Apbtt, 7, 1881.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



185 



and a half wide, and two arid a half deep. Oue half of this 

 is buried in the flats ; the other is hid by sand being wheeled 

 and piled up around it. Nor is this all ; a bar twenty or 

 thirty yards lODg, and two feet high, must be made and main 

 tamed for the decoys to run nut on and for the wild ones to 

 assemble upon. The Baud must be taken a f , low tide from 

 some little distance so as to leave the flats and bar moderately 

 smooth and natural. 



There is an enormous tendency in this Cape Cod sand to a 

 dead level. Three hundred wheelbarrow loads may be to-day 

 piled up to form a bar, which u high tide and wind wid to- 

 morrow send back to its normal condition of inherent " dead 

 level." Early in the season, before the bars arc consolidated, 

 every high wind and tide does more or less damage to the 

 bars, which must be repaired before the box can be used, as 

 no brant will come near when it is in sight. Almost every 

 newcomer rafonteebs a plan for preserving the bars, such as 

 hags of sand, brush or stone deposits, piles driven around, 

 concrete and canvas coverings. Some of these have been 

 tried. As to the bag speculation, the first high tide dissolved 

 Hie copartnership existing between the sand outside, and in- 

 side the bags, leaving a splendid "scare-crow" behind, aud 

 the brush and stone experiment ended even more disastrously. 

 The concrete covering stood up a little longer, but finally 

 succumbed to the relentless finger of winter. The frost seemed 

 to soften and disintegrate the" mass, which yielded to the 

 erosive agency of (he waves, aud it gradually disappeared. 

 In the spring of 1877 a brilliant idea entered the head of one 

 of the newly formed clubs. The bar was built, a trench dug 

 around it, canvas (an old sail) hauled over, lhe edges tucked 

 into the trench aud covered to hold in place, a hole cut for 

 the box and the border nailed to it. This at first was thought, 

 to work admirably. The brant, it was said, were not afraid 

 of it. It would hold the sand in place and save an enormous 

 amount of wear and tear of wheelbarrows and muscles. So 

 highly was this scheme commended that the Monomoy Brain- 

 ing Club adopted it at their North bar the following scasou, 

 but not with so satisfactory results. The sand will move 

 under the canvas from one side of the bar to the other, by 

 pressure of wind and water, leaving an uneven aud unsightly 

 pile for a bar not at all comparable with the natural sand bar; 

 iu fact the Monomoy BrantingClub became so disgusted with 

 it that during the latter part of the season of 1880, after 

 it had been badly torn by a storm, it was removed altogether. 



Another desideratum in brauting is live decoys. No 

 visionary enthusiast need lay the flattering unction to his 

 soul that without these, or with wood decoys alone, he will 

 meet any degree of success. Decoys are usually obtained in 

 the course of shooting by being slightly wounded in the wing, 

 when a phalanx is amputated and the bird is added to the 

 gaggle. The little captives will, whenplaeedin the pen with 

 the old ones, commence eating corn, their usual diet while in 

 captivity, and although they probably never before saw a 

 ■Kernel of corn, they thrive well on this simple hill of fare. 

 Presumably, in their normal condition, they never see fresh 

 water, and yet in bondage this is their only beverage. Sol- 

 do they seem to suffer by the change. Another peculiarity 

 about them in captivity is that :hey have no sexual inter- 

 course, lay no eggs, exhibit no incubating desire, are cold, 

 dignified and reserved, especially toward other fowl, nor do 

 they ever become fully domesticated. 



AH through the earlier history of braining at this place, 

 and up to within about eighteen years of the present time, 

 the business was carried on by 'longshoremen, who associated 

 themselves together tor coincidence, in unorganized clubs of 

 from three to six persons. In 186a a club called the Mono- 

 moy Brantiug Club, consisting of four resident and fourteen 

 non-resident members, was organized. A little later another 

 club was formed, and still later a third, but neither of these 

 have been as successful as the first, probably from the fact 

 that the most available shooting points -were occupied before 

 they entered the field. Of all the immense flats we have pre- 

 viously described not more than four or five points are worth 

 occupying, and from a single one of these— the "Mud Hole" 

 — about as many brant have been killed as from all the others 

 combined. This point has been for nearly half a century 

 occupied by one family, father and sons, until their interest 

 was merged in the Monomoy Bran ting Club. Fifty years 

 ago, when flint-lock guns were in use, the boxes were partly 

 covered over to prevent the diving fowl from catching sight 

 of the flash, and thus escaping, as is well known to the older 

 readers of Forest and Stuka'm, they would do. 



