The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-09-26

about the flute pitch, over the blabbed lip,
which will press it downwards, but the
elastic arrow throws it instantly back, cut
ting the sound which being continued,
presses down the lip again the sound es-
capes to be checked as before by the up
ward recoil of the arrow, and so on in a
continuous rattle of flute notes-bub, bub,
for several hours. l don't know what the
birds think it is, or what makes them come
to it, but every one, Of whatever tribe, will
come close down the bushes, all the time
uttering plaintive notes and cries, like the
sounds they make when they all get around
a snake.
The blow-g makes but little noise, and
the slow motions of the cautious manipu-
lator are not noticed by the birds who are
chirping and shrieking on every bush. I
have, previously to starting the attractive
music, trimmed and rendered conspicuous
prominent limb, by clearing away the
brush around it a few feet, and then pre-
pairing place for the gun to rest on, with
the muzzle eight or ten feet from the con-
spicuous lighting place l had fixed for
them, then taking my seat in the brush at
the root of the tree with the breech of the
ooska Mliemfa on my knee commence the
infatuating tune. Ut is breech-loader).
1t wound tarnish my reputation amongst
sportsmen, who deem it an act of cruelty
to shoot bird anywhere but on the wing,
were l to narrate the direful fate that befsl
many hundreds of the feathered race by
this method of fascinating them. Our
hooks and cane traps, and bows and spears
we're very successful in capturing all kinds
Of fish. Our snares, and curious traps for
rabbits, mink, muskrats, opossums, rae
coons, foxes, and wild turkeys were all
more or less successful.
Being daily in natures grand university,
my Indian education in all the branches of
natural history, was rapid and delightful.
Great numbers of the pure uncontaminated
aboriginal Americans, have names for
every living thing-vegetable and animal.
They teach it while sitting by their fires of
long winter nights and during the incoming
hours at their camps of summer days. To
know the names and uses of everything in
forest and stream is to an Indian subject
Of great interest. There is where he goes
for food when he is hungry, and when he
is sick, he goes to the same elaborate drug
store for the antidote. 1t is as natural for
him to know it when he finds it, as it is for
him to know the articles proper for food.
And at their resting spells in the wild wood
from the chase, the names and uses of
these things, make up the subject of con-
versation with the boys. l knew the name
and note of every bird, and beast, their
manner of propagation and all their little
receptions to hide and protect their young.
BY the mechanism of the nest, I could tell
who made it, and the same by size and
shape and color of their eggs. l knew
upon what kind of soil to look for any tree
or plant, and before was fifteen, had the
reputation of "sure-cure " Indian doc
tor. In short was "high larnt" in the
woods. All animals have languages and
signs by which they communicate to each
other all that is necessary for them in their
peculiar mode of existence. Some species
talk great deal more than others, and
when domesticated, are more intelligent
and docile. The big old goose-Auser
Canadensis-is very laxative intelligent
bird, having many words in his language.
l had blind once, by the side of a grassy
pond, where the geese fed great deal dur
ing the winter season. While lying in this
big pile of brush hiding place, waiting for
a good range, to discharge eight ounces Of
No. 3's from my big old single barrel, four
feet long trumpet muzzle buckaneer, which
lay fastened in the stocks like cannon, l
have many times, when they came feeding
along nearer my concealment, heard them
in conversation. They use many distinct
articulate sound, the most Of which are
syllables, learned some of it, could speak
to them, telling them what to do, and they
would do it; with cultural and nasal voice,
l would say Onk ha, which means look out,
and they would instantly stretch up their
necks and look out and listen for fifteen
minutes. This is what l had heard the
sentinel say in low but clear voice, when
he heard suspicious noises that he could
not see the cause of; and the flock would
listen in the manner have described when
I spoke to them. But when the sentinel
actually discovers approaching danger, lie
repeats with energy, in loud voice, very
distinctly, onk ha ok and the whole flock
repeat the same words and sprnging from
the water, dash off, shouting hoi tx, hoi
TX, and are soon out of the reach of dan.
ger. 1t is my opinion, that an ingenious
liuguist could grammaticize tho wild goose
language. This account of the wild goose
is a depression. 1t belongs to my sojourn
with the Chocktahs. My hunting excur-
sions with the Muscogee boys was contin-
ued, with some interruption until was
thirteen. A drunken interloper came and
prevailed on my father, who was not in
favor of too much Charming" to assist
him in getting up school. There was
vacant log cabin three miles from our
house, which was nearly central to dis
trict of four or five families OF hunters and
stock raisers, whose families of healthy
uproarous children, were numerous as the
old sow's pigs-dozens. 1t was finally
settled that if Mr.. Young Gill, the school
man, would teach their children reading,
writing and cyphering, at sixty cents
month, and take it in corn, pork, beef,
etc., they would, on their part, agree to
furnish the house for him to dwell in and
three or four milk cows. Mr.. Gill having
a family agreed, and the next Monday
morning the school was opened, causing
that portion of the wilderness, for the first
time, to ring with the A B C's Of civiliza-
tion. Three went from our house, which
with settlement children and three of my
Indian playmates, made up school of
twenty seven pupils. This school oper-
ated as heavy drawback on our bow and
arrow enjoyments. We were only per-
mitted to use them Saturdays and Sun