LEAVES FROM A SPORTSMAN'S DIARY 'UBIQUE' A THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID LEAVES SPORTSMAN'S DIARY BY PARKER GILLMORE M ("UBIQUE") AUTHOR OF " ENCOUNTERS WITH WILD BEASTS," " PRAIRIE AND FOREST," " GUN, ROD, AND SADDLE," ETC., ETC, SECOND EDITION LONDON GIBBINGS & COMPANY, LIMITED 18. BURY STREET, W.C. 1896 PREFACE. THE experiences, and conclusions on Gunnery and Natural History that I have arrived at from them, are the result of many years of travel and hardship in the most distant parts of the world. To place them before the public in their present form has afforded me much pleasure, and their perusal, I trust, will be interesting to the general reader. Although it will be learned that I have made heavy bags, I have never done so unless the game could be utilised as food ; for unnecessary slaughter, to my ideas, is one of the greatest wickednesses that the human family can be guilty of. I wish, therefore, that my countrymen would think as I do on this point, when fortune or inclination places them in the great natural preserves of the Universe. " UBIQUE." CONTENTS. PAGE A TIGER AND FEVER DEN i BEARS AND BEAVERS ...... 6 CLAW IN LION'S TAIL ...... 29 FEROCITY OF EAGLES . . . . . 32 A PERFECT SHOT 36 HABITAT OF SPRINGBOK SIZE OF AFRICAN OTTERS 39 DOG-BREAKING 41 CAPTIVE EAGLE 43 WEIGHT OF ELEPHANTS' TUSKS .... 46 INSTRUCTIONS FROM WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS 50 COVER FOR GAME 53 FISHING ON THE NEPIGON . . . . -55 A BEAR ADVENTURE 58 A PLEA FOR THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT . . .62 Two SALMON ON ONE CAST 65 CURIOUS BELIEFS REGARDING SNAKES ... 69 GUN-SHY DOGS 73 AN UNSOLICITED INTERVIEW ... -77 THE THAMES AS A TROUT RIVER . . . .81 VARIETIES OF LEOPARDS AND WEIGHT OF LIONS . 87 vi CONTENTS. PAGE PARTRIDGE OR QUAIL . 92 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES . 96 BEST GUN FOR SHORE-SHOOTING . . . .134 WILD BUFFALOES AND PONIES OF AUSTRALIA . 138 SPORTSMEN-NATURALISTS . . . . .142 EAGLE'S BOLDNESS . . . . . J 45 DIAMOND SIGHTS IN THE BUSH . . . M9 THE BEST ALL-ROUND RlFLES FOR THIN-SKINNED GAME . . . . . . . 151 W T ONDERFUL FlSHING INCIDENTS . . . -154 LAKE PARMACHINI . . . . . . .156 A PLEA FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF THE RUFFED GROUSE (Tetrao Umbellus) . . .162 LAKE PARMACHINI AND THE LATE ADMIRAL SIR HYDE PARKER'S FAVOURITE FLIES, POPHAM AND P'AIRY . . . . . . .168 THE TRUE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG . . . .172 SALMON EATING SMOLTS . . . . . 175 FLIGHT OF GROUSE 177 SHOOTING NEAR TANGIERS . . . . .181 PINNATED GROUSE (Tetrao Cupidd) . . . . 193 GOOD SPORT ON A LIMITED INCOME . . . 197 CLAW IN LION'S TAIL HUNTING CHEETA . .201 THE BEST SNIPE-SHOOTING IN THE WORLD . . 208 SHOOTING IN ALGERIA . . . . . .213 THE CANADIAN OR SPRUCE GROUSE (Tetrao Cana- densis) . . . . . . . .216 GIRAFFE HUNTING AND WILD LIFE IN TROPICAL AFRICA 7 . . . . . .218 AMERICAN BEARS 299 CURIOUS BELIEFS REGARDING SNAKES . . .302 CONTENTS. vii PAGE SPORT FOR MODERATE OUTLAY .... 307 BLACK BASS 318 THE CRUCIFORM AND SPHERICAL BULLET . .322 IGNITION OF GUNPOWDER ON ITS WAY UP THE BARREL ........ 325 THE GAME LAWS IN THE UNITED STATES . . 328 THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMPANY . . . -331 IGNITION IN GUN-BARREL , 334 LETTER FROM AN AMERICAN GENTLEMAN . 337 LEAVES FROM A SPORTSMAN'S DIARY. A TIGER AND FEVER DEN. IN the above few words what a lot is expressed, but I am about to write of a place that most thoroughly deserves this appellation, viz. the Sunderbunds not " Cumberbunds," as I heard a youngster once call them to a lot of country cousins at the mouth of the Ganges. Of the thousand-and-one passengers that annually pass up the Hoogly on their way to Cal- cutta, some of them " griffs/' others matured and seasoned Anglo-Indians, very few indeed know that the dense jungle, on either hand of the course that the ship is pursuing, swarms with many descriptions of the largest and most formidable game, while the atmosphere that floats over its surface is redolent with miasma, so pregnant with death to Europeans that few can breathe it for even a short season and survive the ordeal. Yet, in spite of these drawbacks to hunting, so firmly is the passion for indulging in field sports sown in the breast of our countrymen, that many of our officers, both military and naval, have attempted the task of exploring the delta of the " Sacred River/' and of forcing landings and cutting their way through the dense tropical semi -aquatic jungle that covers the in- numerable labyrinths of islands that composes it. B 2 A TIGER AND FEVER DEN. When commanding a detachment in the East, I had an assistant surgeon attached to me for duty. He was a tall, powerful, genial young Scotchman, a keen hand with the rifle, and as partial to making use of that weapon as it was possible for a human being to be ; in fact, his craving to slay big game almost amounted to a mania. His name I may as well mention, for he has long joined the vast majority ; it was Vans Best, the son, I think, of a north-country banker. I daresay there are some remaining who were in China with us between the years 1857 and 1 86 1 who will remember "the Doctor's " towering figure, followed closely by his black Foikeen dog, that enjoyed life and reputation under the fostering name of "Peats." But to return to the Sunderbunds. Vans Best re- solved when, time and circumstances occurred to suit his purpose, that he would apply for leave to explore that portion of the delta that adjoins on the Hoogly, hoping and trusting that the fickle jade Fortune would smile upon him, and give him a chance to empty his rifle upon a worthy target. But luck was not propitiated even by the ardour and pluck of the adventurous young sportsman, although he remained on his tour for many days, and searched and navi- gated every bay and estuary that promised from appearances, a prospect of gratifying his craving. " Spoor " the Doctor found everywhere in abundance ; tell-tale "pugs " informed him that tigers, buffalo and even rhinoceri were all familiar with these almost unknown jungles, but so impenetrable were they that to follow up the tracks was an utter impossibility. However, his trip did not terminate . without an adventure that might have proved serious. In the long dank jungle-grass he stepped upon something that evidently had life. With a natural instinct he sprang a pace or two on one side, when to his amaze- ment an immense serpent raised its head several feet A LARGE SNAKE. 3 from the ground and came directly at him. Presence of mind was not a defect Doctor Vans Best suffered from ; a quick and unerring aim cut the reptile in two, and so was terminated the life of what might have been a most formidable antagonist. This brute was a python or boa-constrictor, not unknown in the lowlands of tropical South Africa, and varies but little from the anaconda of the valleys of the Amazon or Orinoco. It measured twenty-four feet in length, and was of unusual thickness. Besides this trophy he secured two muggers (crocodiles) of unusual size, so that his hazardous expedition was not without affording a reward. A gentleman with whom I became acquainted, an officer of the well-known Pilot service, whose brigs used to cruise in all weathers off the mouth of the Hoogly, informed me that he had known many natives, who had been indiscreet enough to land on some of the low-lying islands of the locality, carried off by tigers, and that a lascar was killed in a boat by a python, the serpent being in turn dispatched by the unfortunate victim's comrades after a most severe battle. This reptile measured twenty-six feet in length. I remember reading my notes of these events to my friend the celebrated naturalist, Mr. Blyth, at one time curator of the Calcutta Museum, and he assured me that he had known of a boa- constrictor being killed in the Sunderbunds that measured in length thirty-two feet eight inches, and that he believed that these non-poisonous serpents, in the locality alluded to, often attained greater length. I have never known the accuracy of a statement of Mr. Blyth's questioned, and as a naturalist I doubt if he ever had an equal. In conclusion, I would mention a sad occurrence that took place in the Sunderbunds at the termination of the last century. I do so, because the victim was closely related to my very dear and true friend, B 2 4 A TIGER AND FEVER DEN. Captain Arthur Munro, of Fowlis Castle, Ross-shire, N.B., who, I am grieved to say, has lately been called to his last parade. The following is the story : " Mr. Munro, son of Sir Hector Munro, was killed by a tiger on Saugar Island. He went on shore on the island to shoot deer, of which the party saw in- numerable tracks, as well as those of tigers, notwith- standing we continued our diversion till nearly three o'clock. When sitting down by the side of a jungle to refresh ourselves, a roar like thunder was heard, and an immense tiger seized Mr. Munro, and rushed again into the jungle, dragging him through the thickest bushes and trees, everything giving way to its enor- mous strength ; a tigress accompanied its progress. The united agonies of horror, regret, and fear rushed at once upon us all. I fired on the tiger, he seemed agitated (?) ; a companion fired also, and in a few moments our unfortunate friend came up to us, bathed in blood. Every medical assistance was vain, and he expired in twenty-four hours, having received such deep wounds from the teeth and claws of the animal as rendered his recovery hopeless. A large fire, con- sisting of ten or twelve trees, was blazing by us at the time this accident took place, and ten or more of the natives were with us. We had hardly pushed our boat from that accursed shore, when the tigress made her appearance, almost raging mad, and remained on the sand all the while that we continued in sight." Altogether I fear that the Sunderbunds will afford little sport, but an abundance of danger. The last without the former is scarcely attractive enough for any but an enthusiast, and even such a person, when he remembers the probable fever that will certainly await him, will pronounce the verdict that " the game is not worth the candle." However, it is worthy of note, in fact remarkable, that indigenous wild game THE S UNDER B UNDS. 5 retain their original habitat in spite of the vicinity of an immense and populous city, and the constant traffic, both by steam and sailing vessels, that ever must be passing within their sight and even hearing. BEARS AND BEAVERS. SOME yer.rs ago I lived in what was then the " Ultima Thule " of civilization in Upper Canada. The scene of what I am about to describe lies about 140 miles, by water route, north of Toronto, and for glories of vegetation, lovely lakes, and enchanting rivers would be hard to surpass by what can be viewed in any other part of the world. On the south-west shore of Lake Couchachin at the bottom of Lake Simcoe, is situated the picturesque and prosperous village of Orillia, attractive to all beholders' eyes, from its numerous pretty, tasteful white cottages surrounded by gardens and orchards, bearing flowers and fruits that never failed to bring to the distant sojourner memories of the land of his birth. Lake Couchachin, when unencumbered with ice, is as blue as the azure waters that lave the shores of the Bay of Naples, while the ridges that back the village are covered with a dense growth of the handsomest varieties of forest trees. The society of Orillia in the days I write of, although sparse, was select, for many of the officers who had served under the Iron Duke in the Peninsula and at Waterloo, or under Sir Robert Sale in Afghanistan, had chosen it as a suitable locality in which to spend with ease and comfort the remainder of the days allotted to them on earth. Lake Couchachin bears upon its bosom numerous islands, picturesque in outline, and without a single ACROSS THE PORTAGES. 7 exception fringed with trees or brush down to the water's edge. In front of Orillia are situated the two largest of these ; between them is a passage nearly half a mile wide, and through this strait is the direct route to the Chippewa village of Rama. Indian missionary stations are as a rule not much to crack about, for it is difficult to inculcate into the red man the practice of cleanliness and order. Like Constantinople, Rama was far more attractive from a distance than it was when you were within its precincts ; this may be accounted for by its position being picturesque, and the indentations of the lake there being numerous and irregular. To the northward of Rama, about three miles, I resided with a fellow-countryman ; he knew Scotland as well as I did myself, was quite as keen a fisherman, but was indifferent to field sports when the gun took precedence. This I account for from his being a bad walker, for when I made distant trips, even for the sole purpose of capturing black bass or maska- longe, he invariably found some excuse for not accom- panying me. Thus it was that all my earliest voyages, all my earliest journeys of discovery were made alone, and although the pleasure of finding a new lake or river was excessive, still the want of a comrade to discuss their merits and beauties over a social pipe were ever felt. As the greater part, and always the most successful of my fishing was performed when afloat, many were the long tramps I had across portages, and through pathless woods, encumbered not only with my fishing tackle and gun, but also with my small hunting canoe. Although the weight of a birch bark canoe is not great, still if the weather was warm and close, which it not infrequently was in early autumn, a mile or two with such a load required both patience and 8 BEARS AND BEAVERS. perseverance to traverse long distances. Packing it from lake to lake, or from stream to stream, might be tedious and .exhaustive work, but this could have been put up with without a murmur if it had not been that while you were in the shelter of the woods you were constantly assailed by innumerable mosquitoes, and as it required both your hands to support your birch bark boat, and steer it in the necessary direction in which you wished to go, so as to prevent its frail sides from coming in contact with tree or bush, you were quite at the mercy of your bloodthirsty foes. Excessive exercise produces perspiration, and when such occurs the pores of the skin become open ; and well did your tormentors know this, for a moment after they had alighted upon you, their formidable proboscis would be inserted without difficulty, and the irritation that ensues is easier to imagine than describe. What a blessing it is that mosquitoes had not been made the size of elephants, or even of dicky-birds ; a man's life in the haunts they frequent would not be worth an hour's purchase. Mosquitoes I have found troublesome in nearly every part of the world, but for regular out-and-outers, thorough varmints, un- compromising, unconquerable demons, I have never found any that could be compared to those of North and North- West America. Fortunately, cultivation of the soil, and clearing away brushwood, tends rapidly to diminish their numbers, so that in a few years it may be hoped that the places which knew them shall know them no more. It was a beautiful morning in the middle of Sep- tember when I left my friend's residence, A beauti- ful morning, I may well say, for in no other part of the world have I witnessed such grand and glorious autumns. To make thoroughly enjoyable the exercise of walking, the temperature is perfect, the SUPERIOR TO SCOTLAND. 9 woods are dry under foot, and the branches have scarcely yet commenced to drop their foliage ; and what foliage it is ! So gorgeous in colouring, that it would require more than the palette of an artist to equal it in variety and brilliancy. For the maples (hard and soft) assume hues that are as magnificent as they are manifold, the former possessing every tint, from palest pink to deepest red ; the latter, from the slightest tinge of canary colour to the darkest orange. Nor are other trees and shrubs less favoured. The shumach tosses aloft its tassel-shaped blossom, rivalling, in the intensity of its purple, our well-known home plant love-lies-bleeding ; while its leaf, by nature's prodigal hand, is painted vermilion of the deepest dye. The basswood, the willow, and the poplar, have also put on their autumn garb, and the soft, trans- parent green of their foliage has given place to varied shades of straw and salmon colour. The above- mentioned trees are the inhabitants of the low-lying grounds ; those that are to be found upon the ridge sides, such as the pine, cedar, and tamarack, retain their dark and sombre tints, which, as well can be imagined, forms a fitting and effective frame to their more brilliant coloured brethren of the lowlands. It appears to me almost heresy in a Scotchman to say that anything can excel the beauty of the colour of Caledonia's mountains, when covered with bloom- ing heather, but regardless of consequences, and of even being thought unworthy of my Fatherland, I fearlessly assert, that the unprejudiced eye will see more grandeur of colouring, and more perfect blending of tones in a Canadian forest, in the early part of the fall of the year, than will be found in any glen or ravine in the highlands of bonny Scotland. Through these lovely scenes I tread my way, made doubly enchanting by frequent glimpses of the 10 BEARS AND BEAVERS. beautifully plumaged wood grouse, strutting before me as if conscious of the attractiveness of its feather- ing ; while often the Canadian grouse, no less beau- tiful in garb, on rapid wing, flushes before my in- trusion, and wheels its flight to less disturbed vicinities. The red and grey squirrels sported and gambolled in every direction, and chased one another from tree to tree, every now and again performing acrobatic feats that almost equalled those of the long-armed apes of the Malay peninsula. That they get frequent falls in springing from tree to tree there is no doubt, but when they do so, the merry little creatures appear to take it all as a matter of course, as without hesitation they continue their gambols, as if a descent of fifty or sixty feet were an every-day occurrence, and rather to be enjoyed than otherwise. Nor are these woods tenantless of warblers, whose notes are as sweet and plaintive as those of the mavis or robin. First comes the blue bird, dear to every American's heart, for the melody of his voice does not surpass the beauty of his form and azure plumage. About the size of the martin,. and not unlike it in mode of flight, this little darling appears to spend its life in warbling carols of the sweetest cadence. The oriole and American robin seem to have little else to do than has the blue bird, while the spotted coat of the former, and the effulgent breast of the latter, em- phatically contradict the accepted idea that melody is never to be found in the notes of a brilliantly plumaged bird. Overhead other voices are to be heard, possibly less melodious than those previously mentioned, yet none the less attractive to the lover of nature. Should the traveller halt and lay his load aside, and gaze into the topmost branches of some of the mammoth trees of the forest, he will discover a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER. II colony of beauties ; birds whose existence he would not be aware of till winter set in, for these care- fully avoid the haunts of man till the snows compel them to seek for food in the neighbourhood of his dwellings. These are the cedar birds (Bohemian chatterers), the snow birds, cross beaks, and cat birds, alike attractive in form and colour. If you chance to be a novice in these woods, a steady, tap, tap, tap, almost as audible as that pro- duced by a hammer striking a nail, will constantly fall upon the ear ; the noise is so loud and defined that the listener can well suppose that it is produced by a human being, and if he should be nervous, he might unquestionably feel alarmed, till he discovered that it was not one of his own race that caused his discomfiture. This tap, tap, tapping is not at the garden gate, but on the dead limb of some aged tree, the result of the incessant hammering of the giant red-headed woodpecker, seeking for the larvae of numerous insects, which form the principal part of its dietary. This family are a happy-go-lucky, inquisitive, and talkative lot, either hard at work in pursuit of their prey, or scolding and wrangling with their fellows. I am inclined to believe that they are domineering and tyrannical, for when a younger bird appears to have discovered a good hunting-ground, on which game is abundant, the old or larger ones drive off the successful discoverer, and appropriate the game as spolia optima. These predatory invasions are strenuously opposed, but when the odds are too heavy in favour of the aggressor, the refugee will seek assistance from some adjoining chum, when both will return and attack the freebooter, drive him off, and probably terminate the alliance by a battle royal to decide the question who is to remain in possession. Human beings have been known to do such things 12 BEARS AND BEAVERS. before ; read the history of India in proof of it, but it is strange to see that birds, in their conduct, should so well repeat history, for we are told history repeats itself. But the edge of Lake St. John has now been reached. Carefully my frail canoe is placed upon the water surface, where neither stone nor branch can scratch its delicate sides. In it I as carefully place my fishing tackle and gun, then gather a big armful of cedar fronds to place under my knees when paddling, all which being done, deftly I shove my light craft from the shore with the end of my paddle, and with low-dipped blade push for deeper waters. This lake was ever a favourite haunt of mine, for its surface was seldom otherwise than placid, and if the sun were touching the horizon, either to the east or west, the shadows cast by the surrounding timber were as clearly delineated upon its surface as if they had been painted upon canvas. Not only was the outline perfect, but there was the colouring as clear, as brilliant, as diversified as it existed upon the margining shores. The day of which I speak the water was unruffled, not even a ripple broke upon the beach ; the only momentary disturbance of its surface was occasioned by the rise or splash of maskalonge or black bass, the eddyings made where a loon had dived, or the tiny wavelets caused by the feet of some wary duck that had taken alarm at my intrusion. Before the sun had reached its zenith, many a gallant fish, after long and futile efforts to escape, had succumbed to my skill, and lay before me in all the magnificence of ever-changing hues. Poets sing of the dolphin's shades when in death. Time after time I had admired them, but of a truth they do not excel those of the black bass when in extremis. In every way this is a noble and splendid fish, for it is a free feeder, and when hooked, game as A PICTURESQUE PLACE. 13 any of the salmon family struggling and fighting till it yields up its life. But the sun being warm, and I satisfied, with strong arm I directed my course to a bluff which overhangs the water and gave a wide view of the surrounding country. This bluff is a favourite haunt of mine. At one time I think that it must have been a much frequented meeting place of the red man, for it is cleared of bush and timber down to the water's edge, and these people are wonderfully attracted by charm of situa- tion. The grass upon its slopes was as green and close as could be found on any English lawn, and the water that laved the base so clear that the pebbles could be distinctly observed, although covered by many a foot of water. It was a place of all others to build a cottage, and doubtless would have been appropriated for that purpose, but for the difficulty of obtaining supplies for its residents at all seasons of the year. To have erected an edifice upon it, in my belief, would have been to profane the spot. Man's handi- work is all very well in its way and in its place, but I have seen localities where its existence looked to me very much like desecration. I can believe that persons born and brought up in cities can find no pleasure in solitude. I do not envy them their taste, for the most perfect happiness I can find at times, the most perfect rest to body and mind, is to be alone, and as far from civilization as it is possible to go. In using these words I do so guardedly, for I do not object to the presence of the aborigines in their own lands, for in my idea it wants them to make the picture perfect. The waterless wastes of the Kalihara desert, without the bushmen, the highlands of the Zambesi without the Bechuana or Matabele natives, would not be half as attractive as they are with them ; thus the presence of the red man of North 14 BEARS AND BEAVERS. America, in places far beyond the settlements, does not detract from the repose and fascination to be found in an American forest. Mind, I do not speak of the half-civilized natives, their aping of the white man is a fearful trial to endure ; moreover, I have invariably discovered that the savage, by contact with our race, rapidly loses his own virtues, and soon acquires our most repulsive national vices. It may seem strange to the reader that I should hunt and consequently kill wild animals, fish, and therefore take the lives of the lovely inhabitants of the lakes and rivers, but I do so, knowing that they were provided by an all-wise Creator for man's support ; but when sufficient food has been obtained, I stay my hand and cease to slaughter. Would that all men did the same. There is a fascination in hunting that few can stand the test of without becoming one of its votaries. It is in the greatest solitudes you seek large game, and generally alone you do it, while on every side you are surrounded by the productions of nature's hands, pure and untainted by man's devices. Only those can excel in it, who devote all their thought and attention to what they are employed in, and be willing to endure fatigue, often thirst, hunger, and exposure, before they can hope for success, while the mind is ever exercised with con- stant fluctuations between hope and fear that your efforts will or will not be rewarded. Near this bluff I had a bear trap set, which once rewarded me with a capture, at the same time nearly cost me my life in securing it. The story is as follows : I had been fishing one morning on the lake, and my success had been greater than usual. However, when the sun approached its altitude, the breeze died away, and the heat became insufferable. Then I resolved to land, rest for a few hours, and afterwards A BEAR TRAP. I 5 resume my amusement. I had with me as com- panion a most intelligent little terrier, whose sole aim in life appeared to be to serve his master, ever performing his duties with zeal and skill. He certainly was a rare little animal to possess, but such characteristics are only matured by making a dog your constant companion, and ever treating him with unvarying kindness and consideration. Having lunched, I settled down to the enjoyment of my pipe, beneath a wide-spreading cedar tree ; there I fell asleep. I could not have been very long under the influence of Somnus, when I became aware that Prince was growling, and otherwise expressing much excitement. Those who have led a wild life know how your senses become sharpened by it, so in a moment I was awake, and alive to all that surrounded me. However, I saw nothing, heard nothing ; thus thought the alarm to be a false one. But my terrier did not think so, for he continued to manifest his displeasure, and by every available means draw my attention to something not far distant. The heat had made me drowsy, and the exercise tired, so disturbed further I would not be. When the day had got an hour further advanced I arose, and as I intended fishing beyond where my morning's work had been confined, resolved to leave what I had caught, to be called for on my way home. From one of the boughs of the cedar above alluded to I suspended them, a most suitable place for a temporary larder it was, as it afforded abundant protection from the sun, still was open to every breath of air that moved in the vicinity. But prying eyes were watching me, their owner having doubtless arrived at the conclusion, " What a fool this man is, if he thinks he is placing those nice fresh fish out of my reach ; wait till his back is turned, when I will make a lunch of them." 1 6 BEARS AND BEAVERS. Adjoining the bluff a fine deep river enters the lake. On either side it is margined with rushes and large lily leaves ; an occasional willow or poplar here and there growing sufficiently near the water to tap its steady flowing surface with their drooping tendrils. It did not take an angler of much ex- perience to know at first sight that it was just such a place as pike would select for a haunt, nor would the tyro be wrong in this conclusion. I have had the fortune to have fished in many similar places, but never yet one that so swarmed with this voracious fish ; in fact, they might almost have been said to jostle one another, and then they were such monsters, and moreover possessed of such insatiable appetites, that the trouble was not to hook them, but to play them and get them into your canoe. Pike are not a very dainty fish when captured in our home waters, doubtless because they have access to sewage and other filth, but those taken from this Canadian lake did not subsist on garbage, so were as firm and nearly as well flavoured as trout. Thus, with the aid of strong tackle, I soon secured as many as I required, so turned my face homewards. Shortly after I landed at the bluff, and proceeded to my cache, when, to my surprise, I found that robbers had been there before me, and had appro- priated quite the giant's share of my morning's work. But that was not all, what the invaders had not eaten, they had scattered and mauled to such an extent that they had become quite unfit for human food. There was no doubt who were the despoilers, for the ground around was deeply indented with the tell-tale track of bears. One of these animals I could see was a monster, while the other footprints were quite small, thus causing me to conclude that there had been a family party a mamma and two young hopefuls engaged in the larceny. As the sun was still a considerable height in the TRUE OR UNTRUE? IJ heavens, I determined to build a bower house, and place the remains of the fish at its upper end, so as to familiarize the beasts with its presence, and fur- ther enable them to complete their repast without alarming their suspicious natures. Having com- pleted these arrangements, I bid the spot adieu for a season, fully resolved that I would return at an early period with a bear trap. A bower house, it may be necessary to inform the readers, is simply a tunnel of boughs of about ten or twelve feet long, at the end of which the bait is hung from a limb of a tree, sufficiently high as to cause Bruin some exertion to reach it, while directly underneath your trap is set in the ground, and to complete its concealment, covered over with dead leaves or the withered spines of the fir tree. The trap must not be fastened to the ground, but to a thick pole of timber, which the captive can drag, otherwise it would gnaw off its foot to regain liberty. A bear does not look a very knowing animal, but we must not always judge from appearances, for these animals have been frequently known to take the pole in their mouths and thus carry it, so as to prevent it retarding their passage through the thick brushwood. The North American Indians say that a bear will not seize a man who is lying by a fire until it has extinguished the latter, and the way the beast accomplishes this purpose is certainly curious, to say the least of it. Having thoroughly saturated its coat with water at the nearest available place, it returns to the hunter's or traveller's camp, and extinguishes the glowing embers by violently shaking itself over them. I cannot say that I believe this story about Bruin, but it is a remarkable coincidence that the native hunters of Siberia assert the same thing. Now both these people live so far apart, that they can have no intercourse with each other, so there C 1 8 BEARS AND BEAVERS. may be remember I say may be some truth in the yarn. About a week after I had been deprived of my fish, I returned to the bovver house, intent on mis- chief to the interesting family, for I had with me a powerful trap, my gun, and my invaluable companion, Prince. As anticipated, when I reached the scene of action I found the bait gone and the structure considerably damaged. In fact, the surroundings looked very much as if there had been an effort to do as much mischief to my edifice as possible. It was not without a chuckle I repaired the damage, thinking all the time that my turn would come to play the winning game. With great satisfaction I hung up some most alluring fish, then scratched away soil sufficient to sink the trap, over which I sprinkled numbers of capsful of water, to remove the slightest taint from my touch, and then covered the whole over with an inch deep of withered spines from the adjacent pine trees. Everything was done carefully, and therefore well done. So Prince who knew all about traps and myself surveyed my handiwork with much complacency. Even now, as I write this, I can imagine I see the comical, intelligent look of that little wee dog, as with one ear up and the other down, he was ever wont to survey any snare or pit- fall I was constructing to beguile the unwary denizens of the forest. In fact, this terrier's know- ledge in these matters was a great saving of trouble and anxiety to me, for he always took precious good care not to get into these snares. Moreover, his intelligence several times saved me a good skin, for of his own accord he would visit traps which were within a mile or so of my residence, when, if he found a mink or martin secured, he would at once return to tell me so. At first he did this by PRIMITIVE LIFE. 1 9 plucking my trousers till my attention was attracted, when he would move off in the direction desired, frequently looking round to see if I was coming. Latterly there was no necessity for the first part of the performance, his expression being amply sufficient to tell me his wishes. After setting the trap, we crossed the lake to see what could be obtained for supper, as I had deter- mined to camp out for the night, in order to facilitate my return to the bower house on the morrow. I was in luck's way, for in a short time I procured some wood grouse, and several splendid black bass, the finest of America's freshwater fishes. So with the tea, bread, pepper, and salt, which I had brought with me, I very soon had in preparation an excellent and substantial supper. Never was an animal so much in his element as Prince was on such occasions. Possibly he might have thought that then he had his master all to himself, and that he was responsible for his security during the silent and dark hours of night. Whether so or not, the little dog became transformed into a very big one indeed, if he were judged by the airs of importance he assumed. Of course, on these occasions he always got a corner of his master's blanket, sometimes a very big corner indeed, for, like human creatures, he would at times presume. At first, when I passed the night alone, camping out in the backwoods, I would feel very lonely, and sometimes, I am not ashamed to say, frightened ; but this soon wears off, and is replaced by a love for this primitive mode of life that truly becomes fascinating. In early autumn in America this is particularly so, for the temperature is all that can be desired ; wood for your fire is abundant, and rain is then rarely known. Again, from sunset to sunrise your ear is incessantly greeted with the musical notes of C 2 2O BEARS AND BEAVERS. iv kip-poor-wills and kati-dids, the first a bird and the latter an insect. If encamped near water you will also frequently hear the deep full voice of the bull- frog, and it can make a row when it has a mind to, but it is a pleasant row after all, for it is a full and sonorous bass, but with a tinge of bluster. This last may be imagination, arrived at from knowing what a contemptible cowardly thing the voice emanates from. It is more than possible that such is the case, for appearances go very far with the human family. By sun-up next morning the kettle was singing, and the frying pan sputtering over the camp fire, and breakfast was about to be commenced, when an Indian of the Chippewa tribe, from the neighbouring village of Rama, joined me. He was an old acquaintance, and when sober one of the best of good fellows, but when drunk which I fear was very often a most thorough bore. Poor Joe had evidently just terminated a debauch, for he was very dirty, poorly clad, and without his gun. On calling his attention to these facts, with- out hesitation he informed me that he had pawned his rifle for rum, and now was going a round of traps, with the hope that he would secure some pelts to redeem his invaluable weapon. With him he had no arms, if I except his tomahawk and a power- ful pole of rock elm, serving alike as walking-stick and weapon of defence. Having satisfied our hunger, I disclosed to the Indian my plans, when it was resolved that he would join me at the bluff in the course of an hour. After Joe had disappeared into the forest, I em- barked, and between fishing and make-belief employ- ments, passed the intermediate time. On landing at the bluff, however, there was no sign of Joe. Impa- tiently I waited for an hour, but as the expected man did not put in an appearance, I started for my trap. Whew ! there had been a row at the bower house and DIFFICULT TRACKING. 21 no mistake, for an entire side had been torn away and scattered all over the vicinity. Such signs as these were easily understood ; the trap had sprung and secured a foot, and that foot, from the wholesale wreckage that had taken place, probably was the property of the old mother herself. Tracking her for some distance was easy enough, for the log attached to the trap had crushed down and in many places even broken the diminutive bushes over which it had been dragged. As every minute might bring me into the presence of the foe, whose temper was certain to be anything but sweet, I had to be cautious, and therefore slow. The distance the game was in front of me I could not estimate with certainty, although I supposed it not far, therefore the greater necessity that I should be prudent. I might, of course, have let Prince take up the trail, but I knew he was sometimes over eager, and then, there were three foes to be avoided, either of whom would have been large enough to have ter- minated his earthly career by a blow or a bite. Thus the terrier, a little unwillingly I must say, trotted at my heels. At length I thought I heard the breaking of brush- wood in front ; shortly after followed the loud whirr made by the flushing of a family of wood grpuse ; what both the sounds combined told I knew, so the excitement became intense. Several times I had cocked my gun, as often strained my eyes to excess with the hope that the chase was close to a termina- tion, but I was doomed to a most unexpected dis- appointment, for the trail suddenly disappeared. This was no tracking ground for a novice in venery to try his skill upon, for dead leaves and fir spines lay thick all over the soil, so after casting about in search of some indication that noted the direction taken by the quarry, I was brought fairly to a standstill for want of knowing what to do further. 