436 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Nov. 25, 1905. 
Canadian Camp Dinner* 
The third semi-annual dinner of the Canadian Camp, 
held at the Hotel Astor, New York, on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 
was an occasion of much joy. There was a large atten- 
dance, a liberal feast of reason and many other things, 
and at the end of the dinner a most enjoyable flow of 
soul. The menu announced such unusual dishes as puree 
of Pennsylvania squirrel, a la Colonel Brainard — the 
eminent Arctic explorer ; minced spiral-eared Polar mice 
(sic), and curry of the common or cow pasture variety of 
the New England woodchuck trapped by the sage of Cos 
Cob, no doubt Mr. Ernest Thompson Seton. There were 
many other good things to eat which are not so much out 
of the range of the average man’s experience. 
There were about 160 persons present, and the dinner, 
under the management of the dinner committee, Mr. 
Harry V. Radford and Dr. H. T. Galpin, went off very 
happily. At the guests’ table were seated Dr. G. Lenox 
Curtis, president of the club; Rev. Dr. Wilton Mearle 
Smith, who acted as toastmaster; Lieut.-Gen. Nelson A. 
Miles, U. S. A. ; Surgeon-General S. Suzuki, of the Im- 
perial Japanese Navy; Dr. Howard Kelly, Dr. Robert T. 
Morris, Mr. Caspar Whitney, Harry V. Radford, ex-Gov- 
ernor Chamberlain, of Connecticut; John Taylor Hum- 
phrey, Henry Wellington Wack and Mr. L. F. Brown. 
General Miles spoke interestingly of hunting in the 
West, his experience going back many years tO' the days 
of actual game plenty. Dr. Robert T. Morris gave a 
fascinating account of his exploring trip with Mr. Wako 
to Hudson’s Bay last summer, and his story was illus- 
trated by sixty lantern slides. There are few people who 
can talk more interestingly than Dr. Morris, or whose 
range of outdoor subjects is wider; and his talk gave very 
great pleasure to his audience. 
Surgeon-General Suzuki spoke on Japanese interest in 
field sports, and Dr. Howard Kelly told of canoeing on 
the Mississaugua. The occasion was one of great 
pleasure. 
The fourth annual dinner was set for February next. 
Quail in Missouri. 
Lincoln, Mo., Nov. 10. — Editor Forest cmd Stream: 
Noting that your Missouri notes are few and since we are 
as desirous of representation in the shooting world as our 
neighbors, let me give you some notes on our to-day’s 
shooting. My wife and myself drove out some four and 
one-half miles. to the south of Lincoln, arriving about 7 
A. M. at my brother’s house. He accompanied us, and 
with our two pointers and setter we set out toward the 
cornfield in pmasuit of Bob White. After walking per- 
haps 150 yards, .coming to the margin of the field, in a 
little meadow our over anxious dogs came only fairly to 
a point when whirr was heard the wing note of a large 
covey (or rather two coveys in one), for about one-half 
the number were only half-grown birds. This caused us 
to reserve our fire; and luckily the birds divided nicely. 
We then went in pursuit of the grown birds and two 
minutes later were rewarded by three pretty points, each 
dog north of a high hedge fence with a space of about 
twenty yards between each, and all standing as rigid as 
if statues. On, pushing them in we had nice targets, and, 
despite the high hedge, managed to bag four plump birds. 
We then abandoned the covey and struck to the south 
down a ravine -through the cornfield. On walking about 
200 yards my pointer began to draw and forty yards in 
advance carne to a rigid point, backed staunchly by the 
other pointer. . A deep and wide ditch was ample cause 
for my being .the only person in range;, so I pushed the 
dogs in and 'successfully brought down two. birds, a third' 
one flying in range of my wife’s gun, caused it to drop to 
a double. On. account of the wind blowing a consider- 
'able gale and. the birds backtracking, we again aban- 
doned the bulk of the covey and pushed on to the south, 
bagging occasionally a lone bird. 
