806 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Dec. 20, 1913. 
variably grasped the snake with its talons and 
struck heavy blows with its wings, until it could 
land a decisive thrust with its beak on the head 
of its prey, which was crushed and then swal¬ 
lowed with the greatest ease. I was much sur¬ 
prised, one afternoon, by a party bringing a 
nearly full-grown leopard tortoise, which, upon 
being thrown into the enclosure, was instantly 
pounded into a jelly-like mass and swallowed 
without any difficulty. On Sundays many of the 
miners went down to the Vaal River, in order to 
enjoy a good bath, and rub off the week’s accu¬ 
mulation of dirt, for as water was a scarce and 
high-priced commodity at Kimberly they could 
not afford the expense of a daily scrubbing. 
Among those who made the weekly trips was 
the one who proved to be such a successful hand 
with the noose, and he frequently returned with 
three or four of the most poisonous snakes of 
the region, such as the ring-hals snake, puff 
adder and horned viper. All of them were imme¬ 
diately slaughtered and swallowed with the great¬ 
est ease, and on several occasions I have known 
as many as three or four of them, nearly three 
feet in length, gulped down in an afternoon. 
It soon became noised throughout the camp 
that the crazy Yankee had made a singular addi¬ 
tion to his pets and held a regular reception 
every Sunday afternoon for the purpose of ex¬ 
hibiting its slaughtering propensities. The imme¬ 
diate vicinity of my shanty was thronged with 
a mass of sightseers, all anxiously awaiting the 
arrival of the Vaal River noosing gang. Among 
them were quite a number in whom the sporting 
element prevailed, who appointed a timekeeper, 
who, watch in hand, announced the exact number 
of seconds which elapsed while the secretary was 
getting the best of his prey, when a number of 
sovereigns would be handed to the one who had 
guessed nearest the time. Although I did not 
fancy the proceeding, I was compelled to witness 
and allow it to proceed, as the whole affair was 
conducted with the utmost honesty and good 
humor, and at the conclusion of the bout, the 
winner was forced to take the party to the near¬ 
est saloon and assuage their thirst. 
Matters went on in this manner for some 
time, until a comic finale happened one Sunday 
afternoon, in which the ringleader of the party 
figured in rather a comical and superlatively 
laughable accident. When the timekeeper an¬ 
nounced that he had won the stakes, he immedi¬ 
ately grasped them in both hands and began to 
execute an Indian war dance, yelling and whoop¬ 
ing at the top of his voice, and holding his win¬ 
nings as high above his head as he was able. In 
his boisterous excitement, he managed to get his 
feet entangled in the wire fencing and pitched 
headlong into the enclosure. As a natural result 
the coins were scattered broadcast over it, and 
before he could regain his feet the secretary, 
unused to such actions, was standing over him, 
prepared for a battle royal. I instantly sprang 
over the fencing and placed myself between the 
bird and the sportsman, who breathlessly re¬ 
gained his feet, vaulted over the enclosure and 
begged that I would gather up the scattered coins 
and pass them over to him. I did as he requested 
and he vacated the locality amid the jeers and 
laughs of his comrades. He never afterward 
made his appearance in my neighborhood on Sun¬ 
day afternoons, and I was informed that he was 
firmly convinced that he had been hoodooed. 
Frank J. Thompson. 
Upland Shooting Season in Jersey Ends 
Williamstown, N. J., Dec. 15. — The open 
gunning season for rabbits, squirrels, quail and 
pheasants was officially ended at sundown today. 
Although the season, which opened on Nov. 10. 
was nearly a month shorter than last year, the 
weather conditions have been ideal, and the 
slaughter of wild game of all kinds has been 
great. There was not a single day with tracking 
snow on the ground, under which conditions it is 
unlawful to gun in this state. 
In Gloucester County the season was marked 
by two fatalities and several minor accidents. 
Sportsmen say that these were not due to the 
large increase in the number of hunters who took 
out licenses, but to carelessness in the handling 
of the guns, both of the victims being youths. 
A movement begun in Salem County to ask 
for the repeal of the resident hunters’ license 
fee of $1.15 has met with little sympathy. Objec¬ 
tions to the gunning license are said to be con¬ 
fined to a few sections, where game wardens have 
been especially active in enforcing the game laws, 
with the result that several violators have been 
fined or sent to jail. 
Sentiment is divided over the proposal to re¬ 
quire licenses for hook and line fishing next year. 
Because of the large amount paid in license 
fees to the state sportsmen of this region will 
insist that the State Fish and Game Commission 
spend more money here in restocking the fields 
and woodlands with game. 
Kaneenda Canoe Club 
Syracuse, N. Y., Dec. 11.— Editor of Forest 
and Stream : Enclosed please find a complete list 
of officers and regatta committee of the Central 
Division of the American Canoe Association for 
1914. We trust you will publish this at an early 
date. Our division meet will be held at Syracuse, 
N. Y., about the middle of July, and as we have 
a very active campaign planned for the season of 
1914 you will begin to receive all information 
of what will be done in the Central, shortly after 
Jan. 1. We are going to ask the co-operation of 
Forest and Stream, as the official organ of the 
A. C. A., to help make the 1914 Central Division 
meet a big success, by giving it all the publicity 
you can. In that way you can help us stir up 
interest in the division to attend the meet. If 
managed properly these division meets do much 
to promote the interests of the association as a 
whole and keep alive the interest in canoeing, 
both racing and for recreation. Enclosed also 
please find my personal check for three dollars 
($3.00), my subscription to begin Dec. 1. Kindly 
forward me back numbers for the month. 
