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My a Tborenvli OpUclan at -*''' -^"^ CiUllcnnt- .^irctl. HE •• irwimi Insurance Company, L^ DP LDNDDN, BNBLnND. •» ■ «•» I ®— ESTJ^BXjISHIEID 1803— ® ■ «■> ■ ■ i Head Office for Canada ; IMPERIAL BUILDING, - MONTREAL. G. R. KEARLEY, Resident Marmger, ( GEO. 0. HIAM. 1 JOS. A. LAURIN. i i t ^ Sports of Greater Britain . . COnPKISINQ . . . SHOOTING, FOOTBALL, HOCKEY, CURLING, FISHING, CRICKET, GOLF, LACROSSE, TOGETHER WITH A SHORT HISTORY OF THE montreal Hmateur JItbletic Hssociation IIV W. R. GIliBERT. Printed for the Author at ••'I1u' Sharcholcler " Office. 1 1 h \l MON TRIiAL 1S98. /. \^i. L A iO EDWARD SHEPPARD, Esq., J'resident Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, ANl' HENRY BROPHY, Esq., Prfsident Amateur Athletic Association of Canada. 15 this ^mixU it'iooU Hcdicatcd. NCI <'M\ IN THKIk OIIKIAI. ( AI'AC 1 IIKS, l;l I .\l>(> I, IHKM I'KKSCiNAI.LN, Till, IMl-.KKM \\\V.\ l:(»in lAKK iN KKIXC >r) W 11 1 KNOW N. W. 1^. OlLiBE|:^T. 2T,2 ll^ood Avenue, IVestmo/inf. Montreal. HH(pl3 \A/BBTIVIDUNT BDYS' BCHDDL. I I I -'.33 lVo,>J Avenur, West mo nut. The above named School has been opened as a Boarding and J^ay School /or Hoys. With a view to give each boy careful personal attention, the number of pupils will be strictly limited. The curriculum tvill be so arranged as to afford the necessary education for those who are to enter professions, and in order to keep pace with modern reqtiircments, special attention will be given to those pupils who contemplate following a commercial career. Both in and out of sehoof my aim will be to encourage those manly ideas which are fostered, and have proved so eminently satisfactory, in the best English schools. T^he boarders, apart from their school laorh, will be treated with the considcratisn they would receive at home, and will be under the careful supervision of A/rs. Gilbert. All legitimate ifc rts will be encouraged, and an Athletic Club will be promoted in connection ivith the school. Private pupils coached for examinations, and back-ward boys given extra tuition. . An evening Preparation Class will be held, for the supervision of pupils' home work. Also an Evening Class for those engaged during the day. W. R. GILBERT, Head Master. Guardian FIRE AND LIFE Assurance Company (LIMITED^ OF LONDON, ENG. Established 1821. Capital Subscribed, - _ . $10,000,000 Capital Paid Up - _ . $5,000,000 Invested Funds, exceed - - $23,000,000 HEAD OFFICE FOR CANADA: Guardian Assurance Building, 181 ST. JAHES STREET, MONTREAL. ^^■^■^y.^y.^yyyjry yyxyy^yy W. M. RAMSAY, Esq., HON. ALPH. DESJARDINS, Chaiinian. Deputy Chairma)i. W. H. BEATTY, Esq., loronto. J. Q. GRAVEL, Esq. R. WILSON SMITH, Esq. E. P. HEATOfi, - Manager. The BEST Company is the Company cjuhieh DOES the moST Good." THE MUTUAL Life Insurance Company of New York. RICHARD A. ncCURDY, President. SIXCE ITS OnOANlZATION i IN 1S43 I Has paid to its Members while living- $271,681,876 29 ! Has paid to Beneficiaries of Deceased Members - - - 191,325,374 42 $462,987,250 71 It holds for the Security of its pre- sent Members - _ . . $253,786,437 66 It has paid to and invested for its '^^"^'^''^ ----- $716,783,68837 FAYETTE BI^OCUN, GEMJltAL MANAGElt, MONTREAL. J Iprefacc. A 7e:Lj di-?tiqguish.:'/l /;nte^ on ■■ Spores," who lived in •no last oentu'Lj, said, ■■ Dhlkctanuo fmrithrqi'k monkndo unould bo ^H^O' doGigq in LOfiding a book into oirCLilatior|," I* is to bo feared that ■eal success fails +o very few, 0^ l.ro the soinoetltioq cinvono -Aoters oq Sports has been -o great tha' they h|avo fnllu equalled the vvants of the iJ'ibli.j : Ipnce the greate- lifficulty in such a ^olunie as dm: of e^ei] equalling those book;, that have gone befoi'e, Iii0wri^:> does tpt wisl^ to coqteqd ..vitdi yjol^, but only :'-UT.t3 the fevv practical ''enia'-k. con[taii]e(.J l]eiein may both Oe inte'-esting and of se'vice to -le rislqq qeqe'-atlon, Sun Xife Hssiuance Go'^ of Canaba* HEAD OFFICE, -. - - MONTREAL. R. MACAULAY, PrL'sidcnt. HON. A. W. OCILVIE, Vice-President. T. B. MACAULAY, Secretary and 'Actuary, jHi-: COnPANYS HEAD OFFICE BUILDING year iSi;; was a ver\ surcessful oiu' with the Tiik Sux Liii: of (Canada, in which very sul)stantial progress was made. A large addition to the amount of business in force was made, and gratifying growth in As.sets, In(-ome and Reserve was experienced, while the Conipanv continues to realize satisfactory returns from its Investments. The New Policy contract is proving a good feature, '['he Company has for years been well known for the liberality with which it treats its policyholders, and this further proof of its willingness to simplify the policy issued to its applicants is being amply ap[)reciated. ^-EACH POLICY--® Guarantees l^eserves, Guarantees boans, Guarantees Paid-up Values, Guarantees Extended Assuranee. ■ t»> « Full information given on application to any of the (^ompanys District Managers, or at the Head Office. -ASK FOR NEW PROSPECTUS- SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIH. ^« N the following SL'iies of articles iiiultT the above headini;. I would, before coniinetHinLj on anv one suhjeet, «^ place before my readers one or two reasons for writing al all. In the first place, 1 l)elieve that a bo\ or a man wlu) goes in con ainore for s[)ort, and becomes a " s[)ortsman "" in the real meaning of the word, will be able to fill his place in the world for a longer {)eriod and to greater atlvantage than lu' who '' moons about" with no definite aim in lite. ho nor let nu' be misuiulerstood. I do not uphold the Sportsman r,f. the Reading .Man. Par from it, but 1 contend that it" the latter could combine some sport with his reading, he would be in a belter condition physicall)' to gain high honors in the liierar\- world. Ha\ing arrived at the fact that athletics or sport of some kind is desirable, then I sa)- tliat each one who undertakes an\- oiu- branch should use his best endea\o!s to e\ci-l in it ; for have we not read " That whii h is worth doing, is worth doing well ^'^ ( "oiu iiiced of the truth of these general maxims, my chief aim in these articles will be to be of service to beginners in each branch of sport and reiukM" what assistance I can to those who are not too far advanced to acce[)t hints, and at the same time, to intersjjerse anecdotes in connection with each chapter. With this brief introduction I will comuK'nce with Shooting. SHOOTING. 'I'here is no doubt that in shooting the gun is the first essential, yet how few peo[)le take this into consideration when buying. One hears a man say : " I gave $100 for this gun ; and I cant tiit a haystack.' I'here is a Health comes from sim[)le reason for this the gun does not fit the daily use of him, - and this may arise from numerous ^^. ^^^r, ,. . , , , , , ,- i Effervescent Salt. contingencies "long or short stock, bend ot J ^I'l'KIs (,i (.KKAIKR I;kit\|\. y ■ *.ck,ll>„- „«.„fgn,,,,..„, .Sh„„l,l ,lK. gu„ „„t come up to the Z'Tr fir.. ,.is no .a,ti,ly „.. t,y,„g to .it tho .,- o Z ' tlicr .a>r a ,k„ one, o, l.avc the old ont- altered. This can be '2- '"■->■ f°o<i «""-m„ at a ttlHing eost. ,„ cho It^-ou I'Vr ; ■'" ;° """'"• ■■■"' '»- 'h»'»-Kl>tishalaneed; a3 «l'u I *ayth,s, I „,ea„ tl,al there should not be, when at the shoulder any ,n<:l,natio„ for the „,„..,e to dip or ise ap r frl our want, or use As regards the weigh, of tIre piece, i' i i, a - bore, anythn.g between (, ^ and ^<4 lb. would uit, hou. I, ™u «■. 1 be apt to hnd that the lighter the gun the higher „ e pri"; "or C Tlit i:\™"""'' ' fT "'* '- "-""■« "'"-than »land an) extra charge one uught ivar.t for " wild fowl." In England a, the present tinre tnost of the best shots use .o Iwre guns, with loads of 2 drs to ' ' ,ir« „f „ a 1 „, „|,„, f.,r . ., ^- "' - 4 drs. of powder, and U to zi .shot. Of course, ,f we con.pare this charge of shot to the , ''I h r^un?' , H "° '"''" °' ='"" '° °"^°' I'-d-. used in other guns -^t does seen, to handicajr one\s shooting powers but ■bag i Id '■'";"■ ' "'"' " "' '" S-t" ""Portance, bag „, and bag ,t, too, w,th the least amount of trouble hat ,s n.ore annoyu.g than to know that vou have n.ortalTv wounded a b,rd or aninral and then not to be able to ga e I hereore, wl,en buying a gun you should not only see that " ,s " p2.^^o f'v^^L : ::^::r: -- -- -^''^ --- - how von f 1 ''^done, as any practical gunsmith will .in ;,'''':'■'"' '°'r1^ '' ^"' °^''"^^^^ ^°^^y^-°^- ^^-'-h will - unta,ni,. space occupied l,y an ordinarily large bird Suonose - use No. 6 shot, then there are in any ordinary charge" for a'?! - Kun .;o pellets (a sn.Uer Lore will do with small^ p^ t ^ d -^^ .--..„. then, ,f you c-an show a penetrating pattern o 60 vou hav^a^a^^, ,,,.,,„ , say barrel / n J ^^'^Z ABBEY'S i . ^''^' ''''''^'"'' ""'-^ ''''''"^^ 'Shoots in a Ettervescent Salt I '"'"'^'"" "'''""'''■ ^'^^ "'^i-r is hound to act the Excites j ■'''^"'^'- ''<"■' 'f you do, you will be grievously the Appetite. i "I'^taken ; you must try both. A.s regards the charge put into tlie cartridges, all young JS SI'ORIS 0|- C.REA'IKR MRITAIN. sportsmen fancy that the more powder used the greater the distance covered. 'I'his is a mistake, for some guns will burn far more powder than others. 'I'his is easily to he proved. Let the sliooLer put a little more powder in his cartridge than ordinarily and lire along a layer of snow, or, if that is not handy, liave some pa[jer laid down for ten yards from the mu/./.le of his gun, and he will fmd the grains which have not ignited left whole on the surface. i'his will prove to him that he has wasted the " raw material." Novices will complain, " Oh, my gun kicks." Do they ever think why ? Nine times out of ten it is because the gun does not fit their shoulder projjcrly, being too short in the stock, and the maker is brought to task. He, who very likely has pointed this out when the purchase was made, is far too alive to business to say boldly " I told you so,'' but smiply says - " Ah, yes, I see," and either supi)lie.s another gun or puts a heel on the stock, which remedies the defect. Should this kicking result from anv other cause, it is most likely from using too heavy a charge in a light gun. Consequently the objectionist is on the horns of a dilemma. Do not think from this that I am a gun-maker or writing in their interests. 'I'liey are just as liable to make mistakes as any other human being, but it is so easy to lay the missing of an easy shot, or anv other *' ills a shootist (American) is iieir to," to that "ass" the maker. 1 now take it you have a weapon to suit you. Well, steady yourself ; do not think the mere fact of putting die gun up, shutting one eye and pulling the trigger is going to fill your bag. This is not so, I quite agree with putting the gun up and pulling the trigger, but not so mucli with the shutting of one eye. That may be very well in ritle shooting or a " pot " shot at a partridge on a tree, but it will hardly work with the samj bird on the wing, let alone a cock tir a snipe, in support of this T cannot do better than quote the words of Dr. Carver, the best wing shot the world ever saw, who, when shooting pigeons out of a trap in I':ngland, was asked : "Doctor, do you shut one eye when you shoot '^" " Shut one eye :" he replied, " it ABBEY'S j takes me all my time to kill even with two, ! Eflervescent Salt i IS and, if 1 had been lucky enongh to have been VIVIFIP born with forty, I guess I would keep them '- M'OKTS OK C.KKAIl.K llklTAl.N. all open." The real fact is that the hand and eyes work together, and it may be taken for ^ranted that all shut both cT^s on the discharge. (Really good shots may find fault with mc here, as they k.iow intuitively whether they have killed or not 1 have m my nnnd's eye one old friend ; if he differs, let him prove me wrong). , will put this in a practical form for young sport men as regards sundry h.rds further on, my intention at p;esent being more to show shooting froa, a theoret.cal point of view, and I would wndupwunoneortwo standard rules as regards the management ol guns, winch may well be taken to heart even by older gunners : >. -\Vver point the gun ---whether loaded or not or allow it to be pouued at yourself or any other living object, except the game you are n. pursuit of, especially when you are cocking or uncocking the weapo,^ as the cock is liable to slip from your hands. -^ In walking always keep the gun so that, should it bv accKlent go o,f vou will only hurt Mother Harth or the celest.al -Vs i Ins rule n,ore especially applies to inconsiderate mortals, -'' ow, . wHchever way you nuay turn, have the muz.le of the gun on the level with one's diaphragm. 3- Uhen not shooting always remove the cartridges from the gun, n.ore esper.ally when getting into a wagon or boat. i^efore commencing, as to the charges of powder and shot re, nred to brn.g your gan,e to bag, I should like to be perlectlv c^mun that you ave a gun which will allcnv vou to doth,' l' sa '^' "- adv,sedly, ,or should the defects pointed out e.xist, you nu.st assuredly w.ll only hit by chanc:e, and .nav st.ll go on be g as your dearest frtend w.ll point out, "an auful shot." This maJ be, .s not your own fault as regards shooting powers, but si'mplv through want of k.,owledge in choosing your weipon. ' Hav nd aitended to, \ i/. : the tri'r<r<jr / ^ ti, . ^ r uit cri^^ger, /.^., the amount of pressure or weight ^^ '■ :'~ ; ^^''^'^1"' '-^ •■e(iuire(l to discharue the mm Happiness IS the outcome 'I'his to th. tvr.. ^ ot Health. Health is! /, "'" ''''"^' ^' ^■^'"^ ^'"'-i" the outcome of the use I "^'' '^ '' "'''' ^''' '^'"flo- reasons. of Abbey's Effervescent i ^^^~^^ stands to common sense that, _ Salt.^ I assuming the gim when [)ut up, to be °" ^1^^' '''I'd, then the easier th'e pull SPOKIS (JK (IKKATKR HKITAIN. 1 3 of the trigger the better, for the slighter the pressure exerted the less likely one is to "pull off" the bird. By "pulling off" 1 mean that, having a really easy shot, when plenty of time is given lo lake a steady aim -time enough even for tiie one eyed shot one will, if the trigger recjuires extra jjressure, be sure to jerk the gun more or less to the right. Now, if it be more, the iiird is missed altogether ; and, if less, it only receives the scattering pellets on the left-hand side of tlie charge, which, it is needless to say, have not the same penetrating power as those in the centre. To illustrate my idea: Suppose you fire at a mark forty yards distant with a gun having barrels of an ordinary length say thirty inches — and havitig properly covered your target, you find on examination a very small proportion of the (iiarge of shot recorded, and the pellets that have left their names of not too penetrating a ctiaracter, do not at once throw down the gun and say " No one shall slioot with it again." far better pick it up, apologize, if it is possible to do so to an if.animate thing, and try to fmd a reason for your non- success. Nine times out of ten the reason is that the pull of the trigger is too heavy, which in discharging makes the gun go more or less to the right, .\gain, in pulling the trigger, a man who shoots (|uickly, and, tlierefore, with two eyes — if he has two -open, really does not care which part of his linger causes the explosion ; but to the \()ung gunner I would give a gentle hint, more especially if he is inclined to overload his cartridges — not to put his finger too far through the trigger guard, for however little recoil there may be, the guard, which is fairly snarp, wilTcatch his second finger just above tl\e second joint, and he will be able to demonstrate to his friends one more of the pseudo pleasures of shooting. As regards this " pulling off," suppose that, in spite of your being a good shot, the send-off of the trigger really does not suit you, and the muz/le is in oonseciuence deviated a (|uarter of an inch from the dead straight aim you have taken, have you ever thought how far the killing part of your charge will be from your game, say at thirty yards ? Well, it would be 5'j inches, or even more. 'I'his then proves, as 1 have said before, that the target fired at does not receive the most penetrating part of the charge. This means that the central part of the charge would not strike ain bird smaller The Foundation of Strength is Health. ABBKY'5 EFFERVB5CENT SALT Is the Foundation of Health • '4 M'f)UT> OF CKKATKK l!KITAI\. Now in writing, as 1 am, cl.idly in tl,c interests oC th- jjicshurc oui,Mu to be broii'^hf to Iimti- f i r 1 I r ^'"'"^,111: to J)fai to cause the rjun to <'o off k „w ha, f„r an old «tn,„.r, „n... „l,o has n.ix.d „d shot wuh :' m:,:,'"^:',"' '^ " "•'""««" " '» "- «- "- "^ " «; o, o ,„ td r '""' ^'"I'h-^'i-li) -y that snch a„ one ought e;,.,::, .r ' . a: :;;«:;'''i,"""''' „ •'■» "r ''"-^ ' ™>- „ ,1, , , """'"'if.^' 's O'le that makes the (■un discharL.c a. t every sl,ght=,s, provoeation, and, indeed, after some use h „ s been known to do so without any assignable eause T,e eTor • "1 ^"oosinLM our Lain vnu hn,-„ f i , nit,iciore, the bird at all. Q'schargc before the gun is on Above I made, u.se of the phra.se "old gunners," but, if you shot u.th the.r brother ,sportsmen.-' Now, I do this because in n.v shoo .ng tnps in th.s country I have been .so struck with the fact hat the greater portion of the sportsuK-n <-away back in the woods" are -well, of more than a certain age. This being ,so. one would have thought that they had con.e to '< years of discretion '' as rega ds he carrynig of those anti.,uated pieces of artillery which they are ^e^c. to call guns. (Do not think for one moment th.t I under- rate the shooting powers of these heirlooms of better days) Hut no . age has not had the desired effect. The average man c f these ZT::r ';r '^" i'' '"'"^^' ^" "*^ ■'^- ^^^^-^ p--^^^ notice to keep the mux.le o( the apparatus awav fron, himself Mding H ,n such a position that the unwary stranger, if endi:^ - th c.xt.a good eyesignt, can almost see of what number shot the harge consists ; or he carefully arranges so that in <-ase of accident thejull^charge would lodge under his companion's belt Really Nature's Gres^^ T'dT" 'f' '"'''' "^' ""^' '' ''^ ^•- , Gift is Health. ' " ''>' ^'^'^oimg in company with others i Abbey's Effervescent '^'"^ ''''^''^-^^ considering their safet)' before I Salt gives Health. '''^' ^^^-^ of the "bag." , f,.^,^j ,^^, ^,^.^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ _^^^ satisfied M'OKis OK (.hi-;mi:r i.kiiain. 15 with your gun Che cjuestion now arises what to [>ut in it. (iiven then a 12-bore gun of 7 '4 lbs. weight for an ordinary shooting trip, I do not think you ran do better than tell your gunsmith to fill your cartridges with ^^^4 drs. powder, and i/,s o/. shot, the size of the shot depending, of course, upon the birds you expect to shoot, and also the distance the birds are likely to be from you. If you exi)ect the birds to be wild, you may require to use larger shot. A real gunner, who not only can shoot, but also knows the habits of birds, having been on the outlook for partridges, and having fair-si/ed shot in his gun, would, u[)on coming to a likely jilace for W(jodcock or snipe, replace these cartridges with others containing No. 8 or No. 10 shot. Above I said: "(let your gunsmith to fill your cartridges.' This I mean especially for young shooters. On the score of safety \ou should do so, and of cleanliness also . and, as regards price, I do not think that with the ordinary .lumber you usr you will appreciate the difference. Hut, if you must load your own cartridges, I shall be only doing my duty in giving the follow- ing hints, vi/.. : Provide yourself with the best powder to be obtained, and, to prove if it is good, place a small (juantity in the palm of your hand and rub it hard. It ought to leave no dirty mark. Remember the danger attached to powder — never load excejit in the day time, and never forget to put what powder you have left back ill its proper place, out of reach of small children. He careful not to get your measures mixed, and so use the jjowder measure for the shot and I'ice versa. It is not necessary to ram the powder too hard, but the wad shoukl be pressed on the shot, so that on shaking the cartridge you cannot hear the pellets rattle. Hefore leaving the subject of cartridge loading I must add one other caution. The [lowder used should be perfectly dry, as it will be if bought from a respectatile practical ■ \ \^ ^ ii . r ' The Roses of Health come gunsmiih. But suppose that, from some ; to the cheeks cause or other, this is not the case, do \ through the daily use of not be tempted to put your powder in the | oven to dry : this is a very risky experi- ' ABBEY'S EFFERVESCENT SALT. I'l ^I'OKTS (,y (,RKA||.;|< iiruain. ;■' -;''■"">■ .-".i i.. s,.n.,„s ,|.„,a,, ,„„„„ ,,„,|,^,„ ;;,'.''"" '"" ""■■■' l>.rfe..Hy aiMiKlu , in ..„, and plun-e :,.':,::"«"" •""■ ■■■- •»■" "'■^-«. - -'>• ,,. ,.oj,,.d .,>. ,he I -I KM \ )•, I 1 1.. steam ,L;aui;f. I .a,,,,.,! ,-,„„|„,|r IIK.S.. ranarks .i.l.oul one word a., l„ ,he ■'"■ A, |,„.s,.n, „ ,„a> >u.|||„. said ,l,a, ,!,„ ..Sh„l„" " K (■ » „ IHT,. „ „,av l„, Uu. .aso, l„„ ,akc ,ny advice, and when i . V ,;;;:' "7 't "' '--^""'^ i-- "■■""" » — .-.i-ie -H.k. .... ■«ns,,|,K.n,l,.„nadan,^day y„„ a,v al.lc- ,o „, ,„ur "'■"■I. '" il.. M . In snpporl „f ,l,is ar^unK-ni il is only nt-ccsarv „::";,:■ ■,i:: ^"' -"v-^' '"^>™ ■*- - i-.ia„d a:n; I '"l^r.. and tic al„,„. a,v „,,n ,|,a, oil-times have /•, ooo at ..:.l<.- ;>.. . s,„,,,e .,,„, , ,„ „„, , ,„^ themselves ;i,;ri,u eoniliined nith outside lu'ltors. lo ..m.Nne d,e ptaetical with the tlteoretieal. let tts now fancy ■> I- '!.c- h, t ol Noven.her. an.l tha, we a,e leavint- one of the ::;;::;',;;'■;:'''"- ""•'•"-■■^ ■.«'.-" n,iiesfro.„'u.::' ^Mlll WMK h U is c-oniu'cted )\- a l••lilu•^^• tl, ■ ■ , ,• '-'-1 "N a iaiiua\, the onoma iiieofwhieh '"; "'7:^"' ""'"■'" "■'"■"■t-l, •■ I h-e,„ titne to ^o to tow b ■"". - n,o,-n,n,, so „,nst jttst htnrv „p and walk- ,1, „ -• .i^.U»e ha.e had a ,ood b.eakfast, whieh, l,y d, , J" ■".l;"-r..n....en, will eondnee tnost „,ate,iallv to v„ ,r ' ha l,nn„„, ,ack a ,ood l.a,. and have neither fot.ott;.,, ,„„ , Md.« o. other ,-e„.,s,tes : all of wh.eh thtngs have' been h,™ ABBEY-S I ■',' '"""' "■'■"' '" '-■"iigh'.-'"«.-d Montreal, let : Eftervescent Salt, "'"■■ "'^'■"""■"W "disthrestful-coi,„trv. Ue • the Foundation J"^*' '""'^'' ''"^ ''tat little withy bed across the i __ of Health. 'nd«e. Xow. voting ones, has it entered vour ~"' ''™' "■'"' "1'^' yo" are likely to .ceet' on SPORTS OF GRKATKR BRITAIN. 17 such ground, and therefore what cartridges to have in your gun ? This ought to be your first ihou.^ht when loading, and having put cartridges into your gun, remember what size shot is in eacii barrel, and do not be like a certain young Englishman in India, who, in starting out alter snipe, was warned to be sure and keep a ball in one barrel, in case of coming across any wild animals, and who, when a snipe got up, unfortunately discharged the barrel containing the ball first, leaving only a charge of No. lo shot to withstand the attack of a wandering panther. A friend who identified the collar and boots at the coroner's inquest, when the latter commented on the terrible result of such a mistake, was heard to murmur, " Ah, but he killed the snipe, anyway." History deponelh not if the remains of the snipe were as large as those of tlie individual who caused its death. Mais revenons a nos moiitons : — Snipe is the bird we expect now. We have No. lo shot in the first and No. 8 or 6 in the second barrel. If you can see this little piece of ground by the river just as I have it noy in my mind's eye, you will know that when the first bird gets u[), it is a case of now or never, so let drive, and do your best to kill. In a case like this there is no time to ponder, for apart from having to shoot through the willow trees^ you have also to contend against the natural instinct of the bird, which teaches it to do all it knows to get out of the way of the shot. Now a snipe is not, for a young sporcsman, the easiest bird to bring to bag ; for its very squeak, or whistle, or whatever sound it makes is called, is calculated to upset his nerves and so prevent his killing the bird at wliat I, personally, consider the easiest time, that is, just as it rises ; and, that time having flown — and the bird with it — it becomes a ditificult question when to shoot, for this bird has a knack of executing a greater number of gyrations in a given space than any mathematician could calculate. This being so, it is needless to tell the young sportsman that having missed the golden opportunity, and wasted his charge on the air, it is best for him to wait till the bird has finished its mad gyrations, and pauses a second before commencing its legitimate flight ; the diffi- culty then lies in judging whether it is still paration*. within range or not. To be a judge of B Abbey's Effervescent Salt is a health-giving, health-preserving pre- >l'"l; 1^ <|| (;|;k\ti.;k |;ki r.\l\. f ''"";■" '^ •■' ■'"''• '/'">^'^on t.) a ,,,hm! sportsman, l.t-causc it would ''""'''>' '' ■ I"" '"""^■'" "i>"w-.M cidiNuratclv Irt drive into a ■^""'l""'l I'.nlsonihcoirrhan.vof l,nn,,iM^r ,„„ to l.a^r, and the ;■'■■••'""•)■ of wonndn,:,^ s.„„r. A ..in-. arnVr of this kind oudit to •y ■''•^^•^•^■^^'•'1 "■' iH^half nl thr Son.ly for the iMwenlion of (nid.) to .\nn„als. To iuW^r of distan.v. Irt thr "shoo-isf lire alany(;l.j,rtlhal n,avst,ik.. hin,, at th. edge of water, when he ^y" - =' - "- -<• :. lanlv ,ood pattern of the cl^ar^e, and will also l)e al)le to measure the (h^taner I I'ust mv rra.lers will torsive me this lon^ di^rrssion our start, n,u ponu "A i ),, 's Shoolin,^" -hut 1 am Mire you arc latlurs, at anv ral from who •<■, ^vlll )int .