The Portland daily press., 1901-02-26
FOR A GAME PRESERVE.
sportsnsn ofAn Parts Of the Waited
states said To he interested.
lsan Franelsoo ChronioIs. }

The establishing of great game pre-
serve embracing portion of southwest
ern Arizona and northwestern Mexico,
aud probably small part of California,
is project which was not conceived un-
til recently. but which win likely be
talked about by sportsmen all over the
country within few months. A small
party Of explorers recently visited Tucson
after making trip through the coTntry
adjacent to the head OF the Gulf OF Cali
fornia, representing, IL is believed,
number Of sportsmen OF the Middle
states, bent on Formulating plan for
the protection OF game and to prevent the
exter miuation OF certain species. A con-
vsntion OF sportsmen will soon meet In
Chicago or Denver 60 consider pisrs for
| the establishments OF great game pre-
serve, and representative sportsmen from
ali sections report the advantages offered
| for game preserves in their immediate
sections.
That portion Of the country south Of
Yuma, including small section OF Cali
| fornia, and considerable territory In
Mexico, is one of the most fruitful fieids
for the Nimord of this country today.
Ii abounds 10 wild game oil all sorts, and
with the help Of man large expanse ef
land could be converted into one Of the
greatest and most inviting game pre-
Gerves in thet world. Mexico offers hb-
raj aid to such enterprises, and 1t Is
understood that already that government
has promised to make important conoes-
sions II American sp ortsmen are willing
t. carry out the plan OF establishing q
game preserve partly In Mexico.
The determination of wild game in
this country and the urgent necessity OF
adopting drastic measures for the preven-
ton OF further ~nthless slaughter are
two subjects which have long occupied
the attention OF American sportsmen,
Never before have they been so stirred
up to the necessity as within the past few
months, when from all over the country
there have been demands for Congress
sionAl action, state and Territorial leg
ialation has proved sufficient, but FEEDER
al action in recent years has check ed
Wholesale slaughter In this and other ter
ritories and states. However, slowly but
surely certain kinds of wild game, such
as deer and antslope, Will be extinct In
Arizona within few years, and In
shorter time the mountain sheep now
found In few parts OF this territory
viii disappear unless early action ts
taken. It is because of the threatened
determination that Congress Will soon
be asked Co make an appropriation for
creating game preserve, or at least for
| It's moral support
The Redskins of Arizona have made
great inroads into ths ranks OF deer and
antelope, leaving their reservations fire.
quently to engage In systematic slaught.
ers OF those animals. The ApAches in
eastern Arizona kills only the game they
require for meat and leather. IL ID said
that the Navajos OF northern Arizon q
and other Indians OF this territory do not
kill game on the wholesale plan merely
for the SPORT as is commonly believed,
| but they seem tn require an inordlnats
amount for ordinary use. Occasionally
they leave their reservations, where long
| ago game became too sporadic TO Invite
the hunter, and organize hands which 20
after big game with guns and bows and
1 arrows in muoh the same manner that
Americans organize rabbit drives. Great
piles Of hair scraped from the hides speak
uDmigtakably OF the slaughter which at
tends one or these expeditions.
A party eonsisting OF Prof. w. j. Nc
| Gee, Delaney gill, an artist, and Others
/
recently passed through Phoenix after ex.
plorinR the ItbuTon Islands, In the Gulf
| OF California, returning from Sonora BY
an old road near Tena1os Atlas, The
party went TO examine the condition OF
| the cannibalistic Ceris Indians of Ttbur-
on Island, who murdered K Il. l.. Rob-
inson, a newspaper man, and COM
panion six years ago and feasted on their
bodies. On account Of the tribal friction
a few years ago small band of these
| savages left tine island of Iiburon and
made their way to the coast OF Mexico,
subsequently travelling noIth and estap-
llshing a small COLONY near Quitovao.
The Smithsonian party went among
| the Indians at that place for the third
time, finding them In the same condition
on each trip They have not multiplied
in numbers in the past score OF years ana
their manners of living and habits have
not varied. In visiting those Indians
MoGee's journey took him through the
heart OF the game country, which In
time may be set apart as preserve. All
along his path he discovered game In
such protusion that ne made part OF bis
trip the study of the wild animals OF
that region. Yhe Indians near Quitovae
led him into some remarkable hunting
grounds, where deer and wild hogs, d
large species Of peccary, tame and unfa-
miliar with the white sp0rtsmens meth
eds, were but little intimidated by the
approach OF the party. The professor
returns enthusiastic over the game con-
ditions OF that region. Wild animals
abound there as they did only few years
ago in many parts Of this country but
although the region is not remote from
thickly populated sections 1t has been al
most entirely neglected by hunters, I'M
touched by the hand OF white man, and
Its isolation from the haunts OF men
would be complete but for the prssence
OF handful OF redskins who roam over
that section. The country is so formed.
said Prof Mc6ee, that some or the lands