22 BEARS AND BEAVERS. For a time I thought the bears had ascended some of the adjoining trees, and were possibly, from an elevated position in them, taking note of my actions ; but, if such were the case, which trees could they be, for on the bark of none could I discover their claw marks, which are not difficult to detect by an observ- ant eye ? Again, the question arose. Could the old lady take up the log with her? Certainly it did not appear possible, for it was both heavy and cumbrous. There was nothing for it, at length I saw, but to let my dog go, and this he evidently knew as well as I did, for as soon as permission was granted him off he went, not hurrying, but sufficiently in advance to enable me to follow. The direction the terrier took was almost the reverse of what I had expected, but as a cedar swamp lay that way, it was not improbable that the Bruins would seek it in their trouble ; moreover, my terrier's nose was ever wonderfully sensitive, and with such large game before him was not likely to play him false on such an important occasion. In a few minutes I was convinced that we were right, for Prince's apology for a tail kept wagging in- cessantly and most demonstratively. I did not now require my eyes so much, for I should have ample warning before entering the enemies' presence ; thus we were getting over the ground at a good rate of speed, when we struck a clearing caused by fire that had run over the ground at no late date, for no second growth had yet sprung up to cover it, when close in front of me I perceived the trio, the youngsters lead- ing and the parent in the rear, carrying the log in her mouth, just in such a way as all have seen a New- foundland or retriever carry his master's stick. The quarry were quite as soon aware of my pre- sence as I was of theirs, for the young ones at once fled and deserted their dam, while the old lady dropped her load and expressed by look and A NARROW ESCAPE. 23 manner that she was resolved to defend her children's retreat, and if necessary sell her life in doing so. Poor thing, the odds were all in my favour with that hideous trap fast to her hind leg, cutting and tearing the flesh at every exertion she made ; still her strength and size were such that it behoved me, her assailant, to be careful what I was about, for if a false step or a misfire threw me in her power in her present state of mind, I could scarcely expect to escape without being fearfully mauled. Although the bear has not the activity of the larger members of the cat family, still when wounded it is quite as dangerous an antagonist, if ever you get within its reach, its power of destruction being almost beyond belief. A whistle brought Prince instantly to my heels, for now the encounter was to be between the principals. I had little fear for the result, for my gun was a good one, and heretofore I had generally held it straight. The distance that severed us could not have been over twenty paces, and as the foe was gradually lessening it, I fired, hoping to strike her in the chest. At the instant I pressed the trigger she must have lowered her head, for the bullet had made a most unsightly wound along the jaw and cheek. But neither pain nor shock to her system operated for a moment in checking her resolve, for with a rush she dashed forward at me. I fired the left barrel into her carcass, the region of the heart being what I aimed at, but the result was not what I anticipated, so with an empty gun in my hands I was compelled to beat a retreat. When I think of the matter it seems almost miraculous how I eluded the bear's grip at that moment, I am aware that I raised my gun as a last resource to protect my face. However, lucky for me, it was avoided somehow. To Prince having laid hold of the enemy's flank at the instant of attack, 24 BEARS AND BEAVERS. or the log attached to the trap coming in violent collision with some protruding stump or stone, I may attribute my escape. But I was not yet out of trouble, for a second rush was made upon me, which I was endeavouring to fend off, by holding my gun with both hands in front of my chest, when a flash passed my eye, and to my sur- prise the enemy gradually sunk down within almost touching distance. The whole affair appeared a miracle, for there was no report, and to nothing that I was aware of, could I attribute my enemy's death, but I soon discovered, what I had been too much engaged to observe before, viz. Joe, the Indian, by my side. It was the flash of the blade of his tomakawk I had noted, as it descended upon the bear's skull and administered to my enemy his coup de grace. My rescuer was almost as upset as I was, for as he expressed it, he feared he had not time to get up before the animal had a hold of me, when the odds were that I would be very " muche munched up." To have been witness to this fight must have been very interesting, though scarcely as much so as to the participants. Joe had seen the whole encounter from the commencement, and asserted that my escape from the first rush of the quarry was owing to the log attached to the trap having caught in a snag, which upon inspection of the surroundings proved to be the case. The Indian not having, kept his appointment was accounted for by an otter having carried off one of his traps, the recovery of which had taken an hour ; thus he did not reach the bluff till some time after I left it. The confusion at the bower house told him the cause of my having started, so he hurried on my track, and, as the reader will see, just reached me in the nick of time. From the date of the escape I have narrated, my dusky rescuer and myself became great friends and A DESERTER. 2$ my constant companion upon all hunting expedi- tions, the first of which was to secure alive, if possible, the young bears whose dam we had slain. The task was not difficult, for the cubs were too young to be left to the responsible task of taking care of them- selves. For days, and I fear during that time often without food, the poor little beasts wandered alone about their demesne, seeking for their slain mother. At last Prince came upon their trail and treed them. A skilfully handled axe soon laid their retreat low, when with a little difficulty, much snarling, and many scratches, they were secured and transported to the shanty. It was surprising how soon they became tame, and thoroughly reconciled to their new home, where they proved to be most interesting pets ; their besetting fault being jealousy of any attention shown the numerous pets I then possessed. A young otter, almost full grown, they particularly detested, and no wonder, for his teeth were sharp as needles, and he never had the slightest hesitation in giving them practical demonstration that such was the case. These battles generally resulted, I must say, from the bear cubs being the offenders. They were par- ticularly fond offish, and so was the otter. Now the latter was permitted to go about loose, and as a well stocked lake was at the door of the shanty, many a fine white fish or mascalonge was brought home. After the trouble of making these captures, the fisherman doubtless expected to enjoy the result in peace, and as his appetite required ; but this was what the bears would not permit, and as they got older and stronger, it became no easy matter to resist them ; so the otter ultimately ceased to bring home his prey, and finally deserted me altogether. Frequently, more particularly towards sundown, I used to see my old pet fishing in the adjoining bay, but no allurements would bring him back. It is 26 BEARS AND BEAVERS. quite possible he conceived he had a grievance against me, because I divided my affections among too many. To do your memory justice you were always a kindly beast, and willing to give up what- ever you had when your master required it. I had at that time also a pair of young beavers ; they were most interesting pets but very mischievous, for they would gnaw the legs of tables and chairs with equal industry, and had a penchant at night, if shut up in a room, to gather every available cushion or rug and place them against the crevice under the door as if with the intention of shutting out the draught. Their demonstrations of affection were also frequently too fulsome, and thus required repress- ing; in this course it was difficult to find a medium, for if done gently they would pay no attention to me, if sharply, they would sulk for several hours, when they would deny themselves their most favourite food. The young bears seemed to treat them as quite unworthy of any consideration, but possibly this might have been assumed, as a trick that was afterwards perpetrated by them on the beavers induces me to imagine. To keep the young rodents out of the house as much as possible, I had a long box lined with tin made for their habitation ; at the upper end there was a comfortable dormitory, the under end being partially immersed in water. This I had placed upon a slope, so that the box could be raised or lowered at will, by means of a rope attached to the limb of a tree. The gravity of the box would always take it as far into the water as desirable, thus it was ever necessary to see that the rope was securely tied to prevent the misfortune of the cage floating out to sea. Now it was just such an accident as this that happened ; the rope was cut, the box floated off, and the beavers inside were consequently drowned. I have no doubt that the bears did gnaw the rope THE BEARS AND THE BEES. 2/ through, in fact such was the opinion of every one, but whether they did so out of a spirit of mischief, or to relieve themselves of the presence of rivals to their master's attention, I leave the reader to judge. During the life time of my drowned favourites I observed many most interesting traits in their character. First was their excessive cleanliness both in habits and in what they ate ; secondly, their industry in their undertakings ; thirdly, their skill in cutting down timber, so as to make it in- variably fall in such a position as to give them the least possible exertion to float the limbs to where they were wanted. Their usual food was the inner bark of the willow and poplar, yet they evinced a great love for bread and milk, and while drinking it kept constantly emitting a purring sound, no doubt intended to express their satisfaction. They never objected to Prince feeding out of the same dish with them, nor did he to joining them at such a repast, but if the bears appeared, universal indignation was expressed at their intrusion, in which Prince was sure to take a prominent part, and no wonder was it that these cleanly animals did so, for never was there such a pair of slobbering, dirty feeders, gifted with such voracious appetites as these children of the forest. As the bears increased in age, and consequently in size and strength, they became somewhat difficult to manage, but as one straw is said to break the camel's back, their last offence could not be overlooked. It had both a comical and serious aspect, very amusing perhaps to an overlooker, but excessively trying to the sufferer. At great expense, my friend with whom I resided, had procured a hive of bees in the spring of the year. It was supposed that they had done exceedingly well during the summer, and that by this time they had collected a large quantity of honey. Now, it being an assumed fact that my bears knew nothing about 28 BEARS AND BEAVERS. bees and honey, no one contemplated the possibility of these inquisitive, long-haired rogues interfering with the hive. However, from a spirit of devilment, or having smelt the precious sweet store within, they upset the bee-hive just as our venerable housekeeper was passing, who was forthwith assailed by the irate swarm and stung most painfully. Naturally enough, she screamed out, which brought my friend and self to the rescue, when we encountered a repetition of her misfortune. Probably as I was first on the scene I received the greatest amount of attention from the infuriated insects, the result of which was that I was laid up for a couple of days, but my friend lost both bees and honey. As for the young rascals the perpetrators of all this mischief, they appeared to have escaped untouched, but what can be expected of the scions of such a race, when the mature animals think nothing of descending a hollow tree in search of their favourite luxury, honey, rump foremost in defiance of a thousand assailants. For this climax to their misdeeds the cubs were presented to Joe the Indian, who transferred them to a trader, who ultimately sold them to a collector in the service of the Amsterdam Zoological Gardens. In Holland they arrived safe and sound, and may at this date be eating buns from the hands of innume- rable fat and phlegmatic Dutch boys and girls. For one who is fond of field sports, is an ardent admirer of nature in her most lovely moods, does not object to solitude, and can put up with a rough dwelling and coarse but wholesome fare, there are many charms to be found in a life on a farm in the backwoods of Canada. CLAW IN LION'S TAIL. A WELL-KNOWN author does me too much honour in being prepared to accept my dictum on the question, Is there a claw in a lion's tail ? but I must remind him that I only answer from my own experiences, which may be very dissimilar to those of other persons. A quotation which he takes from Sir Samuel Baker's work, " Wild Beasts and their Ways," I had better repeat for the sake of lucidity. " The often questioned thorn in the extreme end of a lion's tail is by no means a fallacy ; this is a distinct termina- tion in a sharp horny point, which, although only a quarter of an inch or less in length, is most decided. I do not consider that there is any special use for this termination, any more than there would be for the tuft of black hair which forms the extremity, and which conceals the thorny substance. Now, the first sentence of this passage deals with the subject most diplomatically that is to say, non- committally, and is quite as succinct as the majority of readers require. At the same time, if precision is demanded, horn or horny is not the exact word to employ. Further, I do think that the " tuft of black hair which forms the extremity " has its use, viz. to protect the termination of the tail from an excess of violence. Under a nomde plume, a well-known shootist not sportsman in a letter to me uses the words prickle and thorn, in reference to the subject in question ; in his adoption of these words he differs 3O CLAW IN LION'S TAIL. from me in the way that I would apply them, for the first is an excrescence attached to the bark or skin of a plant, as, for instance, in the rose bush, while the other is an excrescence which comes directly from the wood of the tree or shrub, as in the blackthorn. Therefore spike or claw are entirely inappropriate (according to my views) in an attempt to give anything like a precise portrayal of the subject in question. As the former must be made of metal or wood, the latter formed of horn, neither of which is the case in the disputed point. Still I believe, viz. that the end of the tail of a lion becomes callous, and more and more indurated towards the tip, where the fibre or grain of the skin becoming altered in its growth direction, by meeting from the reversed sides, forms a corn. The result of this is that the scales of the callosity, which, at first, are parallel with the vertebrae, increase crossways, and so form the termination. This irregularly formed callosity can be picked into innumerable pieces by the human nail, as the laminae do not repose in regular strata. That the termination of the lion's tail, when thus furnished, is used as an agreeable perturbator to the interior of the owner's ear, or per- chance to disturb the enjoyment of a voracious tick on some portion of the proprietor's person, inaccessi- ble to claws or mouth, even as a tooth-pick on urgent occasions, I cannot say, but I feel convinced that it would be utterly worthless for any purpose where strength and adhesion are required. A callosity from a Barbary lion's tail, which I ex- amined carefully through a microscope with the late Mr. Frank Buckland, exactly corresponded with those I procured in South Africa. Further, I have found the same formation on a domestic cat, and am in- formed that it is developed to a greater extent in the veritable wild cat. In my first letter to the press upon this subject, I SS THERE A CLA W IN A LION S TAIL ? 3 1 alluded to the belief that that wonderful romancer, " Buffon," entertained on this and many other subjects, however it was excised, either as being deemed ir- relevant, or from want of space, or from a spirit of jealousy that actuated a very ignorant editor. My opinion of this once popular naturalist is not, I know, exceptional, for I have frequently heard him spoken of by scientists of the " first water " in much stronger and far more condemnatory terms. However, after all that has been written or said upon this question, permit me to conclude by stating that I cannot help thinking that the whole might be summed up thus, that prickles, thorns, spikes, and claws are, in this instance, "distinctions without a difference/' and that each term is used with the intention of misleading the general reader. FEROCITY OF EAGLES. A FRENCH gentleman, the descendant of refugees, and the owner of extensive tracts of wild land, brought me a bull terrier pup from Toronto. This dog, when it grew up, was not only the wisest, but the most courageous beast I had ever seen. He could retrieve on land and from water, " tree " part- ridges, kill a fox, woodchuck, or porcupine, and make it so hot for a bear's rump that Bruin was always glad to avail himself of the shelter of the first tree he could reach. In fact, I believe that this dog knew every word that was said to him ; one thing I can assert, that when hunting matters were being talked over, he would listen as attentively, and with as thorough an expression of intelligence as would many a human being. I could write for hours of the merits of my old favourite, but fear it would be as tedious to my readers as I know it sometimes is to my friends. Alas ! poor Snow (he was white, with a brindle patch on his left ear and side of the head), your life was a short one, but your old master will never forget you. If you take the map of Ontario, you will find, a hundred and fifty miles north of Orillia, a network of lakes, whose waters communicate with the Ottawa River. Here I was shooting " flappers," and the birds had been unusually plentiful. Snow had lots of work to do retrieving, and hustling the young birds out of cover. Close up to the shoulder 1 winged a young duck. The locality of the wound pre- DARING OF AN EAGLE. 33 vented it diving much, still it managed to make considerable progress over the surface of the water, so that it was at least a hundred yards out in the lake before it was laid hold of. I had observed pre- viously a white-headed eagle hovering overhead, just sufficiently distant to be out of shot. Well, I thought I knew what the villain was after, for frequently before that day they had robbed me ofwounded"fowl," but I had a new experience now to learn. With a swoop, as remarkable for its velocity as the fish- hawk's, tern's, or gannet's, it descended, I supposed for the bird ; no such thing, the dog was the object of its attack. There was no hesitation displayed, no vacillation of purpose ; Snow was pressed down for some moments beneath the surface of the water, and in an instant after his assailant arose, taking my poor dog aloft with him. The victim, as far as I could distinguish, had no power to make an effective resistance, although he struggled with considerable energy, as he was held by one of the talons across the neck, while the other grasped the small of the back. When an elevation of over a hundred feet had been obtained by the assailant and victim, I fired both barrels over the bird. The shots, which could have no injurious effect at such long range, caused the eagle to relinquish hold of his prey, but scarcely had the terrier reached the water when he was again seized, this time by the head and back, and taken off to the other side of the lake, in spite of the two bullets I fired at long range after them. I was utterly powerless to assist my favourite, for no canoe was at hand, and if it had been I doubt very much indeed whether I could have rendered effective aid. At my request, that afternoon two of the Indians crossed the lake, to learn, if possible, further par- ticulars of my pet's fate. Evidence was abundantly D 34 FEROCITY OF EAGLES. found that the dog had been torn to pieces to afford a meal for two eaglets, which the red men despatched, but not without being attacked by the parent, which in turn also succumbed under a violent blow it received on the head from a deftly-wielded blow of a club. It was a poor solatium for my loss, yet it was assuredly a slight satisfaction to obtain the revenge that I did. If the dog had not been in the water, and so placed at the utmost disadvantage, the result would probably have been different, even if the two combatants had been left to fight it out alone, for Snow was equal to any emergency that his weight and size could success- fully combat with. There is no doubt but that many Indian children are killed in their infancy by white-headed eagles. Among the Chippewas, which were the tribe I was then principally acquainted with, late in spring, when these people returned to their fixed dwellings, at the conclusion of the winter hunt, narratives of the mis- deeds produced by these predatory birds were far from uncommon. This is the way that these disasters generally happen. When a papoose is born, the squaw, for facility of transport, straps the child upon a board, which is covered with an ample padding of moss. The husband kills a cariboo, or moose. Sufficient for a meal he fetches home with him, then sends his wife " to pack " the remainder of the carcass to camp. After both have fed to repletion, the " good man " goes to sleep, while the woman starts on a tramp through the woods, or over the barrens, to fetch home the remainder of the meat. Kot to be hampered with additional and unnecessary weight, and, further, to be secure from the attack of the first ravenous grey wolf that should chance to skulk about the camp, the papoose is hung up to the limb of an adjoining tree till the maternal parent returns from her toil. The infant is completely helpless in its A TERRIBLE DEATH. 35 position, and the white-headed eagle avails itself of the chance thus afforded it. The eyes of the victim are soon torn out and devoured, as well as such por- tions of the body as can be got at. Indian women are seldom very affectionate mothers, and such occur- rences are considered contretemps naturally attached to the life they lead. D 2 A PERFECT SHOT. FOR some time a discussion was carried on in some of our principal periodicals upon the above subject, but the matter now slumbers, and unfortunately does so before a satisfactory conclusion has been arrived at. Such being so, I will not quote past writers, or express belief or disapproval of their various convictions, but give my own ideas, wishing them only to be accepted for what they may be deemed worth. To become perfect in the use of the gun, you must commence your education at an early date in life. Of course some pupils are more apt than others, while dunces are to be found occupying as prominent a place in the study of the science of gunnery as are to be discovered among the students of algebra or Euclid, Greek or Latin. This, I think, can generally be traced in both cases to the result of a natural in- competency for their tasks, their hearts not being in their work. Believe me, there is no more a royal road to excel- lence in the art of shooting than there is to any other study, and to become a marksman of note, you must commence your initiatory instructions with the simplest of lessons, gradually advancing till you attain such excellence that nothing on the wing or on foot can escape your deadly aim, provided always that it be within range. HAND AND EYE TOGETHER. 37 After this brief preamble, I will endeavour, in as few words as possible, to come to the point A person who reads well, does not puzzle over each letter that composes a word, or each word that makes up a sentence, although the last may be as tortuous as can be selected in Browning's or Tenny- son's works. No ! The moment the eye passes over it, the mind embraces the meaning of the author that you are perusing. With writing it is the same. The formation of a letter, spelling of a word, construction of a sentence, never delays the pen of the educated man ; the mind knows and arranges what it wishes to indite, and the hand without hesitation performs what is required of it. This skill in reading and writing is the result of long and patient study. To become perfect in the art of shooting requires very much the same attention. A bird flushes close to you and at once com- mences to tower ; your mind grasps in a moment what aim is necessary, and both hand and eye do their bidding. Again, the sportsman has cross shots, some to the right, some to the left, some passing at right angles, others at more less acute or obtuse angles ; again the mind seizes instantaneously what has to be done, and the hand and eye prove themselves willing, prompt, and dexterous servants. The two best shots I ever met with were both Americans, and both were as skilful with the rifle as with the shot gun a rather unusual occurrence. I I do not think that I am incorrect in saying that both paid more attention in their youth to the study of field sports than they did to their books. The one was Mr. Nathaniel West, Kent, Indiana, the other Mr. William Holland, Yazoo City, Missis- sippi. In the longest day, whether the game were geese, 38 A PERFECT SHOT. grouse, or wildfowl, it was a very rare event to see a wing-tipped or legged bird. Mr. Bogardus, if I remember correctly, knew both well. People learning to shoot late in life may become fair shots, sometimes even something better than what this expression indicates, but I am certain that they will never attain professors' chairs in the Art of Shooting. HABITAT OF SPRINGBOK SIZE OF AFRICAN OTTERS. A VALUABLE correspondent, and former hunting companion on the veldt, makes some inquiries about the above animals, which he will thank me to answer. The habitat of the springbok has never to my knowledge been defined, although the usual belief is that it confines itself to *' the desert," or to such countries as lay upon its immediate margin. This, however, is an error, for I have seen this beautiful creature close to Bedford and Craddock, Eastern Province, Old Colony ; and certainly, to reach the first-named, it had passed through belts of bush and timber, formerly giraffe country, and very unlike its home on the Kalihari or the Karroo district. Again, I have found the springbok in the Map- pani bush country, considerably to the eastward of Kama's possessions, and even in tolerably thick- wooded lands in the same " march," a section of terri- tory at one time justly celebrated for the large num- bers of giraffes that frequented it. When the natives make drives there far from an unfrequent occur- rence all varieties of game that are started before the beaters crowd together, and the same not un- frequently occurs when riding down the larger boks and giraffes, until the individual you intend to kill is severed from them, and among these crowds the springbok is frequently found. Again, the giraffe is found in " the desert," where trees are scarce, and the principal part of the sus- tenance of these mammoths of creation is cropped from bushes seldom over three feet high. There, 4O HABITA T OF SPRINGBOK SIZE OF AFRICAN OTTERS. again, giraffes and springbok may be seen together. For confirmation of this refer to the works of Sir Cornwallis Harris and Mr. Charles John Andersson. Further, I have a note in my diary stating that when travelling between Sechellis and Bamamwato I saw large numbers of springbok, a good many gemsbok, three ostriches, and several giraffes, near a vley called " Seruley," all apparently in company. The residence of bush pigs is very uncertain as to locality. I have found them both in open veldt and bush veldt. One sine qua non, however, is necessary, viz., water. Thus they may be often started when driving other game, when, if they cannot gain their earths, they will join the other animals of the plains in the general stampede. That the lordly giraffe should stoop its graceful and towering head to playfully and affectionately nibble fleas out of the springbok's back, or that the same gentle, affectionate, and timid mammoth should, with trusting feelings of universal love, lend its legs to the bush pigs as scrubbing posts, I do not intend to infer, so beg that my remarks are not misconstrued. As to the question regarding the otter, such a giant never came under my observation in South Africa or elsewhere, as my correspondent says he has seen, viz., sixty pounds in weight, although I have caught, shot, and purchased the skins of a great many in both hemispheres. According to my experience, the average length of these animals, including tails, is just under four feet, and the weight about twenty pounds. I had an otter caross of very large size, and now in the possession of a friend, which took about forty skins to make it; but I had all white markings carefully eliminated before the pelts were stitched together. As a specimen of South African fur, it was a very superior article, but had to be retanned on arrival at home, as the native dressing, however excellent in its own land, will not stand the damp of our climate. DOG-BREAKING. A DIVERGENCE of opinion between two of my friends on the above subject is amusing, more espe- cially to me that has had experience in the science of dog-breaking, for it is easily to be seen that both are right, and therefore that the respective modes that they recommend would prove successful only, how- ever, with dogs of perfectly different temperament. As there are human beings of all sorts and con- ditions, so there are dogs ; thus, where punishment will succeed with one, it will fail with another ; where coaxing will be awarded success with one, it will be entirely thrown away upon another; where reliance upon affection to obtain a desired result from one is successful, that method of treatment will be utterly useless with another. To mitigate trouble in break- ing dogs, and, therefore, to arrive at the result desired in the shortest possible space of time, the character of your animal should be studied, and there is no time more appropriate for that purpose than when the initiatory process of " home or house breaking " takes place, then you can learn without fail which is to be repressed or which encouraged. I had two brothers, and both dogs turned out as good and staunch as could be desired by the most fastidious sportsman. In their early lessons in retrieving, Beau had at first to be rounded up by a whipper-in, while Muff, if so treated, dropped his bird, and timorously came to heel. Both I made companions of, and each evinced equally their 42 DOG-BREAKING. attachment to me. Relying upon Muff's affection, when he dawdled over fetching a bird, I would con- spicuously change my route, and take trouble to evince that I was totally indifferent to his conduct. This course soon brought him to me, when, if not noticed, he took every means to inform me of his return. Then succeeded a word or two of commenda- tion, after which he would renew quartering his beat with additional energy. Neither of the early errors of these dogs would I denominate cussedness that American expression meaning " contrariness " but ignorance of the knowledge that while on duty they must not play. A most important thing in dog- breaking is to get the animal that you are educating to understand what you want done, and my very long and varied experience has taught me that as soon as you succeed in this, nowhere will you find a more prompt or ready servant to obey your behest. A well-known sportsman says, that when the bird has been dilatorily retrieved, address the dawdler in endearing baby language, to encourage him to prompter efforts in the future. Now, I hold that it is impossible to be too concise and distinct in the lan- guage that the breaker applies on all occasions to dogs. If one word can be substituted for three, or three for nine, invariably make a practice of doing so. Your manner and intonation when you express your- self will assuredly make up for your brevity, and never resort to the whip unless as a dernier ressort. I hold that dogs and horses the most valuable and affec- tionate of the servitors of the human family have but to be convinced of the earnestness of their owner's purpose and know what he demands of them, when they will do their utmost to gratify his desires. CAPTIVE EAGLE. MY father was a military man, and, as often happened nearly forty years ago, his family lived within barracks. The regiment to which he belonged was stationed at one time in the north of Scotland. In the fort was a canteen, and attached to it a yard for the stowage of barrels, empty cases, etc. This enclosure was surrounded by very high walls, and in it was kept one of the finest and largest specimens of the golden eagle that I ever remember to have seen. Its favourite perch was an old box, from which it would eye askance, and not without looks of ferocity, any person that entered its habitation. I know that we youngsters used to regard it with feelings of considerable trepidation. That it would have attacked and killed a child I have not the smallest doubt. On raw flesh this bird was principally fed, rats also formed no small part of its diet, but when a cat could be procured, it was turned loose into the yard, when it was at once seized and transported to the favourite perch. The unfortunate victim, as soon as it became aware of the presence of its foe, would make the most frantic efforts to escape, but never for a moment sought to defend itself. However^its struggles were of short duration after being pounced upon, the terrible talons doing quickly and surely the work of destruction, these formidable weapons often meet- ing through the cat's body. There was an old major in the regiment who had a pet tom-cat, a splendid 44 CAPTIVE EAGLE. animal, and unusually large. It was a.very^great favourite with its master, and proportionately disliked by everybody else, for it frequently made night hideous with its caterwauling. No rival would this beast permit to approach it when engaged upon its amatory excursions, which were so frequent that it was called Sultan. It would be difficult to say whether my companions feared or hated this cat most ; however, the major's pet bore a very bad reputation among my chums, so it was resolved to get rid of him on the first favourable occasion. Such an undertaking was found easier to plan than to carry out. The big boy of our party was found equal to the occasion. His father was an ardent Waltonian, so possessed every implement that was necessary to successfully practise his hobby. From this stock a large landing net was pur- loined, and, in an unguarded moment, the obnoxious tom-cat was covered with it, and soon after, with considerable trouble, transferred to a bag, in which unfortunate Sultan was carried to the canteen. His weight and great strength caused all to think that he would at least make a gallant fight for his life, but such, to the great disappointment of all, was not the case. The eagle had him in his terrible grip in an instant, and the poor unfortunate looked quite in- capable of making an effort to save himself, A very melancholy little tragedy occurred in refer- ence to this bird. A lieutenant had a pure-bred Skye terrier, which was an universal favourite, for it was the essence of pluck, good temper, and sagacity, When " Skye's " master was on duty one day, the dog, by some unaccountable means, got into the eagle's yard. The poor little fellow was not long missed when search was made for him, and to the owner's, and I may say the whole garrison's im- mense grief, was found in the bird's clutches dead, of course. POWER OF BIRDS OF PREY. 45 The subject of this narrative finally escaped, and was said to have been recognized by many that knew it, in the vicinity of Cromarty Firth. Supposing that no mischance befell it, at the present day it may be frequenting the desolate rock-bound coast of that arm of the sea ; for they are supposed to live to a very great age. In later years, when enjoying myself with my gun in the West of Scotland, I have had a wounded hawk, or even an owl, fasten with their claws upon me, and found their hold exceedingly difficult to undo ; the wound they effected being not unfrequently deep, and always very painful. As I am an amateur taxidermist, a desire not to injure the plumage of my specimens exposed me to these disagreeable consequences. When such is the power of doing injury, possessed by these comparatively small birds, the destructive capacity of an eagle can well be understood. WEIGHT OF ELEPHANTS' TUSKS. THE tusk which Mr. E. G. Loder exhibited to the Zoological Society in 1888, although an unusually large one, is far from being heavier than others that have found their way to some of the south-eastern ports of South Africa. On the occasion that it was shown to that eminent body of savants, I called the attention of the Press to this point, at the same time mentioning larger ones that I was cognizant of. Since then I had two letters from the Zambesi, confirming what I stated at that time. Mr. Loder's tusk, I believe, weighed 184 Ibs., but being much worn at the point, was evidently the working instrument of the beast that produced it ; thus, if its fellow, the non-working one, had been obtained, it would doubtless have scaled four additional pounds. At the present moment I cannot lay my hands upon some notes that I made in Zambesia, thus I have to write from memory. The late George Wisbeach, the most eminent and successful of all the interior traders, and who first opened up the country between the Zambesi and Limpopo to commerce, when in partner- ship with "Elephant" Philips, purchased a pair of tusks from Simpopo, then king on the north side of the great river, which weighed respectively 204 Ibs. and 198 Ibs. They were afterwards sold to Messrs. Francis and Clarke, the principal merchants at Bamanwato,and but for the fact that that firm has for some years been broken up, there is little doubt that confirmation of my statement could easily have been obtained from GORDON GUMMING. 