The guns were run out through embrasures, and this method 

 necessitated the order, "Ready!- One, two — Fire:" 

 ' It was discovered, however, when the birds were with the 

 decoys they were not so easily frightened, and all this roofing 

 in arrangement was dispensed with, more .particularly after 

 the invention of percussion caps. As we have been connected 

 with the Monomoy Brauting Club from its birth — nay, more, 

 acted as accoucheur upon that occasion, our remarks hence- 

 forward will have reference more especially to the doings of 

 that organization. 



In forming the club it was arranged that the non-resident 

 members — persons living iu Boston or vicinity — should build 

 and furnish a shanty, provide, boats, boxes and the necessary 

 tools for carrying forward the enterprise, while the resident 

 members — whose homes were at Chatham— should make and 

 keep in repair the bars, do hdating, cooking, taking care of 

 the decoys and generally looking after the welfare and in- 

 terest of the nou-residents. We are happy to add that the 

 plan has worked admirably and to the entire satisfaction of 

 both " the high contracting parties." It is for the time be- 

 ing a sort of copartnership, the non-residents paying a stipu- 

 lated sum for board and privileges, sharing equally with the 

 residents in all the game, killed. This plan knits the two 

 wings together, makes their interests identical, each willing 

 to labor for the other, each sharing the other's failures and 

 successes. So admirably has this scheme worked that we 

 believe it might be profitably introduced into large mercan- 

 tile, manufacturing, mechanical or mining operations. Here 

 labor becomes interested in capital and efe rc/w, and by this 

 union of interests the happiest results would follow — profits 

 would be increased, greater harmony prevail and those dis- 

 astrous outcrops of a foreign growth — "strikes" — would be 

 avoided. A shanty, or house, "l 2x16 feet, was built and fur- 

 nished. This, however, was found, a few years later, to be 

 too small for the convenience of the members and invited 

 guests, and it was enlarged to double its original capacity, 

 giving ample room for reading, sleeping, dining, cooking, stor- 

 age, etc. If any one wishes to see the very personification 

 of comfort, happiness, freedom, let him look into this shanty 

 when it is in the "full tide of successful operation," -where 

 are eight or ten jolly "boys," each one brim full of fun, with 

 a week before them of the best shooting New England af- 

 fords, and say if iu the whole wide world a counterpart, to 

 the picture can be found. 



Here the lawyer quits the bar of justice for the bar of sand, 



his cause is " Clams vs. Clients," wherein the former arc sure 

 to win. The merchant, weary of Watching the market and 

 the rise and fall of commodities, mounts the unfailing " lide 

 that, taken at its ll od, lead 3 on to fortune." The doctor 

 smiles as iie reflects upon lhe midnight ride, the bedside ag- 

 ony, the fatal end ! The minister turns his back upon dog- 

 mas and doctrines, "far from m rrta! carOs ietieaiim. r ," ami 

 participates cheerfully in Hie life of a sportsman. The entire 

 treedom from till ordinary cares, the pure, bracii S 

 the cheerful companionship, the total change of Currents of 

 thought, diet and exercise— all the surroundings seem to eon- 

 spire to improve one's health, strengthen his"inind, elevate 

 his soul, fortify him against the assaults of any foe and send 

 him backward home a healthier, happier and, we trust, abet- 

 ter man. 



We will now suppose the shanty to be iu perfect running 

 Order) three tfOXCS— lb.0 "Mud Hole," '•North But" anil 

 •■ (Ira vi I " -gomeroosly bestowed iu their respective: UarS and 

 fifteen live decoys in the pen at the suimv side of the shanty 

 ready for use. Boxeshave been planted at "Inner Point," 

 "fedge lluuimock " and oilier places, but the plant proving 

 unprofitable was i elinnnishea*. The shooting capacity of the 

 three boxes is al best But nine. The North Bar is quite low 

 and overflows on each excessively high tide, while the Gravel 

 is quite high and cutirelv ntji Jess Oil an exlremely low tide, 

 so that (he box room is hardly more than six, while the 

 shanty readily accommodates twelve persons. As the club 

 consists oF eighteen members, all told, with about us many 

 more invited guests, it is necessary to group them into weck- 

 Ij parties of lour or live non-residents, with the four resi- 

 dents, making a party at the shanty all the season of eight or 

 nine, and this is really lhe working force of the club. An- 

 other peculiarity of the club is that the weekly parlies ruiate, 

 i. c., the parly that is af the shanty this year the first week in 

 ■April takes the second week next year, and so on through 

 the round of scasous. 



