The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-17
SOME STRANGE HOBBIES,
People Whose FadS for Recrea.
ton Yield Them Genuine
Enjoyment.
Preparing for Outdoor Explorations
in Forest and Stream That
Never Take Place.

big, brawny fellow inspected carefully
number of rifles in a Market-street gun
store yesterday. He handled the weapons
like man who was familiar with them,
glanced along the barrels, tried the locks,
and threw them to his shoulder in an ex-
pert and easy manner. Finally he selected
one, paid for it and packed it off.
'That is evidently an old hunter" re-
marked an interested spectator of the
transaction.
"Yes-in his mind" said the shopman.
81 don't believe he has been in the field
once in dozen years. He is the janitor
OF one of the large City Libraries, and spent,
believe, his early life on the plains. The
old instinct clings to him still, and he is
good for new rifle every season. Why,
his room must be perfect armory by this
time. He lives in anticipation of going
into the wilds of Oregon some day and
| slaughtering elk and bear by the hundred.
| He is ready to start at moments notice.
But he never starts. Il was little too late
this year. he will say, but / will be all
prepared to move out next July. l know
where to find big game, and l don't think
| my eye has lost its cunning / believe he
! has roll of blankets and camping outfit
set away in corner. so he may grab them
In five minutes and light out for the woods.
But he is but one of many with the same
| hallucinat ton.
"a prominent member of the Pacific
Union Club used to spend hours among
our stock. His hobby was fishing. He
and he had a scrapbook pasted full of
fishing stories. Fishing rods fiybooks,
fishing knives, landing nets, gaffs, spoons,
spinning and artificial bait of all kind
were his pursuit. He is wealthy and he
could afford to indulge his fad. 1t is
owned every thing from North Sea seal
ing outfit to rig for the brooks or long
shore and deep saltwater fishing. Then be
| learned to dress flies and succeeded in a
short time in producing good work. Yet,
as far as know, that gentleman has had
but two days fishing in ten years. Like
the hunter, he is getting ready to go every
season, but the weeks creep on until the
streams have run too low and the fish
won't rise in the lakes. He was cured of
his fad in an unpleasant way. All this
stuff he had stored in his rooms at the
club and one night a dishonest servant
swooped down upon them and cleaned
| them out to the last fishhook. He has
never attempted to restock again and we
have lost good customer.
"We had visitor recently who had been
| reading up canoe trips in the magazines.
He was also rich, and idle. and the idea of
making a long canoe voyage gave him
something to think about. So he had a
map made of the San Joaquin River, and
he was going to work his way clear up to
Tulare Lake. We keep collapsing canoes,
and he thought one of them would be
handy to have on board the big craft in
case he wanted to push ahead and ex-
anime for channel or portage. He had
a Rob Roy canoe sent out from the East,
he got axes, and portable stores, and rub
Der blankets, and patent lanterns. and
shelter tents. The voyage to Tulare Lake
has not yet been made, and the Rob Roy
has never foated yet in Pacific Coast
waters.
Nov I believe from talking to that kind
of people that they are just as happy in
planning these sporting trips and adven-
lures as those who really carry out their
plans. Seated among the implements OF
the chase, the camp and the brook, they
enjoy in Imagination the pleasures OF
wood and stream without any of their &C.
cidents and Inconvenience