47 them. The difference in weight between these tusks was the result of one being considerably worn at the point, indicative that it was the implement used in unearthing favourite edible roots and tubers. The father of Kama, whom I made the acquaint- ance of at Machapin's Kraal, on the Notawani River, Tropical South Africa whither he had been expelled by his son told me of larger tusks than those I have mentioned, and the old man was a most artful and knowing trader. As he had nothing to gain by tell- ing me an untruth, I am inclined to think that he did not lie. As the Portuguese have had settlements for about three hundred years on the south-east coast of Africa, and, at one period, had all the ivory trade in their hands, I am disposed to believe the report that, at one time, there was a tusk of 200 Ibs. in a museum in Lisbon, for I have seen it alluded to in standard works printed seventy or eighty years ago, but it has pro- bably long since been sold, for its unusual size would make it of great value. I would say here that I do not like a doubt of the veracity of Gordon Gumming to be even whispered. I am aware that he had many faults, but telling un- truths, I think, was not among them. Why I speak so positively I will state. Fourteen years ago I hunted through what was his favourite tract of country, and at Koorooman, Sechelles, and Soochong, made the acquaintance of many of his attendants, who, without exception, confirmed all of his marvellous stones ; even the chiefs I have cross-questioned on this sub- ject, and they endorsed their people's assertions. I have never even heard one of the missionaries, much as they disliked the man, doubt Gordon Cumming's word, and he told me that he once possessed a tusk that scaled 208 Ibs. It is a great mistake to think that the largest elephants produce the heaviest tusks, for such is not 48 WEIGHT OF ELEPHANTS' TUSKS. the case. The loftiest elephants probably in the world were to be found, a few years back, on the banks of the Limpopo. Livingstone speaks of one he saw there, and measured, after its death, which ex- ceeded 12 ft. in height, and I am certain that I have seen several that were not far from that enormous stature. Now an Indian elephant that measures 10 ft. 2 in. is a very big specimen of its species. Jung Bahadoor is said to have had one that stood 10 ft. 6 in. Roughly speaking, therefore, the reader can calculate that there is a difference of five or six hands in the height of the respective breeds, as much difference, say, as between a twelve-hand pony and an eighteen-hand horse. The observer who has seen representatives of the two breeds side by side will be struck with amazement. But returning to the ivory question, the mammoths of the Limpopo did not carry big tusks, seventy or eighty pound ones amongst them being deemed un- usually heavy. No ; to obtain the heaviest ivory the hunter had to cross the Zambesi, or trade with those chiefs whose hunting veldt was on the north side of that river, and the bulls that produced the weightiest tusks there do not exceed in height the Indian repre- sentative of the genus by more than a hand and a half, or possibly two hands. Of course the reader knows that, with very rare exceptions, cow elephants in Africa carry ivory, but it is small, averaging less than sixteen pounds in the mature animal; Nevertheless, they are most for- midable weapons, as many a hunter and horse have found out to their cost. Those cows that are tusk- less are invariably barren, and are justly more feared by the sportsman than the other members of her race. It would be interesting to know the correct height of Jumbo, his age, and from what part of Africa he was brought, and whether he ever exhibited any A BABY ELEPHANT. 49 desire to fraternize with any of his Indian relation 3 owned by the Zoological Society. The African elephant, when captured young, is very easily domesticated, but whether it would retain its mild disposition after reaching maturity, is a question that yet remains unsolved. I have several times possessed calves from thirteen to fourteen hands high, and their affection for myself, servants, and more particularly the children that accompanied their parents on my hunting expeditions, was con- stantly being displayed. One young elephant in particular was never more happy than when playing with a lot of these black brats of the human race, who would mount the young pachyderm's back till there was no more room to find a perch. If the little beast thought itself overloaded, or that the joke was being carried too far, it would drag them from their elevated position, and gently deposit them upon the ground. Supposing this calf had grown to twelve feet in height, and retained his amiable disposition and fearlessness, what a grand beast he would have been for " shikar " purposes. INSTRUCTIONS FROM WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS. IN Sir Samuel Baker's book, which bears the above title, there is collected a vast deal of interesting matter, particularly to the neophyte in foreign field sports. As the work interested me very much, I wish to call the general reader's attention to apparently one or two trifling matters, but which are in reality of great importance to all who use the shot-gun, more especially if they employ that popular weapon in foreign countries. Before going further, I desire to state that I am a great advocate for using ball, when such can be done effectively. At the same time, I have been placed in positions where buckshot alone could be relied upon for executing my work. Such being the case, I will presume to offer some suggestions to the novice, both as to the most suitable weapon for shooting buckshot, and how to load the shells, so as to con- dense the pattern of the projectiles, and, at the same time, obtain the greatest amount of penetra- tion. In shooting large mould shot, big-bored guns show themselves to great advantage, especially when they are possessed of short barrels, which are choked, provided the manufacturer of the weapon knows the exact measurements that the interior of the barrels should be made to assume. If this is done to a nicety, the same gun will make admirable shooting DEATH OF A PANTHER. SI with either small drop, or mould shot. Thus the sportsman can be owner of an arm, possessed of the unusuaj qualifications of being thoroughly reliable upon either intermediate or small game. In the old muzzle-loading days this was impossible, for different boring was required for different-sized missiles ; hence the forte of one gun would obviously be in shooting small shot ; another when a larger grain was em- ployed. Short barrels were not efficacious with mould shot when the old type of weapon was in, vogue, for although with them you obtained power, it was impossible to get a good target, even at com- paratively short range. But do not let the reader be led away with the impression that such a weapon as I assert can be built, is suitable for stalking red deer, or antelope on large open plains, for it is not, but in wooded kloofs, thick bush veldt, or lofty grass, where the range is necessarily short, and shooting of neces- sity quick particularly if in the hands of nervous or unsteady sportsmen under such circumstances it. will prove its superiority. I have shot wild boar, bears, deer, and a panther, with buckshot in such positions that the rifle could only be used effectively by an absolute proficient in handling that weapon. Of course, it will be under- stood from this that the ranges were invariably short say under twenty yards and death was, with one exception (that of the panther), an immediate result. There were circumstances surrounding the slaying of that beast that accounted for this exceptional occur- rence. I several times sighted small portions of the hide of this animal through a thick growth of olean- der bushes, as it passed across my front, but the shrubs grew so densely that I deemed it impossible to take a satisfactory aim. At length it crossed an opening about a foot in diameter. This I availed myself of, but the charge was lodged too far back a short distance behind the ribs, so made a fearful wound. Death must have supervened in a short E 2 52 INSTRUCTIONS FROM WILD BEASTS. time, yet, although the poor creature was thoroughly incapacitated of doing mischief, I had to give it the other barrel to put an end to the gruesome sight. Those who have not experienced knowledge of what a charge of buckshot can. do at short range would be astonished on witnessing its effect. It is with this knowledge that I endorse Sir Samuel Baker's advice to have a shot-gun in your howdah loaded with buck-shot, to use as a dernier ressort. But there is a way to load such a gun as will give results very much in excess of the ordinary methods adopted. It is this. If using a ten, or any other bore, find out how many grains of a certain sized shot will chamber in the barrels, id est y how many will sit closely without jamming in the shell upon the wads covering the explosive. Having placed the bottom layer of three or four pellets, according to the size used in its proper place, sprinkle it over with a thin coating of fine sawdust slightly pregnated with grease, then add further layers treated in the same manner, till you have four, when finish off your cartridge. If more layers of shot are added, the pattern will very much suffer. The most convenient way to add the grease to the sawdust is to heat the latter as much as you can without igniting it, and then stir it round for some minutes with a modern kerosene candle. If loader wishes to be expeditious, the candle can be also warmed. The pellets must not be jammed in tight, but simply lay upon those under- neath them, care being taken that each occupies its respective place. This can easily be ascertained with the point of your little finger, or with a piece of wood resembling a pipe tobacco-stopper. The advice Sir Samuel Baker gives in reference to handling the knife when the sportsman gets into difficulties, should be written in diamond letters on every neophyte's memory. COVER FOR GAME. NOVEMBER is the season for obtaining, in America, the seed both of the blue grass and bunch grass. The former is produced in Kentucky and Tennessee, the latter upon the far western prairies and part of the Rocky Mountains. Both these grasses are very hardy and are excellent feed for stock of every description, as well as producing food and splendid cover for all varieties of game. Care must, however, be taken by the experimentalist that the seeds of these plants be ploughed in with a circu- lar furrow, for if the furrow should be straight it will be adopted as a pathway by -the game, and so facili- tate running, ever certain to result in long and difficult shots. The rougher the surface of the soil is, the better in fact it can scarcely be too much so ; if unsightly to the eye, immediately after being turned over, wind, rain, and frost will soon again render it comparatively level. The blue grass I would prefer planted upon up- lands, the bunch grass at greater altitudes, particu- larly such as receive an abundance of mid-day sun. Now for the water celery ( Valisneria aquatica), the most attractive of all lures to wild fowl. The best place to get this plant is upon the Susquehana bank, at the upper end of the Chesapeake Bay. To obtain it, all diving ducks will run any amount of risks. As food it possesses the most fattening effect 54 COVER FOR GAME. upon the half-starved migratory birds that feed upon it for a week or two, as after that space of time they will be found in prime condition. Moreover, the flavour of the plant impregnates the flesh with a bouquet exquisite to the palate of the most fastidious epicure. Planted in brackish water, with an alluvial bottom, where there is not too much tideway, it is sure to do well, and rapidly increase. As to wild rice, I have expressed my belief so often in approval of its introduction that it seems superfluous to write more on the subject. The best mode of transporting it is to knead it into loaves composed of clay. These must be kept dry to pre- vent too rapid sprouting. The marshy edges of lakes and rivers are the most suitable places to distribute it. The sage plant (Artimesia\ found on the eastern spurs of the Rocky Mountains, forms good cover. It will grow anywhere, even where the soil is con- stantly parched with drought. Many kinds of game feed upon it, but the result is that their flesh receives a very unpleasant flavour by the proceeding. I think I have answered all the questions that have been put me by private correspondents, but if they desire further information on the foregoing subjects, pray let them address their communications to my publishers, and I will give them immediate attention. FISHING ON THE NEPIGON. THE Nepigon is, if not the best, at least one of the best trout rivers in the world, and long will it occupy this proud position, for its banks offer no attraction either to the agriculturist or lumberman, and its waters are so rough, and the channel so irregular and rocky, that the trout which find there a home, can laugh to scorn all the tricks and artifices of the netter. There are, however, drawbacks to the magnifi- cent sport to be enjoyed upon this stream, viz., black flies, mosquitoes, and gnats ; these are very trouble- some, nay, a perfect plague throughout the whole Nepigon region, until the end of July, but after that month sport can be enjoyed without inconvenience or worry of any kind whatever. However, science and experience have at last discovered a partial protection from these dreadful winged pests, which may, I believe, be thoroughly relied upon, although I have not made a personal trial of it. This invaluable specific is eucalyptus oil a cleanly lubricant (if any lubricant can be considered so), and not possessed of a disagreeable smell. This paradise of the disciples of Isaak Walton is situated to the north of Lake Superior. Its latitude is 50*14, and longitude 88*40. A station bearing the name of Nepigon, on the Canadian Pacific, is in the heart of the region, and a note to Mr. W. M'Kirdy, a local merchant living at the station, will procure all 5 6 FISHING ON THE NE PICON. the assistance and information that the visitor may require. This gentleman can be vouched for as thoroughly trustworthy as well as efficient. Trains leave Montreal and Ottawa twice a day, passing through this wild lake and river land, and to avoid being hampered with extra packages when crossing the Atlantic, I may say that rods, fishing-tackle, etc. in fact, all the hundred-and-one little trifles that make a fisherman's kit complete can either be ob- tained in New York or Montreal of most excellent quality and at moderate prices. The artificial flies to be employed on the Nepigon are identical in colour with those that are most suc- cessful in the Scotch and north of Ireland rivers,, viz., black, red, and ginger Hackles, Hare's-lug, etc., but all should be tied of a size just under those used for sea trout. If the Nepigon should chance to be very low, smaller sized flies than the above will be found effec- tive, but on no account, whatever the state of the water may be, have upon your reel less than sixty yards of line, for eight-pound trout are not unknown here ; four and five-pounders are plentiful ; while nothing under one pound should ever see the inside of your creel. The varieties of the Salmonidce family to be ob- tained in these " Dominion " waters are almost iden- tical with those in the Rangelah Lake district, State of Maine, although I do not think that they have yet been thoroughly studied, and, therefore, classified ; but of this Piscators may feel assured, that gamer, handsomer, or finer flavoured fish, never made ac- quaintance with the landing net. Further, I should state that the fishing here is not alone confined to river work, for lakes open out in every direction, on which trolling with " shiners " or even "spoons" will afford no end of pleasure. From the middle of September to the middle of October I would deem the best time of the year STATE OF THE RIVER. 57 to visit this favoured region, but if the season is late and happens to be a dry one, sport can be enjoyed for possibly a month later. Here a full river is to be dreaded, and a low one to be rejoiced over rather the reverse of our long-established home ideas. A BEAR ADVENTURE. THE greater portion of the State of Maine, North America, is a perfect labyrinth of lakes. As may be imagined, they are of all sizes and shapes, and are as picturesque as rugged outlines, rocky shores, numerous islands, pellucid water, and abundant and varied trees can make them. Moreover, grand mountains look down upon these retreats of game and fish moun- tains quite as sublime as any to be seen in the High- lands of Scotland, and infinitely more attractive to the human eye, for often they are wooded right to the summit. This is truly the land of the pine the houses, the forests, and even the very lakes smell of it, and a more delicious or health-giving odour does not exist in any part of the world that I know of. I was standing at the door of a wayside tavern, a genuine Yankee hostelry, for it was as clean and bright as paint and water could make it, when a visitor drove up in one of those ugly but handy traps, "a sulky." The burthen of his conversation with the landlord was about the size and quantity of trout that Reuben Aimes had caught the day before, at a pond (small lake) in the vicinity. There I and my chum determined to go next day, for although trout were more than abundant in our immediate neighbourhood, their average weight was little more than three-quarters of a pound. We had some difficulty in finding the sheet of water we desired to wet our flies in, and doubt very much that we should have done so, but for the assist- A STAMPEDE. 59 ance of the "cutest" boy that I ever came across even in New England. That boy was a prodigy in fact, too sharp in my belief to live long for he had already in his head as much knowledge regarding woodcraft as few possess when they are called upon to quit the world. The lakelette in area did not cover fifty acres, but it was a bijou sheet of water, surrounded by birch, shumach, poplar, maple, hemlock, and pine forest, that ultimately lost their individuality far up the adjoining mountains' sides. In the weather we were unfortunate. Not a breath of wind flecked the water, and the sky overhead was as clear as can ever be seen upon southern Mediter- ranean shores. From a raft we fished, but small fry only rose, and they were innumerable. At length I thought that I would explore, and, if possible, find a tributary stream. In this I was suc- cessful, but trees, whortleberry bushes, and long hummock grass so margined the water that it was almost next to impossible to get my cast into it. At last, to my disgust, I hooked my flies in the top of a tamarack. With all my efforts I could not get them free, so the youngster was sent aloft to cast them off. The place where I stood was hummocky such lumps as you seldom come across, except in the wilds of America. With care, these overgrown ex- crescences could be traversed without wetting a foot, but hurrying would certainly bring you to grief, when over the boot-tops, if not to the knees, in slush, would be the consequence. I had stood several minutes for the boy to get the line loose, when from across the stream, and not far distant, I heard a sound much resembling an animars grunt. Not being quite cer- tain that my ears had not deceived rne, I waited, when the grunt was repeated. By this time my line was undone, and my juvenile companion was de- 60 A BEAR ADVENTURE. scending, when I asked him to listen to the noise, for I felt convinced that it emanated from a bear feeding enjoying his favourite bonne boucke, the whortle- berries. " Bub " listened ; Bruin gave another grunt, when the former, exclaiming " Bear ! " slid down the tree with the agility of a monkey. As soon as he reached the ground, off he started down stream, fol- lowed yes, followed by myself. It was a race for thirty or forty yards, but youth won the palm, al- though he had several falls in the struggle. Finally my amour propre asserted itself, or possibly I had become pumped, for I halted not so my companion, he rapidly disappeared through the labyrinth of shrubs. To my relief I found that no bear was in pursuit, so placing my rod against a stalwart hemlock, I as- cended to its branches to take a view of the surround- ings. For a long time I could not observe Bruin, but at length discovered a large mass of black fur, accompanied by two similar small ones which pos- sessed animation, and were evidently engaged in search of food. They gradually quitted the damp, low-lying ground and gained an acclivity, where the largest beast commenced drawing broken fragments of " wind-falls " on one side, while the smaller ones feasted upon the beetles and grubs that thus became exposed to view. The parent for evidently such the larger one was had neither heard nor winded us, so was perfectly ignorant that her industry and strength were forming a subject of wonder to a son of Adam. In the end their search for insects took the interesting family party out of view, so I descended to join my com- panions. The day by this time was far spent, and, neither of us having arms, we hurriedly retraced our steps to the settlement, determined to revisit the scene on the morrow ; this we did, and although accompanied by GAME WHEN LEAST EXPECTED. 6 1 an experienced bear-dog, our search was unsuccessful. How often in my various and wide-scattered wander- ings have I come across the most desirable game when least expected, and totally inadequately pre- pared to encounter it ! A PLEA FOR THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT. I WISH I had the power to give my pen the voice of eloquence, for assuredly should I do so when writing* upon this subject ; but even possessed of the attri- butes which I desire, what can one person do to prevent that craving for slaughter, that all-absorbing desire for blood-shedding that is the ruling passion of nearly all persons particularly so-called civilized and educated ones when they have the chance pre- sented to them of killing this grand mammoth of the brute creation. The wealthy man anathematized the trader for shooting elephants for the sake of their ivory, yet the rich man does as bad, although he cannot plead that his subsistence depends upon his doing so. The pro- fessional . elephant hunter is, as a rule, a rough and indifferently educated man, who adopts this very hardest of all businesses to obtain money to support him when age, exposure, and hardship has told upon his constitution, while the favoured son of fortune goes in for killing this game that he may boast of his prowess at his club, or exhibit his trophies to admiring relatives and guests. I leave it for the unprejudiced reader to judge which of these two types of men deserve the greatest amount of condemnation ? To prevent controversy, often leading to bad and vindic- tive feelings, I will advance no arguments in favour of one or the other, but appeal to those that have it in their power, to put down with resolute, and un- flinching seventy, the destruction of this noble, saga- A SANCTUARY FOR ELEPHANTS. 6$ cious creature, whether it be to obtain ivory or to secure trophies. Now, this is in the power of the New South African Company, and let them act at once, so that in the future they will not have to regret their procrastination. At one time elephants were to be found all over the colony of the Cape of Good Hope, and where are they now ? Exterminated, with the exception of a few specimens preserved in some districts. Two de- cades back there were plenty of these valuable beasts to be found in Bechuana Land and the Matabele country ; there now, they are few and far between, but in Mashona Land, where the South African Company reigns paramount, the mammoth of terres- trial animals still exists in considerable numbers, and they are, without doubt, the finest and largest repre- sentatives of the race to be found in any part of the world ; for instance, it is a large elephant that reaches the height of ten feet in India, while between the Limpopo and Zambesi it is not an uncommon occur- rence to find them measure twelve feet in altitude. There can be no shorter-sighted policy, no better example of killing the goose that laid the golden egg, than permitting these magnificent creatures to be killed or harassed out of their homes by so-called sportsmen and hunters. On the other hand, give the poor things protection, provide them with a sanctuary, and full well they will repay the trifling expense that would be attached to such a course. But the question may be asked, how will they re- pay the cost and trouble, provided the above steps were taken ? The answer is simple enough, by domesticating them and employing them in agricul- ture, in transport, in pageants, in destroying the car- nivorous brutes, and, finally, as the instruments by which to explore every hole and corner in the un- known parts of the " dark continent." Some persons assert that the African elephant 64 A PLEA FOR THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT. cannot be tamed ; this is stuff and nonsense. We have abundant proof that the ancients did it. Then why should not we ? But if any fear should exist in reference to the males becoming troublesome at cer- tain seasons, emasculate those that are not required for breeding purposes. It is no more cruel to do so to them than it is to our horses, and the result has been proved to be equally satisfactory. This infor- mation I derived from resident half-bred Portuguese on the Zambesi, and I have had it confirmed by coun- trymen who traded in that neighbourhood. If the young are captured at an early age speak- ing from my own knowledge they soon become attached to all persons that treat them with kindness, and submit at once to be ridden or to carry a pad. With such a start, half the battle is fought, for, with constant handling and repetition of these exercises from childhood to maturity, there can scarcely be grounds for imagining that they would desire a life which they had forgotten, or to return to freedom, which they comparatively never knew. Arguments in favour of what I have written could be advanced without number. It remains to be seen whether the directors of the South African Company will profit by the above advice which I here tender them. TWO SALMON ON ONE CAST. OLD Dr. Clarke, of Maiden-lane, New York city (an Aberdeenshire man by birth), was a great and grand salmon fisherman. For years he and his brother rented the Grand Pabos river, that flows into the southern side of the estuary of the St. Lawrence. I remember asking him the question, " What would you do if you had two big fish on at the same time ? ;> His answer was laconic, and, as I have proved, cor- rect : " Play the nigh one gently, and let the de'il take care of the hindmost." Just so, say I. Two fish hooked upon the same cast will not act in con- cert, but drag and haul against each other, so that if you keep touch with the " muckle beast " next you, they will very soon exhaust each other, unless the line parts, a mishap ever to be dreaded, for there is unquestionably a very severe strain upon the six or seven feet of gut that intervenes between the respec- tive captives when such an episode occurs. In fishing the Mingan, Goodbout and Margarite streams that feed the mouth of the St. Lawrence, on the north shore some years ago, I frequently had the experience of hooking two salmon at the same cast, and unless the bank was precipitous, and was considerably elevated above the water line, or the fish took different sides of a boulder or " snag/' and played a game of see-saw with your gut against those impedi- ments, I always followed Dr. Clarke's advice, and invariably came out of the scrimmage victorious. I have frequently debated in my mind whether it F 66 TWO SALMON ON ONE CAST. was most politic to use one or two flies when salmon fishing, more particularly where this species was nu- merous, or the river was filled with obstructions. On a clearish day, with a nice breeze, the bob-fly will rise and probably hook the most fish ; on the other hand, when the water is soiled from the effects of late heavy rains, the trail-fly will receive the most attention. Now, in either case a difficulty may occur, and in wild, strange waters it most frequently arises. It is this. The salmon on the bob-fly, when it feels the hook, makes a desperate effort for freedom, the trail- fly following its course like a pennant ; should its point touch a stone or "snag," then, inevitably, smash will go your casting line. The same, of course, can occur to the bob-fly when you have a fish fast on the trail one, but my experience tells me not so frequently as in the first-mentioned instance. Considering these possible mishaps, it would be an exceedingly nice and intricate piece of arithmetic to calculate whether the odds for making a heavy basket were more in your favour when fishing for salmon with one or two flies on your cast. I have known good men and true espouse both sides of this question, and get extremely irate when they could not make converts of each other. At Halifax, Nova Scotia, I made the acquaintance of as good a fellow and fisherman as I ever met. His temper was angelic on all subjects but that of using a bob-fly, but if any unfortunate should advance and approve of it, then it took an extra " tot," a pipe of strong tobacco, and two friends to keep him quiet. I knew that there must be some cause for this unusual excitement in one generally so amiable, so I inquired if it was not so, and requested him to state the facts. They are as follows : When fishing in Norway on the Namsen, close under the Fiskum Foss, he hooked, and all but banked, a salmon ?olbs. weight, but lost it through the " d d bob-fly " getting fast in THAT FISH WOULD HAVE BEAT THE RECORD. 67 some drift wood. " That fish, sir, would have beat the record to smash, and my name would have been immortalized but for that " .... The late Admiral Sir Hyde Parker is said to have killed a sixty-pounder on the same Norwegian river. The performance was a masterpiece of skill, as it broke two strands of the gallant gentleman's line in its efforts to get free. Somewhere I have an account of this wonderful performance, and will give it in extenso when I can lay my hands upon the manu- script. By the camp-fire at night, a good song with a rattling chorus, if well sung, is very enjoyable. I will here give you one which my friend of Nova Scotia used to sing with great approbation of all listeners: Here's to the Namsen, of rivers the queen, Now to her boatmen so thrifty; Here's to the salmon of pounds just fifteen, Though we'd rather hook one that weighs fifty. Chorus. The season is past, this throw is the last, I'll warrant 'twill prove an excuse for the cast. In spring this fine stream is discoloured by snow, Then the angler's disconsolate very ; But the water once fine he forgets all his woe, And kills lots of fish, and is merry. Here's to P , who's the boy to play fish of good size ; Here's to him who can rarely catch one, sir ; Here's to the muff who can scarce get a rise ; And to him who works all day for none, sir. For let them be salmon, or let them be peal, So long as they take silk and feather ; The music we love is the click of the reel, So as sportsmen we'll toast them together. This was composed by a young University man F 2 68 TWO SALMON ON ONE CAST. when on the Namsen, and strange to say it is affirmed that his last cast killed a 261bs. fish. The average of the salmon in the Canadian rivers I do not think judging from^my own experience exceeds I4lbs. CURIOUS BELIEFS REGARDING SNAKES. IN nearly all countries that I have visited there exist many curious beliefs regarding snakes, and none is more prevalent than that certain kinds will suck milk from the udders of goats and cows. In fact, I have lately seen a woodcut, supposed to be old aged nearly two hundred years in which a very demure, but matronly cow is standing placidly chewing the cud, while a snake, obviously about six feet long, has her hind legs strongly enfolded by several laps of its body, while in the reptile's mouth is one of several large teats, apparently supplying willingly an abundance of the lacteal fluid. The drawing is a very coarse etching, but it unquestion- ably represents what the artist desired to portray. This itself, even if other proofs were wanting, would go to confirm that the story of snakes sucking mammals is not a fancy of modern days, but had its origin many years ago. This I c!o not quote as an argument of its truth, but as a curious circumstance that, after so long a lapse of time, plenty of people at the present day can yet be found who have a firm belief in such deeds taking place. Another curious but firm persuasion also is common, viz., that there is a species of snake which takes its tail in its mouth, thus forming a ring, and pursues its victims relentlessly at the most wonderful pace. At the pretty village of Parish, on the southern side of the Vaal River, Orange Free State, in a 7O CURIOUS BELIEFS REGARDING SNAKES. canteen kept by a Boer, I saw a wonderful painting re- presenting such a contretemps as it would be expected to occur where such a formidable brute had its existence. The artist who was answerable for this production was not without skill in the use of his pencil, and very lavish in the expenditure of his gorgeously-brilliant pigments. I offered to purchase the art treasure, and actually went as high as the price of two good fat treck oxen ; however, the owner could not be induced to sever connection with his valuable piece of property, although these people will generally sell anything they possess ; always excepting their frows, but then the grey mare here is almost invariably the better horse. " Vaat!" exclaimed my host, indignantly; then followed a vocabulary of choice Dutch oaths ; " sell my fader, rnein got I vaat a man this Englander take me for ! I will attempt to describe the picture. In the foreground was a very obese woman with two daughters of equally rotundant proportions, their arms in the air, with a manner denoting great solicitude, the stoup of a house close by. A short way off, riding at full speed, was a burgher, with a paunch, cheeks, and limbs proportioned after the pattern of the renowned Johnny Gilpin. In his enormous fat hand was a powerful jambock, which he was using with great energy upon the flanks of a diminutive horse, as plump as a stall-fed bullock, while, close behind him, and in resolute pursuit, came the snake. But for its ample proportions it might have been taken for the driving wheel of a bicycle ; still, this error could scarcely occur to a close observer, for an enormous head, with wicked, glaring eyes, and somj length of tail inserted into a half-open mouth, fringed with the cruellest fish-hook-curved teeth, was faithfully and conspicuously delineated. As it was obvious that I could not purchase the A VERY CURIOUS SNAKE. 7 1 family relic, I praised it highly as a work of art, went into ecstasies over the ladies represented in it, noted the good seat of the rider, drew attention to the grand points of excellence in the nag, and almost shed tears over the terrible fate that seemed likely to befall the gallant burgher. My apparent pity for the plight that the late head of the household was in, and the depth and loudness of my adjurations against the hideous reptile, gained the household's goodwill ; so, after sundry winks and sotto voce whispers, glasses and " square-face " were produced, over which I soon learned the whole story. That these good folks believed thoroughly what the artist had portrayed the juvenile part of the family proved, for they nearly wept over what must have been to them an oft- repeated tale. In fact, I will acknowledge that, but for my powerful and opportune embrace, the best looking of the daughters appeared very much as if she would have dropped on the ground in a swoon. After the above incident I met many persons of different nationalities, who firmly believed in the existence of the hoop-snake in fact, got quite indignant if I expressed the slightest doubt of its existence. Another very curious snake is said to be not un- known, viz., the glass or broken serpent. If overtaken or surprised, it immediately breaks into numerous pieces, each about the size of a sausage, which endeavour to secrete themselves in the nearest avail- able hiding-places. But .if the intruder should remain still and silent, a slight whistling call of assembly will be heard, when soon after all the different bits will reunite themselves together, and afterwards make the best speed possible from the dangerous locality. The next curious belief I know of is that there is supposed to be a snake of wonderful agility, and furnished with a most formidable spike on the termina- 72 CURIOUS BELIEFS REGARDING SNAKES. tion of its tail, with which it transfixes travellers to the forest trees, after the performance turning the interior of its prey into a dwelling-place, therein to remain till another victim presents himself. These legends are always to be heard, and obtain the greatest amount of credence, among a population Dutch by extraction, whether found in the United States or South Africa, therefore I presume that they had their origin in Holland. Whether or not, they are also firmly believed in by many of the uneducated Irish and Scotch in both countries. It would be extremely interesting to learn their antiquity, and by what cause they were conceived. GUN-SHY DOGS. IN my lengthened experience I never knew but one dog that was coaxed out of that detestable failing, " gun-shyness/' although I have known dozens and dozens of attempts being made to do so, and every system that reason could dictate brought to aid the desired purpose. The exception that I have alluded to was the case of a spaniel one of the handsomest of the breed I ever saw which was given me by a lady when I was in command of Rocky Island detachment, Cork Harbour. This animal was not only high-couraged, but a regular " out-and out rowdy." He would hunt from morning to night, appeared incapable of being fatigued, and never was happy unless crawling through gorse or struggling over or in the most dense or overgrown hedgerows. His ardour I believed to be irrepressible but I found my mistake. Early one autumn day I resolved to pay a morning visit to Ballybrickan, and to pass the afternoon hours took with me my gun and late gift. Soon the spaniel had a rabbit afoot, at which I fired. The dog stopped in his headlong pursuit, looked at me very gravely, and came to heel. This conduct I took no notice of, and shortly the spaniel appeared to forget it, for when I entered some woodland he went to work with renewed energy, and flushed a woodcock. This bird I cut down about twenty yards in his front, and directly in his view. For a moment my treasure halted to look at me ; curiosity, astonishment, and apprehension all seemed embodied 74 GUN-SHY DOGS. in that glance, then off he went, tail down and head up, as if he had seen the veritable " bogie man." I do not think that the scared beast had any precon- ceived notion where to direct his steps, his sole object being to get anywhere out of so dangerous a locality. Some days afterwards the truant was found many miles off from where he bid me so abrupt a good-bye. If after this I took my gun from the rack, my beauty was under the bed or sofa in an instant. The dog was altogether too handsome, and, generally speak- ing, too intelligent to part with. Moreover, he was the gift of as pretty a little " muffin " as could be found on either side of the Atlantic, so I resolved to be patient, and leave no stone unturned to accomplish my desired end. At that time I possessed a band- box headed, blear-eyed, bad-tempered, and most unsociable and unlovable old pointer. He had a wonderful nose, and his endurance if not hurried was marvellous. He never well, seldom ever made a mistake, and, if such did occur, it was not the dog's fault. I never knew a beast that seemed to understand the importance of his avocation and the necessity of performing it in an orthodox manner as this pointer did. I almost think that if I had made a succession of bad shots, Ponto would have walked off home ; and that if I had attempted to prevent him carrying out his resolution, he would have reminded me that Nature had given him teeth and brains, and a knowledge of how and when to use them. The spaniel had a most holy dread of the pointer, and was always upon the very best of good behaviour when in his presence. On such occasions rowdiness gave place to Sunday manners, and boisterous hilarity to abject fawning. All these eccentricities and peculiarities I noted among the details of my humble home, so determined to turn them to account. The spaniel I coupled to the pointer. At first there was ONE OF THE OLD STOCK. 