My Boyhood and Youth 



denly a general cry arose 'Here they come!' 

 The noise they made, though still distant, re- 

 minded me of a hard gale at sea passing through 

 the rigging of a close-reefed ship. Thousands 

 were soon knocked down by the pole-men. The 

 birds continued to pour in. The fires were 

 lighted and a magnificent as well as terrifying 

 sight presented itself. The pigeons pouring in 

 alighted everywhere, one above another, until 

 solid masses were formed on the branches all 

 around. Here and there the perches gave way 

 with a crash, and falling destroyed hundreds 

 beneath, forcing down the dense groups with 

 which every stick was loaded ; a scene of uproar 

 and conflict. I found it useless to speak or 

 even to shout to those persons nearest me. 

 Even the reports of the guns were seldom 

 heard, and I was made aware of the firing only 

 by seeing the shooters reloading. None dared 

 venture within the line of devastation. The 

 hogs had been penned up in due time, the pick- 

 ing up of the dead and wounded being left for 

 the next morning's employment. The pigeons 

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