164 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
the herd we had left, the others, to hunt <m sovnlruh 
tracks they had crossed the evening before, \V e am not 
get sight of game until the afternoon, There be! ing no 
wind the came started before we could get sight of them, 
but at last we came on the herd, and as they dashed through 
n'erove of 'hard wood one buck paused an instant o see 
the cause of alarm, his head and neck showing between 
two trees. I raised my rifle, the sharp report rang out, and 
be fell “ hi* track shot through the neck ; another shot 
fired at the retreating herd wounded another, nod we pushed 
on in hope of overtaking it, but found it would likely be a 
long chase ; and ns evening was closiug upon us after dress- 
ing the buck we buried him in the snow ami started 10 
return On the way we caught a porcupine, which Abra- 
ham carried along. We had a long tramp, and Abeuc- 
knowlcdged that lie felt done out, for we hud left camp at 
half past eight, and it was now about seven in the evening. 
We had not brought food with us, and had no chance to 
COOlt flDV. 
Arriving at camp we found that the others had been even 
more successful than we, having killed three. One, which 
my friend killed when alone (the Indian having returned to 
camp, leaving him to follow), weighed over lhreo hundred 
pounds. We now began to feel better satisfied with our 
performances, and having run out of provislons-the bread, 
tea biscuit, etc., being-all gone— recourse was had to cari- 
boo steak in unlimited quantities. As a substitute for tea 
we made a decoction of the twigs of the yellow birch, 
which was very acceptable. The next morning Abraham 
ami I took Joseph with us to help carry out the game my 
friend and Jacob going after the big buck, which had been 
killed not far from camp. As we came near where the 
buck was killed we saw cariboo feeding on the edge oi a 
long plain or barren; we stepped buck into the woods and 
made a wide circuit, coming out cautiously to the edge of 
tlio plain. One of the herd, which was feeding apart Trom 
the rest, saw us and ran off. He did not wait to alarm Ins 
fellows, so we let him go and started for a clump of bushes 
nearer to the game; but just as we were midway one buck 
stalked gravely out into the open space and in plain view 
of us We had crouched down in the snow on his appear- 
ance, and he now gazed steadily at us. He was soon joined 
by another, and another, until about a dozen hud collected, 
and each one stood and stared steadily at us. Evidently 
they could not muko us out as we lay in the snow. After 
standing about ten minutes they seemed to conclude it wise 
to leave; the leader starting, followed by the herd, Abra- 
ham whispers, “Shoot now, quick; they gol 1 took a 
quick aim and fired. The loader jumped into the air and 
fell but he recovered himself and seemed bound to run 
for bis life. The shot had struck him a little lower on the 
shoulder than I intended, and he brought up the roar of the 
herd, which now fled across the plain. A couple of shots 
hurriedly fired and missed, and they reached the woods on 
the other side. Hero they paused a moment for the wound- 
ed buck which had been the leader, but now dragged in 
the rear. The delay was fatal to a fine doe, for raising my 
sight to four hundred yards I knelt aud fired. Abraham 
cried, “You hit him bad." Rushing across the plain we en- 
tered the woods, where the trail could bo followed without 
trouble, as the blood flowed freely. We found that the two 
wounded oneB had separated from the herd, aud as they 
had taken the direction of the camp we did not press them 
too closely. After an hour’s pursuit we found the last 
wounded doe had turned, so we shot her down. The ball 
that had wounded her bad entered about the centre of the 
back. Abe and I stopped to dress her. and sent Joseph to 
do the same with the stag, which had now fnllen from loss 
of blood. Wo found the doe in splendid order, being quite 
fat She had only one horu, the other having been shed. 
I thought it singular thut the stump where the horn had 
grown was healed and grown over with fur before the other 
was cost. Jacob having completed his taste and covered 
the carcass with snow, we each took a back load of the doe 
aud started for samp, where we arrived about dark and 
found that the others hud killed auother cariboo. As wo 
now had seven, we decided to devoto the rest of the time 
to getting the meat out of the woods. , , . , 
The next two days were spent in this most laborious, but, 
to the sportsman, very necessary work, as it is against the 
came laws of our Province to leave any meat in the wood*, 
and we being limited in time did not kill more game than 
we considered we could get out. I found backing very 
bard work, and soon devised an improvement. 1 liaruesseu 
myself to a large piece of meat, and as it was frozen as 
liurd as a rock it dragged easily over the track made by our 
Buow-shoos, the Indians laughing heartily at my novel ta- 
boggan. By Friday noon we baa all the meat, hides, etc., 
over to our first camp. On our way thither we were very 
much surprised by a visit from two of our game commis- 
sioners, or wardens, who had come into the woods about 
thirty miles expecting to find that we had violated the law 
by killing moose. This zeal was worthy of commendation, 
but as parties in tho neighborhood had been killing moose 
since September, and had not been prosecuted (as they 
could not pay the fine), we rather thought that a more mer- 
cenary motive than mere duty wa9 the cause of their visit. 
