NEW YOkk, muusDAY. JULY 29, 1875. 
Volnme •!, Number 25. 
17 Chatham Si. (t ilyllatl 
Term*, Ki*e Dollar* a Year. 
Ton Cent* a Copy, 
For Fmut and Stream . 
£i<tss <§>1(00 ting in rlffinnesotn. 
TIME, OCTOBER ICth, 11 $ 
OF PROFESSOR I,. A; 
><w.oc 
3F ( 
'OCK A. M. PLACE, OFFICE 
(PlIOF. LOqUITER.) 
< 1 \A/ A lREN (his P ar, " er in the chemical works) has 
V V B° l bflck - 1 will turn everything over to him, 
and I want you to go out to Ellsherg’s with me duck shoot- 
ing. I am lired and cross, and am bound to get out while 
the One weather lasts, and before Jack Frost comes down 
upon us like a trip hammer. Tell mo what I shall need 
for I have'nt fired a gun in five years. Young Ben (his ir- 
repressible two-year old) has been th-ough anJ through 
my traps, and I don’t suppose I can find a thing, so shall 
have to get new.” 
“I can provide the guns and will see to the necessary 
ammunition and fixings. You must have a pair of high 
rubber boots; these and an old felt hat, not white or black, 
are about all the dress oue ueed9 for duck shooting; still' 
if you wish to be more dressy, hunt up an old gray suit’ 
if you have one. If you wear bluck you will most cer’ 
tainly be in mourning for blighted hopes, with no dead 
ducks at the funeral.” 
“All right ; I will go across the street and get the boots 
instanter. Frank, never travel in Minnesota without lots 
of whiskey. If you don’t want it yourself somebody else 
will— without it we should’nt bo anywhere— and a lunch. 
Nelson will get up the horses and call for you, and I will 
be all ready at my house, and we will get off’ as soon as 
possible, not waiting for dinner or anything." 
Just about forty minutes after this, Nelson, Polly and 
myself drove up to the Professor’s door. We had a light 
narrow, two-seated wagon. Dexter, the off horse, not 
much to look at nnd not much to go, but with Snipe, the 
most willing, the best natured, a tremendous goer, and in 
fact every way the best horse I ever saw or wish to see 
we could get over the ground very comfortably at ten 
miles per hour. Nelson had no sinecure, driving. The 
pull was constant and terrible, in spite of patent brake 
upon bit nnd rein. I had often admired his way of dash- 
ing down Third street just as the lamps were lighted af- 
ter an evening drive, with n speed and a force irresistible 
nnd sudden death to any small boy that did’nt get out of 
the way in very much of a hurry; yet he never had an ac- 
cident, which increased my admiration for Nelson’s skill 
exceedingly. I noticed that they invited me to ride quite 
frequently, and perhaps thought it hs well to have a 
“Doctor" along. The last time the Professor took the 
reins, two ladies, the Professor, and myself— no room for 
Nelson— six miles out nnd back, we sped over the smooth 
roads, I every moment expected to see the Professor's arms 
lorn straight out of their sockets. He held on gallantly, 
enduring unto the end; but the next day he was a very 
useful and ornamental member of the community indeed, 
getting nround with each arm in a new silk handkerchief 
sling; these also he bought wholesale at tho same place 
where ho got tho boots. 
Hem!— 1 Two guns, with flasks and ammunition accord- 
ing. The water pail for tho horses, in which were two 
bottles of whiskey, tho halters, nnd a box of cigars. A half 
bushel basket filled to overflowing with bread and cheese, 
and cake and apples and matches, and the Lord knows 
what else— I don’t. Three overcoats; this appeared very sen- 
sible, tho thermometer being at least 75° in tho shade. 
And what else? Why, just two of the biggest and heav- 
iest flannel lined and wool stripped buffalo robes that were 
t*ver seen out of the frigid zone; these just disentombed 
'em their Summer whiskey barrels, there stowed to avoid 
me moths, sent up an odor of fusel oil that was at once 
powerful and refreshing. Then came the Professor’s 
boots, tho Professor, myself, Nelson, and last of all Polly 
came also. The springs settled down to hard pan. Were 
we packed freight? I think we were. Wo might have 
icon rolled down Mississippi’s steepest bluff, and I will 
guarantee not a thing would havo been jolted out of place. 
