112 RAMBLES OF 



arising in dense and ample column, they sought 

 their habitual roost in the deep entanglements of 

 the distant pines. This daily visit to the point, so 

 near to my dwelling, and so accessible by means of 

 the skiff, led me to hope that I should have consi- 

 derable success in destroying them. Full of such 

 anticipations, I loaded two guns, and proceeded in 

 my boat to the expected place of action, previous to 

 the arrival of the crows. My view was to have my 

 boat somewhere about half-way between the two 

 shores, and (as they never manifested much fear of 

 boats) to take my chance of firing upon the main 

 body as they were flying over my head to the oppo- 

 site side of the river. Shortly after I had gained 

 my station, the companies began to arrive, and 

 everything went on as usual. But whether they 

 suspected some mischief from seeing a boat so long 

 stationary in their vicinity, or could see and distin- 

 guish the guns in the boat, I am unable to say: the 

 fact was, however, that when they set out to fly 

 over, they passed at an elevation which secured 

 them from my artillery effectually, although, on 

 ordinary occasions, they were in the habit of flying 

 over me at a height of not more than twenty or 

 thirty feet. I returned home without having had 

 a shot, but resolved to try if I could not succeed 

 better the next day. The same result followed the 

 experiment, and when I fired at one gang, which it 

 appeared possible to attain, the instant the gun was 

 discharged the crows made a sort of halt, descended 

 considerably, flying in circles, and screaming most 



