330 
August 28, 1S75. 
LITTf JiS FROM SPORTSMEN. 
Let ns Hare Peace. 
Dayton, O., Aug. 16. 
Editor Rod and Gus: 
After reading Mr. Roive’s verj- temperate reply to 
mine of .July 18th, I cannot but feel that I owe him, 
particularly as I advocated fairness and justice, an apol- 
ogy for misjudging his motives in writing the Mineola 
report. He has shown himself more generous than I 
was, in that he believes my intentions were right, 
though, through “ a misapprehension of the trtie facts 
of the case,” I WTonged him. 
Mr. Rowe having disclaimed any enmity to Jlr. Bur- 
ges, or desire to injure him in any way, it is plain that 
I was mistaken as to the spirit which prompted his re- 
marks on Rufus and Ranger, and therefore I cannot 
but express my regret at having iiscribed to him so de- 
testable a motive as spite. 
As your columns are worthy of far better matter. I'll 
not attempt to explain or defend my “conspicuous ob- 
tuseness,” but call it a stand-off against Mr. Rowe’s 
“ self-sufficiency.” 
Let me thank Mr. Rowe for not putting on his war- 
paint, as I had great fear of losing my scalp. 
E. F. Stoddard. 
“ Ex-Guiimaker.” 
Montello, Wis., Aug. 17. 
Editor Rod and Gcx : 
I have a few words to offer in reply to “Ex-Gun- 
maker,” and this shall end the controversy on my part. 
In No. 19 of the Rod a2vdGcn, “Ex-Gunmaker” admits 
that a Sharps’ Creedmoor rifle is “perfectly reliable” at 
1,000 yards, and thus practically decides the matter 
against himself, as assuredly no rifleman could ask for 
an arm that was better. But to go farther: “Ex-Gun- 
maker,” will you make bold to say that a “Sharps’ 
Creedmoor,” of ten pounds weight, will accomplish the 
feat you claim for a thirti' pound Lewis or Billmghurst 
muzzle-loading rifle, in killing a turkey at the fourteenth 
round at one mile? In either case you are beat, as by 
your own allowance a “Sharps’ Creedmoor” “ is per- 
fertly reliahle” at 1,000 yards, and if it fails at one mile 
it can be through no other means than lack of weight. 
Gn the other hand, if it can do as well at one mile as 
the heavier gun, then certainly your avowed superiority 
of the muzzle-loader over the breech-loader is gone. 
Please explain, if it be not too arduous a task, why you 
will persist in carrying a rifle of twenty pounds weight, 
and thus needlessly wearing out your constitution, 
when, on your theory, a smaller gun would shoot as 
well at the longest ranges. Is it possible that you carry 
this rifle merely to invigorate and strengthen your frame, 
and use it to exercise your muscular arms ? It is a sore 
mystery, and as Peter Probasco, of Fire Island, Ind., 
would say, “I have my doubts.” Fred. 
Snake Bite — Dog Cnred. 
Marshai.ltowk, la., Aug. 18. 
Editor Rod .and Gcx: 
As the hunting season is now on with us, and as ac- 
cidents are liable to happen to both dogs and men in the 
field, I think it would be well for us to give our expe- 
rience in the treatment of the same, and to set the ball 
rolling will relate an accident that happened to a fine 
setter pup that belonged to a friend of mine, last Mon- 
day. 
We started from here about six o’clock in the morn- 
ing, and after driving about .seventeen miles got into the 
stubble to do our best shooting, when the pup came to a 
stand on a rattlesnake, which struck him on the side of 
the nose. It immediately commenced swelling, and by 
the time he reached the wagon (about forty rods dis- 
tance) showed a very re.spectable sized lump. We im- 
mediately poured about three ounces of whisky down 
him, being all we could get down on account of his 
struggling so severely. This cheeked the immediate 
action of the poison. We then ran him for about an 
hour, not letting him have any water. By this time he 
had become verj- thirsty, head and neck much swollen, 
and showing .signs of some distress. We had now 
reached a house where we procured milk, and pouring 
into it tfiTee ounces of whisky, he drank it, and in ten 
minutes was as drun’x as a lord. He would howl and 
reel around, fall down, try to get out, and once actually 
fell out of the wagon. We had to hold him in until he 
got so drunk he couldn’t walk; then he had to lie still. 
As soon as the drunk commenced, we knew the dog 
was safe. The swelling gradually grew less, and within 
three hours the dog was in the field again, and done as 
much work as any of the dogs, although for a spell 
showed evident signs of intoxication, and twenty-four 
hours afterward all signs of the bite had disappeared. 