^rud-,. anvspaee I may take up, li.- ly, n, tea. h,n^ ,hc. youn^^ ,dea the vah.e of salety in the carryin- olthe,un.nnd.s,.eondlv, n, nurcasing the , hanees of his bringing you home a rfspcit,dilc ha j-. ':!:•';-■;.;'■'■"">'"'—. "Jn.k," our keeper, shouts "Mark; '""'^•.. '''Y^ '^ "" -'-i^^" "'"i^^ -lipe, yer honor, an.l, hy jahers, ,i ynu d..n , kill it, ifs the wor.t look Til give you - \\\. „o °V"''''" "^' ""'"■' ' '"- •""■• ^'^ -'^"''^ ^-'^ti^'^ meanin^^\ solitary >n,pe(6-,,/y/;.,,,. ,;;.,/;.., uhieh is nearly twiee as ian^^.s anonhnaryone. and hy a .hoo„ng n.an is e^nsidere.l as .,^at a i>r./easa-(;,lK.n,u- trout lo a llshing man. (1 will not stake my existence as to the ri.ht spelling of this word.) - \h„k ' hu.h - U IS u.ry easy to put the laUer word on paper. Ini, it .vrtaiuly does not convey ,h.. meaning that an evated Irishman would wish ~./T''""'^''':'7'" ^•'■^'^'"-■•i-yare,al>out lour hundred 1;"^' ^;"" "■-' "'"' '''^^'^'^ "P. -idently frightened hy our shot ^""'. ""• "''-^- ^'^.-••■^ ^^^ "^-'"^ All Hat country, nu chance of '7^''"''^'"^ "^""- -^'^^ ''•■'I'PV though,. Mack, how long ^yilli, '':'"V^'^^"'' "^^''•■'-'^MDcr,)- "<.uarterofanhour, i , ';'-^'^;- -'^•-- -'i- l''^" --^nd two uunutes more to make sure and then let the dog go up the river.' It has .-ome off as wished for; we were at our station in time to have two barrels into' the Salt 'ic^ilc of the stream. Did we get them Re'ams and Regains ^^'' "^"^ '^ happened we only got two Health. '»'!'' ^^itli each barrel : this is ^^y not - shooting into the "brown,"' a practice Sl'cikl^ Ol (.lil'.AIKk IlKIIAIN. I() whirh hriiiL^s so inanv otherwise good shots to L^ritl. I hear sonicoiu- snyii\n : " W hv did In- tell his mnn to send his doL; alon^ the ri\er, ;iMd not t'H the man to i;() himself?" SiivipK', m\ enqiiirinu; hieiid. I iiiav tfll yoii Ihf wild duck is a wily hinl \ery ituu'h so and had ihnt man shuwii himsilf at all, tlh'\' wmuM ha\t.' hecii II)) and awa\ al!o;^ctluT, whercjis with a dot; eominu alon^;. they sim|iK' .^et up and sail (|i;i(tl\ np the middle oftlir stream. "Now, lack, whereto? ho \()U think thiae's a ch.inei' of a grouse if we skimmed the side of the mountain and then took a boat hack to thi' ( "iare shore ?" " Nmw, \er hunor, would \ou \)c after leidinL^ a poor man asihray alther grouse in Xox'emher? Ach. now, ihe n.isk will ni\er hould onl !" "Never mind, jack, its all in the d;i\'s work," and ha\-,nLi; ccjiisoled him tluis far we set off for till' mountain side. We liad not got fardier than the edge of tlu- first co\er( and I may point out to those who do not know, that there are really good cowrts, in hlocks, on the sides of most Irish iriouniains when jack in his best Irish whis|) r hlurted out, " Look !" 1 did look, and saw that h\- certain signs we'll known to real sportsmen, men as I ha\e said who not onl\' go out shooting, hut also study the hahits of birds there were, or had bi-en, woodcoi'k about. Now, those who go out and make tlu'se wonderful liags of "rock" in the Lcnver I'ro\inces, and as it has been returned to me, never miss a shot, "dress up'' and let us havi' a good look at \oii. 'These are the sort of men that tlu' late 1'. '!'. liarnum would have showai as natural curiosities -for indeed they are. though the\' do not know it. Now, those wlu) talk like this, how would tlu.'y like a man to count their ( artridgi's in the morning, go with them through the day, return and count both what ore left and the proceeds of cartridges shot off i^ This trial is of course fair enough for cock shooting, where you do not very oftiai kill mork than one bird at a shot ; and if practised you will find \()ur ingenuit) pretty well taxed to make the two accounts tall\'. Mark I'wain, wcjuld, I think, rail this " sarcism ;"" but, my readers, m\- readers, my (-onscieiice will \iot allow me Abbey's Ellervescent ' Salt to let the fanciful tales i)romulgated by _ ,, , , , . , Cures as well as these sportsmen go unchallenged. .A boy Prevents Disease. may go out for tht' fust time, and being of ao SI'ORTS <)|. (IRKATKk ItKITAIN. a iKjrvoiis disposition, in fact nearly afraid to piill tlic Irij^gcr, may Im or miss as the case may be ; l,ut it is our "swagger man "' who on missing a shot s.ys " too far ; ought not to liavc shot !" -and in this way he accounts (or his wasted cartridges. Take it from me, and il not satisfied go haci< forty years, which will take vou heyond my own personal prejudices, and you will find that even' then a man was duhbed an ass if he made any excuse at all in shooting I grant you the sluKHer may he right, and he may ,,rove it to his own satisfaction, l.ut the odds are very much against his convincing others. This IS an old adage: "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." I have seen some of the best shots in England perform with the- gun (and it must be remembered that ordinary partridge sho<n.ng thc'ie, off the stubble or out of the turnips, is about 50 per cent, easier than shooting cocks in Canadian coverts), and tliough 1 may have seen one or two men have an e.xceptional day when they have literally missed nothing, still it is those very men who will tell yoti ihat tl;is is more by luck than good judgment. iUit, to return t<. our own shooting. Though we have seen signs ol woodcock, do not let us be too certain that we shall find any. 1 his bird, being essentially nocturnal, feeds at night, frer.uent- ing then those mo.si places most likely to provide its natural food • whereas m the dav, when il does the greater part, if not all its' sleeping, it betakes itself to a drier and maybe thicker covert out of which U IS not much use to try to get it without the aid of do'^s- Sussex spaniels for choice. We have this particular morning only an Irish water spaniel, of not much use for covert shooting What .s to be done? Then the ever ready (ack comes to the fore • " U hist now, good luck to you, don't you mind what a blow we had early this morning ; the birds will be all in the heather on the mountain side.- I may here remark that the coverts on the mountainsides in Ireland consist partly of high trees, interspersed ^s-n^^^^^hckihovn, laurel, holly and juniper, all favorites of the Abbey's Effervescent [ ^ ^ "" '^""^^ ^'^"^'^ ^'"^ '^^ disturbed by Salt will keep you in "" continual falling of leaves, twigs, etc., good health. | '"'"^''^ t^it; higher trees that they prefer to ' ^''^'' ^'^^i"" ""tist in greater comfort amongst SI'dlMS OK (;KK.\'IKU IIRIIAIN. 2 1 the heather and ft-rn. Jack was right, the cock were there ; but, as it ahvays hap[)iiis on a windy day, were prcity wild, and wanted a lot of kilHng evL-n in the open, so we only bagged nine iielwien us. I lake it tliat no bird is so often missed as the cock, not only because it sonietinies [)resents the most ditticult shots, but again from the very fact that every now and then it gives us such an easy one, that we are careless and miss it on that account. Hefore leaving this bird 1 would caution young sportsmen as regards this easy shot. If it is an easy one, and there is no very thick covert near, give the bird a little law, so that it shall not be mangled. Again, should }ou be shooting with any one, be sure never to shcjot "jealous," that is to try to get the bird down before your friend, the shot being properly his, just for the sake of being able to brag of tile size of your bag at the end of the day. No, if it is his shot let hin) have noTii his barrels, and then " wipe his eye '" if you can. One more "wrinkle" -woodcock and snifje get up against the wind - '' 7'<r' z^. .?<?/>."' Having had a little lunch (too big a one is a great mistake), we make our way to that favorite marsh where we know we shall be sure t(^ have a couple - or may be more- shots at duck or teal. Having chang(-d our cartridges — knowing w^ shall only see sni[)e on the wav and fearing we shall be tempted to shoot and so disturb the larger birds -we, in about a (|uarter of an hour, arrived at our destination, a swamp about sixty )ards wide — a nice width for a gun to walk each side —covered up with high flag grass, ^\'e do not go with the wind now, but keep it as dead in our faces as possible. We have not gone fifty yards when up gets an old mallard, (piacking as hard as it can to give warning of danger. It is no good shooting too far, so hurrying on, we come right upon three more, whic-h get u\) between us and lake a bee line over Jack, so that I am unable to slioot, and he. when just pulling, finds himself over his knees and gradually sinking in a " (juaking bog." Not understanding Irish I cannot give the meaning of the expressions made use of by him whilst extricating himself. In some places these ' No other preparation j .same "bogs" are verv dangerous, and i i;/>f ^^^^''^ " ^« ^ ^ ' , . , Abbey 8 Etiervescent make it unsafe to go out shooting alone, ^\'hat with the talking and laughing, we Salt. Sl'OK IS OF C.kliA I F.k llkll WIN. iievLT not a sliol at the ducks, l)ut (.ventually managed to get three teal and a l)iid I never saw Ijefore, a pochard or dun bird (the latter name from the color of its eye). I'or culinary purposes it is said lo be almost as good as the famous canvas-back of the United Staies ; but never having eaten the latter 1 cannot speak from experience. IJefore leaving the marsh on our way home, we picked up a couple of moor hens, something like the coot out here. Having made up our minds to be back home in lime for the " flight shooting,'' we did not waste much time. 'I'hough we had a chance of killing a couple of hares, we would not shoot, as they are preserved for coursing. We made up by shooting three couple of snipe and a couple of golden plover on the way back. Leaving our game bags at the house, we hurried up to the top of the hill at the back of the village to be in time tor the evening shooting, and took our stations wailing for the ducks, which come over this hill in hundreds from the large lakes, to feed in the meadows below, 'lo be a good night for this sport, the wind should l)e blowing dead against the ducks, which will make them come o -r at a reasonable height, whereas on a still night they are so high t> it with so little light you are unable to see them. To my mind this is by far the hardest kind of shooting there is, for in the first place it is hard to see the bird, and then it is harder still to judge the distance, though if you i a\ see the bird the chances are It IS well within shot. And again, every now and then you get a severe fright by a lluck of teal "swishing" by within five yards, and (lying so close to the ground that it is im[)ossible to see them. Still, if it is the hardest, it is the most exciting shooting t)ne can have, though it lasts far too short a time— half to three-cjuarters of an hour ac the outside. On this particHilar evening we had a fairly good wind-up to our ilay, i)agging four ducks, three widgeon and a teal, and losing one duck which we heard fall behind us. .So ended an enjoyable sporting day, as all days of that description are in Ireland. 'I'he rru 7-, ' „' '^^''^^"" ''"■ this is simple enough, it lies The daily use of ;,, ,u,, ,.„,■ , ,■ \ ■ ^ Abbey's Ettervescent ' '"'^' "^ '"'^^ >"" ^'"'"^^ ^'''^'' Salt will keep your '".''^ "'''- '''''''' \'''' '''^'^'^^■^' "^ •'-''.Ui^'ng. I blood pure. "'" "^^ K'^ ^^o far as to say that this was — — the worst day I ever had in that country. si'ORis ov (iRi;Ai i:r kkiiain. 23 but certainly it was a lon;^ way from bcinu the l)est. In conclusion, I would ^ive one more piece of advice to all who wish to be s[)orts- meii in the true sense ol" the wcjrd -not pot hunters, (iive an hour e\ery now and then to reading good books as to the habits and cus- toms of all things that you are likely to shoot at. 1 grant you one pound of practice is worth a ton of theory, but still, one who starts with even a slight theoretical knowledge, and by careful jjraciical research imjjroves that knowledge, will in the end be in a far better position than one who, though he has lived in the woods all his life, simply carries his gun to fill his pot. In this article on shooting 1 have endeavored to teach the young idea "how to shoot," not only theoretically, but also practically. I know there are many things I ha\'e missed, and before closing I will try and place them. I'irstly, I must put before you that it is wrong to shoot jF.Ai.oisLN', for in doing so you will not only offend your companion, but you will most likely injure your own shooting by being in too great a hurry to shoot first. When you feel sure of having hit a bird, never take your eye off it whilst it is possible to see it, for you never know when it will fall. Very often, if it is hit in the head or spine, it will fly off a short distance as if nothing was the matter, and then go u[) some height in the air and fall stone dead, — 99 times out of a 100 you will find it o\ lis i-.ack. As nature has endowed birds with wings, it is, to say the least, far more sportsman- like to allow them to use them, and shoot them Hying and not sitting; though I have n( doubt that there are those in this town who would act as the Frenchman, who. when out pheasant shooting in ICngland, upon being cautioned by a friend not to make such a lAix pas as to shoot one of the birds whilst running in front of him, remarked, knowingly: " Non 1 Non '. My dear sare, I will not do that, I will vait till he do stop ! " Remember always to see that your gun is pro[)erly cleaned, more especially if you have been shooting near salt water. Most young shooters having put up birtls out of range find great diitlculty in marking them down, or rather in marking tliem down sufficientlv well to be able to put them , up again. In the first i)lace some point ! Abbey's Effervescent should be noted past which you think the birds dropped, and another straight behind you : this will give the dinnuion. As regards Salt IS a standard ' English preparation. It's use gives health. ■il t i ' ■ 'I ^4 STORTS OI- OKKATER URITAIN. distance, it is nearly safe to say that the bird has pitched farther away than you thought. In any case, never think the bird has pitched till you see him stop in his flight and llap his wings ; which all birds must do before they can alight on the ground. Above I have written regarding looking after and trying to gather wounded birds; but do not ccnnniit that awful sin of going to look for birds you know in your heart you have never touched. I fancy I can hear some one say "a man would never be such a maniac as that; what on earth would he do it for?" And I answer there are hundreds that do it; and the reason is that they do not want their companions to think that they have missed, and so make up a lie, and waste half an hour's valuable time, all because they have not the common honesty to own to a miss. As I have tried to jioint out, there is a vast difference between practical shooting and theoretical shooting-or, rather, "aiming ' ihere i., m reality very little difference between the paces of birds • though the larger birds seem to rty slower; yet a duck, for instance' Hies as fast, it not faster, rhan one of our ordinary beach birds; and to carry my argument still further, a wild goose, or, still better, a wild swan will out fly all its sm.ller brethren. As regards this matter of pace, there ,s one bird th;,t I personally think flies with a greater velocity than any bird of corresponding weight, which is the grouse when driven for shooting purposes. Tmie after time this bird has been proved to compass a distance of three miles at the rate of 70 mi es per hour. Now, theoretically, what chance has one of killing a bn-d g.mg at this pace:> It is perfecllv absurd for any man however good shot he may be, to give his advice in print. The truth -s, that a man who kills these birds does it intuilivclv, and if asked why or how, will reply, " \\\\l I .over the bird, give the uun a t.p, and there it is, < don't you know I' ' And that >s just where It IS : ,t smiply being that the eye and the hand go together, ^' '' "" ' '"y ^^^" '^';- ^ ''--^t-class shot like Sir Ralph i'ayne , ;- , (ualway, who has been writing letters on lor the mormnff I ^h,,nt-nn ;., -// / -j after the night be- "'"^.'" ^^" ^'""^^ ''' t^'" "y<n'ng foie" use ABBEY'S "^"'^ters they must \]rr so many feet or Iffervescent Salt. ^''"''^'^ ''i front of a bird; but he has left ^"^ ^"^' '^'-'i'l '"'Htor in his instructions, "% SI'ORTS OK GREATKK ISRIIAIN. 25 namely, how they are to measure that same distance, — again, in his letters, though addressed solely to "young shooters," I feel confident that should he read this remark he will agree with me that the diagrams relating to the flight of birds are far too theoretical for the purpose intended. Has the young shooter ever taken into consideration the time that elapses between the fall of the hammer and the exit of the shot from the muzzle ; and, again, between the resolve on his part to pull the trigger and its actual accomplishment ? Now, putting it at the hundredth part of a second in each case, a bird flying at the rate of forty miles an hour will have flown about 14 inches after the aim of the shooter has been taken ; the killing of this bird is a conclusive proof that not only did the shooter take aim, but also that the eye and hand worked together in giving that little swing to the gun, coinciding with the speed of the bird. It must be borne in mind that I am speaking now of a quick shot : how much more finely must the distance be calculated by one who dwells on his aim ? I will— I trust for the good of the pul)lic at large— once more refer to the use of guns with safety, by giving a few golden rules : — When shooting with a stranger, always get on his right side, as a gun is more often pointed to the left than to the right when being carried. Bear in mind it is not always from wanton stupidity — such as getting over a fence with the muzzle pointed straight at the back of your companion, or pointing the gun in joke— that accidents happen, unless with downright idiots, who should shoot together, with a view to their speedy mutual extermination. It is more often the case in the excitement of the shooter, who, in his anxiety to kill game, forgets to notice his companion. Always treat a gun as if loaded and at full cock. Though you may be a careful shot yourself, always keep a sharp eye on your brother sportsman, so as to give a wide berth to those who flourish guns about like watering-pots. Before commencing shooting always look through the harrels, and also do so if a mis-fire occurs. Finally, strive to not only have the reputa- tion of beiiiL: a "good shot," but moreespet'ially ABBEY'S Effervescent Salt, the Foundation of Health. 1 26 spokis OF oRKA-n-.K i:ki'r.\i\. lii that of being an undLiiiahly safe one : for all shooters will agree with me that the iiumher of shots one sees fired in a year that w/i,^/// have been dangerous, and ^//o-/// lo have worked miseliief, are far more nmiieroi's than pleasant. I trust these few ren)arks may indi'ce my readers to become "safe shots," when they will stand far more chances of invites to prosecute the S[)ort they love. To those of my readers who are fond of duck shooting, there is no better [)lace to go within easy djstance' of Montreal than from Sorel to Three Rivers, and I can strongly advise brother .sportsmen to make the Dufresne Motel at 'I'hree Rivers their headquarters. Mr. Dufresne is iliat god-send to sportsmen--a man who will listen to hard-luck stories. The Foundation of Strength '< ,'iC:\ 1 is Health. ^_ <^ ABBEY'S ^^ ^^ I KFFERVLSCENT SALT ^^' I is the Foundation of Health 1 iiJiliii W?ilL Three l^ivers, Que. FIRST-CLASS ACCOMMOnATION FOB SPORTSMEN.. F. DUFRESNE, Proprietor. The Russell OTTAWA. F. X. St. Jkcques. PROPRIETOR. ! I| I ,,1 Photographs ! The NEW STYLES for this Season are the . . "BM'B MiMf/ A Patented American Process of great beauty. WI '" ^MMi/ A New Shape on the fashion- able Green Mounts, and SEVERAL OTHER NDVELTIEB. '^^\^>^, .''^- You are invited to inspect the above at our Studio. k ■^■5 14 Phillips Square. O We are now taking orders for Xrnas delivery and_ can give more time and attention than dnring the Holiday rush. ? FOOTBKL.L-. ^^•^ the following I cannot lay claim to much originality of subject matter in the work, since nearly everything that there is to be said al)out the game of Football has been said before, still I trust that these remarks on practical lines may prove of interest. I have pre-supposed on the part of my readers an elementary acquaintance with the game, so have given no definition of the game itself, and have eschewed all reference to the ancient history of the game, and simply start with the , DKVELOl'MENT OK THE I'LAV. We need not pause long to discuss the much-abused shoving matches of the days when twenty aside were played. They have gone never to return, regretted by none, unless perhaps by the modern half-back when he dreams of the glorious chances he would have if the forwards, and especially the wing-players, would only continue to entangle themselves as inextricably as of yore. In justice, however, to the players of that day, we may observe that they held their jjroper place in the evolution of the game. The change from twenty to fifteen aside, which was started by club secretaries because of the difficulty of putting twenty men into the field, was officially adopted in 1877, at the request of Scotland. A more open style of play naturally followed, which was so much appreciated that the laws were soon altered to suit it by insisting on the ball being put down immediately it was held; and this led to the increase in the number of three-tjuarter-backs, first from one to two, with two full-backs, and then to three, with one full-back -in other words, three-quarter- back became the main line of defence against the rush of opposing forwards. Meanwhile the advantages of passing the ball were The Roses of Health come to the cheeks through the daily use of ABBEY'S EFFERVESCENT SALT. 30 Si-OKIS Ol- liUh A I IK i;kii \i\. lK'comiii_L; ,i|)i);irciit, ;iii(l n sxstciii oi' sIktI I'assinL'. nmonj^'st the forwards only, u,is hroi'-ht to ;i consiilcmlilc pitch o\ prifrction l)y a few (liil)s. Many chil-s adopted the passiii- L,'nmr without I'tillv tmdcr- slaiKhn- the [)iincipK-s ot it, and ccitainlx without iindcrstandiiiL; that It -ocs hand in hand with the (hihhlin- .name, and tliat to liavc aci|nirrd ihc first withoiiL the scrond i^ at \hM onI\ halt" thr haltlc, and is hkrly to i;nd in total dchat. 'I'hc splendid jjossiMlities in the way of ronihination and of passiiiLi witl) tlic frfi afloidrd !i\ the drihhlin.i; ,^;i!ne ha\X' ncxxa \rt, so far as we ;nv auan^, hern I'lilly woi krd onl. 'I'liis (le\L'!oi>iii,Mit of the pl.i\ we hope to see taken in hand 1)\ some eoinjietent team nnd l)i()ii-ht to a stale of perfection in the near future. < .\I'IAI\(\ . It is not IK-rhaps full\- apj)reciate(l as yet that the captain of a football te;nn holds just as dilVK ult and responsihle a \)o>l as the captain of a cricket team. The same sort of (lualities ait- reiiuired tor both, and both -el in the c-ourse of a match those oi)enin-s for the displav of -.aieralsliii) which ofU'ii decide the mal(-h. A bad captain nnxses the cpi.ortunities ; a -o<h1 one seizes them in one game no less than the cnher. In both -ames -ood captains are rare ; but more so in football than in cricket, because piod cricket has been played so much lon-n- than -ood football, that the traditional knouled.-c of the game, as it should be plaved, is more widespr.ad. In Riigbv football, at anv rate, the Veallv great ca])tains are lew and far between. .^mce. houever, it is ;, ,-///,• ,;ua noii thai he should be as well versed ;n the theory as in the pra.'iice o: the game, we must end.^avor to point out the neee.s.sary ciualifirntions lor anv one who means to become a first. rate captain. To beuin with, he; should know .ill the rules bv heart -not only the ruK's of play, but also _ tl^^^ ,-,il,.^ ^overnin^ umpiiresand referees ! Happiness is the outcome because with him hes the dutvof making ttrlefAr„^^-• "-•— "'''-'-^-' -■ -"'> of Abbey's Effervescent^ i-q)ressing all unwarrantable appeals on Salt. j '''^" I'-T'l ''f lii^ men. If this elementary " pre<-aution was taken b\- all captains ^t-' si'uk i> (iK (,Ki-..