The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1869-03-26


on my right, and upon looking in chat
direction, | saw an enormous heron
ny up from rice-bed, and steer away
TO the southwark. / had heard Of
those birds--I had heard Chat they
had been captured, measuring over six
rect IN height--and If | had doubted
tho statement before, did not doubt
Vt after | saw that fellow rise | want,
ed him very much, and | was deter
mined to have him If the thing were
within the bounds Of possibility. I
might, had | been prepared, have ta-
ken him on the wing, but before l
could get my rife into position, he
was too far AWAY. | watched him,
and saw him settle down behind some
trees, about half mile off. and after
a little hunting found path loading
that way, which seemed to be fiM,
enough to give passage to my horse.
You will understand that the district
Of these Tice-fieds Is low and narshy.
The path had taken lea through
a thicket Of small palms, and atlength
1 came out upon the shore of broad
lake orlagoon, which looked like some
OF the dismal swamps Of Florida |
saw my monster hero upon an island,
some two hundred yards distant. aud
l determined to fire at him, whether |
got him or not. For this purpose /
,dismounted aud hitched my,horse to
q tree, aud then sought place where
! could find good rest for my rife.
While thus engaged, discovered
small boat, made fast among OOme tall
reeds not moro than ten rods or and
as this gave me good opportunity TO
reach the island, | made up ny nind
to be more particular in my aim. /
found good rest, and, in a very few
moments more, the bird tumbled over
with a bullet through its breast, 7
thcn fastened to the boat, which /
found to be ratt-like gondoIa, almost
as broad as it was long furnished with
. good paddle, and only fastened bya
MANILA rope,
II cost me some little effort to got
the thing into Tho water, but | suc-
ceeded, after u while, and was soon on
my way to the island, which reached
without further difficulty. / drove
the boat upon the surface of the soft
mud, and leapei ashore, sinking in to
my knees Where | had expected to
find firm foOti"g. Bnt Idid not mind
this. l scrambled on, and was soon
upon a, better foundation. / found !
my bird dead and when ! behell his |
aud thought whata vain.
able addition his stuffed skin would |
make TO my museum, | forgot the la
bOr and the mud. | was stopping to |
turn my prize over, when faucicd |
that | heard something moving be-
hind me, and on looking around, saw
my boat swinging away from the
sbore, Aa quickly ~ possible, leap
cd towards the waters odge; but, be-
fore | could reach tho boat, | was up |
10 my middle in the soft mud
stretched forth my hands and made
one desperate effort to seize the de-
parting craft. But failed to touch
Il, and sank deeper into the mud
and there | stood, almost up to my
armpits in the slough, and saw my
boat float laEiIy of, bopelessIy beyond
my reach.
A happy thought dawned upon me
| would get up Out Of the mud, and
lndress myself, and swim for my
boat. | could leap far enough out 10
strike clear water. But we cannot
always doas we would; and oftentimes
man'smost promising plans are knock.
ID on the head By circumstances be-
yo6d bis control. Ihad just perfect
I'd the swimming plan in my mind,
md was struggling to free myself
rom the mud wheu something APP
Deared 10 me that caused me to has
len my movements in q mo-t extranr.
iinary manner. This accclerating
was nothing more nor less
han 40 enormous crOcOdile The ug.
" monster lay with bis head toward
me, cycling mo sharply, anG evidently
,aloulating how large n mOrsel
would make. And he IL was, prOba-
bly, that had disturbed the boat. Tho
instinct Of self.preservation gave me
strength, and while struggled up aSd
back, | splashcd with my hands and
yelled with my lungs, making oil the
noise and commOtiOn / could. The
ellow did not attack me, and | finally
IucceedOd in reaching firm ground,
where | sat down TO rust, for the ef-
ort Of extricating myself from that
'doky trap had used up the last atom
If my strength. fse
When / had gained strength enough
10 enable mo TO stand without an ef-
ort, got up and looked about me,
Ny position was surely not an envia-
,le one, The island, Of which I was
ltthat moment lord and master, was
lot more than ak rods long, by about
our broad. and was covered with /
'seds There was clnmp Of low
yaler bushes upon one side, but there
vas no such thing rs tree upon IL.