The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-04-13
LIFE IN LONDON,
Cockney sportsmen ana Their Amuse-
ments.
Correpondence Ne,o NORTH West.

Cockney sportsmen ana Their Amuse-
ments.
Correspondence Ne,o North Vest.
LONDON, March 23.-Sporsmen living In
London stand at great disadvantage in the
way Of induIging In their fAyorite psstimes.
The country for miles around is as destitute
.f animal life As the sands Of the great |
Sahara desert, and should q sportsman be- |
come possessed with such thirst for blood |
as 10 be absolutely Irresistible, he either has |
10 take lenghthy journey into some rural
district or else resort 10
THE PIGEON TRAPS OF HURLISsHAM PARK |
. I'd similar grounds ia aud around London.
Tins shooting pigeons from traps is a cruel
business. To pursue aud capture All animal
Ia Its native haunls is All enterpris- which
everybody will willingly commend MS true
'p'rt; but fair play demands that bird or
animal shall al least have fair chance for
ITS life; aud nothing is more revolving than
TO see weakly aud helpless animal, wantonly
slaughtered.
HuIliugham Park is the headquarters OF
his fashionable amusement. The ground
CONSISTS of some fifty acres Of neadow-land
ou the banks of the Thames, some ten miles
from London. The COMPANY which assem-.
Oles here is strictly aristocratic-no gentle
man or lady being allowed to eutrr the
sacred enclosure unless recognized as 3 bona
fde member Of the upper strata Of London
"soclety." THIS fine company is also pro
.ided with the more innocent amusenents Of
olosure-the latter pastims being hearth.
Uttered into by players Of both sexes, and
.fIrdlng as good opportunities fol carrying
III q vigorous Irritation as could be Designed
ny the most ingenious match maker.
mall lake has been formed III this enclosur,
which is utilized for the further develop
ment of these flrtations in the form oil
mixed boating parties.
The shooting enclosure Is about sever
acres Ia extent, and contains a loading shed,
a pavilion, and = grand stand for the accom-
'uodation of the aristocratic spectators. Th,
shooter stands with his back TO this fashion
able crowd, his attention being concentrated
III the five traps some thirty yards In front OF
MIN: each trap containing = more or les,
healthy pigeon. Each bird is charged to tn
shooter az tify sits head, aud keen eye'
scorer sits at q small table In front of I'll,
gran stand, keeping careful account of he
birds killed aud missed; whilst the spectators
.xpress their admiration or disgust at til.
SUCCESS or failure Of their respective favorite'
~ frequent bursts Of clappiug or fain
cheers. Should the pigeon be so severel
soundrd as to fall within bounds, IL Il
promptly aided TO q pile Of its slaughtered
comrades In the 'sagony basket" If It's figb
s so rapid as to bsfIl- tie aim Of the mark
man, 50 much the better FIR the bird!
FASHIONABLE CRUELTY.
Hundreds of matches are shot off on thes'
srounds during the season, and heaps I"
money change hands OH each occasion. Wha'
-ver may be said by those that engage i,
This form Of amusement, 1t can In no way D.
'rgaI ded as true sport. IL is mainly resorteC
" as All opportunity for gambling, aud til
f'auds Of Ell associated with it result In CIV
ing additional pain to the bird. If the trap
per wishes To give All easy shot to the marks
man. he squeezes the wire framework Of th'
Trap till he cripples the bird, so that it rise
with slow flight; if he wishes to give
iifficult chance, he has been known TO s
wound the bird as to make it rise from tn
rap In an agony of pain and terror.
Cases have been known where the wound
ID bird has fallen to the ground; but whrI
he dog approached to pick it up the wretch
ID pigeon struggled into the air again, All
remained futteriGg little higher than Tia
log could jump. Whilst the birds fate Wa
thus trembling in The balance various brrs
we're made on the result, and when At lat
Tie pigeon fell into the dog AVS murmri
OF satisfaction arose from those who hs,
made few dollars OH the dying agonies o
he VI fortunate creature.
One can scarcely understand how it is that
some of the highest ladies In the land can
remain willing spectators of these scenes; ~
what pleasure they eau derive from u T
chastity spectacle OF this Wholesale slaught'
Of the innocebts. In very short time thu
ground 10 covered with a sickening mass al
blood and feathers, aud each shooting mattel
has Its own special incidents of refinrd cru
city. 1t is some salts fAction to know tina
the British Parliament has taken the mattel
IN hand, aud is now dh scussins a bill vht b
sill place this sort OF amusement OIL Il e
sans footing with the criminal ofenses Il
cock fighting and similar pastimes.
SPARROW SHOOTING From TRAPS
Is On amusement INDUCED in by those Sports
men whose purses will NOT allow them 10
ioin In such an expansive affair as that jusi
described. In tbs east end Of London Is =
large stretch Of waste land known as th.
Hackney marshes which Is Oft EN- selected by
them for these exhibitions Of skill. This ~
parslus employed 10 similar 10 that used b
thsr aristocrstic brethren, and IL 10 soms-
What amusing TO watch the noble sportsmsi
mpsy both barrels o. such an object as .
London sparrow. H-.
Around The outskirts Of this shoeiin,
ground is eio~d Of sui poorer sportsne,
sho cannot afford even the expense Of spa
ross. A nunbsr VI 6erce-lookins men--
Londoa editors, probably go prowlin,
around With murderoas loo king biuuder
eussrs, and should the ulfurtu nz,s bird pan
age To Is ape from sportsman No. /, he Is re
csived vita heavy fusiila.s fom thss
outside skirmEshers.
Indeed, The waste of ammunition on thes.
occasions Is something alarming aud whei
hear any minister prop and the old Scrip
nrsl query: .'Ars sot two sparrovs sold 70,
a fsrthing p 1 cant help thinking that TIN
ancien,s were deal ahead Of our Coekne,
sportsmea In the rsAter Of capturing tins
species " gam. KEarsHIIL.
Sprague Defeated an Rhode Island.
Providence, April 4.-The vote Of Provi