Nelson, will you have a cigar?” 
’ No; I can’t drive and hold Polly and smoke too-at 
least, not comfortably.” 
The Professor and myself upon the back seat, not hav- 
ing to ‘drive and hold Polly.” lit our cigars, and off we 
went with a jerk, from perfect quiet up to fifteen miles an 
hour, but which did nt change the relative position of 
• things the sixteenth of an inch, except that it nearly 
twitched the Professor’s head off and brought Polly over 
the front seat, bang, into my unfortunate stomach. 
“How far is it to Ellsberg’s?” inquired the Professor I 
had been there just once, he not at all. “Authorities differ- 
some say ten miles, others say fifteen miles. I say a good 
long twenty miles.” Perhaps the “city limits” have some- 
thing to do with it. I suppose they extend about fifteen 
miles from Third street bridge. Why don’t they take in 
the whole State and the North Pole? On we go over 
Trout Brook, switch off from the “ten miles to White 
Bear road" towards Little Canada, aud through it and sand 
a foot deep. The oaks grow plentier nnd larger, and look 
more and more like bigger and bigger apple trees At 
Pole Bridge Pass, the first of the rice lakes upon each side 
we water the horses, who lmve'nt let the grass grow under 
their feet; for thnt matter, Ihrough this section the light 
sandy soil would not grow enough grass in ten years to 
keep a horse from starving for five minutes. IIow the 
oaks manage it I cannot tell; but they appear as though 
they did’nt mean to, and did’nt intend to do so any more 
What a country for a lirst-eloss Desert of Sahara! ora 
glass factory! Could easily get the coal to cook it from 
Pennsylvania at eighteen dollars per ton. Further on I 
saw an English snipe standing in the mud by a small half 
dried up pond. I got out, and he started wild and alight- 
ed in the dry leaves among the oaks. As he rose again I 
killed him. 
Three o’clock, and we reached the rice lnkes proper, near 
the old shaky bridge, floored with young oak trees from 
four to eight inches in diameter, laid crosswise, a pure and 
unadulterated corduroy road up in the air. Somebody 
will go through this bridge some time and take the whole 
thing with him. Fifteeu minutes more, and up to Von 
Ellsberg’s door. Five or six duck shooters lounging about 
waiting for the evening flight. In half an hour a good 
dinner was placed before us, to which we did ample jus- 
tice. Now four o’clock. We put on our equipments, the 
Professor getting into a pair of high rubber boots for the 
first time. He and I took the road to the “pass," half a 
mile distant. We had gone perhaps half way, the western 
sun came down blazing hot, nnd the rubber boots began to 
heat up in earnest, the Professor striding along behind me 
without a word. "Well, how do you like it as far as 
you’ve got?" I inquired. “Oh! first rate; its a new sensa- 
tion, and that’s what I came for; but I believe if I ever 
again invest in a pair of these infernal foot coverings I'll 
buy retail— get just one-sixteentli of a pair, chew it up for 
gum, and then go barefoot." Just then Nelson, who had 
been delayed attending to the horsos, caught up with us. 
“Don’t you want to shoot some chickens?" “What? 
Ellsberg’s chickens? No; its too hot, and he’d make it 
hotter. Not a bit. Pniirie chickens! I saw half a dozen 
running in the brush not ten yards back.” “Where did 
they go?" "They did’nt fly at all; they just ran." “Pooh! 
they must have been pheasants, (ruffed grouse) then." 
The road upon which we were, cut off a strip of the 
second growth, perhaps six rods wide. Upon the other 
side a lake, the ground sloping from the road to the lake. 