75 a slight display of resistance on the part of the former, but it was badly conceived and worse exe- cuted, so it was not persisted in. At length we entered a snipe marsh. Both dogs kept together, as if entirely of one mind, exhibiting externally a most beautiful and touching example of the extraordinary friendship of Damon and Pythias. But a snipe now flushed. Ponto went down to shot, but his dear chum kicked up such a row and struggled so violently, that the old veteran took the recusant insubordinate by the neck and simply choked him into a proper sense of the heinousness of his conduct. The pointer retrieved, the spaniel had to go and see this part of the repulsive work performed, and somehow or other the gun-shy dog commenced to evince evidence of a belief that it was dawning upon his intelligence that there was some fun and a good deal of excite- ment to be obtained in the society of a man and gun. That spaniel proved after a brief time to be one of the very best cover dogs I ever possessed. Out of twenty, possibly more, trials that I have made to cure gun-shyness, the above is the only instance that I can quote where success rewarded my efforts. But on this occasion I had many things in my favour; the spaniel was remarkably high-couraged and passionately fond of hunting. Even then I should have failed but for the assistance of old Ponto. But who has now got one of that antediluvian stock ? No one in England that I wot of, although in the South of France and Spain they may still be picked up, and in which countries they are made more hideous than Nature ever intended them to be by docking off half their tails. Captain Peel, of the Royal Scots my old regi- ment was a great authority on sporting dogs. He wrote a book upon the subject that had for years a well-merited popularity. I have known him on many occasions try to break pointers and setters 76 GUN-SHY DOGS. of this abominable fault, but never with success. When rifle practice was going on at St. George's Bay, Malta, or at the Neutral Ground, Gibraltar, he would trot out his pupils, and there make them fast during the hours of firing, but ultimately he gave his labour up, and pronounced the fault incorrigible. AN UNSOLICITED INTERVIEW. Do you know the land of the" cypress and myrtle " ? If not, I do, and much as it has been sung and lauded, in my humble belief it falls very far short in beauty and attractiveness of many other parts of the earth. The prejudiced, and those whose wandering steps have never taken them beyond the shores of the Levant, may say to the above asser- tion, " Nonsense ! " My answer to such people is, " Travel further afield, view other lands and seas, and then, if your opinions be not altered, your sneer will, at least, be deemed more worthy of weight." " The land of the west," " the land of the setting sun," I will in this instance write the praises of, for it was the scene of the following adventure ; In the province of Ontario is a lake, known by the melodious Chippewa name of " Couchachin." Its waters are as blue and pellucid as are those of the Greek Archipelago, while its islands alas, few in number are such tangles of the most lovely verdure, that no lover of nature, no admirer of verdure, can gaze upon them without intense admiration, almost adoration. Near the northern end of Lake Couchachin was a very deep inlet, one side of which was marshy, with a tolerably close covering of meadow grass. This coarse herbage grew to the height of from three to four feet, and always sheltered a goodly number of wild duck, as well as numerous snipe. These varie- ties of game were to be found in this favoured spot throughout the summer and autumn, and the stock 78 AN UNSOLICITED INTERVIEW. did not appear to be diminished by paying it a visit as often as twice a week. It was a splendid and valuable little demesne to possess so close to my residence, my home being only two miles distant ; for when a boating party or others notified me of an intended visit, I could unfailingly provide my guests with something better for lunch than the invariable salt pork and saleratus biscuits, the almost perpetual diet of the frontier agriculturists. At an adjoining village resided several very pretty girls. They could paddle a canoe, or pull an oar ay, and, if need demanded it, handle a gun with the major- ity of our sex. I dislike masculine women, but these were nothing of the kind, only proficients in occupa- tions which by necessity they were frequently called upon to practise. After the morning " chores " had been done, such as milking, feeding the hogs, and cutting up a sufficiency of stove wood for the coming day's con- sumption, I was about to commence breakfast, when my aged and exceedingly ugly housekeeper, who always presided at that meal, exclaimed," There's that drunken lout of an * Injun ' loafing about here again. I tell you, sir, I don't feel safe, so much alone as I am. I wish you'd order him off, sir ; I'm certain sure he's a thief." I raised my eyes to the verandah, and on it stood poor Joe, a drunkard when he could obtain spirits, nevertheless, when sober, the truest and kindest crea- ture in the world. Moreover, he was a perfect marvel in trapping and hunting. Joe, seeing that my eyes were fixed upon him, fumbled about for a few moments in the voluminous breast pocket of his filthy flannel coat, and after some delay held up a note. The note was to announce that, weather being suitable, the young ladies before alluded to would honour my log cabin with their presence to lunch on the morrow. There was nothing in the larder, I was A DRIVEN DEER. 79 assured, to entertain company with, so, to remedy that defect, I took down my gun, called my dog", and dismissed Joe to his village a shilling richer. The season was early in October, and never in my life have I seen the foliage more brilliantly tinted, the water so transparent, and the atmosphere so still and clear. My tramp over a hardwood ridge was suffi- cient to build up a stock of health for at least a future year. All animated nature seemed to be similarly affected, for the wood birds whistled and warbled as if desirous of expressing the excess of their happiness. At length I arrived at my demesne ; before entering it I loaded with No. 5, so as to make certain of what ducks I came across, as the snipe would not leave the locality until they had been several times disturbed. It was a grand rich feeding ground for these long-bills, and well the little beauties knew that there was not such another within several miles. I commenced well a mallard and duck fell almost immediately to my right and left barrel. Next, a sheldrake ; after, a black duck, and so on and so on. But a mellow, deep note fell on my ear ; again and again it was repeated, and evidently getting closer. What it was I at once understood : hunters were driving deer on the other side of the inlet. The opposite shore was little more than four hundred yards distant from where I stood, and every chance was in my favour that their game, if hard pressed, would take the water and make for my side. If such were the case I should see the hunted animal in time to change my load ; if not why, n'importe. I love the voice of a deep-mouthed hound, and, possibly, never does it sound more melodious than when heard in the heavy-timbered forest. Uncon- sciously, I became all eyes and ears for what was 80 AN UNSOLICITED INTERVIEW. going on across the water, and I knew the ground so well that I could picture in my mind the gallant deer, at one -time strolling over this ridge then, at a slower pace, traversing the occasional breaks of heavy cedar swamp while, hundreds of yards behind, followed his slow but unerring pursuers. Utterly unconscious of my surroundings, my whole thoughts were centred in the doings of the dramatis persona hidden in the opposite woodlands. But could it be that a deer had gained my side without my knowing ? Close at hand some large animal was most assuredly moving through the marsh, and most obviously coming towards me. From the noise it made it could not be many paces distant, but see the unknown I could not, for the reeds and rushes were at that particular place both denser and taller than elsewhere. ' Never thinking, never doubting but that it was a deer the fact of the proximity of the tall cover being selected for a landing place would have allayed my doubts, if I had previously had any I strained myself to my great- est height, so as to obtain the earliest possible chance of firing. I was not long detained in this uncomfort- able position ; not three yards off, and evidently passing me, was a bear. At the moment I saw the beast he appeared to wind me, for he stopped and turned his small inquiring eyes in my direction. A moment was not to be lost. I had then the advantage of height, so, with little depression in my barrels, I aimed, or rather fired a snap shot at the bridge of my new acquaintance's nose, and poor bruin collapsed as momentarily as an unfortunate old garron would do under the blow of a pole-axe. The destructive power of a charge of No. 5 at such short range is truly terrible. My prize had a splendid pelt, otherwise the beast was not remarkable. THE THAMES AS A TROUT RIVER. A DESIRE for quiet and change of air some months ago induced me to take up my residence in one of those picturesque villages that are to be found upon the margin of Britain's most famous river, the Thames. My temporary home was near Chertsey, and within a hundred yards of the stream itself. In October I wentj there, and employed the interval between that month and the following April by far the most interesting half of the year in studying the instincts, habits, and modes of life of the various species of fish found in the adjoining waters. Before writing of the grand Salmo fario that are occasionally captured in the Thames, I will refer to traditions and records that I have gathered in this neighbourhood from fishermen and others whose ancestors lived on its banks 300 years ago. That is a long period to go back, I am well aware, but re- search and inquiry have satisfied me that I am stating what is true, and that no deception has been practised upon me in regard to the progenitors of my instructors, and the information imparted to me by their descendants. A very old man, still hearty and robust, informed me a few days since, on Chertsey Bridge, that his grandfather often told him of the quantities of salmon that frequented the Thames in his day. " Not so long ago, neither," said the veteran, " only a hundred years or thereabouts ; but in the French war, in ' Boney's ' time, the river up to London Bridge was so blocked by men-of-war, trans- G 82 THE THAMES AS A TROUT RIVER. ports, and store ships, pumping night and day their filthy bilge water into the stream, that the salmon commenced to fight shy of facing the stinking water, so gradually got more and more scarce. After that time came new plans for drainage, which took all the sewage into the river; soon after steamboats fol- lowed with their slashing paddles or infernal screws, stirring up all the mud and slush by the ground swell that they created, and, last of all, iron ships came into fashion, which could only be kept afloat by pumping out of their insides the most ' cussed ' poison for it was all a wash from rusted rotten iron that could a'most be found, so the salmon quitted the river, and since those days one has not been seen above Gravesend. For you see, sir, he's a cleanly fish, is a salmon, and no way like a barbel or a ' h'eel,' or any of that dirty-feeding kind." My informant was unquestionably right, for, as I wended my way from Walton to Shepperton, from Shepperton to Chertsey, and from thence on to Penton Hook, I could not help exclaiming to myself, " Did ever mortal man see a river so admirably con- stituted as a breeding place for the gamest and finest of known fish in the world, as this one certainly is ?" But in spite of what the most enthusiastic may anticipate, the most ardent desire, and the greatest scientists prophesy, I very much fear that the Thames will never again become a salmon river. However, those very qualities which make it so eminently suitable as the temporary residence of Salmo salar, fit it pre-eminently to become the per- manent home of its near, and almost equally esteemed relation, Salmo far io, for an annual visit to the sea is not necessary to the welfare of the last- mentioned species. But do the upper waters of this grand river pro- duce trout in such quantities as would naturally be anticipated from its adaptability to such a purpose ? SCARCITY OF TROUT. 83 Most certainly not ; very, very far from it. The reader may, perhaps, require some explanation of the grounds on which I so emphatically make this assertion. Since trout-fishing commenced this season, I cannot learn of more than a dozen of the species being captured by anglers, between Penton Hook and Walton, the distance dividing these places, fol- lowing the river, being, at a rough estimate, some half-a-dozen miles, the whole space being occupied by noble reaches, grand rapids, splendid pools, and occasional weirs, none of which are high enough to interrupt a trout's progress when in search of new haunts or fresh spawning grounds. Moreover, the bed of the stream is composed of exactly such qualities of gravel and sand as are deemed the best suited and most attractive, on which to deposit ova, with every prospect of the most favourable hatching out. And yet, from this splendid expanse of water although a daily visitor to it, and well acquainted with many of the fishermen I am only able to hear of a dozen trout being taken this season. I insist, therefore, that there must be a reason for the scarcity of these noble fish in water so admirably suited to all their requirements. After due consideration and study, I have come to a firm belief that, from the Thames being navigable throughout its course right up to Lechlade, its bosom is so constantly ploughed by tow-boats and steam- launches, that the unfortunate speckled beauties are unable to find a sanctuary for the procreation of their own race. This conclusion may be opposed by interested persons such, for instance, as love to lounge on the deck of a swift steam-launch ; but I feel certain that no person of common sense who watches the disturbance of the water made by these mechanically-propelled boats in their progress G 2 84 THE THAMES AS A TROUT RIVER. through it, or the heavy ground-swell that they throw up against either bank in their passage up or down stream, can question for a moment the injury done to such animal life as has its' home in the liquid element. Of all fish that swim in the Thames, trout, I be- lieve, suffer most from the above-mentioned cause, as their haunts are where they can enjoy the invi- gorating influence of the swift-running water, only to be obtained in the main channel (therefore, traffic way) of the river ; while coarser fish frequent, in- differently, back-waters, inlets, and even localities where no flow is perceptible. Yet even this selec- tion does not render them safe in their breeding operations, for into every creek and back-water of sufficient depth these mosquito steamships are sure to enter. Coarse fish, moreover, deposit their spawn around the aquatic vegetation that surrounds their haunts, most frequently only a very slight distance beneath low-water level. Such being the case, it is obvious that the wash of passing steam craft must be very injurious to it. It is, however, to be doubted whether the commoner fish suffer from destruction of their ova as do trout, for the reason that, as a rule, as I have attempted to show, they do not deposit their spawn so much in the thorough- fare or main highway of traffic. Swans, also, are a most serious obstacle to the in- crease of trout in the Thames. Many authorities have stated this, but for a long time I was sceptical, and believed that their depredations were much exaggerated ; not so now, however, for late last autumn and early in the past winter these birds used to frequent in numbers the most probable breeding-places of the. trout, more particularly those in proximity to Penton Hook, Chertsey, and Wey- bridge Weirs, and, moreover, seemed to be pursuing a most profitable avocation. But the injury these birds THE LARGEST FISH OF THE SEASON. 8$ can do, although unquestionably great, cannot for a moment, in my belief, be compared with the whole- sale destruction effected by steam-propelled craft. After research, I have come to the conclusion that no known stream produces such large and handsome trout as the Thames, and, this being the case, it behoves us to cherish the species, and do all in our power to perpetuate the breed's existence ; although I greatly fear this is impossible in its own habitat ; for the public will never succeed in abolishing steam traffic on this goodly river, nor even in getting rid of the swans, so that it is only a matter of time for this most game, large, and handsome fish to become extinct in the haunt provided it by nature. Many of the dozen trout caught here this season I inspected personally, and those I viewed were very deep in shape and beautifully coloured, ranging from three and a half to six and a half pounds. Although I did not see the largest taken, I was informed by a reliable person that it scaled over 81bs., was very much out of condition, and dull and lustreless in the colour of the scales, having much the appearance of a fish that had just spawned. It was captured im- mediately under Weybridge Weir, a bleak being the bait employed. From the above it will be seen that no small fish were taken, such, for instance, as run two or three to the pound. Now, what is the cause of this, viz., that while there are a few comparatively large fish in the river, there are literally no small ones ? But it may be said, These large fish must have once been small. True, but they were not small fish in the Thames, but originally turned into it by some piscicultural society after attaining sufficient size and strength to guard against the numerous dangers that are incidental to fish life, particularly to such as pass their existence in the grand pools, reaches, and rapids of our Queen of rivers. Jack and perch have also become very scarce, but 86 THE THAMES AS A TROUT RIVER. I am informed that both were abundant in this locality a quarter of a century ago. To the steam launches I again attribute the diminution in their numbers. If this wholesale destruction continues, the harmless pleasure of fishing, now enjoyed by thousands of the residents of our metropolis, will be at an end. It is to be hoped that they will not turn their attention to less innocent and therefore more dangerous pursuits. VARIETIES OF LEOPARDS AND WEIGHT OF LIONS. IT is pleasant more so, I may say delightful to come across a name with which you have at one time been familiar. It is like the voice of a friend calling to you from the Spirit Land, where, alas ! so many of my old hunting friends have a long time since been paraded. An ex-elephant hunter who writes to me on the subject of the heading and his brother were long prominent lights among that small band of adven- turers, whose corps was headed by the gallant Sir Cornwallis Harris, soon after followed by that bravest and most reckless of dare-devils, Gordon Gumming. Bechuana Land and the Matabele country were in their time unknown lands, in- habited by fierce, wily, and treacherous savages, whose assegais and knob-kerries were against every stranger, black or white, who trespassed within the limits of their demesne. Firearms were unknown in those days by the aborigines, so the wild game wandered about in a state of untrammelled freedom, and in such uncountable numbers that to enumerate them would be almost as difficult as a friend of mine states in an original couplet : Count me every leaflet green in some deep forest to be seen ; Count me every grain of sand that wild waves wash upon the strand. The game is gcno now, or exists in very much re- 88 VARIETIES OF LEOPARDS AND WEIGHT OF LIONS. duced numbers, lamentable to say ; but there is one redeeming ray of light left viz., that there are some of those bold explorers left to tell what they have seen, and most markedly is this applicable in reference to Mr. P. M'Gillewie, who has doubtlessly in the good (?) old times been defrauded and robbed by Kama's august father, or been entertained by the bloodthirsty, stalwart savage, Mosulecatse. If my correspondent had nothing further to write about than how he was treated by these all-powerful potentates, it would be information well worth read- ing, but when his pen touches upon the habits, instincts, and varieties of the wild animals he en- countered in his day, he opens up a mine rich in natural history wealth. It is true that Mr. P. M'Gillewie has not honoured me with a long letter, but, brief as his contribution is, it proves amply that he is treating upon subjects with which he is thoroughly con- versant, therefore I hope, as I am certain a vast army of naturalists will also do, that this is not the last that they will hear from him, but rather that it is the commencement of a series of epistles in which his great experiences among the wild beasts of South Africa are narrated. In the second paragraph of his letter he alludes to my having seen a panther, not a leopard. Why this distinction ? for I have ever upheld, and do uphold, the conviction that leopard and panther are synonymous terms, and mean identically the same species. For a long period I have tried to instil tliis belief, but it is only within the last year or two that my labour has produced any results. I see that great Nimrod, Sir Samuel Baker, has come to my way of thinking, for in his new book there is a picture of one of these creatures crouching, with a line of explanation underneath, " The leopard or panther always wary." THE BLACK LEOPARD OR PANTHER. 89 Although acknowledging myself not entirely free from reproach in doing so, I have, I know, not un- frequently in years gone by applied both these names indifferently to the same beast, but I ever in- tended to express the same species, being to a certain extent guided by the size of the animal I was writing of. Thus, if it was unusually large, I designated it a panther ; if of medium size, or small, a leopard. I have known others to do the same, and probably, by force of example, I was led to follow their nomenclature. I have long waited to see if anyone would come forth and state that he had seen either a black leopard, or the skin of one, in Africa. Such a skin was brought under my notice two or three days' journey to the north-east of Zoutspansberg, Trans- vaal. The hide was so much valued by its owner that he refused to part with it. His companions, as well as himself, did not believe it a different species, but only produced by a freak of nature. For many years the black fox, valued so much for its fur in Russia, was considered a totally distinct species from the red fox. This idea has now totally exploded, as black and red cubs have been several times found in the northern regions of North America in the same burrow, and, from their size and develop- ment, unquestionably belonging to the same litter. Audubon and Bacheman, the eminent Transatlantic naturalists, mention such a discovery taking place in Scoharie County, State of New York. I also heard, from reliable authority, that a mixed litter was dis- covered near Muskoko Lake, Canada West. There are also numerous other instances of a similar kind that could, without any very great trouble, be con- firmed. As with the foxes, so it is with the leopards, and so I shall continue to believe till it is undeni- ably proved that I am in error. As to the weight of lions, but for Mr. P. M'Gille- 9O VARIETIES OF LEOPARDS AND WEIGHT OF LIONS. wie's statements on the subject, I doubt that I should have touched upon the matter, as there is unquestion- ably a tendency among Indian sportsmen to place the tiger in a superior position to the " king of beasts," not only in courage, ferocity, power, but also in size, and controversy, even on paper, is not to my taste. The lion killed at Kopje Alleen I have heard a hunter speak of as a very fine animal ; the existence of larger I have been informed of by traders, but the largest that I have any confirmatory evidence to corroborate the asserted weight, was shot about the date that the engagement between the British and Boers was fought, that is known by the name of " the Battle of Boom Platje." Sixteen years ago I trecked over Van Kenan's pass in the Drakenberg. When half of our journey was accomplished we found the cutting in a fearful state from the effect of a very severe thunderstorm. Thus the oxen had a herculean task to reach the crest of the mountain. Next day but one I made two short trecks and found myself under the Organ " Copje," a wonderful and grandly-picturesque detached giant, covered to the south and west with wood, but destitute of timber to the east, as its face in that direction was a perpen- dicular precipice that appeared utterly unclimbable to animal life. Within easy ride flowed the Vilgee river, on whose banks stood a comfortable home- stead. The proprietor, whose name was Smidt, was most hospitable, so I remained with him that night. He had another guest, a Scottish school- master, who had resided many years among the Dutch. This pedagogue was well informed and very communicative, so in the course of the evening he informed me of a mature male lion that had been killed by a Hottentot near my outspan, that weighed six hundred and sixty-two pounds (English), after being transported to Harry Smith a village in AN ENORMOUS LION. 9 1 those days about twenty miles distant. It was scaled both by some officials of our commissariat department, and by a butcher and baker of the place, both of whom made the weight the same. Our host testified to the correctness of the narrator's statement. My friends, Captain Lucas and Captain Hodson, both officers of the Hottentot Mounted Rifles, confirmed the above from the statement of unprejudiced witnesses, who had been present when the grand beast was weighed. In the truth of the great weight of this grand old monarch of beasts I thoroughly believe. PARTRIDGE OR QUAIL. EXCEPT to the naturalist, it can scarcely be a matter of very great moment whether a bird is designated a partridge or a quail, but at the present date there are so many sportsmen who pride themselves on being conversant with natural history, that with some grounds of reason the terms may, to a certain ex- tent, be deemed synonymous. For this reason I take up my pen to answer Mr. W. , who asks the question whether the Ortix Virginianus is a quail or a partridge ? I believe that it may be accepted as a truth that Audubon and Wilson are the two best authorities on the ornithology of the United States, and they both appear never to have had a doubt upon the above subject viz., that the bird so frequently called in the Eastern and Western States quail is unquestion- ably a partridge. This is, in my opinion, sufficient to decide the vexed question. However, I will add my own experience, gained from actual practical observation in the haunts of both birds, viz., that there is no relationship between the Ortix Virginianus and Coturnix communis. In fact, I will go further by saying that it is my firm belief that not a single species or variety of the last-named family is to be found upon the vast extent of the American conti- nents. I am not prepared to pronounce upon the identity of the bird found in Jamaica, but from the UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT AT ACCLIMATIZATION. 93 position of that island and its proximity to Cuba, it is quite possible, nay probable, that the Virginian partridge is found there, more particularly as it has long been known to be an inhabitant of the Queen of the Antilles. The beautiful plumed bird, known on the west coast of America as Californian quail, is also not a quail according to the authorities that I can gain in- formation from, but a true hemipode, or very closely allied to it, such as are the courseurs of Northern Africa and the Turnix lepurana of interior tropical Africa. The names of both the last-mentioned, more or less, express their running proclivities, but I doubt very much if they can excel in this agility the erroneously so-called Californian quail. In their own home these birds are unquestionably very hardy, but I have never heard of successful attempts being made to acclimatize them elsewhere. The Danish Consul at Hong Kong and myself made the experiment. A mutual friend, Captain Linnell, of the clipper ship Flying Mist, brought us over from California twenty couple of these birds. They ar- rived in good health and condition, and were at once allotted and consigned to homes. One half to the peninsula beyond the garrison of Stanley, Hong Kong, the remainder to Shangmoon Valley, on the Chinese mainland, and opening out into Meers Bay. A beau- tifully sequestered place, with all the requisites as far as a human being could judge necessary to their comforts and existence. Ultimately, however, they disappeared, so all our efforts were in vain. Mr. W. further remarks, " they Americans call grouse, partridge." This is quite true as re- gards the inhabitants of the New England States, the Maritime Provinces and Newfoundland , but further south the same bird (Tetrao umbellus] is dubbed a pheasant. The wapiti deer (Cervus Canadensis] on the foot hills and in the Rockies is invari- 94 PARTRIDGE OR QUAIL. ably named an elk, while the moose (A Ices male/its) is only entitled to that appellation. These mis- nomers could be enumerated ad nauseam; but why castigate our neighbours on such a point when the same ignorance is to be found at home, being more particularly displayed with reference to fish ? A friend in a communication has the following : " If these birds (Ortix Virginianus) are not quail,, or the California birds, what are quail ? Only the ' button ' sort found in the Mediterranean and South Africa, I conclude." The italicized synonym in- scribed above is mine. The " button quail," a well-known species of the Coturnix family, does not, to my knowledge, exist in either of the places named, but in India, Malay Archipelago, tropical China, and tropical East Africa. It is very little larger than a wren, and is almost invariably found in bevies, which, when dis- turbed, all flush at the same instant, but not until the intruder is close upon them. This sudden and simultaneous action of taking flight has often before now sent the heart of a sportsman up into his mouth. This species generally comes with the rains, and dis- appears soon after dry weather sets in. Does not, therefore, my correspondent mean the common quail, so abundant all over " k the East" ? The painted quail is also not uncommon in the habitat of the " button quail." It is a trifle larger, however, and very beautifully and brilliantly marked. I have always found it in pairs. From this I con- clude that it was simply a temporary visitor to such places, and had come there to breed. The Harlequin quail is another species found in Africa, but is far from abundant where I have been. I have shot it upon the low-lying meadows that sometimes occur along the Crocodile river. It is said to be numerous near Lake N'gami and on the upper tributaries of the Zambesi. THE DIFFERENT SPECIES OF QUAIL. Q5 The common quail, and not the button quail, everyone or nearly everyone knows, unless he has been nurtured and spent his life in America. I have found them in all parts of the old world that I have visited, and are unquestionably as good specimens of the true migrant as can be found. WILDFOWL SHOOTING IJST THE WESTERN STATES. MY correspondents are numerous, and truly suffi- ciently diversified, but, for all that, I nave heard from them nothing upon the above subject, one that is most interesting to all sportsmen that can afford to visit foreign lands. I have travelled a good deal in my time, visiting the Antipodes East, far East and West, so am not al- together ignorant of the sport to be obtained in other lands, but I have failed to find a country equal to America for the cream of sport water-fowl shooting. But it is generally pretty trying work, so a man re- quires to be young and " fit " to undertake it, and if he be possessed with the constitution of a water- spaniel, so much the better for himself. The reason of this is that the " fowl " are always most numerous in the most exposed places, and at the most trying seasons of the year, viz., when autumn breaks into winter, and when winter is about to give place to spring, and the more boisterously, with low tempera- ture, these changes are accomplished, the better are the chances of sport. But before taking the field, or rather the " sloughs" let me give a visitor to the Western States a few hints on guns and dress, which, I flatter myself, will do him good service, if attended to. We have our insular prejudices, we have our continental dislikes, both are founded upon experience, and are brought about by peculiarities in the countries we have visited. In proof of this, when I have shot across the Atlantic I have THE GUN FOR THE WORK. 97 used a 12-bore, when you visit the western country, provide yourself with a ro-bore. Now, although what I say after this may appear contradictory to the above selection of weapons, I will at once state that, in my belief, there is no gun, in proportion to its weight and calibre, can give such good results as a lO-bore, and no style of field sports will so well ex- hibit this superiority as water-fowl shooting. I am aware that in those parts of the Eastern States where heavy-plumaged birds are getting scarce, there is a tendency among the inhabitant to adopt 12-bore guns. That is all well enough where the game solely consists of "bob-whites," ruffed grouse, woodcock, snipe, and hares, for they are light to carry and very handy in cover ; but go out West, where water-fowl are still 'plentiful, and you will find the folks there sticking to their 10 bores as their fathers did before them. Now, as I am going to take the reader out West with me in thought, at least I will leave the Yankees to shoot with what they " darned please/' while I tell you what you are to fetch from your side of the water when you make a trip westward of the Wabash river, or, better still, beyond the " Big Muddy," otherwise known as the Missouri. A quarter of a century back there was an English- man of the name of Abbey residing in Chicago, who could turn out the best muzzle-loader for prairie work that I ever saw. Occasionally even now you will see his productions in the hands of patriarchs, who were not young when the " know nothing " political party was organized. In our own country I have met gentlemen in the field with Manton's and Egg's, keeping everybody waiting while they fooled away good time loading. For neither of these kinds of old " cranks " am I writing if such want to shoot, let them do it alone, or in the company of servants- but for the man of the period, who is up to date, and is II 98 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. able to appreciate improvements and avail himself of them. Patrick Mullin of New York City, Abbey of Chicago, Manton, Egg, and others did good work in their day, and their memory will long be respected and remembered ; but we must advance ; nothing shows the rottenness of a state, and, I will add, of a sportsman, so much as want of progress, or, in other words, keeping up to date. In England I venture to say that there is no difficulty in getting any type of arms that you require, and at what appears to me very moderate prices. I gave my order on one occasion to a Birmingham firm, and, not to put all my eggs in one basket, ordered first one gun. This I had duplicated, and, except for the stocks being slightly different in the run of the grain of the wood, no difference in finish, bend, or execution was perceptible, and their very best performances are with exactly the same charges. I tried both the weapons in Scotland at the end of last season, and. therefore, when the birds were strong and well feathered, if any escaped me under a range of sixty- five yards, I am ccnvinced the fault was mine, not that of the guns. Last spring I also gave them a lot of work on ducks and geese in Northern Nebraska, U.S., and I would be afraid to say what long shots I made, in case the reader put me down as a " blower." The " fowl," too, were all old birds, in perfect plumage and strength. Englishmen may doubt this, but American spring ducks and geese are, as a rule, harder to kill than " fall " birds, for the reason that they have all reached maturity when they return northward in the first-mentioned season, have not exhausted themselves by long migrations for they only follow up on the edge of the thaw and being about to proceed to their far-off northern breeding grounds, for the purpose of reproducing their own species, are of necessity in the most robust health. To arrive at a description of the guns in question I CHARGES TO BE USED. 99 think is time, but their plan of ejecting shells and lock mechanism I will omit, for the reason that there are in the market so many inventions many good of their kind that to do so would only lead to contro- versy, and possibly acrimonious bickering. Weight of gun, 7ilbs. ; length of barrels, 26in., more or less choked according to the precision with which the sportsman aims ; charge, 4 grain Curtis and Harvey's gunpowder ; with an ounce of No. 9 shot for snipe, or i 1-8 ozs. of No. 5 shot for duck, and the last quantity of No. 3 shot for geese, chilled shot preferable for ducks and geese. I may here say that at Glasgow I had some cart- ridges loaded with Messrs. Hall and Son's gunpowder, manufactured, I am informed, in the Kyles of Bute, than which nothing could be better. The two nationalities, English and American who, after all, are the same race have some marked peculiarities when following their fascinating and popular pursuit. The latter invariably shoots with a more crooked stock than does the former ; to that I answer, use what you are most successful with. On the other hand, I have observed that Englishmen put larger charges of shot in their guns than do American. To this I might give the answer that I have in the other case, but it is not so applicable, for the bend of a stock will not alter the range of a gun, while a superfluous quantity of shot will. My experience may be new to others. If so, so much the better, but I have seen both on the moors when grouse was the game, and in turnips, when partridges were the birds sought for, gentlemen shooting an