Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-14
REMARKABLE HUNT.
carver. the Champion Beaten oy a
Georgia Cracker.

Georgia Cracker.
-, 41bonv Gal Mems and Advertiser.
f' l,Sorocters OF unusual interest and
uorth are frequently met with In out OF
', tho way places. Hands as sGliiful as
o. '-V woke to ecstasy the living lyre''
o,e folded TO rest without ever having
ho with cord or note, the silence Of
their obscurity.
A. Poyersville, Ga, resides A. y. Cly"
non Of the most remarkable skill In
So ,,sa of a shotgun. AS marksman, ne
tue u nof his equal in Georgia, and 1t Is
hAs ttf',i If the world can furnish his su-
uOG ior Clvatt was corn in Fort Valley,
ard earlv developed taste Tor neld
oa ",te which led him to seek his I'LL OF a
ss'nter,s lite in the distant west.
There. even, his accurate marksman,
chin excited wonder, ana IN tnat Wilo
srn1tier country his gun won MIN reputa-
tion and furnished him support.
'l' company engaged in collecting bur
nohes secured his services as gun
Ia,o and tor months the subject of this
nel stetch INDUCED the wild and eX-
s snGr csmp life OF buffalo hunter, each
Sn~ Eining fifty ANIMALS, his quota OF the
S Io?3lg .,killv This nomadic life leading
.ba hunters over the vast extent OF pral-
W. VIZ in pursuit of buffalo occasionally
hronoht Them in contact with wandering,
trodstory bands of Indians. More than
Pne sbarp encounter relieved them OF the
.aorotonv of camp life. and gave spice
nfdanger to what would otherwise have
Uroyed an uneventtul daily routine.
Attached to the same camp were men
engaged in securing the SKINS OF wlld
JnSs and polecats. The carcasses of the
frnm
1rh;ch the hides had been stripped, were
roisoned. and the wild dogs and polecats,
sttraoted by fresh meat, would greedily
Sevonr them only TO meet their death.
NIGHT after night was this repeated, and
bnndrads Of thousands OF skins were thus
obtained for use in the manufacture OF FUR
goods. Mr.. Clyatt says that OF more than
100 900 polecats thus destroyed he never
sow any two skins marked alike; they
we're ali noticeably different, some being
half white and half black.
firing of the hardships OF this halt
savage life. after the pleasures OF the
snort had palled upon his taste, Clyatt
abandoned the camp and dritted back to
the quieter but more attractive scenes OF
his boyhood home.
After marrying he settled among the
hills that nestle around the unobtrusive
village of Powersville, eighteen miles be-
low the gem city of GeOrgia-Macon.
Though actively engaged in the engross-
ing cares of farm life, he found time in
which to indulge his passion for hunting,
and with dog and gun he sought pleasant
diversion from the drudgery of farm Ia
hors. His success in quail shooting was
considered phenomenal by the occasional
hunters of his region, and his reputation
as shot rapidly spread beyond the mar
row limits of the community.
While at the Centennial Exposition a
party of Macon gentlemen arranged with
DR.. Carver, the famous rife and snot gun
champion, for shooting tournament with
Clyatt upon his first visit to Georgia. In
1884 Carver visited the State Fair at Ma
pon, and having been compelled to leave
his man who assisted him in his exhibit
lions in Alabama, he wrote to Clyatt TO
meet him there. Clyatt responded in per-
son the day after, and Carver, to test the
skill and deXterity with which he handled
a gun, carried a barrel of balls upon a
deld and sprung them from a revolving
trap. The trial must have been satisfac-
tory, as Clyatt broke every ball, and was
Engaged by Carver to assist him in a
series Of exhibitions.
After the fair had closed, the field con-
test with birds was arranged to take
a..
The original agreement contemplated
the use OF rife by Carver, but he was
given his choice, and the champion, know
Ing the skill of his opponent, chose the
Shotgun.
The appointed day at Townsville
rawned auspiciously for the great hunt,
and the two, with nerves Draced for the
test of their skill, accompanied by Judges
Ind referees, repaired in carriages to the
hunting field.
Birds were found in exciting numbers,
and the dogs, appreciating that some
thing extra was expected Of them, never
behaved more beautifully; cautiously
tney approached and stanchly held every
''point' of the field.
Both hunters were on their mettle and
scored WITH the regularity of clock work
UP beyond the tifties with not a birds
difference. The day was literally snot
away, and after the 100 shots fired bv
each, count discovered that Clyatt had
psgged "a against Carver's 81. Thus
CLOSED successfully for Georgia shot the
most remarkable held test ever had in
Georgia.
One incident Of the hunt which will
prove the cool head and steady hand of
Clyatt is worthy OF mention.
carver frequently was in the range
WIN me Dlrd at Clyatt's turn, and time
was was LOST In his getting out OF the way.
SEIyatt warned him of his danger, but
SsrVer told him to shoot away. A bird
HHusheu, New in direction that brought
Itaryers broad sombrero in Clyatts way.
t plt ne raised his gun and like the flash OF
tuougnt MS experienced eye saw that
CarVer's head was not in danger. and,
WIN the nerve of William Tell, fired
bringing DOWN the bird, but causing a
i I Oh few inches of the wide brim OF
Carver's hat.
Inc doctor. after that incident, was
more Tl careful to keep out of the way.
hr I G hunt over, Clyatt was imp0rtuned
b y! carver TO accompany him to Europe,
ouI ne refused, preferring to enjoy The
tSnnUs 0i nome, where he quietly lives,
tnoqgn, like Bogardus or Carver. he
ooGla' by exhibition OF his wonderful skill
sasy fortune.
III DEICKINC GEAGON