May 30, 1903.1 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
427 
white birds, with broad wings hammering the air des- 
perately, every bird climbing distractedly toward the 
sky, sheering, tumbling and lurching in all directions 
at the same time, the sunlight glancing from their dark 
green, dagger-like beaks and crimson domes, and the 
very earth and air vibrating as with the peals of thun- 
der. That was whooping crane shooting, and it makes 
my blood leap, my nerves tremble and my brain whirl 
0 recall it. 
Local sportsmen are quite indignant over the report 
chat a number of wealthy Eastern gentlemen have, or 
'are about to purchase, Three Springs and Raccoon 
lakes, as well as the old Anse Newberry ranch north 
of Cody, 400 miles up the Elkhorn, and are going to 
'^urn the same into a game preserve for their own per- 
sonal use. They intend, so the story goes, to pro-, 
hibit all shooting and fishing there excepting that 
which they indulge in or oversee themselves. The3^ 
are to get possession some time this summer. Three 
Springs and Raccoon lakes, with their . bordering 
marshes, and running waterways, have been a favorite 
ducking grounds for Omaha and Nebraska sportsmen 
for years, and thus to lose them now will be an aggra- 
vation, indeed. I was one of the very first of the 
Omaha wild fowlers to visit Newberry's; in fact, I al- 
most pride myself on discovering Anse's cozy hunter's 
hostelry, and surely it was I who gave the place, 
through my unpretentious sporting effusions, the most 
of its pristine glory. Newberry's shack then, was a 
rude log structure of two rooms, with crudely tanned 
buffalo skins for a partition and with a mere paucity 
of conveniences and comforts. But things have 
changed since those dim old days, and the Newberry 
mansion to-day is complete and fairly modern in all its 
details. 
Dear old Anse, how loth we will be to give him up. 
1 can close my eyes now, as I sit here at my scarred 
and rickety old desk, and look back and again enjoy the 
entrancing scenes and stirring incidents of my first 
visit to his homely roof and the famed Lugenbeel 
marshes. What a magnificent bag of mallards and red- 
heads we made, and what a battle our. old pointer, 
Don, now basking away his waning days on Ted Acker- 
man's ranch, up near Spearfish, had with an otter, and 
how we did yank the rock bass from the Raccoon's 
mossy and limpid waters. You remember it, Jack, 
don't you — it was only a little over fourteen years ago. 
You recall, don't you, sometimes, even way out there 
in your new home on the Columbia, what a picture of 
rapturous enchantment old Anse's old log and sod 
l)ouse, with its bunches of ducks hanging on the back 
walls and the dark fagade of old Thunderburg frown- 
' ig down on the lapsing waters of Three Springs. 
/Vhat did we care for the faraway world, what did we 
care whether the ducks flew or the fish bit? Did no.t 
untrammeled nature supply all the senses demanded 
out in that wild and remote nook of the universe? 
Such scenes as environed that old frontier tavern in 
those old days, glowing as they did at sunrise or even- 
tide upon the background of that barren old sand 
mountain, beautiful as Bifrost before the portals of 
Valhalla. And must we now say farewell to that sacred 
spot in nature's heart, those old hunting grounds, 
where the tints not so detectable in the atmos- 
phere, kindled the glassy lake's surface when the sun 
went down, and where the fragments, even of each 
cloud, formed on its delicate texture a perfect image. 
A game preserve, indeed — ^yes, it must be so, it is 
in the air, and the Lugenbeel is not the only spot to 
which this is coming. That we must make up our 
minds to. Even Billy Brewer is now organizing a club 
in Omaha, with the object in view of purchasing the 
Stilwell ranch out in the Cherry county sandhills for a 
game preserve. Mr. Brewer's idea is to buy the Stil- 
well place, which embraces nearly one thousand acres 
and takes in over half of blackberry Lake, a great bass 
as well as ducking grounds; the east end of Clear Lake, 
a noted canvasback resort, and runs clear down to the 
north shore of Dewey Lake, one of the grandest lakes 
in all that wild region, with plenty of bass and blue- 
gilled sunfish and wild fowl grounds unsurpassed in the 
State. The sod hunting lodge is to be quadrupled in 
size, and many improvements made about the living 
house and corral. The membership is to be limited to 
fifty Nebraskans, and Stilwell, one of the best duck 
shots in the country and an all-round efficient and in- 
telligent man, is to be installed as gamekeeper, who 
will reside there the year round. Mr. Brewer is count- 
ing on getting the deal through by next October. 
