The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 4, 1901, Page 10

10 THE SUNDAY OCAELL. HERE are plenty of people who say the most dangerous mods of convevance ever invented by e tandem. They tell you has little command iz over the a tandem cart easily overt when making a sharp turn ce very well what the le is doing. In fact, one ect to be landed unceremonicusly in the shrubbers the wayside. by Those who style of driving nt of the subject or theiy ng the reins has caused to in- all accidents elessness or n the part of the driver friends are shocked the ten-vony tén reet; they ng the driv g nd nerve u Some people possess an even temper ment nerves nd good common sense fortunate enough to p s “ u ncey of each of these v handle with much pleasure and equal success a ten-pony tandem. I understand that mine is the only outfit of the kind in the wc This should not discourage the am- bitious the feat is easy of e whole secret of my suc- ow no set my ess is desizned and jon: not )structions of those who do nde: brough the little driving a my own superv d stay at home and write 1bj My method is that be adopted by all, for it is thoroughly American. s my suggestions might ald the young an who desires to drive a many- tapdem, I will dedicate the fol- instructions to him e beginner should drive one horse scientifically and en he should add another, trying mer of turne and tricks then, thoroughly master of two, bring pony: now, usually, if you in driving three you can eastly, les or herses, just as gests, but for my own ene as they a As & rule they are more sulted rdem work than the larger animals, However, is more difficult to find per. the former. One should spend joyment 1 quicke: pontes, & grear aeal of e u eeiecUNg his ponies, as to size, color and breed, The wheele should be of good girth, strong hindquarters, long body and rather very compact. He should ger stride if possible than the others and certainly very reliable. \o °©co0cc00°® 7 f '_~'Q'< ! = P:‘) ./4%" © 00 oo ° o 0© = ~4 The leader can be of lighter build than the wheeler, but not larger. In the pho- tograph th> leader looks larger but he is not. He is smaller than the wheeler, the position of the camera making him look otherwise. He should be steady and re- liable and quick to answer a pull on the 7z J S ) Yo %o pnER L DRIVING EIGHT-IN-H f:\N D+ ZZZSSSNGIINEZEENNNGE 7 7272277 ZANN reirs. The leader 1s the most important animal in the line. He should occupy your whole attention. Never put a frisky pony in as leader, for he is sure to cause you trouble. By steadying himself' and pulling the leader can “line up’ the ponies more eas- o‘.,oo,,l =-fl‘ alo 200000 M - l % I v b ; meol, °o Sagq sl M = °°°°°ooa'°°/ = E' 1] o 0°° V., ° ° "0 = fly than the driver can with the whip axd reins. The vehicle that gives the most satis- faction is the cne I had made for tandem work exclusively. It is a long, low wagon of about 20 pounds in weight, strong springs, rigid frame, low front wheels, (4 — ROSED 4 o o, PR 8 o© S V o © °%00550000000°° higher rear wheels and all rubber-tired. Of course, the reguiation rig for the horse tandem is the iarge-wheeled, heavily con- structed cart, with lamps, stick-basket and horn. In England this vehicle is en regal for tandem use. You will fing more solid comfort, how- ever, In a wagon such as I have described. In driving the position of each hand should be easy and natural, the wrist and bands straight, the thumbs uppermost. The elbows should be rather close to the body, otherwise they cause a loss of pow- er and make a very appearance. You should study carefully the position of the bit In your horse’s mouth, and the use of curb chains, ete, Never strike a pony for shying, but Jet him have a good look at the object that has startled him. In giving the ponies the “office” reins pull well up and speak out, so they will start together. Never drive with your reins too long; it is better to hold the reins three inches too short than three inches too lons. The illustration No. 1 shows the position and number of reins necessary for an eight-horse tandem or sixteen-double. With the ten-pony tandem I use six reins in e hand. The reins of the ieader ©coSoco LN should go throvgh the gag-runners on each side of the head of each pony; the other reins should be snapped in the bit of every other animal, including the wheeler. Figures 2 and 3 show the front and back views of the left hand when taking all the reins, as is necessary when any par- ticular horse