We killed the snake, which we think was about two 
and a half feet long. Had we been without whisky we 
should have had a dead dog. I do not write this to ad- 
vocate the use of whisky, but as such accidents as I have 
described are liable to happen to any hunter or his dog, 
I think a small quantity taken along will not be out of 
place. A small bottle of aqua ammonia to apply at 
once to the wound would no douht facilitate the cure. 
It saved us a valuable dog, and did not interfere with 
our sport, as we bagged 128 chickens in an evening and 
morning hunt. Bob. 
Papa Botte — All's Well. 
New Orleans, August 10. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
Since I last had the honor of addressing the Rod and 
Gen, aUas American SporUman, it has changed its name, 
put on its new clothes and gone to New York to live — 
to see and be seen. I hope it won't get proud and cut 
its poor country relations, on account thereof, as many 
people are apt to do when they remove to “ the City.”. 
If I might be permitted to criticise this conduct, I should 
say that I think the change of name, an improvement; 
the new dress, less tasty than the old, and the removal 
to New York — well, I don’t exactly know about that — 
hope it is for the best — but sometimes it is best to let well 
enough alone. The Rod and Gen was doing very well 
at Meriden; don’t think it could be made much better 
anywhere — in fact don’t want it any better. It was good 
enough before. I am opposed to its being made any bet 
ter;pray keep it as it was. From the last number it appears 
that the “ dog-men” have got by the ears again. Is it not 
singular that the disposition of the dogs should so trans- 
fuse itself into the owners? The propensity of dogs to 
quarrel is well known, but that it is necessary for their 
masters to do so, although quite common, is not so well 
understood. “ Let dogs delight to bark and bite,” etc., 
but let the owners remember that their little hands were 
never made to tear each other’s eyes — metaphorically 
even. In more northern latitudes the lovers of the sport 
are getting their fine breech-loaders out of the cases al- 
ready, and are looking thiough the polished steel bar- 
rels to see if a speck anywhere appears on the burnished 
surface. Every dark spot is closely investigated lest the 
corroding rust has invaded the precious steel. The wire 
brush is tried nervously to ascertain whather it be reallj- 
the dreaded rust, or only a little speck of mercurial 
ointment that casts its ominous shadow down the 
glittering concave. Those beautiful laminated or damas- 
cus barrels, so cunningly fabricated, must be carefully 
preserved. In this latitude, it is too early to prepare 
for the sport. The barn-swallows have just begun to re- 
turn here from their northern migration — the first har- 
bingers of the immense flight of birds that is to follow 
in months to come. Soon we shall hear of deeds of high 
emprise, done on the flowing prairies of Iowa and Illi- 
nois, among the prairie-chickens and bob- whites, and of 
huge hags of game brought home; but here we bide our 
time. The beautiful laminated barrels and those clear 
ringing locks — so soft, so elastic, so beautifully engraved 
— must all lie in their case yet, a few weeks more, until 
Old Boreas shoots his icy shafts at our northern breth- 
ren and drives them from the field to huddle around the 
welcome fire, while their game spreading their broad 
pinions come swiftly down to bask on our sunny shores; 
then we will arise and go forth to the sport. Then will 
we drink in the glorious sunshine and rejoice amidst 
the beauties and bounties of nature. 
When our now silent lakes, bayous and marshes are 
resonant with the inspiriting quack of the mallard, and 
the piping of the goose, when the snipe and the bob- 
white are at their best, and the red deer rolling in fat and 
well grown ; then is the time for sport. In those soft 
and balmy autumnal days, when field, forest and 
stream abound with game, it is a genuine pleasure to 
stand under the wide-spreading branches of the oak or 
the lofty cypress and contemplate nature in her loveli- 
ness. What place on earth so fills the soul with a calm 
satisfaction and quiet sense of joy as beside the forest 
stream? Whence arises this love of the primeval 
woods? Whence comes that sense of satisfaction which 
one feels nowhere else but in the forest? Is it because 
it has been the home of countless generations of our an- 
cestors, the natural home of man, and that nature will 
reassert herself when we visit the ancient primal abode 
of the race? Why is it that children love the forests and 
trees, and climbing among the leaf\' branches, if not 
that here the human race was “evolved” clambering 
among the leafy branches in the deep forests? Here all 
distinctions are leveled, and we all feel that we are in- 
deed at home. 
Whatever be the cause of this feeling in mankind it is 
deeply seated and indelible. A word about the great 
international rifle match and I will close this rambling, 
gossiping letter. We beat the Irish at shooting, but I 
think they beat us at hospitalit}'. It takes an Irishman 
to do the host to perfection, and who knows after all 
but the big hearted Captain Leech allowed our men to 
win purposely to make them feel comfortable as guests. 