We soon satisfied them that we were not poaching, and as 
the flue lor each offence was $40, they were no doubt well 
pleased to return as they came, with a sense of having done 
their duty, and we were well satisfied with their visit, as it 
relieved us of all suspicion of having killed moose. W e 
got out to the farm house the same night, and as we had 
to start early in tho moruiugwe prepared our luggage over- 
night. Thoughts of home now took the place ol the ex- 
citement of the hunt, and we were anxious to get to the 
stutiou by the next afternoon; but the snow bad now com- 
menced to fall anew, and threatened to blockade us. It 
fell heavily during the night, and when morning came the 
roade looked bad enough. Wo first started a sleigh with a 
strong puir of horses. On this was placed the meat, hides, 
and all our luggage. The Indians followed on snow-shoes 
taking a lift iu the sleigh when the going was good, , aud 
we followed in a lighter sleigh. However, we reached the 
station long before the train, it being delayed by the snow. 
We reached Halifax about midnight, having been absent 
from the city just twelve days. This was considered a 
very successful hunt, for the cariboo arc difficult to find, 
being always on the move. I had some excellent opportu- 
nities for observing them during this hunt. They always 
traveled in lndiuu file, the strongest ahead and the weakest 
in the rear. On one being wouuded he struck off from 
the rest, generally at right angles, although the going would 
be much easier in the track ol the herd. Some of the herds 
had very youug ones with them, probably the last Spring s 
fawn, and when alarmed the old buck sprang to Ibe front, 
making a track through the auow iu which the others fol p 
on our road; this occurred several times, iney J 
went at a steady trot, but when pushed would bound, and 
the space they would cover in tins way was surprising. 
Facli ^individual leaps into the hole in the snow made bv 
S“lUde" .Dd «, tho weaker one, have a good fooUwlt 
We killed five bucks and two does; they all had horns ^ex 
cent the hie buck, be having shed his. 1 he old males gen- 
erally ^cost their horns about January. The first horns are 
Ca The d riMc° we 'used were Snyder breech loaders, carrying 
the cartridges used in the British army. 1 he ball is five 
hundred and seventy-seven one hundredths, or ubout twenty- 
five gauge, something larger than the Spencer m> llta ry 
cartridge 8 but with a much heavier charge of powdei . We 
found these very effective, as the ball, when it 
its size and the velocity with which it went seldom failed 
to disable the game. A small bullet is useless, as the ani- 
mal, although wounded fatally, will run so far that the 
chauces of finding him are slight. e pntl>m 
The season for killing cariboo is from the 1st of 8eptom 
her until the 1 st of March. The number each individual 
is allowed to kill is five, and on no account to kill more 
than it is possible to get out of the wood. 
E. 
AN ENGLISH TROUT STREAM. 
<<TT was 5 o’clock in the morning, Ol" as I briskly 
I stepped out of my domicile a bright June day I 
sav bright, because it eventually turned out to be one, and 
because at that hour it was not fair to judge it as the sun 
bad not risen to clear away the mist that seemed to shroud 
all objects in delicious quietude. I had made up my mind 
lo take a day’s recreation on tho little trout stream that 
wound its way into mightier waters some three m\,eB bc- 
low. I had not far to walk, as within a quarter of an hour 
1 iTwas a pretty sight and a wholesome sound l °-boot. 
The banks were decked in fresh verdant foliage of trees 
and plants, an abundance of the latter growing by the 
water’s edge and bobbing their blooming heads as if ic .obeis- 
ance to the passing stream, as it rattled by harmless, happy , 
and serene, lo the accompaniment of its gurgling ripples. 
I leant upon a rail that ran across a rustic bridge and 
looked ami listened, absorbed in thought. I was soon 
arouswd from my reverie by the passing of some laborers 
on their way to a hard day’s toil. We exchanged greetings— 
they passed oue way to work, I the other lor a day of pleas- 
ure i began to flog the water; a little ahead of me I noticed 
a rise from a good fish. I brought my flies lo hand, ex- 
amined them, all right, away they went aud dropped nicely 
over mv friend. 1 will here state that I was using the 
“May fly" solely, as, although it. was June, the trout in our 
northern streams are behind the fashion and take the ‘May 
fly” in June with as much gusto as the belter educated and 
more fashionable fish of the South. . 