needs attention or when the whip is used. Make friends with your horse$ and po- nies; feed them a few sweets by hand; walk among them, speaking kindly all the time. While making them feel ycu are kind, at the same time make them un- derstand you ire master. For a whip I use the regulation Amerl- can four-in-hand. My ponles are so well neé that a crack of the lash s suf- ficient to maka them obey. Why tardem driving should not be more popular perplexes me, for I can say after vears of experience that this style of driving is most fascinating and exciting, and when the driver is capable it is per- fectlv rafe. Within a few months I ex- pect te add twc mcre ponies to my tan- dem outfit. It is genuine sport when your ponies art well and go leaping down the road, :ch animal thcroughly enjoying the spir- it of the thing. n and of good and 1s seen In Vin- fond came skilled Then in a notables of his , Sir St ew driving, tandem. of Mr. Stevenson 1sed box was occupied by the ed cockney, who ap- about as much as a iving was unknown b chain was an in- to the noble beasts that dragged the coach. ach was driven through the reckless speed that the unfortunate passengers who rode on top had to hold on for their lives. Running over a villager was a common event. With the victim struggling in the road, the driver would lash up the leaders and croak, “The willage folk are werry stu- pid, werry”; then with another cut at the almost terror-stricken leaders would promptly forget all about the Incident. This type of character is often seez on English roads and even in London to-day; but, thanks to progress, his manner is not so brutal as in days of old. When “coaching” and tandem driving became so popular in England the sport was taken up with interest by the swell- dom of America. The tally-he was and is to-day the favorite with driving clubs and parties. “Merry is the crowd that goes in the coach and musical the blast of the horn.” But nowadays the ‘“dear little damsels within” ride “with the swells on the top, sir.” The English tandem outfit, while a fa- vorite with Lady Gesrgiana Curzon and her coterie, was slow to get Into favor among the elite of New England, especial- ly with the womery owing probably to the difficulty found it “lining up” the team, in turning corrers and the Inextricable mixups so ofter got into by the novice. The thing ts do Is to get over being « novice. When tandem driving becpmes an understsod fine art there will be bet- ter sport shan there is to-day. adv prec gatepost POLAR BEARS AN ODD MINTURE OF mixture of cowardice and COWARDIGE AND DARING. HE character of the polar bear is a when during the fight the animal has in the water, but only when lying on the l curious daring, f man for it will fly at the sight but will often come close up to the huts and sometimes even try to enter them, says London Fleld. When met with in the waters bears are killed with harpoons. On receiving tne first wound the animal utters load roar seizes the weapon with its teeth, pulls it out of the injured part and hurls it far away. Sometimes, but by no means m- variably, it will turn upon its assailant. Quickly it receives another spear, or bird arrow, from a second kavak man, from whom he turns after treating his weapon in the same manner and sometimes breaking 1t, and in this way the struggle is continued until the bear is overcome. The most important precautionary rule which the hunters have to observe is, dived, to keep a sharp eye down into the water in order thaf it may not come up unawares right under a kayak. Its white gleam can always be seen when it ap- proaches the surface, and there is time to g2t away if it be coming too near. When a bear is encountered in the water or amid somewhat scattered ice its capture is considered a certainty, for, although an excellent swimmer, it cannot get away from a kayak. In the northern coloales, where they are seldom seen, the Green- landers appear to be afraid of them, but such is far from being the case in the Ju- lianshaab district, where, in the water, at any rate, they are considered as much less dangerous than the walrus or the hooded seal. The food of bears consists mainly of seals, which, however, they cannot seize shore or on ice, but as the seal, when in such positions, is extremely watchful and wary, the stalk is often fruitless, and the bear is obliged more frequently than sui(s it to depart with an empty stomach. Car- rion they take at any time. In summer they rob birds’ nests of eggs