ounce and a quarter, even an ounce and three-eighths of shot from a 1 2-bore. This overcharge, slight as it may appear, increases friction materially, and con- sequently reduces range, and, nothing, of course, is so fruitful of recoil. A gun that recoils sufficiently to unpleasantly demonstrate the fact, will in spite of all H 2 IOO WILDFOWL SHOOTING' IN THE WESTERN STATES. the resolutions made not to notice it put the sports- man off his shooting. My two guns from Birmingham I tried with every conceivable charge that was likely to be useful, and got the best results with the quantities I have above mentioned. Of course many will say that guns bored on different patterns require more or less ammuni- tion. My answer to this is, Yes, probably ; but out of the vast number of guns that I have had, none ever gave me the same perfection as my present battery, and their charges are the quantities above stated. I do not aspire to be an authority on the above subject, and I have scrupulously refrained from men- tioning the name of the person who built my guns, for I am certain other equally good gunmakers are to be found ; further, I have no ambition to be taken for an advertising agent, but have simply stated what a gun can do, and with what loads the best per- formances are accomplished. I have been charged by a West-end London maker seventy guineas for a gun,, cases and loading machines complete, and ft was truly a beautiful specimen of what an artist could turn out, and doubtless it would have lasted me my lifetime. Although a good killer, it did not at all equal my present favourites. They were made and finished in Birmingham ; their price, with cases and all loading adjuncts, was forty pounds. It may, so early in their possession, be premature for me to say that I have not a doubt but that they will descend to my heirs as good performers in the field as they are at the present moment. For successful duck-shooting in the Western States you must possess a good retriever. A tall, upstanding animal in the heavy mud and slush that you will frequently encounter, is more valuable than a smaller beast. Colonel Hawker, I am aware, recommended the latter, but it must be remembered that he generally alluded to boat work, not to killing your game off RETRIEVERS FOR ROUGH WORK. IOI the margins of sloughs, ponds, rivers, or even in open cornfields. I have had two wonderfully good dogs, both re- markable for their sagacity, strength, endurance, and power of resisting the most inclement weather. They had a general resemblance, being alike in coats. The first's, however, was wavy, not long, but inclined to be harsh ; the latter a trifle darker fawn brown. The first animal I procured through a member of the Maryland Club, that well-known resort of thorough good fellows and excellent sportsmen. He was of the breed so well known on the upper waters of the Chesapeake, Carrols Island, Sussie Island, and Havre de Grace. From what race or mixture of races they originally sprang I doubt if any person can inform you. Terrier blood they un- doubtedly possess, and possibly a strain of Newfound- land, so we will put them down as curs, but neverthe- less most valuable curs at that. Many a hard day's work my dogs and I went through together, and many another I looked forward to, but in an un- lucky moment I decided to take the senior with me to the Bijou Hills, in Iowa, where he was struck by a timber rattle-snake, to the poison of which he succumbed. My second favourite, and the most wonderful retriever I ever saw, is now four years old. He has all the qualities of the first-mentioned, with sagacity I may say intellect that is surprising. All work he seems equally to comprehend, herding cattle or sheep, watch dog, fetching my slippers from my bed- room, or my letters and papers from the post-office, all are within his province. With setters and pointers in the field he is equally at home, and I defy a human being to mark a covey or wounded bird with the precision that he does. I had a large retriever bitch given me in Norfolk, yellow to tawny in colour, close-coated, and very IO2 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. curly. This was the dam. The sire was an otter hound, bought on Tyneside, a thorough good repre- sentative of the old type, hard haired, and showing a tendency to be knock-kneed ; coat very hard and straight. I had intended breeding the bitch to a Newfoundland of good parts, but an accident occurred, similar to that which procured us the valuable strain in our thoroughbreds, viz., the Godolphin blood. Boatswain, for so I called him, would have been drowned, as all his brothers and sisters were, had not a friend's little boy taken an inordinate fancy to him. He took to retrieving naturally before he was three months old, and would swim across the Rock River in a flood, a month afterwards, yet for all this he was the ugliest, biggest-jointed, and slackest put together puppy that I ever saw. At maturity his coat was the counterpart of his sire's, in other respects he followed his dam. I ever had a horror of mongrels about me, and possess the antipathy now, but Boatswain is a privileged being, and is as popular with my guests as with his master. I had serious thoughts once of bringing him to England, just to show how smart an American-bred dog could be, but I think my neighbours would have gone demented if deprived of his society. As I have above said, I am far from partial to curs, yet for a person who requires a retriever for trans- atlantic water-fowl shooting, I think if he could get the progenitors, he might do worse than make the experiment that turned out for me such a " ten stroke." I am at present debarred from repeating it, for I have lost both parents. However, I have reason to hope that through the instrumentality of friends the breed can be replaced. But after all, retrievers if you except the Irish water, and some other spaniels which by successive crossing are but mongrels, sprang from mingling different breeds, until the desired result is obtained, DRESS FOR WILDFOWL SHOOTING. 10$ when the breeder, through a succession of years, con- fining himself to the same strains of blood, ulti- mately established a race which, in the course of time, becomes accepted as a pure race. The Gordon setter, the old Romney Marsh retriever the Norfolk retriever, and many others that can be mentioned, are all examples of this. I have said my say upon guns and dogs ; an equally important matter will now occupy my atten- tion, without attending to which your probable success in wildfowl shooting upon the Western prairies will be much reduced, viz., dress. Always have your clothes as much approximating to the colour of the landscape over which you shoot as it is possible to have them. Thus, in late autumn, a greenish russet shade is often perfection, while in early spring, in such sections of country as prairie grasses have been burned off, then a butternut or rusty brown suit should be worn. In Kentucky and Southern Ohio this cloth is made, the dye being the juice of the butternut, an exaggerated walnut. Of course, if snow is on the ground or falling, white covering must be resorted to ; but an old white shirt drawn over your other garments answers all purposes. Caps, of course, are to correspond with the colour worn. What is denomi- nated in England a Norfolk jacket is the most comfortable shape in which to have your outer covering made, with pockets to suit the wearer's fancy, but none of these must be thick enough to interfere with the pitching up of the gun to the shoulder. Knickerbockers very loose about the knee, leggings, and substantial, laced ankle boots complete your rig out. The material used for the construction of the suit should be good substantial Scotch or Irish tweed, with woollen stockings and underclothing. Never be induced to wear what in America are called " gum boots ; " for a time that is, till their surface IO4 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. is scratched they will keep out water, but, on the other hand, they prevent the perspiration from escaping, and so submit your limbs to a protracted Turkish bath, which is not only weakening, but unquestionably very unhealthy. If you have to drive a considerable distance to regain home after your day's pleasure is over, put on dry clothes at your trap. If this cannot be accomplished, consider it a sacred duty that you owe yourself, to permit nothing to interfere with an immediate and thorough change being effected the moment you regain shelter. By attending strictly to these simple precepts, although many used to affirm that I courted rheumatism, I have escaped its influences so far, although well on in middle age, and have never missed, when practicable, whatever the state of the weather might be, a day's " ducking " or snipe-shooting upon the Western prairies. Having progressed so far, I will imagine that the neophyte is provided with gun, retriever, and costume suitable for his work, and that he is upon the edge of a Western river there called a creek sluggish in its flow, with water tolerably stained with decayed vegetation. In the stream, by the margin, a wide growth of lily-pads and rushes exists, the whole shut in by clumps of sumach, osier, water- maple, and dwarf poplar. Behind this brush fringe, and between it and the upright bank, will be found a path, not a very good one, in truth, still of sufficient merit to materially assist the sportsman's progress. It has been formed by the otters, minks, musk-rats, and raccoons that haunt all such places. The name of this watercourse is the Little Sioux (for I am not sketching an imaginary picture), which, after a very tortuous course, joins the Red River. The season of the year is early autumn, too soon by several weeks for the arrival of the immense migratory herds of duck that will find their way here later on. Still, for all that, " a good sprinkling of A LUCKY SHOT. 10$ * fowl ' will be found," as a thoroughly Western man would express himself, if asked what were the prospects of sport. What I did here two years ago, when accompanied by an out-and-out sportsman and splendid shot, I will extract from my diary, and in as brief terms as possible. After a loss of some valuable time, and much vexation of spirit, Mark induced a poverty-stricken squatter to take him across the Little Sioux in his scow, for which two minutes' job he did not deem himself sufficiently paid by receipt of a dollar. My friend remarked that, if he had known that he was so hungry after " greenbacks " he would have taken the darned boat without permission, and "let him whistle or fight for'the debt." Thus we did not commence shooting until half-past ten. The width of the river here is just sufficient to be well covered by two guns. For the first half mile we did nothing, old Charon and his numerous progeny doubtless making the neighbourhood too noisy for duck to harbour near it. However, at a sharp bend, things took a more favourable turn. My chum signalled me to look out never speak on such occa- sions which I did, but not before Boatswain had observed the coming birds. They were heading down stream, and therefore approaching us, at an elevation of about thirty feet above the surface of the water. It fortunately happened that both of us were tolerably hidden by the marginal bushes, so we let the birds pass our position before firing, our first barrels speaking simultaneously. Three duck fell to tins fusillade, but I quickly put in my second shot at the nearest, which was trying to gain as elevated a position as attainable. Although I dusted its jacket most thoroughly, it continued towering until almost out of sight. Then down it came, wings, neck, and legs, anyway, dead, of course, and, as any but the most utter novice will imagine, hit in the head. Out of that family we took five, all being of IO6 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. that beautiful species, the wood-duck or Carolina duck (Anas sponsor]. Their breed is not so abundant here as further to the east, so proportionately more valued. They are true tree-perchers, this can at once be ascertained by a look at their toe-nails, which, if not quite as long as cats', are assuredly quite as sharp. When squirrel-shooting with a pea-rifle, I killed one in the top of a pecan the most delicious nut I know of anywhere tree, and its skeleton may be hanging upon it still, for aught I know, as all efforts of mine to bring it to bag were futile. The Anas sponsor is not unknown in England, but exists only in a state of captivity, when its lovely, brilliant plumage attracts universal admiration. Fly-fishermen also know it well, for some of its feathers have long been recognized as very alluring for the capture of both salmon and trout. But Boatswain and Bob the last a black setter of my own imported stock have retrieved our game, and advance is the word. Single birds and pairs keep coming past, and we shoot as opportunity offers. Jealousy is unknown between us, so there is no hurrying, thus very few birds escape. Among the slain are butter ducks, dippers, and common teal, all attractive, all swift of wing, and so affording good sport. What about their gastronomic value ? You that have resided at the Tremont Hotel, Chicago, can answer this ; you that have not, go to the city of grain elevators and pork-packers, and try them. If you are veritable bon vivants you will place them on a level with the diamond-backed terrapin, or canvas- back ducks of " old Virginie " and Maryland. Prairie wildfowl are always excellent for the table, because they are fed upon grain, so are never fishy. But what is that away in the far distance ? The new arrival from across the ocean would vow that A COURAGEOUS BITTERN. they were golden plovers. Their flight and evolu- tions are exactly like that of those birds. On, on they come ; not in a direct course, till at length, by an erratic dash, you may, if militarily inclined, say, " a flank movement," they are nearly overhead, when a salvo of four barrels greets them. Stop not to collect the dead ; in with fresh cartridges into your breeches, for as soon as the astonished birds have recovered from their alarm they will again mass their scattered ranks, and, by many a sweep over their dead and maimed comrades, endeavour to learn what attraction it is that binds them to the fatal spot. It is too bad to avail ourselves of this affection that prevents a comrade deserting a chum, but we do, and again there is a shower of duck falling upon the river's surface. The last discharge has taught a lesson, and away go the survivors in precipitous flight ; but, alas ! only to be dealt with likewise by the next sportsman that they come across. These confiding birds are the blue-winged teal, unknown on the eastern side of the Atlantic. They are also a table bird of great excellence, and quite equal to their congeners pre- viously described. An incident, but a common one, occurred this day on the Little Sioux. Boatswain, while searching for a winged mallard, flushed a bittern ; it was a long shot -I may say a very long shot but these birds are soft in plumage, and, there- fore, easily disabled from further flights, so, after my dog had found the crippled duck, he returned for the victim of my last discharge. However, it evinced no disposition to be obliging, so showed fight. My retriever's past experience of such encounters made him cautious now, so he made a feint to throw the enemy off its guard, when he successfully got his paws upon its neck and body. Many a young dog has been ruined by these birds, not a few blinded, and one I know of, killed. Even the sportsman should be guarded in approaching IO8 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. them when wounded, for they will dart at his eyes with amazing swiftness and precision, and their beak is a most formidable weapon, long, sharp, and hard as bone. It is now well on in the day, game has become even more abundant at a log hut we had procured a brace of lads to carry our spoils, no light loads, I can assure the reader when Mark attracts my attention and beckons me to look off to the south- ward. I do so. Over an enclosure, which appears to have contained corn, I observe numerous wild- fowl sailing. They are mallards, not a doubt of it, and evidently in strength. Near here is a ford, well defined by waggon wheels at their entrance and exit from the water. Mark is not particular about getting wet when sport is on the tapis, and so he and his bearer soon regain my side. " I know that spot well," he says, " there is a " slough " there, and the most of the corn got drowned out last spring, two or three weeks after planting-time. There's a fence run's up to it on the far side, and under its shelter we can reach the water. The wind, too, will just suit. Jerusalem, we're in luck. See what a crowd of birds are coming up." There was, indeed, a crowd of " fowl," and these seemed to be every moment joined by fresh arrivals. We returned to the edge of the water, and kept the river bed for some distance, then emerged from it near a miserable farmhouse in the centre of a locust grove. This, I learned, was where my waggon was to meet us, and I inwardly prayed that there would be no mistake in its doing so, for to pass a night in such a poverty-stricken shanty I did not hanker after, especially when I knew that folks that live in such "ramshackle" dwellings invariably go to bed as soon as the sun goes down, giving you good twelve hours, at the very least, to kick about on a miserable and, probably, very dirty floor. In " the Far West " THE CURSE OF AMERICAN SHOOTING. lOQ there are not a few of such homesteads. From the so-called barn, we gained the corn cribs, and from there the fence, and under the shelter of its weed- covered rails ultimately reached the field before spoken of. It was just such a piece of spoilt cultivation as must give its owner a spasm every time he views it, for before him lay a cruel, cruel evidence of wasted labour, and the unkind treatment of a wet season. Not three cornhills in a dozen had produced grain, and that was stunted and blighted, so hogs had been turned into it, to do the " root, hog, or die " business. These beasts, swine like, had tramped the whole place, except the centre, where the slough was, into a cesspool, in the slime and filth of which still was to be found some grain, and the wildfowl were not slow to discover this godsend ; moreover, burrs and other rapidly-growing plants had sprung up everywhere in most luxuriant growth, affording a haven of shelter from the glaring noonday sun, and a hiding-place from the numerous eagle-eyed hawks that are ever the close attendants upon the flocks of the different varieties and species of the duck family. Mark and myself had little difficulty in gaining the unprofitable cornfield, and, further still, the vicinity of the water, but we both suffered more than inconvenience nay, positive torture in our exertion to do so, for the burrs the most detestable produc- tion of the vegetable creation almost bound our legs together, scratching and rasping our skins whenever we made a movement of our limbs. They are of two sorts, the cuckle burr and the louse burr. The first, from its size, is the most to be dreaded, but the other means to be equally objectionable, if it had only the power. They are a curse to American shooting till cut down by the frosts, and even after severe weather they do not become thoroughly exterminated. If man suffers from these abominable seed pods adher- IIO WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. ing to him, your poor four-footed companions suffer a great deal more, particularly if clothed in a long and silky coat. Often in the fall of the year I have had to cease shooting, till each dog was picked care- fully over, and this process had to be repeated several times a day. If this was neglected, your kennel would most assuredly be turned into a hospital. But to the mallards and their dusky wives. It was easy for the expert to see that the birds before us were, so to say, home-bred, for they lacked the dash and velocity of flight of the true migrants, yet they had an advantage over the last- mentioned, for they were in the most superb con* dition for table use, the result of good feeding and a life of comparative idleness. The nearer we ap- proached the slough, the softer and more slimy be- came the soil, and consequently the more disagree- able to traverse, but who that has the heart of a true sportsman regards such inconveniences ? Mark was my guide, and no better could I have, for who, I should like to know, was more conversant with the wiles and habits of all the broad-billed family ? Up wind we approached the water, for this is as neces- sary in stalking wildfowl as it is in getting within range of the least timid buck that ever wan- dered through the Alleghanies or the Adirondacks. A market gunner would have emptied his first barrel at such birds as rested on the edge of the water or floated upon it, and fired his second the instant after the survivors took wing. Such may be the most profitable method, but we were here in pursuit of sport, not profit. " Are you ready ? " " Yes ! " And both sprang to an erect position. Our presence caused a scare, you can be sure, and in a moment after each had singled out his birds and pulled upon them. Those that were aimed at were killed, but several others that chanced to be in the line of fire also fell. This is un- A HANDSOME BAG. Ill avoidable where a number of birds flush together, and when such does occur, under similar circumstances to the above, of course it is a pardonable faux pas. I make a point of alluding to this as I have often heard English sportsmen hurl all kinds of ponderous ejaculations at the individual who would "fire into the brown of a covey," and to show that Americans of modern times are quite as particular as they are in not countenancing so disgraceful a proceeding. In the early days of this country time was far too precious to follow field sports simply for the sake of amusement. No ; the forefathers of the Nation took out their rifle or their gun with the express intention of filling the pot, and, when this was accomplished, returned forthwith to their chopping, splitting rails, and other drudgeries of a pioneer life. But time has changed all that; the United States has now gentlemen farmers and men of leisure, who shoot for the pleasure that it affords them, and are as anxious that their amusements should be conducted in an orthodox manner as are any gentlemen in the dear old mother land. The reader must excuse this divergence. I would not make it but that I know most erroneous impressions do exist about our cousins on the eastern side of the Atlantic. Till the sun had got to the utmost perceptible limits of his western journey we remained in the en- virons of that slough, till twelve brace of mallards and duck were added to our morning bag ; and what a grand display all the different species made to- gether, when laid out side by side before being packed away in the body of my road waggon. The results that I have noted are not unusual on the Western prairies, in the middle portion of the " fall ;" but it is not for the number of head of game killed that I mentioned it, but for the reason that I consider a day's sport the same as above narrated, to be the creme de la creme of all kinds of shooting 112 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. obtainable with the shot gun in either America, South Africa, or Great Britain. I read the other day a description of a day's cover shooting in an English demesne. The author handled his subject graphically and attractively. The nut-brown decaying foliage, the green ride, the rocketing pheasant, bouncing hares, and impetuous rabbits, all received due and fitting attention. Then the cheery voices of beaters and the sharp calls of warning to " Look out ! " " Mark ! " etc., were not forgotten, nor were the fascinations of a well-served lunch passed over without notice. The whole picture rose before me, and stood in front of me as I had seen it last year. It was truly dazzlingly at- tractive, but I asked myself the question : " Is such sport as is enjoyed by an English cover side equal to that obtained in the wild Western country ? Does the first call out and put into practice the same true sport- ing proclivities as does the second ? Does the former demand the same exercise of skill and patience as does the latter ? " And I answer myself, " Certainly not," In spite of the torture of burrs, the discomfort of wet, exposure to cold, and other serious inconveniences, I would give a day by an old country cover a second place to a day on one of our prairie creeks, in pursuit of water-fowl, and I think the reason I may almost assert that it is the reason that I make this decision is that in one instance the game you use your skill upon is partially domesticated, in the other a shot is never fired but at the free wild birds, whose range knows no boundary, and so may be hundreds of miles distant upon the morrow. With those who have not enjoyed fall shooting on the western prairies and waters, under the conditions that I have attempted to sketch, it would be impos- sible to argue the matter. Therefore, I say to all, Go over and try your hand at it. The demesne is wide and broad enough for all, and when you have paid it a visit, if you be robust, and fit, and keen, A FALSE ALARM. I I 3 then I venture to predict that you will become a con- vert to my views without requiring my eloquence to assist in canting the beam of the balance in my favour. Shooting migratory wildfowl, at the commence- ment of winter, when severe cold weather in the north has driven the duck south in search of open water and food, is a sport that only lasts for a few days twice a year, viz., at the setting in and breaking up of hard weather. As may be imagined, to enjoy this sport to perfection, you should have a constitu- tion of iron, and a frame of the finest tempered steel. Moreover, not to miss the arrival of the flights, you should be upon your ground many days before the anticipated arrival of the " fowl." If you have a few days to wait before the expected visitors arrive, your time can be profitably spent in examining the country, and selecting your future battle-field. Do not for a moment think that such time will hang heavily on your hands ; wherever you go if far enough from settlements game of some description will be found in sufficient quantities to pleasantly occupy your vacant time in their pursuit. This will be noted especially to be the case, if a lengthened period of Indian summer precedes the burst of winter. A few years ago I was summoned by telegraph to a friend's house. As indications in the weather pre- dicted the near advent of winter, I started full of anticipation, energy, and hope, but was disappointed to find that the alarm signal was sounded too soon. My host's establishment was a pleasant one, and himself excellent company. I suppose he must have noted an air of disappointment on my face, for he remarked, " It looks this evening as if you may have some time to wait before the break comes in the weather." " Yes," I responded, " just my luck," etc. I 1 14 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. " Not so. There is lots of fun to be had in the meantime. There are plenty of fox squirrels to be got if you care about rifle shooting. There are a good many hares in the brush around the winter pasture. A fine sprinkling of duck of all sorts, and snipe by the sloughs, as well as prairie-fowls, and if I mistake not, a good dozen of deer in the big cornfield, that must be fat as pigs, judging from the injury that they have done the crop." I never spent in my life previously or since a pleasanter five days, for the sport I enjoyed in that brief period was wonderful, not so much on account of the quantity of game killed, as in the variety brought to bag. In my host's cellar, one night after dinner, we had a stock-taking examination. It was more than satisfactory, as the reader will agree when he hears the list. Nicely arranged and hung up were deer, wild turkeys, duck, prairie-fowls, partridges, hares a true dwarf species of the lepus family weighing about four pounds and fox squirrels. On returning to his comfortable dining-room, we had many a yarn about past shooting experiences, and had reached about the time for our nightcap, or last glass of whiskey toddy, when the sharp, shrill bark of a dog rang out upon the still atmosphere without. Both listened for a few moments, then the angry voice was repeated. " Aye, that's it, is it ? " remarked my host. " What ? " naturally inquired I. " That restless little devil, Garry, has got a coon tree'd in the orchard, I suppose ; it's about the tenth this month ; he can wait. (( No ! let us go out for the fun of the thing ; re- member, I have not yet got so satisfied with these small incidents not to enjoy seeing the capture of a coon. Don't these beasts play the very mischief with your poultry ? " A RACCOON TREED. 115 " Yes, certainly they do, but we have so many that one more or less does not matter." So we got our hats, and a stick apiece, and sallied forth into the orchard, at the far corner of which we found Master Garry a strong-built Dandie Dinmont terrier of about twenty- pounds weight keeping ward over an apple tree close to the fence. Now that we had arrived on the scene the dog became mad with excitement. The night was so deliciously balmly, clear, and still, that to be out of doors was in itself a treat. But I fear that the poultry destroyer did not contemplate matters in the same light. His position was soon discovered, for the leaves were already fallen, so that his fat round form looked like a big bird's nest against the vault of heaven. Poor beast ! his rest- lessness showed how gravely he viewed the situation, and if I had had a voice in the matter I would have granted him a free pardon, particularly as a fowl more or less did not matter. A youth, ambitious of distinction, climbed the tree with a club suspended from his wrist ; slowly but surely he got within the required distance, then, with an adroit and powerful blow, struck the limb to which the poor thing clung. The coon jumped or fell, I am not certain which, but in his descent made an unsuc- cessful effort to clutch another limb, and in a moment after was at close quarters with Garry. A worrying match I have no fancy to describe. The dog proved victor, not without having to use all his pluck and power, and the dead game was carried to the larder and hung up with the other spoils. A few days after- wards I ate a portion of this beast ; but whether it was the result of the cook's skill, or the tremendous appetite I had, it would be difficult to say ; however, I found it exceedingly good and attractive food. The last few paragraphs, of course, do not refer to duck shooting this it is unnecessary to tell the reader I 2 II 6 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. but I recount it to show that the English sports- man, who goes to the West specially to be present when the migrations take place, need not necessarily have "a bad time" if he should arrive a few days before the flights commence to come in. Of course, all will not have their lines cast in such pleasant places as mine were, still there are lots of large influential farmers and ranchers residing in the very heart of the finest wildfowl shooting countries, who will not only be pleased, but delighted to entertain the strange gentleman the visitor must be that ; so democratic are they in Republican America for the sake of his society and conversation. Should the intending traveller be a bachelor and not inclined to turn Benedick, my warning is, take care, take care, for some of these prairie flowers are wonderfully seductive blossoms. Yes ; no doubt about it ; the western prairie young ladies are " fetching," particularly those sprung from the old stock that settled in Missouri and adjoining states when all the lands thereabouts were Indian territory. This is not to be wondered at, for their mothers were Mexican, therefore Spanish, and their fathers the most venturesome and choice specimens of the Anglo-Saxon race established in the more eastern country. When a young Missourian in the good old times (?) wanted a wife, and he could find two or three companions who were of the same way of thinking, well mounted and armed, they made their way through the Pawnee and Comanche hunting grounds to the borders of the neighbouring republic, where they secreted themselves till they heard of a dance taking place at a neighbour- ing " puebla." When the funcion was at its height they presented themselves, and were immediately made welcome guests by the dark-eyed signoritas. But little time was wanted by the daring adventurers to select the beauties of the assembly. That being HOW WIVES WERE OBTAINED. I I/ done, a signal was given, in a moment after, all lights were extinguished, and each caballero seized the darling of his choice with one hand and drew his revolver with the other, and pushed and fought her way till the horses were reached, when the watch- word doubtlessly was " devil take the hindmost/' I never heard that the ladies objected to this summary mode of obtaining husbands, but then it would be "against human natur " if they did, when by their abduction they got a stalwart Missourian instead of a dirty, lazy " Greaser/' The reader will see from the above that the good citizens of the Western United States were not, in pluck and prowess, far behind some of our own border ruffians that flourished little over a hundred years ago. In fact, I doubt not that they learned this game from the example that the old country had set them. But for the ducks the web- footed ones I mean now without further delay I will at once attend to their case. I had been several days killing time at a farm- house in Nebraska no difficult task, I can assure you before the break up of autumn came. The locality was known to be one of the very best in all America for catching the migratory hordes on their way south, and I was resolved to be in time, so took that enemy by the forelock. Thus I got to the scene of operations before I was actually wanted. The Indian summer had been late, and when it did come it lingered long, as if loth to part with our company. In the evening I sat out on the verandah, and my host and self enjoyed our glasses of good aged Kentucky, reputed to be at least thirty years old. I knew the brew well, for it came from the Louisville Hotel cellars when hospitable Philip Judge was partner in that establishment. It was just such stuff as is reporled not to have a headache in a gallon of it, but this I did not put 1 1 8 WILDFO WL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STA TES. to the test, for the reason that I never took a gallon of it at a sitting. The tobacco was also very choice, and we smoked it out of the best of all pipes, those made from corn cobs, a custom my entertainer had introduced from " ole Virginie." Never was, or could there be, a more delightful night ; the mosquitoes had taken their departure some time back, so the only sounds that broke the solemn stillness were the honest, deep-mouthed bark of a neighbour's watchdog, or the bass "hoot, hoot" of the large-eared owl that had his home in the upper tendrils of a wild vine that abundantly enveloped from root to top a grand button-wood tree. The temperature about 8 p.m. could not have been many degrees below seventy, thus all things tended to present comfort ; in fact, in the language of that recherche place of resort designated " the Bowery," it might be said that " everything was lovely,'* etc. My host, with sweet affection and by the help of a lamp, was rubbing an oil-rag up and down the barrels of his well-tried and highly valued double ten, made by Abbey, of Chicago. On his face was a pleasant satisfied smile that told with emphasis how he revered that good and trusted weapon. Looking across the table at me, he said, inquiringly, " Do you mean to tell me that either of that pair of ' razeed' breech- loaders of yours will kill a duck or a goose ; or, for that part, perhaps a swan, as far as my thirty-six inch barrels will ? Why, man, it is contrary to common sense. " I don't see that ; your argument would be, the longer the barrels are, the further they will kill. Why, man, you had better have a gun made that you require to get on the table to load." " No, no, that's darned nonsense ; there's a margin in all things." " Exactly/' I quickly responded ; " that is what I say, and what I am prepared to prove, and that WELCOME NEWS. margin is twenty-six inches, as, when the time comes, I will show you." " Right you are ! right you are ! " he answered, blithely. " You don't take me for an old ' know nothing/ that is not open to reason." So we finished our whiskey and our pipes, little supposing when we turned in that a change of weather was at hand. At four in the morning it was cold enough for me to require another blanket upon my bed ; at breakfast time the thermometer must have been down to near freezing point, while fitful gusts of wind every now and then sung in mournful cadence around the chimney stacks and gables of the house. On going forth, big black clouds, solid as if cut out of boot leather, were rising higher and higher in the north-west, and an odd, straggling flake of snow drifted past as if not anxious to terminate its existence by making closer acquaintance with Mother Earth. The season had at length broken, winter was at last come, and with its advent, of course, would arrive the migratory wildfowl. Soon after breakfast one of the farm hands came in from a distant part of the ranche with a load of cord-wood ; he was brimful of news for the " boss," so must see him. His interview was not delayed. " Boss, the fowl are come, the big slough beyond my shanty is full of them, and they are fairly booming around the lower part of the corn-field that had a miss-crcp." This field had been drowned out in spring, so its produce was not worth gathering ; but, to make the best possible use of the grain it had borne, five or six score of hogs had been turned into it, and, as may be imagined, its soil was trampled into a quagmire. This place was in the most splendid condition for a ducks' feeding- ground, and would remain so until it was frozen. A smart team I2O WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN 7 HE WESTERN STATES. before a light road waggon soon brought us to the desired place, and, to our intense satisfaction, we found that our informant had not one whit exagger- ated his statement. On the Kaukakee, or English lake, and at a big slough about ten miles north of Kent, Indiana, I have seen some flights that have surprised me, but this beat all my past records. On those occasions I made terribly heavy bags with a muzzle-loader ; what was I going to do now ? It remained to be seen. In every direction that I cast my eyes ducks were in view, in large flocks and small flocks, with single intermediate connecting links between them, just as if keeping within feel of the adjoining bodies of their kindred. The corn-field seemed to be the greatest object of attraction, yet the adjoining slough had thousands of visitors. I imagine these last had travelled farthest, so, being worn out, required rest before gratifying their appetites. The air around this open water fairly resounded with their voices, for each flight that approached it was solicited by their predecessors to alight, and the new comers clamorously accepted their invitation. No fear existed in any of the safety of the situation, for, without hesitation, all would turn in their flight and dash down into the overflow with such amazing rapidity that when they struck the water's surface it would fly in spray for yards on every side. Then commenced such a preening of feathers, fluttering of wings, shaking of tails, and racing and diving, accompanied by loud exclamations of delight that the observer might well imagine that all the "creturs " had well-nigh gone demented. Not so with the ducks that had selected the corn- field for their operations. Over and over it they sailed, some on such rapid pinions as if their very existence depended upon speed ; others with more measured gait, as if desirous of selecting, without fail, AN EXTRAORDINARY SIGHT. 