218 \VILD SPORTS IN THE SOUTH. 



two trees, and a rank vegetation of vines and grass. On 

 the dead upper limbs of these trees the ahnega and other 

 species of cormorants could be seen all the day patiently 

 watching for their prey in the shallows. Fancy could 

 not picture a more suitable home for the water-fowl, 

 whose food w r as abundant in the matted grass and succu- 

 lent weeds, and who hid in bending rushes for better 

 shelter from the northerly winds. 



Up this extended marsh our boats gently floated, each 

 one following the openings that seemed best, and diverg- 

 ing so as to form an extended line. The negroes shipped 

 their long oars, and used only the paddle, in order to 

 move with greater stillness, and to pass through the nar- 

 row openings. As we advanced, I soon lost sight of the 

 other boats, but from time to time could tell their posi- 

 tion from the report of their guns and the rising of the 

 ducks they disturbed. I had changed positions with the 

 men, taking the bow of the boat, and letting them pad- 

 dle in the stern. 



" Dar, Maussa, black duck !" whispered Scipio, after 

 we had paddled a short distance, changing with a wave 

 of his paddle the direction of the canoe, and pointing it 

 toward a mass of reeds that lay twisted and broken 

 together, as though some wind had twisted them off half 

 way up. 



I pointed my hand inquiringly to the reed. Scipio 

 nodded, and the boat floated up noiselessly as a fish. 

 "We were close by them, and no sign of the game, save 

 a feather or two on the water. The neighboring tufts *>f 



