Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 234, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1912 — Page 3

MOUNTAIN SHEEP OF SONORA DESERT

NO big-game-hunter will deny* I think, the difficulties that attend the shooting of mountain sheep. To the so-called sportsman who gauges his, success by the number of heads secured, irrespective of their value, it cannot, of course, appeal; but to the hunter-naturalist, who can enjoy and appreciate the wild and imposing country in which his quarry lives, and finds his greatest pleasure in pitting his own skin and cunning against those of a worthy foe, this form of shooting yields a most exciting, if arduous, sport. But today the number of mountain sheep is fast diminishing, and it is exceedingly difficult in America to find and obtain a good, or even moderate, head without an extraordinary amount of traveling and hunting —even then success is not assuredwhile the short open season for sheep presents an added obstacle. Nor is such a trip by any means inexpensive, for American guides have a way of charging for their services which is altogether out of proportion of their value. z

Mountain sheep, however, can be found in the very northwest of Mexico, around 1 the head of the Gulf of California, in Lower California, and rarely in Chihuahua. Further south they cannot go, for the torrid heat and waterless desert of the Tierra Caliente (hot country) prevent their further progress. Therefore this region forms the vanishing point of the genus Ovis in America, and the study of these sheep is all the more interesting on that account, writes I. N. Dracopoli in Country Life. Of the mountain sheep found in Mexico there are four species or subspecies: The Ovis mexicanus, whps» type locality is the Lake Santa Maria district in Chihuahua; the Ovis canadensis gaillardi of the Pinacate mountains in Sonora; and the Ovis nelson! and Ovis cervina cremnobates of Lower California. The first-named of these is now almost extinct, for they used to inhabit a country which was plentifully supplied with water and easily accessible, and they were soon almost exterminated by so-called “sportsmen.” They are distinguished by the large size of their ears and molar teeth, while their forehead is noticeably less concave than that of the typical Ovis canadensis. These sheep have been rightly, I think, described as a new species; but the other three are only or local varieties of the true Ovis canadensis typicus. It would be tedious, therefore, to go fully into the minute peculiarities that differentiate them from the well known Rocky Mountain sheep, as they are of interest only to the zoologist, and not to the blg-game-hunter. There is one point, however, that makes the Ovis canadensis gaillardi a particularly fine trophy, and that is the remarkable bulk of the horns, which are much bigger and more massive in comparison with the bodily size of the animal than those of the sheep in Wyoming and the north. ”

Not Wild or Shy. \ At present in the Plnacate mountains and in the Sierra del Pozo in Sonora there is a large number of them, and they are not very wild or shy, as they have not been much molested by the Indians and not at all by the white man, for the country is unknown, and has a bad name owing to its extreme aridity and lack of water. It was, in this region that my brother and I obtained some excellent heads, some of which are shown in the accompanying In the daytime and during hot weather the sheep are always found high up in the mountains. They come down to feed during the night, but invariably return to the rocky ledges and precipitous cliffs, which are their favorite haunts, soon after dawn. Here they bed down in the niches of the lava or under some overhanging boulder for the rest of the day; and so well does their coloring harmonize with their surroundings that not even the trained eyesight of the Indian can detect them. The hunter must, therefore, be early in the field. He should, If possible, camp high up the mountains in the sheep country, for this will give him the best chance of success. When these animals are moving about they are not difficult to see, for their white rump patch is most conspicuous and can be detected at a great distance. The secret of success is not to be in a hufry. Like nearly all other animals, they have always a sentinel on the look-out when they are feeding, generally a ewe, and the

hunter’s chief aim should be to spot this animal and avoid being seen by it. He should then take a careful note of the country, and by proceeding slowly add cautiously, and by/keeping in the shadows if possible, he should be able to approach them easily enough and select the best head. There is another point that should be remembered, and that is that the. sheep when frightened nearly always try to escape down the mountain-side, so that they should be approached, whenever the wind allows of it, from below.

