EPISODES 361 



almost in contact with a thick shrubbery of mangroves, 

 we beheld, right before us, a multitude of Pelicans. A 

 discharge of artillery seldom produced more effect; the 

 dead, the dying, and the wounded, fell from the trees upon 

 the water, while those unscathed flew screaming through 

 the air in terror and dismay. " There," said he, " did not 

 I tell you so; is it not rare sport? " The birds, one after 

 another, were lodged under the gunwales, when the pilot 

 desired the captain to order the lads to pull away. Within 

 about half a mile we reached the extremity of the Key. 

 " Pull away," cried the pilot, " never mind them on the 

 wing, for those black rascals don't mind a little firing — 

 now, boys, lay her close under the nests." And there we 

 were with four hundred Cormorant's nests over our heads. 

 The birds were sitting, and when we fired, the number that 

 dropped as if dead, and plunged into the water was such, 

 that I thought by some unaccountable means or other we 

 had killed the whole colony. You would have smiled at 

 the loud laugh and curious gestures of the pilot. " Gentle- 

 men," said he, " almost a blank shot ! " And so it was, 

 for, on following the birds as one after another peeped up 

 from the water, we found only a few unable to take to 

 wing. " Now," said the pilot, " had you waited until / had 

 spoken to the black villains, you might have killed a score 

 or more of them." On inspection, we found that our 

 shots had lodged in the tough dry twigs of which these 

 birds form their nests, and that we had lost the more favor- 

 able opportunity of hitting them, by not waiting until they 

 rose. " Never mind," said the pilot, " if you wish it, you 

 may load The Lady of the Green Mantle ^ with them in less 

 than a week. Stand still, my lads ; and now, gentlemen, in 

 ten minutes you and I will bring down a score of them." 

 And so we did. As we rounded the island, a beautiful 

 bird of the species called Peale's Egret came up, and was 

 shot. We now landed, took in the rest of our party, and 

 1 The name given by the wreckers and smugglers to the " Marion." 



