Dec. 25, 1890.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



455 



and paddled up to camp, leaving the coon. Probably he 

 was dead and resting on the bottom somewhere. 



By Monday night L. and I began to cogitate. The little 

 water gauge which we had notched off into inches and 

 carefully put out on our arrival at Gum Ridge, showed 

 the water to have risen just one inch every day. An inch 

 in that flat country, almost already entirely overflowed, 

 meant a great deal. In two or three daj s more every 

 foot of land except the mounds would be under. Then 

 we would not care to continue the hunt. And again, we 

 already had just twelve turkeys, certainly a good bag and 

 enough to satisfy all reasonable desires. It was L. who 

 first suggested that we should not stay our appointed time. 

 As for myself I have never been known to take the in- 

 itiative in conversation leading up to a subject of this 

 kind. 



"Mr. Telescope, don't you think we have got about 

 enough game, and hadn't we better go home shortly?" 



"What put that idea into your head? Don't you know 

 that on our way up the launch consumed about nine boxes 

 of coal — over l,0001bs. — and that she can carry all the 

 game we can kill up here in a month yet?" 



''How will you keep the game? The refrigerator is full, 

 and 1 haven't great faith in keeping game long lying on 

 the bare ground and covered wiih dry leaves. I think we 

 are running some risk even now." 



''Look here, L., what's the matter with you? Didn't 

 you come up here to stay ten or twelve days at the short- 

 est? We have abundant provisions, we still have some 

 land to hunt on, and we are just having a royal time and 

 you want to break it up. You surprise me. You have 

 always been able to be away from your mother longer 

 than than this. Maybe it's the girls that are bothering 

 you?" 



"It's not the girls, either.' 1 



"Need not color up, my boy. If that's it, of course you 

 are a little in bad shape for a protracted hunt: but they 

 won't get away, be plenty of them when you get back to 

 Vicksburg. By the way, L,, I notice you passing under 

 our electric light pretty often now. Am keeping my 

 oggles on you closely. Rather nice young lady that. But 

 I would think you would need some beard before proceed- 

 ing to serious matters." 



"Oh, I can stay up here as long as you can, but there is 

 no use in it. As to girls, it is Lent now, and there are no 

 parties, anyway," 



"I'll tell you'L., if we have luck to-morrow we will go 

 home Wednesday. You know we want more gobblers. 

 We have almost too many hens. You won't help me get 

 gobblers. If you'll promise not to shoot another hen, I 

 won't." 



"There is no law against shooting hens, is there ?" 



"No, but gobblers are larger and finer for the table, 

 and it is more sportsmanlike to kill them." 



"Well, what have you been tumbling over bo many 

 hens for then? You have not paralyzed yourself killing 

 gobblers." 



"Now, L., can't you help me a little— please kill a gob- 

 bler to morrow." 



He promised and we shook hands on it. In the morn- 

 ing before it was yet light L. and I were on the way back 

 to the mounds, that charmed spot where we had found so 

 much game, and felt so sure of finding it again. On the 

 way a large gobbler was flushed from a tree overhead. 

 He had gone in there the evening before, after having 

 been shot at with the rifle. It was yet quite dark and 

 we gave him no further attention. Arriving in the 

 vicinity of the mounds we fastened the Amateur 200yds. 

 away, and begau to wade toward the bluff side. 



"Take your choice, L., I think we had better separate 

 this time." 



"Either will do me." 



"There are turkeys on both, I'll wager; take your choice. 

 To the right or left?" 

 "Choose yourself." 



"Well, then, you go to the right, I know there are 

 turkeys there. Now take your time, and if necessary 

 spend an hour in wading in, and don't flush the turkeys 

 whatever you do until you have a sure shot." 



"I'll try." 



"Oh, that face." 



"Wish you'd let up on that face." 

 "It'll ruin you sure. Wrap it up in moss— cover every- 

 thing except your eyes." 

 "I'll do it." 



"L., a gobbler this time." 

 "A gobbler yourself." 



"When this telescope draws a bead, a gobbler it is." 



"And when this shotgun throws its seed, a gobbler it is." 



The mound I was approaching was bluffer and better 

 covered with undergrowth than the other and conse- 

 quently easier to approach; but L.'s was the more pro- 

 lific in game as a rule. My anxiety as to how he would 

 approach it was relieved, when on reaching my mound 

 I looked back and away off through the timber and saw 

 that he had not made more than half my progress I felt 

 then that something good awaited him. 