In this manner we spent the forenoon reaching the 
house at 12 o’clock sharp wuth a bag of twenty-one birds 
— seven birds, each. We had raised some, five large coveys, 
but owing to the high wind the birds would run after 
lighting, giving' us and our dogs plenty of hard work to 
locate them' again. We expect a more liberal bag. of 
birds next time out, when we will be more conservative 
about the weather before starting. 
We have a; great many prairie chickens on, the prairie 
north of town, but .our game law makes them practically 
safe. After' Nov. 15 he who bags one, will have to use a 
cannon. Our shotguns won’t kill chickens. 100 to 150 
yards, and that is as close as they will, allow you after, 
this season of the year, as they are now congregating into 
large packs and positively won’t lie to the dog. 
We also have a goodly number of turkeys in the tim-. 
bered regions, and if successful we will probably furnish 
you some.chat on this subject later. F. F. L. 
Wild Domestic Turkeys as Game. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I have long since thought that it would be most desir- . 
able if our game preserves and breeding parks, especially 
in the midland and South, would take up the matter of . 
savaging domestic turkeys for use as game birds. In a 
forested country, where they can subsist by scratching, 
especially where there are gums, beech nuts, acorns, tur- 
key berries and the like, they can easily be made wild, es- ; 
pecially if turned loose with their broods as soon as the 
chicks are strong enough to run. 
The best shooting on turkey I ever knew of was on the 
mountain side near Blackwell’s Springs, Buncombe, . 
N. C. The fowls were j ust tame enough to show them- 
selves freely at the edge of the woods and then shy into 
the undergrowth, or run half a mile when approached. 
Occasionally bands would come to the barn premises in 
rough weather for a handout, but I think the better plan , 
would be to put out brush piles and corn, feed s.ystematic- 
ally near runs (streams) and the upland vicinity of laurel 
and reed slashes. Wherever there are cultivated inter- : 
vals of maize and pea vines the birds cM best of all, espe- 
cially if. the’ patches are as near as half a mile apart, be- 
tween wboded areas. ■ 
On Dr. William R. Capehart’s 5,000-acre estate at 
Avoca, Bertie, N. C., there are many bronze and gray 
turkeys in Ihe woods, which are undoubtedly the progeny 
of reverted birds. Experiments in this direction seem to 
me to be more worthy of consideration than the impor- 
tation of capercailzie and black cock at great expense. 
Who will take up the suggestion? The cost is a bagatelle 
and cuts no figure. Charles Hallock. 
™ Cleaning Rifles. 
^ Deep River, Conn., Nov. 15. — Editor Forest and 
Stream: In last week’s issue of Forest and Stream I 
wrote that John P. Boagni asks for information about 
cleaning the high-power smokeless rifle barrel. The prob- 
lem of keeping the barrel bright when using smokeless 
loads is a very troublesome one and a continual bother to 
a rifleman who takes pride in the condition of his gun. 
Strange to say, I- have never met anyone who had a per- 
fect method for cleaning out smokeless powder residue, 
although I have sent many queries to riflemen of my ac- 
quaintance. I have tried everything ever heafd or thought 
of, but nothing seems to exactly fill the bill. Undoubtedly 
Mr. Boagni has discovered that ordinary oil is woefully 
inefficient for this purpose, and in spite of its liberal use 
rust still appears. 
The. first step is to swab out the barrel as clean as pos- 
sible with kerosene. Now, take a brass wire brush and 
carefully worm out the stubborn caked powder deposit. 
A few turns won’t do it, use the brush freely but care- 
fully. With ordinary careful use the brass wire cannot 
possibly scratch. Finish up with a liberal coating of 
sperm oil or vaseline to which is added a pinch of wash- 
ing soda, and you have the best thing I have ever found. 
Rancher. 
Currituck Shooting. 