But to return to my 6tory. I dropped my flics just over 
him— caught— Ohl he was a greedy fish and did not require 
asking twice; in a minute he was rushing madly down 
stream struggling with the most obstinate fly he had ever 
got hold of; he tried back again, but all to no purpose; lie 
repeated the operation several times and at lost began to 
flounder on the top of the water; flip, flap, flippidie flap, 
went his tail as he vented his rage on the poor innocent 
water. No good, my speckled fellow, you caught a Tartar 
when you grabbed that “May fly." I stretched my net out 
and brought him nshore, a pound and a half of an ounce 
I inwardly thought. Crack went Ins head against the sole of 
my boot. Alas ! poor flsli, you are no more, your coffin, my 
basket ; your grave, my supper. 
The sfin had risen by this lime; perhaps it would be well 
to review the scene around me. 
Although the hills that bounded the view on every side 
were uot Alpine, nor were tho fruits gold, nor did I hear 
any whispering myrtles; still no words of mine can so well 
describe the serenity of the scene nor express its poetic 
charms, as those of "Melnotto" in “The Lady of Lyons, 
when he describes his home to “Pauline. 
“A deep vale , , 
Shut out by Alpine hills from the rude world, 
N. ar a clear lake, margined by fruits of gold 
And whispering myrtles, glassing softest aklos 
As cloudless, save with rare and roseate shadows, 
As I would have thy fate."’ 
Buch was the scene before me, when the romantic lias 
been somewhat blended with the realistic. The little 
stream the scene of this narrative, was scarcely more than 
fourteen feet wide, thickly covered at intervals by over- 
bading trees and shrubs, bo that I had often the mortifica- 
tion of seeing and hearing fish rise without being able to 
throw over them; and bills ran up almost from its edge 
beautifully clothed in foliage. A thorough English plough- 
boy’s remark on one occasion greatly amused me. Alter 
the Yokle had satisfied his curiosity by askiug one or two 
questions, the dense stupidity of winch could only bo equal- 
led by his class, I thought I would amuse myself by in- 
terrogating him. “Nice day, is’ut it? ’ I began. 
“U rn, I dun know," ho replied, hulf asleep in the sun. 
“Splendid view from here." , , , 
“Yes think so— eh l mun." I turned to look at the rustic; 
this was said with some fire. I thought I would try lnm 
don’t admire it, then.” He stared at me for a second 
auu w .on replied: “Admire it, no, I fancy I don’t care 
particularly about it. You gentle folks, talking all your 
rubbish about hills and all that kiud of thing, 1 d just like 
you to be at the tail of a plough a whole day up and down 
vour plagued hills. Good morning sur. Without another 
word Rust icua bolted and left me to laugh at lus rough and 
ready attack ou art and poetry. Ohl Romance, you medicine 
to the fancy! 1 was Ashing along with very fuir sport when 
a bad throw deposited my flies iuto the tender embraces ot 
u black thorn bush. „ . . 
I’m afraid the beauties of nature, so poetically thought 
of but a short time previously, became subjects for verjr 
abusive language. "Hang that bush." ‘Botheration, 
“Fust as wax," and many more such expressions, were 
blurted out, accompanied by a furious scowl from your 
humble servant. Bushes are as bad enemies to the angler as 
hooks are to a hungry fish, so I thought as I snarled at the 
black thorn bush that had so effectually captured my flies. 
I laid my rod down and took hold of the line. No go. 1 
took a run, cleared the water and succeeded in loosing them. 
To get back was the trouble; I had jumped from the highest 
hank Well, I knew I had to get back. I deliberately 
walked in and waded across, wet up to the middle; but a 
ducking ou a Summer’s day is generally pleasant, so 1 con- 
tinued up stream, catching fish, loosing some, having my 
flies taken aud smoking my pipe with the utmost satisfac- 
tion to all present, that was to myself alone. 
Soon after noon it began to get far ton warm for good 
sport, so I determined to pass a few hours sketching under 
the shade of a huge oak close by. Having arrived there, 1 
laid down my whole length, refilled my pipe and took a few 
m ; nn , M of.lpct mv view. I soon decided. The brook 
with the fallen willow spanning it made a nice foreground, 
and distant hills seen through a nook in the nearer range 
gave a glorious distant view. Suffice it to say that I speut 
several hours over iny sketch before I again betook my- 
self to the stream; hut as soon as I recommenced l found 
the fish hungry, and I flogged away until I began to tiie. 
My basket felt considerably heavier than in ll »e morning. I 
put another flsli in my basket, looked at mv watch found 
it was 7 o'clock. I’ll flsli another hour aud then give my 
to S° teidcr mercies of the cook l>d a gtonou. 
hour’s sport. The flies covered the water m the cool of 
the evening and l made the most of their appetites . Eight 
O’clock bame, I had made very nearly home. I determined 
to desist for the day, so I sat my self down on the bank and 
spread the contents of my basket out on the grassy bank. 
