Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-02


chief what he wished for the journey, CIV
ing the rest of his scsnt belongings to the
laborers. He did not ask whether desired
his company, nor did it seem necessary to
sdyise him against the undertaking-for
there was little likelihood that one of his
Temperament would carry this sudden re-
solve very far.
That evening took time for little hunt
ing on q plan which caused great wonder
nent to Phillips and his men. The country
was swarming with coyotes, which were
feasting on the countless dead cattle; but it
was very hard to get within riAe-shot of the
cunning brutes. I particularly wanted an-
other skin Just then; and determined to get
1t by board hunt.
KILLING COYOTES WITH A BOARD
Phillips got me a smooth board, an inch
suger and some lard, at my request, and
soon made lapboard- a dozen suger holes,
bored almost through, were filed with lard,
in which were few grains of strychnine,
and then the surface of the board was simi-
larly smeared Carrying this peculiar trap
half mile from the house I set it in pass
between the cliffs, and came back to our
Christmas dinner. Had I put out piece
of poisoned meat Mr.. Coyote would have
picked it up and trotted off to die, of course,
but very likely in the next county, where he
would not enrich me. But any carniTorous
animal that comes to lapboard stays there
licking the lard first from the level, and
then squeezing its tongue into the holes for
what is there, until the sudden spasm cores
and it is too late to run for water.
Sure enough, next morning at sunrise the
largest and handsomest coyote I ever saw,
before or since, was lying with his nose not
SIX inches from the fatal board. "cased'
him-that is, took off the whole skin with
cut cut, pulling the whole body through
the mouth-tO the utter stupefaction of the
Mexican laborers, who would not believe
such a thing possible. That is the hardest
way to skin an animal, but it Is the only
way to save the whole pelt without the seri-
Gus waste from the tags" which come
where skin is ''pegged out" to dry.
how 10 PRESERVE sKN.
The hide, which comes off like a tight
rlove. inside out, should be returned, so
that the flesh side is within, and then
stuffed with straw or any substance which
will i'll it out plumply and still allow q
slight circulation of air within. When it
8 perfectly dry it can be slit from chin to
tail with q sharp knife, and there you have
q perfect and slightly pelt. 1t took me three
hours of grubbing in the short, dry buffalo
grass to get enough to fill the coyotes suit,
but the skin, which 1 have yet was fine
enough TO pay for the trouble.
All 1880 Phillips bade goodby to his men,
and we started off together. At noon we
came to Laguna, where the Indians were
holding their remarkable holiday dances
as the wild yells that came down the wind
nuDrised US miles away. Laguns is the
most picturesque of the pueblos that are
easilv accessible; and as the railroad runs at
the very base OF the great dome of rock
upon which the quaint, terraeed houses are
huddled, there is no difficulty in reaching
it. On the summit of the rock is the plaza,
q large public square, surrounded on all
sides by the tall house walls and entered
oplv by three narrow alleys We hastened
up the sloping hill by one Of the strange
footpaths which the patient feet of two Gen.