Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-04-13

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Only, part OF these were real, part the
skillful application of art, but there could
be no question that the pony and the
Indian girls and squaws up in the arti-
fetal mountains were real flesh and blood.
The canoe races with the other end tied
to a weight and the unwise man who
dumped from the clouds" into the lake
tied up in bag, these were real, and
part OF it foolish also.
But the few things that enjoyed best,
though others enjoyed many other things
best" as was evident, WAS, first, the big
Rocky mountain sheep near the entrance.
He resembled sheep or buck sheep
only in his horns, which were much
longer. | should say at the butt they
were four inches in diameter, curved first
out, then in, as we have seen many a rams
horn. 1t is said they jump enormous dis
tances down Rocky mountain sleeps,
striking on the head first upon these
enormous horns. This old fellow made
miss somewhere, as both forelegs were
broken. The face also and the size some
what resemble large sheep, but here the
resemb lanee is over Their skin IS more
that of a calf wool is entirely absent
Think of the wild life they lead on those
vast western heights.
Passing by antelope, deer, even our
Ashland moose, that is so tame after its
few weeks OF captivity as to eat from the
hand OF the bystanders, | came to, and
liked, the camp OF two trappers from the
north OF Maine and lower Canada. 1t
was typical and complete; no sportsman's
camp about it; the two are never alike,
different atmosphere, as much so as a log
ging camp and a house in the settlement.
There was a tent just large enough to
crowd into at night, the two logs outside
resting on another larger one at either
end underneath, fire surrounded by sew
eral rocks, the "crotched" sticks with an
other resting in them, its centre two or
three feet above the fire, and from it sus-
pended the kettle. The frying pan near
by hung up to peg driven into tree, a
box with shelf or two for a pantry the
fiat bottomed punt with half dozen
muskrats, Il mink, as many traps and be-
side the oars on the thwarts rests
dou BILE barreled shot gun and a duck.
Nailed to trees round about are different
skins of different sizes, some newly
caught, others older. That is n bear skin,
here is an otter, beside beaver and a
wildcat and you can just see from be-
hind those trees, against one OF which
leans rifle, the form OF dead buck.
Farther down is the eek herd. | do
not know the number, | should say four
or five bulls and three or four times as
many cows and calves. They were i'll
good form for captives, and enjoyed, so it
would seem, the life they are living.
Why shouldn't they? To me it was Il
most worthy sight. The enclosure was
roomy and some wandered about without
fear, quietly Others lay down unconscious
of surroundings or the curious interest
they awakened.
There were many excellently appointed
camps. The Megantic club house and
others were models of elegant homeliness.
Aroostook WAS represented, of course, but
| was disappointed in the showing north
and east OF Bangor in our State. Han
cock county, Washington county and in
deed vast section of our State, was not
represented at all, or in very imperfect
manner. In fact, with the exception of a
few limited sections, the State exhibit
was to my mind a miserable failure when
compared with the sections referred to
and other states. There are large por-
lions of our State with splendid resources
from This standpoint, and no effort mad
to call the attention OF the great world of
-portsmen to the fact, and an opport unity
lost, the like of whlcn has never before
existed in New England.
But New Brunswick attended to it; she
not only had a magnificent display, but III
cabin beautifully adorned with the
SPOTS of the chase her otficia courte-
ously received all who came and with
maps aud other aids assisted men in HC
qualnting themselves with her best game
fields. | was introduced to her commi--
siouer OF game, n very genial man, who
explained to me that he had just received
n telegram announcing that ruling had
been made whereby a sportsman could
bring game or parts of game, as the head,
etc, from that country. The law which
prevented that had done much to keep
sportsmen away.
Ducks and fish were grouped near to-
get Their. 1t was worth long trip to see
the trout, manifold in quantity and in
kind, exhibited there; from the egg to the
"big fellow, the whole range could be
followed; and | saw the largest brook
trout that ever saw, even i'll the imag-
nation OF the story teller.
At the lower end of the fish tanks WAS
miniature brook and pond, just such
pool rs we who love it would be glad to
cast into. 1t did look inviting with Its
two-pounders visible from the surface.
The wild geese and ducks sporting over
the rocks and water, and there were many
OF them, young and old, was a sight a
sportsman loves to see in meadow or else
where, even here.
l only wish the whole vast panorama
that ssvored of woods and hills and val
leys and game, the things that bring rest
to tired nerves and aching eyes and spent
forces, could have been seen by every one
of The AMERICAN readers who enjoys
these things. l do not deny that the real
ization of what these things suggest