Washington sentinel., 1899-05-27
ARcIrc GAME IN ENGLISH MARKETS.
SbeekaE0T.

The importation of frozen game,
though a comparatively modern business
IN London, has been carried on for AT
least sixty years between the Arctic and
sub Arctic countries and the great
markets of Central Europe. Nor has il
been confined to Central and Western
Europe Like the trade in flirs, il has
always had an Eastern centre in China
as well as depots IN the West. The
mongol hunters have from time beyond
record brought vast quantities OF frozen
game Tor sale to the market of Pekin.
and the number and variety of the
species, especially of the rare and
beautiful pheasants OF Northern China
have always been remarked by natural.
ISIS They were even able to arrive at
conclusions as to the Northern limit OF
certain species, by noting what were.
ana what were not, brought in for sale
IN the frozen state. Before the haunt of
the six foot Reeves pheasant was dis.
covered, it was already ruled out' OF
the Northern or coolest part OF the
Empire by its absence from the Pekin
game shops in winter. Even before
steamers ran up the Baltic, or to Norway
and before the Russian railways had
tapped the sub Arctic provinces and the
siberian forests. the facilities for the
catching and transport ofnorthern game
were greater than any enjoyed in the
most civilized countries for trade in
flesh food of any description. During
the whole OF the northern winter apri.
culture was, and is, absolutely at
standstill, What domestic animals the
people possessed d were shut up indoors,
slnd the whole male population turned
to snaring and shooting game, or to
trapping fur. The frost was a Datural
refrigerator, and the sleighs gave a
means Of transport Of the cheapest and
quickest kind. Game could be dragged
to the huts or cabins on hand sleighs.
kept for months, and then transported
to the towns by reindeer or horses, or
when the ice broke, by river boats,
When the cargoes Of sooalled RUS
siam game began to arrive in England
they consisted mainly of white hares
willow grouse, partridges, and black
game. They were shipped at the Baltic
ports, and the greater part was killed in
northern and western Russia, Poland
and north Germany From the latter
districts came immense numbers of
common brown hares also. But the
bulk of the shipment, except the partrid
ges,was sub Arctic. and in Russia the par,
fridge so steadily followed the plough as
cultivation has progressed rom the
south to the iurtherest northern latitude
at which rye and wheat will grow, that
they have almost taken a place in the
list Of sub Arctic game birds. To the
exports from northern and central
Europe the Scandinavian supply was
soon added. Not all this arrives in the
frozen state. The bulk of il is shared,
and the white hares, we are sorry to say,
caught most cruelty in iron gins, during
the Lapland winter. Tens OF thousands
Of ptarmigan and willow grouse also
migrate at this season to the coast,
and to the shelter OF the lower birch
woods, and are there taken. frozen, and
sent south. We believe that near one
Lapland town some fifteen thousand
ryper were taken in a single winter some
years ago, But at the beginning Of
autumn, when the weather is becoming
cold, numbers OF ryper. blackcock
greyhens, and capercailzie are taken in
Norway and sent south in very fine con
ditions and, il eaten before they have
been "cold stored" for a long time in
London refrigerators. they are as good
as if shot in Scotland. But to the supply
from both Russia and Lapland there will
shortly be added an immense increment
from Northern and Central Siberia. and
even from the Far East; while to the
gsme sent from Russia not only birds
and hares, but other quadrupeds, will
be ADDED. Hundreds Of red deer car
cases, skinned, frozen and ready for
sale, have recently been shipped from
Russia. Il is by no means certain where
this venison has been obtained. Most
OF ithas clearly been killed out OF season
aud is extremely pOOrin quality. North
ern Russia does not produce red deer,
and though there are numbers in the
Caucasus, Tihis, nd not London, is the
market for the game Of Georgia and the
Caucasian slopes 1t is probable that
this yenison is really either poached IN
the North German forests, or killed an
the Russian provinces adjoining, There
is, however, a large trade in real Arctic
venison. This is the flesh ofthe reindeei-
For many years Russian and Norwegian
hunters sailed regularly, to Spitzbergen
first, and later to the more easteriY
islands Of the Arctic Sea, to kill bears,
reindeer and seal, and brought home
the reindeer flesh, as well as the skins of
all three kinds OF animal, bear fat and
seal oil as pert Of their cargo. The
flesh Of the reindeer was sold locally az
the ports to which they returned. IL is
odd that one part OF the reindeer only,
namely, the smoked tongue, has been
in use in England as food for the greater
part OF this century, while the venisOn
has hardly ever been imported. AS the
meat is OF good quality, and the animals
are domesticated and fattened by most
Of the Northern tribes from Lapland to
Bsring Sea, we may expect before long
to see reindeer venison sent here on
trial
It must be admitted that this supply
Of wild game from the North is more
remarkable for quantity than for quality,
For this the careless way in which it is
sent to the coast and its preservation
by freezing is mainly RESPONSIBLE. Even