AN ENGLISH SPORTSMAN ON THE PRAIRIES. 301 



The next object on the boundless waste that attracted 

 our gaze was a group of tall cranes, or herons prairie 

 turkeys, the squatters call them looming gigantic in 

 their solitude, and at intervals dancing, with absurd 

 gravity, a kind of minuet no! mazouvka is the word. 

 The bowing and pirouetting of these solemn-looking bi- 

 peds made us all laugh heartily. I fancied them so many 

 Principals of Colleges, unbending after their academic 

 labors. Our borderer assured us that the prairie turkeys 

 seldom meet on the green without getting up a dance. 

 My attempt to treat them to a ball of another description 

 proved a failure, for before I arrived within range, 

 the*y broke up their party, and swooped heavily away. 

 How I longed at that moment for my fleet Arab and my 

 long-winged Bheiree ! * Never saw I a country so per- 

 fectly adapted to Falconry, and there flew the quarry 

 famed for the finest of flights ! The ardent sportsman 

 might spur his steed for miles over these plains without 

 once removing his eyes from their serial chase ; and it 

 must be his fault if he lose his hawk for want of riding, 

 unless, indeed, it should chance to get spitted by its 

 sharp-billed foe, no uncommon incident in heron-flights. 

 But "hold hard " Pen ! or I shall soon be in the thick 

 of a hawking digression. Besides, in a few days I shall 

 have enough of this ever-prevailing pastime on board a 

 Yankee steamboat ! 



Our second approach to Elk Grove was greeted 

 warmly by the ladies of that sylvan retreat; for we 

 brought back the Padrone with us. During the two fol- 



* The bird used in India for loug flights. 



