80 Union Bay 



place, much like the swampy spots where, as a boy, I fol- 

 lowed the shores and caught frogs so small that it required 

 all the persuasion of which I was capable to induce my 

 mother to cook the legs. The area housed tadpoles, crayfish, 

 minnows, and large quantities of underwater plants. Many 

 birds, including practically every strange migrant, sooner or 

 later found their way to this rich food. If it had been a motel 

 a No Vacancy sign would have been constantly on display. 

 Willows and cottonwoods brought in warblers and fly- 

 catchers. Small mud flats at the northern end offered induce- 

 ments to shorebirds. The manager's habit of feeding the 

 ducks and his protective attitude toward them held many 

 birds in the area. Some mallard hens never failed to bring 

 their young for a morning and evening, snack. The total area 

 of the inlet was about equal to two or three city blocks, but 

 it played an important part in the total marsh economy. 



The changes which I saw were not extensive from the stand- 

 point of acreage. The bottom had been dredged deeper, the 

 trees removed. A small peninsula in front of the canoehouse 

 had been eliminated, the two points of the inlet had been 

 rounded. The channels had been widened to permit the pas- 

 sage of the shells. A small structure had been erected to 

 house the coaching launch. The area had formerly seemed 

 rather crowded and untidy; now it was quite open and many 

 would have thought it more pleasing to the eye. 



I heard the crews returning after the practice. There 

 were the cries of the coxswains as they encouraged the oars- 

 men or counted the stroke, there was the regular movement 

 of the sweeps as they plunged into the water, made their 

 stroke, and then returned to start another cycle. I clearly 

 caught the sound of the coach's launch, his megaphoned 

 remarks as he criticized the form of the individuals or of 

 the crew as a unit. The men lay back as they finished the 

 stroke, then moved forward with feathered oars until ready 

 for the catch. The eight blades swung into rowing position 



