608 GREAT EGG HARBOUR. 



My host was then, and I hope still is, a tall strong-boned muscular 

 man, of dark complexion, with eyes as keen as those of the Sea-eagle. 

 He was a tough walker, laughed at difficulties, and could pull an oar with 

 anv man. As to shooting, I have often doubted whether he or Mr 

 EciAN, the worthy pilot of Indian Isle, was best ; and rarely indeed have 

 I seen either of them miss a shot. 



At day-break on Monday, I shouldered my double-barrelled gun, 

 and my host carried with him a long fowling-piece, a pair of oars, and 

 a pair of oyster-tongs, while the wife and daughter brought along a seine. 

 The boat was good, the breeze gentle, and along the inlets we sailed for 

 parts well known to my companions. To such naturalists as are qualified 

 to observe many different objects at the same time, Great Egg Harbour 

 would probably afford as ample a field as any part of our coast, except- 

 ing the Florida Keys. Birds of many kinds are abundant, as are fishes 

 and testaceous animals. The forests shelter many beautiful plants, and 

 even on the dryest sand-bar you may see insects of the most brilliant 

 tints. Our principal object, however, was to procure certain birds known 

 there by the name of Lawyers, and to accomplish this we entered and 

 followed for several miles a winding inlet or bayou, which led us to the 

 interior of a vast marsh, where after some search we found the birds and 

 their nests. Our. seine had been placed across the channel, and when we 

 returned to it the tide had run out and left in it a number of fine fishes, 

 some of which we cooked and ate on the spot. One, which I considered 

 as a curiosity, was saved and transmitted to Baron Cuvier. Our repast 

 ended, the seine was spread out to dry, and we again betook ourselves to 

 the marshes, to pursue our researches until the return of the tide. Having 

 collected enough to satisfy us, we took up our oars, and returned to the 

 shore in front of the fisherman's house, where we dragged the seine seve- 

 ral times with success. 



In this manner I passed several weeks along those dehghtful and 

 healthy shores, one day going to the woods to search the swamps in which 

 the Herons bred, passing another amid the joyous cries of the Marsh Hens, 

 and on a third carrying slaughter among the White-breasted Sea Gulls, by 

 way of amusement sometimes hauling the fish called the Sheep- head from 

 an eddy along the shore, or watching the gay Terns as they danced in the 

 air, or plunged into the waters to seize the tiny fry. Many a drawing I 

 made at Great Egg Harbour, many a pleasant day I spent along its shores; 

 and much pleasure would it give me once more to visit the good and 

 happy family in whose house I resided there. 