Had the Americans not made such capital scores I should 
have thought their victory was due more to Irish 
hospitality than American skill; who knows? The Irish 
deserved to win, and the magnaminity of their Captain, 
team and people is more creditable to them than even 
victory itself. Long may they wave. While I say this, 
far be it from me to depreciate the merits of the 
Americans. They did nobly. Their work was entitled 
to credit though they had been beaten. They well de- 
serve all the honors their admiring countrymen have 
awarded them. It was a happy event, alike honorable 
to victor and vanquished. 3Iay the Green Isle grow 
still greener; and may the English people soon feel it 
their interest to do the Irish people the favor, and them- 
selves the honor, of giving Ireland a more liberal govern- 
ment. P.APA Botte. 
Wrong, Tery Wrong. 
Somerset, Perry Co. , Ohio. Aug. 9. 
Editor Rod and Gen: 
I see in your issue of August 7 that you reprint the 
stupid story taken from some unnamed Ohio paper, of 
some nameless Ohio boy finding a flock of quail eating 
bugs and cut worms bj' the dozen in a corn-field at plant- 
ing time. Now my opportunities for observing the hab- 
its of the quail have been very good, and I have exam- 
ined the crops of a good many very closely, and I never 
found an insect of any kind in any of them, and I do 
not believe that a quail at large in the fields will eat in- 
sects at all. Further, it is verj’ rarely that a bevy of 
quail can be found at corn planting time, which is about 
the 10th or loth of May. The mischief of such publi- 
cation lies in the fact that the land holder will use it as 
an additional reason (true or false) for driving the 
sportsman off his lands. Again, on page 283 of the 
Rod and Gun, August 7, there is an editorial eulogizing 
the Ceres Grange of Colorado, for passing a resolution, 
which, if enforced, would totally abolish aU shooting, 
legitimate or otherwi.=e. And if that could be accom- 
plished where would such a paper as the Rod and Gen 
find its patronage? Your pages should tend to soothe, 
rather than aggravate, the bad feeling already existing 
in the minds of the Granges against all sportsmen, with- 
out any distinction. C. H. Hope 
The nniversalitv of the rain del (ige is the surprising thing about 
it. We hear eimnltaneonsly reports of i-xtraordinar)" rainfall.s from 
the Ohio valler. China, the whole of Europe and .Australia. The 
.summer rainfall in New England has b-en remarkable, and it is re- 
ported from the far West that they are having a great deal of rain in 
the Rocky Monntaina. and near them in places where it has formerly 
never rained, or in very small quantities. Evidently the causes at 
work must be of the bniadest operation, to produce such a world- 
wide phenomenon. In looking about for some such cause, perhaps 
our meteorologists mar profitably inquire if the world-wide preva- 
lence of extreme cold last winter may not have had something to do 
with it. No doubt the meteorological influences of such a winter as 
the last, from its effect upon the temperature of ihe earth and other- 
wi-e. must have been marked and lasting, and we know that tem- 
perature is a great element in the production of rain. Thus, for ex- 
ample. the theory by which the Signal-office explains the Ohio floods 
i.s that the unusually low temperature which has prevailed in the 
Ohio valley this summer has condensed the vapor clouds coming up 
from the Gulf of Mexico more generally than usual. Possibly a larger 
application of the same theory may partially account for the visittt- 
tions of floooB in other parts of the world. 
The Pennsylvania Game laws provide that game may be killed as 
follows: "Deer, from September 1 to January 1 ; rabbits. October. 
Novembe-. December and January : squirrels, from July 1 to Janu- 
ary 1 ; wild turkeys, from October 1 to January 1 ; grass plover from 
August 1 to' .January 1 : gray or Wilson snipe, from September 1 
to -April 1 ; woodcock, from .August 1 to January 1 : part- 
ridges. from November 1 to January 1 : pheasants, from 
September 1 to January 1 : rail or reed birds, from September 1 to 
December 1. There are severe penalties attached to killing game 
out of season. Trapping or snaring is equally punishable, A.“ to 
the killing of insectivorous bi ds at any time, the law expre-sly says 
that no person shall kill or expose for sale, or have in his possession 
after the same is killed, any nigbtbank. whippoorwill, sparrow, 
thrush, lark, finch, martin, chimney-swallow, bam-swallow, wood- 
pecker. flicker, robin, oriole, red or cardinal bird, cedar-bird, tana- 
ger, cat-bird, blue- bird, or other insectivorous birds, under a penalty 
of $5 for each bird trapped, exposed for sale, or had in possession. 
The penaity for shooting on Sunday is from $10 to $20. Fishing for 
speckled trout and salmon ceases i n tbe 15th inst. Judges, mayors, 
burgesses, sheriffs, police and constables are invested with the duty 
of carrying out the previsions of tbe law. 
f 
,1 
I' 
1 
)■ 
4 