On circling my mound to the right I saw turkeys be- 

 yond range, and watched them for a long time. Finally 

 they fed to the other side, and I moved ai'ound under 

 cover; then very cautiously with some large trees between 

 us I moved, stooping very low with my face to the 

 ground to one of these trees. Here I rested to steady 

 myself for a shot, expecting to get one in a minute. On 

 peering around I failed to see the game. This was re- 

 peated several times without seeing or hearing anything. 

 Then I moved around to one side of the tree and sat down 

 on a lot of dry bark, which I had silently broken up and 

 placed in a fork of the roots, with my feet in the water. 

 A tree near and behind gave me a splendid location. A 

 bunch of moss had been put on my head and my cap 

 pulled over it. The moss was then pulled down in a 

 string on either side and tied around my neck. In this 

 way, aided by a heavy growth of beard, my face was con- 

 cealed and protected from the mosquitoes, which on this 

 day were annoying — except my nose and eyes. With a 

 small piece of bark, with my elbow resting on my knee, 

 I fought the insects from there. 



And all the time the woods down from the mound were 

 watched for a motion of the turkeys. After a while L. 

 shoots — and shoots again, in quick succession. I feared 

 that my turkeys would fly, but there was not a stir in 

 that part of the. woods. I began to wonder whether 

 they had not fed away, but dismissed the thought 

 promptly on reflecting that land did not extend very far 

 away and they were not likely to wade the rather deep 

 water over to L. What could L. have shot at? ran 



through my mind. Had he another hen, or had he made 

 a clean miss, or had he got in his work properly, with a 

 gobbler with each barrel? Hardly. 



Just then two hens stepped into an opening not over 

 40yds. away. I moved to raise my rifle but suddenly re- 

 collected that L. had instructed me to get a gobbler, so 

 the rifle remained on my lap, but I quit fighting mosqui- 

 toes and bathing my eyes. Presently more hens worked 

 into view, but not a male could be seen. I determined to 

 have a gobbler unless the hens made me oixt, when I 

 would take what I could. I watched them closely, the 

 mosquitoes in the meantime enjoying an unmolested 

 meal. Several times a hen would straighten up and take 

 a survey of the surrounding woods, but I was ready, if 

 the alarm was suddenly given, for the emergency and be- 

 lieved I could get a hen even at that late stage of the pro- 

 ceedings. But nothing of the kind took place, though 

 the hens finally worked within 25yds. of me and I felt 

 sure my presence would be detected. 



At last a gobbler exposed himself. He was not so large 

 nor so fine as I had desired, but he would do. It would 

 not be quite safe to delay on him. I could not trust him 

 to go behind a tree. Too many already had doue that to 

 me. He looked innocent and unsuspicious enough, it is 

 true, but such appearance goes for naught with a gobbler 

 at such times. Just as he was about to walk behind a 

 tree I made a rather hasty shot. 



There was a great flight. Turkeys tookwing, itseemed. 

 all around me. They seemed to get up everywhere. I 

 had not the least idea that there were so many. I would 

 not like to hazard a guess as to their number, lest I be 

 laughed at. One turkey made me feel sick, as he took 

 wing from behind the tree I was sitting against, not over 

 10yds. away. He was the one I wanted. He looked 

 every inch as big as a barrel, with a beard swinging from 

 his breast a yard long. I watched his flight eagerly : but 

 he went, and went, and went, until he was a long way 

 beyond the depth of my rubber boots in the deep over- 

 flow. I did not even know that the little one had been 

 killed. Indeed I feared for the worst and felt not the 

 best. 



I did not move from my bark seat, but sat there for 

 three-quarters of an hour, and saw nothing except some 

 hens away off in the timber. 



When at last I ventured to call, they only answered by 

 flying further away. After a while I abandoned all hope 

 of calling them back. They had seen too much of us 

 about these mounds. I then slipped off down there and 

 got two shot?. This settled the business— the turkeys, so 

 far as could be seen, flew to Europe. 



On wading back, I again became interested as to 

 whether I had killed that gobbler. After firing I had not 

 seen nor heard a thing of him. Did he beat the ball 

 to the tree and save himself? Certainly he was close 

 enough to me — but those were the one3 I generally missed. 

 I wished I had waited longer for the big one. 



Presently I found him, not where I had expected, but 

 a little f urther on , with a ball through just behind the 

 butt of the wing: he had forgotten to stop behind the 

 tree. An 18 pounder —not so bad after all. 



