, 1870-09-11
A MORASS ADVENTURE,


A M0RAss ADVENTURE.
In the latter part OF last sumuier, scArty
rttrsc lei me, in company with e~me relatives,
tc srcnd my holidays at 1 l:.le village on the
Welsh coast, out Of the ordinary beat Of tour
itte. hut otherwise remarkable for no'hing but
plare was very quiet. and the lodgings wero
cheap, aud tolerab'y comfortable. Thcse cs-
sentials being secured, We had to put up with
tie scenerT, which ~an not very attractive. 4
long low line OF beach, surnouutcd By high
foot OF come bold ju.ting cliffs, sna on tho
other losing itself III an estuary behind thie,
black and drcary-looking bog, stretching
three or four miles inland, aud intersectei in
every direction By vile, artificial slitchcs, and
deep, natural ,is:urcs connecting tho inky
peol-. A small river flowing into tho essuary
divides the bog, iss course being marked BY
mounds Of peat, cut from the tirmer ground
which sorms its banks. Branching out at right
angles to the river are other lines OF peat
st.ckt, following the cour4e OF the larger
drains, which herald the attempt to cultivate
the d1eaEy waste.
This wac the view bcleld. as, standing one
eyerinG o., the top of the stony ridge, faced
eastward. The sinking sun threw my shadow
far over the hog. distinctly seen a. it fell
over TIC Gilded r,shes md the crimsoninG
| POOLS. had been ssrollinG out with :ny gun,
III the hore Of ad!ing rome specimens 70 my
| cabinet, and was thinking OF returning home
| ward, when !ong-legged heron slowly called
| high overhead. in the direction OF the river.
I watched the bird till it alighted near one Of
the reat-stacks, aud carefully noting the epot
I proceeded to careful stalk, hoping to Sc
cure All acquisition. l Icontrived TO set With
it. seventy yard. Of the heron, and Al there
VAS no cover OF aug kind ne.1er lay down
telind the last mound had reached, and
With finger OIL the trigger watched patiently.
il: tue hope that my quarry would feed toward
r,e. was not disappointed; ii gradually ap-
rroached come yards nearer my hi 1ing-pl1ce.
and then either caught sight OF ncsnt Of me,
for it suddenly rose. but in 70 doing came with
IL range. Bang! went both barrels. Ctsering 4
hosrse csoak. the heron hew heavily away.
keeping rlosc to the grourd. and evidently
hard hit. l srrang W and followed, jumping
tile tlitches and avoiding the soft ground AZ
jump loe, right o! the heron for moment !:
caught sight Of it again just in time 10 see it
fall to the earth AZ softly as snowflake. and
liz still With ulugr outrt,rcad to their full
stretch. Between the bird and me, however,
there waH c1eyasse wider than any had get
lay the object Of my pursuit. The black slime
rides Of tue DITCH overhut,g the water, which
l.g deep aud et.il some rix or ssven feet be-
l"w. and a few sArcs 10 the right connected
vita large pool. having equalty lugh and
r,rlay hat,k- To the left was labyrinth oi
ttEliar ii,ches. some distance in front .
lsoadeE anu -trsighter crack in the ti.t ex'
r,iee showed where the river lag. The haul
81 viii, h rteod Wa. foot or two higher
t..ar tie opposite bank. describe the situa
| ,'io'' ;s.u- tu'nute)y in order to make thu
.user ilnder-:a1d what afterwAri happened
MI liking 10 lure the prize go nearly in m.
sap. resolved TO rick tho jump. Lsy1D{
OWL my E,in aud taking my coat Of, I made
. the effort. and cleared the ditch-onlr. how
ever, By few inches I .acu-ad the heron
.. aud smoothing its besutiful rlumase, but lit
tie injured by tho shot, threw It sc1oss to tn
, l'aul from which hsd just come. Then, OIL
looking around. FOUND nyself IN sort o
e"i de sac. The bit Of firm ground on which
stood was At island, and the only way OF es
, clpe Va. the Que By which ! had sxr1ved
Having to take OF from = lover level. i
. WAS much harder TO get back than it had beel
to come: but. az there WAS no alternative.
, had to be tried. l did not leap quite IA
! enough, and pitched with hands and Knees to
! rether against the edge. There Was no vege
tation to catch bold OF, and after hanging o
0 the balance for few moments. vainlS clutch
, ing ut the mud, fell backward With tle4r
, splash into the water.
Fortunately, Am good swimmer, and a
ii:st. while treadine water, the luiicrousnes
, Ct the anai- alone struck me but when pe
Ian 10 see that it might be difficult to get q
taeee Shiny oyerha1g1ts banks, mu.t copfes
: felt rather frightened. It MAS impossible t
: Get out at the epot where had fallen in.
= exam fn1the1 up the ditch and, ,trinE
tottom il. felt nv feat fouch the soft. ten,
cious mud. that gave no support. but vas te
tines mule osLe eenous than the Water. Th
r water bss aue more shallow ~ I struggle
! on, bat the muddy oot,ou refused to give m
7 stancl1g-placc, and the muddy sides aIorde
J l.o hold for ny hands. It At last became q
slauow that I haa to turn on my bac
! TO avoid lickisg the mud AZ I evan
a.d when in this position I coul
1u.h my arms into it with alnost ,
! E'uch ease as could push them through IL
t water; bat to craw them ont again was I,
Ssrm easy. With hos1id fear OF being unab
:. to e,tricste myself from the mud. sud Of
slow sunoc1tion, made eudden aa.h bae
e Into the deeper water, and tried the otht
!: Gi,ches, only to b. rern,sed in the same ms,
I Ter EVAN round and ro1nd the pool, .eel
a Ing for N outlet. AMI beginning to feel n
9 boots and clothee very heavy. Even now
{ luvoluntaril5 smiled At tue comparison whie
I suddenly occurred to me between myself
q this plight and moase swimming round
rucket Ct Hasez: but the though, that I, to
q 1ike it, might b. swimming for my lie sot
+ drove all lndicrous thoughts ont Of my head
/ Matters now began to look very se1iou
s when I saw root OF branch Of sou
ls !ong.hu1ied tree projecting out Of Il
hank caught bold Of it: but it wasnot stzo.
FlOaEA ~ cAaulE luG III l41E E&E2G11 OUT OF II
70 water. AL that conld do was to support m
= se1t with my hands just sufficient 10 keep .
3c Lesd above the surface. took this oppe
o. 1unitS OF kicking on my boots.
,e Cr to this time could scarcely rcalize Z
e. rosltion: but now conviction began to da7
ID ron ne tla: might never again see t
ID mother and sisters had left in the cottage
a nile and half AWAY. Hooked up st the 81
4 u Viii. b the Twilight Was fast giving place
" he moonlight, and scross Which the clou
s wcrc r,atrly driving before the event
ia !recze; IN! then I looked at tile black a
L. Shiny walls ahich Lemmed me in, and felt
sg 'torgh Iwerc shout 10 scre1ua with tezz
is Fsom my childhood Lave always h41 u ho1,
u OF confinement Of any kiEd. l have I
p rtra1Eels uncomfortable when have b.
Ut rereuaded into exploring cave, or whcl
1g hare been shown through = prison. This Se
by ing felt now more strongly than the fesr
n drowning. To Gic hemued IN hy those gloo
n walls would be terrible.
lis To add to the weirdness,a \ hollox boom
ch sound, almost amounting to roar,
or through tho quivesing bog, intensified to I
re- no doubt, by my imprisonment In the hear:
tly the rnorAss. This, though had never hear
before, I knew to be the note OF the bittt
er ! During the night it waa rspsated sey,