102 WHERE ROLLS THE OREGON 



" We spent the next four days here and there 

 through the vast extent of tule islands and water, 

 searching and keeping watch all day, trying to 

 find white herons. Late one afternoon we came 

 to a place where another big colony of blue her- 

 ons was nesting. We had been seeking this place. 

 Malheur Lake is divided in several parts by the 

 long lines of tule islands. We were in the north- 

 ern part. The colony was on two long tule islands 

 that lined up with Pine Knob and the east end 

 of Wright's Point. On the north end is a big 

 canebrake. 



"We sat in the boat at the edge of the cane- 

 brake, and watched the big birds as they sailed 

 over, dropped in, and departed. We were tired 

 from the long day's search. I did not then know 

 the story as I know it now : but hidden in the 

 end of this canebrake a hunter had had his blind, 

 ten years before. 



" That summer of 1898 was eventful in white- 

 heron history here on Malheur Lake. Early in the 

 season two men had arrived at Narrows, bought 

 lumber, and built a flat-bottom, double-ended 

 boat. They set out from Narrows with a small 

 outfit. They fought mosquitoes day and night as 