Owing to the scarcity of all other food, the ruminants of this country have to depend almost entirely on the cacti and the young shoots and green bark of the mesquite and paloverde trees for sustenance. They are also very partial to the ocotillo (Fouqulera splendens), and when the latter begin to flower late in April, the sheep come down from the mountains to the edge of the plains and feed almost entirely on them. This diet seems to agree with them excellently, for they are always in the best of condition at this time of year. I do not know of any animals, either in Africa or America, whose meat Is so delicious to eat, and it is far nicer than that of the prongborn' antelope, which is much prized by the Mexicans. The dryness of the climate in the Sonora desert is largely responsible for the way some of the horns are split at the ends, which often spoils an otherwise perfect head and reduces its length by two to four Inches. It has the same effect on one’s fingernails, whlh becomfe very brittle and split or break at the slightest provocation. The horns of the old rams are especially dry, and are often much worn and scarred on their upper surface, ‘as can be seen in the photograph of the biggest ram we shot; but this is due to the blows they receive when fighting among themselves head to head.

Mountain sheep are not the only trophy that can be secured in this interesting country, for its fauna is almost as remarkable as its flora, and many species are confined to this locality and are not found elsewhere. Among game animals are the puma (Felis concolor) and a little-known -species of jaguar—-the “tigre” of the Mexicans —the bay lynx (L. ruffa), a local variety of the Texas collared peccary (D. angulatus sonorlensis), the black and the white tailed deer and the pronghorn antelope. One of the principal charms of hunting in this country is the variety of scenery met with. For the deer are found in abundance in the Santa Catalina mountains, among the pines and silver birches of the beautiful Canada del Oro. In the foot-hills lynx, puma and the black-tailed deer can generally be found, but here the scene is quite different and the vegetation becomes more characteristic. Hunting is difficult, as there is but little cover and days pass often without a chance for a shot.

It would be Impossible in a short article to describe in detail the various animals that live in the Sonora desert, or to mention the best hunt-ing-grounds; It Is undoubtedly the finest game country in the southwest today, as it has been untouched, and therefore unspoiled, by the ordinary traveler. But although big game is plentiful, good trophies are not secured without hard work and much patience. The heat is Intense and water is very scarce—in parts absolutely non-existent, so that no one should contemplate a hunting trip to the Sonora desert unless he is prepared to face discomfort and probably actual hardship.

Pickpackets Suspend Business.

Has anybody had a pocket picked in Stockholm recently? One is curious to know how the visitors to the Olympic games at the Swedish capital have fared, because M. Xavier Paoli, tho French "conductor of kings/’ vouches for the fact that there were no pockets picked in Athens while the Olympic games were, in progress there. When it became evident that the games would draw large numbers of foreigners to Athens the pickpockets held a meeting and pledged themselves, one and all, to suspend business as long as the games lasted in order to protect the reputation of their country. And M. Paoli says they kept their word.—London Chronicle.

Advancement in Philippines.

v Although, sugar has been made in the Philippines for centuries, the first modern mill was opened only a few weeks ago. • / V- -- ~ ?.-? ■ —~ ' *• “

SOME FRUIT DAINTIES

OLD- ANO NEW METHODS If* THEIR PREPARATION..

To Preserve Raspberries Whole—For Spiced Peacnes—Bananas en Casserole—Grapefruit Sherbet — Delicious Apple Fluff.