121 where food promised to be most abundant. At times all would appear to settle, when apparently some false alarm would again bring the crowd upon the wing, producing a reverberatory noise so loud and protracted that an inexperienced human being could scarcely believe that it was possible for such an ear- stunning sound to be produced by all the bird life in the world, if collected in a given area, from every known part of the earth. Well might the farm-hand say, " The fowl were coming in booming ; " no better expression could he have used, for the com- bined sounds of their innumerable pinions resounded exactly like the " booming waters " of a mighty river when hurrying in a state of flood, regardless of banks, levees y and other obstacles, to launch its tawny over- flow into the clear, blue-tinted ocean. It was a sight to see, whether by sportsman or naturalist ; and it would be hard to say in which of their minds it would create the greatest wonderment. My host stood still in astonishment, and even my retriever looked none the less surprised. As to my own feelings, they were much the same, for, although I had expected to obtain grand sport, I never for a moment anticipated such an embarrassment of riches. I can only account for it in this way. The change of weather had been so sudden, that the flights that would have taken at least three days to pass were compelled to leave all together their northern haunts for the south at a moment's warning and that the depression of temperature had so rapidly travelled that no resting-place had been permitted them till they had traversed an immense distance. In addition to this, the large adjoining slough with an immense waste corn-field upon its margin, could not fail to be of great attraction to the hungry, weary, travel-stained birds. All I have written has taken time to do it, but little of it was spent in settling our plan of campaign. The 122 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. field was decided upon as our scene of operations, for it still afforded some cover, and comparatively speaking, dry standing ground, and, better than all, it did not necessitate my good, faithful dog wetting a hair of his bonny coat. I took with me both my guns, for very severe work was before me, and about two hundred cartridges, thinking, when leaving the homestead, that this supply would be amply sufficient for all my require- ments. Now, I knew that double, or even treble, that quantity could easily have been got rid of ; but I have no desire to beat " gunning 1 ' records, so felt satisfied with the good fortune that had fallen to my lot. My friend selected his stand first, then I went about a hundred and twenty yards beyond him till I reached a trifling elevation of the ground, on which there still stood a goodly sprinkling of corn-stalks. About half a dozen of these I tied together, and thrust a handful of dead weeds into their tops, and so formed in a few minutes a screen that ingenuity and mechanism could not have improved. While this bit of work was being done I took no trouble to hide myself, nor was it necessary, for the birds seemed to regard me with such utter indifference, that they kept swinging to and fro, often passing within ten or twelve yards of where I stood. It was snowing, but not heavily, and the flakes were of the smallest size, yet the violence of the wind made them adhere to my shooting coat and cap, both of which were within a shade or two of the colour of my shelter. Now commenced the work ; but spare me doing an impossibility by trying to describe each shot made. Some birds towered, then fell dead ; others, generally winged birds, came down slantingly, and with such velocity as to tear the feathers and down off their breasts, and even, in some instances, break their skins, while a third, amidst a perfect cloud of feathers, entirely collapsed, and reached the ground WILD GEESE AT LAST. 123 with its legs, wings, and neck stuck out in every direction but that they ought to have been in. Among the game killed mallard preponderated, then came sprigtails, and lastly common teal. When a gun heated I changed it, and so the sport went on till my stock of cartridges had most visibly lessened. Still, to my surprise, not a goose had put in appear- ance, and I commenced to recognize that the end was near at hand, for I was transferring the last dozen rounds from my bag to my pockets, when t( honk ! honk ! honk ! " fell upon my ear. Here they come at last, and I will keep these for their benefit. But the geese did not put themselves within range till I had waited over half an hour for them. The duck seemed to know my resolve, so, presuming upon the situation, swished past me at express speed, not unfrequently so close as to be touchable with a moderate-sized fish pole. The temptation did not break my resolution, and at length I got my reward. Two or three small squads of geese (Anser Canadensis] arrived ; they were evidently prospecting for the information of the main body, so I desisted firing wild shots at them. To my disgust they wheeled, and seemed resolved on seeking other feeding grounds ; but not so, for soon after the air resounded with their sonorous and melodious call, and not hundreds, but thousands of those handsome birds were seen making head for my screen, or its environs, each bunch being composed of from five to a dozen members. I suppose the skirmishers who had been sent in advance to examine the country reported the field free from danger, for on came the various flights without halt or even hesitation. They were truly a grand and goodly sight, such as the sportsman could not behold but with the greatest satisfaction. Let me describe the best known wild goose (Anser Canadensis] upon the North American continent. 124 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. Its colours are from a jet black to the lightest shades of fawn, or even white. The head and upper portions of the neck are the former, the back and external wing feathers are a very dark brown, while fawn and white are charmingly intermingled along the lower portions of the body. Around the neck is a pure white ring, such as is to be found in some varieties of English pheasants, and gives the bird an air of smartness that it would not otherwise possess. In truth I never look at one of these geese that I do not think of a Philadelphia Quakeress in the costume of her people, which is in my eyes the perfection of neatness and unobtrusiveness, so totally destitute of aught that can be considered showy or ostentatious. The flight of the A nser Canadensis is wonderfully strong and protracted, and, although during stormy weather, it may be low, when the elements are settled I have often found its altitude so great that it was difficult to distinguish them with the naked eye, in spite of their deep, repeated calls keeping me con- stantly informed where they should be looked for. Although I would not say that these birds are strictly nocturnal, yet they frequently make long journeys at night when necessity to do so arises from sudden changes of weather. Snow was again falling, but in such infinitesimal flakes that it little interfered with my powers of vision, so I let the beauties come on, just to see how close they would approach before discovering my presence. When within twenty-five yards, simul- taneously all threw up their wings till their pinions appeared to touch each other, down went their feet spread to the utmost degree of expansion, and in a moment more the flock would have been upon the ground, when I pitched my barrels upon the nearest bird and pressed the right-hand trigger ; with the report two fell, while the second discharge earthed another. If I had hesitated some seconds longer EXPERIMENTAL SHOTS. 125 all would have been upon the ground ; as it was, nothing could have been more ludicrous than to see the startled geese endeavouring to regain their dis- carded velocity of flight. It was a scramble, a regular sauve qui pent, in which all were seriously retarded by their proximity to each other. Either from a desire to know what prevented the killed from joining their flight, or ignorance of what had caused the rapid retreat, back the flock came, and passed within forty yards of my screen. By this time I had inserted fresh cartridges, so two more birds paid the penalty of their rashness. For a few minutes after this I had some rest, but after that respite again the geese com- menced to visit my immediate locality, in constantly increasing numbers. Their flight was so steady, their approach so apparent, that no one could fail to kill the game, unless he was like a Cincinnati friend of mine, who invariably shut both eyes when he pitched his gun to his shoulder. When I had but four cartridges remaining, I resolved to fire them at, such long distances as would give me enlighten- ment on the vexed question, c< How far can a wild goose be killed with ordinary shot ? " Circumstances permitted me to pick my birds, so all were fired at as the birds crossed me, at fifty, sixty, and sixty-five yards. I had most satisfactory results, but with the last bird, which I judged to be further off than either of the others, the result was different, for the goose soared and fell dead within a hundred yards of where I stood. However, such an experience as this does not prove much unless that my gun "held its shot well together, yet threw it with great force for if the game had been in another position at the time I aligned my barrels upon it, the result might have been different. The above is narrated with the purpose of eluci- dating the question, whether a bird like a goose can be killed with three or five shot under certain circum- 126 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. stances, but the success of those shots depends upon the position that the game may be in when the missiles are delivered. If a wild goose is heading towards you, however accurate your aim may be, at forty-five yards you may fail to kill, at longer distances if you have the object of your aim placed in a better position, you are certain to do execution. A gun is frequently condemned because it does not kill dead at a moderate range when first it is used in the field, without any consideration being taken of the position of the game at the time it is shot at. The shooter, in consequence, loses confidence in his weapon, which makes him shoot badly, and further causes its owner to form far from a favourable opinion of the skill of the maker. Another matter, old, possibly, as the hills, yet, like many good things, deserves repetition. Find out exactly the charge, by repeated trials, that gives the best result, and stick to it. Overloading with shot is the most common mistake, and one that will do more to prevent a gun shooting strong, or making a good pattern, than any other. An instance of this was most markedly brought under my observation, which I think worthy of recounting. A very intimate friend, a resident of St. Louis, never could get a gun to suit him. He was a very nervous man, and, as a natural consequence, a very indifferent shot. More- over, the weapons he used were of the commonest description, such as were very abundant a few years ago throughout the United States. One day I chaffed him about a succession of egregious misses that he had made, and alluded in strongly derisive terms to the gun he used. " What ? why, man, it is made by one of the best old country makers ; look at the name Egg, London." And, true enough, there was the time-honoured name deeply lettered on both stock and rib. Of course, it is needless to say it was " a fraud," but it took a long THE RESULT OF OVERLOADING. \2J time to convince my friend that such was the case. The result, however, was that I was commissioned to order a gun for him in England. I and W. Tolley, of Conduit Street, London, undertook the job, and in due time the result of these skilful workmen's efforts was delivered. A few weeks after its arrival, I went to have a few days' shooting with my friend. He complained of his new purchase ; it did not shoot well, and the recoil was suffi- cient to knock him off his feet every time he fired it. I was surprised, for from experience I knew what good work these makers turned out, but I had not far to seek for an elucidation of the mystery, and it was simply this, he was shooting an ounce and three-eighths of shot when one ounce was an amply sufficient charge, for the gun was a 12-bore. My friend explained how the overloading occurred. An acquaintance who it afterwards appeared wished to possess the gun told him that high-classed guns required heavy loading, and that it was the quantity of shot that they could take made them so valuable. It may appear remarkable to many how an educated man could be such a fool, but there are so many men in the United States who have spent all their early days toiling in an office, and have only taken to field sports late in life, that very crude ideas about guns and gunnery will frequently be found to exist among them. In fact, I may safely say that among them are to be found as many Cockney sports- men and Winkles as we have in England. It is almost unnecessary to state that when the charges were rectified, no better shot-gun could be found in the State of Missouri. But excuse this digression. The experience which I had at the wild geese would be unique in Great Britain, but not so in many parts of the Western States, and, as a test of the killing powers of a gun, it could not be excelled, for all that was required by 128 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. the marksman was to keep cool, bide his time, and make his choice of birds. I had no hungry longing for more slaughter when the last cartridge was fired. I almost think that I rejoiced that my work was finished, for I had been most assuredly a favoured child of fortune. When I had collected all my game into a pile, ready for the waggon, it really looked a tremendous quantity, and possibly there arose in my mind the ghost of a suspicion that I had been too sanguinary ; but then it must be remembered that all these birds were migratory, and that if I had not arrested them in their flight, to-morrow they probably would have been affording profit and sport to a lot of half-bred niggers, who shoot upon the lower reaches of the Mississippi to supply the New Orleans markets. My companion had also done extra well, but the performance of my guns he never tired of expatiating upon. This resulted in my making a convert to my belief in short barrels, and so thorough was the con- version that a letter was written that self-same night ordering a duplicate of my battery. Next day the whole country was iron-bound snow lay over it broadcast, and open water had ceased to exist. Unless to those well experienced in the lay of the land, it' would have been no small matter of difficulty to point out where the sloughs existed. Being situated something like that venerable old nigger, " Poor old Ned," who had no further work to do, 1 packed up my traps, and bid adieu to country life for a time. Another grand goose and duck hunt I had, but in a different part of the country. It was so eminently satisfactory, yet possessed of novelties in respect to details, that I feel induced to impart it to the reader, from the idea that he may be as fond of this descrip- tion of amusement as I am myself. I was lounging about the Bates House, Indianapolis, trying to kill A NEGLECTED HOMESTEAD. 1 2Q time (not waiting for a divorce to be granted *) rather a difficult matter in that superlatively stupid town. The hotel had a good cook, and all the delicacies of the season were abundant, and well served ; but a person cannot spend his life in eating and sleeping. Let me see, there were two other divertissements in vogue which I had almost forgotten viz., hoisting the demi-john and fighting the tiger. The first of these means drinking Bourbon, the other taking a hand at " faro." Now, I hate soaking indoors, and always have the most confounded luck when I touch a card ; so it may be imagined that I was no way loth to seize any chance that offered to provide change of scene and mode of passing time. Such, providentially, occurred. A legal friend had to go out West to settle some details about transference of property. He requested me to accompany him, and, as an inducement to make me do so, enlarged voluminously upon the excellence and variety of the shooting to be found in the locality to which he was bound. The bait took, so next morning I was ready for the road. I am not permitted to mention the exact locality, but it was a good hundred miles west of the Mississippi river. In due time we arrived at our destination. The country was far from attractive, and had a decided appearance of neglect, with a rapid return to its primaeval state. Before the war, and, therefore, the abolition of slavery, I was told that fine crops had been raised here. Likely enough \ but who has got a head long enough to calculate how many years that is since ? However, land that has been reclaimed, and afterwards permitted to relapse into its original state, is invariably a favourite resort of game ; at least, I have always found such to be the case. 1 Six weeks' residence in this State is all that is necessary to obtain a dissolution of marriage. K I3O WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. Duck were very numerous, but wild, so that little could be done with them except at morning and evening flight times, and soon the birds commenced to get so knowing that even this brief occupation got slow. Measuring land, marking out boundaries, and inspecting title deeds can be made to cover a lot of time by a lawyer, when there are fees attached to the process. Thus it was that I felt assured that two weeks at least would elapse before my friend would be disposed to retake to the road. Well, we did a great deal of driving about the country that the legal luminary might get conversant with all the details necessary for him to learn, and a brace of double guns and a retriever always accom- panied us. Wherever " bob- whites " and prairie-fowl were found most numerous, there my chum was certain to discover indisputable evidence that coal- oil existed in m'ore or less quantities, and such a valuable find invariably entailed a second visit. But better than undefined prospects was a reality that presented itself, namely, that wild geese were more than usually abundant in the locality ; but the birds were as wild as hawks, and defied our getting within shooting distance of them, in spite of the display of such an amount of able tactics as would have certainly led an army to victory. Even the poor old horse that drew our waggon showed evidence of weari- ness, neglect, and disappointed ambition, and finally almost refused to get up a trot even when the road was good, and a less unfortunate animal passed him. " It is a long lane that has no turning " we at length found to be a true saying. Passing a most disrepu- table farmhouse, we observed three wild geese tied to stakes a short distance in front of the door. They were certainly a sight to be rejoiced at, if judgment could be formed from the expression of my companion's countenance. " I have got it ! " he exclaimed ; AN OLD " CRANK," 1 3 1 " we'll have some of those geese yet lots of them every man jack of them ! " I almost commenced to think that continued dis- appointment had so preyed upon his mind as to make him " luney " ; notwithstanding, I begged him to explain himself. His answer was brief and to the point. "Don't you see? the very finest decoys in the world ; nothing to beat them nothing. I'll just jump down and buy them off the reel," and he alighted. My legs being rather cramped, I did the same. A deal of hammering brought a garrulous old joker to the door, who, to his discredit, did not appear especially overjoyed to see us, for his salutation was too abrupt and terse to admit of any other construc- tion. " Now, be gone with you. I'll have none of you fellows dangling about here ; my daughter is off to Cairo, so is the old woman, and I guess that she was hitched to Elisha Kent yesterday ! Now take your hook." " Now, my good man, just listen for a moment ; do now. It is not your estimable daughter that we desire to see nothing of the kind, I assure you " " Then what is it, by thunder ? " " To buy your beautiful geese, the wild ones before the door." And the aged parent immediately cooled down, and ceased to present a formidable appearance. But he would not sell his geese, although ten dollars was offered for them, for, as he explained, he made a living by them. And a very poor living it must have been, judging by appearances. However, the old man used the birds as decoys, so if we could hire them, and him with them, our object would be attained. The veteran knew how to make a bargain, but as K 2 132 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. the greater part of the payment was to be taken from the results, we closed with him. Next day we returned soon after noon. With us we brought a good supply of Bourbon, and were ex- tremely liberal in dispensing it. The first glass had a visible effect upon our host, the second improved him further, but after he had imbibed a third, we spoke to and of him as " the old gentleman/' Some might have taken this as a doubtful compliment ; however he did not, and appreciated it in no sinister manner, as some thin-skinned people might have done. About a mile from his tumble-down old caboose our guide and mentor pointed out a sheet of water, addled and feather strewn by the wildfowl that fre- quented it. Near by was a grass knowe, on which he pegged out his decoys, there being a distance of a few yards between each bird. This important business performed, he placed my friend among some dwarf persimmon bushes, and myself behind a clump of reeds. This done to his satisfaction, the fine old fellow mounted his venerable moke (it might have been Balaam's ass), and told us to look out for the game as soon as we heard him shoot. I had forgotten to say that this grand old sport had brought a gun with him, quite his coeval. It had gone through many mutations in time, for it bore unquestionable evidence that in its early existence it had rejoiced in flint and steel ignition. As our new acquaintance departed to perform his self-imposed task, an onlooker would have sworn that he gazed upon one of Fenimore Cooper's heroes returned from the unknown, yet, if I mistake not, very densely populated land. The hero that Joe Jefferson so inimitably repre- sented, and Washington Irving created seemed to be before me, while in the dim distance beyond I could almost vow that I saw dog Snider, Sleepy Hollow, A WESTERN BRIDE. 133 and the blue hazy Catskill Mountains, with the placid Hudson River flowing beneath. Soon a distant report of a gun recalled my conjured-up vision of a past age to the far more material present time, more particularly as the game we sought was soon after\vards in sight, with several parties of wild duck hovering around them. Well ! they came, and were duly received, again they returned and met the same reception, till even my companion, who was a perfect glutton for shoot- ing, thought that we had done enough. On our return to the homestead, we found the newly-married couple in possession, and a cleaner built, more buxom lass could not have been found in the State. No wonder, then, that the old " crank " thought that his daughter was the object of our visit. BEST GUN FOR SHORE-SHOOTING. AN American gentleman writes to me, " What is the best gun for the above purpose, as well as flight- shooting ? as the use of punt, swivel, or stanchion guns have been interdicted upon the Chesapeake and all adjoining waters, and nothing can be employed against fowl that cannot be shot from the shoulder." The information here required would, doubtless, be interesting to some of our home sportsmen, more especially if we could get our Parliament to prohibit the use upon our coast of those small-bore cannon, that do an enormous amount of damage and injury to the true sportsmen's pleasure, and only gratify the love of adventure of a few gentlemen, or afford a scant living to a moiety of those dwellers upon the coast, whose time could assuredly be much better and more profitably occupied. My reason for writing in such strong terms against the use of stanchion guns is, that upon our ocean frontage, the limited amount of wildfowl that visit it annually, are so harassed by these abominable weapons that they dare not during daylight approach their sea-feeding grounds below tide mark, much less come further on to land-locked waters. Thus night is the only time that they can be pursued, and then only with those mammoth machine guns, destroying entirely any chance that the ordinary sportsman has of adding occasionally a few of these valuable birds to his bag, whether his beat be along the sea's margin, over bogs and fens, or by river banks. The coast of the United States PUNT GUNS, AN ABOMINATION. 135 from the Delaware south to Florida possesses the most marvellous extent of semi-land-locked waters possibly to be found in any part of the world, and they are provided with an abundance of all the choicest foods that ducks, geese, and swans can revel in. Therefore, a few years back, millions of these birds made it their winter residence ; but punt- guns soon altered all this, for firing at these feathered visitors at long ranges, at all hours of the night and day, so intimidated them that they were compelled to seek new shelters to avoid annihilation. Thus the winter pleasure of many of the farmers and land- owners, merchants and shopkeepers, was spoiled, and would have continued to be so had not their grievance sought redress at the hands of their respective legis- latures, which, being composed of practical men, passed laws yes, and enforced them that no gun should be used in wildfowl shooting that cannot be shot from the shoulder. The result of this wise act of legislation is that the migrant water-birds have returned to their old favourite haunts, and soon promise to be as abun- dant and afford as much amusement to the ordinary sportsman as in years gone by. If the American coast could not bear with impunity the use of these gigantic specimens of firearms, how much less can our coast do it. And if market gunners and a few amateurs had to sacrifice their gains or pleasure across the Atlantic for the benefit of the majority, it is not much to expect in fact, insist that the same classes cease to follow an avoca- tion that produces here much more disastrous results. Shutting up the mouth of a salmon river with nets is a great injustice to those that dwell upon the stream's banks near the source whence it has sprung. Harassing wildfowl on the coast with punt guns is almost an equal act of unfairness to those that reside inland. 136 BEST GUN FOR SHORE-SHOOTING. After writing the above, and no doubt stirring up the wrath and animosity of a number of duck punt owners, I will endeavour to describe such a shoulder gun as will, in my humble belief, be found the most effective weapon for shore-shooting, but it will take a strong man to carry it and use it successfully. A 4-bore single-barrel breech-loader, 34 inches long, weighing from \2\ Ibs. to 13 Ibs., moderate choke, and provided with a heel recoil pad. This last addition is necessary, as considerable " kick " may be expected ; but that unpleasantness much depends upon the length and fineness of the taper of the interior segment of the barrel. The probable charge would be about 10 drs. of black powder, and less, not more, than 3 ozs. of shot. However, this can best be known by making a few experiments. Such a gun as I have above mentioned, with the exception of length of barrels, I used for the greater part of a season about Albemarle and Pampico Sound, on Cobb's Island, and the Chesapeake, No. I shot always gave me far more satisfactory results than heavier sizes ; in fact, I doubt much now whether I should not prefer for all-round work No. 2 instead of No. I. With heavy mould shot you can, once in a way, make a tremendous long kill, but you will seldom repeat the performance twice in succession. The cause of this is that many more birds are only wounded than disabled at these extravagant ranges, from the pattern of the shot becoming very wide and irregular. A 4-bore should kill with certainty (having an approximate load to that described) a single mallard flying at one hundred yards ; on a flock at twenty yards further its effect would be very severe. Near Pakamoke Sound I killed two swans both young birds at one hundred and one hundred and ten yards in two following discharges, their heads and necks getting the centre of the charge. From THE GUN FOR SHORE-SHOOTING. 137 the position of the wounds, the result to more aged specimens would have been the same. At Cobb's Island, that bleakest of the bleak of ocean-washed islands, during a fearful gale from north by west the point from which all the severest storms come on that coast I made a most extra- ordinary bag of brant with rny 4-bore gun. I had comparatively little shelter in which to secrete my- self, and my dress did not harmonize with the sand and bleached grass that surrounded me, so the game gave me a tolerably wide berth, yet at over a hundred yards I frequently killed three or four at a shot. This island at one time was justly celebrated for the number of shore (wading) birds that visited it. In soft, still, balmy days they were generally very difficult of approach when on the beach, although easily lured with decoys, yet again this weapon on occasions proved itself to be a wonderful performer. Its barrels were forty-two inches long, ten more inches of metal to carry than I afterwards found necessary, and the experienced sportsman well knows what a comfort such a re- duction is, both in regard to weight and improved facility in taking aim. If my correspondent should, after what I have said, desire to possess such a gun, let him employ a good, therefore a careful gunmaker, to build it, and I have no doubt that his performances with it will afford him the greatest satisfaction. WILD BUFFALOES AND PONIES OF AUSTRALIA. VERY few people are aware that there are buffaloes in Australia, the real, ugly beasts, that have so often given the Indian sportsman no end of bother, and made him thank his stars when he saw their tails and not their heads turned towards him, especially if there were no convenient trees in his immediate vicinity that could be ascended. It is hard to say whether these brutes are more to be dreaded in Southern China than in India. In both countries I have had my ad- ventures with them, but never was more persistently chevied from one hiding-place to another, than I was in the Shangmoon Valley, about thirty miles from Hong Kong; but this persevering pursuit, I think, resulted from my having a brace of pointers with me that would stick to my heels, in spite of all the strongest and most emphatic language that I could employ, to urge them to understand that for once their absence was preferable to their society. On another occasion at the same place, a dear friend of mine alas ! long gone to join the vast majority was hunted down a hillside by one of these brutes, and was within an ace of being caught had it not been that he grasped the trunk of a tree, about fifteen inches in diameter, and swung round it at the moment that his foe passed him. Of course the species that I allude to is the well-known water- buffalo^ quiet and docile enough with its native BUFFALOES IN AUSTRALIA. 139 herds, but a regular fiend incarnate to all Euro- peans that may chance to trespass upon its grazing grounds. Poor " Zoophilus," the best of naturalists, and the most genial of companions, often assured me that there were several large herds of water or, as they are locally called, mud buffaloes in Australia. About twenty-four years ago, if my memory serves me correctly, he published an article to this effect, but I fear that his statement received little credence. Now I am able to assert that he was correct, as I have always found him to be on any subject appertaining to the science he so dearly loved, and of which he had made a life-long study. But the reader must not run away with the idea that these ruminants are indigenous to that immense island, or continent, as some people designate it ; for such is not the case. The intro- duction of the water buffalo to Australia is due to our Government, who, extraordinary to state, in a fit of liberality, brought a score of these beasts from Java, and turned them loose in the neighbourhood of Port Essington. So admirably has the country suited all their requirements, that from such a small beginning there are now probably existing in that section of country wild droves amounting to ten or twelve thousand head. From their original place of deposit, they have so far enlarged their range that some have been found in Queensland. Having re- lapsed into a perfectly savage state, they regard themselves as masters of the situation, and are pre- pared to dispute the possession of their demesne with all intruders. When an aged bull is driven off from his herd he will frequently take up his residence in the vicinity of a " water-hole," the sanctity of which he guards so vigorously, that horned cattle or horses ever give the locality a wide berth. At present there are some squatters who occupy their time in hunting these brutes for their hides, in I4O WILD BUFFALOES AND PONIES OF AUSTRALIA. spite of the danger of the avocation, as they find a ready sale for them at most remunerative prices. Gentlemen who are young and active, and desirous of sport with a good spice of danger connected with it, could doubtless find all these requirements obtain- able by paying a visit to the water buffalo ranges in the neighbourhood of Port Essington. Another animal was also introduced to that locality by the government, and about the same period. This last venture showed better wisdom, but it has not, unfortunately, been quite so success- ful nevertheless, it has been sufficiently so to prophesy benefit to the future colonists who may fill up the country. It was turning loose upon the shores of that little-known and unattractive land that margins the shores of Carpentera Gulf, near Alligator's River, a number of those high-couraged, fast, enduring little beasts viz., Timor ponies. I have had a great deal of experience among the small horses of the far East, and can assert, without fear of contradiction, that all the various breeds excepting the Japanese -are perfect prodigies among their race, although their average height does not exceed thirteen hands. Java, the Philip- pines, and Timor have each their respective repre- sentatives, and are each worthy of any amount of praise, but the Pegu pony " takes the cake/' What they will endure, the weight that they will carry, and the precipitous country that they will traverse with perfect safety, is truly marvellous. Their appearance, moreover, is most attractive. The Timor pony much resembles its Pegu relative, and therefore cannot fail at an early date to be found a most valuable acquisition to a new country. The climate of North-West Australia evidently suits them well, for it is estimated by the Government employ es> that there are now nearly two thousand of them wandering in a perfect state of freedom A SUBALTERN S PONY. l^l through the bush lands adjacent to where they were originally landed. Talking about ponies, I think that the very best I ever possessed, and I had many thousands of Government animals to choose from, was a Man- churian that I picked up in the Corea. At a first glance, it looked a trifle long in the body, but it was so wonderfully ribbed up, and stood upon such perfect limbs, that the defect was soon lost sight of. I used it in every way, one day to gallop down pariah dogs, next with a load upon its back, and possibly on the third raced it against all comers, not improbably with the course well supplied with an abundance of rasping stiff jumps, and yet it never was beaten by anything that stood within a hand of the same height. Nothing ever seemed to affect its spirits or its appetite, and for it to sleep in a snowdrift, with the coldest winds sweeping over the steppes, had apparently been so common an occur- rence in its early life, that it appeared to enjoy such reminiscences of its childhood. Before leaving China I sold this treasure to a " gunner," whom I trust it carried, and did as good service for as it ever did for me. It is upon such animals as the one that I have been writing of that the Tartar Cavalry are mounted, so it is not surprising to hear of the wonderful forced marches these miserable soldiers can make when circumstances call for their performance. SPORTSMEN-NATURALISTS. THIRTY years ago, or thereabouts, I had many dear friends in the navy. They were members of our fleet stationed upon the Chinese seaboard, to support the honour of our flag and to protect our commerce. I cannot say what was the talisman in that special service, but this I do know, that nearly all our dis- tinguished sailors now figuring at the head of the roll of fame were at that period members of the small, select, and eminently serviceable force that did duty in these dangerous seas. To enumerate all my shooting companions of the sister servicefor I was in the army would be impossible here, but three I will mention, for they were eminently good sports- men, good shots, and, if not erudite naturalists, were at all events well skilled in the delightful science. The present Admiral Kennedy, an excellent sports- man and naturalist, I doubt not, knew them, for he sailed the waters that laved the shores of " the Flowery Land " at the time I write of, and possibly, in their company, had many a brush with the tally lunes or pitongs that infested the archipelagoes and numerous land-locked seas that are characteristic of the Chinese southern coast. The first was Lieutenant for I know not what he may be now Hudson, of the tight little gunboat Leven. Many were the days we enjoyed together, and the classification of the contents of a day's bag always afforded him as much pleasure as it did my- FATE OF A GALLANT CREW. 143 self. Our love of sport, and desire to obtain new specimens, led us more than once into rather dan- gerous localities upon the main land, and that at a time when the Imperial Government at Pekin offered the magnificent amount of five hundred dollars for every " foreign devil's " head brought them. Again, there were two other naval friends, both good naturalists, and in whose society I had many delightful outings, and doubtless I would have re- peated those enjoyments, but death stepped in when