\ri;k i;ki iain. 3' we mijj;lit hope to sec less of the hickeriiiii and wrani^linj^ which ate still far too prt.'valenl at the jjresi'iu time. Ai'tei lh(jrouL;hly inasteriii;^ all the laws, our captain iimst next niaki; up his mind as to what st)le of play he means his team to adopt, and hy personal inslrui lion, hodi on the field ol play and off it, he must see that his nun full) understaml that sl\le and (any it out in all its dilails. Ol course his selection of a style may he limited hy the traditions of his cluh, if those traditions are sjunti, in wliich i ase he will he wise i^.ot to attempt more than the introduction of any modifications which seem to him necessary ; or again li\ the capacity of the rm n at his disposal. It is his husiness to get out of his nu'u ahsolutely all that tluA- are w()rdi, and a great deal ma\ he di^ne h) skilful education, wilh what lo( ks like poor material at the start ; hut ii is no use to adopt a st) le for which his men are [)hysi( ally unsuited. And here we may remaik that it is of the utmost importance that the ';a|)laiii should ha\e the unfettered selection of his team whenever such a course is po.tsihle. (Irantcd, then, that tlie captain's power is praclicalh ahs(>lute, after deciding en what is to he ihi' dominant st\le of his team, lie must see that they are ahle to ada[it their si)le to any emergencies that arise owing to variations in the weather, ortiie strength and sl_\ic of teams o])[)osed to him. if, for instance, he has adopted the long- passing game he will prohaM)' luul it useless in wet weather, and must make' his men drihble instead. If he is i)la)ing four thrie- ([uarters and thids that his eight forwards are swamped li\- the opposing nine, he must make his extra tliree-cpiarter go forward. If, when pla\ing against a strong wind, he finds his hacks unahle to cheek the attack of his oi)ponents, he may sometimes l;e justified in playing an extra man behind for the lime, provided that the forwaids can si)are the man ; or, if his team are accustomed to play an offensive game, he may have to make them ado[)t defensive tactiis. su( h as keeping the hall light in the scrunniiage, or punting it constantl)' into touch for a while ; hut we hope that no cai)- -^ — lain will ever make his team adopt the tight ' Nature's Greatest <rame as their regular stvle of pla\-. The ohject of the game is not merely to avoid being beaten, but to win the match, and to Gift is Health. Abbey's £t!erve?cent Salt gives H ealth. im 32 si'ORT^ oi'' (;i;eaikr iskiiain. I get as much enjoyment out of tlie process as possible. Defensive tactics are (luite justifiable in special cases, but we should be very sorry to be a member — whether forward or behind — of a team whose ambition was to make a draw of every match, or at most to win by a dropped goal with luck. It will thus i)e seen that, as the captain has to use his eyes no less than his head, it is better, if possible, that he should play behind the scrummage. Any [)lace behind is fairly good, but centre three- (juarters is undoubtedly the best spot from which to control the game. If he is playing forward he must either damage the scrummage by keeping his head up, or he must miss many of the points which he ought to see. Finally, the more autocratic the ca[)tain is the better, provided that he has tad enough to keep on good terms with his men. He must re{)ress sternly all attempts at "gallery" or illegitimate play, and repiimand any player guilty of egregious blunders in the open game, though as a general rule he had better reserve his expostula- tions until the game is over. If the offenders prove incorrigible, he must give their places to others more amenable to instruction. FULL- HACK. We will now take ttie positions on the field in order, beginning with the last line of defence. Full-back is an essentially defensive post, and {)rol)ably for that reason good ones are rare. There is undoubtedly more enjoyment to be got out of playing three-(iuarters than out of watching the game with perhaps very little to do at full back ; and the worst of it is that, the better the team in front of you is, the less you will get to do, because a good team does not call on the last line of defence so often as a weaker one. But for all that the post is one of the utmost importance, even in the best team, since no team can hope to keep its opponents and the ball always m front of their three-quarters; and whenever the full- back is called u[.on to act, everything depends on him. This fact ought to be sufficient to induce men to take to the post if they have the two necessary qualifi- cations, viz., good tackling and good kicking powers, especially as they have more chance of coming to the front as full-backs than as three- ABBEY'S Effervescent Salt Excites the Appetite. ^■1 "•'■''"''- 'finni 'Wi'-"-^- >i'()Kr> or «'.ri,\iI';k i-.kitmn. 33 • jiKirters, of whom there arc already crowds in the field. If a captaii) has not ^^ot a full I tack ready made in his team, the best thing he can do is to j^et the most likely of his three-ciuarters for the work to take the post, and then to keep careful watch that he does not let his old habits as a three-cjuarter get the better of him in his new position. Such a n\an would be es|)ecially liable to the common fault of coming too far u[) the ground. A fullback must always stand far enough back to be able to receive the ball without having to turn round and run after it, at the same time he must not stand so far back that he has to run up to get it after it has jjitched, since either of these positions allows time for the opponent's forwards to come up to him before he has got in his kick. A very little prac- tice will teach him the right position. After he has learnt where to stand, he must then learn to make sure of catching the ball without "muffing" it ; for if he fumbles it at all, he is held to have played the ball, and he thereby puts on-side any forwards who have followed up off-side, and who are bound to give him five yards clear if he catches it true. A recent alteration in the laws has added a new danger to fumbling on the part of backs ; for if they touch the ball and then let it cross the goal lint, they are held to have [)assed the ball across their own goal line, in which case the opponents have a right to a scrummage at the spot where they touched it, unless they can bring it out without making it dead. Of course they must also beware of kicking or carrying the ball across their own goal line at all times, or the same penalty is incurred. (iranted, then, that our full-back has learnt where to stand and how to catch the ball clean, the next thing that he has to make sure of is getting his kick either a punt or a drop — into touch as tar down the ground as he can. He must find out by ex{)erience how- far he can make sure of kicking in various states of the wind, and aim for touch at that distance ; but he should always bear in mind that he must send it into touch at all costs, as that means so much ground gained for his side for the next line out : whereas if it pitch in the field of play, Health comes from his own men are all off-side and his op- .fl_^ ^^^ 1 Abbey 8 ponents are free to resume the attack at | Effervescent Salt, once. The only exception to tliis rule is, ' rf I I 24 SPORTS or C.RKATER HRITAIN. if he is near enough to his opponent's goal to try a drop at goal, in whicli case he should always do so, if he has a clear chance. Goals have often been scored in this manner ; but still more often the chance is lost, though one might fairly expect the back to look out for what is practically his only opening for offensive play. By far the hardest part of a full-back's work consists in receiving the man witii the ball. If he lets only the ball pass him, it is still possible for him to get out of the difficulty ; but if he lets the man with the ball pass him, it is all up with his side, for the time, at all i !( events. % There is one elementary rule about tackling under all circum- stances, and that is, to go at y(jur man low — to aim at the hips and not at the shoulder. In the latter case the tackier can always be shoved and the try is a certainty : in the former case, provided the tackier knows the right moment to go for his man, he is certain to hold him and the ball. But how he knows the right moment is a mystery which wc have never been able to understand. We can only suppose tliat it comes by instinct to some and not to others. It is easy enough to learn to tackle as a forward, where you can go at your man with a rush, but it is ijuite another matter to stand the last man on your side, and to feel that you must bring the runner down at all costs. Some backs seem to exercise a sort of fascination over you, and you feel bound to run into their clutches. The only way to elude such a tackier is by passing just as you come to him, unless you have the power of turning when going at full speed. If a captain has to choose for his full-back between a good tackier and a good kick, we should certainly recommend him to take the good tackier — a bad tackier will never become a good one, playing at full-back ; wiiereas the worst kick in the world can learn to punt respectably, and punting is an art which is not studied nearly as much as it should be by backs — it is easy to learn, and is 1 much safer in wet weather than drop- Abbey's Eflervescent I kicking. If a team possesses a back who Salt is a health-giving, i -^ ^^^^ ^ ^.^^ ^^^^^^^ ^,^^ ^ ^^^ j^i^,^ health-preserving pre- 1, ^ ° ., ... . norafion I "'^^y ^^^^^ cvevy game with a feehng of confidence, which, of itself, goes a long way paration. M SPORTS OK OKKATKR HRIIAIN. 35 towards victory ; it is for this reason that we have tried to show that tin; importance of tlie post can hardly be overestimated. THRKHX^UARTKR-liACK. ( doming next to the three-(iuarter-baclcs, the captain has to settle liow many (>f lliem he means to play. Since the introduction ot the open passing game the orthodox number has been three. Hcfore coming to a decision on this knotty ([uestion, the captain must duly consider the pros and cons of the case ; in all ordinary cases three three-quarters ought to be able to defend their line ; it is therefore^ to strengthen the attack rather than the defence that a fourtli is played, consec|uently he must be given plenty to do if his place is to be justified. Now, in a great many teums — in many even of the first rank — even the three-quarters Jo not get nearly enough work given them ; in such teams, the.i, it would be simple madness to have a fourth. In other words, the fourth three-quarter would be worse than useless unless the whole team, and especially the half- ba(ks atid the other three-(iuarters have worked up a system of passing sufficiently reliable and accurate to make sure of the ball reaching him pretty often, otherwise he will play the part of a spec- tator during the game when he might be doing good service in the ranks or the forwards. Supposing that only three are played, the next (luestion to be decided is, which of them to put in the centre, and which on the wings. In our opinion, the best player of the three should always be in the centre -mere s[)rinters will do for the wings, if nothing better can be secured ; but the centre must have a head on his shoulders, as he is the man who has not only to bear the brunt of the attack, but also to give the wings their openings, and sometimes to win the match hiniself by dropping a goal. To fulfil these requirements he must throw hnnself witl out hesitation on to the ball at the feet of the opponent's forwards when they are dribbling down upon him — a task which is not half so difficult as it looks, if done fearlessly. He must be equally good at taking and giving a pass, that is to say, he must always place himself on the open-field side of the scrum- mage and must warn the half-backs of his whereabouts by calling. The moment he receives the ball he must make for the open, ABBEY'S Effervescent Salt is VIVIEIC. 'til l^' i ' I 36 Si'ftKTS OK (;RK.\l'l<:k liKITAIN. I'll an d, before he is tackled, pass 011 to the wing, who is still further in tlie open, and then l)ack liim up to receive the ball again just before the wing is tackled, and so on until the ball is safely landed over the goal line, as it should be, if the passing is done with precision. Lastly, he must be quick at taking his drop, for as he starts much nearer the forwards than the full-back, he will have to kick from nuicl more difficult positions. In deciding when to kick and when io pass, he will be guided principally by the posi- tion of the [)laycrs on the Held. If he sees a good opening for a series of passes, he should take it in preference to kicking into touch, as being more likely to lead to an immediate score. If, on the other hand, his side is being ])ressed, from his i)osition in the field he will gain more ground than even a full back can for his side by a long kick into touch. In wing Lhree-(iuarters, paci; is the first essential, because they should be the first try getters in the team. Their principal work consists of getting into position in the open for receiving passes from the centre, and sometimes direc t from the halves, and then running as hard as they can run. In this way sprinters, pure and simple, have often earned for themselves great reputations ; but a real player will make much more out of the i)ost than the best sprinter. He will not allow himself to l)e run into touch or tackled by the last of his opponents, as the sprinter so often does, but will pass back again whilst still engaging the attention of that last man, and so make a try a certainty for his side. Many a glorious chance of winning a match has been thrown away by wings holding on to the ball just too long, in the hopes of getting through themselves. Moreover, n wing's work does not lie solely in scoring tries, he has also to sto[) his opponents from getting through the main line of defence, and this calls for no mean tackling powers, as any runner who reaches that line will by that time l)e going at his best pace, and will have in reserve the power of [)assing or of pretending to pass. The wings should therefore keep well out, so as to cover the ground Ijetween the centre and the touch-line, and if they fail to stfOp the baU as well as the man, should at once go at full pace to the help of the full back who may fuid himself in a similar^ difficulty. "For the morning after the night be- fore" use ABBEY'S Effervescent Salt. it'' -I t SI'OK-l> OF (.RKATI.R ISRIIAIN. 37 is still the ball e ball is assing is his drop, :, he will ng when the posi- ng for a to touch, , on the the field side by a luse they pal work ig passes md then lure and s : but a the best ' tackled , but will last man, s chance ng on to elves, tries, he [lain line , as any his best etending to cover and the the ball ce go at ack who difficulty. In any crisis it is always the duty of one of the tliree-<iuarters to go to the help of the full-back, and it is also their duty to mark and watch carefully any specially dangerous man amongst the opponents' threc-(iunrtcrs. The three-(iuaners undoubtedly have the best of the fun in the modern game, and in return it is their business to win the match either directly or indirectly, But they have a fair right to complain if, as is so often the case, their powers are not called into plav owing to insufficient "feeding" on the part of the half- backs. lOUW AR1>. Tlie work of a forward can be suitably divided into two branches, play in the open and play in the scrummage. It is given to few -very tew to be equall\ good at both ; but a . .nery player, however good he may be in tlu- ojjen, has to go into "-innnages whether he likes it or not, he can at least learn not to spoil the play of the genuine scrummagers : imd as every scrunuuager has to make a show m the open, he can learn to follow up and to tackle, even if nature has not intended him to shine in the finer arts of passing and dribbling. It is only by working on these lines that a captain can hope to overcome the great difficulty of settling what number of each class to have in his team. If he has good men behind, including a pair of halves who know how to pass, he can afford to increase the !unnl)er of forwards for open i)lay, provided always that he retains a modicum of clever scrummagers who know how to bring the ball out to advantage. If bis hnlvi'S are no good at passing, he has to trust to his forwards to make the game loo.se, and he should then aim at a team that can break away in a body with the ball at their feet perhaps the most irresistible form of attack that has yet been devised, If neither his halves nor his forwards can be taught to make it loose, then he and his three-(iuarters cannot hope for anything better than a dull season's i)lay, for it is an axiom that cannot be insisted upon tO(J often, that fast open play constitutes real football, the tight game being strictly limited to the crises oi the game. Supposing, first, that the passing game is adopted, forwards nnisi remember that a series of passes is hardly ever brought to a ABBEY'S Etfisrvescent Salt, the Foundation of Health. \\;: i\i 38 SPORTS OF GREATER HRITAIN. successful issue without their aid. It is true that the half-back will start the passing whilst the scrummage is still breaking up, but directly they can free themselves from the scrummage, it is their business to spread out over the ground at some distance from one another, so as to be ready to take up the passing as soon as the three-quarter gets into ditificulties with his opponents. The grand secret of good passing lies in accurate backing up— the constant passing forward, which is such a nuisance at the present day, is almost invariably the fault of the l)acker-up. The holder of the ball is bound to pass it into his hands, and if he is only a foot too far forward the game has to be interrupted ; he must, therefore, take the greatest care not to get quite level with the runner, and before he calls for a pass he must lake equal care to see that he is in a better position to make headway than the man in possession. Bad passing is entirely due to the neglect of these axioms. Men get an idea into their heads that they ought to pass at all costs, and that they have a riglit to call for a pass in any position. In the nature of things there nmst always be a more or less open course on one side or the other of a runner, and it is in a line with that course that the backer-up should keep ; whilst another player must do the same for him as soon as he gets possession of the ball. We have already warned him not to get too far forward ; it is ecjually important that he should not keep far behind, as a long pass back is so much ground lost, which has to be made up again before anything is gained. In ideal passing you may zigzag as much as you please, provided that the general direction is towards the opponents' goal. If the backing-up is systematically worked, the passing game is quite irresistible in fuie weather, but it suffers from the serious disadvantage that it is liable to break down in wet weather or on greasy ground. Under such circumstances it is very dilficult to catch the ball when passed, and it is to meet this case that every team which plays the passing game should always be able to dribble ; hut it is not enough to have one or two The daily use of > good dribblers in the team ; for dribbling to i Abbey 'sEflervescent : ,,^ effective there must be combination. By all means let the liest dribbler start the ball, if possible, but he must be backed up Salt will keep your blood pure. .•* 1 SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN. 39 »ack will up, but is their 'oni one as the ng up- present lolder of y a foot lerefore, ner, and he is in ssession. Men all costs, In the ourse on It course t do the ^Ve have ecjually s back is 1 before much as irds the game is ! serious er or on ificult to at every dribble ; or two >bling to )i nation, start the eked up by all the rest of the forwards in fairly close order, ready to take command of the ball if perchance the leader oversteps it, or if he has to pass it to one side in order to circumvent an opposing back. In this way the ball can be rushed right up to the goal line, but it should be picked up a few yards before the line, so as to make sure of scoring a try. This is dribbling as it is at present understood ; but we can see no reason why a team should not take a lesson from the Association game in this matter, and advance in open line, passing right across the ground when necessary. We admit at once that it is far more difficult to dribble with our oval ball than with their round one ; but then we have nine forwards as against their five, and we can cross the line at any point instead of only between the goal-posts. Moreover, under our off-side laws, it is perfectly legal to pass forward with the foot, provided that the backer-up keeps on-side until the Itall has been kicked. On the few isolated occasions when we have seen this plan adopted, the opposing backs were so completely nonplused, that we should confidently predict success for any team which adopted it as a system. A few years ago a proposal was made, in the interests of dribbling, to change the Rugby ball into a round one. It was withdrawn m deference to the opinion of old players, who held that the oval shape was essential to long drop-kicking, which has always been one of the main features of the Rugby game ; but if at any time in the future the change is adopted, we very much doubt whether the passing game, despite its attractions, will hold its own against dribbling. As matters stand now it reigns so supreme that with a few exceptions, players need very little exhortation to pass ; a captain has rather to see that it is not overdone. From the spectator's point of view its popularity is no doubt due to the fact that it affords unlimited scope for combination between the backs and forwards ; good coml)ined play being always prettier to watch than flie selfish feats of individuals. Turning now to the other great branch of forward play, namely, scrummage work, it must not for a mon\ent be supposed that shoving is all that is wanted. It is a great thing no doubt to get the first shove, and Abbey's Ellervescent Salt is a standard English preparation. It's use gives health. '€■ 1 <l ■^1 ! 'I; :'| !' f . M I 40 SPORTS OK GKEATKI'; HR1TAIN. for that reason forwards cannot he too (juick in packing; hut scrummage work has heen of late years reduced to such a science that mere shoving will he of very little avail against a team of skilled scrummagers. Most teams have recognized leaders in the scrum- mage, who keep careful watch over the whereabouts of the ball ; the usual plan nowadays being to keep it just behind the first row of legs, so as to retain command of it until the opponents have been worked off it to one side or the other, when with a final effort the scrummage is " screwed " or " swung," and the team breaks away with the ball at their feet. It is not sufficient for a team to be able to screw to one side only, they should be ready to take the line of least resistance, and to ensure this it is essential that all i)layers should have their heads down in order to see for themselves in which direction they are to push, and because the\- can push with much greater force in that posit'on than when standing u[). The great points in scrummage- swinging are then to get command of the ball and to keep it, and for all to push in tlie same direction. It is no use trying to screw as long as your opponents have command of the ball. Vou must then use your feet to secure ir for yourselves, and devote your energies to stopping your o{){)oner,ts from screwing you. It is for tiiis purpose that a team must contain enough honest workers to be able to hold the scrummage : for if your opponents rush the scrummages, the play of your backs is discounted, and you are extremely likely to be beaten. If the forwards find that they cannot take the ball out themselves, they must watch for a good opportunity of letting it out to their half-backs : and unless they are near their own goal, or unless they know that their opponents' backs are much stronger than their own, they should try to get it out in one way or the other as soon as may be. I-ong scrummages are at all times uninteresting, and when near the opi)onents' goal are distinctly bad play. l"'or many years there was a feeling against "heeling out," but we have never been able to understand why it should be wrong to pass back with the foot when it is admitted to be right to pass back with the hand. It may perhaps be considered that we have already sketched out suffi. ient work to occupy most of a forward's time : but there still ABBEY'S Effervescent Salt Excites the Appetite. Sl'OHTS OI' c;RKA1KK liKllAlN. 41 remain the duties of tackling any and every opponent who happens to Ik- in possession of the IniU, of following up every kick-off and kirk-out, and of marking his man at every line-out, with which to fill up his spare moments. It will thus he inferred that no one can hope to be a good forward who is not in good training. We aie no ad>orates for stopping a man's beer or his pipe, we do not want the training of an athlete preparing for a race, but we do hold it to be the imperative duty of every member of every team, however humble, t3 keep in good condition. No doubt some men are much more favorablv situated than others for getting regular exercise ; but every man can find time to use light dumb-bells and clubs, to indulge m an occasional bout of boxing and wrestling, and to go for a sharp walk varied l)v occasional sprints in the evening after his work. W e probably all know onlv too well the inevitable resnlt of neglecting these simi)le measures. .\s the gan.e proceeds the forwards become slow at packing, slower still at coming round to the !)ack of the scrummage : the following up and the tackling become slack, and your stalwarts hnd themselves beaten by men who are their interiors in ev.ry point of physi,]ue. and, it may be, of skill in the game. 11 IK Kl-.lKRi:i-.. The referee is oi comparatively modern growth in the Rugby game • but his iM,wers have been increased so steadily year by year that ii is now no .xaugeration to sav that on him more than on anv siivle individual depends our enjovment of a match. A few bad decisions by the referee are enough to spoil the^ game for players and spertat(Ms alike. Imoiu many points of view the post is a thankless one ; and it certainlv demands no small degree of love for the game on the part of players to make them turn out week alter week to cffKiate for teams who are none too prone to take a charitable view of their best endeavors to be prompt and impartial in tlieir decisions. _ ■\nv man who is willing to undertake the responsibilities ot a referee must frst be certain that he knows all the laws down to their minutest details, and the interpretation of them in all iheir bearings. He will be wise to carry a rule book in his pocket, both for the inirpose of refreshing his own memory before the match begins, and of convincing The Roses of Health come to the cheeks through the dally use of ABBEY'S EFFERVESCENT SALT. -m n It 42 SPORTS OF ORKATER BRITAIN. 