May 22, 1909.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
837 
the Americans. But I was determined that, 
happen what might, the thing that Kit Carson 
wanted should be done; for, though he was an 
American, he was married to a Mexican wife 
and was like one of ourselves. So I put the 
lion on a wagon and took him to Kit Carson 
who was at Maxwell’s, on the Cimarron, and 
he sent him on by a wagon train to be given 
to the President. 
Perhaps those Indians had sense in fearing 
bad luck, for Kit Carson fell ill with his heart 
and went to Fort Lyon, on the Arkansas, to 
be cured by the Army doctor, but died there 
in his bed—he, the bravest war captain against 
the wild Navajos we ever had. And the lion 
we had taken so much trouble to catch escaped 
from the wagon master in the Raton Mountains 
when he took off the muzzle to feed him. and 
the lion fled back to the mountains, and I ex¬ 
pect by now he has got rid of his collar also, 
and his claws have grown sharp again, and he 
is more fierce and more wild than before. And 
the Washington President also has released the 
Navajos from their captivity at Bosque Redondo, 
and has allowed them to go back to their own 
country, but I think presently they will slip the 
collar and sharpen their teeth, and their claws 
will grow long and their hearts grow bold, and 
we shall have to fight them all over again with¬ 
out Kit Carson to lead us. Whether or no Kit 
Carson had any magical charm with which he 
tamed them I do not know, but I do know that 
it was only by his skill and his power that 
we were able to take captive the Navajo 
nation.—R. B. Townshend, in the “Manchester 
Guardian.” 
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the effectiveness of the second barrel, insuring a surer, quicker, better shot. 
There is already an enormous demand for the new 20 Gauge Smith Gun —weight 5)4 
to 7 lbs., and a little beauty. If you do not know about it, be sure and write. 
The Hunter Arms Company 
90 Hubbard Street 
Fulton, N. Y- 
WILD PIGEONS SIXTY YEARS AGO. 
In the year 1865 there was published in Lon¬ 
don a book entitled “Shooting and Fishing in 
the Rivers, Prairies and Backwoods of North 
America,” by Benedict Henry Revoil. Mr. 
Revoil, a Frenchman, was editor of the 
Hunters’ Journal {Journal de Chasseurs). He 
gave to his translator a lot of interesting in¬ 
formation of which much is certainly true and 
all may be. From the author’s preface we 
learn that he resided in the United States from 
1841 to 1849 , where his passion for adventure 
led him into many strange localities. Of course 
at that time game was enormously abundant. 
Here are a few paragraphs on a familiar 
subject. 
Just before dawn one morning during the 
autumn of 1847 I was on the heights overlook¬ 
ing the town of Hartford, Ky., looking for 
rice birds and other such “small deer,” when 
suddenly the sky seemed darkened as I quitted 
a wood, and on looking up, I saw immense 
flocks of pigeons. These birds were flying too 
high to be within shot, so I had no chance of 
making a breach in their ranks. I determined, 
therefore, to count the flocks which passed over 
my head within an hour. I sat down quietly, 
and drawing a pencil and paper out of my 
pocket, began taking notes. In the space of 
thirty-five minutes I counted two hundred and 
twenty flocks of pigeons flying overhead. After 
this, the separate flocks seemed to unite and 
to fly in a compact body, which hid them very 
soon from sight. The dung of these birds fell 
like snow in winter, and covered the soil. 
Returning to the inn at Hartford about mid¬ 
day, I had^ leisure to examine the continuation 
of their miraculous flight. The pigeons made 
no halt in the surrounding plains, for all 
throughout the neighborhood the crops of nuts 
and acorns had failed. It was of no use to burn 
powder at them, for they kept out of reach of 
the longest ranged fowling-piece. When a gray 
eagle dashed upon their rear-guard, they formed 
into a compact mass, which looked like a 
serpent twisting about to evade the bird of prey; 
and when the danger was over, or the enemy 
had seized his victims in his clutches, the 
column resumed its march through the blue 
fields of air. 
During the three days of my stay at Hartford, 
the population was under arms. Men and boys 
all carried double or single-barreled guns, and 
lay hid behind woods, rocks and wherever there 
was a chanc« of a shot. Prodigious quantities 
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RHYMES OF THE STREAM AND FOREST 
FRANK MERTON BUCKLAND 
One of the freshest, most delightful collections of outdoor verse offered for 
many a day. They are the outpourings of a spirit which loves nature, the 
woods and streams and growing things, and appreciates its charms. 
Mr. Buckland’s verse has a charm that is at once rare and delightful. This 
book will appeal to every outdoor man or woman, and particularly to the 
“Brethren of the Angle.” 
Its form is as attractive as its pages, closely simulating the appearance of 
the standard fly-book, printed, on heavy laid paper with ornamental border 
designs of trout flies, pocket for clippings, and blank pages for copying or 
individual composition. It is just the thing for the den, for the pocket, or 
for a gift to the friend who loves the big world of out of doors. 
Postpaid, $1.25 
FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING CO., New York. 
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WOODCRAFT. 
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By Nessmuk. Cloth, 160 pages. Illustrated. Price, $i.oo. 
A book written for the instruction and guidance of those who go for 
pleasure to the woods. Its author, having had a great deal of experience 
in camp life, has succeeded admirably in putting the wisdom so acquired 
into plain and intelligible English. 
If FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING COMPANY, NEW YORK. 
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