We would like here to introduce to the reader the resident 

 members of the club by their names, as familiarly known al 

 thuslmnly in 1888 "Alorjzo," "Ceortre," ■' Wa'hy" and 

 "Reno." Mr. David B. Nye, now Of Poplar Branch, Cur- 

 rituck Sound. N. C, was one of the four original resident 

 members, but. other business drew him thence, arid in 1870 

 he withdrew altogether, Keno did not become identified with 

 the club till 1875. But, see !— here comes our boat booming 

 along down the channel with II. M., W. S. and the I loctor, 

 iu charge of Alonzo and George. Now she drops her anchor 

 and her passengers and baggage are transferred to ihe doty 

 to be landed. But even here is a difficulty to be overcome. 

 The water is so shoal as not to allow a dory to reach ihe drv 

 beach and long boots are in request. But there is the Doc- 

 tor with his short top-hoots, as usual ! He can indulge in a 

 " horse-b.ick " ride. Well. 'tis ever so where "wishes are 

 horses," and they all scamper away for the dear old shanty, 

 which seems to stretch out its arms to bid them welcome. 

 Now, all that big pile of im/ii.dimeiUa is to be " toted " a 

 distance of a hundred and iiliy yards; and what a heap of 

 "traps" these Mir. rods do carry : Well, here they are, at. 

 the end of a tedious nine hours' ride by rail, stage 

 and boat, with no interruption save the hour be- 

 guiled at Chatham by oue of Aloir/.o's incomparable 

 clam chowders. How eagerly the newcomers inspect, evirv- 

 lh\ngpertauiU)gto the ejuiaty'! With what freedom they 

 criticise, compare, commend this or that arrangement ! Beds 

 arc now overhauled, aired and re made with clean, fresh 

 linen ; boxes and barrels are opened, trunks and baskets un- 

 packed, clothing hung up on appropriate, hooks, boots be- 

 stowed in proper places, guns mounted upon the rests and 

 everything is changed in the. (winkling of an eveuing sun- 

 beam into one of the most cosey, home-like places imagin- 

 able. But, hold! the gods, both" ancient and modern, musl 

 be propitiated. LI. f who has a reputation in that line) is re- 

 quested to produce one or his popular lemonades. Of course 

 nothing stronger is indulged in--oh. no! Spoilsmen never 

 do overstep the bounds. Well.it one half thehleasi 

 queathed this commingling of soul and sentiment be realized, 

 the President of the United States of America will never die' 