Raspberries Preserved Whole.— Boil the sugar, allowing three-quar-ters of a pound for every pound of fruit, with a very small quantity of water, till quite clear; put in the raspberries, which should be large and ✓perfectly sound, and. simmer for five minutes, then lift them out very carefully and allow .them to drain. Meanwhile boll the syrup again till small beads rise to the surface; then boil the fruit in it for another five minutes and drain again, while the syrup continues boiling until large Bubbles appear; boil the raspberries on this for the third time, remove with great care, as they will very easily be broken, and pot at once. If desired, the jars may be filled up with the syrup or with apple jelly. Spiced Peaches. —Four poudds of peaches, one cupful of vinegar, one tablespoonful of cinnamon, one tablespoonful of cloves, three pounds of brown sugar, one teaspoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of salt, and one-eighth of a teaspoonful of red peppef. Boil the sugar and the vinegar. Scald the peaches, remove the skins and cook in the syrup. The spices in a bag and cook with the peaches. When the peaches are tender. pour into stone jars, reheat the syrup evpry day for a week, pouring when boiling over the peaches. All kinds of small fruita may be spiced In this maimer. Bananas en Casserole.—Peel six ripe bananas, scrape off the coarse threads and cut the bananas in halves, lengthwise, and the pieces in halves, crosswise. Put the pieces Into a casserole. Melt a small glass of apple jelly in one cupful of boiling water and pour over the bananas; then squeeze over them the juice of half an orange; cover the dish and let it cook in a moderate oven for half an hour. Serve from the casserole as a sweet entree with roast beef or mutton or with beefsteak. Grapefruit Sherbet. —Six grapefruit, three cupfuls of sugar, two cupfuls of water, two tablespoonfuls of powdered gelatin and the whites of two eggs. Put the gelatin into a saucepan, add the water and the strained juice of the grapefruit and bring to boiling point When cool freeze partially, add the whites of the eggs beaten up and finish freezing. Apple Fluff—Two cupfuls of grated sour apples, five tablespoonfuls of powdered Sugar, a quarter of a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg and three whites of. eggs. Add the sugar to the apples while grating them, then add the nutmeg and the whites, stiffly beaten. Beat thorot .ly for ten minutes. Serve in dainty glasses.

Plantation Cake.

Part I—One cupful of dark brown sugar, one-half cupful of butter," one egg and yolks of two, one-half cupful sweet milk, one teaspoonful soda, two cups flour, measured before sifting. Part 2—One cupful dark brown sugar, one cupful grated chocolate, onehalf cupful sweet milk, put in double boiler and place on back of stove. Prepare this first and have dissolving, but do not boll. Beat part 1 into Part 2, and bake in layers. Filling and Frosting—Boil together two cupfuls of brown sugar and onehalf cupful milk until they harden in water. Then add a teaspoonful of vanilla and a z tablespoonful of butter. Beat until cool enough to spread between layers. Spread remainder on* top.

Pretty Confection.

Pour boiling water on oranges and let them stand for five minutes. The peeling can then be easily removed, and the bitter white lining will corner off with the peeling. Then cut the orange and cut crossways into thin slices. You now have your oranges in shape to be eaten with a fork. Served in this way an orange is a pleasure for breakfast “Red sugar,” to be bought at any first-class grocery, sprinkled over oranges makes a pretty confection to serve at either lunch or dinner, as an emergency dessert.

Excellent Cleaner.

When cleaning delicate fabrics, laces, ribbons or plumes use a mixture of flour and gasoline. Mix this as you would flour and water. Dip the articles in and scrub them thoroughly. Hang In the air, without shaking, until dry. Then shake them gently. All the dirt will crime out with the flour. This preparation is absolutely harmless and will clean the most delicate materials of the palest colors.

Potato Soup.

Eight large potatoes, one large onion, one-half pound salt pork cut In slices, three cloves and a sprig of parsley; boil two hours, then strain and season to taste; add a tablespoon of butter and one pint cream or milk; let come to a boil and serve.

Preserved Pears.

Eight pounds of pears, peeled, cored and cut in small pieces, six pounds of sugar, one-half pound preserved ginger, one tumbler cold water, juice and rind of one lemon; boil slowly five hours. Omit lemon if desired.

ROYAL CHILDREN OF SPAIN AT GRANADA

THIS new photograph of the children of the reigning house of Spain was taken at the royal chateau in Granada, in the foreground to the left is th« Prince Don Jaime, convalescing from a recent operation on his ear, and his brother Alphonse, the heir to throne. In the background, holding the hand of thf governess, is the Infanta, Marie Christine, aged three, and the Infanta Beatrice, aged seven months, on the arm of the governess, . ...

