34 SPOrcT IN XORTH AjIEPJCA. 



plan of coping with them 

 the bottom of which was plentifully strewn with 

 Indian corn. He then loaded a hlunderbuss to the 

 muzzle, and placed it in such a position that it 

 swept the whole trench. A string was fastened 

 to the trigger, so that the blunderbuss could be 

 fired at a favourable moment, and the farmer placed 

 himself behind a thicket near at hand. The tur- 

 keys were not long in discovering the maize at 

 the bottom of the trench, and soon pecked it up, 

 but without abating their depredations upon the 

 neighbouring fields. The farmer renewed the supply 

 several times, until at last the birds had accustomed 

 themselves to seek their food in this place. One 

 evening, about sunset, the farmer thought that the 

 opportune moment had arrived for firing off his 

 infernal mad line. Crouching on his stomach, he lay 

 in wait, with the string in his hand which was 

 attached to the trigger of the blunderbuss. He 

 pulled, and an explosion took place, followed by a 

 fearful noise, caused by the screams of the dying 

 birds and the flight of those who were escaping from 

 the tragic scene. Forty -three victims were found 

 lying on the ground at the bottom of the trench, — 

 some dead, others fluttering about in their last 

 agony. The Yankee farmer told me that he salted 

 thirty-five of these turkeys and found them very 

 r.seful during the winter ; and the survivors were so 

 alarmed by what had taken place that his crop of 



