Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-10-29
ADVENTURE IL THE LOUISIANA
SWAMPS.

IBIS AND ALLIGATOR SHooT1NG.-There are
few sorts of game have not followed with
horse, hound, or gun and, among other sports
| have gone ibis shOotiug; it was not so much
for the sport, however as that | wished to OBJ
tain some specimens for mounting. An ad-
venture bctel ME in one of these excursions,
that may interest the reader. The southern
part of The State of Louisiana is one vast lab
yrinth of swamps, bayous, and lagoons. The
bayous are luggish St cams that glide speed
lily along, sometimes running one way, and
sometimes the very opposite, according to the
season. Many Of them are outlets If the
great Mississippi, which begins to shed of its
waters more than three hundred miles from
its mouth. These bayous are deep, some.
times narrow, sometimes wide with inIcls in
their midst They and their contiguous
swainps are the great habitation Of the alga-
tor and the fresh water shark the gar. M.
merous specimens of water and wading fowl,
hy over them, and plunge through their dark
tide. Here you may see tie red flaming ,
the egret, the trumpcter swan, the blue her
on, the wild goose, the crane, the snake bird,
the pelican, ani the ibis. You may likewise
see the osprey, and the white headed eagle
robbing him Of his prey. These swamps and
hayous produce abundanlly ish, reptiles and
Insects, and are, consequently, the favorite re-
sort of hundreds Of birds which prey upon
these creatures In some places the bayous
form a complete uetwork over the country
which you may traverse with small boat in
almost any direction indeed, this is the means
by which many settlements communicate
with each other. As you approach south
wards to the gulf, you get clear Of the timber
and within some fifty miles of the sea there
is not tree to be seen,
1t was near the edge Of this open country
went ibis-shooting. | had set out from &
small French or Creole settlement with nC
other company than my gun-even without
dog, as my tavorite spaniel had the day be
fore been bitten by an alligator while swim
ming across bayou, | went OF course, in
boat, light skilf, such as is commonly used
| by the inhabitants Of the country.
Occssionlly using the paddles. l allowed
myself to float some Tour or five miles dowr
the main bayou; but as the birds | WAS il
search of, did not appear. ! struck into t
"branch," and sculed myself up stream
This carried me through a solitary region
with marshes stretching as far as the ey,
could see, covered with tall reeds. There wa
No habtation, nor aught that betokened th,
presence Of man. 1t was just possible that
was the first human being who had ever fouuC
motive for propeling boat through til,
dark waters OF this solitary stream. AS
advanced, fell in with my game; and l sue
cecded in bagging several, both She grea
wood ibis and the white species. ! also sho
fine white headed eagle, which came soar
ing over my boat unconscious ofdanger. Blu
the bird which ! most wanted seemed tha
which could not be obtained. wanted tn
scarlet ibis.
| / think had rowed some three miles u
stream, and was about to 10 in my oars an
leave my boat to float back again, when per
ceived that, little further up, the bayo'
widened. c Curiosity prompted me to contin
ne; and after pulling few hundred stroke
further, found myself at the end of an oh
long lake, mile or so in length. 1t was deeI
dark, marshy around the shore, aud iuil c
alligators. | saw their ugly forms and lon
serrated backs, as they Aoated about in al
parts Of it, hunglily hunting for fish and eat
ing one another; but all this was nothing new
for had Witnessed similar scenes during tn
whole ofmy excursion, What drew my atten
ton most was a small islct near the middle {
} the lake, upon one end Of which stood ROY
Of upright forms of scarlet color. Ties, re-
creatures were the very objects L was i
search Of They might be famingnes
could not tell at that distance. So much tn
better, if could only succeed in getting
shot at them; but these creatures are eve
more wary than the ibis and as the islet wa
low, and altogether without cover, it was no
likely they would allow me to come within
range: nevertheless, was determined &
make the attempt. rowed up the lake, oc
casionly turning my head to see if the gam
had taken the alarm. The sun was not ant
dazzling; and as the bright scarlet was mag
nfed by refrac,ion, fancied for long time
that they we're hamingoes