Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-09-24
HE DRIVES WILD GEESE.
Dr. Mcbride Has a Travelling OUTFIT Ready
to GIto Chicago.
louisville Courler-JournalD


louisville Courer-Journal)
DR. X. g. Mcbride. of Orange. Va,
probably drives the queerest team ever
put in harness since that golden day when
young Phaeton ran away with his fathers
celestial OUTFIT and set the world on fire.
Writing OF his novel team the doctor
says:
If you Will allow me space in your
columns | will give for the interest OF
your readers my experiments with team
of FIVE wild geese raised on my farm in
Virginia. / was given by a friend living
ON Chesapeake Bay a pair OF wild
geese. and from them raised eleven the
nrst year. I'VE of which were ganders.
commenced training them as soon as
Matched by driving them about the yard,
tied together. and soon got them so l
could guide them with perfect ease. /
then made for them a harness. consisting
! Of n piece Of leather TO fit over the breast
and top Of the neck. The traces were fas-
tened TO that on either side and held in
place by a thin strap that enclrcled the
entire body just in front OF the wings.
| The traces then joined each other eighteen
inches behind the goose and were fastened
/ 10 the end Of Cross-bar made fast in
0
the pole or tongue Of the weight TO be
drawn. they being hitcned like a five
horse-team and held together by little
strap joining the two collars of the geese
/ opposite each other. | then constructed
"a little wagon and began teaching them to
draw II, which they did with but little
! trouble. pulling easily. after they were l
year old, thirty pounds apiece, or lOo
pounds.
There is a lake near my place over d
mile In circumference and | had made for
them a light skin Of tin, weighing only
twenty-eight pounds. and began boat
riding by letting them draw me over the
water by swimming. Then ! commenced
teaching them TO fly. and in a few days
| could skim over the water at the rate
Of one mile minute. 1t was an eXpe-
ricnce never 10 be forgotten and something
to bc perfectly enjoyed. | can guide them
with perfect ease and have them
as much under my control as pair of
gentle horses.
Last winter l made OF light, we'll
seasoned wood a little frame with steel
runners-a tricycle. sleigh--and made a
mile and a quarter per minute on the
ice. riding in a circle. The feeling of going
II that rate through the opea air is some
thing grand ana wonderful. The wind
whistling by your ears like a tornado,
causing the tears TO flow thick and fast,
made 1t necessary for me To use glass
over my face 10 keep from freezing.
Il am now completing balloon. oblong
IN shape that VIII just bear my weight,
and intend visiting the Worlds Fair In
September. making an aerial trip, and viii
exhibit my team by flying in circle
over the fair grounds. l think 1 can make
thirty miles an hour against wind
blowing twenty-five miles. and keep up
that rate FOR ten consecutive hours. l
shall offer the use Of my team 10 Captain
,ynmes TO mike his Arctic trip with.
After he has gone as far north as he can
10y water ne could then, In ten hours,
the wind being favorable, with my aerial
team leave his steamer and 10 300 or 400
miles north. make observations and re-
turn 10 hts vessel 10 supper. | have other
suggestions 20 make Captain Symmes
OF far more Importance IL he wishes, and
Will correspond with or meet him at
Chicago the latter part Of September"