LONGSHORE MEMORIES 191 
coots, grebes, and snipes sent forth their voices to 
mingle with the croaking of the frog. To many of 
us this was the music of the marshes and a delight to 
the ear. Hundreds of birds, rare ones many of them 
would be considered now, though common enough 
then, were shot without exciting the least notice or 
comment bitterns, herons, avocets, ruffs, and reeves, 
as well as all the waders, swimmers, and divers. As 
to the peculiar sounds heard at certain seasons, it 
would be difficult to give any adequate idea of these. 
It was only natural that men who were shaken by 
ague, and half delirious with the marsh-fever, that 
comes in winter time as well as in summer, fancied 
that supernatural creatures were abroad. One saw 
the wrecks of what once were strong men and fine 
healthy women, prematurely aged by ague, fever, 
and the large quantities of laudanum and brandy 
by which they sought to keep the former foes in 
check. 
Although countless larks soared and sang in the 
bright sunlight, strange unearthly cries sounded 
through the long nights. Many places that had evil 
reputations were literally death-traps to the man who 
placed his foot on one of them, fair though they were 
for the eye to rest on. 
The only literature to be met with in our smaller 