There is some talk of bringing the big coursing 
meet, which for several years has been held out near 
Friend, to Omaha. This may be true, but I doubt it, 
for it is quite probable that the people who brought 
about the anti-pigeon killing law, would bob up as the 
friend of the long-eared Jack. The four days' card 
planned for next fall is a grand one, and if it were 
possible to run it off near this city, it would attract an 
immense attendance. The pastime is very popular out 
at Friend, as well as through the whole southwestern 
and southern part of the State, and coursing devotees 
flock there from all quarters of the country. Many of 
the best bred and speediest greyhounds in the United 
States are evvned by Nebraska leashmen, and this fall 
arrangements are being made for some entries of dogs 
from over the ocean. Backed, as it is, by the leading 
business men of Saline and adjoining counties, the 
sport equals, if it does not excel, that of the great 
Kansas and California meets. Owners hereabouts are 
already getting their strings in condition for the spring 
tr, outs on the open prairie, and when fall rolls around 
the speculators will have as fine a lot to pick from as 
ever ran against each other in the country. It is a 
notable fact that the Nebraska Club uses only Nebraska 
rabbits, although some judges pretend to claim that 
the Montana and Idaho breed is the best, but if they 
can outrun our own long-eared buft'oons of the plain, 
they are surely birds. Rich purses will be hung up 
this coming autumn, and Avhether held here or at 
Friend, the meet will be one of the most important 
ever held in the West. 
Some time this week I intend, for the exclusive bene- 
fit of the Forest and Stream, to take a run out to 
O'Neil and take a look over the State field trjal 
UTiiiinds, said to be the finest jn Ainerica. 
Tb vill be a regular exodus of prominent anglers 
from .ifiaha coming week. Judge Munger, Attorney 
Summers, Clerk Thummel, Marshal Roman, of the 
U. S. Court, and the writer will go to Sheehan's on 
Lake Washington, Minn.; Martin Meyer and George 
Hayes to the Nishna, this State; Dr. Owen and Thos. 
Orr to Lake Jefferson, Minn..; Judge and Wilber Faw- 
cett to Lake Winnibigoshish, Minn.; Myron Learned 
and Will Hamilton to Three Rivers, Wis.; Fred Good- 
rich and Bob Lowe to Lake Ida, Minn.; Editor John 
Weaver and Citv Editor Joe Polcar and Artist Billy 
Pixley to Okoboji; Robert Patrick, W. S. Poppleton 
and some Washington friends to the Patrick ranch in 
the Wyoming mountains, and Hon. Tom Nolan, R. L. 
Metcalfe, editor of the World'^Herald, and Dr. Wirth 
to Hackensack, Minn. • Sandy Griswgld. 
Roughing It. 
Any expression or term is rendered intelligible 
only through its relationship to its environment, and, 
therefore, the accepted meaning may change very ma- 
terially, from time to time, to correspond with a change 
in surroundings. . . 
"Roughing It," for instance, in the times of Lewis 
and Clark, and their immediate successors in western 
explorations and trans-continental expeditions, meant 
a contest with difficulties which were impossible to 
anticipate and also the risk of life; while now, the 
same expressions when applied to the Adirondacks, 
means actual luxury with merely a rough setting. 
On the whole, shooting, fishing and camping expedi- 
tions are, nowadays, owing to the supervision and as- 
sistance of professional guides, rather smooth affairs, 
as is indicated by the increase in the patronage of 
these recreations by the female element. There are few 
unexpected hardships, and the matter of fatigue can 
usually be kept well within the capacity of a frail 
member of a party; but occasionally circumstances 
will get beyond control; a party may get into the 
trough of the sea, so to speak, with a resulting shak- 
ing up that will fairly represent a genuinely rough 
time, as such is understood in this day and generation. 
Here, for instance, is an example. Last autumn, be- 
cause of an error by one of several persons who. re- 
peated a message, which originated in French on the 
edge of the Canadian woods, was told to the occupant 
of a telephone station, and was thence transmitted to 
a telegraph operator, who translated and forwarded it 
by his method to the States, a citizen of Quebec and 
the writer reached a remote railroad terminal, almost 
simultaneously, on our respective ways to join a noted 
hunter — to whom each felt an exclusive right — in a 
search for moose. 
