42 DUCKING DAYS 



Senator Alderson of Pekin ; C. J. Sanunis of Peoria and 

 the congenial club care taker, John Rogers, with a num- 

 ber of pushers to care for our baggage. "Were we cold? 

 Think of splitting thirty-four miles of wind and water 

 in one hour and ten minutes! Well, I guess we were 

 chilly, and took great comfort in backing up to the im- 

 mense fireplace, with a fire built as a welcome, accom- 

 panied by proper accessories of hospitality. 



It was not noon, yet all members had been out in the 

 marsh, returning with their limit of fifteen birds. That 

 listened good to me. 



Ducks of Every Species 



An elegant duck dinner was served at noon. Clothes 

 were then donned which camouflaged nicely with our 

 buck brush surroundings and we walked to the big lake 

 200 yards from the clubhouse^ — a lake two and one-half 

 miles long, one mile wide. 



The surface of the lake was black with ducks of every 

 species. They were feeding on the wild rice and celery, 

 with smartweed for dessert. The shore in all directions 

 was covered with smartweeds, which extended well out 

 into the lake, forming the smartweed flats, so attractive 

 to duckdom. At the entrance to the dredged ditch, which 

 leads from the lake to the clubhouse, is a tower for ob- 

 servation. Hunters ascend this to loeate the ducks in 

 their timber feeding grounds. 