Having covered my game carefully, I then waded 

 across to L.'s ridge and gave a low. whistle, and, receiving 

 no answer, repeated it a little louder. His peculiar note 

 came back. 1 would know that whistle in the wilds of 

 Africa. 



" Well, L., what have you done; did you tumble 'em?" 

 "I got only two," 



"Only two? Thunder, how many did you expect to 

 get? You shot but twice." 



"I shot but twice, but you ought to have seen the flock." 



"But you don't expect to get more than one with each 

 barrel?" 



"Why, man, I killed two with the first barrel and 

 missed with the second." 



"Two with one barrel? Both hens?" 

 "Both gobblers." 



"Both gobblers? Ain ! t you joking?" 



"Look for yourself, here they are," lifting his coat and 

 exposing to view a couple of magnificent gobblers. 



"L., shake! Get up, and let's look at you. Bless me, 

 how you've grown. Two inches taller. You're all right 

 now. You are in for gobblers after this. And your 

 beard will put out. You are a man. We go home to- 

 morrow and you can see your girl and — " 



"Well, say, let up on that, will you? What have you 

 done? You shot three times." 



"Well, I didn't get two at one shot." 



"I hardly expected that with a rifle." 



"I did do it the other day." 



"But you left one in the woods — that don't count. We 

 want the game in camp. Say, how many did you kill?" 

 "Three, two hens, one gobbler." 



On our way back to camp, three hen turkeys were seen in 

 trees on the right. Before getting into the canoe we had 

 voted unanimously not to kill another turkey, especially 

 a hen. But here they were. It was rather an early test 

 of our resolution, and we were not quite prepared for it. 

 Did L. want to try one with his shotgun? He would not 

 mind doing so. But the birds were wrong for a shot from 

 the right shoulder. 



"Don't appear to notice them," in a whisper. "We 

 will paddle up out of sight and turn round. I'll steer the 

 cance while you shoot." Thus I spoke to L. 



The turkeys were back a little from the river, so after 

 turning I kept the boat under cover on that side until we 

 came in full view opposite them. Then L. fired, once, 

 twice, quick. 



"Why did you shoot the second time? Your turkey 

 was falling then?" 



"Could not help it; wanted to make sure." 



The others flew of course, but to our surprise one lit 

 but a short distance away. 



"L., I believe I'll try that with my rifle. Paddle down 

 a little further and she will be in easy range." 



"Thunder, the cross-hair goes all over and around her; 

 sit still, I can't shoot; couldn't hit a meeting house." 



Directly the sight starts to cross the body and I pull. 



"Good; that was a splendid shot." 



"An accident, my boy, a pure accident." 



"I like to see accidents like that from a tottery boat. 

 It was good." 



"L., we'll go home to-morrow." 



"Agreed." 



"And you shall see your girl." 



By 11 o'clock we were in camp with our seven turkeys, 

 which we had killed in eight shots, one shot having been 

 made at an already mortally wounded one. It was 



rather a clean day's work. I do not think we could have 

 done it except for the overflow. Their range being 

 limited rendered the birds easier to find. It also seemed 

 to disturb them and make them less wild. We would 

 rather have called the big puffy old gobblers and shot 

 them as formerly. Still we found every day that they 

 had legs, eyes, ears and wings. They also had an un- 

 limited woods to fly through. The big flock on our camp 

 ridge proved rather too smart for us, and I believe we 

 got but one out of it. My first day of grand fizzles among 

 them educated them away out of our reach. 



In the afternoon William was given ten cartridges and 

 the shotgun and told to bring in ten rabbits, and left on 

 his mission. L. also went after them with a ,82-caliber 

 Winchester. He had been anxious to get some game 

 with that, and as I had persuaded him not to risk it after 

 turkeys, why, he would try it on rabbits. At the target 

 he could make some very good shots. Shortly there was 

 sufficient noise to frighten everything wild out of the 

 woods. The rifle and shotgun both opened up lively, and 

 I knew that a new element of destruction was among the 

 persecuted long-ears. L. was first back in fifteen minutes 

 with one rabbit with a great hole in his back. 



"Gracious ! Did you shoot all your balls through him ?" 



"1 didn't shoot liirn but once, thank you, sir." 



"Where are the others?" 



"Out in the woods," 



"How many times did you shoot?" 



"Something the matter with the gun." 



"How many times, L.?" 



"O, seven. But the barrel's got something in it," 



"Take a club. You can get 'em with a club. Or take 

 a bag — there's an ice sack — set it and chase them into it. 

 You can get it full." 