1' I any captain who (juestions his interpretations on the field. We hold that every player should read up the laws before each season, but that a referee should study them before every match. Novel and unexpected points arise in almost every game, and it is only by constant study that a referee can hope to be prompt with his decisions ; and unless a decision is given promptly it loses half its effect. * The referee must next realize that considerable activity is required in order to keep level with the ball throughout the game. A referee who strolls after the game in an ulster is quite incom- petent to give a decision on any fine point which may arise in the distance. He should always appear in light marching order, wearing a cap rather than a hat, and he must provide against a possible wetting by bringing a change of clothes with him ; if he does his duty well, there is not the slightest fear of his taking a chill during the progress of the game. As a general rule, the referee should keep in a line between the two sets of goal posts, as far as is practicable ; if he finds that the direction of the game is forcing him towards either of the two touch-lines, he must move around to the other side of the next scrummage that is formed, so as not to lose his vantage-ground for judging dropped goals, which cannot be gauged accurately from the sides, and so as to be ready to reach, at the shortest notice, any part of the ground where a sudden move of the game may call for his presence. Until the day comes when umpires have been turned into linesmen, the referee has not only to watch the play but also to watch the umpires' flags ; for, excepting in a few cases specially provided for in the laws, he cannot grant a claim without at least one of their flags l)eing raised. It is worth his while to see that the flags are of a suitable color, white being far the best, because it is very hard to see a dark flag against the line of spectators at a moment's notice. He should also see that the whistle is one which will carry all over the ground, and he Nature's Greatest j should always blow his hardest. Nothing Abbey's^Eflervescent ! '' "^^'"'^ '''''^''''^ ^^"" "" f^^^^*^ ''^''''^^' Salt gives Health. ' Practical experience has perhaps made _ . _ yg dwell more strongly on the drawbacks n SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN. 43 field. We ich season, :h. Novel is only by t with his loses half activity is the game, ite incom- •ise in the ng order, against a im ; if he ng a chill tween the i that the the two the next e-ground :ely from tice, any y call for than on the pleasures of refereeing ; but referees must not forget that they can always rely on the unfaltering support of the Rugby Union Committee, which is fully alive to the difficulties of the work, and which has shown its anxiety to make things easy for them by passing special laws for their guidance and protection, laws to which we attribute largely the undeniable growth of the feeling that a football referee has a right to expect as good treatment as a cricket umpire. The one is as liable to make mistakes a^: the other. They only undertake to act up to the best of their ability, and, having done so, both have an equal claim to respect for their decisions, whether right or wrong. In football, as in everything else, men must learn to stand by their luck without grumbling. And now, one word of warning before I close this chapter — one question to those players who hold that football is the greatest of all games. If one of you owned the finest dog which could be placed on a show bench, would you, either with malice prepense or in a milder fit of rage, illtreat that animal to such an extent as to make it an eyesore for spectators ? So with your champion game ; would you, as was done last season, by breaking laws both human and divine, so drag football through the mire as to make the game the target for the finger of scorn, and yourselves the recipients of censure from all right- thinking people ? Verb. sap. led into also to specially at least that the ise it is )rs at a e which md he 'Nothing le. s made whacks !^ \^^ Happiness is the outcome i ^^ of Health. Health is » the outcome of the use !^^* of Abbey's Effervescent ^^ Salt. I ll I 'II ! :i ! I t A Liberal and a Conservative Policy for Canada. SUCH IS THE FREE ACCUMULATION POLICY OF •<' •/■ X y y X y A LIBERAL POLICY under CONSERVATIVE MANAGEMENT IS BEST FOR THE INSURED AND BEST FOR THE COMPANY. THE LIBERAL ADVANTAGES OF THE FREE ACCUMULATION POLICY ARE AFTER ONE YEAR 1st. 2nd. 3rd. 4th. 5th. 6th. 7th. Sth. 9th. loth, nth. I2th, '"^'Tf^n.;:^:;?^;'"""'^"^ ™'"'"^ - --• --ice i„ the Kreedo";; «f ["i^fnce (excepting in the tropics). free.iom of travel excepting in the tropics Incontestable with above exceptions. ' ^• Indisputable ,f premiums paid and age admitted ncorrect age DOBS NOT forfeit^tl.e pXy ' laid up Insurance after three years ^' 3oTa;:' '^^'^ ^''^^ "-- y/ars at 6 p.c. interest. poi;;;l:^K^-^;;:StS^-nc-:;;^Sa!-°^---'^- OrrtCERS OF THE COMPANY. V T. President, JAMES CRATHERN Vice-Presidents, HON. SIR J a rTTAT=rir*TT Medical Exlinet T G RODm4''°^'^'^ ^- ^^^^T. Treasurer and Acting Secretary. a'^J.^^HO^DaSON ' ''•''• Genera^anager. DAVID BURKE. A.I.A.. F.S.S For Agencies or htfotmation concern hu, T if. ^ ,- • HOCKev. da ^t^ 11' is a matter of great difficulty to trace the history of the game of hockey. It is probably as old a game, in one or otlier of its numerous varieties, as any of those played with a ball, and it is well known to have existed in a crude form for centuries in Ireland, where under the name of " Hurley "" it has been regarded as the national game. 'I'he game used also to be played in Scotland under the name of " Shinty," whilst now [)!ayed on the ice it is the favorite winter game of the youth of Canada. Hockey, like all other vigorous games, has its enemies on the score of supposed danger, but serious accidents are almost unknown. The rules of the game have l)een so framed as to reduce the risks to a minimum, and as long as the game is played in a proper spirit there is very little chance of players being badly hurt. 'I'he game, of course, can be made dangerous, but foul play cannot be indulged in without being readily detected, and its suppression is easy at the hands of resolute umpires who will strictly enforce the rules of the game. Hockey at present seems the most free, of all games in Canada, seeking " gate receipts '" from the semi-professional element, and it would remain entirely so were there no s[)urious incentives in the way of " cu[)s "' or "shields'" to be played for. There is plenty of healthy rivalry between clubs at present, a rivalry of a widely different nature to that engendered by cup competitions, and it is to be hoped that we may never see in hockey the evils that have arisen from the institution of such com|)elitions at football. Cup ties eventually lead to , professionalism, and this would prove a ! Abbey's Effervescent curse to the game that must be prevented at all costs. If the game is worth playing at all, it is worth playing purely as a game, Salt Retains and Regains Health. 46 SPOUTS OF GREATKR ItRlTAlN. 1 I - ! and hockey will continue to flourish on its merits, without any spurious inducements which would only introduce a class of player which it is desirable to avoid. The following hints may be of use to young players who may not have practical experience in the game : FORWARDS. Forwards in general should keep strictly in their places, and always try to keep the game oj)en, which can only be done by unselfish play. They should make point of never leaving the opposing point and cover alone when they have been tackled, as they can thus prevent them from getting in a hard hit or feeding tlieir own forwards. They must use their discretion as to charging down on a point when he is hitting, as unless they can get right up to him before he hits, they have more chance of fielding the stroke by keeping a short distance away, but they must not give him time to dribl)le into a good position to bring off a pass to one of his own forwards, i'inally, forwards must remember that the whole secret of their strength, if it can be called a secret, lies in combination, and no amount of individual brilliancy will compensate for its absence. A clever dribbler, who will never part with the ball until it is taken from him, is of far less value to a side than a player who, though individually inferior, will do his best to play a combined game. Forwards can often materially assist their point, when hard pressed, by worrying the opposing forwards, and nothing is more discouraging to points than to see their own forwards loafing about waiting for the puck to come to them, while they themselves are doing their utmost to save their goal. Last, but not least, is the all important item of pluck. The finest back division in the world is of no use behind a set of faint-hearted forwards. It recjuires a good deal of pluck to charge down the hits of a pair of hard-hitting backs, but it has to be done, and forwards must not shrink it. They must keep going their hardest right up to the sound of the whistle, and always — remember that a game is never lost till it The Foundation of Strength n r i "^ i i i i • is Health. ; '^ ^^'^'^' Matches could be quoted m ABBEY'S \ which a team has been several goals EFFERVESCENT SALT i i j . .u i . . • . j I 41. c ^ .1 . w i*t. ! behuid up to the last ten nunutes, and is the Foundation of Health j ^ ' ^ has saved the game by making a draw Sl'ORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN. 47 may or iven winning, solely because they have stuck to it with deterniination, instead of feebly "chucking" it. COVER POINT. The cover point is an important element in the team, bemg concerned e(iually in the attack and defence. He is perhaps, the hardest worked man in the team, if he does his work properly, so he must be well endowed with staying powers. He has to follow up his forwards closely when attacking ; and, at the same time, he has to full back directly his own forwards lose the ball, so as to be ready f.o break up the passing of his opponents, if he has not succeeded in intercepting the ball before it gets to him. The great value of a good cover lies in his ability to break up passing, either by intercepting the passes himself or by forcing his opponent to pass in such a way that the point behind him can get the puck. When he has got the i)uck, his object must be to get rid of it as soon as he can, and to llie best advantage of his side, by feeding the forward he considers to be in the best position for starting an attack. From his position he can feed either wing, and he must consequently give each its fair share of work. When his forwards are in, or close to their opponents' circle, he must be on the alert to place the puck as well as he can for a shot by any forward he sees in a good position, and in this case he should always have his eye on the two outside men. A quick pass to either of them often finds them unmarked, and gives them a chance for a clear side-shot. Of course his first aim is to mark the opposing centre forward, and he must make it his business never to let him have a clear opening to get away. If a good centre forward is carefully " shadowed " by the cover, it is wonderful what effect this has on breaking up the combination of the whole of the forwards. A cover has more freedom as to his movements than any other player on the field. He must all the more be careful not to wander out of his place, as this error is often attended with fatal results when near his own goal. It will thus be seen that the chief requirements for a good cover are pace and staying power. He may have to sprint half the length of the ground several times in succession with- out touching the puck, but he must never give in. By always falling back when he Abbey's Effervescent Salt Cures as well as Prevents Disease. 48 .SI'CJKIS Ol (.KKAll.K r.KII.MN. ' I ii i; i I,, has hecn pnsscd, In- iiKiy oficti slip in wlicn the point has been l)L*attii, and ^avu tlic downfall of his j^oal. ("overs must he genuine hard workiTs, wiih no wfakncss for show) pla\'. Hoth point and forwards an- largely dependent upon him, and a sound cover goes a long way towards the making of a good team. I'OIM'. I'oint forms the last active line of defence, so the first require- ment in his play is that he should he a steady player and liable to make as few mistakes as possible. A good jjoint will ni:\c(- lose his head, even when the attack is raging round his own goal. He r.iust never leave anxtliing to chance, but should make as sure as he can <^f each stroke before he attempts it. Me should always stop the puck if he can l)efore hitting it, in |)reference to taking it on the run, but he has not always time to do this, so that it is necessary that he should have an accurate! eye, and be able to hit in any position in an emergency. Mis game so far resembles that of a cover that he must get rid of the puck as soon as he can, and a [)oint must never, under any circumstances, indulge in dribbling. He nmst be able to hit hard on occasions ; but herd hitting is overdone even among good players, and effectually spoils a game. In clearing his own goal, a back may hit his hardest, but he should not hit straight down tiie line, as the i)iick only goes to the oi)posing backs, U) be at once returned. Instead of this he should try to hit into touch, and the further down the line he can do this, without risking the chance of the puck being fielded, the better. The relief afft)rded by a well directed stroke of this kind is of the greatest value. It is just as much the duty of a ponit to feed his forward.s as of a cover, and when he is too hampered to get in his hit he can often pass to the cover in front of him, who in turn can teed the forwards. In sto|)ping a combined rush of forwards, a point can either interce[)t the passes, in which case he has no difficulty in getting his hit afterwards, or he can tackle a forward directly he has taken a pass. Pace is, of course, a valuable attribute in any player, be he forward or point, but it is not so The constant use of , essential in a point as in a cover. If he Abbey's Efliervescent i u^^ .,„„ i , , i , • , , • Salt will keep you in i ^'"^ ^'^""'^ ]'^ ^^" I^^^>' ^^^^^ "P '^^^'^'"^ '^'^ good health. cover, and so smother a bout of passing before the forwards have got into their l^ >l'i)k 1 ■; I IK (IK I. A I !• k IIUI IAIN. 4M : has been be genuine point and n-er goes a St recjuire- I liable to er lose his He must Lire as he rtays stop \ it on the necessary it in any that of a in, and a Jril)bling. hitting is s a game. e siiould opposing d try to do this, e better, is of the feed his ;et in his turn can , a point iculty in y he has ■' player, not so If he lind his passing o their ■,tn(ic. Pa'-^iiig i-- more easily broken up in this way, and if they tail lo stop a mil al itu first atlemiil, both comt and point can get back lor a second ailempt belbn; llie forwards have had time to get dangerous, if, howe\er, a [)oint is deficient in pace, he must be ((iiueiit with playing a more strictly defensive game. He must ket p farther back behind the -over, and not dash in unless he is sure of support from the cover, forwards who 'lave passed a cover caiinol go so fast when they know there is a point wailing for them, iiid lliis ( ircumslaiice gives the cover time to recover himself and make another attempt at stoiiping them before they have reached liie point. There must lu-ver be any hesitation about a [)oint's play, whether he is fast or slow. He must carefully watch for his opportunity, and when he sees it, make up liis mind at once and go straight for the puck. Hi'sitation means defeat, and if he makes a mistake, be must not lose a moment in trying to retrieve it. .\t the same time, lie a\oids hampering his goal-keeper and enables him to liave a clear view of the piuk, which is a most im[)ortant matter for a point to In ar in mind, ^\■hen the ])lay is near his own goal he nuisi keel) w.ll in front of goal, and must leave the outside men to liis co\er, or he will seriously weaken the defence. The combination in defence which can so greatly strengthen a back division already strong as individual 'players, has not yet been developed to the exleiu that might ha\e l)een exjiected. 'I'here is nearly as much rciom for combination among backs as among forwards, though it may not be so apparent. They should alwa\s be supporting one another. 'I'here should be a thorough under- standing between poiiit and cover. There is \et to be seen in iiocki. i g(H)(l ( ombination of back pla\-, and iheie is no reason wh\ it should not be achieved. When this combination has been developed, iorwaids will find goabgetting a matter of much greate,- difficulty than it is at i)resent. THK iioAi. kki:i'i:k. This is wii.houl (juestion the most unenviable [)osition to occui-.y, yet, at the same time, one of the ,nost important. It is usually the goal- , No Other preparation ". , ,, 1 11 IS jusi as ffood as k..epers f.te to get .-hillcl to the bone, ^^^^ Elfeivescent a lid then he has to cheerluUy niterpose ^^^t. any })art of himself liL-lween the puck and I) W ■m i ■ 't. : I II 50 Sl'OK OF C.KKATF.K liKITAIX. its destination. Few people, when blaming the goal-keeper for the result of the match, realise the hardships of his position ; he should not he loo severely judged for his shortcomings. The first thing a goalkeeper should do is to take every means in his power to keep himself warm, as this will make him far more capable of doing what is required of him. He must be very tjuick on his feet and never take his eyes off the puck when near his own goal. He should stand just in front of the goal line and ([uite clear of it, so that there may be no doubt as to whether a shot has been stopped before it has crossed the goal line. Shots along the ground are best stopped with the feet, as less time is lost in getting the puck away. It goes without saying that he must get the puck away with the utmost rapidity, and he should never hit it straight in front of him, but always get it away to the side and clear of any opponent. If he has not time to hit the puck, he must kick it away, and when severely pressed, should not hesitate to hit or kick it behind his own goal line and so concede a corner, rather than run the risk of having the puck rushed through after he has stopped it. To deal with side shots he should stand on the side of the goal from' which the shot is coming, as he thus covers more of the space available for shooting at, and he will fmd these shots coming at an angle the mcst difficult to save. If his view of the puck is impeded by one of his own side, he should at once call out to the offender, as it is most important that he should never lose sight of the puck. He must be a good judge of distance and of the pace at whicu tii- puck is travelling, so that he may know whether by running out of goal, he can get to the puck before an opponent, but he must never do this unless he feels certain of getiing the puck. He should leave to the point all the hits he can reach, and should make a rule never to run out of the circle. When he does run out of goal, he must get back again as soon as he can. 'I'he knowledge that he has a good goal-keeper behind him has a great effect upon the play of the point and enables him to play with confidence. A goal-keeper may be recommended to wear cricket pads in preference to shin guards, as they afford protection to both ankles and knees, and this is not to be despised. Health comes from the daily use of Abbey's Effervescent Salt. a ■J. ■It: n. .m' HAVE YOU TRIED "MONTSERMT" Pure Linie=Fruit Juice With Apollinaris, or Soda, or Water, as a cooling and refreshing beverage at all seasons? If not, TRY IT! OBTAINABLE FROM GROCERS AND DRUGGISTS Giieaper man vmm, aim piucn more Gomlent. xr •^••••••••••••••••••^•xxy Order " MONTSERRAT" and do not take any inferior brands— there are many such, "MONTSERRAT" is made from cultivated Linfies. M i'' i i,' (phC4> LONDON, ENGLAND, /k Assurance = Company. c BRANCH OFFICE FOR CANADA: | ^ t f 1 1724 [lotifE Dame ptiteet, ■ lyjontfeal. INCOME. Annual Revenue from Fire and Life Pre- miums and from Interest upon Invested Funds - $5,520,000 FUNDS. Capital and Accumulated Funds - - - - $37,220,000 Deposited with the Dominion Government for Security of Canadian Policy- holders $200,000 ROBERT W. TYRE, Manager for Can ail a. CURLING. a<n^-/ CURLIXCI would lit very impcrfri tly presLiited to my readers if 1 were to treat it simply in its scientific ^^ aspects. Scientific it certainly is, alTording scope for f^^^ a display of practical acumen such as few i^ames ^^ demand. Tradition tells ot a certain 'lam Pate, 'W^k. who flourished as a curler at the end of the last 'P ^'^ century, and who never niissai a sin^^le shot .' hut ordinary curlers are not huilt thai way. No mortal man can curl to perfection, iiut difficult and intricate as the L^ame is, the beginner may soon accpiire sufficient knowledge to enal)le hmi to take a respectable place in a rink. Curling may lay claim there- fore to simplicity as well as to scieniific skill. Hut neither science nor simplicity constitutes tlie charm of curling. This is mamly ethical. To begin with, ( urling excites the utmost enthusiasm amongst its votaries.' At a season of the year when nature is passing through her dull interlude, such a sport strengthens the body and cheers the mind. No sybarite can be a curler. The game demands activity, hardihood, endurance, and such ardor as makes a man forget everything in his intense devotion to the sport; and in return it imparts health and happiness to its Ic Uowers. The proverbial keenness of the curler is a i)hase of this enthusiasm. Another excellent feature of the game is the abseiu v of liettirg, save occasion- ally for a stake, which consisis of coal or Hour lor distribution among the poor, and therefore curling is identified with benevolence, and often the hearts of the poor have been gladdened l)y the l)onsi)iel. Uut the best and most characteristic feature of this sport is the socialitv which it develops. Liberty, p-^- 7"7'Z7^\ enuality, natennn, ..re ,r>,ly i.s „a...|,w„„U. | J^-^^XS^t On the ice all divisions and diflereiues, g^j^ ^^ keep you in caused by rank, riches, religion, polili.s, , ^^^^ \^Q2\\h. or anything else, may be said to disai)i)ear. 54 SrORTS Ol" CkKAil.k UKITAIN. Landlord and tenant, clergyman and arti/an, merchant and mechanic, can meet together in social brotherhood, forgetting for the time all distinction save that of curling skill Add to this the ineviial)le humor which is one of its concomitants, and some idea may be formed of a game which, in Scotland most certainly, and in Canada most likely, is by far the most popular of 'ce sports. As far back as i 7 15 it was said : " To Curie on the ice does i^rculy please, Being a Manly Scottish (.xercise ; Jt clears the Biains, stirs up tlie Natisa Heat, Ami gives a gallant Appetite for Meat." Robert Hums, speaking of Tam Samson, says : " He was the King o' n' the coie, To fuard or draw, or wick a bore. Or up the rink like Jehu roar In lime o' need." Of the origin of curling perhaps no more satisfactory account can be given than the traditi(;n that Albyn Jove sent it as a gift to " Auld Daddy Scotland," as he sat one day "bare leggit on a snawy brae," with icicles at his snout, and crying : '•Oh: for a cheery, heartsome game, To send through a' the soul a flame, Pit birr and smeddum in tha frame And set the l)luid adinlin'." One can hardly give credence to the fact that a Scotchman, Rev. John Ramsay, writing on the game, ascribes to curling a Continental origin, from the number of Dutch or C.erman phrases used in the l)lay ; but it is true, nevertheless, and more remarkable still is the fact that the reverend gentleman lived to a good old age and died with his boots off For my own part, curling seems to be most undoubtedly of Scottish origin, but i 1 .457 we fnid the Scottish Parliament prohibiting golf and football as "unprofitable sports," no mention being made of curling, from which we may make the deduction that if the game was then in vogue it was clas.sed with archery as a i)rolitable sport. riu' earliest literary notice of the game "For the morning after the night be- fore" use ABBEY'S Effervescent Salt. si'oK'i> OF (;ri;atf:r uritain. 