53 « 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[April 6, 1907. 
guiding is never done with a pole here, but en¬ 
tirely with the feet and body. For instance, in 
turning to the left, the right foot is shoved ahead 
and the skis tilted to the left, as is also the 
body. In this way a turn at nearly a right 
angle can be made, but the binding must be firm, 
or the ski catmot be steered. 
In coasting steep grades a pole is a poor 
brake. Spread your legs pretty far apart and 
have the points of the skis come nearly to¬ 
gether. Now tilt up the outer edge, so just the 
inner edge bears on the snow, and they are 
under perfect control. Rubbing the ski with 
tallow is not advisable for two reasons; first, 
it is liable to make a fellow swear a blue streak 
if hills are to be ascended, and even on the 
level the foot that is to push one forward is 
liable to slip back. There is one instance, 
though, where grease works wonders, and that 
is when the weather is mild and the snow clings 
to the ski; a little wax rubbed in them will help 
it slide and save some of the heart-breaking 
labor of lifting the ski at every step with the 
attached pounds of wet snow. Another good 
preventive is to paint the bottom with pitch, 
setting it in the sun and letting it dry in well. 
Give it two or three coats. 
I wish Mr. Moody were here; I would show 
him people that use the skis for sport. Every 
Sunday, when the weather is fair, thousands, 
from the king and queen down, strap on their 
skis and roam through woods and over moun¬ 
tains, returning with rosy cheeks, bright eyes 
and appetites like wolves. It is a sport that 
gives a person an open eye for the beauties of 
nature, hardens the muscles, strengthens, the 
lungs and trains one to decide quickly at a pinch. 
But to make it a pleasure one must have good 
skis, and more important yet, perfectly fitting 
bindings. 
Inclosed is the photo of two of Norway’s best 
skiers, caught on “the jump.” They are con¬ 
sidered, even here, to be rather sensational. 
Chr. G. 
Gun License in British Columbia. 
The following letter has been sent out by the 
Victoria Gun Club to British Columbia gun 
clubs generally and the result will be looked for 
with interest. The letter reads: 
“Victoria, B. C., March 8 .—Dear Sir: I in¬ 
close petition regarding game preserves and gun 
license. Both these resolutions were passed at 
a meeting held here and at Vancouver. 
“The only way to protect the farmer or 
rancher from irresponsible pot-hunters breaking 
their fences and shooting their stock is by mak¬ 
ing the men who shoot pay a license to provide 
a fund for game wardens. The true sportsman 
will also be benefited by the very large increase 
in the number of game which will follow when 
they are protected. 
“I trust you will get as many signatures as 
possible, and let me have the petition back with¬ 
out delay as it should be presented to the House 
at the earliest date possible. J. Musgrave.” 
The petition asks that a gun license of not 
more than $2 per annum be imposed. Farmers 
to be exempt shooting on their own lands. 
That game preserves be established as sanc¬ 
tuaries for game. It is to be hoped that the peti¬ 
tion will be largely signed, for this is the time 
when legislation of this sort should be pressed, 
and if game wardens are to be appointed we 
should club together and provide funds for sal¬ 
aries, otherwise there never will be any protec¬ 
tion for the fast disappearing game. 
The gun club meets Wednesday at 8 P. M. 
and will discuss the matter. 
Beginning April 13 the Forest and Stream will publish 
;i short series of reminiscences of the wild Indian days of 
1S(i5 by William T. Hamilton, the famous trapper, trader 
and sign talker, of Montana, and the author of “My Sixty 
Vc-ars on the Plains.” While the events described in 
Mr. Hamilton’s story, “The Council at Fort Benton,” 
took place nearly a quarter of a century after he first 
b< :;an to travel the then untrodden plains of the West, 
th:v also took place nearly a half a century ago. They 
describe the dangers of travel over the old plains, the 
of war parties, of hostile Indians, the arrogance of 
primitive man, protected by his distance from a civilization 
of v.hose existence he was ignorant, and furnish a picture 
of wild frontier life such as every reader will be glad to 
have presented to him. 
Legislation at Albany. 
In Assembly by Mr. Mills (Int. 539 ), amends 
Section 8 of the forest, fish and game law—as 
to deer—transportation season begins Sept. 15 
and ends Nov. 4, but if possession is obtained 
for transportation after Sept. 15 and before mid¬ 
night of Nov. 3, the venison may, if accompanied 
by owner, lawfully remain in possession of the 
common carrier, the aditional time necessary 
to deliver same to destination. 
In Assembly by Mr. Mills (Int. 145), amends 
Section 2 of forest, fish and game law—as to 
deer—by ending the close season Sept. 15 and 
beginning it Nov. 1. No wild deer shall be 
taken while in water. 
In Senate by Mr. Wilcox (Int. 758), provides 
a close season on grouse in the county of Yates, 
prior to the year 1910; (Int. 759) provides close 
season for quail in county of Yates to the year 
1910; (Int. 760) provides close season for black 
and gray squirrels in county of Yates to the 
year I910; (Int. 761) provides close season for 
woodcock in the county of Yates to the year 
1910. 
Bills have been acted on as follows: 
By Mr. Rodgers, relating to marine fisheries; 
in committee on ways and means. 
By Mr. Smith, relating to nets in the Hudson 
and Delaware rivers; referred to committee of 
the whole. 
By Mr. Whitney, relating to close seasons on 
deer in certain counties; on third reading. 
By Mr. Gates, relating to set lines and tip- 
ups in Oswego county; referred to forest, fish 
and game committee. 
By Mr. Filley, relating to the sale of trout 
in certain counties; ready for final action. 
By Mr. West, four bills, relative to a close 
season on quail, grouse, woodcock and squirrels 
in Yates county; in committee. 
