312 A PIGEON HUNT ON THE OHIO. 



Early in the evening, the pigeons having filled their 

 crops with the mast, disappeared. They flew off to some 

 distant "roost." This of course concluded our sport for 

 the day. We got together and counted our numbers. 

 We had six hundred and forty birds. We returned home 

 full of hope ; we felt certain that we had won for that 

 day. Our antagonist had arrived before us. They 

 showed us seven hundred and seventy-six dead pigeons. 

 We were beaten. 



I really cannot explain the chagrin which this defeat 

 occasioned to most of our party. They felt humiliated in 

 the eyes of the ladies, whose company they were to lose 

 on the morrow. To some there was extreme bitterness 

 in the idea ; for, as I have already stated, attachments 

 had sprung up, and jealous thoughts were naturally their 

 concomitants. It was quite tantalizing as we parted next 

 morning, to see the galaxy of lovely women ride off with 

 our antagonists, while we sought the woods in an opposite 

 direction, dispirited and in silence. 



We went, however, determined to do our best, and win 

 the ladies for the morrow. A council was held, and 

 each imparted his advice and encouragement ; and then 

 we all set to work with shot-gun and rifle. 



On this day an incident occurred that aided our " count" 

 materially. The wilder pigeons while feeding, sometimes 

 cover the ground so thickly that they crowd upon each 