55 no of curling is found in the "Muses Thrcnodie " (1638), where we find : "His liats his iioods, liis balls, his bones, His allay bowles and curlinj,' stones, The sacred games to celebiat." The most ancient extant specimens of curling stones are to be seen in the Macfarlane Museum, Stirling, one being dated 151 i. There is a tradition that James IV of Scotland (1472-15 13) was a curler, but there does not appear to be any evidence in supi)ort of this. It seems as if curling was a b^nd of union between l':piscopalian and Covenanter, for in 163S George (Iraham, I'.ishop of Orkney, was charged with being ''a curler on the tee on the Sabbath day,'' while William (iuthrie, a noted Covenanter who lived about the same date, was a keen curler. By the end of the seventeenth century, the earlier tyi)e of curling-stone without handle had been disj)laced. Still greater progress was made in the course of last century. In such repute was the game held in the Scottish capital that at the beginning of the century the magistrates of Edinburgh are said to have marched in procession, headed by a band of music playing the " Curler's March," to open the sport on the North Loch. Perhaps it is to Dr. John Cairnie (1833) that the present generation of curlers are most indebted, for in his " Essay on Curling"' he gives information as to the making of artificial rinks on which c-urling might be had with very little frost. This system has been developed till we see the enclosed rinks of the present day. It is needless here to go into the history of the Ro\al Caledonian (Mub, which was formed in 1838, and which is the fountain head of the game, (airling seems to have found its way to Canada as far back as the beginning of the present century, irons being at the present time used instead of stones, in a great measure, though in Ontario the time honored " stones '' are still in plav, the principal stone in use being the ''Ailsa Craig." It cannot be said that (-luling is seen at its best in our covered rinks, as when The Roses of Health come to the cheeks played on a fro/en lake or loch of pic- ; through the daily use of tures<iue appearance, with skaters flying | EPFERVbTeNT salt. too and fro. The tout ensemb/e is then . 56 SrOUTS OF C.KKAIKK liRll'AlN. perfect. In'sucli an article as the present, spare will not allow of a dissertation on the interesting subject of the different kinds of stones ; it must suffice to give the names of some, in the order of merit given by a celebrated geologist : I'.urnock Water, Crawfordjohn, Ailsa Hone, Crieff Black, (^arsphairn. Here in (Juehec these names are only interesting as rememl)rances of the home of the game. Presuming that all my readers have not only read but have also learned their rules of the game, it will be seen that the rink is in the hands of a skip ; and that therefore as players they are under au- thority. The skip is the general — they are soldiers under him, and are bound to obey implicith his ocmmands. " Their's not to reason why." Obedience is the first and last necessity in a rink of curlers. Nowhere more truly than in a curling match does the maxim hold-- •'Unity is strength." Each player has his place to fill, liy the tee, watching and directing, stands the skip. He knows what is wanted. He gives his orders accordingly and expects them to be obeyed, Insubordination is therefore as heinous a crime on the ice as it is in the army. It is not t)nly when he is on the crampit playing his stone, when his turn comes, that the curler has to remember the duly of oljedience to authority. 'I'o sweep or not to sweep, he must always be prepared. For want of a helping " soop,'' one stone may lie a "senseless hog." By excess of sweeping, another may go raging "owre a" ice." Each is valueless. At the skip's cry, " Soop, lads, soo[)," every besom should be down, and plied on the ice with might and main. " Polish him weel. ye sinners." "Oh for elbow grease !'' Be that his cry, then more intensely let them sweep as a matter of life and death. Hut instantly he shouts: " Besoms up, men, besoms u])," ler the action be suited to the word. Under authority then, from first to last, in playing and in s\\eeping, and victory is the reward. In regard to position in delivering the stone, no hard and fast rule can be laid down ; curlers are like horses, "they run in all shapes." The player must first /// the tee — he must so place himself that his eye travels along the central line toward the Nature's Greatest Gift is Health. Abbey's Eflerveeceiit , , ,,,-.. . , Salt gives Health. , f^i'^i'i^r tee, while his right foot p. sis in the track, which in the {jiescnt day is immov- SI'OkTS Of- GREATKk UK I TAIN. 57 able, the ancient style allowing the player to move from side to side, as it suited him. Being in the hack, ease should not he sacrificed even to elegance, and the player need not trouble himself about awkwardness of position, if he find he has command of his stone. Some good advice is summed up in the old curler's word : " If ynuM lie ft curler keen, Stanii right, look even, Sole well, shoot stiaij,'l)t, and sweep clean." " Look at the mark with all your een." The eye must be intently fixed on the object aimed at, and fixed on that it must remain till the stone has left the hand. One of the worst faults in curling is a clumsy delivery of the stone. By this the ice alongside tiie track is cracked and broken up, and the curler gives much annoyance to the other players. When a stone is (juietly and gracefully '' soled, it is far more effective than a stone played with double energy, the force of which is half spent by the blow it receives as it meet's the ice. When the stone has \di the hand there is no necessity for the player to career up the rink as some do, nor for the physical contortions by which others, to the terror of uninitiated spectators, express their mental agony. But it is the "roaring game," and if roaring will do it, let them shout to the stone, the sweepers, and the skip, and even to the skies. As I have before said, the direction (jf the game is with the skip. The office is one of honor and of res[)onsibilty. The skip, albeit a director, is appointed to his oftice by the will of his brother curlers. It is essential that he should have a thorough knowledge of the game. He should be a man of humor, delighting in "qui|)s, cranks and jollities." With a couple of sour skips at the end of a rink all the life goes out of the game. It is re(|uired that a skip should at the social board, as well as upon the ice, be able to tell a good story, and to sing a good song, and though there are no hard and fast lines in regard to the use of alcohol, he is not generally a teetotaller. Me should be a man of im[)er- turbable tem[)er, never angry at his men, never blaming anybody but himself, in the hour of defeat unmurmuring, and in the hour of triumph generous. He must be Abbey's Effervescent Salt is a standard Englisfi preparation. It's use gives health. 58 Sl'OR'lS OK (iRKAIKK I'.KIIAI N. just, honest, wise, cool, prudent, watchful, l)rave, courageous, blameless as a bishop, and like a bishop, the husband of one wife. If there are any other virtues, let the skip practise them. Finally, he should be a man who can issue his orders in " guid braid Scotch," and who understands without the aid of a dictionary every word and phrase of the native Doric. N(nv for a sketch of a typical skip in action, directing the game in the language h which it is generally done. His first player being in the hack, he does not give him any information as to what he wants him to do, but sini[)ly plants his besom-shank upon the tee. " \e ken what's wantit.'' "Oh! be cannie." " Cannily down the howe ice." "Just smell the ring an' I'll no blame ye." He is a good skip \vh(j begins with caution, and all through plays a cautious game. "A guid calm shot is aye the best.'' So the first stone comes "snoorin'-up the howe.'" It does not (juite reach the tee, becoming " a perfect patlid," and it pleases the skip all the more, for " it's in the way o' promotion.'' It is now the turn of the opposing skip to direct. Had the first stone rested on the tee, he would have called for its removal, but with caution he would have naid, "draw to the face of this." ''Just wittyer high and no more." He asks for "a quiet draw." Too much force, and if he missed he is owre a' ice. So he leaves that stone alone, and with " a quiet draw." he gets his stone beside it. To get his stone promoted and guarded is skip No. I's aim. So " jist crack an egg on this" is his direction, but the player has been too timid, and the stone lags on its journey, so the skij) calls for the help of sweepers. " Gie him heels, gie him heels ! " " Soop him up, sot)p him up ! " and his stone is on the tee and guarded. " Weel soopit lads," "Come up, Sandy, an" look at it.'' " Tak yerscl' by the han' now." " I'se gie yea snuff for that." 'I'hese are expressions of the skip's satisfaction. '' Rul) off the guard, but dinna throw away your stone," is now skip No. 2's direction. Hut it is a raging shot, and missing the guard it is through the " brough " like Jehu and 'awa " to the caff-neuk,'' ___ Skip No. I is jubilant, he is "shot and ABBEY'S guarded." " Hig on." "Pile on the agony," Effervescent Salt f • u- j , c \ p, ., lie cries as his second player comes forward. the Appetite. "^'""'^ ^''^ ''"« '*"' >''^^i'''^ ^ ^^"^^^ »"«." — There! "That's anither mote i' their ee." SPORTS OK GREATKR I!RITAI\. ry " That's a seed in ihei, teetiV and with n self satisfied smile sl<ip No. I s.epsasKe to see how skip No. 2 will deal with the question. Two courses at least are open. He can curl round the guards and find He w,nner, or l.y an outwick on his f.rst player's stone he can force that upon the wu.ner, an<l leave it shot. So the game proceeds. New efforts, new scheuRs, every mon.e.U demands." The whole situation n.ay alter in a minute, for it is a slippery K-ime. Ihe sk,p must l.e tlu,rou,h!y alive, and his treasury of resources must he inexhaustible. Here is a selection of skip speech, some of wluch n,ay he heard any day in the progress of a bonspiel : A canny oraw," "Tee high weight and no more,'" " list come creepm up,' '• Come to the door o" the hoose," "OwreUie collv and ye re a great shot."' Dinna let him see that again,' "Kittle h.m weel," " I.ft hi,, an ell and lie yersel'," " Lie in the bosom o' the wmner ' "Curl into your grannie's wing," "Ne'er a kowe," Hes a colhe, tak' him by the neck," " He's a great hog." Victory or defeat in curling depends on " high fated'" blows It IS m the hnal decisive moments that the skill, coolness and courage of the skip is put to the test. The excitement is intense- A stillness as of death prevails when the fate of war depends on that last .stone, which the veteran warrior is about to deliver He plays It with breathless anxiety, everyone watching its career He has it ' He wins the match : The besoms are flung high ,n the air. Loud shout the victors : The hero of the hour is toasted, and for generations to come liis fame as a curler will be remembered in the club, which he has exalted to honor by his marvellous deed. Curling is a serious gan. but it is nothing if it is not humorous Ihe curling season has bee., called " The Saturnalia of Scottish hfe. ' It IS onlv on the ice that the humors of (-urling can be studied; It IS only by those familiar with the game that\hey can be appreciated. 'I'he humor is of the dry quality, and it is delightful to watch a pawky, canny, old skip manoeuvring a game. " Eh mon, ye're no up, l)ut I like to .see ye hoggin'." " As guid's' a' better." These two are really rebukes, " but the humor takes the sting out of them. Abbey's Eflervescent j He clothes his direction to move the ^^^^ enemy with humor by saying: "Jist gie ^®^ains and Regains this a wee bit cuff on the cheek," and ^"-1^:*!!^ 6o SI'OkTS OK (.KKATKU liKIIAIN. and he converts the hhmder of removing the wrong stone into innocence l)y the remark : " Ye've vvaukened the wrang man." In speaking of the minister's stone, it is Hke the sermon, " weel delivered," and if a scriptural alhision is not out of place, it's "a rale I'.hene/.-r -a stane o* help." When the si'lf-satisfied gravedigge'r calls out to the skip : " I think that ane 'il lie,'" there is a hit of grim humor in tlic response, " Aye, aye, mon, nae fear o' that ; they a' lie that ye |)it down." That Cijuality which is one of the features of curling m the open, is accountahle for some of the humors of the game. A worthy siieriff was one day playing to the direction of a stonemason, whom he had sent to prison more than once for poaching, hut to whom the sheriff had to look up, when curling : " Noo, shirra," said the poacher-skip, " dae ye .see that stane ?" " Ave, Jock," answered the sheriff. "A weel, shirra," says Jock, pointing with his kowe "jist gie that ane sixty days." The clergy generally are great supporters of curling. A young Ayrshire minister having one day in a match surprised everyl.ody by a shot that reciuireu great strength, was saluted thus: " My certie, ye're a bonnie mon to mak' a minister o. A well known parson curler brought the service in his church to a clo.se with this intimation : " My friends, as the day is stormy and there may be a danger of some of you l^eing the worse for sitting in this cold church, I shall not detain vou ^)y preaching a sermon, but shall now dismiss the congregation : and, remember, we all meet on the ice to-morrow at ii o'clock." An Episcopal minister in Scotland was one dav telling his Established brother, his grief at finding that a candidate, whom he had been preparing for confirmation had gone ever to Rome The auld kirk brother's apt and only consolation was this: "\-ouVe soopit him past the tee." The proverbial keeness of a curler is thus illustrated : ()„ the eve of a bonspiel, a curler sat by the side of his fire, opposite to TZ, \ -. ^ '^'"^' ^^^^ ^^'if s-'it busy washing her face the outcome of the use! r. ' ''"■' ''«" ^""'"y ^''''' «<" ^" ofAbbey'sEffervescentj '''P^'"'''''""^'^ ^^''''''- J'"tated beyond _Salt^__ __ ! measure, the curler sei/ed the poor cat ^"^ dashed her brains out against the >i'()KT.s UK i;rkati;r nkicAiN. 61 cloor-post, exdaiming: -I'll learn ye to sit there and mak' thow." I his IS one ot those instances in tlie game where the humor was not seen by one of the parties interested. Curlers are generally good husl)ands, and all the better for their curhng. It has an excellent eflect on the tempt'r. it clears the brain and warms the heart, and so the ladies give it their counte.iance and encourage it ni many ways. 1 cannot conclude this all too brief article on this genial game, in a better way than by cjuoting the Kev. Henry Duncan. " N'do fill a biiinper to the brim And drinlv with tinea times three, man ; May cinleis on life's slippery rink, I' r.ne cruel rubs be free, man. Or should a treacherous bias lea" Their erring course ajee, man, .- onie frit-ndly inrinLj may they meet To guide them to the tee, man. The author's thanks are due to Rev. J. K.-r for sundry (piolations in the foregoing. .'sN. T'«= ^■oundation of dtrength ^^ <^ is Health ^^ '^ ABBEYS "^' ^^ KKFtRVESCENP SALT ^^ *^^ is the I'Dundation of Health i^^* ( ( Canada for Canadians." »~in/SURE IN — ® " Che Eargest * Cbe Oldest • Cbe Best HOME INSTITUTION 9f ''" ! ESTABLISHED IN 1847. Of tiie lushest class. Cone>pon(I with PERCY MARLING, CniiiMln Mfe AMNnrnnce Kiiihiin;;, M»KTRKAL. For the Best Value in the City in FURNITURE AND H. A. WILDER & CO., Down Town, 232 to 236 McGill Street. Up Town, 2415 St. Catherine. WISHING. ff '^ A I AN was, it is said, the father of lies, and as in old Pnnts ii.. is often represented carrying a net over his ^ ^1^ ' %^ ^;lioiilder, tiiere is very little doubt hut that this sport of ^ fishiM- gav,. rise to the sayin- \ct it seems hard to ^H'^iT" ^"''" "" '' '' '''"'''' ''''"''' '" ^''^" ^""''y ^^'^^« t'^e wily ^Mf ''^''^■^'I'an brings us home. These same tales do anv amount of service they tend to expand the imaKinatioii. N\hy, I liave known in my own e\i)erience a lish to be 2U n>s.-"a real nice f.sh. old chap, don't cher know " -at eight o clock at n.ght, whilst at ,. it has been "well, old man, I don't mind telhng you, because you know 1 wouldn't tell you a cram, it was a real f.eauty, 4-*^, and then not quite fit; don't go telling where I was.'' Again, it makes men have a wonderful command over their features : it is no good a man telling a story of this kind without looking as sober as a judge, and looking, too, as if he really believed it himself: whilst on the other hand it would be too rude and ungenllemanly for the listener to express by even the twinkle of an eye any doubt as to the veracity of his entertainer Uhy, to do away with these "tales" on returning from a day's fishing, would be like going to the theatre to see "'Hamlet " with the character of Hamlet cut out, It may well be said as regards fishing, if " the brave deserve the fair," then in the weather they have often to put uf) with the plucky fisherman ought to fare well. Taking into consideration the amount of water there is in Canada, giving to the great number of enthusiasts in fishing such facilities for pursuing the sport, I feel I am taking upon myself a great responsibility by even giving a hint : I can assure your critics I would not do so if it were not that I am writing for the benefit of the young, and Abbey's Effervescent not for the seasoned fisherman. Salt isahealth-gfiving, In connection with fishing in Canada, health-preserving pre- there is no doubt that the trout are not so ^^^ ^°°' 64 Sl'OlMS OF (IKLAIKK liRirAlN. hig'iily cdLicak-d licie as they are at home, tlie si/.e of the Wags lirought l)ack fully proving this. Here a man will bring back more from one day's fishing than just as good a fisherman in ICngland would i:atrii in a month. Vet there are plenty of fish, but they are so worried by the continual endeavors to catch them, that they become just as artful as the man who is after them. There is no doul)t that even here the best lisherman will in the long run secure the greatest catches, but at the same time the mere tyro will get good *' bags,"' when in I'Lngland he woidd not cat<:h a fish in a week. Of course this to a very great extent is accounted for by the fact that in all preserved waters — and in the old country there is very little free- -the use of bail is strictly forbidden. It is needless for me to say that minnow is allowed in the Thames, for the trout in this river, ranging from 3'- lbs. to 10 ll)s., and even larger, will not look at a lly. Trout fishing in Canada is far more like that in Ireland than any we have in I'higland. I propose in this article to give a few hints as to lly fishing, and tackle retjuired for th« same. To oroceed then to a description that may be of use to the young hand. The rod should be light enough to be managed easily with one hand, and should be chosen for him by some old fisherman ; for with a rod, just the same as with a gun or cricket bat, it is not the actual weight that is of so much importance as the distribution of it. Draw off from y3ur reel from 15 to 18 feet of line, throw out to its extent, and fish in towards \()U. Different men ad()|)t different ways of throwing the fiy, but it really does ni>l matter which is followed, so that one has entire control of one's rod and line, and can do what one likt'S with the tlies. It is really is of no use to try to give theoretical lessons in throwing the tly. for nothing but practice will ever give pro- ficiency ; lei the beginner rather spend two or three days in watching a gooil man ; then come home and practice in the b.ick garden, putting down some objec-t to cast at. Do not be discouraged if, the first few days you go fishing, you see other men catching fish with — _ l\^^^, same l1v and in the same water vou have ■^.^ ^""-E-^ *3 , heen unsuccessful in : remember, Rome wds Effervescent Salt, . , ,. , , , ■ the Foandation , ''"' '''"'' "\ ^''^^ ^'^^>' '''''^ ^''^ '"^^'^'^ '^''»'* of Health. '*^^''^ only gained by hard practice, whereby iu- is able to let his Hies pitch naturally upon SI'MKIS OF CkKATKR HKITAIN. the water :„d.h.r ouglu yo,, to take ,. hardly ,l«, he should have aselfsat,sfied™,leo„ his countenan,, whilst doing .so, rri valrv ■s the great .est ,n ail sports, and the Osh taken by an e, ,er ou. of water .Ineh ,,as l,ee„ „o,ed out of all .shape hy' .he 1.4™:^^: Although as I have said ahove, praetiee is re,|ui"red more than attythrng else u, throwing the «y, it „,ay be well to give a bin" 'r two on ,t, tryurg ,„ point out where lie the dangers to the young hand l.> watebu.g all begnrners it will be found that two or three fe "of me drop on the water belore the fly : this is fa,al. The fly should fall as nearly like the original as poss.ble, without anyr^'tl | ' ttsel touchM,g the water. To „,ake .be throw, sav frlu, Z2 oulde, w,th a rod of , , feet, take the east in rbe left hand so t a the fly, s dear of, e ground, wub the rod pointing forward and to the left . then on loosnrg the east, by a half side n.ove.nen, of the arm, sweep the hue in a gentle ,urve till i, i., well behind you It it here that a disaster n,ay oecur, for if the fl,. ;, j,,^,^ \ „, . ,,^ snapped rrght off. Having eseaped this .atastrophe, ,he li, l " brought fron, hehnrd the head to the front ol ,l,e body, when it s allowed to go forward to the full length of the arm, making ,l,e Hies ptteb on the water gently. This being -lone it is requ.red To n.ampulate tbem to look as n.uch like the real artiele as possible As ,n all sports, the wat.hword of the young angler should be I iltlGIICC Remember ihat in striking a fish it is not ncce.ssary to put in a 1 the force of arn, and shoulder, hut it only requires a sharp turn of the wnst just to f... the hook in the (Ish. This mav seem unnecessary advice, hut it will he found that the tvro ierks as if h« were shark fishintr. ' ^ ^'^ " ^^ Before proceeding to talk of salmon fishing, 1 will try to prove that .so.MK day there will have to he, even in Canada -full of llsh as Its waters are-hetter preservation for trout, or there will be the same cry as to tiie scarcity of fish that there is at present in ICnghmd I know I shall be laughed at by nianv of , - ;"" ' those who go tishing even now and bring Abbey's Effervescent home their do/ens in a day, but I am sure that Salt those sportsmen who go out for the day's H"**®' ^ ^®^^ *■ sport, and who make a study of the subject _ . •"®v®^ts_l>isea8e.^^ E 66 SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN. will give me some credit for my warning voice. The more the country gets opened up and populated, the more fishermen there will he, and naturally the more fish will be taken. I have been told that there is a law making it illegal to net trout? If this is so, it certainly is a dead letter in some districts. \Vhose duty is it to take cognizance of this ? Have these laws, that seem to be dormant, been made because our legislators, having nothing much on hand, thought it well to frame something so as to ap()ear to be busy. Too much praise cannot be given to the Montreal Fish and Game Club for its exertions in the interests of sport, but it should certainly have a greater amount of assistance from Government. As regards the decrease of trout in some streams — especially the smaller ones — in England, 1 am sure that this has been brought al)out to some extent by over-preservation, paradoxical as this may seem. There is every reast n to believe that there is more disease now than formerly, for nature provided means in the shape of otters, herons, etc., (which the keepers now kill off indiscriminately) to rid the streams of those fish which might otherwise propagate disease ; fur it is a well-known fact, that animals and birds of prey find it far easier to catch the fish weakened by disease, and therefore do so. It has been {)roved over and over again on the Scotch grouse moors that it is far better to let the hawks remain to kill diseased and weakly birds, and to put up with the loss of the few healthy birds they may caijture, than to kill ihem off, and so allow the whole moor to get diseased. Again, the entire abolition of the use of the minnow has done harm. Now do not think I am an admirer of the use of the minnow, i)ut there are limes when it is allowable and justifiable ; for instance take a small stream that you know holds half a do/en olu "warriors " about four pounds weight ; you might fly fish till you wm- black in the tace, and you would not get a rise. Now, one of these fish will eat more of its species in one day than you will catch in ten. Under these circ umstances, is it not belter for the sake of your after sport to use the minnow, with . which you have some chance of catching him ? ABBEY'S i I ilo not say that these latter causes will Effervescent Salt militate against the fishing ii\ Canada ; but I I do say that however plentiful il.e trout may _ be, netting ought to be stopped at once, in conunon fairness to those who fish honestly. IS V IVIFIC. SPORTS OF GRKATER URIIAIN. 