 the country will ever be at peace, nor will poverty or disease 

 ever again invade her borders. Dim lee -i are rilled and as the 

 smoky wavelets curl nnd crinkle among the rafters, the fried 

 potatoes are crisp upon the range and the coffee aroma wings 

 its way to welcoming nostrils. If the devil furnishes cooks, 

 why, certainly the gods must furnish cookables. Abstinence 

 produces appetite and yet all were rilled. Then come those 

 pleasant games at cards, exciting topics of conversation, pre- 

 dictions for toe morrow's shooting. No! themorrowis "the 

 Sabbath day Of the Lprd." O, shade of the Pilgrims: this 

 hallowed hour shall not here— almost in sight of that shrine 

 where first they knelt in supplication on this Continent — be 

 descrated ! No solemn church-bell summons siiiuers to re- 

 pentance here ; aud yet the day is pleasantly and profitably 

 spent in making inuse'e, watching the immense flocks of 

 brant that arrive and depart, and in various ways holding 

 sweet converse with Nature and Nature's God. As the day 

 has been calm, the bars are in good condition and the pros- 

 pects arc favorable that Monday morning will usher iua week 

 of graud sport. „ It will be high tide at 7:15 a. m., and the 

 boxes must be occupied by t, o'clock. The alarm-clock 

 which acts as a sort of reveille, is set at 4 o'clock and brings 

 every man to his feet. A hasty repast is improvised while 

 each gunner adorns himself with his coarse, heavy wool 

 clothing, oil suit, long boots and wool mittens. Three decoys 

 are placed in each basket, and it is astonishing with what 

 precision the residents will seize Hie particular birds ih-.l arc 

 to be worked on the same line, as there is no percep'ible 

 difference in the size, plumage or voice of the sexes. The 

 boxesare distant from the shanty as follows: "North bar" ahi ml 

 amile, "Mudhole" hall a mile and " Gravel " one-ihird of ft 

 mile. As the" North bar" is lowest, the tide Of course reaches 

 it first ; and as the distance from the shanty is greater, lb no, 

 who is as constant at the box as lhe Norlh Btar-fothe Pole, 

 must start first, lie takes with him S. and II. The high 

 tide of the previous night had filled the box which must be 

 bailed out ere it can be entered The decoys are then fettered 

 aud allowed to run out upon the bar, and as the water is 

 making around us they rush dowu for a morning bath which 

 they seem to enjoy exceedingly. Washy, who has for some 

 years managed the "Mudhole," is- accompanied by M. and 

 the doctor, while George with W. occupies the "Gravel." 

 The parlies had scarcely got well braced when asmall "pod" 

 of brant came Hitting along toward the "Norlh bar, 1 ' aud four 

 out of seven were knocked down by S and If. and galhered. 

 "AVhat is that black spot, away down there to the south- 

 west I " asks Kcno, after gazing steadily for a few moments 



that direction. " It looks like a large flock of braut," he 

 continues, the spot still holding his eager eyes. " Yes ; it is 

 a flock of brant, and they are he&ding.for us," he adds. As 

 the flock comes on and on, nearer and nearer, " Yes," he ex- 



claims, " they are making directly for us. Now they turn! 

 There— there they go, right in for lhe ' AfudhohV '' his face 

 elongating at the sight. "Now," says S., "they have all 

 lighted within two hundred yards of ihe box, and as the 

 tide is still flowing they will be likely to swim iu and give Hie 

 boys n splendid shot." Sure enough, they soon catch sight 

 of the decoys on lhe bar and commence "swimming for that 

 point. Only one head is now seen above the bar. The resi- 

 lient who manages the decoys keeps his eyes steadily above 

 the edge of the box to observe what transpires and report to his 

 companions who crouch down out of sight, especially when 

 birds are approaching. As the brant assemble upon nndaround 

 the bar Hie observer will nolice these heads, and he under 

 stands I he leader has signified to his associates that now is the 

 best, time to shoot, and they must very gently raise their heads 

 so as to look out tor the most desirable groups to shoot at and 

 yet not cross the fire of the others. The order is now pre- 

 sumed to be. given : " Beady ! — one, two- 1- ire : '' The first 

 discharge should be simultaneous, lhcseeor.dat will. Then 

 Hie lox is suddeuly vacated, and such a splasing and dashing 

 after' cripples, which are captured lirst, and afterward on the 

 way in the dead birds arc picked up. "A bigshoi," s&ys II. 

 " About a dozen,'' mutters Keno, who is never Borjguinc, 

 "More," says S. tl Can toll better when we arrive at ike 

 shanty/' continues Keno. At this moment several sea ducks 

 (Somnkrin moMsima) come putting along ami attempt to pass 

 ihe " North bar," when, quick as thought, the three guns were 

 aimed and three Minlhamo were flouting on the Hood while a 

 fourth was struck hard but managed to escape. "Those sea- 

 ducks will carry oil an enormous lot of shot," remarks S. 

 " Yes," says Ucno; "but if you only had another empty 

 shell in your Boyd & Tyjler we might count four in the box." 

 As the lide lions over tiff' Hats a great many small fish arc 

 irtracted hither in se rch of food, and these in turn draw 

 alter them many sheldrake. Three of these came dear lhe 

 " No. bar" and were reminded of their proximity by " Old 

 CherokctJ." (me was gathered and one escaped with a broken 

 wing. 'Tis useless chasing wounded sheldrake iu water two 

 It el <he|>. Twenty shells may be tired and the bird still live. 

 The tide is fust making over the tar, now "borim.'" up, 

 now falling off again. " Shall we be driven ?" asks IT. "if 

 it continues to How hard wc probably shall," responds Reno. 

 Again it " bores," and a. wavelet enters the box. The decoys 

 now unfettered and placed in the basket. Another wave 

 :es the patty to mount the top of the bijr, Here is the 

 dread alternative cither to retreat to the shantv or stand on 

 bar for a long hour till the tide ebbs so they can re-enter. 

 As the road lies between the Mudhole and Gravel, and as no 

 Shooting can be done at either during the passage, it is decided 

 to stand it out. 1'sually on being driven when the Gravel is 

 untenanted they '-lleet" timber. At high tide when the 

 wind blows fresh lhe birds are skipping about pretty lively, 

 and some very good shots are likely to tie ma le. A-flupk of 

 about twenty brant drew near the Mudhole, and wassjrccttd 

 by a salute of six guns, and seven (had were lefl to be gath- 

 ered, besides oue "wing-tip" which gave YFashy a hard pull 

 to overhaul. 