By Mr. Hooper, relative to taxidermists’ licen¬ 
ses ; in committee. 
By Mr. Lupton, to repeal Section 123 of the 
forest, fish and game law, relative to shell 
oysters; in committee. 
By Mr. Nevins, relative to taking certain fish 
in Silver Lake; in committee. 
By Senator Fancher, relative to< penalties for 
setting forest fires; in committee. 
By Mr. Volk, same; same. 
By Mr. Cobb, repealing Section 75a of the 
forest, fish and game law, relating to nets in 
Lake Erie in Chautauqua county; signed by the 
Governor. 
A Southern Game Preserve. 
Dr. R. V. Pierce, of Buffalo, N. Y., has re¬ 
cently purchased St. Vincent Island, near Ap- 
palachicola, Fla., which is reported as by far the 
best game preserve anywhere on the gulf coast. 
It contains nearly 12,000 acres, and is penetrated 
by numerous bayous and has on it a number of 
fresh water lakes, which are frequented by many 
ducks, including the canvasback. Wild geese 
also abound there. Deer are abundant, and there 
are estimated to be 500 wild hogs, and more 
than 100 head of wild cattle on the island—all 
as wild as the deer. 
On the island are many hundreds of acres of 
snipe marsh, which furnish fine shooting during 
all the winter months. Oysters of excellent 
quality are abundant in the surrounding waters. 
West Pass, at the southeast end of the island, 
affords fine tarpon fishing during the late spring 
and summer. 
A fresh water stream drains five large interior 
ponds or lakes, and passing down within a few 
feet of the island residence, affords easy access 
to the ponds above, being laree enough to be 
navigated by a small launch. These ponds are 
to be planted with wild rice and wild celery in 
order to make them still more attractive to ducks 
and geese. Besides these fresh water lakes there 
are twentv-five or thirty other bodies of water, 
which have some connection with the sea and 
are somewhat brackish. These are favorite feed¬ 
ing grounds of the canvasback. In such nonds 
will be planted roots of the wild celery (Valis- 
neria ). The renorts of St. Vincent Island are 
very attractive and no doubt its owner will take 
much comfort out of it. 
New Publications. 
“From Bull Run to Chancellorsville,” bj 
Gen. Newton Martin Curtis, LL.D. In this ex 
traordinarily interesting volume, Gen. Curtis re : . 
cites the operations of the Army of the Potoma 
for two years. The period chosen is one of th 
most exciting of the Civil War, and the event' 
are described with a simplicity and strengt 
which make them startlingly vivid to the readei 
It is not the part of this notice to tell the stor 
of the book, but rather to give impression 
gathered from its perusal. The volume 1 
history, but it differs from other histories of thj 
war, in that it is writen essentially from th|i 
human standpoint. Through it all the persors 
ality of the author and the individuality of pei 
sons mentioned stand out in a way which make 
the whole * account extremely impressive. W 
are given vivid and real glimpses into the chai 
acters of the men who volunteered, and marche 
t.o the front, and suffered, and fought, and die 
for the right as they saw it; and in this insigl 
into the American mind and heart is found 
chief value of the book. Such intimate know 
edge could have been conveyed to us only t 
one who took part in most of the scenes whic 
he describes, and who, besides, was a keen ol 
server and a close reasoner. 
The tone of the book is marked by a bread! 
of charity which is very unusual. The courag 
and endurance of the men who wore the gra 
received a fine—but just—tribute when tl 
author says that “the contest continued until tl 
last cartridge had been expended and the la 
ration had been eaten by those men who ha 
striven for State sovereignty.” If the blood 
stirred by the pictures drawn of hard fougl 
fights and of the bravery and heroism of ind 
viduals and groups of men, not less moving a- 
the graphic descriptions of the meetings held 
little towns in northern New York when tl 
news was received of the attack on Fort Sumt< 
and of the President’s first call for troops. Ai 
if in the reports of those meetings we seem 
share the feelings which agitated the hearts > 
young and old, among a people now for tl 
first time brought face to face with the uj 
known horrors of war, so in reading of tl 
self-sacrifice and devotion of the noble womi 
who gave themselves up to the harrowing ta: 
of nursing the sick and wounded, our reverent 
and admiration for womanhood is increase 
The book strengthens our faith in humanity, ft 
it deals with a heroic period. 
Those who so many years ago took part 
the great conflict between the North and tl 
South will all wish to read the volume, and tl 
younger men of the present generation to who 
the Civil War is but ancient history will re; 
with interest the story of what their fathers di 
The volume is as much enjoyed by those wl 
fought on the one side as by those who foug 
on the other, and it is fairly entitled to be calh 
a great book-—one of the classics of the war. 
“Tournament Casting and the Prop: 
Equipment,” by Louis S. Darling, which a 
peared in the issues of Lorest and Stream 
Leb. 23, March 2, 9 and 16, last, has been pu 
lished in a neat little book that every angl 
should have in his library. The book is illu 
trated with photographs showing the differe 
positions in the various styles of fly- and bai 
casting, and the rules of the representative cas 
ing clubs are also included, making the book 
comprehensive manual for beginners and f* 
clubs about to be organized. Mr._ Darling 
one of the most expert fly- and bait-casters 
America, and his advice and suggestion for b 
ginners are given briefly and concisely in sut 
plain terms that the novice can understar 
them at once. The book sells for $1 and c: 
be supplied by the Lorest and Stream Pub. Co. 
BREAKFAST IN CAMP 
is nothing without coffee, and coffee is nothir 
without Cream. Ordinarily cream is out of t 
question nine times out of ten, but Border 
Peerless Brand Evaporated Milk takes its pla 
perfectly and keeps indefinitely until opened, 
is unsweetened and has the natural cream flav 
and color.— Adv. 