67 the nl r''^"''; '^'' " .' ''"^'" ^^^ ''^"^'^''*"" ^^ ^^^--y ^^-^herman, from Lark ?7" N^'^'^' '"""^ "^' ^^^"^ '""'^'^'-^« f- ^tickle- a salmon. L nfortunately, I have noticed that to whatever country you nu.y go to attain this desirable end, it is rather an expensive uxury ; .t^.s npart from tiie sport, a good deal cheaper to buy than to catch, and therefore is like unto one of its concomitants the cucumber, which is also cheaper to buy than to grow. In the' first place you want a good " (Jreenheart " rod, of from ,6 to 20 feet in ength ; spliced, I would say, for choice, as this gives nicer play than any other arrangen,ent. It should balance about evenly where the upper hand grasps it above the reel, which is placed about ten inches from the butt. The line shr)uld not be less than eighty yards long; and should taper down to nearly half its original si/e where the cast ,s fed on : which c:ast, be it remembered, must be of saln,on gut, a great deal thicker than that used for trout. To assist the young fisherman in his first attempt to catch a salmon, I would •strongly advise his getting some one who lives near to, and has often fished the water he is gcmig to try, to aid him in his selectio.i of flies and pomt out the different parts inhabited at various times by salmon ; he will be able to go l)y himself another day; that is if the water remains about the same height, but if it should be higher or lower to any extent, let hin, apply for additional aid. As a rule the larger the body of water, the larger the fly recjuired ; the size of the Hy depends also to a certain extent on the color of the water. This being a two-handed rod, it requires both more strength and practice to become proficient in casting, than with the trout rod. I would advise in c:a.st from the left shoulder backwards, then brmg slowly and s-a.uiily our the right, then keep on accelerating the speed till you <le!iver the tly upon the water. When the tyro can thr(,w out .5 yards of line like this, to w.thin a reasonable distance of the spot desiied, he may rest on his laurels for a time • 35 yards for good fishermen i. about the average throw, but tall and strong men will throw scviral \ards further. The ily should be worked differently '^^^ ^^^^Y use of j than when fishing foi ti,,ut, bring immersed ^^^®y'« Effervescent ] sufficiently not to cause a ripple, Init yet ^d'^iire^''^ ^^^ I not to be out of si-ht. .\-aui, in striking, ' 68 SPORTS OF (IREATKR liRlTAIN. the young salnici fisher should not strike as quickly as for trout but should absolutely feel the Hsh lirst, which really means that the' fish has liooked himself. It often happens as with trout, that the fish will r.se and luive a smell, lo.,k at tiie fly and turn away disgusted. Ihe only remedy for this is to keep on changing the fly till you find one that they will take. In reference to this I once heard an anec- dote told. Three friends went salmon fishing ^-two of them were really good and enthusiastic fishermen, whilst the third only took a rod for decency's sake, thinking of the lunch and the outing rather than of the number of fish that would be caught. They experienced the very luck I have described, having rise after rise, but never even pnckmg a flsh, much less catching one. It was not an exactly happy family that on returning entered the hospitable doors of one of the party, nor were two of the trio made any happier by the following conversation: Ladv of the house—" Weli Mr S lam so sorry you have come all this way and had no sport; my husband and brother are generally so lucky." "Oh, don't mention it, I really enjoyed myself in.mensely ; k.vely day, good luncheon, cigars, etc., etc., you know, go a long way to make a man appreciate life." Hut, still, even these surely could not compensate vou for not getting any l.sh, when they were rising, tool'" " No, perhaps not, but when the fish would not take, the 'lovely flow of language' that emanated from your husband and brother made up for all 1" The great thing after hooking your fish is to give him the butt -that IS, get the point of the rod well up, with the butt towards the fish-as much as you think the tackle will bear, being ever ready to give h,n, fine If he make a sudden plunge or performs any gyrations in the air. Lor the rest, the landing or losing of one fish will really give more real instruction than yards of printed advice. In concluding my remarks on this most pleasant sport, I would impress upon my young readers the necessity of going about it in a business and sportsmanlike manner, if they wish to excel; and should they have bad luck in getting a bag legitimately, let it not be said of them that they descended in order to fill it to means unworthy of a true sportsman. The Foundation of Strength is Health. ABBEY'S EFFERVESCENT SALT ia the Foundation of Health. sporting Goods For WE ARE |tGcidquar-t^rs FOM Summer and Winter. Fishing Tackle, Baseball, Tennis, Football, f Lacrosse, Hockey, Snowshoes, etc. We ship these goods abroad extensively and carrv FINE STOCK. ^ ^ 403 St. Paul Street, - MONTREAL. •RssurapGE Gonipanij, Lhd., oF Lopdon, Eng. CAPITAL AND ASSETS, $32,000,000 Head Office : Canadian Branch, Montreal. JAMES McQREGOW, Hanager. SPECIAL CITY AGENTS: Nafoli<;on Pi.aki., F. M. (:,m,k., [as. M. Mitchell, G. R. RoHKKTsoN \- Sons, jos. Marois, J. H. Moonev. ■'■n 2460 St. Catherine Street, MONTREAL. iu IK i §m EVERYTHING for a Wheel always on hand. ENAMELLING the Very Best. Fine Mechanical Repairs a Specialty. 6«n$, typewriters, easi) Registers, ETC., ETC.. ETC RO R I TV f '^^^ ^""^at Parlor Game *^^^*^* II; of the Day. More skill can be displayed in a Game of BOBITY than any known g-ame of its size and price. Price Sf.25, of all Dealers. klffi CRICKeX. ^.^^ ^Kl'OKi:: ^iviiiK the few hints on this time-honored game, I feel It will not f)e out of place to write a few words as to its origin. Surely a game that drew from Wellington the now historical "Waterloo was won on the cricket fields of Eton and Harrow" deserves this : Enthusiasts vie with each other in tracing this game to a very early date ; none have yet gone so far back as Adam, though some have gone so far as to interpret certain passages in the Hible to uphold their theory as to its age. We do know that the ancient (Ireeks played " hall '—no, not base-ball -i)all, pure and simple, then callt-d omania, which consisted of throwing ''skiers" for one anotiier to catch. Although many other games of "ball"" were played by the ancients as well as by modern countries, we fail to find the fair*-est analogy to our "noble game," in as much as no mention is ever made of the ball being hit by anything but the hand. On these grounds we claim cricket as essentially an English game — English in its character, English in its origin. This being granted, it may well be asked why the English j)eople possess the only field game of a truly scientific character. The answer is simple : Patricians and Plebians have played together with an absolute and joyous oblivion, for the time, of all social distinctions, which has rendered the game amenable to refining influences. It may be mentioned that even France has claimed the honor of its nationality, it having been said by a French writer to be but a variety of the old French game '\/eu de vieuiy A weighty argument against this theory is that at the present time the French mind seems hope- "For the morning after the night be- fore" use ABBEY'S Effervescent Salt. 72 SJ'ORTS Ol (IKKATHR BRITAIN. lessly bewildered in the attempt to distinguish between the sense, sound, and pronunciation of " cricket " and " wicket ' — both of break-jaw difficulty in utterance to Frenchmen. A Frenchman, M. Kervigan, in his work entitled " 1/Anglais a Paris" (1866), thus describes cricket : — "Two (or more) players, armed with bats like Harlequins, but three or four centimeters thick, stand opposite one another at a distance of from fifty to seventy paces, more or less, according to their skill. Behind them are planted two stakes, three feet high. Two little sticks, appeles wicket, are placed across the top of the stakes. Finally, there is a wooden ball, covered with leather, about the size of a large orange ; and the skill consists in hurling the ball, by means of the bat, so that it may strike the stakes of the adversary, which one is assured of having done when one sees the wicket fall ' 'J'his description surely will convince even the most sceptical that ket is not a French game. The scientific development of cricket is referable in a gieat de- gree to the countenance and support of the English public schools and universities. While many of the old games .show signs of decadence, Cricket every year gams in strength, not only in the United Kingdom, but wherever the British flag waves. Take for instance Australia, who has had the temeritv to " beard the lion in its den,'" and not only that, but has shown the Mother country it is able to send to England a team powerful enough at times to make her lower her cobrs I Nor — such is the good feeling among true cricketers— does England complain 1 far from it, each succeeding visit she gives a heartier welcome to her sons from the Antipodes. jfj Canada, too, has shown that she has exponents who can well up- hold the honor of the old game, though they may never attain to the proficiency of their Australian cousins, through climatic influence, their season being so short they are debarred from a certain amount of the practice, which is so essential in order to become first class. Let us view cricket as a mode of warfare, then cricketers should be the bravest of the brave, magnanimous to offenders, and forgetful of social differences in the feeling that cricket is an English game, and such a game that all others having any claim to nationality must be dimmed, if not totally eclipsed, in comparison with it. '\ ABBEY'S Effervescent Salt, the Foundation of Health. S1'(JKTS 01 fiKKATER HKIIAIN. 73 In my love for the game I fear I have stra\ecl from mv text ; to return then to its origin. We fmd the dissvllable "cricket" first used in tlK.- time of Elizabeth, hut of the game to which it referred no recount is given. Little is heard of it in the 17th century but on the opening of the .8th the clouds sheer off, and a sunbeam, which seeuis to have lost its way. once more illuminates the pages of the history ol the game. It .s worthy of note that up to this time the game had not travelled beyond a radius of forty miles from London. It is pretty generally conceded that cricket was first regularly played at (luildford in Surrey, for there is still in existence a docu- ment referring to a piece of land in thai town-a dispute arose as to its occupation by om- John Parrislu-. One witness " declared he knew the land in question for fifty years, for when he was ai the Free School he went on it with other lads and played .-rickt-t and .^tlur plays.'" This enquiry aros<- in the fortieth year of Eli/abelh-s reign. As 1 have before said, it was in the 18th century cricket made a decided move, for a match is recorded as having been played at liirmingham, whilst the battle of Preston was being fought against the rebels. About 1710 cricket ha.l grown into such colossal proportions in Kent, that that ••ouiity challenged the whole of England, con- siderable sums of money being staked on the result, the non-payment of which ended in a lawsuit. The game now !)ecame an instrument for gambling, and for a time found little fiwor either as a moral or noble pastime. To cjuote from the Gentleman's Magazine {1743): "Cricket is a very innocent and wholesome exercise, yet it may be abused if either great or little people make it their business ; it is grossly abused when it is made the subject of public advertisements, to draw together a great crowd of [people, who ought all of them to be somewhere else. The diversion of cricket may be proper in holiday time, but upon days when men ought to be busy, it is not only improper but also mischievous in a high degree."' This was written nearly 150 years ago, and I have no doubt there are many now who endorse these sentiments. The above is certainly a gloomy picture Abbey's Effervescent Salt Retains and Regains Health. 74 SPORTS OK (IKKAIKR liRITAIN. of the past, but judginj^ from the uholt- production -a part only of which I have (juotcd its author had httle liking for the game. As tmie wore on, the public censor asserted his jjower as regards gambling ; ihe atmosphere sweetened, and the game grew into favor. The adjectives "manly and noble"' were applied to it. These are proudly retained to thi.s day. A noteworthy date in the history of cricket is the year 1774 when a conmiittee met and settled the rules, as nearly as possible as they exist to-day, though in slightly different language. The first " Cricketers' (luide " came out in i<S 10, compiled by Lambert, whose hints to young players are as usehil to-day as when given 80 years ago. Round arm bowling now appeared, and there was as much talk among cricketers as to its discoverer, as among mathematicians to decide between Leibnitz and Newton as the discoverer of "The Doctrine of Fluxions." It would take far more space than 1 am allowed, to trace the rapid advance now made by cricket ; to show how it had spread we will simply state that a match was played in 1843 at Toronto, versus St. C.eorge's Cluf) of New Voik ; whilst in 1823, during Sir Edward I'arry's second voyage in search of a north-west i)assage, a match was played in latitudes above 80". Giant strides were made about 1849 by the establishment of the " All England Eleven," which travelled all over England, leaving the mark of cricket behind. It is hardly possible to estimate the advantages resulting from naval and military cricket all over the world ; and, indeed how intolerable would be the life of either service, but for occasional relaxation out of doors, or ashore, such for instance as that afforded by the mimic strife of cricket. Having brought the game down to well within the memory of our grandfathers, and I fancy to most of my readers a later date even I will leave it in the able hands of "Lillywhites Cxuide" to furnish 'all later information. I cannot close this short history of the infancy of the game without ([uoting a passage from the writings of the only Frenchman who has dared to criticise cricket— M. F:s(]uiros, ABBEY'S Effervescent Salt Excites the Appetite. SPORTS OK CRKATKU IIKITAIN. 75 m his work sneers at the moral effect which cricket is supposed to have on the population. He insinuates that the " predeliction lor It as an insi-uiuent for education and iniprovenient, is partly due to agreeable reminiscence of the teachers." (;ranted this IS so, still the teacher who cr.i enter into and enjoy games with his pupils, has a far easier task to get work from them during school hours than would otherwise he the case. In conclusion, then, let us ail join in wishing "Long may cricket nourish (Ireat Britain and her colonies."' A KKW MINIS TO VOUNc; l!OWI,KRS. These hints are given simply for young howlers, though if they are of service to mature cricketers, I shall indeed he pleased. It has been said that "it is the pace which kills" ; this is true in bowling, but my young friend must remember the pace may kill him before he kills the batsman ; therefore I would warn all young bowlers not to overtax their strength when first learning ; but when their action is thoroughly settled which action should l)e natural - gradually to increase the pace, which will enable them to keep entire control of the ball. There is a groat deal of nonsense talked about such and such a ball having been a very good one : as a matter of fact, it might really have been a very bad one, but the batsman by his bad play made It into a good one. We cannot lay down a hard and fast line as to what is really a good ball, for what might be such to one player would perhaps be hit for four by another ; still it is safe to say that if a medium-pace bowler keeps a length of 4>^ yards from the wicket, he cannot be knocked about very much ; and I would have you remember, both batsman and bowler, that that ball, though it be not straight, is as good a one, save for bowling the man out, as if it were straight : by this I mean that a good length ball off the wicket is as hard, if not more so, to keep down, as when on the wicket. Be sure, if you are to stray from this pitch, to let it be farther up and not shorter ; for the farther you pitch up, within reason, the more likely you are to get catches. Always, when practising, bowl with the same action, and in fact do everything the same, as if you were in a match. I )o not strive to get work or twist on * The Roses of Health come to the cheeks through the daily use of ABBEY'S EFFERVESCENT SALT. ;(' SPORTS OF GREATKK liKlTAIN. ,,, the ball till you can iK)\vl straight and pitch the hall within 4 inches III ^ of where you wish to. N'ariation of pace will get far more wickets || than miles of twist. ^ After all is said on the theory of bowling, there is one bald fact for the bowler to grasj) ; that is, he must use his head in discovering the weak spot in the batsman, for every batsman has one ; having found it, then comes the time to make use of his store of theoretic k. and of practical knowledge. Finally, my bowler in embryo, ilon't get cross if a man misses a catch ; smile as you were wont to smile ; keep your head cool though you may be hit for six ; try him again, but give the ball a litlle more elevation and shorten the length, when virtue may be rewarded, and you may be able to study with pleasure the symmetry of your opponent's back as he retires to the Pavilion. iuthn'c. I am sure it is unnecessary to jjoint out to cricketers that there arc many wielders of the bat who cannot be called batsmen— the former are (luite content to hit the ball one time in six, while the latter lay themselves out to play the ganit-. It is not vc'-y difficult even for an outsider to distinguish between them, l-'or any of my readers who may not be (luite sure, I will take the liberty of giving a few pointers. First, the "would-be"" batsman usually comes on the ground late, taking care to let everyone know he has arrived. Having satisfied the spectators of this important fact, he divests himself of his natural garments and walks into the field, of course not forgetting his cricket war-paint. He then proceeds to practice, getting some jinnocent soul to bowl lobs to him so that he may make sensational hits, and elicit ecstatic cheers from the ignorant mob. Mark on the other hand the "Cricketer,'* and by this I mean the man who not only understands, but plays the game --how differ- ently he behaves ; no fuss or bother -he has done his practice long ago ; he may, perhaps, have half-a-do/en balls just to see if his eye *uv \ ^^ 1 's straight, and there is an end of it : his silSheX^! I '-'- '^ "" ^-'''' ^^^"^^'"^ ^-^ ^' '"^^ »- health-preserviig pre- "'"""^"^ '• ^'^ ^^^'^ "«^ ^^'^"^ a band of music to usher hmi into the wicket ; and -' when asked, " How was that ?" instead of SPORTS f)K f.ur.vrKR liRITAIN. 77 answering, " Oh, awful luck vou know, old chap ; hall hit on a bit of dirt, you know;" our critkcitr replies grimly, "Hit my wicket down, coiifoun.l it." This, young players, is rather a homily to you on how to play the batstuans game theoretically ; now I will try in my poor way to throw it into practical form. Here again I repeal that these hints, as well as those on bowling, are intended for young players ; though of course I will consider it a comi)limeiU if older men fmd them worth reading. 'I'o business then : First of all, you play with too large a bat ; now, don't mistake me, 1 do not mean too broad, but too heavy and too long in tia- handle. I5v all means use a bat with as large a surface as cricket law will allow. No boy can play <:;-/<:/&<'/— though many attcm|)t it with a bat that weighs 2 lbs. 2 o/. at the most, and which he has not had (piite one-half inch cut off the ordinary handle. After having selected his bat of about this weight, the corresponding thickest nart being about 2 '4 inches from the bottom, he should then get the handle to fit his hand, so as to be able to get a good grip of it. Handles are, as a rule, made too small, a fault easily remedied by adding another layer of twine, or, if this is not sufficient, a coating of wash-leather ; though I do not advise this for those in the hal)it of making centuries, as it is apt to get greasy. I presume now thai you are fitted out, but still I suppose you want " pads " and gloves. Well, in choosing the former, though the bat ought to |)rotect wickets and legs, get a pair that fit, and see that the straps are perfect before you go in to bat ; and for the latter, always have a new pair to lend a novice, while you borrow a good old pair from some confiding friend for your own use. Take my word for it, you will be far more comfortable. Always look at the batting list before the innings commences ; and I would advise that yon should make your entry from the pavilion — from whence you are expected— and not draw extra atten- tion to yourself by coming from some shady spot on the ground, or from the grand stand, then your duck's egg — if the fates have it so — will be far more palatable. Having got to the wicket, take guard still without fuss : by guard I mean get to know that your right foot is clear of the wicket, that is, that your toe is as nearly in a line with the leg stump as Health comes Arom the daily use of Abbey's Effervescent Salt 78 SPORTS OF GRRATKR BRITAIN. is possible without covering it ; this being done, it does not matter in the least wliere your bat is, for to a certain extent you will be bound to follow out the golden rule of a batsman, '* Keep your bat straight " I This is the whole secret for young players ; old ones may take liberties by which they suffer : keej) your bat straight, and coMinu)n sense must tell you that the bowler has pretty hard work to hit your wicket. This renunds nie of an anecdote of a boy who, looking on at a match, with his mother, and being rather down-hearted because his side was getting the worst of it, on being reminded that his brother had yet to go in, said : "Pooh! he don't play with a straight bat " : upon which his fond parent remarked consolingly, " Never mind boy, I'll buy him a straight one I " Meing now in position I take it for granted you have in your mind's eye t'ne position of the fieldsmen ~ you are ready to receive ttie attack of your whilom enemy, the bowler -as regards whom, never mind what idiotic gyrations, or tortuous windings he may go through, remember it is not the man you have to play, but the ball — therefore you have to keep your eye on the ball, and the ball only. The ball having left the bowler's hand, it is for you to make up your mind at once how it is to be played ; for should you be caught in two minds, woe betide you. Of course this is a matter of practice, but to assist you at the critical time, tlie following rules will be a fair guide : ist -Should the wicket be hard and i^ood, play right straight out, keeping the left shoulder as well ovt "^e hot as possible, which will enable you to keep the ball along the • lloor." 2nd — The wicket being dead, i.e. slow, play l)ack, watching carefully the break, whether it be frcni the off or leg, by which means you may be ready to take full advantage of that sweetest of all sweet things— a I'Mig hop. To assist you a little further, when watching the delivery of the ball your eye should practice itself to tike in the bowler's wrist : should the Hudcr [)art turn upwards, which is the ca>e 90 times out of a hundred, the ball will break into you : ' ut if the toj) |)art turns upwards, the ball will cdtne in from tiie leg. As 1 am here talking to beginners I will not bother you willi ai.y remarks as to '• placing"— this you may or may not Happiness is the outcome ot Health. Health is the outcome of the use of Abbey's Effervesc Mit Salt. si'Okrs or c.reatkr r.KiTAiN. 79 be able to do wiih, say two or three years hard practice, ^^'e will now take it that our young batsman has been playing carefully, and has his double figure, I would here advise that the batsman should count all his runs ; it makes him [)lay far more steadily, apart from the good done to the memory and the player's arithmetic; he should not then think it time to go in for a smile or gallery stroke, but play the innings through as he has commenced ; he will have plenty of opportuni'.ics of hilling bad balls without any risk, keeping in mind the fact that batsmen are put out by their own foolishness far oftener than by the cleverness oi the bowler. Keep away from all fanry strokes, such as the "draw."" playing "under the leg," "cutting off the middle stump, " etc., etc. ; liiese are all very well for old hands, but sudden death to ihe youngster. I am afraid my young reader will say, " its all very fine : he tells me what not lo do, and does not say much about what we are to do." 'I'o this I answer, '' If you follow out these few main rules as to what not to do, and if you have cricket in you, instinct will most assuredly suggest wiiat you are to do. IJut should you do what you ought not to do, instinct has no chance to assist you." Al)Ove I have said " if you have cricket in you." Now, if you have not, it is no more use for you to try and rise al)0ve the level of the mediocre school-boy player tiian for one wIkj lias no music in him to endeavor to become a .Mo/art. To be a good cricketer, the game must be inherited just the same as music, painting, etc. This bt ing so, steady practice does the rest. Now just one word as to running ; for nothing looks so utterly feeble as to see men collide in the middle of the wicket. '1 "o avoid such cntastrophes, alwavs run to your left. When called, make up xour luiiKl at once whether you will run or slop your partner ; if the latter it nuist be done instantaneously, or the • blame is on your shoulders. Theie is no reason or law against you saying " No," if \()U do not think you are ahle to make the run. Should the jioiiit be contested, you ma\' remind your partner that it lakes two to , _ ««v«^^ o^ «»w«,i-vBt, , make a run, and that the fac! of his gelling down to your wicket doi s not necessarily ensure your getting luck to his. Nature's Greatest Gift is Health. Abbey's Effervescent Salt gives Health. I The Standard IjZIPE Assurance =• Company, OF EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND. ESTABLISHED 1825. (SI. — • — .