%'■ i ■its-'- 



360 



AUDUBON 







their retreat seemed to him more pastime than toil. Not 

 a Cormorant or Pelican, a Flamingo, an Ibis, or Heron 

 had ever in his days formed its nest without his having 

 marked the spot; and as to the Keys to which the Doves 

 are wont to resort, he was better acquainted with them 

 than many fops are with the contents of their pockets. 

 In a word, he positively knew every channel that led to 

 these islands, and every cranny along their shores. For 

 years his employment had been to hunt those singular 

 animals called Sea-cows or Manatees, and he had con- 

 quered hundreds of them, " merely," as he said, because 

 the flesh and hide bring " a fair price " at Havana. He 

 never went anywhere to land without " Long Tom," which 

 proved indeed to be a wonderful gun, and which nade smart 

 havoc when charged with " groceries " a term by which he 

 designated the large shot he used. In like manner, he never 

 paddled his light canoe without having by his side the 

 trusty javelin with which he unerringly transfixed such 

 fishes as he thought fit either for market or for his own 

 use. In attacking Turtles, netting, or overturning them, I 

 doubt if his equal ever lived on the Florida coast. No 

 sooner was he made acquainted with my errand, than he 

 freely offered his best services, and from that moment until 

 I left Key West he was seldom out of my hearing. 



While the young gentlemen who accompanied us were 

 engaged in procuring plants, shells, and small birds, he 

 tapped me on the shoulder, and with a smile said to me, 

 " Come along, I '11 show you something better worth your 

 while." To the boat we betook ourselves, with the cap- 

 tain and only a pair of tars, for more he said would not 

 answer. The yawl for a while was urged at a great rate, 

 but as we approached a point, the oars were taken in, and 

 the pilot alone sculling desired us to make ready, for in a 

 few minutes we should have " rare sport." As we ad- 

 vanced, the more slowly did we move, and the most pro- 

 found silence was maintained, until suddenly coming 



