Evening star., 1893-10-07
HE DRIVES WILD GEESE.
DR.. Mcbride Has q Traveling Outnt
Ready to Go to Chicago.


Ready to Go to Chicago.
From the Louisville Courier Journal.
Dr. r. c. Mcbride OF Orange, Va ,proba bly,
drives the queerest team ever put to har-
ness since that golden day when young
Phaeton ran away with his fathers ce-
lestial outfit and set the world on fire Writ
ing OF his novel team, the doctor says:
III you will allow me space in your col
umns l will give. for the interest OF your
readers, my experiments with a team OF five
wild geese raised on my farm In Virginia
was given by friend living on Chesapeake
bay a pair Of wild geese, and from them
raised eleven the first year. ffve OF which
were ganders. L commenced training them
as soon as Matched by driving them about
the yard tied together. and soon got them
SO 1 could guide them with perfect ease.
then made for them a harness. consisting OF
a piece OF leather to ft over the breast and
top of the neck. The traces were fastened
to that on either side and held in place by
a thin strap that encirclei the entire body
Just in front of the wings. The traces then
Joined each other eighteen inches behind
the goose and were fastened to the end of
a cross bar made fast in the center TO a
strap which represented the pole or tongue
of the weight to be drawn, they being
hitched like a five-horse team and held to-
gether by a little strap joining the two COL
then constructed a little wagon and began
teaching them to draw II. which they did
with but little trouble. pulling easily. after
they were one year old, thirty pounds
apiece. or 150 pounds.
There is a lake near nv place over a
mile in circumference, and ] had made
for them a light skiff of tin, weighing only
twenty-eisht pounds, and began riding by
swimming. Then commenceJ teaching
them to fly, and in a few days / copld Skim
over the water at the rate Of one mile a
minute. 1t is an experience never to be for
gotten and something to be perfectly en-
joyed. i can guide them with perfect case
and have them as much under my control
as pair of gentle horses.
Last winter / made OF light, well-sea-
soned wood, a little frame with steel run
ners-a tricycle. sleigh-lnd made a mile
and a quarter per minute On the fee rid
ing in circle. The feeling of going at
that rate through the open air II something
grand and wonderful. The Kind whistIing
by your ears like a tornado, causing the
tears to flow thick and fast, made IL neces-
sary for me to use a .,lass over my face
to keep from freezing.
Il am now completing 4 balloon, oblcng
in shape, that will just bear my weight,
and intend visiting the worlds fair in
September, making an aerial trip, AMI will
exhibit my team by hyini, in a circle over
the fair grounds. 1 think I can make thir-
ty miles an hour against 4 wind blowing
twenty-five miles. and keep up that rate
for ten consecutive hours. / shall offer the
use of my team to Capt. Symmes to make
his Arctic trip with. After he has gone as
far north as he can by water he could then.
In ten hours, the wind being favorable.
with my aerial team, leave his steamer and
go 800 or 400 miles north, make observations
and return to his vessel for supper. i have
other suggestions TO make Capt. Symmes of
far more Importance. il ne wishes. and will
correspond to meet him at Chicago the lat
ter part of September.