® Head Office in Canada, - Montreal. Subsisting Assurances $117,000,000 Invested Fumls 42,000.000 Annual Income „ver 5,100.000 Bonuses Distributed 29,503.000 Investments in Canada 13.500,000 Low Rates, Absolute Security, Unconditional Policies. PROMPT SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS. J. HUTTON BflliFOUH, W. m. HRCnSRV, Superintendent. Manager. GOLF, i',-„twi^ [VJOW that (loir has taken siu'li a prominent position in ^ the worlJ of s|>oi"l, it is impossil)li.', in such a small * hook as tliis is, to i^ive that amount of attention the game deserves. This is all tlie more to be regretted since no l)ody of men are more willing to pay for ■^^^S- I'tt-'ralure [)ertauiing to their favorite game than are t^ A^^ golfers, and no tjody of men criticise the work more keenly. Still, a hook with the title this one possesses, would be far from comjilele without (lolf, so I must e'en brave the critics, and with some kind assistance from Mr. Lanskill, trust that mv Haying may l)e of a gmile nature. Of the origin and history of this game little need be said. The term 'golf,'' |)r(inounce(l ,i;;o/f, is evidently derived from tlie (icrman v.'ord /y-if//>(', signifying a club, or llie Dutch woid /co//, of similar meaning, and impKing a game \vhic;h is placed with club and ball, (lames with club and tiall are numi.rous. and tneir origin is doubt- less coeval with man. lUit so far as liriiain is concerned, the origin ot golf must be conceded to Scotland, where, as early as March, 1457, the game was being played with sw h zeal as greatly to interfere wid^ what was deemed a more popular necessity, vi/., that of training in archer)'. Although decit-es were passed that golf *' l>r cryit do:^n and rocht usit^' and that ■'//(' ['lace be used for fntehalL i:oife, or other sik unprolitabill spoytCi^' the [uople gave no heed. Somehow they had l)e»\.nie pc.ssessetl nf so fascinating a sjiort, that it further be(-ame necessarv to ''prohibit such pasty me as i^o// upon the Sabbath day.'' It mav be the people were more anumable to this last decree, but nothing could dislodge the lnvc and dr'light - which the peo[)le of Scotland have always The constant use of 1 r I .1 r , rr,J \ Abbey's Eftisrvesoent entertauied for this their lavorite game. i_ .. •'... . In the end, however, it was rei i)gni/.e( "' '^' [Salt will keep you in ''*' '^' I good health. the national game of Scotland, and mon- 82 si-ORTS oi (;ki..\ii:k hkiiain. arclis iKjcaiiK' not only its ])air()i)s, hut thty also distinguislied themselves in the practice of the noble science. M\- oliject is not merely to in( ite a love for the game. I desire at the outset to notice sonu' of its many advantages. To play the game successfully requires a vast amount of most prompt and careful judgment, it entails also the most iinigoraling and healthy action of arms and legs. Indeed, I might sav, although in regard to it there may lie e\ci'ptions, a good golfer should possess the cool head of a professional whist or chess player. He shoukl possess, more- over, the arms of a navv} or Macksmith, and the imtiring energy of a September sjx)! tsman. In golluig there is no st;ition;uy \voil< for either legs, arms, or brain. Like the fact' of nature, the game is a series of jjerpetual changes. I'roblem aht r problem, or, if you like it better, difficulty after difficult)- arises, which you are calKd upon to surmount by coo) judgment and prompt ac lion. And as thosi- dililicullies, subject as they are to llie ruks ol ciiance, may never oi-cur twice untler similar cir<um>taiices, the exercise of judgment has therefore the wider scope. In golfing there ts no tall, as in the game of cricket, for any sudden and \iolenl e.\ercise to be followed b\ a chilling inactivitv. There are some men to whom the term "tluffer"'is a|)[)lied. Man\ of such men an- blessi'd with great nuiscular power, and nothing seems to give them so nuich pleasure as driving a ball single-handeti, and in that way fuml)ling, to[)ping and bunkering over a golf (ourse. I!ut e\fn an indifferent player, or an elderly man who cannot stand too much hard work, can indulge in a modified form of the game-, lie may |)lay in what is called a "foursome" by securing a partner better (pialilied than himself, or by special arrangement he may hire a first-class professional to |)ull him through. As a rule, a bad driver is a good ha:;d at trie short game. A foursome IS b\ no means such hard work as a "single. In the former case, the partners playing every alternate stroke, it amounts to just one half of arms' work, unless one's ally is con- tinually landing himself in the jaws of some Abbey's Ettervescent terrific san<lbunker. .Some men prefer the Salt is a standard milde; work of a foursome to tlie harder English preparation. It's use gives health. ^''"''' "' :^ ^"^«'^^- ^^^'^^''-^ a^^'i'n, will play a single in the morning and a foursome in Sl'DKI-; OK CI^MAIKK l;ia IAIN. 83 the aflerno,,!,. To \vu, a -allanl colunrl said to mil- last . summer ; "I n.nir play 'siiioUs' Doll, moniinL; ;,iul afUTDooii. Ifs far loo hard work.- '\'hc m (lud to th,, old ada-r, - All work and no play," crossi.l my mm, I, and ii oc.urrrd lo m.- that the: -allant colonel had invented a new application (jf the ol.l |)roverl). (ioli. thrn. i.s a ,^ame admiral, ly adapted for almost all con- •^''^i;'"-^ "'' """• I' '^■^nhs in th.' formaii.Mi of i.itiuliy societies, Siich as -mtlcii.Mi-s clul)^, arli.aiis- rlul.s, caildirs' eluhs, and iii seaside |)Ij(vn thm- arc aUo iisli.Miuirs chih-,. Ail iIksc, as a rule meet and play oi> tlir same -reen without any collision whatever! This arises iVom tiu' fact that all su'.mii to i|,i. strict discipline ot the game. Indeed, a -..It" rule comnunds. I feMi, more respe. t and prompt ()lw;di..Mic.e tiian <lo man\ in the Decalo-ue. Ciolf need not lie a ruinously (A|K-nsivi- uame. In i)hot(.i;raphy when a man has secured lo himself a -ood camera, the -ri'at exi.eiise IS over. .So is it in -oil : when a man has j,ro\ided himself with a comi)leie set of clul,.s, he ma\ kee|) iiis e\pc:nses, so far as the ^;aiiK; is concerned, within a small c ompas.. llut. in addition to tlu' dubs, I must not oiiut to mention the !iec^ssit\ of providing' a convenient and suitahle diess tor .n^jliin-. .\ -olfin,- ri-oul is neither extensive nor expensive. It is easilv ohtaincl, and few ueiillemen's wardrobes are ever de^iitute ol wh.it is re'juired under am emer^enc\'. I!ut besides lhes(; not very e\()eiiHve externals, soniet!iin,L( more is needed to pla\ the -aiiie of -o|f. .\ man must needs have a -'ood eye, and abo\c all, a -o.ul temp( 1. He must be content to recognise withc'iuanimi'y an error of judgment, as well a.^ to receive graciously an\- deleat wlcc h he ma\ sustain at the iiands of the ad\ersary with whom he ma\ be contending. In the case of defeat, let thecau.se be what it ma\, a man would tlo wi^'ly if he contented himself U) abide by the lolloumL: luolto ; " lle.den, but not con(|iiered." Cool players alwa_\s score at golf in the long run, but a hastv lempiT leads lo ■' pressing," " tojiping," " breaking clnbs," and oth'-rwise going to pieces in all parts of lii.- game. Apart Irom the.-,e issues of a hasty tem|)er, it \ery often ha[ii)ens that the - -. coolest |)layer is what is called '"off his No Other preparation game." In thai case there is no 1, t or ^'^ "J"" ^ ^00^" as hindrance to his g<.ing out an.l practising ^^^^^^'' E«ervescent by himsell\ It may be he is out of torni ■ - S4 Sl'OKTS OF CRKAIKK MKITAIN. in the use of one or more particular cluhs : for each clul), as I sliall set forth hereafter, is for a sjjecial purpose. Hut, anyliow, he ean Wy such (luiet practice sooti iMini; his hand round so as to resume its wonted cunning in the use of either this or that club. By some persons, not players of course, golf has been regarded as a dangerous game. Mishajjs are more likely to happen to strangers than to those who are versed in the game and the rules of the game. The golf cou.se is a place for jjlayers, but not for star- ga/ers. If a nuiii wishes to see the game played with safety to hnu- self, let him walk with any party going out from beginning to end. lUit should he leave the \n\rty when about mid course, it will most likely ha[)pen that he will find him.self between the firing of the out- going and incoming players. The danger of golf, therefore, is simply nothing to the golfer, though it may t■^ist for the foolishly unwary. .\|)\UK I OK i;t';(;i\\i':Rs. In conuiiencing this uuporlnnt subject, I cannot too stronf5;ly impress upon the mind of a beginner the necessity of ac(iuiring at the outset the true and perfect style of playing the game. A had beginning, as a rule. mak(;s a bad ending, and a badly accpiired style, whether it be in golf or in any other game, clings to a man like a limpet to a rock ; for, when once indulged in, it is extremely ditificult to unlearn. .\ beginner should, if possible, engage the ser- vices of some experienced player, who in a short lime would con- duct his pupil through all the intricacies of the ganije in a manner not to be conveyed by books. .\ good player, as a matter of course, takes great di'light in iilaying the game, and, according to my own experience, he has e(iual deiiglu in teaching an ajjt pui)il. Iksides receiving the benefit of oral instruction from an expert, the pupil would also have the immense advantage of watching ? pattern stroke made by his teacher. Bui, as a gocxl teacher is not always ready at hand, 1 will do my best to convey the useful hints which I have received. In playing the garse of golf, it is absolutely necessary at the out- set to be told a few essential facts. I Abbey's Eftfervescent ; ].irst, then, I must say a few words as ^*^* I to the manner of holding or grasping the play club. 'I'he main idea is to grasp the handle tightly with the upper hand, while Cures as well as 1 Prevents Disease. SI'OKIS OK GRKAIKR HKIIAIN. 85 the lower hand imisl be held loosely. The lower hand will act simply as a guide to the club. The V's formed by the thumbs and lirsl lingers in each gnisp should be parallel down the shaft of the ihib, and the knuckles should also be invisible to the player. J5ul take special notice of this: The club should be gripped with the lingers, and not with the palms of the hands. In preparing to make a stroke the feet should be planted well apart, in order to give steadiness to the body, as well as to pro- vide for its future movements in the full delivery of a stroke. For similar reasons also tlie knees should be slightly bent and the body leaning forwards. In the position thus taken the ball should be as nearly as possible in a line with the front or left foot. Remember also in gripi)ing to keep the ilumd)s over the first and second fingers - -the wrists down, and the arms well and freely extended from tlit: body. Stand at such a distance that the ball can be reached with ease in the down coming of the club. Do not stand too near, or over the ball, nor conunil the ojjposite fault by standing too far away, thereby causing a loss of force by over-reaching. If these simple directions be followed, the learner will avoid those frightful errors, which, in golling terms, are known as " topping," " heeling," " toeing," etc. Hy " top|)ing " a tjall is meant striking it above the cetUre, insleail of getting a good hold on the ball. iJy "heeling" a ball is meant striking it with the heel of the club. The effect of such a strt)ke would 1 erlainly not be to send the !)all in a straight line, but to drive it widely to the right, whereas a "' toed " ball would be driven away to the left. To ensure a successtul stroke, es[)ecially when making the long drive, there is .1 needful [Heparation called "addressing one's self to the ball." It is noi ahva\s easy lo judge, without experiment, a'- what distance to stand from the ball, liul this position is arrived at by the |)la\er reaching out with the club to tin; ball, and standing as already described, when bv a lew lem[)()ri/ing movements of his club above and behind the ball (which action is call "addressing one's self to the ball") a pro[)er judgment ^ of distance and direction may be arrived at. Some persons occupy nuich lime o\er this business, and rue apt to be credited with "overnnn:h llourish." A moderate amount ABBEY'S Effervescent Salt is VIVIFIC. S6 Sl'OKTS OF (■.RK.Mi;K IlKIIAIN. of this preparation is not only L'\cusal)lc, hut is also al)SoliiteIy iiect'ssary, for reason alrrady siau'tl. liy thus wavinj^ the club a few times to and fro a greater freedom of wrists and arms are a((|uire(l. In swinij;in_u, thai is to sa)', in delivering a stroke with the [)lay fluh or with the spoon, it should he swung i)acl< slowl)- and with a circular swing over the right shoulder, until it arrives at the back of the player's neck. The club should then be brought down with sweeping force to the object aimed at, and the greatest im|)etus should be given when the club arrives within a few feet of the ball. The swee|), for sweep it is, must be jjerfectly true and synuiietrieal to the end. IJy this is meant, the club, if properly wielded, will, in its course from the begimiing to the end of the swing, describe about three-fourths of a perfect circle. Any other style than this comes under the head of either high swinging or low swinging, which for long driving are deemed glaring errors. Too nuic.i care, therefore, cannot be taken by beginners to avoid these errors, for, as I have before slated, a i)adly accpiired habit is a most difficult thing to be rid of. Another im[)ortant point connected with the swinging of a club is the enforced action on the body, 'j'o ap[)reciate this fact let the beginner try the following exjeriment : Take the club and use it as directed above, but do not, if possible, remove either foot from its original position. The result will be, if you wield the club with full force while maintaining that position, a severe strain upon both arms and body. To avoid this, as also to reaj) the benefit of your full force, the botly must participate in your action. For this [Uirpose, in first swinging up let the body follow the action by the help of the left foot, and in swinging down let the arms and body follow the direction of the ball. The latter movement is accomplished by rising on the right toe. be careful not to che;.k arms or bodv at the ball, but follow the stroke through. Hy these means the striker will be enabled to send the ball with swiftness and unerring accuracy. Still, however, to acf|uire that accuracy one thing more is 17 ~~, • needful, which I have reserved for special AhW'c ?lf "^® ^l '^"^'•■^'- ^^•'^^■'"g '""l^^d ahead, and having Abbeys Effervescent , , , .... . , ^ Salt will keep your s ''""'"^^^'^ "I'''" ^'^"' ^'"■^'^■t'<>'i ol play, you blood pure. ' '^'^"'^ ^"■'^'^^ >'""■ attention to the ball. — — ' Remember this —while in the act of SI'DRTS OF CKKAII.K l;KIIAI.\. S7 making a .strokL-, do not on any account allow your eyes lu waiidur from the ball ; no, not for an instant. Aim at strikinj; tiie hall with the ccnLre of the lace of the iluh, and strike well at the root of the ball so as to avoid topfjing or missing the b;ill allogetlier. Ii would be belter to .?6-///(?//" the turraluile, i\\k\ give the ball a chance of going, rather than to continue the habit of hilling the ball on the top. A lopped Ixill makes no progress, and the action presents a most unseemly operation on the part of the i)laver. Having acquired a knowledge of ihc ccjrrect style, position and swing for driving, then by nil means go out alone and iMaclise all day, from day to day, until i)roliciencv therein is attained. Nou might ifpo.ssible, choose as your companion an c\|)cricn.ed caddie, who would take no small interest in your efforts ; and nou would do well to invite his criticism, ksl any fault be unconsciouslv ilevelo|)ed in your exercise. Do not as a beginner be over-anxious to play in matches, but spend much time in (uiiet |)raclice alone. Ncj one. with any ex[)erience, cares to i)lay with an erratic beginner, because it lends to make even a good player careless, l-aults are infectious. I'll riN(;. 1 will now proceed to give you some few hints on putting. Many of the best players vary in their standing position while putting. Some stand in front of the ball, while others lake up a position behind it. Some, again, will stand near, and others as far as possible hom the ball ; while some will grij) the < lub short, and others give it its full length. i!ul the following is, I think, the best course to adopt : Stand s(|uare to the ball, having the feet about eighteen inches apart, and so arrange yourself that the ball may lie a little nearer to the right foot than lo the left. Aim at the back of the hole — which means the further side f>f the iiole from where you stand and allow the i)ulter, in its motion, to follow the ball. Hut in doing so be careful to avoid shoving or [lushing. The ball must be played fairly and honestly for the hole. I have said, aim at the back of Happiness is the outcome i the hole. At first sight, possibly the I ot Health. Health is I reason for this may not be ap|)arent. the outcome of the use | rpi 1 • .1 f ^1 I 11 f V of Abbey's Eftervescent The simple reason is that the ball, if it : „ ,. •' ' Salt. fall short of the hole, has no chance of 88 SI'ORTS OK CkKAIKK imiTAIN. going in. I therefore say, give the ball a chance. The common advice of a professional teacher to a beginner is, " Remember the hole will not^conie to you." 'I'he above advice holds good whether you use wooden or iron putters. l"'or my part I prefer the former. Still, if a ball lies cupped on the green, then by all means use a cleek, which is a most useful club when holing out. In using the " cleek " let the club lie naturally, and do not place it so as to make its face s(|uare to the ball. In that case you would necessarily be obliged to stand very much in front of the ball, and the hands being thus brought too much in advance of the club head, a truly following stroke under such circumstances could hardly be made, rr.KiNc. I have already explained the teeingground, and now, on the subject of teeing, I offer you the following hints. Whether the teeing be done by yourself, or whether it be done, as is usual, by the caddie whom you engage to carry your clubs while at play, see that only a small pinch of sand be used for the purpose. A ball placed upon a positive mound of sand is as unsightly as it is unnecessary, and the practice is most absurd. Note well, the sand should be so pinched up as to touch only the centre of the ball. Some caddies and inexperienced persons will sometimes put down a big i)at of sand, into the centre of which they positively press the ball. That ball 1 consider to be bunkered rather than teed. CKNKR.M, ADVKK. Lastly, I come to more general advice, which 1 trust may be also useful to a beginner. It not unfretjuenlly happens that the first day's play of a beginner is better than the second. At this be not disheartened ; it simply suggests the necessity of more steady and (^iet practice. If in playing you lose a hole, especially at the com- mencement of the game, do not begin to fume and fret over it like a child over spilt milk. Remember that other holes are before you, and by steadying down you may possibly do better with them. This holds good both in score and hole play. Many a good player may start with a record of two or three holes to the bad, but in the end he Nature's Greatest Gift is Health. Abbey's Effervescent Salt gives Health. .SI'ORTS Ol' CkKAlKR IIKIIAIN, 89 may have so retrieved himself as to come in with a good srore, and possibly, alter all, he may t)e amKniiiced the winner. Never talk of bad luck. If you make a bad shot, do not on the next occasion dash at the ball in a rage and hit wildly, in which case the last stroke will, in all probability, be worse than the former. Do not in a fit of passion throw your clubs about. Such an effort could certainly do you no good, and it might be destructive to your clubb'. Always remember that a bad stroke is not the fault of the club, but of the man at the entl of it. The roiindation ol Strength ><7, . ^ KHHERVKSCKNT -SALT ^—^ *^^ is the I'ountiation of Health ^vii* C^ is Health. •^^ ABBKY'5 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) L A u. (/jt 1.0 I.I 1^ 1112.2 m 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 ^ M 6" - ► V] e /a /a ^/ /A Photographic Sciences Corpor&don 4 V ^\ ^ [V 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 873-4503 ^ V'^q\ The Harold A.Wilson C Limited, fl 35 KING STREET W., TORONTO, SEND FOR OUR CATALOGUES. Every three montlis we issue a new Citalogue, and we mail these Catalogues free to over 15,000 addresses, regularly. Do you get them? It's your own fault if you don't. All we need is yiur name and address, and our Catalogues go to you KREE, every quarter. WILSON'S CATALOGUE Of Summer Sports for '98 tun e.^....« ^....^ READY MARCH 1. WILSON'S CATALOGUE Of Fall Sports for '98 WILSON'S CATALOGUE ^^^^^ '^^^ ^ Of Winter Sports for '98 READY SEPT. 1. Our Catalogues are noted for their completeness, their size, and their value as a liandy reference in Athletics and Sports, Cames and Pastimes of every kind. They are profusely illustrated and everything is fully descril)ed, and the nett prices are stated with every article. Send your name and address per post card or letter to-day and the current, as well as all future Catalogues, will be forwarded you free on the dates of issue. I.iniiieil. THE HAROLD A. WILSON C« 35 King St. W., Toronto, Canada. SOLE CANADIAN AGENTS lor the CHRISTY Bicycle Saddle. SOLE CANADIAN AGENTS for the WHITELY Exercisers. Leading Canadian Manufacturers ot Gymnasium Supplies. LACROSSE. C) wiile ii[)on Lacrosse in Montreal, at first si<^ht seems not only a work of su[)ereroj^atioii, i/dt also a rather darinir venture, considering that from the small hoy with his minaturc lacrosse, to the veteran with many scars gained in the game, ahout (;o per cent, of the '^ci''^ Ijopulation arrogate to themselves tiie right to criticize -^ both exponents of and writers on the game. Under these circumstances 1 have thouglit it wiser to give merely general observations on the ])lay, rather than a scientific article on the intricacies of the game. The following short history of the game may be interesting to those who have not yet read of the game in its infancy. The game of lacrosse has a very interesting past. It is the invention of the Xorth American Indians, and it is highly i)robab!e that it was played by them as a formulated jiastime as far back as we know |)olo to have been by the Persians. Catlin, in his travels sixty years ago, found tribes lo the number of fortv-eight, and separated by a distance of three thousand miles, playing the early form of the pn.^sent lacrosse in a way that proved it to be a well- established thing, but the earlier records which exist in connection with polo are wanting. In Callin's time, and later, the game was something more than a mere i)astime on occasions, for when tribe met tril)e the interest a|)proached the nature of warfare, the exinte- menl prevailing being no doubt the prototy[)e of what is now witnessed with ourselves amongst the partisans of the contesting sides in a ( 'apital t.s. .Shamrock match. The night previous to the game would be s])eiit in savage modes of preparation, which would but ill accord with our modern notions of , training. The whole of the available , The Roses of Health come to the cheeks males of each tribe appeared to take part ' through the daily use of in the contest : indeed, Catlin's i)ictures abbkvs , , 1 , I ,1 1 „ I^FFF.RVfiSCENT SALT. show some huinlrcds engaged. 