Raleigh, N. C., Nov. 15. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
I have received the following letter from John R. Up- 
church, the, chief State game warden, who Nov. i was 
sent to Currituck Sound for the season to prevent the in- 
fractions of the laws. The letter is- dated at Poplar 
Branch, Currituck county, and says : “I have been here 
one week to-night, and have information against six per- 
sons for violating the laws; will get warrants to-morrow 
morning and start after them. Some live on Killie Haw 
Island and two in Camden county. I have just got my 
yacht (gasolene) and she runs like a top. She will easily 
make eight miles an hour. There are a large number of 
swan, geese and ducks already here, but gunners say they 
are very hard to kill and will be until the weather gets 
cold. There are no non-resident hunters here as yet, but 
we are looking for some to-morrow. I find the citizens 
very clever to me and I feel quite sure they will help me 
to enforce the law. The people here are very glad to have 
the wardens here to keep down fire lighting.” 
Upchurch is a nervy and capable man, and I expect him 
to jnake a good record in looking after the most import- 
ant ducking territory in all the world. Fred. A. Olds. 
The Dominating Carp. 
Third Paper. 
Evanston, 111 ., Nov. 9. — So much comment pro and 
con has been made in regard to the edible quality of the 
outlawed carp that I concluded that the culinary experi- 
ence of others in this matter was not at all satisfying to 
me;_ as I desired practical evidence with my own sali- 
varies. There are so many grades of gastrics that what 
would be a delight to some would be displeasing to 
others. Our waxen wings frequently melt under the cruel 
fire of reality while the white frost of experience dis- 
covers the spider’s web. A Digger Indian, who rejoices 
in a grasshopper pie, would not be a fit subject with 
whom to discuss the toothsomeness of the carp-, nor 
would an almond-eyed Celestial, who> frequently eats his 
fish raw, be a desirable juryman. Nothing would satisfy 
me but the straight goods, and I therefore determined to 
masticate a few morsels of the transplanted carp, even if 
the coroner was to be called in after the banquet. In 
order to facilitate matters for bringing this . culinary 
tableau of the kitchen into the lime light I gave a dose 
tip to my agreeable and companionable host to bring on 
his return from Chicago a goodly carp for the evening 
dinner and criticism. 
This was to be a state secret between us, as to the 
species of fish to be served at the forthcoming feast to 
the household which comprised, in addition to ourselves, 
the maitrcsse and her three lovely little daughters, rang- 
ing from six to ten years, and each of whom had a highly 
cultured palate, who could almost by intuition tell a 
coarse-grained fish from one of a more delicate fiber. 
I met him at the station that ev'ening and sure enough 
he had that particular fish upon which we were to- sit in 
judgment and satisfy ourselves whether it was a thor- 
oughbred and worthy to be classed with the imperial 
family of fishes or be declared of ignoble birth and con- 
sequently receive the frozen hand and icy heart. 
We plotted as we tramped along 'the boulevard and 
drew many amusing pictures under roses and violets that 
we opined would take place around the banqueting board, 
for we were confident that the .entire family would spurn 
the finny alien, as they had been generously luxuriating 
on whitefish the past day or two, and hence the decision 
would, under these circumstances, be of exceeding in- 
terest. The change would doubtless be too radical and 
really looked like packiiig the jury. If agreeable to the 
mudqmc. it was determined to have it served as a boil, 
as tjie carp is at its very best so dished. It being de- 
sirous to hav^ immediate decision, the presiding deity of 
the culinary at once took charge of his carpship, and on 
ascertaining that the hostess was heart and hand with 
us in the manner of serving it, it was soon in a bath of 
steam, sending its unquestionable fragrance throughout 
the circum.scribed domain of the kitchen. 
In about an hour after we had clicked the ivories over 
the green baize in the billiard room we were requested to 
prepare for the feast, which we did with military 
promptness. 
“Suppose,” I whispered to the host as we brought up 
the rear of the grand march to the dining room, “that 
the carp is pronounced all O. K., what then?” 
“Why,” he responded, “we will have to bow in humil- 
ity and. wear sack cloth for thirty days; but really I don’t 
anticipate such a failure, for their palates are yet in evi- 
dence with the whitefish of yesterday, and no such fiasco 
is to be considered at all.” 