Yours very truly, 
A. F. Saunders, 6187, 
Vice-Commodore Central Division, 1914. 
Officers Central Division, 1914.—Vice-Com¬ 
modore, A. F. Saunders, Ka-ne-en-da C. C., Syra¬ 
cuse, N. Y.; rear commodore, J. H. Caldwell, 
Sylvan C. C., Pittsburg, Pa.; purser, M. V. 
Gilbert, Ka-ne-en-da C. C., Syracuse, N. Y.; ex¬ 
ecutive committee, Frank Graf, Algonquin C. C., 
Pittsburg, Pa.; A. D. Brush, Delaware C. C., 
Buffalo, N. Y.; C. Arthur Spaulding, Buffalo C. 
C., Buffalo, N. Y.; Charles Wiborg, Cha-da-koin 
C. C., Jamestown, N. Y.; board of governors, 
Lyman T. Coppins, Buffalo C. C., Buffalo, N. Y.; 
regatta committee, Curtis C. Brown, chairman; 
C. H. Savage, K. I. Viola, Syracuse, N. Y.; C. 
Arthur Spaulding, A. D. Brush, Buffalo, N. Y. 
Chicago, Dec. 7.—Editor Forest and Stream: Yester¬ 
day was a warm, dark, damp day, with little wind. 
Homer W. Bishop made the following American round 
score: 29-167, 29-185, 30-208, 88-560. 
To-day’s weather: Temperature, 20; wind, 30 miles 
an hour; sky overcast; and Mr. Bishop made an Ameri¬ 
can round score of 29-151, 29-167, 29-183, 87-501. 
EDWARD B. WESTON. 
If I knew you and you knew me— 
If both of us could clearly see, 
And with an inner sight divine 
The meaning of your heart and mine, 
I’m sure that we would differ less 
And clasp our hands in friendliness; 
Our thoughts would pleasantly agree 
If I knew you and you knew me. 
Nixon Waterman. 
REJECT IMITATIONS 
Spratt’s 
Dog Cakes and Puppy Biscuits 
ARE THE BEST 
Try them and watch results 
Send 2c. stamp foi “Dog Culture .” 
SPRATT’S PATENT, LTD. 
Factory and Chief Offices at NEWARK, N. J. 
FO R SALE 
My home place, containing 730 acres; an ideal 
hunting reserve; to the purchaser we will give a lease 
to use without charge our entire body of land for 
hunting purposes. This place well situated. Write us 
at once. STALLINGS & CO., ENFIELD, N. C. 
ppLingpcp_True Chinese type — all 
* colors, all champion bred. 
$25 up. A Christmas gift that would be appre¬ 
ciated. Full information on request. 
MRS. H. A. BAXTER, 
Phone 95-R Great Neck, L. I. 
Pekingese Puppies For Sale.—From 4 months old. 
Male weighs 154 pounds — has won 5 prizes. Female, 
mate exceptionally fine breeding—one female excellent 
$50. All housebroken. 
Mrs. Mooney, 100 West 80th St., 
Phone — Columbus 4131. 
Dog Training. — On best quail grounds South. 
SMITH and BURHANS, 
Lamar, Miss. 
Burhans’ “Worm Knocker” 35c. mailed. Positive 
Cure Distemper Formula 50c. S. Burhans, Waterloo, 
Iowa. 
Book on Dog Diseases 
AND HOW TO FEED. 
Mailed FREE to any address by the author. 
H. CLAY GLOVER, D.V.S. 
11S W. 31 st Street New York 
A FINE BIRD DOG 
For Sale.—English Setter dog, 2 years old. As 
fine a looker as you wish to see. Hunted two seasons, 
a fine partridge and woodcock dog, easy to handle; 
cne that watches you, backs and retrieves. Is an ideal 
shooting dog, also companion, knows some tricks. 
Come and see him or write for photo and pedigree. 
Price $125. Reference given. 
E. H. BAILEY, 
Danbury, Conn. 
DOGS FOR SALE. 
Do you want to buy a dog or pup of any kind? If so, 
send for list and prices of all varieties. Always on hand. 
OXFORD KENNELS, 
35 North Ninth St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
AVAN TED— Pointers and Setters to train; game plenty. Also 
two broken dogs for sale. 
H. H. SMITH, O. K. Kennels, Marydel, Md. 
IMPORTED NORWEGIAN BEARHOUNDS, Irish 
Wolfhounds. English Bloodhounds, American Fox¬ 
hounds, Deer, Wolf and Cat Hounds. Illustrated 
catalogue for 5c. stamp. 
ROOKWOOD KENNELS, Lexington, Ky. 
For Sale 
ORANGE and white llewellin setter 
BITCH. 2Vi years old. Sired by Pinehurst Doc. Registered. 
Has had full season on quail. Fast, stylish and stanch. Price 
$150. 
GEO. AV. LOVkl L, 
Middleboro, Mass. 
Airedales of Quality. 
PUPPIES and older Stock, by Champions Midland 
Royal, Swiveller, King Nobbier and other noted sires bred 
to Champion stock bitches. 
White not the best ? Money back if not satisfied. 
TONKA KENNELS, 
Security Rank Ruilding, Minneapolis, Minn. 