1 he ball ' 92 SPORTS OV ClkKAlKK imi'IAIN. was of deer skin, stuffed with hair, and the ciosse in which it was carried was a small affair compared with that now in nse, the netting being not much larger than the ball. Two crosses are spoken of, in some cases, the ball being held between the two. Tribes varied a little in their modes of play, whilst each made a "point of using some particular form of crosse. Crosse is, of course, a more modern term, given by the French Canadians, because the form of the implement used suggested the Bisho[)'s cro/.itr. From this it is clear that the game, as seen by Catlin, had undergone some development before reaching Montreal and other of the more Eastern towns, 'i'he game, as played before Catlin, must have been a terrific scramble, and without combination. Amongst so many players one could not expect to secure the ball often, so he had to do the most he could when it came in his way. It is not difficult to imagine the frantic efforts which some athletic young brave would make to carry the ball into the goal, and probably he would become considerably damaged in the process. These efforts, it is amusing to learn, were further inspired in the case of married men by the privilege which extended to the wif*^ of making a formitable birch out of hazel switches, and with it relentlessly thrashing her spouse whenever his efforts slackened. As the i)layers wore nothing but a waist-cloth — paint and feathers distinguished one side from the other — the woman was able to inflict considerable punishment; and it was considered shockingly bad form on the part of the husband to offer violence in return. The reason for the extension of a privilege so unusual in the case o." an Indian squaw, was the fact that the women invariably staked a considerable quan- tity of their worldly goods upon the issue of the game. Goals under ordinary conditions, i.e., from two hundred to two hundred and fifty yards apart, appear to have been very easily gained, for the game was commonly one of one hundred i^oints up, each goal counting one point. And now note a very curious thing : did the score reach ninety-five all, the players were allowed to set to ten. It is surprising indeed, to find a custom in vogue at rackets and fives developed in the natural order of things by .savages with whom we could have hatl no communion, living across some thou- sands of miles of ocean. The goal posts were ABBEY'S Effervescent Salt Excites the Appetite. SPORTS OF CRKATKR nRil'AIN. 93 over twenty feet hi^di, and sometimes the players had only to i^et tlie ball across a goal-line, which would account for the rapid scoring. The old men of the tribes made all preparations, and acted as umpires. The testimony of otiier travellers goes to show that the playing of lacrosse, or the ball-game, as it was called by che Indians, was one of the occu[jations of their life. c;KNKRAI, OMSKItNAllONS ON I'l.AV IN IHI'. IIKLI). The almost universal ust- of the overhand throw has made the game faster than it was in the first days of its introduction, and there is less running, l)e('ause men are more accurate with their throws, and more handy with their crosses. The old game once consisted of a speedy wing man running down at right angles to the goal, and then ttirowing the ball across, so that it fell in front of the posts. iiut it was soon realised that this could be done much more expe- ditiously by the throw from the centre of the field without much pre[)aratory running. iUit these tactics were not persisted in so soon as defence men took lo holding down the crosses of the attacks as the ball approached and kit the goal-keeper to deal with the ball. No two teams play precisely the same game ; but, as a general thing, it may be assunn;d that the object of the manieuvring is to pass the ball on to one t)l' the homes, who shoots at goal. The rapidity with which this is at times accomplished is one of tlie features of the game. A single mistake on the part of a defence player, and the ball may be through the goal in fifteen or twenty second from the start. This is not a hypothetical case, for it happens every season. In the early days of the game, when tlie matches we.e three goals out of *^.ve, the actual play seen in a match of the highest imi)ortance might not exceed half a-do/en minutes, so rajjidly were tlie three goals scored by one side. Now matches are played differently, and it is wonderful that paying spectators ever tolerated tlu' abt)ve system. I refer to this matter with set purpose, for the beginner cannot too soon engraft the fa(~t on his mind, that the ball 'can be made to travel through the air some two or three times faster than a man can run along the ground, i Health comes from Consequently, the most expeditious way of \ *^® J^^^y ^]^^ °^ , ,, • , ' . I Abbeys getting a ball to a given spot, is lo throw u j Effervescent Salt there, and not to carry it thither on the crosse. ' 94 SI'ORTS OF f.RF.AIKR l!RII'AI\. 'I"lu' |;l,i\i'r iK'i'il iiL'wr fcnr that his It'L^s will not have had sufficient exeicisr liy llu' .iiiir tiu' iiuilch is over. At lacMosse there is none of llie loui h line pl:i\' which gi\es football plavers uiuler hotli codes short iiuer\;i!s o[ lireathiiig s])ace : the ball is always traxellint;, and ihuse |)l,i\e;s will L;ei on best who can save their powers for those oc(asion> wlun [\]c ball conies in their vicinity and they have to liL;ht for il with an opponent, 'i'lie sudden sprint at top s|)eed which uels the i)la\er to the ball before the opponent is what is valuable in the runnel'. It mav be that no other course than running lies open to him. in that event he must run; but, if a irieiul placed in a favorable ])osilion be unchecked, the ball should go U) him on the instant. Running gives the opi)onents time to concenlrate, and to co\(.r their men. Kunning has been called the refuge of the bad pla\er, and certain it is that an inveterate runner will alwa)s be one who is not cle\er with his crosse. He is a nuisance on a side, for there can be no combination with a man who is jjerpetually sprinting half the length of the field. Lacrosse is not a game of sustained effort, but one of a succes- sion of little tussles, the sharper while they last for being short-lived. The player's motto should be. obtain the ball as often as you can ; hold il as little as you can. But this motto cannot be followed out in jjiactice if the player does not (jualify himself therefor. What a novice wants is to have the ball frequently on his crosse, and if is put green-handed into a match this is precisely what he does not get. There is no ([uicker way of getting handy with the crosse than by forming a ring of four or five pla)ers (svith five or more, two balls can be circulating at the same time) and throwing the ball from one to the other. th(; thro\vs being varied as nmch as possible. It is not necessary to hn\e more than one (if the players an e\[)ert, but there should !)e at least one who initiates the learners into the various throws and the manner of catching the ball. It must be the object of each man to i)ass the ball on with the greatest ex|)edition. Catches will come to him high and low, and wide on either side^ and the throws have to be made from those Abbey's Effervescent j positions, the player not being supposed to Salt is a health-giving, j .-evert to his favorite attitude before throw- health-preserving pre- ■ ^j^ pavation. i Anotlier essential thing to practise is «''ORTs OF (IRKATKR Kkita.X. ^^ into .l,e o,u.,r..„..|,d .:",";: "; ' ^"'^-'- ^ ^'« "- '■all falls ahead ,I,x.,, „„t ,„al,« .„;,'' """,■'" """"■'• ' '"'I-'"" far '« avoided . .,„ ■ Vs ,':;,::'" '^ ^"-^''■'■'"'" -'- "- >" .i>eov:H:,d;i:;;:'';:;:,'';';::r:;;r' '-''■- "-"'-• '-^ difficuhies ° ' ■"■ '" ""-■■"■ 'l"-^ly a..d a..curau.|y „„de,- Of dj pi;;:::':: ::;:;'''• 'i^;'™ '•""-"" ^i- u,e ,<e, ,0 „„,e,, ".ere ,i„o,vi„g ,„a,.|,i,K.,s, „,,„ s,a„i ie „; ' "' ""' "*-■ be passed to. They „„er lenvv ,1 , ''"" "'"""- '" of the l.all wid, an , r ''e"' ""•-■'■ '"'""""" l«"--'°" shot, when „ d .' UMf , r " '"•■'" '"' "■ "-■ ^-<""-« of ,heir aHves, d,ey nev^; iz^ :'^,:'::"T%: "''""' '" """ ■'"■" do.en goals in a n,a,eh. „,• .enilnn ne,- .r::;:'^- T"' '"",: ness depends enlirelv up„„ ,h, ,|;i|| „f „, ". "" '^".'■"'l'' • "'<-'"■ "-'-'ful- an opening for .hen,.' A „,a oh ,! In '"' "=""' '" "'"^'"« as ..ear ,he goal as h. ea., Z!:^Z'':i:'Zn"1 ''T T""' of running out to spoil the pass. B"aMeeper the chanee With such a hrst home, point must alwav., be cherkin., ,.|„.,.]v and t,po„ h..„ will depend whether the hon.J re.vi '' or ..ot. The object of the attack will „, ^ I c I """" leave firs, hontc by con.in, out to che.'k ,' '"^'^^;i'""" cover-point w„„ ,„e ball: poi„, is llound !!! " """"rL!':!^' to come out sooner or later ; but Ik: should I "For the morning I leave it to the very last instant of time, ' after the night be- i and when he does run out to nicet the ' '*"''" '"* ABBEY'S I on-coming opponent, he should cotiirive to '' ^"^"'scent Salt. | 96 Sl'OKTS (}F GKKA'IKK liRIIAIN. do SO when he wi!l intervene between him and first home. The pass will then have to l)e made high over point's head, which will give time for some one to reacli first home before the ball does so. On the other hand, first home should not allow point to be between himself and the man with the ball, but place himself in the best position for a pass. This is one of the most critical situations that can arise in a game, and all that is possible is to give general advice. Another kind of first home is the muscular dodger, who relies upon his ability to get round point or anyone else. A dodger who keeps his head clear is invaluable, but so few do this, their frecjuent practice being to ])ersevere in endeavoring to pass their man out of sheer doggedness, whereas a friend is i)robal)ly waiting for the pass. Personally, 1 am not {partial to a dodging first home, for it is difiicult to combine with him, since one never knows where to find him. It should be distinctly understood, before the game begins, on which s'de of goal first home stands. Some advocate the placing of first home some distance from goal- -say fifteen yards, or even a trifle more, and I think this an excellent plan. It gives first home plenty of spare to manteuvre in, and the larger the area point has to cover, the worse it is for him. Second and third home can do a deal of execution by means of a successful dodge, as this should enable them to either run in for a shot, or get first home clear. Voung [)layers are continually asking whether they should shoot at long range or not. Tliis depends upon many conditions. A shot from fifteen yards' range should be stopped every time by the goal-keeper ; but if a player is a very powerful thrower it is a very good thing for him to take his shot, i)roviding it has been previously arranged that fust home, or whoever may be nearest to the goal- keeper, dashes in after it and tries to score of the rebound. This play is by no means sufiiciently followed, one reason being, I suppose, that the hard throwers do not exist in sufficient numbers. Coming to attack field, one of the most glaring and frequent — mistakes that is made is wandering. If the Abbey's Effervescent game is going in their favor they are eager •« . } « ' enough to be forward : but directly fortune Retains and Regains . , ., j ^ • . .1 • Health ^^^^ agamst them they drift into their own ji^lf^ leaving the miserable homes without SPORTS OF-' CREATER liRITAIN. 97 support, and with the least possible chance of scorin<f. It must be distinctly understood that the duties of attack and defence are separate, and that under no circumstances should an attack field be on the defence side of the centre of play. If his defence are not strong enough to re[)el the attack, they must lose the match ; no pushing up of the attack field will alter the state of things, whilst, when by chance the ball is thrown down [)ast centre, there is no one there to make use of it. Unless the attack wings keep their jjlaces an organised game is impossible. In every way it is bad for an attack wing to wander on the defence side of the centre, for, sup- posing him to secure the l)all, he nmst run forty yards or so before he is in a position to do anything with it. This will cause a general following up of players on the inside, which is not lacrosse at all. When the game is going against a side it is made worse by the attack wings leaving their places. The great thing lacking is the systematic employment of field captains to direct players what to do in such cases as these. A field captain can only give general directions, and stop men who are about to commit a serious error. Chiefly are they useful amongst inferior players, in making the defence check their men properly, and warn- ing them when the man they are checking is stealing off. The man with the ball they must leave to himself ; their work must be in the direction of making his way smooth for him. The word "right' or "left" should be enough to indicate to a player in which direction he will find the better opening. Putting on a field captain for one match will be better than nothing, perhaps, but not much, for the players will not be looking out for his orders, and will not under- stand half of them when they hear them. If a team could go through a season under the guidance of a capable field-captain, and implicitly obey him, we should see something that would cause that now- despised functionary to become more popular. A few general remarks may be made upon checking. Anything of the nature of holding an opponent's crosse, except by pressure of the crosse upon his at the moment when he is endeavoring to secure the ball, is high\ repre- hensible, and irritating to the person offended against. Not less to be condemned is the practice of reaching over a player's shoulder, ABBEY'S Effervescent Salt, the Foundation of Health. 98 SPORTS OF GRKATEk BRITAIN. in an indeavor to strike the ball out of the crosse, in such a way as to lean the arm upon the shoulder. The practic ^ of taking a wild slash at an opponent who is outstripping one for speed, hitting him on the elbow or hip, is one upon which the referee should be very severe, as this sort of thing begets retaliation. Body checking is an art, and, when well carried out, is very dis- concerting to the dodger. The checker must take no notice what- ever of the dodger's crosse or the ball, but simply study to place himself in the way, so that he cannot pass. Body-checking is most useful in the vicinity of third man's position. Shots for goal may be more frequently prevented than is the case by the point-blank check. To execute this the checker must be within the length of his crosse of the thrower, whose crosse he watches, and, as the forward movement of the throw is made, the checker darts out his crosse at arm's length, the result being that it meets the other crosse somewhere midway in the course of the throw. Great care must be taken in thrusting the crosse out that the butt does not point toward the body, but to one side, as the violent con- tact with the other crosse might cause injury. No checker should pursue a running opponent beyond the position for the next defence player, it being the duty of the last- named to come out to intercept, his opponent being taken in hand by the original pursuer. I cannot conclude this chcOter on Canada's own game without entering a protest in regard to the way the game has been abused during the last year or two. A really good game in itself testing the powers of the athlete to the very utmost, it has degenerated into a slugging match pure and simple, to the average on-looker, though to the supporters of the winning side it may be called lacrosse of the most scientific type. An outsider cannot shut his eyes to the reason for this decadence. It is money I All lovers of the game know this, and it is only now, when it has become a scandal, measures are being taken to cleanse this Augean stable. Abbey's Effeirescent Salt Retains and Regains Health. Ahateurs ! Read ! After the prescription is carefully studied ; after all the ingredients have ThS CrlBCk t'L-en placed in your bottle— then we " check " — carefully review the quan- tities we have weighed and measured, SUSfBrn. and examine all the boxes or bottles " ' from which drugs have been taken to see that no mistake has been made. This we do with all [)rescriptions, and we take time to do it thoroughly. You would like all your prescriptions filled that way, would you not? If you would— send them to us. We have the confidence of your physician : why not yours ? -^TELEPHONE 4737^— riacmillan's, Phillips Square, AND WE WILL SEND FOR YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS AND RETURN THEM PROMPTLY MOTTO: THE GINGER ALE, SODA WATER, APPLE NECTAR, CREAM SODA, &c. To be obtained from all First-class Grocers. Hotels and Restaurants- 2 Gold, 3 Silver, 5 Bronze Medals and 17 Diplomas QUKb'J awarded for superior excellence. CHARLES GURD & CD. - - MDNTRBRL. AN OPEN LETTER. To ouy h'yicHiis and Patron^ Wo take tills 'ipixrtuniu .if th.iiikinif ymi for ymr . oiist.int ■m^ ll;)erfil p.-itroiiriKe "f Hit-' pasl iliirty years_ „e.MU.-red the fielil with tlic ..l.jsrt nf .issun.in.i; the lea.l in our lint of business, an.l b re^^'in . f cnnstant attention ,in<l use of the " I.est - of MiK'reilients. ,,„nt,^rs machinery and f^irinul.i-, fve have sua tl'- I m c irniii;; the in.rit an 1 ai.pr,-, iaiion of ,, larire > hentele. We hive relaxed no .fforts in ,„,r fii.U-ivors to kceiJ ii'ir lin-.in,.--,s coiuinuiUy in a tliorou^'h ■■ M/t /■j </.i/ir tMii.lition . , ■ ■ ■li u^^ un.l.r th,- .lir.:a m.nai(,;,iu„t of Mr. ClIARI i:S C.VKU from the lievr.nnmK. H.„efiti t' In is h„i,^ experience we have been lunblcd to secure the very best results o nMnufacture. No , v'i.-iise lis b.-en sDirJl in se, urinv^ the hi^niest -lass ot m ichiii-ry and other c |uipin'iits, and Ae be leie the res!m «i!vs usIhVlarK'as, icommo'lation and ui ,3. approved fa. ilities for the m inufi, tnP-- of ..Urate,! Waters on the continent. , , , j i •,■,,. i. Our c'.L.ds are t.. be had from aim. stcv..-ry first-:lass dealer in (.an.ida. In purchisinff 1T.K.\SH SKE Tii.vr Ofu LABEL IS ,.N K\ EKY iioTrLE. as this ,s a guarantee aif.iinat inferior substitutes. . . , c With appreciation of your favors. Respei tfuUv yours. CHARLES aURD & CO. HASLET BROTHERS Manufectui'ing Furriei'?, U P-TO-D ATE HATTERS, r St. CathGrins Street Furs stored and insured against Fire, Moths and Burglars. ■-x:^ y X. ■^'■£: ^'a:£ ■>r.-i«,x;^. OHMRGES 7WYODERKTE. montreal JImateur JItbletic J1$$ociation. jVTO hook on Sports emanating from Montreal would he complete *■ ^ without reference heing made to what is now a landmark of the city, the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, which has done so much to foster an interest in the different branches of s[)ort which are connected with it. Its aims are to kee[) each sport on a strictly amateur basis, which in these days of mixing the pay of the professional with the social standing of the amateur, is indeed a herculean task ; still, with energetic committees with the good of athletics at heart, there is little fear of the result. 'l"he city of Montreal should be proud of such an institution, for its influences are widespread, and are used more especially for the good of youth. It ma/ be of interest to give a short history of the club, for some of the facts for which I have to return my thanks to the Montreal IVi/ness, THE FOR.MA'IION Ol' THK M. A. A. A. Its formation originated in the minds of some of the older members of the senior clui)S, and its history briefly told is as follows ; In 1859 a gymnasium club was organized. This club in 1862 induced the Mctiill University authorities to erect a gymnasium near the old High School, to be used conjointly for the benefit of the pupils and the club. In 1867 the members formed a joint stock company and erected on the corner of Mansfield and Burnside streets the splendid and commodious stone edifice now owned and occupied by the M.A.A.A. The gymnastic institution flourished for some years, but later interest in it fell off, especially on the part of the younger members. This was the condition of things in March 1877, when the officers of the Montreal Lacrosse and Snowshoe Clubs determined tD have some fixed habi- tation for club meetings. They leased two rooms in the Montreal Gymnasium. This joint occupancy was continued until the end of 1878, when the gymnasium directors. Abbey's Effervescent Salt Cures as well as Prevents Disease. I02 SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN. finding they were gradually but surely falling in arrears, for they had a heavy mortgage on the building, determined to sell the proi)erty. The two clubs, finding that the rooms they occupied had been of great use to them, made overtures to the gymnasium authorities to lease the whole building for a term of years. After some trouble this proposition was accepted in January, 1879, at a rental of $1,000 a year. The gymnasium was then thoroughly overhauled and a shooting gallery added. Rules and regulations relating to the new order of existence were promulgated, and card playing and gambling were strictly prohibited. The clubs prospered under the new regime. Some of the leading spirits who had thus far guided events now proposed a scheme to save the gymnasium for athletics and the building as a home for the clubs. The rental barely gave the directors enough to pay the interest on the mort- gage and other sundry expenses, and they were still talking of selling. The clubs accordingly offered to assume the mortgage if the share- holders would deed over to them the property, and receive in return a life membership in the building and club house. After some months talking about the scheme, in April, 1881, the Lacrosse, Snowshoe and Bicycle Clubs (the latter joining in order to assist the scheme) found themselves in possession of a home of their own and a valuable acquisition towards the promotion of athletic interests. In June, 1881, an act of incorporation was passed by the Provincial Parliament at Quebec, and under the name of "The Montreal Amateur Athletic Association," the Montreal Gymnasium lost its identity in its amalgamated successor. Such was the forma- tion of the Association. From that time it has " boomed " in every sense of the term. Above all, its membership increased — one of the healthiest signs of an institution — it became a most popular resort. It had a most salient feature, and one which without any doubt contributed very largely towards its success, the evils of gambling and drink were most strictly eliminated. The M.A.A.A. is composed of six clubs— the Montreal Lacrosse Club, the Montreal Snowshoe Club, the Montreal Bicycle Club, the Montreal Football Club, the Montreal Cricket Club, and the Tuque Bleue Toboggan Club. The Associa- tion chose for its crest a unique conception Health comes from the daily use of Abbey's Effervescent Salt. SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN. I03 in the shape of a winged wheel on a double barred shield under which is the motto : " Jungor ut Implear," which means literally " Union is strength." It is due to the manner in which the Association stuck to this motto the success which it has attained at the present day. Montreal athletes keep on improving if only in booming athletic sports, and no greater evidence is there of the truth of this than that great monument to Montreal's love ot athletic sports, the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association. This great institution is the result of the natural inclination of the Montrealer for athletics, and the pre" dominance of amateur athletic sports over professional — predomin- ance which existed in Greece, was perpetuated in Great Britain, and to-day is so much in evidence in the M. A. A. A. In concluding this short story of the club I would again refer to the influence for good — moral as well as physical — which the M. A. A. A. exercises over the young men of this city and which is very great. Thtre they learn the true value and meaning of honor and fair play. They are safe-guarded against gambling and strong drink. The founder, in order to eliminate all fear of the former, prohibited the playing of cards ; while as for drink, nothing of the kind is tolerated on the premises. There they learn practically that when the body is kept in a healthful condition by exercise, liquor becomes repulsive to the senses. Among some of its maxims it says that " daily exercise will wonder- fully help young men, in connection with cool baths and a simple diet, to live chaste lives." The M. A. A. A. also engenders a feeling of loyalty among the young men for everything Canadian and national. I cannot close this short tribute without congratulating the members on their selection of President. Mr. Sheppard is himself a young man, consequently is able to look with a more lenient eye on any little infraction of rules, occasioned by nothing more harmful than the exuberance of youthful spirits, than would a man whose age has made him forget the follies of youth. Happiness is the outcome of Health. Health is the outcome of the use The Association, too, should be | of Abbey's Effervescent proud in possessing the President of Salt. 104 SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN. the Amateur Athletic Association of Canada as a member, in tlie person of Mr. H. Brophy, and all true lovers of clean sport will congratulate him on his temerity in so quickly tackling the amateur status after his accession to power. Last, but by no means least, comes the name of the Secretary, Mr. Herbert lirown, whose arduous, and at times thankless duties, ]^ are so thoroughly and genially carried out. It is safe to say that as long as he holds the position, the wants— within reason— of the I members will be studied to the best of his ability. « Long may the M. A. A. A. flourish like the proverbial "green bay tree " to carry on its good work. ^^->^! The Roses of Health come \y^, ^-^ to the cheeks ^^ ABBEY'S ^^ */^\ EFFERVESCENT SALT. *^\ through the daily use of '^ • ■^t r^H**- ,*^7*.i-" ♦^•.- ■ ,.'r^'*i^*;-^f' I Beaver Line JRoyal Mail Steamships SAILING WEEKLY BETWEEN Liverpool aqd Monlfeal, ■ in ^ummEii Liverpool aqd ^t John, W.B. in Winter" CALLING AT MOVILLE AND RIMOUSKI to land and embark Passenpers and Mails in Summer, and Halifax and Moville in Winter. From Liverpool Every Saturday. From Montreal or St. John.. Every Wednesday. " LAKE ONTAEIO," " LAKE SUPEEIOR," "LAKEHUEON," "LAKE WINNIPEG," "GALUA." These Steamer* have been built specially for the North Atlantic Passenger trade and hare excellent accommodation for all classes of Passengers. RATES OF PASSAGE TO LIVERPOOL: First Cabin... .....$50.50 and upwards. RoundTrip $»oo. $»05 and upwards. Second Cabin to Liverpool or London 'if.^^^ Round Trip *^*'-75 STEERAGE AT LOWEST RATES. INCLUDING COMPLETE OUTFIT. ^rSPECIAL BAIL RATES TO AND TBOM ALt POIWTS.-^ Passengers and Baggage from the West are transferred at Montreal and St. John from Depots to Steamers Freb. AGENTS: D. W. CAMPBELL. Hgr.. D. & C. flACiVER. Hgrs.. 18 Hospilal St., Montreal Tower Building, Liverpool. Asento In nil principal Towns and Cities. I BOVRIL TKe post Perfect Fonn or Gonceiitrateii iioorisiiDieiit. '•The Glory of a Han is his Strength." l5vJ V Wyl L is the best Training Food for Athletes, it produces Strength and fluscle with- out adding superfluous fat. It is used and recommended by all the leading Athletes of the day. BOVRIL LiniTED, 3o Farringdon Street, London, Eng., And 27 St. Peter Street, Hontreal.