THE MISSISSIPPI RESERVES 287 



ing and lighthouse service, the forest-rangers, 

 and those who patrol and protect the reserves 

 of wild life, are almost always underpaid. 



Yet, in spite of all the disadvantages, much 

 has been accomplished. This particular reser 

 vation was set apart by presidential proclama 

 tion in 1905. Captain Sprinkle was at once put 

 in charge. Of the five chief birds, the royal 

 terns, Caspian terns, Cabot s terns, laughing 

 gulls, and skimmers, there were that season 

 about one thousand nests. This season, ten 

 years later, there are about thirty-five thousand 

 nests. The brown pelicans and Louisiana 

 herons also show a marked increase. The least 

 tern, which had been completely exterminated 

 or driven away, has returned and is breeding 

 in fair numbers. 



As we steamed away from the Pass Chris 

 tian dock dawn was turning to daylight under 

 the still brilliant crescent moon. Soon we saw 

 the red disk of the sun rising behind the pine 

 forest. We left Mississippi Sound, and then 

 were on the Gulf itself. The Gulf was calm, 

 and the still water teemed with life. Each 

 school of mullets or sardines could be told by 

 the queer effect on the water, as of a cloud 

 shadow. Continually we caught glimpses of 

 other fish; and always they were fleeing from 



