DELAWARE VALLEY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB, 17 



though tough, was not a circumstance to the going. We ventured 

 a short cut through a nameless gut and sHpped into Brigantine 

 Inlet where the tide was running out like a mill race. To add to 

 our pleasure the wind came up dead against us. It was utterly im- 

 possible to force the boat with oars against the tide and wind. 

 At the suggestion of Yoder we all got out on the sod bank and 

 towed the boat along by the anchor rope. We made about two 

 miles in as many hours this way, but were quite sure if we had not 

 done this we would have spent the night some where in " no man's 

 land, " or no man's marsh, to speak more accurately. The wind 

 and tide had now abated somewhat and we were making fair 

 progress when suddenly Gaede with not the least warning an- 

 nounced that he felt sick, and fm-ther stated that he had not felt 

 well all day. This was news to us, and bad news for we had de- 

 pended on his six feet of brawn to a large extent for motive power, 

 and for him to get sick was a calamity indeed. If I only had some 

 water, I thought, I believe I could make him feel better but I had 

 none, the bottle we had brought had been lost overboard early 

 in the day. Then I had a happy thought. I reluctantly pulled an 

 orange out of my pocket that I had been hoarding for emergencies, 

 peeled it, ate half, and reluctantly passed the other half to Gaede. 

 This brightened him up considerably and he took one oar, I took 

 the other, Yoder concocted a rudder out of a small shovel we had 

 for bailing purposes, and we literally pulled for the shore. The 

 shades of night were falling, a flock of Black Ducks flew over-head. 

 Herons passed us bound for evening fishing grounds, flocks of 

 Curlew filed by calling as they passed, many smaller shore birds 

 were active, a small bunch of Pectorals passed near the boat. 

 The scene was attractive but the dock was more interesting, and 

 finally, about 8:30, we reached the wharf after having passed it 

 in the gloom. We lost our water, we missed our train and Yoder 

 lost his iron-bound Reed's * Bird Guide, ' a treasure that always was 

 a part of his bird trips. Iron-bound it really was, bound in sheet 

 iron to keep it intact and ready for all emergencies — except loss. 

 We covered 18 miles by boat, gained a lot of blisters and three 

 severe backaches but we reached our Island and saw the birds, 

 so what did the other trivial matters amount to? 