TELL OF HARD CLIMB

Parker and Companion Back From Mount McKinley. Brooklyn Man Arrives at Seattle, Wash., Meets Young Wife and Sees His Child for First Time—Will Not Ascend Again. Seattle, Wash. —Prof. Herschell C. Parker of Brooklyn, N. Y., and Belmore Browne of Tacoma, who came within 300 feet of reaching the summit of Mount McKinley last June, have returned from Alaska. Prof. Parker was greeted at the pier by Mrs. Parker, a bride of a little more than a year, who had come from Brooklyn to meet him. He hastened to Tacoma on the first Interurban car to see for the first time his child, a baby of a few months, born during his absence in Alaska. Prof. Parker and Mr. Browne left Seward February 3, reaching the foot of Mount McKinley April 25. On their previous expedition they attempted to ascend the mountain from the south side, but this time they crossed the Alaska range about twenty miles east of Mount McKinley. They went up Muldrow glacier, taking the route selected by Tom Lloyd and his party of explorers when they ascended the mountain in 1910. At an altitude of 10,000 feet the Par-ker-Browne party relayed supplies with dog teams from the camp below. After remaining at this altitude several days and unable to proceed higher because of a ievere storm they decided to await more favorable conditions and dropped back to an altitude of 6,000 feet.

The party set out again June 5, going up the northeast ridge and Muldrow glacier. The route selected was narrow and hazardous and the ridge steep, but the explorers were able to reach an altitude of 10,000 feet before being driven back by the severe cold and blinding snow blown by a high gale from peak to peak. On the third attempt an altitude of 20,100 feet was reached. There, with only three days’ provisions left, they were unable to withstand the cold and gave up hope of reaching the summit. Prof. Parker in explaining the severe cold on the mountain said that

EXPLORES WILDS OF KOREA

American Discoverer Finds Lakes Never Before Seen by White Man.

New York.—With three lakes and a large section of northern Korea added to his conquests as an explorer, Roy Chapman Andrews, assistant curator of the American museum, has returned from a trip around the world. Mr. Andrews penetrated the north Korean wilderness as far as the mysterious “three rivers,” never 'before seen by white men. The rivers proved to bo lakes on the top of a plateau and the explorer described them as the most beautiful he had ever seen. Their shores are of volcanic dust and the water, which is perfectly clear, contains no fish.

The Korean journey covered a distance of 500 miles and during its entise length its leader had to rely almost wholly upon the compass for his location. The main object of the expedition was the capture of certain specimens of gray whales, needed to make the collection at the museum the most complete in the world. Andrews caught three varieties, whose skeletons he shipped to the museum some time ago.

$20 to Support Family.

WUkesbarre, Pa.—Mrs. John Tilley, wife of a janitor, has told the court here that her husband has allowed her but |2O out of his $65 a month salary with which to provide for herself and eight children. * -

at a height of 15,000 feet June 15 it was 19 degrees below zero. » “I found that pemiiilcan, the special food used by arctic explorers and made of beef, tallow and raisins, is of no value at the high altitudes,” said Prof. Parker. "We were soon afflicted with severe cases of indigestion, as the food was too heavy, and we were unable to use a large part of our rations. I found that at an altitude of 13,000 feet I could not smoke without . experiencing severe dizziness, while Mr. Browne seemed able to smoke at any height About the coldest weather we experienced was at 13,000 feet, when the temperature fell to 26 below zero." Both Prof, Parker and Mr. Browne said they had made their last attempt to reach the top of Mount McKinley.

NEGRO’S REST IS COSTLY

City Pays sls a Day That Negro “Invader of White District” May Bo Free From Annoyance. St Louis.—To insure peaceful sleep to R. A. Hudlin, a negro, and his family, this city is spending sls a day, or $450 a month, to guard his home from possible attack by whites who resent what they term a “negro invasion” in their residential district The guarding by policemen began early in May and if it is continued until September 15 the city will have spent SI,BOO.

HAS OWN ORGANIST

Frick Employs Skilled Musician to Play for Him. Salary of $15,000 a Year Is Paid Archer Gibson for an Hour's Solo Each Morning on Millionaire's SIOO,OOO Instrument. New York. —Pity the hard lot of Archer Gibson. He gets $15,000 a year for fingering a SIOO,OOO organ an hour a day and rendering “Dearie’* between the classical thunderings and groanings of the costly pipea Also he gets a summer home —you’d wish

AUTOS TO CONVICT SELVES

Los Angeles City Council Considers Placing Automatic Device on Machines.