Thus . reassured I walked on with an air of triumph 
possessing me as if I had already the prize in hand. It 
was really a momentous period after the empty soup 
dishes had been removed and the carp, all gracefully and 
daintily garnished and jellied, was brought in . in his 
sepulchered tomb of china and placed at the head of the 
table. It made, amid the glitter of cut-glass and gleaming 
silverware and flashing lights, a brilliant picture, where 
a served-up crow might pass at a premium. It was really 
a skillfully executed piece of artistic work on the part of 
the cuisiniere. This was our great danger, and we now 
felt as if the executioner would soon have our heads on 
the block. We began to pale and grew quite nervous and 
felt as if a bucket of ice water was trickling down our 
backs. The fish was soon in sections and the platters 
sufficiently hot, and the fragrance of the flowers that gen- 
erously , decorated the table all aided in giving a decided 
keenness to our gastrics. The madame was the first to 
roll a morsel under her tongue, and as she did so a 
troubled shade overspread her expressive face, and then 
she asked, for the tabascO' sauce, and at that my confi- 
dence as to success rose. The sauce was liberally 
sprinkled on the fish, as if we thought to make it palat- 
able,- and then another choice piece with additional sauce 
was taken for mastication. She worried with it quite 
awhile, as if in epicurean distress, and managed at last 
to let .the salivaries take it in charge, and seemed pleased 
that she had parted with it. 
Neither .she i\or her three handsome girls at this time 
seemed- to be wallowing in epicurean voluptuousness, nor 
poised -a.s if they -were sybarites at a feast of Lueullus, 
they ;ayt.ed more like Pythagorean disciples striving fo|' 
self-restraint. ' ' ' 
She now nervously but gracefully turned to her de- 
voted husband and ir.t^rrogated as to the nomenclature 
of the fish under culinary treatment. He, fortunately, 
being noted for expedients when danger threatened, very 
promptly gave the oriental name of the fish, “Sassan.(’ 
llrat is a very unique name, and thinking it a pleasantry 
in which he frequently indulged, responded in a slightly 
cynical manner : “That, I presume, is Sanscrit, and its 
interpretation signifies Sally Ann.” At this the children 
seemed greatly amused and sent a rimple of melody rip- 
pling through the spacious room. The merriment sub- 
siding, the madame very emphatically stated that “while 
the delicious and rose-like fragrance as well as tooth- 
someness of the whitefish we had yesterday lingers with 
me as a poetic reminiscence, I will not sigh for this fish 
of the wave.” 
At this juncture the oldest girl, a handsome little prin- 
cess, who had laid aside her plate of “Sassan” almost un- 
touched, said in tones of supreme disgust : “1 really 
think the fish the most tasteless we have ever had.” And 
then the platter, with contents, went into serving hands 
and out of sight. 
Nowq the sandwiched girl, the betwixt and between of 
the trinity, rose to the importance of the occasion and 
('eclared in a plaintive way that “The only thing worth 
considering was the egg sauce, and that was perfectly 
lovely.” The kindergarten girl, who had long been wait- 
ing her opportunity for an opening, could not, now that 
she had the floor, let tlae discussion close without expres- 
sing an opinion as to the demerits of the fish, and there- 
fore announced in a somewhat disappointing manner that 
“It was good enough for Joe,” the handsome house dog, 
who would assuredly fake the first prize for beauty at 
any bench show ; and the.u the little fairy subsided, think- 
ing, doubtless, that children who chase butterflies and 
catch grasshoppers should be seen and not heard. 
The host and I did not go to such extremes as the 
epicurean critics, for we believed in that eternal justice 
which tends to foster in men those stronger qualities 
which would never permit them to accept a $150,000 
animal salary as a presiding official of an insurance cor- 
poration. We parenthetically mention this as an indicative 
of always presenting facts wherein the alien carp is under 
consideration. Flaving thus, we hope, established confi- 
dence with all we will take up the tangled thread of the 
discourse by stating that we could only endure the carp, 
not love it, for we looked upon it as ranking seventy-five 
per cent, below the whitefish, and a very slight shade, in- 
deed, above the buffalo, another coarse fish, which has 
been consigned time' and again to efiarm the done ferry- 