As booh as the tide ebbed so (hat the. norlh box could be 

 bailed out the party re-enter, put oat doe.ivs and proceed lo 

 business: nor were they long idlcW " Is thai a little black 

 cloud or Hock of birds away down there toward Harwich 

 I'oinl i'\ asks II. Keno, although remarkably vi-il.uil. is not 

 particularly long sighted, and did not at fust take in the sit- 

 uation, but after a whilejhe little spot, as it moved slowly 

 along apparently close to Uic water, attracted his eye. ■ 6, 

 yes; I sec," aud the little dark cloud drew bigger and bigger 

 as nearer and nearer it came. "Yes, it is a large Hock of 

 braut coming right for our bar "—giving the decoy line a 

 jerk at the.same time. On, on tlif-ycome.' " Down, dowu " 

 he cries, mid two of Ih&iicads disappear, "They are now 

 very near,'' he continues. " There, liicy swing around: now 

 we have them; thev ureal I in the water." The two heads, 

 after a few minutes of awful suspense, .are slowly raised and 

 two pair of astonished eyes behold a hundred and fifty brant 

 not as many yards away swimming hither and thither, co- 

 quetting and playing together ent'ucly innocent of any danger. 

 Gradually they work their way along to the southward of' ihe 

 box spreading about, some ipiite near and others more re- 

 mote. At length they come together very handsomely with- 

 in forty yards of the box. "Now, Is our time," whispers 

 lb-no. "Are you ready ?" he nervously continues. An affir- 

 mative response is made, and he gives "the order, "Put over! 

 One, two— Fire!" Bang! bang: go Ihe six barrels, splash, 

 splash, go the threepairof Long bonis. The dead and wound- 

 ed are gathered with all possible dispatch, and but for one 

 cripple the work would have been quickly done. This one, 

 however, gave Keno a fearful jaunt. Away went, our black- 

 footed hero, paddling for dear life, toward the north pole, and 

 away went Keno in pursuit. The pursuer had not the bene- 

 fit of a long pair of legs, though he had excellent pluck, 

 whilo the pursued was blessed with a splendid pair for the 

 work before h'm. Now the brant seemed to gain on his pur- 

 suer, and now Keno ou the object of his pursuit. S. and II. 

 watched Willi breathless anxiety this little episode incident to 

 brantiug. These birds are not divers, but stand up bravelv 

 till their pursuer is quite near, when they plunge in and sn im 

 under water; but they make s'ow progress and are then easi- 

 ly captured. Placing his bird under his arm be slowly re- 

 turns. "Big shot," says S. "How many '.'" inquires Keno, 

 as he jumps into the box and puts the decoy in the basket. 

 "Twenty-three," instantly rejoin both S. and II., "and one 

 cripple which makes twenty- four, and ibis beats any shot of 

 the season," he rejoins, at the same lime, seating himself aud 

 commencing to fill his pipe. After such a big shot a great 

 many wise remarks arc volunteered, a great many suggestions 

 made which are to apply to the future, but the future always 

 brings with it an enormous amount of variability. As this 

 conversalion was vehemently progre«ing a flock of seven 

 brant came up behind the box, cangSPsight of the decoys, 

 swung round twice: but as the tide was nearly olf the Hats, 

 aud as they rarely light except in water, it was thought best 

 to "give it to them. ' Four fell dead while a fifth dropped 

 too wide out to be recovered. This was the last shot, and as 

 the other parties had long since gone in Reno concluded to 

 " take up." The dead birds are tied in bunches, and thrown 

 over their shoulders or across the. guns, anil amid mutual 

 congratulations the party proudly sets out for the shantv. 



Only four shots were fired at the "Gravel." At first a 

 Hock of nine brant came and alighted near the point of the 

 b i , and as they " bunched up" five of them were murdered 

 iu cold blood. Then a pair whirled round over the bar ap- 

 parently reconnoitering, but this temerity cpst them (heir 

 lives. The third shot was at a big loon {OvlyrrMm glacialis), 

 by George, and he was handsomely knocked down at eighty- 

 three yards. A lone shelldrake closed (he morning's work 

 and the parly retired. As soon as Reno entered the shanty 

 hc asks, "How many did you get. Washy, at that first shot '." 