Being unable to determine by a comparison of, my 
written and his oral, evidence, which of us was out 
of time and place, we agreed to drive the 35 miles to 
the rendezvous and allow Pierre himself to choose be- 
tween us. The surprise, confusion, and forceful re- 
marks of the old chap need not be dwelt upon; it is 
enough to say that his trapping partner was sufficient- 
ly moved by the explosion of feeling to go to his as- 
sistance and' divide us "siiare and share alike." During 
the long uncomfortable drive the Quebecer and I had 
been so shaken together and had corporally com- 
mingled to such an extent that neither of us objected 
to a union of our forces while proceeding to the hunt- 
ing grounds. 
A coolness having sprung up between the two hunt- 
ers and some Maine game wardens, it was deemed wise 
that we should make a detour around a corner of that 
State, which necessitated an additional drive of 30 
miles in company with our canoes, and it also necessi- 
tated the search for an unfamiliar brook on which we 
proposed to float into the Canadian branch of the St. 
John's River. By starting the teamsters with canoes 
before dawn, we were enabled to congregate at the 
end of the wagon road about 4 o'clock in the after- 
noon. This drive was even more severe than that of 
the day before, and we were glad indeed to dismiss 
the buckboard, the spring of which had been rendered 
nugatory by duffle and enter the timber on foot as an 
advance guard of the wagon, or rather running gears, 
which bore the canoes. 
We had been informed that the brook would be 
found after following an unused lumber road "4 miles," 
and with the thought of pitching our camp upon its 
banks in time to catch some trout for our evening 
meal, we went merrily forth filling our lungs with the 
fragrant breath of the woods. Ere long we came upon 
a fallen tree, which had to be cut in twain before the 
canoes could pass, and, worse luck, every now and 
then another similar operation had to be. performed; 
we found too, that many springs were busily engaged 
in emptj'ing themselves into the forsaken road and 
thus converting it into a quagmire. The deep holes 
had to be corduroyed and from the shallower ones we 
had, time and again, to pry the conveyance and even 
the horse. Indeed, we had to go to the rescue of each 
other whenever a flying leap fell short of a substantial 
footing, and a deep and pertinacious mud puddle would 
threaten interment. When the sun went down, peep- 
ing at us through the trees from over the shoulder 
of a distant hill, we were seen still deep in the woods 
and the mire, and still tugging at the horse, the 
wheels, or our boot straps. The only thing that saved 
the informant of the distance to the brook from our 
wishes of speedy discomfort 'midst painfully heated 
surroundings, and also a prospective drubbing (if our 
wishes failed in their purpose) was the possibility that 
he meant an indefinite "for" instead of a precise "four" 
miles. 
The Quebecer went on ahead Avith the hope and 
anticipated pleasure of soon finding the longed-for 
opening in the woods and signalling back to us that 
cheering information. When, however, we came up 
with him sitting bedraggled and disheartened on a log, 
convinced that Ave had lost the way, we stopped to 
think. To spend the night in that morass was out 
of the -question for us, and also the horse — the poor 
brute, having fallen in the slough a number of tipies, 
was being chilled by the night air — tQ yeturn ' -^^'as 
seemingly beyond the piidurarice of any fif ns ^rir\ so^ 
whether or not we were astray, we preferred going 
forward. The moon arose, and by the by was most 
cordially welcomed, to find us, man and beast, cut 
loose from most of our impedimenta and forging ahead 
for anywhere. 
Sooner or later a broader expanse of illuminated sky 
was noticeable, and presently we entered a small clear- 
ing in the middle of which were several log huts and, 
from one of these, rays of light were escaping through 
chinks between the logs. Well, thank heaven, we were 
somewhere! Without announcing our arrival, we 
pushed open the door of the illuminated hut and saw 
four youths ranging in age from 18 to 25 years, eating 
an ill-smelling mess, onions predominating, from a 
filthy shelf by candle light. We stared at each other 
through the doorway for a few moments, and then, in 
the French language, we were invited to enter and 
were offered food and shelter. We crossed the thresh- 
old to find the hot and foul air of the room insuffer- 
able, and we not only declined the food, but also the 
shelter, and hastened out into the night, though not 
before we had noticed cautious glances by the occu- 
pants at a pair of boots which protruded from one of 
the bunks. Outside in the moonlight we built a fire, 
and while having a frugal meal of tea and biscuits, woe- 
fully discrepant with our needs, discussed our new ac- 
quaintances. 
Pierre, who had been caring for our overworked 
horse, joined the circle and remarked, "De axes ees 
rusty; de chaines fer to draw de logs ees rusty, too; 
de ban's of de men ecs soft; no feed ees here fer de 
horses; sure dis ees no logging business what dey do." 
