs ad infinitum, not to mention a fish 
dani or two, and you will be quite likely to ship some 
water before we get there," said George. 
"Oh, I don't think I would take any water in the 
rapids," replied the Colonel. "My boat is a dry boat, 
and rides the waves like a duck." 
"You will have an opportunity to try the experiment 
fight here," George continued, as we approached the 
head of a long half mile shoot, down along whose surface 
the surges ran pretty high, while at the foot of the 
rapid, even at that distance, the big "white houses" 
could be seen gamboling and throwing their shaggy 
white manes high in the air, the bright foam-crests glit- 
tering and sparkHng in the sun as we closed our hatches 
and drew up our aprons before dipping — one at a time 
— down over the crest, and beginning the long, exhil- 
arating shoot. 
"Well, did you take any water?" I exclaimed, as I 
joined the others at the bank below the foot of the 
rapid and just above the Walker place, where they had 
arrived before me. As I spoke, I threw up my apron, 
throwing overboard as I did so a bucketful or so of 
water reposing in a pellucid little pool in the hollow of 
my apron in my lap; while my wet, shining decks, from 
which the water was still running and dripping over the 
gunwales, like rain from the roof of a house, bore ad- 
ditional testimony as to the size and weight of the 
aforementioned "white horses," no^^' gamboling and 
tossing a hundred yards astern of us up the river. 
"Yes, I believe a little did dash in as I came down 
that last pitch," he replied, as he stepped ashore, "but 
none to amount to anything. I expect, though, it had 
better be fixed after lunch," he continued, drawing his 
wounded canoe well up cn the bank after him. 
"I think myself it will be the safest plan," I replied, 
as I opened up my hatches and lifted out the mess- 
chest, upon which I placed my folded camp stool, and 
then on the top of both folded the three cushions of my 
mattress, having previously drawn my boat well up 
ashore, where the entire fleet now lay stranded. 
"Look at that scratch on the side of your own canoe. 
Commodore," said Lacy. "It is exactly like the cut in 
the Colonel's boat." 
An investigation revealed a long line of paint scratched 
and rubbed off the side of the Frankie on the freeboard, 
above the water line, in exactly the same place as the 
Colonel's break, the line being quite similar in outline 
to the rent in his boat. As, however, the canvas was un- 
injured, no harm was done, but it conclusively illustrated 
what a narrow escape I had from sharing the Colonel's 
fate. 
My plunder was carried up the bank to a nice turfy 
spot under the trees, where — Lacy having by this time 
returned from Walker's with a bucket of water — we 
gathered around the convenient little mess chest, and did 
ample justice to an ample lunch of cold sliced ham, sar- 
dines, pickles, bread and butter and cheese, with a hard 
boiled egg apiece by way of relish, after which our mat- 
tresses were brought into- play, and our after-dinner 
smoke accomplished in lu.xury, flat on our backs, our 
heads and shoulders supported by our upturned camp- 
stools, over which one cushion of the mattresses was 
thrown, and our feet and lower limbs extending over 
the matresses and down the sloping bank. 
Another convenient feature of the oiled mattress bags 
is that in addition to the protection afforded the mat- 
tresses in the canoe from the water and weather, they 
can be thrown carelessly down anywhere — even where the 
ground or grass is damp — without fear of soiling or 
dampening the mattress inside — a great convenience, for 
our after-lunch smoke and siesta is quite an institution 
of our cruises. 
After our lunch and smoke — in the interim the Colonel's 
boat having thoroughly dried out, while he hauled it 
further up on the bank and turned it tip on one side so as 
to get the wound uppermost and in good position for 
operating upon — I went to my own canoe, and from one 
of those inestimable pockets which hang up under the 
washboard along each side of the cockpit I drew out a 
small roll of stout duck and a little muslin bag of resin, 
while from another I procured a bottle of alcohol and a 
small brass alcohol lamp, or stove (if so small an article 
could be called a stove). Lacy in the meanwhile procuring 
the malleable iron ladle packed in the expeditionary camp 
stove in his canoe, and carried for this purpose (as well 
as for the supplementary purpose of refreshing the fire in 
the stove with a small dash of coal oil now and then, when 
the wood is wet, or when the fire dies down at some 
critical juncture, as it occasionally does, the popular ser- 
vant-girl method of pouring directly from the can upon 
the fire not being much in vogue in our party), and while I 
placed the lamp on a flat stone in a sheltered place from 
the breeze under the bilge of the Colonel's canoe and 