In this strip Nelson had seen his “chickens.” Tho oaks 
were from ton to thirty feet high, open below, aud to the 
height of about four feet; then tho right angle branches 
and twigs interlaced a little tighter than the meshes of a 
No. 1 seive. I left the Professor in the road, with Nelson 
holding Polly. I stooped aud went in- Soon a rustling 
upon my right, and a cock pheasant naming. I shot him 
without mercy. Another upon my left, and he went to 
kicking. One hopped into a tree; I shot his head off. Two 
more fly, but I cannot see them- They flew down the 
strip aud I followed. It becomes a little more open; I 
get three shots flying, killed two and came out. The Pro- 
fessor had followed along abreast of me; hnd seen but oue 
bird which came out almost in his face, and was out of 
sight across the road before he could raise his gun or turn 
round. He said it seemed very much to him ifke a hn,H- 
cane going through his hair. I transferred the five birds to 
fronnH an n We, . r , Udg ^u 0U ’ fl00a COn,in 5 t0 lhe Open low 
ground. Upon the right an open shallow lake, two miles 
or more m diameter, the rice a rod or two wide around its 
borders; upon the left another lake about as lnr- e but 
| r, th t ™ otl '"‘ ds of '‘s area choked up with the rice stalks. 
These two lakes arc connected by a strip of water fortv 
feet wide. Along this a few stunted bushes, with hero 
and there a patch of rice. The distance between the lakes 
is about forty rods, and this is the "pass.” The ducks 
starting from any cause upon either lake, however distant’ 
and however much they might fly around, were almost 
certain to come down along this strip of water, the teal 
skimming the surface, the bluebills at various heights tho 
mallard from seventy-five to two hundred feel high a stray 
wood duck, or two or three canvas baeks-I saw no more 
than this of these together— anywhere they chose. 
We were early, it being now about five o’clock I stn 
tioned the Professor upon this side, near the water iu a 
few broken down willows, perhaps four feet high, enough 
cover and allowing a free sweep. It was all needed; for 
the ducks might come from above or below, from one side 
or the other, and they flew at a fearful rate. The Profes- 
sor is short sighted, wears glasses, as he explained upon 
the way down: ‘if I see a duck directly ahead, I know he 
is wheie I see him; but if either side from the perpendicu- 
lar I know he is not where I see him at all. But I have 
studied the matter, and if I am quick enough I think I can 
make the necessary corrections. ” It was very necessary 'to 
have Nelson with him to descry the birds at a distance and 
give warning, also to inform him whether thev might be 
ducks or blackbirds, size being a very uncertain quantity 
indeed in the eyesight of the Professor. But it fairly as- 
tonished me to see him calmly staring at an approaching 
duck, evidently in doubt whether it were legitimate game 
or not, and just in the nick of time pitching up his gun and 
cutting him down iu good style. I crossed the water 
fiudiug Its depths just one inch less than the height of mv 
high boots, their tops being held well up with either hand 
The shooters kept coming down until in the forty rods 
there were no less than twenty. The great trouble was 
every duck that came anywhere near was saluted some’ 
limes ten or fifteen barrels at ono bird, without a chance of 
touching a feather. This thing had been kept up for a 
week or more, rendering the birds very wild. The flight 
this evening was not good, the weather being too fine 1 
fired about twenty shats, this being nearly the average for 
all. The shooting was entirely now to me, and I made 
wretched work. It is no easy tning for a beginner to 
shoot ducks upou a pass, however good a shot he may be 
iu or out of cover. 1 aimed ahead of them, five, ten feet’ 
twenty feet; I followed them with tho gun ; I tried every 
way that I could think of, and when they wore well with- 
in range, and they would not come down satisfactorily— 
either not at all or only winged. Half an hour after dark 
they were through flying and we were through shooting 
I had two mallard, two loal, and a wood duck; the Profes- 
sor two mallard, three bluebills, and one teal, besides a 
mallard which fell near the timber a quarter of a mile 
away, and which Polly retrieved tho next morning. We 
each hit as inauy more, which went off wounded. 
The Professor was jubilant. “When I g0 out’shootiug 
I like to do some shootiug, and verily, at these ducks you 
have to do an immense amount for the number of birds 
you get. They ought to liuvc a powder mill and a shot 
factory on this pass." 
Wo found our bag somewhat better than the average- 
ono man had ten, some none at all. Polly hud done wel 1 ’ 
not only had retrieved our birds, but every other that fell 
within her observation. Nelson shouldered our game, and— 
teu of u* in all— we marched up to the house, where’ about 
eight o’clock, we ate a hearty supper of roasted ducks and 
stewed venison, cooked nicely, and well served. After 
supper, and any time iu the evening, whiskey for“those 
who chose, and all did choose; this from private stores. 
