THE CHIMNEY SWALLOW, OR AMERICAN SWIFT. 
167 
my astonishment to see it standing as firm as ever. The Swallows were how 
pouring out in a black continued stream. I ran back to my post, and listened 
in amazement to the noise within, which I could compare to nothing else 
than the sound of a large wheel revolving under a powerful stream. It was 
yet dusky, so that I could hardly see the hour on my watch, but I estimated 
the time which they took in getting out at more than thirty minutes. After 
their departure, no noise was heard within, and they dispersed in every 
direction with the quickness of thought. 
I immediately formed the project of examining the interior of the tree, 
which, as my kind friend, Major Croghan, had told me, proved the most 
remarkable I had ever met with. This I did, in company with a hunting 
associate. We went provided with a strong line and a rope, the first of 
which we, after several trials, succeeded in throwing across the broken 
branch. Fastening the rope to the line we drew it up, and pulled it over 
until it reached the ground again. Provided with the longest cane we could 
find, I mounted the tree by the rope, without accident, and at length seated 
myself at ease on the broken branch ; but my labour was fruitless, for I could 
see nothing through the hole, and the cane, which was aboutfifteen feet long, 
touched nothing on the sides of the tree within that could give any infor- 
mation. I came down fatigued and disappointed. 
The next day I hired a man, who cut a hole at the base of the tree. The 
shell was only eight or nine inches thick, and the axe soon brought the inside 
to view, disclosing a matted mass of exuviae, with rotten feathers reduced to 
a kind of mould, in which, however, I could perceive fragments of insects 
and quills. I had a passage cleared, or rather bored through this mass, for 
nearly six feet. This operation took up a good deal of time, and knowing 
by experience that if the birds should notice the hole below, they would 
abandon the tree, I had it carefully closed. The Swallows came as usual 
that night, and I did not disturb them for several days. At last, provided 
with a dark lantern, I went with my companion about nine in the evening, 
determined to have a full view of the interior of the tree. The hole was 
opened with caution. I scrambled up the sides of the mass of exuviae, and 
my friend followed. All was perfectly silent. Slowly and gradually I 
brought the light of the lantern to bear on the sides of the hole above us, 
when we saw the Swallows clinging side by side, covering the whole surface 
of the excavation. In no instance did I see one above another. Satisfied 
with the sight, I closed the lantern. We then caught and killed with as 
much care as possible more than a hundred, stowing them away in our 
pockets and bosoms, and slid down into the open air. We observed that, 
while on this visit, not a bird had dropped its dung upon us. Closing the 
entrance, we marched towards Louisville perfectly elated. On examining 