' Loe Angeles, Cat Automobile speeders in Los Angeles will convict themselves If the city council passes an ordinance recommended by the police commission. The commission wants all automobiles equipped with a speed detecting device consisting of three lights, white, green and red. When a car Is going eight miles an hour the white will show, fifteen mllea?the green, and twenty miles, the speed limit, the red. When a car is going twenty to thirty miles an hour both the white and green lights will appear, and if it Is going more than thrty miles an hour all three lights will flash the tidings to the policeman on the corner.

FIND AGED RECLUSE’S RICHES

Jersey City Man Leaves an Estate of $200,000 —Nurse and Neighbor Get Much Wealth. Jersey City, N. J. —Former neighbors of Michael Kiley, an aged reeluse who occupied a ramshackle house on Bright street' here for many years, were surprised to learn that the old man had died possessed of a fortune which the appraisers estimate at $200,000. Of this total $65,000 goes to Mrs. Margaret Jones, who took care of Kiley in his last Illness. A big share of the residue goes to Mrs. Catherine Daly, a neighbor.

OLD AGE RISKS IN FRANCE

Number Who Are Registered Under Law increasing Every Year, Statement Shows. Paris. —Leon Bourgeois, minister labor, has tabulated statistics up to July 1 of the number of persons who have registered themselves for old age insurance in accordance with the terms of the law ot 1910, as amended in February, 1912. According to returns received from prefects of departments, the number of persons under obligation to insure now registered Is 7,029,008, or an increase of 273,930 since the previous quarter day, April L The number of registered persons in France under an obligation to insure Is about 12,000,000. V . The government, it is understood, regards the returns of July 1 as fairly. satisfactory in view of the fact that it has not been possible to apply actual compulsion, owing to an adverse decision of the court of cassation. A new bill making Insurance effectively compulsory for the working classes is to be Introduced in the Chamber next session, and it will hkVe every prospect of jnssing. It Is In view of this situation that the date for the practical application of compulsion was postponed till January, 1918.

Logless Boy Is Swimmen

Philadelphia.—Although legless Tyson Bolwer, aged fourteen, Jias bocome an expert swimmer and wrestler.

you owned it if you saw it —and a. nice, comfortable automobile. Archer works at the above-mentioned laborious task to delight the musical soul of Henry Clay Frick, multimillionaire Pittsburg steel magnate, whose summer home is at Pride’s crossing, near Beverly Farms, Mass. Every day at two p. m. the phone rings in the Gibson house and the organist motors over to the Frick mansion. There in the music hall, the silent, gruff money giant sits waiting for his dally music. While the nimble fingers of Organist Gibson rip out peal after peal of stuff that dead men wrote—the kind that no one could see any merit in while the composer was alive —Henry Clay Frick, the tips of his strong fingers joined, listens in. silence. After a particularly weird succession of crashes and thunders from the costly organ the millionaire’s countenance loses its former expression of wrapt Interest He leans forward uneasily as the music bursts in a glorious finishing flare. ' , “Play ’Dearie!"' he commands. Then the SIOO,OOO organ sends forth the strains of “that popular ballad, ladies and gentlemen,” strains that the common instalment, go-as-you-please house piano used to know before every began “doing it” Usually a few repetitions of the above ballad are enough to allow a fresh start on the previous heavy stuff. And so the hour of passes.

KILLS WIFE IN PITT; FREED

Austrian Jury Acquits Man Who Shot Consumptive Spouse to End Her Sufferings. e Vienna.—Public opinion In Austria. Is divided over the verdict at Loeben in the case of a Viennese clerk named Haas, who killed his consumptive wife; to end her continued sufferings. Hasst shot his wife In * railway carriagepassing through a tunnel, and then attempted suicide. The wife died immediately, but the husband was only slightly hurt The jury acquitted him of murder, but found Haas guilty of carrying a revolver without a license. He was fined $1.75, and oa pay men} was released.