The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-06-17
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.
A MERCHANT CAPTAINS STORY.

= Without an unnecessary preface, Il
will at once proceed to inform my read
efs that on the occasion of a return voy-'
age from China, in the good ship Win
throp, | took in part OF, y cargo of tea at
Canton, and then dropped down to the
PHILIPPINE islands to fill up with dried
fruit aiitlf spices. We cast our anchor
in tie harbor of Manila; but the arti-
clessGe wanted werenot delivered as l
desired. There was much delay, occa-
sioned by some trouble with the Chinese
porters, sotthat we were two weeks in
accomplishing what might have been
dollcin four days. One day while we
were thus delayed l went on shore
witE-my rifle, and took IA horse for
not.from choice. My officers had an ell
gagement with the officers of another
English ship, which they did not like
to break; and did not urge them to do
SO. Still, it was not unpleasant to ride
alone, for sometimes l love to ride 10y
myself, where can think and COM
mune as please.
On the present occasion | t5nl1 road
that led tothe eastward, 10 ward The rice
lasds, and as the scenery was attractive
| cantered on until was far away from
the city and its surroundings. | had
ridden, | should judge, fifteen miles,
without seeing anything worth shoot
ing at, and was beginning to think that
l should carry back the same bullet i'm
my rife which | had put in before i
left the ship, when | heard Tapping
close by on my right, and upon look
ing in that direction. saw au enormus
heron fly up from rice bed. and steer
tn bas h
these birds-I had heard that they had
been captured measuring over six feet
in highland if | had doubted the
statement bfore, did not doubt it when
| saw that fellow rise. | wanted him
very much, and / was determined to
have him if the thing were within the
boui,is of possibility. | might, had
been prepared, have taken him OF the
wing, but before I could get my rifle in
position he was too far away. I watch
ed him, and saw bim settle down be-
hind some trees about halfa mile dis
tant. and after little hunting | found
path leading that way, whi seemed
to be firm enough to give safe passage to
my horse. You will understand that
the district of these rice fields is low and
marshy. F&# 81
The path had taken led through n
llifNhCI vi SllIali ana tI 1eHnll
! came out upon the shore of broad lake
or lagoon, which look ed like some of the
dismal swamps of Florida / saw nv
monster heron upon ah island, some
two hundred yards distant, aud / deter
mined to fire 1T Him whether | got him
or not. For this purpose | dismounted
and hitched my horse to tree. and
+ then sought place where | could rest
my rifle. While thus engaged, | dis
covered 4 small boat. made fast to SOME
tall reeds, not niore thar ten rods Off;
and as this gave me good opportunity
to get to the island, l made up my
mind to be more particular, In my aim.
l found good rest, and in a few min
I'utes more the bird tumbled over with a
bullet through its breast. fastened to
the boat, which I found to be a sort or a
raft like gondola, almost as broad as it
was lanH furnished with good paddle
and only fastened by a small manila
rope. 1 4p+sr -s5
1t cost me some little effort to get the
thing into the water, but | succeeded
after . while, and was soon on my way
to tlta. Bland ;, which reached without
further difficulty. l drove the boat up
on the surface Of the s0ft'inud, and leap
Ell ashore, sinking IN to the knees
where had expected to find firm foot
ing. But did not mind this. I scram.
bied on, and was soon upon a better
foundation. | found my. bird dead:
] and When | beheld his preparations, and
! thought what valuable addition his
!. stuffed skin would made to my museum
| / forget the labor and the mud. l was
stopping to turn the prize over. when
| / faneied that heard something be-
hind me, and on ldhking arould / saw
my boat swinging away from the shore
AS quickly aspossible / peaped toward
the water; but before could reach the
boat | wa up y ml nladleIn u.e mud
l 6Are3e 1dt<bfth my han d, rand made
one desperate effort to seize the depart.
| ing craft. But failed to touch it, and
sank deeper into the mud and. there
stood almost up to my ASaastTips in thl
slough, and my boat floating lastly off
hopeless beyond my reach.
| A happy lh0ighr d1wAetI upon. me. :.
I would get up ont Of the mud, and un'
dress myself and swim for nv boat