Seventeen and a half brace, a splendid sight, all the speck 
led beauties that within a short time had ornamented on 
of nature’s ornaments, laying dead and motionless no more 
lo try the anglers’ skill or flash up stream in unsullied free 
^Tbegnn to get absurdly contemplative. I questioned my- 
self uto whether flsli could speaker not, ami it tbeycouhi, 
whether it was not probable that they swore when they 
found tlie barb of a hook in their mouth. Bah, 1 bit at 
out into a fit of ringing laughter, aud came to the couclu- 
8 * < Reader I you 3 wiH°excuse my folly-have you cver aat bjr 
the side of a rippling stream— the evening quietude met 
lowed and not disturbed by its rustling moaning? iis 
then the poetic miud is in its glory and 
plation grasps the omnipotence of the Creator. Tims have 
I passed loug hours, alone, but not iu solitude 
••To elt on rocks, to muse o'er flood and fell, 
To slowly (race lue forest's shady eceno, 
Where things that own not man's dominion dwell, 
And mortal foot hath ne'er or rarely been; 
To climb the i rackless mountain a 1 unseen, 
With the wild flock that never heeds a fold; 
Alone o'er g'esps and foaming falls to lean. 
This ie not solitude; ’tls but to hold 
Converse with nature's charms, aud seo her 
Stoics unroll'd ."—Jiyron. 
Such were mv thoughts as I mused o’er my array of 
“dead heads” and gazed at the scene around me. 1 gave a 
aeiul licaus ^ hllt - 8 that?” •‘Oh!" A smile played 
“ auother beauty of 
across my features. “Only a water rat," another beauty ol 
a stream— the little fellow stemmed the current and landing 
opposite me began to feed on some plant-now and then 
pausing to listen for sounds of danger, aud when satisfied 
as to his security lie again tackled his supper. I questioned 
my watch— half past eight by the road. I jumped to ray 
feet aud the rat, startled in his turn, plunged into the stieain. 
I stowed my fish away, shouldered my net aud rod, aud 
was iu the kitchen in a few moments. 
“Here cook, let’s have some of these for supper 
“Very well Sir,” replied the buxom wench. My stars, 
y °“Ye8 l1 " I fepHed PO “be as quick a? you can," and I sallied 
on to the verandah. “Holloa girls," to my sisters 
"Oh! you’ve got back, have you, m clioxus from all 
t^Well my inqusitive sisters, I believe I'm myself. 
“Oh! stupid!" (Sisters are always complimentary). 
“VVliat sport?" inquired one. , . „ . 
“Seventeen and a half brace, by all that s holy, quoth I. 
‘“Tis well,” rejoined one, taking iu the comedy of tho 
tlU “A short farewell, my sisters, I must change my attire. I 
will presently return to tea." 
“No fear of that Mr. Hungry." “Thank you. from one. 
It is an old suying, that no flsli are as sweet as those 
caught by yourself. I firmly believe it, and so I thought 
as I refreshed the inner man that evening. I retired 
to rest— my dreams were of fish in mid out of water 
— a harmless subject, aud a boquet of lovely women-a 
happy finish to a day spent iu glorious, innocent sport 
Perhaps many an eye will glisten as it scans these lines, 
which may recall to mind home scenes now known only 
in the rememberauee of the past. Britain 
For Forfttand Stream. 
STONEY LAKE, CANADA. 
again 
"You 
and then 
F OR the benefit of those readers of Foxiest and 
Stream who are already askiug where they shall 
spend a few weeks recreation next Summer a few lines in 
favor of that Canadian paradise, Stoney Laki, aud connect- 
ing waters, may prove or interest. 1 he comity of PcU.r- 
boro has tho good fortune lo possess this chum of lakes 
and many there are, in said county, and perhaps not a few 
out of ic who have speut many a pleasant day s fishing or 
duck shooting on Stoney and Clear lakes. T he formti is a 
body of water about nine miles long by three wide and 
dotted over with innumerable islands ot all sizes and shapes. 
Many of these ure wooded, others are covered with grass 
and small shrubs, while a few produce a lair crop of Imre 
rock- these latter are sometimes selected ns camp grounds 
for the weary traveler, as the following will show. 
Two years ago, while our hunting parly had their canoes 
stretched ou wliat is known as Grassy Island, two of the 
company took a canoe about six o’clock m the evening and 
ran up the lake to Mount Julien, uiul ou their way back to 
camp a wind storm came up directly against them. 1 hey 
strove manfully for some lime, hoping to teach our camp, 
where a hot supper aud comfortable beds were awaiting 
them As they were rouudiug one of those bare rocky 
islands a gust of wind turned them about, and completely 
exhausted, iu full view of our camp fire, they were com- 
pelled to make this island their home for the night, lm.ro 
is an old sayiug, that misery loves company, and it was 
verified in their case; a couple of town pedagogues were 
also caught iu the storm, and being obliged to retire m 
favor of the very ungentle zephyrs, were soon passing iuc 