and young ones, and appear to be partial also to ber- ries. Probably, too, they live upon sea fowl, seizing them from below while rest- ing on the water. According to Brehm, their ordinary food is fish, and they even capture salmon in the sea. This, however, I have never had confirmed by the Green- landers, who all consider that the bear’s powers of swimming would not be equal to it. According to the same authority, “ neither reindeer, foxes nor birds are safe from the polar bear, but this, I think, is a mistake. Nature has intended that it should seek its prey in the water and on the ice rather than on the land. When really hungry, there are few things which a bear will reject, down to ©0ld skin garments and tarred ropes’ ends which may sometimes be found in its stomach. It is under such circumstances that it ventures close to the huts and de- vours whatever it can find, sometimes at- tempting to enter, In the winter of 189-7 a bear was shot at Godhaven with the whole of the fore part of the body in an oll cask, which it was licking. In the Ju- llanshaab district it is not unusual for these animals to visit the Greenlanders' provision stores, where they keep their dried seals’ flesh, etc., tear the stones away from the entrance and clear the place completely out. The red man perused with profound concern the accounts of the latest lynch- ings in Ohio, Indiana and elsewhere. “If I were colored,” he exclaimed, when he had done, “I should be blue!” Then he affected to laugh grimly, but we could plainly see that he was de- pressed by unwonted forebodings.—De- troit Journal. WORKING OUT THE PRORLEM OF “HOW TO REACH THE POLE?” HE prime, imperative need for suc- E cessful Arctic work 1s a specially constructed steamer, ice protected and of high engine power, so that she can go anywhere and undertake any- thing. Every steamer in the St. John's fleet has drawbacks, and once the ex- plorer .had at his command just such a steamer as is needed, fast, strong and of small coal consumptior, 200 or 200 miles of distance to the pole would be gained, and the base of supplies and operations carrled so much nearer the front. Peary's way to reach the pole, which he fully set forth in his American geograph- lcal paper January 12, 1897, which the society’s committee approved and on the lines of which his present expedition is conducted, has both common sense and experience in its favor. Had the Wind- ward, in August, 1898, reached her destina- tion at Sherrard Osborne flord, there’s no telling that Peary might not that very winter and the next spring have pushed on to the goal. One element of tke polar problem, and one often lost sight of, s the necessity of return, for no one wishes. to remain there, and there’s nothing be- yond to go to or for. Therefore the traveler must stop whenever his foed for men and dogs is reduced to the limit which will bring him back to the starting point. In this fact, In the reduction of the known distance to the minimum, Hes the essential merit and the certainty of Peary's methods. It was not always remembered that no explorer ever stopped going north because he could go no farther. Markham of the British expedition had to turn to save the lives of his scurvy-strickén comrades: Lockwood and Brainard had beaten the Englishman’s farthest and placed their coyntry’s flag in the van, seeing a great, gray mountain still beyond: while Captain Cagnl, at his hitherto unsurpassed @ighty- six degrees thirty-nine minutes and forty- four seconds, last April reported the travel steadily improving as he advanced northward. Every one of these courageous and able men reached his limit and turned about simply by the Inexorable necessity of subsistence homewayg. As Admiral Melville, veteran of many arduous Arctic campaigns, says: “If one could stop at a hotel every night anybody could go to the pole.” And so, as the army is sald to move on its belly, does the food factor determine the working out of the whole polar prob- lem. And here is where ‘the greatest change of all has been effected. Modern methods have made food preservation a simple and certain matter, and thers is no longer a shadow of excuse for a de- fective Arctic dietary. Money will buy food—all that is wanted and just what is wanted; it will build and man steamers such experience proves are needed and effective. Add to these American pluck and common sense, and is there any rea- sonable doubt remaining of “How to reach the pole?"—H. L. Brid, . Weekly. ridgman in Leslie's