A TEXAS DUCK HUNT 1 23 



Captain Sedam selected Rockport for a home because 

 it was the game and fishing Mecca for the sportsmen 

 of the world, where they all gather to ti-y conclusions. 

 It is known as the best point on th© gulf coast for 

 duck shooting. This is the country selected by Captain 

 Sedam for a permanent home. It was while entertain- 

 ing Gilbert and me that the captain spun his duck story, 

 which I push along to you old timers. We were seated 

 at his table. He was looking hale and hearty, although 

 he confessed to having passed the three score and ten 

 period and was then living on borrowed time. 



The captain then told of a duck hunt, in compaiiy with 

 that old veteran trap shot and all-around character, 

 Frank Parmelee of Omaha, who at one time was known 

 to almost every trap shot in America. He was a mem- 

 ber of the all- American team which shot abroad in 1901 . 



''The hunt took place at Saint Joe Island, Texas, a 

 few years since," Captain Sedam said. ''As a third 

 member of the party we had the game warden — as a 

 safety proposition. We borrowed a team of mules and 

 a wagon from my old friend Sam Allyn, then drove 

 about six miles up through the island to a swale, which 

 was about 150 yards long and 60 feet wide, the water 

 ranging from 6 in inches to 1 foot in depth. 



''We chased thousands of ducks from this smartwecd 

 puddle and knew they would return to feed in the very 

 near future. Our blinds were built about seventy-five 

 yards apart, which gave us perfect connnand of the 



