New-York tribune., 1906-06-30

a breeze from the north scorching day. 1t
is chronicle of open-air delights, written with
alluring enthusiasm by accomplished sports
man and naturalist. We cannot but concede
that the enthusiasm seems to be justified by his
vivid descriptions.
1t is hard to say which of his chapters on
hunting the wild creatures of Southern Calfor-
mia is the most fascinating for all are alive
with the excitement that comes of giving the
hunted beast a fighting chance for its life There
is breathless suspense in the pursuit Of a bundle
of fury in the shape of a lynx through arroyo
and chaparral, and the zest that animated hunt
ers and hounds almost communicates itself to
the reader There came moment when the big
cat stood tine face of cliff, with the angry
dogs surrounding her and the men waiting be-
low. Even then she did not give up:
Music reached within ten feet of her. short tail.
| when she turned and came down the face Of the
clif IKE rubber ball, bounding from rock to S rock
savage front fairly into the pack and horses
| 1t was a brave and clever trick, as dozen jaws
| seemed to bound into the air, and dashed among
| haps enc hundred yards and when the hunt re
covered from its surprise she was sitting IN the
tai twitching, treed, but not caught and around
with what were now menacing sounds.
This was far from being the end of the hunt.
Another leap and yet another from vantage
| point, and a chase through a long stretch of
| country kept the pack racing and raging for
two long hours then they treed the creature in
a large sycamore.
Up into the tree went another hunter. and the
hunt backed off 10 give the animal fair play, that
reached her snarling at him yieiousy then hen, ereep5
| made of the pluckiest jumps have ever seen
| or heard Of going down clear forty or fifty feet
the air. then lighting her way through the dogs
laval uhar Ghnr hear a n rOl'a q
| and bedam broke loose as the pack poured In Al
| vicious animal that fought with tooth and claw
| throwing herself upon her back and snariins like
hend.
| There dangers in deer hunting in the
| Southern Sierras for the inexperienced. but fine
| sport may be found in company with some one
familiar with the mountains 1t is exciting, too.
10 hunt the California fox, who has the peculiar
| habit of taking to trees when hard pressed
"leaping into them when It can. shining up
| when it cannot" Mr.. Holder says he has
watched these foxes at night, by the light y NE
moon, when they thought they were cfe-ie4 b =
| a coyote. They went up the straight trunk of
| orange tree by this process, 'hitching along
| embracing the tree like a cat, and once on a
| limb reaching the others and the top of the tree
| in marvellously short space of time" I'm
| commonly exharating. as the author describes
| it. is the hunting Of the coyote. To follow on
| horseback, through broken country, a creature
| so swift and shrewd this means that the
| rider takes greater chances than the game; and
| the author admits that the animal often
capes, leaving a wornout hunt and pack TO file
| home. Mr.. Holder continually lays stress on
| hunting in the open. declaring, for example,
| that in pursuing the wild goat of Santa Catalina
one may have hunting and climbing that would
| be considered all sufficient even for bighorn.
| His chapter coursing the jackrabbit with
| g-eyhounds in the open country proves that
| such a sport may be almost as inspiring as a
| cavalry charge If tnere be on earth amaz-
ingly clever and active animal it is the jackrab-
| bit under such circumstances.
The jack will often nonplus very clever dog. I
when at the upper rise OF the mesa horse. dog and
| hare began TO give out. After a while We came
down 10 trot then 10 walk, and the jack, ap-
parsnty5 scarcely able to move 9 ran to big r
| hound. that was so desperately winded that she
could not catch the jack refined in my horse not
| nouement, laughing heartily my dog Mouse a very
clever animal s1e soon became dizzy and stopped
running, then walked uncertainty over TO me- a
most shamefaced manner and sat on her launches,
| amazement He had doubtless been the hero of
numerous chases. and was bewildered. but the dog
we sat ANA watched him limp away into the chap
| arral.
| Sea angling is evidently a JOY to the author,
| and we believe that nobody read without
! a thrill his accounts of the capture of the great
| bass and the tuna off the Californian coast. II
1 is not only in the chapters on hunting and fish
| ing. moreover, that this book is beguiling-its
descriptions of the desert-and of the gardens OF
| the sea are not to be passed over. At Avalon, "a
| sort of mountain Venice" there is a fleet of
| glass bottomed boats Of all sizes and they are
| always busy. Strange and beautiful are the sea
| gardens TO be from them-the gardens
| themselves and likewise the dwellers therein.
| Turning back TO the land, we come upon an
| amusing sketch of coaching at Santa Catalina
| containing the only yarn for the tenderfoot'
| which our author quotes. Here it is:
| Il call this Rattlesnake Point" said the driver.
| nlcking his whip at the place, which appeared TO
| hang over the ocean, one thousand feet below.
| 'Why?" asked the young lady who had the box
| Why" echoed the driver. glancng at her, "as
! I was coming down one day l saw big RATHER
| TO save il. The next trip there was the same
| snake in the place. and went by il
crewled after the stage / got out and put it in
| q box and took il down TO Avalon That snake
was the gratefulest creature you ever heard of;
| tried 10 follow all over. You see I'd saved
/ It's life When / went Los Angeles one day
! out When ] went back heard noise and look
| ing up the window l saw that rattlers tan
| block. went up IS quick as could thinking
/ the window had fallen on IT, and what do you
| Il can't imagine" said the young lady from the
| East with look of horror her face.
/ When / pushed in the door," continued the
| driver there was burglar lying the floor.
The rattler mad the thief by the coat and its tail
| out Of the window, rattlin' for the police.
! Ard Ct" the driver added, glancing out of the
the long lash the leaders some folks say apt-
/ mails don't think, and snakes is cold blooded,"
! For the climate of Southern California Mr.,
Holder ca1 hardly say enough He quotes an