least expected, and took them, with their brother officers and their entire crew, to a purer and better home than can be had on earth. Their names were Commander Colville and Lieutenant Fitzroy, and their vessel was the gun-brig Camilla. She was a splendid craft truly, about 500 tons in measurement, and had spars upon her that I have heard provoke even the unwilling admiration of a down-east Yankee skipper. Alas ! those graceful, towering masts, I doubt not, but that they were the cause of her ruin. Whether the Camilla turned "turtle," or went to the bottom all standing, she was the unfortunate instrument of destruction to as gallant and smart a crew as ever sailed under our time-honoured flag. Colville, Fitzroy, and self had resolved to make an ornithological collection, especially devoting our attention to water-fowl. Already we had a goodly number of specimens gathered as a foundation to our interesting work, when the cruel sea took them, and I never had the heart to recommence what had been heretofore a labour of love. I saw my friends depart upon their last voyage. It was a mysterious yet fascinating morning when their anchor was tripped, for a fleecy mist, as fine as loose-woven gossamer, shut out the distant sur- roundings, yet was the smooth water bright and 1 44 SPOR TSMEN-NA TURALIS TS. painted by nature's artist with the choicest shade of the most delicate blue. On the bluff at Yoko- hama, Japan, I sat to see the gallant craft depart. Under every stitch of canvas that could be set she stole away, till sails and spars, braces and shrouds, mingled indefinably with the ephemeral haze, and the Camilla became shut out from view as if she had entered into the " spirit land." Her destina- tion was Hakodadi, and only the mermaids, if such there be, or the fishes, if they could speak, can tell how far the beautiful brig got upon that final voyage. There are, I hold, sportsmen-naturalists and naturalist-sportsmen. The first look to the sport as the paramount pleasure to be derived, but en- hanced by the beauty and the rarity of the game ob- tained, while the others shoot, enjoying the pleasure of doing so, but getting their greatest reward from classifying and setting up the trophies obtained. Among this last class can be enumerated such celebrities as my friend the late Mr. Blyth, curator of the Calcutta Museum, Sir Cornwallis Harris, and Charles John Andersson ; but I may say of them that their whole lives were devoted to this enthralling study. No, it would be difficult indeed to take rank with these heroes I have just mentioned ; but among the officers of the United Services there are many, very many, individuals indeed who can justly be considered sportsmen-naturalists, and in this rank, no branch of the service produces more, than the Royal Navy. THE EAGLE'S BOLDNESS. ONE " fall " I spent upon the upper waters of the Penobscot River, at one time the headquarters of the lumber region of that district, but as the valuable trees have got culled out, those engaged in that trade have left, and the land has relapsed into an almost primitive condition. Where bush fires have run over the country there immense extents are denuded of timber, but its place is taken by a luxuriant growth of under-bush, favourite haunts of that very game and delicious bird, the wood-grouse (Tetrao umbellus}. In the heavy-timbered bottom lands the Canada grouse (Tetrao Canadensis] are numerous, but too tame to afford good sport for dog and gun. The residents do not appreciate them as articles of food, on account of that flavour which makes the Scotch bird so much appreciated by the gourmet at home, while the swamps and low-lying lands are abundantly provided with what are there designated rabbits, but should be known as hares {Lepus variabilis}. The brooks, streams, and lakes swarm with trout and char, so in favourable weather the tyro as well as the adept can have no difficulty in filling his creel. Under these circumstances it cannot be wondered at that otters and minks are far from scarce. One of my chief pleasures was to float upon the bosom of some of these silent sheets of water, with a rod on either side of me, and a rifle and shot gun at my knees on the bed of cedar boughs that covered the flooring of the canoe, for at the time I write of elk and reindeer L 146 THE EAGLE'S BOLDNESS. (moose and cariboo in native phraseology) were not unfrequently seen. Years before, these two noble species had been very abundant here so much so, indeed, that the lumbermen almost lived upon their flesh. So indiscriminate and unceasing then became their slaughter that they had become all but exter- minated, and certainly would have been had not the pine trees given out. Since then both elk and reindeer have been increasing, and there is every prospect that the stock will soon rival in numbers what it did in former years. A Micmac Indian was my guide, counsellor, and friend. Both of us knelt with our faces looking to the stem of the " birch-bark." Very few were the words spoken by either, for the surroundings were lovely, and more disposed us to admiration than talk. Some distance in front sat a white-headed eagle on a rampike (dead pine tree) that projected over some very turbulent rapids, through whose tumultuous surface protruded many a flat and jagged rock. A touch from the paddler with the blade of his implement caused me to look round, when a motion of the native's hand induced me to resume my original position, and carefully scrutinize my front for a view of something unusual. With the usual perverseness of white men's sight, I could see nothing, although the Indian continued to direct me. I was provoked, and so was he, but this did not mend matters. I almost believe that the Micmac thought that I would not see, and out of sheer " cussedness " was cutting up at his expense. But the wily savage took another and certain method of enlightening me. With several deep, strong strokes he landed me under a birch tree, whose drooping branches almost swept the watery surface and shut us out of sight from anything that might be alarmed at our presence. Then he took the bird gun, and glancing along its barrel, directed it on the object he wished me to view. I now looked over his shoulder FIGHT BETWEEN OTTER AND EAGLE. Itf and distinguished an otter eating what had been a two or three pound trout, and apparently quite ignorant of our proximity. I started up the bank to reduce the distance ; the rifle I took with me, which was very accurate at moderate range. In my approach I had to go round some drift wood and several fallen trees before I again regained the water's edge. While hesitating to advance nearer, or shoot from where I was, down swept the white-headed eagle, as I imagined, to dispute possession of the remainder of the fish. In this it was unsuccessful, so made another dash and seized the otter, which was only a three-parts grown cub. After a violent struggle, the bird commenced ascending, but the prey made a gallant fight. I fired and missed ; so before I could get a fresh cartridge in my discharged barrel both were hid from sight by intervening boughs. My attendant was equal to the emergency, for he now was well out in the river, gazing fixedly at the capturer and his prey. Soon he brought the canoe ashore, and begged me to hurry. This I did, and soon after we landed a hundred yards or so up the stream. Drawing the birch-bark ashore, he handed me the shot guns, and started into the bush " on a lope," I following at my best pace. Fortunately, we had not far to go, for the pace and ground were both very trying. After a little hesitation the Indian looked aloft, and in a fork of a birch tree were the eagle and otter, both struggling violently. As far as I could judge, the bird had caught a tartar, and wished to be quit of its bargain. Not so with the quadruped. It appeared to have obtained a hold of its foe's thigh, which it was in no wise disposed to relinquish. As the otter could not escape us if it fell to the ground, I shot at the bird, when both came to the earth with a " thud ;J that would have knocked a man down. The eagle by this time was all but dead. Still it retained its grasp with one of its talons, which I L 2 148 THE EAGLE'S BOLDNESS* think it was unable to get disengaged. My attendant now soon, finished the affair by giving the otter several violent blows on the head with his paddle. There is an explanation due to those' readers who do not understand the nature of both the animals engaged in this contest. The claws of one foot of the assailant had entered so far into the back of its enemy that it was unable to extract them, while the otter, from the slackness of its skin and its extra- ordinary power of twisting itself about, had succeeded in getting hold with its teeth on the upper part of the bird's leg, and so maimed that member as to force it to curtail its flight. Hence their descent into the tree where we found them. I have been informed that there is no part of an otter that you can lay hold of where it cannot turn round and bite you, even if taken up by the extremity of its tail. A badger can punish fearfully with its teeth, but their bite is of the snapping order, and not unlike that of the greyhound, while an otter's grasp resembles that of the bulldog. The strength that the white-headed eagle possesses in its wings must be enormous, for it can lift a large salmon, say a twenty-pounder, from the water, and carry it to its eyrie, or, more remark- able still, do the same with a wild swan. Wilson, the great naturalist, has an admirable word picture of a similar event, the scene of which is laid on one of the great rivers of the Far West. DIAMOND SIGHTS IN THE BUSH. A FRIEND desires information on the above subject ; so I will endeavour to give it. The employment of diamonds to sight guns is a new idea, and if the stones were properly set, they would be of great importance for night or thick jungle shooting. Up to this date I am only aware of one firm of gunmakers applying the precious stone to this purpose the reason is not far to seek. Other manufacturing firms doubtless think that the appli- cation of diamonds for this purpose is protected by a patent, but this cannot be the case. It is a pity, therefore, that more enterprising and higher standing firms do not turn their attention to this subject. At the present time the diamonds both in the fore and back sight are simply rose diamonds that is, set in a solid backing, instead of being brilliants, producing the result that there are many positions a sportsman may be placed in where not a particle of light can reach them. This has again and again been pointed out to the adapters of the precious stone to this purpose; but they, like many ignorant persons, refuse to be con- verted from the error they make, and this must be glaringly manifest to any person of the most ordi- nary experience. If I utilized this adaptation, I would have the sights made in silver, with the diamonds properly set by a jeweller, when they could be attached to his rifle by any ordinary locksmith or tinker. ISO DIAMOND SIGHTS IN THE BUSH. The expense could not be great, for small brilliants of a quarter of a carat have little more value than the cost of cutting, while their being off colour or straw- colour would add to their utility, as yellow stones are quite as sparkling, many say more so, for night use than those of pure water. The value of the silver used of course would be nil, but the jeweller, if exorbitant, might demand ten or fifteen shillings for his labour. For one who is attached to African bush-buck shooting in heavy, thick cover, or at night, such sights would unquestionably be most valuable, and worth very much more than the estimated price given. They could also, with advantage, be fitted to heavy guns for either big or dangerous game. It is quite a mistake to think that the stones would easily knock off ; no such thing need happen if the claws that hold them are sufficiently numerous and soundly constructed. At a " one-horse " place like a Transvaal village, of course, it would be impossible to find a skilled working jeweller, but such are to be found either at Maritzburg or Kimberley, who would not only be glad to undertake the task, but perform it satisfactorily. About Ekowe, on the Umphilosi, and in the ex- tensive forest lands north of Delagoa Bay, there are many wide stretches of bush where these sights would be invaluable, nor would they interfere in any way with day work. They should, of necessity, be kept clean, or much of their lustre would be lost. THE BEST ALL-ROUND RIFLES FOR THIN-SKINNED GAME. A RIFLE that is thoroughly effective, or even a smooth-bore upon all thin-skinned game up to seventy-five yards is the type of weapon that the wanderer wants in distant lands where the larger carnivora exist. It should be his companion by day and night in fact, rarely out of his hands, and ever within reach therefore it must be light and handy, and " fit like a glove/' or it cannot fulfil the part it is intended for. I can only understand why an authority like Sir Samuel Baker makes what appears to me a very obvious mistake in his work, " Wild Beasts and their Ways," from the fact that in his early days he was a wonderfully powerful man, capable of handling suc- cessfully very heavy arms, and so he jumps at the conclusion that the majority of his countrymen can do the same. This is a mistake ; a 12 Ib. gun, carried all day and used effectively when requisite, is a performance that very few can accomplish in our native land, let alone in a tropical climate. I am myself more than usually stalwart, and although I have succeeded in performing the above task, yet it was not without causing me great fatigue and dis- agreeable after results. Mr. Samuel Copper, of the Maryland Oyster Police Force, a grand shot and keen sportsman, always shot with a gun that just exceeded 12 Ibs. In stature he 152 THE BEST RIFLES POR THIN-SKINNED GAME. much resembled Sir Samuel Baker ; but then, when his day's work was over, his favourite fowling-piece was consigned to its case, as it was not destined to be in his grip when a night alarm took place, or a long and wearying march had to be performed. Last, but not least, to be thought of on this subject, is that where hunting has at times to be done on horseback, as, for instance, in South Africa, it is absolutely imperative that the very lightest arms should be used compatible with effective execution, for, strange as it may appear to the inexperienced, nothing drags a man to pieces so utterly, as galloping over rough ground with a heavy and cumbersome weapon in his hand. After what I have above said, the reader will not be surprised to learn that I prefer a '450 or '500 double rifle for a constant companion to the ponderous *577 bore. But why use a rifle at all when quick and accurate shooting at short ranges is the desideratum, when the " Ubique " gun can be obtained ? It was introduced by me to the public after being the result of careful study, many experiments, and great experience, and but for it coming thoroughly up to the purpose it was intended for, it would not have borne my nom deplume, " Ubique/ 5 It is, however, well to say that more should not be expected of it than the purpose that it is manufactured for. A very old military friend of mine, and still a great shikari y told me when we were discoursing of " the old times/' i( If I had had such a weapon as the ' Ubique ' when a visitor to your brother's bungalow in the Hills, I should have done wonderful work, for I was ever getting unexpected chances to kill big game, which my old muzzle-loader perseveringly refused to do." If a country is very open, and very long shots have in consequence to be fired, a common Martini-Henry, or a Westley-Richards, will be found as good, if not A DESIRABLE GUN. 153 superior, to any other weapon, but such is not the kind of ground where sambur, axis, and the larger species of African antelopes are generally sought for. No ! jungle or bust velt is their haunt, and seventy- five yards range will be much over the majority of the shots fired, and here it is that a handy, light, well-balanced gun shows its superiority. WONDERFUL FISHING INCIDENTS. SOME years ago, when fishing upon the Giiiil, in Norway, I heard the following remarkable perform- ance told by a gentleman who had long rented a station on that celebrated river. On returning to London I took the trouble to inquire further into the matter, and thus it was narrated : A countryman of ours, of the name of Hornden, after having hooked a thirty-pound salmon, and finding it impracticable to land it where he was, plunged into the river with his rod erect in one hand, while with the other he swam the rapid current, and ultimately succeeded in landing upon the opposite bank, where he killed his fish in a workmanlike manner, to the delight and astonishment of those who witnessed this unparalleled achievement. The hero of the above gained for himself the reputation of being the most expert wielder of the rod that had ever visited Norway, and he was known to have killed three hundredweight of fish in two days upon the Giiul. Another countryman, who prefers that his name should not be mentioned, killed, between June 19 and August 13, 144 salmon, whose gross weight made 2425 Ibs. This was upon the Namsen, and occurred some years back, but it is very much to be feared that such a record of sport will never there be repeated in modern times. A strange circumstance, but a true one, I will tell you, that occurred to a friend of mine when we were A GAME TROUT. 1 55 together fishing a tributary of the Shannon, not many miles distant from Parsonstown, where I happened to be stationed with the depot of my regiment. It was about the middle of August. The water was in rare fettle, and both of us had had good sport. My associate was, if possible, a keener hand than myself, so while I was taking my rod to pieces he continued whipping the water. At length he sung out to me that he was fast "in a grand fish." There was no necessity to tell me that ; the bend of his rod and screech of his reel spoke plainer than did any selection of words to be found in the English tongue. It was almost dark before I got the landing-net under the captive. On examin- ing the prize it was found that at least an inch and a half in length of firm flesh, and going deep enough to almost expose the vertebrae, had been bitten out of its shoulder immediately behind the head. Doubtless this injury was the work of an otter. This was not all the gallant fish suffered from, for in its lower jaw was a fly with quite three feet of gut attached to it. With all these disadvantages, this game trout (Salmo fario) fed freely, and made a brave resistance before it was taken from its natural element. Since the above episode occurred, I have been disposed to think that cold-blooded animals such as fish do not suffer pain in the same ratio as do terrestrial ones. LAKE PARMACHINI. I SHALL never forget the latter portion of my last visit to the above lake. The Indian summer had set in with all its glories, and promised to be protracted. One feature of this season in North America is well described by the line in Gray s celebrated elegy : " And all the scene a solemn stillness holds." But this only mentions the extraordinary silence that reigns around you, which is further made effective by the hazy gossamer mist that shuts out the view of the more distant landscape, making the unseen a spirit land. But if your gaze is limited, you have enough to look upon in your immediate vicinity to rejoice the heart of the true lover of nature, and to elevate your mind to feelings of admiration for the handiwork of the Great Creator. What a wonderful world we live in, what marvellous beauties are dis- played in it, what attractions for the human eye are on all sides visible, may well be exclaimed by the observer. Yet I do not enumerate one-hundredth part of the fascinations that are to be viewed. At this season, the Indian summer season, every leaf, except those of the coniferous trees, has changed its colour, and the different tones of green have given place to the most dainty shades of yellow, the most ephemeral tinges of pink, and the more resolute and positive colours of umber, brown, and deep scarlet. It might be thought that there is no harmony in this variegated combination; quite the A LOVELY AND SEQUESTERED PLACE. 1 57 reverse is the result, and poetry not of words, it is true but of vision, is produced. The dark conifers that crown the hill sides are the frame that most fittingly surround the above picture, and the effect produced upon the organ of sight, is rapture almost approaching to the sublime. There are people, and, I regret to say, they are numerous, who deem the sportsman a person whose only pleasure is to take blood. This is a foul injustice to that class of men, for few of them are otherwise than the greatest lovers and admirers of nature. Their surroundings, when enjoying their pastime, have more to do in attracting them to it, than anything else that is attached to field sports, whether enjoyed on heather-clad hill sides, golden stubble-fields, or in bush and tree-sheltered covers. Moreover, the game that is killed becomes the food of their fellow-men, and, whether it be sold or given away, has one undeniable result, viz., cheapening the food of the masses of our over-teeming population. Ay, Parmachini did look lovely in the Indian summer ! Our camp was on a tree-covered bluff, from whence we viewed the transparent azure water. No tents had we ; cedar fronds were our matresses, and a few large boughs of hemlock and pine sheltered our heads from the direction that the prevailing winds might be expected to come. The heavens above, our canopy, were illuminated at night by innumerable stars, each seemingly endeavouring to outrival the other in brilliancy, for, with the setting of the sun, the dreamy, filamentary mist takes its flight. Where the Magalaway river left the lake to com- mence its erratic and headstrong course, was at our feet. Rocks here and there rose through the water as if to dispute the current's progress, but the main body of the stream flowed over very coarse grey sand or fine gravel, of all compositions the best adapted 158 LAKE PARMACHINL as spawning beds for trout or char. The labour was but insignificant to procure enough breeding fish^for all my wants, the principal of which was to obtain a shipment of ova to stock our home waters, but pack- ing for safe transportation was more laborious work. However, when my task was over I could not tear myself away from this lovely spot, and my rough but ever courteous attendant seemed to be equally in- disposed to leave such attractions for the haunts of man. To prevent existence becoming monotonous I fished each day till I had caught enough for the corning evening and morning meal, then took my gun, and, accompanied by the guide's nondescript little cur, went in search of wood grouse, or beat the upper end of a marshy bay for sheldrake, mallard, or snipe. Possibly, while thus killing time, one of those sluggish, harmless animals, a Canadian porcu- pine, would be tree'd, but the unfortunate's flesh being a dainty fit for any epicure, its shelter was felled to bring the poor thing to bag. This unmonotonous life was broken one night, and in a most disagreeable manner. I had just turned in, and my companion was performing the last office of the night by replenishing the camp fire, when the echoes and the screech owls were simultaneously aroused by a shout from the guide, of " Up with you, and get out of the camp, there's a blarmed skunk making tracks for your bunk," and I did " foot it/' as quick as my feet would carry me, although my costume was of the most neglige kind, for I had vivid remembrances of my old friend, Captain M , having to bury his clothes for six weeks before they became rid of the repulsive, sickening stench that a salute from the pretty little animal had given them ; also of a farmer that I knew at Allcot, N.Y. State, who received some of this animal's secretion in his eyes when looking for eggs in his barn yard, the result being that he was blind for a time. So can DRIVEN OUT OF CAMP. I 59 anyone be surprised that I bolted and left the objection- able brute in possession ? For doing so none could accuse me of cowardice ; nay, on the other hand, my conduct was commendable, and the very acme of discretion. In the meantime my companion was giving utterance to the most horribly profane language, and I could see him across the fire, even nearer a state of nudity than myself, gesticulating violently, as if to give his oaths more effect. Soon I learned the cause of his culpable conduct. His tried friend, and much valued associate, his dog, was resolved to have a go at the skunk ; the very thing of all others that we were desirous to avoid, for so far the wretched little cause of all our solicitude had conducted itself in the most unobjectionable manner, seemingly simply disposed to take a careful mental inventory of our effects, But that dog, that cur, that little mis-shapen wretch, would not listen to the voice of control, although coupled with most powerful adjectives, but made a rush at the hereto- fore innocuous animal, when, whew ! let me draw a curtain over the scene, for not only were we stunk out of camp that could have been rectified but the guide's stogie boots, woollen socks, and blankets had received such an effectual charge of the terrible essence that it was almost impossible to approach them, and, as may well be imagined, my worthy friend did not have with him a change of raiment. To return, however, to the principal dramatis persona of the comedy the skunk was killed, and the dog became violently sick ; but if it had retched its heart out, I doubt very much if it would have received any sympathy from either of us. I cannot understand how dogs will be so perverse ; let them be flogged most severely, let them be sick unto death, attack a skunk they will on every available opportunity. This contretemps broke up our charm- ing camp, which had long assumed a most home- I6O LAKE PARMACHINI. like appearance, so we had to go forth in the darkness, into a strange locality, and establish and make a new domicile. But our labour in this respect was not a perfect success, for the blankets, boots, and stockings could not be deprived of their disgusting smell. However, I had two wrappers and a bear skin. The use of one of these I promised my friend. The last I saw of him that night, before I went to sleep, he was engaged piling cobble stones into his feet protectors before submerging them in the lake, where his blankets and stockings had already been deposited with an edifice of boulders over each, sufficiently large to make a cairn. I said just now, "saw him." That was quite correct, but I do not wish to infer that I did not hear him. That I did, and I regret to say that his rhetoric was more forcible than ever. I will acknowledge that the cir- cumstances were trying, very trying indeed. They were these. As soon as the master got into a com- fortable position, and sleep appeared about to come to his exhausted frame, his dog would attempt to crawl under his covering and get close to its owner, and as the dog smelt as strong as the garments submerged in the lake, I am not so very much sur- prised that some foul expressions should escape my friend's mouth, at an unguarded moment. Next morning a change took place in the weather, which I anticipated from the restlessness of the numerous water-fowl, more especially of the lunes, or great northern divers. From break of day to sunrise these birds' shrill, weird call could be heard in every direction, evidence that strangers of the species had arrived from the north during the dark- ness, where hard weather had already commenced to set in. Snow in large flakes descended soon after it became thoroughly light, but it fell in that vacillating, shiftless manner that it ever does when there is no wind. For experiment sake, I took my rod and HUNGRY TROUT. l6l visited the Magalaway's outlet. The snow now fell so abundantly that I could not see twenty yards through it. Speak of fish being hungry, they were fairly ravenous, and, for expediency sake, I reduced the number of my flies to one, as six and seven pound fish seemed to be as abundant as ever I had seen those of smaller size. These were not char or Salmo fontinalis, but either Salmo far io or an un de- scribed species very closely resembling it. My guide knew them well, and informed me that identically the same species existed in Mooseluckmaguntic and Mollychunkamunk, as well as other lakes of the Renslier and Richardson chain. The condition of all the captives I made, proved that they had come to this shoal water for spawning purposes. Salmo fontinalis were also rising freely, but they had to be fished for in deeper water. They were also in the same reproductive state as the first mentioned. Whether those unknown Salmonidce were true river or lake trout I am unable to decide, although I incline to the latter belief. On the other hand, they were remarkably well-built fish, with very small heads, and the males were only possessed of the most trifling rudimentary hook at the termination of their lower jaw. Here will I bid adieu to Lake Parmachini, which I hope at some future date to revisit ; the home of the beautiful Salmo fontinalis, but not of the rainbow trout (Salmo irridescente) . On this occasion I left " the wilds " with my case of pregnated ova, by Atherley and Errol, as a more expeditious way of reaching New York. I was fortunate to leave " the wilderness " in time, for the winter next day set in with unusual severity, and the landscape soon after became draped in snow, to the depth of many feet. M A PLEA FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF THE RUFFED GROUSE (Tetrao Umbellus). To preach about the attractiveness of a mixed bag, is to tell a tale twice over. Last year, in my strongest terms, I advocated the introduction of American partridge into this country ; now I shall again advance the claims of a bird almost equally de- serving of the same honour, the ruffed grouse (Tetrao umbellus). It must not, however, be confused with the pinnated grouse (Tetrao cupido], for although they have a great similarity in appearance and size, their modes of life and choice of residence are totally different ; the former being found among timber or brush, or in its vicinity, while the latter chooses the open grass-covered prairies, perching upon trees only when the winter is very severe and the ground covered with snow, and then making use of such trees as are always to be found standing alone, and sparsely sprinkled along the margin of the immense western savannahs. Both these species are splendid birds, but the character of the ruffed grouse makes it much better adapted for a residence in the British Islands than the prairie chicken, and so strongly am I disposed in their favour, that I believe if once brought here, it would, as soon as known, outrival the pheasant in popu- larity, being a much hardier bird, swifter on the wing, disinclined to run before flushing, requiring HABITS OF THE RUFFED GROUSE. 163 the quickest and straightest aim to bring it to bag, nor are they much inferior to the Oriental favourite in beauty of plumage. The ruffed grouse a little exceeds the red grouse in size, being almost eighteen inches in length, is very handsome and upright in form, of a beautiful rich chestnut brown colour, variegated with grey and dark impressions, and pencillings on the back, breast, and neck. The tail is grey with a black bar across it near its termination, and is generally carried, when the owner is not on the wing, open like a fan. On the top of the head there is a slight crest, and down each side of the neck are curious fan-shaped tufts of glossy black-brown, velvet-looking feathers. In April the birds pair, but I should imagine from the seasons in the northern portion of the United States and Canada being more backward than our own, if they were introduced here they would do so a month earlier. They lay from ten to sixteen eggs, their nest, which is a primitive one, being generally secreted in brush, or under the shelter of a fallen branch. They are most affectionate parents, and use the same artifices as the wild duck to draw away intruders from the vicinity of their youthful progeny. This grouse has two distinct calls, one a soft, mellow, prolonged note, generally used in gathering up the covey after it has been scattered ; the other an extraordinary drumming sound, made by the cocks in the pairing season, and capable of being heard a great distance in still weather. The latter noise is caused by a rapid vibration of the wings when the male is perched on a fallen tree or stump. Indis- criminately they live on a great variety of food- ants, grubs, elderberries, wild cherries, and grain being their favourite diet. Early in autumn, when the season is fine, particularly in the morning and evening, they will be found in the open cultivation, more especially if there be rough ground with cover M 2 164 A PLEA FOR THE RUFFED GROUSE. in the vicinity ; but as severe weather approaches the woods will be their constant resort. In shoot- ing the rufTed grouse, great difficulty is always ex- perienced in marking them, for the flight, as I have previously said, is wonderfully rapid, and moreover they have a method of doubling back in the reverse direction from which they started. However, as generally they do not go far (about four or five hundred yards), with patience and the selection of the nearest irregular ground which has young timber upon it, or the most dense bush, a second opportunity will probably be found of bringing more of the family to bag. All over the eastern and middle United States and maritime provinces they are to be found, being generally known by the misnomers of partridges or pheasants. Where the country is wild and sparsely settled, they are sometimes stupidly tame, almost permitting themselves to be knocked down with a stick. Fre- quently, when trout-fishing in the wilds of the State of Maine, I have come suddenly upon them, when they would rise into the nearest tree, and re- main with unconcern, watching you with evident curiosity, stretching their necks, and getting into all kinds of grotesque attitudes ; and so little would they then regard the report of a gun that I have known pot-hunters kill quite a number of the same family by always shooting the lowest bird first ; but when the ruffed grouse becomes familiar with man it is perfectly cognizant of the danger of being in his proximity ; for, although they flush close enough to shoot at, their colour harmonizes so well with that of the ground, that it is next to impossible to see them before they are on the wing, when, such is their impetuosity, that the timid, nervous pottering shot, with all his striving, would find it very difficult indeed to kill a single specimen. In the undergrowth which springs up in that NOT MIGRATORY. 