After a while our hosts came from the hut, the four 
young men being accompanied by a middle-aged man 
whose frame was large and face as villainous as I had 
ever been so unfortunate as to look upon. No crime 
named in the statute books was uncongenial to that 
degenerate countenance. Is he a Bill Sykes? I won- 
dered. Simultaneously, with their arrival, an old gray 
mare emerged from the timber into the fire light and 
was promptly seized by the forelocks by one of the 
group and so cruelly kicked in the belly that I arose 
to olDject. She was released and I became the focus 
of threatening looks from under contracted brows. 
When our food was disposed of the strange wood 
dwellers still squatted like Indians near our fire, look- 
ing on and smoking in silence. The Canadian and I 
were very tired, after our two days of travel, over 
some 70 miles of frontier roads, to say nothing of 
swamps, and it was important that we should sleep, in 
order to be equal to the demands of the morrow; but 
where? Our tents were upon the abandoned wagon 
some distance back, over that awful tote road; and to 
go into the hut was not to be thought of. Pierre and 
Tom decided that we two "sports," as they called us, 
had better take possession of a vacant log stable, while 
they would seek cover in such a locality as to enable 
them to detect any attempt on the part of our found- 
lings to forage upon our supplies in the rear. _ Accord- 
ingl}^ we were escorted to where the preparations were 
to be made and looked on while the Pludson's Bay 
blankets were laid athwart the doorway and my sleep- 
ing bag placed further inside of the shanty. As there 
was no door, we constructed a sort of barricade of 
odd bits of wood as a substitute and then crawled into 
our cov-ering. Jove! the earth floor was hard and the 
inequalities of it necessitated frequent turning so as_ 
to make an equal distribution, over our anatomy, of 
the rapidly accumulating sensitive spots. We had been 
asleep — I do not know how long— when, with a re- 
sounding crash, in fell our barricade. I felt my room- 
mate jump into the air and heard him exclaim, "You 
get out of here right quick!" I turned over in' my 
sleeping bag, as soon as its narrow confines and my 
aches would permit, with the expectation of finding 
myself covered by a gun in the hands of the villains; 
iDUt, instead, gazed into the moonlit countenance of the 
gray mare, whose home we probably occupied. 
The citizen of Quebec would be the first to be 
stepped upon, should the critter make good her threat 
to enter, and I felt so much relieved, by the absence of 
bipeds in the rumpus, that I took no part in repairing 
the abatis, and promptly fell asleep. Within what 
seemed a very brief time, I was again startled by a 
warwhoop from the Canadian, who barely escaped be- 
ing trampled underfoot by our persistent friend. Once 
again he braved the night air in scant apparel and re- 
built his defenses without an attempt to formulate into 
words his views upon the subject. This repression and 
self-control impressed me deeply, even in iny drowsy 
condition. 
When for the third time we were rudely recalled to 
a consciousness of our overpowering fatigue and mis- 
ery, as well as our inabihty to persuade the old mare to 
be merciful, I expected to hear a flow of oratory which 
would clear the surcharged atmosphere of its oppressive 
gloom, and when my roommate returned to his 
blankets and mildly said, in subdued tones, "We seem 
to be having a large-sized night mare," my mental 
tensions relaxed and I shook with suppressed laughter. 
The morrow was another hard luck day, and the 
thought of it makes me weary. Our horse's feet slipped 
between the logs of a corduroy, and broken bones were 
narrowly averted, the shafts snapped and our broad 
opportunity for exercise was enlarged by having to 
carry the canoes and luggage a long slippery way to 
the much sought for brook; we had little else to eat 
than hard tack, and as cold rain came down in tor- 
rents, wetting us through and through, we did not find 
a landing place along the brook on which we em- 
barked about three o'clock, till darkness made tent- 
raising a difficulty, and eventually we threw ourselves 
upon the wet earth, practically supperless, for the 
night. 
Let me hasten to say that the glorious- sua arose in 
a clear sky the next morning and dried oir clothing 
and our tears; it cast impressively beautiful Hghts and 
shadows upon the placid surface of the St. John's 
River; aroused all of our latent enthusiasm and warmed 
our hearts into gladness. The rough features of our 
"roughing it" were ended, and thenceforth we had a 
thoroughly enjoyable time, and what is mor* each ot 
|is was so fortunate as to get a bull moose. 
Tt just occurs tQ m- that I h■<^y<^■ p"t h perio<f tJ^n 
