THE MISSISSIPPI RESERVES 275 



sand; but the owners of the houses have suc- 

 ceeded, using dead leaves and what manure is 

 available; and in this leaf -mould the trees and 

 grasses and flowers grow in profusion. Long, 

 flimsy wooden docks stretch out into the waters 

 of the Gulf; there is not much bad weather, as 

 a rule, but every few years there comes a terrible 

 storm which wrecks buildings and bridges, de- 

 stroys human hves by the thousand, washes 

 the small Gulf sailing craft ashore, and sweeps 

 away all the docks. 



Our host's house was cool and airy, with 

 broad, covered verandas, and mosquito screens 

 on the doors and the big windows. The trees 

 in front were Hve-oaks, and others of his own 

 planting — magnolias, pecans, palms, and a 

 beautiful mimosa. The blooming oleanders 

 and hydrangeas were a delight to the eye. Be- 

 hind, the place stretched like a long ribbon to 

 the edge of the fragrant pine forest, where the 

 long-leaved and loblolly pines rose like tall 

 columns out of the needle-covered sand. Five 

 pairs of mocking-birds and one pair of thrashers 

 had just finished nesting; at dawn, when the 

 crescent of the dying moon had risen above the 

 growing light in the east, the mockers sang 

 wonderfully, and after a while the thrasher 

 chimed in. Only the singing of nightingales 