Presently William came in with five. He was given 

 more ammunition and told to get himself five more, 

 which he did in about ten additional shots. He did not 

 show much marksmanship, but seemed greatly to enjoy 

 it, as he was too near camp to be afraid. 



We drew our seven turkeys and hung them up on the 

 outside of the launch. There were five in the refrigera- 

 tor — the first killed — and seven on the bare ground, cov- 

 ered with dry leaves and then with the Boss, which had 

 been turned upside down over them. 



We then set to work to prepare for an early Btart in the 

 morning. The boiler was filled, furnace cleaned of 

 ashes and cinders, and kindling and coal put in. Sundry 

 other things were done to facilitate getting away for 

 home by daybreak. It was almost as much of a delieht 

 to us as the preparations for starting on the trip. We 

 were feeling good over our success. 



Toward night a fearful rain and wind storm set in. 

 Everything was fairly protected, and this did not disturb 

 us very much. Before dark the storm ceased. About 9 

 o'clock it commenced again, and, so far as we knew, 

 raged with unabated fury all night. Many times on 

 awaking it could be heard roaring through the tall and 

 thick timber. Trees could be heard crying- as they chafed 

 each other, and the heavy winds appeared to come and 

 go in great waves, chasing each other over the vast for- 

 ests, the one rushing in with great fury ere the old 

 one had ceased to sigh in the distance. Immediately 

 over us the canopy of the Greenwing kept up a great 

 clatter by the heavy rain fall. It was, indeed, a fearful 

 night. The more so upon reflecting that the vast delta, 

 already flooded, was being more deeply inundated by 

 this tremendous downpour. 



In the morning we were up an hour before day for the 

 early start. It was still raining, though not heavily. 

 Everything about camp was under water and our rub- 

 ber boots had to be used, 



The turkeys under the Boss and the rabbits were all in 

 water, It was more than w-e had expected, even for so 

 heavy a rain. The gauge indicated a 4in. rainfall. 



Our journey home was one of no particular interest, 

 exceptthat the water was about one foot higher and the 

 country in just so much more distress. On one ridge, 

 three miles below our camp, we saw several head of cat- 

 tle standing knee deep in water. It was the highest 

 ground in that locality, and, on that day, there was no 

 land out on the upper Little Sunflower except the 

 mounds. Unless rescued those cattle would perish along 

 with hundreds more in other places. We could do noth- 

 ing for them, could only pass on leaving them there to 

 their fate. 



The day was cool and dark, with an occasional spatter- 

 ing of rain, a not unpleasant day for the run home. 



The last killed turkeys were left hanging around the 

 forward part of the canopy. It was with pardonable 

 pride, we hope, they were left there, to be seen by many 

 persons as we steamed down to Vicksburg. 



In about ten hours we reached the Greenwing's buoy 

 in Lake Centennial and blew the whistle for Douglas, 

 the watchman, to help us ashore with our traps. 



The little launch had behaved herself very nicely all 

 the way up and back, not cutting up a single caper as 

 she is wont to do. A nice little boat indeed, and may she 

 bob and splash in Lake Centennial until we go again, 

 when we fully contemplate having another grand time in 

 the woods, Lawrence and I. Even as we write we learn 

 that the turkeys have passed through the overflow with- 

 out great disaster, and that large broods of the young are 

 being reared to replenish the ranks thinned out by their 

 numerous and destructive enemies, including the great 

 overflow, which, even after our return to Vicksburg, rose 

 several feet higher over their favorite range and feeding 

 grounds, Long may they flourish to thrill the heart of 

 the sportsman as he listens to their notes and endeavors 

 to cope with them in their native wilds. W. L. Polk. 



Pennsylvania Trespassers.— At the meeting of the 

 State Grange, held at Harrisburg, the committee on' reso- 

 lutions passed the following: "Resolved, That this State 

 Grange recommend to the Legislature that a bill be en- 

 acted that hunting or fishing without permission from 

 the owner of the grounds be made a criminal offense." 

 It looks very much as if those who framed this move- 

 ment were sadly deficient in their knowledge of law, for 

 had they referred to the trespass laws of Pennsylvania 

 they would find that they have now the same redress as 

 they would have in the passage of this bill, Col. E. H. 

 Thomas, secretary of the State Grange, being interviewed 

 by your correspondent, said: "We will put forth every 

 effort to have the bill passed, as it is high time for the 

 farmers to have better protection against the use- 

 less idlers who shoot their domestic fowl, break down 

 their fences and trample their crops."— Minnie Mingo, 