165 portion of the country where the timber has been destroyed by fire, markedly in the lumber regions, I found them very abundant, it being almost im- possible to wander half a mile from camp or settle- ment without flushing a covey. Now the winters here are particularly long and rigorous, far exceed- ing in severity those of Scotland ; still, the bird's natural hardiness prevents it suffering. In the Alleghanies and midland ranges of hills of the United States, it is also numerous, where, if the winters are less severe, the heat in summer is some- times excessive, proving that the ruffed grouse is capable of enduring great varieties of climate. The palate of the most fastidious epicure cannot fail to be gratified with its appearance on the table, the flesh being extremely delicate, with a reminding flavour of our red grouse. I have eaten it cooked in every conceivable manner, and whether it be simply roasted over a camp fire or formed into a portion of an omnium gatherum stew, it will be found alike acceptable. Although scarcity of food may compel this grouse to change its beat, still it is not migratory, as stated by some naturalists. This sup- position has arisen from their being found in great numbers during autumn on the scrub-barren land, which they leave as soon as the more severe weather commences, for the shelter of denser timber. A family of these birds I was acquainted with for a year. On their range there was an abundance of food and water, and during that period I could always find them, their home being a little hilly island on the prairie's edge, which was covered with timber and brush, and detached from any other irregular ground by several miles of savannah. Some authorities have placed woodcock-shooting first on the list of sport with the gun, and called it the fox-hunting of those pleasures in which the dog and fowling-piece form the chief accessories. As 1 66 A PLEA FOR THE RUFFED GROUSE. far as present British field sports are concerned, I believe they are correct, but should the ruffed grouse be introduced, and the sportsman once experience the suddenness of the flush of these birds, the velocity and irregularity of their flight, the uncertainty of their movements after taking wing, and the beauty and size of the game, they would assuredly insert a saving clause in their decision, or change their opinions. Much as I have said in favour of the American partridge, with equal fervour I can ad- vance in regard to the ruffed grouse, still they both are very different, but the nearest explanation I can at present think of is that the former is essentially adapted to the requirements of the veteran sports- man, while the pursuit of the latter will tax all the strength of limb and impetuous ardour of our younger enthusiasts ; the one is game that will afford the most delightful pastime, similar to hare- hunting with beagles, while the other will demand in its successful pursuit the energy of the highly- bred, dashing, courageous foxhound. I doubt not many, I believe all, of the warm admirers of shoot- ing will agree with me, that there is a superlative pleasure in making a mixed bag, now a mallard, next a woodcock, perchance, thirdly, a partridge, and so forth loading your discharged barrels, scarcely knowing at what species of game they will next be used. Yes, truly, constant novelty and change is a great additional attraction, even to field sports, and with our demesnes, parks, and forests inhabited by a goodly number of both these varieties, ruffed grouse and American partridge, in addition to their present tenants, the cravings of the most insatiable ought to be satisfied; and at a very trifling expense and trouble these introductions could be accomplished. I should not, however, neglect to mention a draw- back that this superb game bird possesses, viz., that NO T . POISONO US. 1 67 late in autumn it feeds upon the berries of the American laurel, a shrub which is found in profuse abundance on the slopes and spurs of the picturesque Alleghany Mountains. This has been known to make the flesh of the ruffed grouse somewhat poisonous ; but as this shrub is unknown, or nearly so, in England and Scotland, such an objection could never be raised against them here. For my own part, I think that the danger said to arise from eating their flesh is greatly exaggerated, as, although I have supped and breakfasted upon them day after day in almost all their haunts, I never suffered evil result from so doing. LAKE PARMACHINI AND THE FLIES, POPHAM AND FAIRY. I DO not think that perfect solitude is to be enjoyed at Lake Parmachini now, for, to my knowledge, there are two, if not more, permanent fishing camps built upon its shores ; but in such a large extent of country as surrounds this placid sheet of water, and which is entirely destitute of a fixed population, any one desiring to lead a hermit life, need fear no attempts to intrude upon his privacy. There is no difficulty in finding the place in question, if the following instructions be followed. Get to Portland in the State of Maine ; proceed thence by rail to Bethel, as pretty a New England village as can be found in any part of Yankee land ; thence by the stage coach to Upton, on the Cambridge river, at the foot of Lake Umbayog, where a guide can be obtained to your destination, the trail following the course of the Magalaway river, the only stream that flows out of this sequestered sheet of water. If the visitor is fond of grand scenery, here he will find it in perfection, superior to anything I know of in the Highlands of Scotland, for the reason that the hill- sides are everywhere well wooded. At one point, where an elevation is gained by the portage of quite two thousand feet, a grand view of the White Mountains of New Hampshire is to be seen, wi:h BURLING FALL. 169 Mount Washington towering over all, for it reaches an altitude of over six thousand feet. From a ridge, bearing due east of Lake Parmachini, and only a mile or two from its shores, through the giant pine trees, may be viewed the whole net work of the Richardson and Renslier lakes, with their connecting river links and outlying tributaries. In fact, the landscape exhibits infinitely more water than it does land. The river Magalaway is full of Salmo fontinalis, but the pools are almost impossible to get at, as the river bed has been worn so deep through the granite rocks, that there are few places where fifty or sixty feet of line would reach the surface of the water. For miles it is a succession of waterfalls, and round, dark, sullen-looking pools, on whose surface the sun's rays have never shone. Talk of the falls of Clyde, they cannot for a moment be compared with those upon this erratic, turbulent western river. The only place on earth that I have seen to resemble the Magalaway but, then, it is upon a stupendous scale is the grand canon of the Rio Colorado. The ordinary volume of water that flows from Lake Parmachini is about equal to that to be found in the Eden, at Carlyle. But in spring, when winter breaks up, I have been informed that the grandeur of this little- known stream is indescribable. This I can well imagine. However, not far from the mouth of the Magalaway is the Burling Fall, the height of which is about, I think, 250 feet, and is, therefore, one of the finest cataracts on the Western Continent. When first I visited it the lumbermen of the upper regions were assembled here, shooting the giant pine logs destined for the coast market over it. It was early in June, and I can safely say that it was a sight I would not like to have missed seeing, and shall pro- bably remember to the end of my life. Small game is sufficiently plentiful about Lake I7O LAKE PARMACHINI. Parmachini to keep your table supplied, but large game is gradually diminishing ; still moose, cariboo, and bears are to be found, but I imagine require a great deal of searching for. However, I will tell you of the experience of a backwoodsman, whose conduct I should advise you not to follow. Late in autumn he desired to take a boat across the portage to the lake. For that purpose he har- nessed his pony to a sled. With the hope of pick- ing up some wood grouse, he took his gun, each barrel being loaded with small shot. When about half his journey was accomplished he heard a bull moose sounding his challenge call, and in a few minutes afterwards the irate animal made its appear- ance before him. All would have been well if our friend had remained passive, but in an unfortunate moment he was prompted by the evil one to try the effects of bird shot at twenty-five yards upon a beast taller than an ox. In a moment after the devil was to pay, and the ambitious backwoodsman was glad to gain an elevated, but far from dignified, position on an adjoining tree, from which perch he had to witness the death of his pony, and the smashing up into matchwood of his " dug-out." I should advise all visitors to Parmachini to take a dog with them, and a good intelligent collie would be as desirable a breed as could be obtained. Plucky terriers are very likely to come to grief in such a country. Before leaving civilization your expenses of living say, at a farmhouse, should not cost more than six- teen shillings a week. In the wilds, for two months, the cost of half a barrel of flour, half a side of bacon, two or three cooking utensils, and the trans- portation that is to say, if you are disposed to rough it ought to be the only call upon your purse. If determined to live the life of a frontier-man, THE POPHAM AND THE FAIRY. Ijl avoid all guides who may accompany the average run of sportsmen, as they are apt to consider strangers as trespassers in their demesne, and resent the intrusion. The description of the flies Popham and Fairy I subtend, and trust they will afford you as much pleasure as they did me when fishing the placid, pellucid waters of one of the most charming lakes in the world. THE POPHAM. Hook No. 6. Tail : Golden pheasant topping. Tip : Silver twist and ostrich. Body : Orange silk and gold twist, three turns of black ostrich, four small red feathers from the red-breasted crow of India ; yellow silk and gold twist, three turns of black ostrich, four small red feathers from the red- breasted crow of India ; blue silk and silver tinsel, three turns of black ostrich, 'and four small red feathers from the red-breasted crow of India. THE FAIRY OR PARMACHINI FLY. Hook No. 6. Golden pheasant topping. Tip : Gold twist, yellow silk and ostrich. Body : Pale blue silk, ribbed gold tinsel, and silver twist. Legs : Light claret hackle. Throat : Jay's hackle. Wings : Four golden toppings. Head : Black ostrich. The Fairy is particularly deadly in fine, clear weather, when a slight breeze is blowing. THE TRUE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. A FEW months ago an acquaintance asked me whether a smooth-coated dog that he had received from Newfoundland was the true breed of that island or not, and where he would be able to obtain a similar animal. I took upon myself to answer him from my personal experience. The subject then dropped. However, I have now obtained information from Mr. J. B. Juke's work on Newfoundland, compiled from his experience while employed there as geological surveyor, which information very much bears out what I then stated. " A thin, short-haired, black dog belonging to Mr. George Harvey, came off to us to-day. This animal was of a breed very different from what we under- stand by the term ' Newfoundland dog ' in England. He has a thin, tapering snout, a long, thin tail, and rather small but powerful legs, with a lanky body, the hair short and smooth. These are the most abundant dogs of the country, the long-haired, curly dogs being comparatively scarce. They are by no means handsome, but are generally more intelligent and useful than the others. This one caught his own fish. He sat upon a projecting rock beneath a fish- flake or stage, where the fish are laid to dry, watching the water, which had a depth of six or eight feet, and the bottom of which was white with fish bones. On throwing a piece of codfish into the water, three or four heavy, clumsy-looking fish, called in Newfound- JUSTICE TO A DOG. 173 land ' sculpins/ with great heads and mouths, and many spines about them, and generally about a foot long, would swim in to catch it. There, the dog would ( sit ' attentively, and the moment one turned his broadside to him, he darted down like a fish-hawk, and seldom came up without the fish in his mouth. As he caught them, he carried them regularly to a place a few yards oft, where he laid them down, and they told me that in the summer he would some- times make a pile of fifty or sixty a day, just at that place. " He never attempted to eat them, but seemed to be fishing purely for his own amusement. I watched him for about two hours, and, when the fish did not come, I observed he once or twice put his right foot in the water and paddled it about. This foot was white, and an onlooker said he did it to 'toll/ or entice the fish ; but whether it was for this specific reason, or merely a motion of impatience, I could not exactly decide. The whole proceeding struck me as remark- able, more especially as they said he had never been taught anything of the kind." Now, I have known many dogs catch fish in America ; but they have always been of the breed Mr. Jukes alludes to in the above graphic and enter- taining picture. The Indians know no other breed than this smooth- coated animal, and prize them for their sagacity and wonderful powers of scent. From such being the case, and their being by far more numerous than the rough-coated beast, I think that there is little doubt but that they are the pure and original breed of Newfoundland. I am sorry to remove the children's favourite from the high position he has obtained; but justice is justice even to a dog ; so let us depose " the fraud " and exalt the Simon Pure. But where did this brute, with the characteristics of the sheep and THE TRUE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. the size of the calf, come from ? Or by what crossing of breeds was he originally produced ? As the French had much to do with Newfoundland in its early days, doubtless the dog in question possesses poodle blood ; not impossibly, ~also, some of the boarhound's; while the dachs-hund that darling of many ladies might also have contributed to propagating what has long been considered a pure breed. The last surmise looks far more than probable when we consider how many of the so-called Newfoundlands have crooked, big-jointed limbs, with the most atrociously ugly splay feet. Now all these three species are European conti- nentals, with habitats not so far apart. You enthusiastic supporters of dog shows, when the Newfoundland class comes up for the verdict of your learned judges, see that they do not in future bestow the laurel on a mongrel because he has the size of a jackass and the coat of a mutton. I am particular in this warning, as I have known just such recommendations weigh so heavy with the authorities, as to ensure their giving the highest decorations to curs that had nothing else than bulk to recommend them. SALMON EATING SMOLTS. CONTROVERSY on the above subject is highly inter- esting, from one point of view viz., that from it we learn how salmon adapt themselves to modes of life suited to their habitat. In some waters they will not look at a fly, so can only be captured with the phantom minnow or trolling with a natural fish, of which none is so attractive a bait as smelts or parrs, the younger members of their own family. Again, in certain rivers salmon will not touch such baits, and utterly decline to be " cannibals." The Lune, I suppose, is an instance of these very rare rivers. In Ireland, in very nearly the same latitude as the Lune viz., in Lough Neagh and its tributaries, I never knew a salmon to be taken trolling with either artificial or natural bait, while in some of our most famous lochs in Scotland, especially those which are feeders of the River Tay, fly-fishing is at such a discount that it is seldom or never resorted to. A kelt that has sufficient and preferable food to his own species will doubtless leave his relations alone, but I am strongly under the impression that it is only under such circumstances that he will do so. Some of my readers will be horrified to see me comparing a kelt to a pike, but I doubt whether there is much difference between them in regard to what they will or what they will not, if hungry, gratify their appetites with, and it is a well-known fact that in some waters nothing is so alluring to a jack as a 176 SALMON EATING SMOLTS. youngster of his own species. I do not hold that the moral character of a kelt is in any way deserving of more consideration than that of a pike. Salmon fishermen who have visited both the Atlantic and Pacific seaboards of America are well aware that on the first the fly is freely taken by salmon, while on the latter it will not be looked at by them ; but, on the other hand, that they are only taken by trolling with sprats, salmon fry, or similar silvery- coloured baits. FLIGHT OF GROUSE. SUTRA-MAINS is on the high road between Blackshiels and Lauderdale. I doubt if there is a part of Scot- land that suffers in winter from the fury of the north- east gales more than this particular locality. It is no uncommon thing for farmers and cotters here to be veritably "snowed up." As the traveller journeys along this highway, he will observe what at first he takes for telegraph poles, but on closer inspection they prove not to be so. " What are they ? ;) he naturally inquires, and the answer he will receive, if his companion be a resident of these parts, is that " they are to mark out the track when the heavy snows of winter hide it." This is as dreary a "march " of country, and as steep a one, as ever four-horse coach had to tackle. For miles there is not a bit of shelter ; and I'll be bound, ere now, many and many a pedestrian has cursed his luck, because he has had to travel it, when his face was turned northward, and he got the frigid, tearing, ranting blasts full in his teeth. What a tremendous difference the seasons make to this locality. In early autumn it is as fair a spot as one would wish to look upon ; at his feet lies Wood- cote Park, its grey and weather-beaten Gothic peaks showing themselves through a dense surrounding of thickly-interwoven plantations of elm, and birch, and beech, while many and many a copse of golden blossoming whins proclaim the home of frisky N 178 FLIGHT OF GROUSE. rabbits, timid, big-eyed hares, and stately, pugnacious and gorgecus-coloured pheasants. Beyond Wood- cote lies Saltoun, with coverts surrounding it, gradu- ally rising up the adjoining slopes till they merge in an undefined line into the moorlands beyond. Far off is Haddington, dreamy and smoke-wrapped, while further still if the weather be clear can be seen the Isle of May and the Bass Rock, both encir- cled with the waters of the German Ocean, on whose bosom lines of snow-white foam here and there pro- claim the existence of rocks and shoals. If it be harvest time in this vicinity, in what- ever airt the eye may turn, is heather, heather, heather, gorgeous in its regal purple colouring, and giving that warmth and tone to country, that causes every poetic fancy of the wayfarer to run riot, and thank God that his lines have been cast in such a lovable place. It was towards the end of the grouse shooting season, a few years ago, that I visited Sutra-Mains, with the hope of picking up a few couple of birds to take with me to dark, foggy, smoke-begrimed London. For days the weather had been peculiarly still, but threatening, for black, impenetrable clouds had long been banking up to the north-east. As I left the house I heard the venerable gardener say to himself, '''The Lord be with the poor folks that will be on the sea the night.' 1 Ominous although these words were, I at the time took no heed of them. My companion was a keeper, sturdy, and big as true rural Lowlanders of these parts ought to be. On gaining our shooting range, we^ found the game wonderfully tame, and in greater variety than I had previously seen them upon the march. Even the curlews appeared to dread taking wing, and thus had their numbers considerably lessened. When stooping down to procure some water from a burn, I became conscious of a distant subdued MIGRATION OF GROUSE. 1/9 murmuring sound, which appeared momentarily to increase in volume. It was not unlike the noise that might have arisen from a severe cannonade upon a very distant beleaguered city. But there were no cities here to be besieged, and if there were, the land in which I was, did not nowadays suffer from such disasters. More deep and intense became the volume of sound, but I was awoke from my reverie by my comrade urging me, to hurry and get shelter behind a ruined cottage ere the storm burst upon us. The race was a long and hard one, trying alike to wind and stamina, but we saved our stakes. A few seconds after we had gained the lee of the sturdy walls, the gale broke upon us, and terrific was its effect. The heather seemed to prostrate itself level with the ground to avoid its destruction, and far as the eyes could see towards the Lammermuirs which was not much the herbage looked to be undergoing the same rough treatment. Thus far no snow had fallen ; at length it put in an appearance, and, gradu- ally increasing in quantity, closed in the surroundings that were beyond twenty or thirty yards off. But distinct from the roaring of the elements there was another noise, broken now and again by intervals of cessation. I asked its cause. The answer I received was, " The muir-fowl are going south." " And where are they from ? " " The Pentlands, and may be from across the Firth." I waited my chance, and fired into the " brown of a flock " that were going past me with the velocity of migrating water-fowl : two of their number fell. They were grouse veritable redgrouse. Now if thesebirdshad come from the Pentland Hills, as the crow flies, their flight before they reached our position was over ten miles ; if from across the Firth of Forth, a much greater distance. " Where do you expect they are off to ? >J I asked. The answer was : " The shelters in Lauderdale," good seven miles more. N 2 ISO FLIGHT OF GROUSE. The surmises of my attendant in reference to the Pentland Hills being the starting-point of these grouse, I did not doubt, but for some of them to have come all the way from Fifeshire, I certainly was sceptical of. Others I know have had similar experiences to the above. Partial migrations of winged game, under certain atmospheric influences, are not unknown, and why grouse should not perform them I cannot see, for they are decidedly a very powerful bird upon the wing. How about landrails, which are so abundant early in summer in the North of Ireland ? To the Continent of Europe they return in autumn, and to accomplish this must traverse two broad arms of the sea, yet it is well known that no weaker bird on the wing exists. We are all too prone to jump at decisions in reference to the habits of wild animals, and to form hasty conclusions of their powers of endurance, or want of the same. This is simply the result of ignorance and not availing oneself of opportunities afforded for study. Moreover, all men have a craving after the mysterious, the inexplicable, the incompre- hensible, and would sooner to one of these three attribute what they do not understand than take the trouble to unravel the mysteries by research. Unless it can be proved to the contrary, I am perfectly satisfied that a mature grouse, when in perfect health, can travel twenty, or even many more, miles upon the wing, if it desired or was compelled to do so. SHOOTING NEAR TANGIERS. BEFORE leaving England for Barbary be certain to provide yourself with such letters or documents as will -prove your nationality and your claim to be recognized a gentleman. Our consul-general or his representatives will, on their presentation, take you under their protection, and the enjoyment of your future pleasure will lie in easy paths. How- ever, if you choose to carry on your expedition in a " happy-go-lucky " manner, simply report your advent soon after arrival to both the English and American representatives, and if any harm should befall you afterwards, I should be inclined to believe that it will be owing to your want of s avoir faire. Ever remember that you are in a Moslem country, and that those parts of their religious habits, cere- monies, and manners of life that do not please you, must not be scoffed at, or criticized openly, for you are a visitor by tolerance, not by invitation. I have found the Moors splendid men, who, once you have gained their affection, will go through fire and water to serve you ; moreover, they are greatly attached to field sports, and one who is a proficient in them is certain soon to gain their favour. Hotels, too, are excellent and reasonable, but if my advice be followed, the town as soon as possible should be deserted, and tent life commenced in the centre of the scenes of your pleasures. October is the best month to visit Tangiers, when you can 182 SHOOTING NEAR TANGIERS. continue your sport up to the end of February, should such be desirable, and very seldom re- tramp the same " march." The cost of such an expedition may be made, by one of paring instincts, very low indeed, but the superior comfort and attention that will be received by a little liberality will go far to recompense for the outlay of a few pounds. Now for the outfit. Two good bell tents should be taken, with a folding table and two or three folding chairs, a camp bedstead, bedding, and water- proofs, a good, sound, well stuffed saddle, a brace of pointers, or setters and a retriever that does not object to water work on occasions. A brace of strong, large, upstanding greyhounds will be very conducive to your amusement on off days. The battery should consist of two double interchangeable 12 or lo-bores, with a double Express -500 rifle. For pig the last mentioned are wanted, but they are good for most purposes, except shooting small feather game upon the wing. Your clothing ; such as you use in Scotland early in the season, with leggings substi- tuted for knickerbockers, should always be used, for the spines on the palmettoes would soon tear anything else to pieces. This part of your outfit, of course, with your ammunition, will be brought from home. Now for what I should advise to be procured at your destination. First, a head man who speaks English, and who should ever be at your side ; a cook and a driver for the beasts of burthen, which should consist of three or four donkeys ; but I would strongly advise a horse being obtained, for it adds much to your consequence among the. natives, besides being useful in many ways. The long-eared gentry are your baggage train, and each should be provided with a pair of panniers to carry your impedimenta. These patient and endur- PRETTY HEBREW MAIDS. 183 ing beasts must not be too heavily loaded, for a dog or even yourself may now and then require a lift. All the servants should be treated firmly, but kindly, and let them see that you consider the head-man their superior. Old Hamet, who often went with me, was a gentleman in every sense of the, word ; his cleanliness was wonderful, but he had the mis- fortune, not fault, that age had rather crippled him ; so that, although the heart was ever willing, nay, desirous to get on, his power of body sometimes failed in enabling him to keep up with me. This I wish to earnestly impress upon the sportsman visiting the country adjacent to Tangiers, that he must per- sonally inspect his people as well as his beasts before becoming their employer. A few condiments and groceries, with light Spanish wine (very cheap) and brandy, should be taken. Game will form your principal food, but, supposing toujours perdrix becomes monotonous, kid can always be purchased at a very reasonable figure. At every douar, for a few pence, milk is to be found in abundance ; it scarcely has a pecuniary value, but, as I said before, a backshish of a small silver coin will go a long way in establishing you in the good graces of the people. Thus you will learn that in this lovely land one of the most lovely under the sun you need never suffer from "short commons." It would also be well to take some trifling female adornments with you, for there are Jewish villages about, and only from them can you get bearers to carry your wild hogs into camp, and such geegaws are a great attraction to them, for their women love them, and many of these Hebrew maids are of a particularly attractive Oriental type of beauty. The "chum" that accompanied me on my last trip there, was a Scotchman ; his head was 184 SHOOTING NEAR TANGIERS. as red as the scriptural " burning bush," and he had as much sentiment in him as a " cuddy ; " but he confided to me one night, after his sixth glass of toddy, that he had seen so many beauties in the long almond-shaped eyes of one Israelite girl, called Luna, that he could not attempt to count them between this and the next Sabbath. With the Moslem women the best plan is to pretend you do not see them, or look another way. However, they are all veiled. Always make it a rule to sleep in your tent, for if you should be induced to pass the night in a douar hut you will remember it the longest days of your life. The interiors of these sun baked edifices swarm with fleas. Swarm, did I say ? These lively gentry are in them in millions, and a healthy, full-blooded Christian is a bonne boitche that they do not get every day to feed upon, and they will feed upon you, do what you like to prevent it. I have a vivid remembrance of such an experi- ence, and expect to have till the day of my death. We were three in number, officers of the Gibraltar garrison. After a good dinner, partaken of in the open air, all retired to rest, pipe in mouth. Our agony forthwith commenced for it was an agony. Candles were lighted and a search made ; each of us was discovered to be a pepper-and-salt colour from the number of fleas adhering to us. Shake them off, brush them off, pick them off, were all equally im- possible. Thus we resolved to sit up and smoke, and, of course, drink ; the wretched brutes would not even then consent to leave us alone, but drove us out into the yard, where we made a night of it among the cattle. The hotel that I have always patronized is in the upper part of the town and next door to the American Consulate. These houses, in height, exceed all adjoining, and from their flat roofs a WHERE FISH ENJOY THEMSELVES. iS? beautiful view of the bay and surrounding country is obtained. In the cool, clear October mornings, half an hour before sunrise, I know no greater pleasure than to visit this roof in your pyjamas, and have a lounge in a luxurious Oriental chair. Then is the time of day to enjoy your Mocha coffee, half-a-dozen or more of those small, exquisite golden figs, and after- wards a chibouque of pure Latakia tobacco. These three luxuries are all here unrivalled in their excellence, and are only to* be obtained in perfection in a Moslem country. This particular variety of fig can also be got in Gibraltar, but they will not bear transportation home, from the delicacy of their nature. Served, floating in a finger-glass of iced water, they are simply delicious, and almost rival that prince of .all fruits, the man- gosteen of Malaya. But, while gratifying the palate, the eyes need not be idle. In front of you stretches an entensive bay, not unlike in formation and surroundings to that of Table Bay, when the observer gazes towards the Blue- berg, but the water here is much clearer and a brighter blue than what surrounds the Cape of Good Hope. Moreover, it does not have small trees of kelp floating in every direction over its surface, against which the sea splashes and frets and breaks, destroy- ing in no small degree the otherwise placid picture. The Bay of Tangiers I have frequently seen without a ripple, except when a tunny-fish or giant horse- mackerel dashed along the surface in pursuit of some school of sardines or anchovies. The big fish here seem " to have a good time," and possess little fear of either hooks or nets, for the dolphin, skip-jack, and albicore will often be observed in thousands playing the game of " follow my leader," while every now and again some sportive individual of the interesting coterie will spring eight or even ten feet clear of his 1 86 SHOOTING NEAR TANGIERS. native element, as if with the design of showing off his powerful yet graceful figure. Again, the crafts that are at anchor or are drifting seaward are all of that picturesque felucca-rig pecu- liar to the Mediterranean. Before the wind they look exactly like immense butterflies, while on a wind, in spite of the great yard that they have aloft, they appear to be gifted, not only with wonderful speed, but special gracefulness. Out in the bay a mile or so off you may observe two or three crafts plying their oars to gain their moorings. Truly they look taut and trim feluccas, and they are so, for they are smugglers, and have no doubt been engaged during the late dark hours trying to run a cargo on the Spanish coast. Even distant as you are, you can hear the sonorous voices of their fearless and weather-beaten crews, chanting the time, as they vigorously haul upon their heavy sweeps. To the right, down the bay, lie the remains of old Tangiers ; close to it and running some distance into the country are the ruins of an aqueduct. Some say it was built by Saracens, others by the Romans, thousands of years ago ; n'importe, it is a goodly structure still, and has borne the battle that time has waged against it most manfully. Take your field glass, for you doubtless have one, and examine the country beyond the aqueduct. There you will find a white line. It is the road to Tetuan. When you have time to spare, follow it two or three miles further, and you will find excellent red-legged part- ridge shooting 'on both sides of the track. This species of bird is very large here, lies well to dogs, often found in the stubbles, and takes a terrible lot of dusting before being brought to bag. There is a watercourse of the clearest crystal close by; its margin is lined with azaleas and oleanders, all now covered with their lovely blossoms. Do not pass such cover A HAUNT OF PLOVER AND DUCK. 187 thoughtlessly, for in it will often be " flushed " mallard, nearly always teal. About six miles from Tangiers, on the Tetuan road, there is a very large fig-tree by a well ; under- neath its shadow is an excellent place for lunch. You will probably have for company some fine, handsome, manly, grave old Moor, sitting cross- legged upon his carpet. Look at him as occasion offers, and, doubtless, you will come to the conclusion that, if the earth were rent apart at his feet, he would not hurry, if it for a moment entailed a sacrifice of dignity. Such men have of necessity splendid progeny; one of the handsomest women I ever saw in my life was a daughter of a chief official of Tangiers. It was not a momentary impression, for I was several times in her society, and for hours at a time. On a par with this entrancer, I place an Andalusian senorita of Los Varios Dolores. But supposing our sportsman has been out and killed a dozen brace of partridges, a duck or two, and a brace of hares, it is time to direct his steps homewards, for the gates of Tangiers close at sunset. On his way back, near the ruins, he will pass a tidal creek ; it runs several miles inland. When there is a heavy sea entering the outer bay, and much broken water along its shore, plover and duck are certain to be found in considerable numbers by its course, the good old-fashioned grey plover, and the brilliant mallard with his dusky wife. At the top of this creek there is a brush-covered hillock with grain fields around its base. Usually, early in the season, two or three coveys of partridges will be found there. After firing a few shots at these birds, and so alarmed them, you will have to shoot quick, for the way they will swing round the rough slopes of that miniature mountain is a thing to be witnessed. After having enjoyed your dinner, return to the 1 88 SHOOTING NEAR TANGIERS. housetop ; a hundred merry voices from the summits of the surrounding edifices will break upon your ear, while from the bay will float the manly songs of the crew of many a contrabandista. The sky over- head will be so clear, so many thousands of stars will fleck it, and the air you breathe will feel so invigora- ting and pure, that you will mentally exclaim, ere you " turn in," " I had no idea that this world was half as beautiful and glorious as it is ! " In the gardens that surround the town there is at times fair shooting to be found, woodcock not unfre- quently being abundant there, but it is rather un- certain work, and the proprietors object to trespassers ; so I should advise a start for the interior to be made as soon as possible. The direct course is through the " soke " or market-place. If it is a busy day it is well worth halting here for a few minutes, for you will be surrounded by a novelty of sights, yet withal so typi- cally oriental, that you have probably never witnessed the like before. Amid crowds of groaning, screaming, fractious, bad-tempered camels, nearly all lying down, some loaded, others about to be, walk crowds of Moors, interspersed among them slaves, Bedawins, and free blacks, all robed in the picturesque costume of Barbary. Their upright walk, fearlessness of ex- pression and soldierly bearing, proclaim at once their independence and courage. Many of these people have travelled from the upper waters of the Senegal, from Timbuctoo, Kanem, or even Darfur, and know more of the secrets and dangers of the heart of the Dark Continent than any Christian living. The distances they have come, the greater portion probably on foot, appear as if it were a trifle to them to endure fatigue, for year after year they repeat it, the only reward ex- pected being the profits derived from the white man's manufactures, when bartered for gold dust, ivory, etc. But pushing on, several mosques are passed, till at length <( the olive grove " is reached. A FAVOURITE FEEDING PLACE. 189 The sportsmen (or party) having encamped on the firm, close sward that reaches to its edge, will now have time to turn their attention to the stretch of country that is situated in front, and therefore to the east of him. For over a mile in breadth (how many in length it would be hard to say) extends ^.campania that it would be difficult to find excelled in any part of the world, when field sports with dog and gun are the objects sought for. The greater portion of this terrain is covered with crisp, close, and most verdant grass, very seldom broken by cultivation, and where such does occur, it is only in minute patches of barely an acre or so in extent. The Moors are but poor husbandmen, so the stubbles and spilt grain they leave behind them afford not only an abundance of cover, but plenty of food for both fur and feather. Adjoining these miniature fields are always to be found large areas of palmetto, the reason for this being so is in the opinion of the inhabitants, where this beautiful graceful shrub grows, the soil is certain to be rich, and to have lain a long time fallow, so they break soil beside it, or cultivate in its midst. Through the centre of this meadow, for such it can justly be designated flows a most tortuous, sluggish stream, sunk eight or ten feet beneath the level of the upper margin of its banks. The surface of this watercourse is covered in many places with dense masses of aquatic vegeta- tion, springing from the richest alluvial soil. Wild duck and teal love such feeding grounds when found in any other part of the world, and why should they not do so here ? They do, and many a broad bill of either of the above species will be added to the bag before the day's work is finished. The web- footed gentry are not timid here, for you will frequently see them drop into this time-worn watercourse, a hundred, or even fewer, yards in front of you. Red-legged partridge, quail, a.nd hares will also be found abundant, as well as a beautiful little I9O SHOOTING NEAR TANGIERS. bird, very scarce in our island home, the water rail. If it should be deemed desirable to spend another day in this locality, devote a portion of your time to hunting the margin of the low, brush-covered hills across the meadow. There partridges are very abundant, but every point will not produce a bird, for among the scrub will be found numerous tortoises, and all you can do will not prevent the very best broken setters or pointers " standing " them. On the next march, in three or four miles, the sports- man will find himself on the edge of a fordable river, about seventy yards wide. If there be two guns, by stationing them three-quarters of a mile apart, and sending a couple of your people to rove up and down the intermediate banks, good returns for some hours' delay can be obtained. From the river, the road leads through excellent but comparatively rough ground, more or less wooded, and in places swampy. Game of the species previously mentioned can be obtained here also, and not unfrequently with the welcome addition of several woodcock and a few snipe. By this time " the Laguna " is reached, a sheet of water covering two hundred or more acres. It is surrounded by stunted trees, none of which grow upon the wet, low-lying land that surrounds it. This intervening space will be found literally ploughed up by wild hogs, while snipe will flush from almost every wallowing place. There are two more of these lagunas, separated from each other by a short distance only. Their characteristics are identical, and good flight shooting can be enjoyed between them. All these sheets of water are frequented by mallard and teal, as well as coots and water hens. In fact, with an ordinary amount of labour each gun should be able to account for five-and-twenty couple of game in the day, the UNEXPECTED MEETING WITH A LEOPARD. 19 1 whole composing the most wonderfully mixed bag that can possibly be conceived. To kill wild boars a host of beaters are required, and if such be a special object of the visitor, on his route to the Laguna he should call at the village of Sawnee, or Swanee, about four miles from Tangiers. Here the hunters of his Excellency the late Sir Drummond Hay used to reside, and among the present inhabitants there would be little or no diffi- culty in obtaining an attendant, capable and willing to organize your drives. Having made allusion to our former minister, with whom I frequently shot and hunted, I would say that he was a wonderful shot, and although, comparatively speaking, an old man, was one of the most daring and reckless horse- men I ever saw. True, he was always magnificently mounted ; but, even under such circumstances, it constantly made me nervous to see him thundering down the steep side of a rocky hill strewn with boul- ders, where a fall would have been almost certain to produce death. I came across a leopard one day, but it escaped without affording me a shot, although the vixen knocked one of my pointers fearfully about. That evening I sent information of my rencontre to Sir Drummond Hay. Next morning he joined me with a staff of beaters and a lot of dogs. A false alarm was given about midday that our quarry was on foot. His Excellency was at the top of a high bank, from which I deemed it positively impossible for anyone to ride, nevertheless he rushed his horse at it, and came down over a hundred yards of such stone and rubble that a pedestrian would have much difficulty in traversing. Wherever your halting-place may be, the inhabi- tants will be certain to inform you that their melon gardens are nightly haunted by a wild boar as big as 192 SHOOTING NEAR TANGIERS. a burro (Spanish donkey), and who is the terror of the whole neighbourhood. It is quite certain that the males of this species do grow to a