The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-09-14
Slaughter Of the Innocents!
The First Day at Rail.
High Expectations, with Low Water
and Low Realizaii0ns!

Tuesday last, the t0;h instant. was " the
opening" day Of the Fall marsh shooting.
ami the Elktnn fleet was manned Ia it's
maximum. The realizltionS of the day.
however. in the number of birds killed
we've not up 10 general expo citation, rs the
tahuiatcd results below show Doubtful
thugs are always uncertain, and the marsh
gunner being dependent for his sport upon
tine double contingencies of wind and tide
Calculations Tor the morrow, at the best,
are little better than speculation based
upon observation wise and otherwise. BE.
SIDE. riHd Is doubly essential to the success
Of = latter day rail rral sportsman. For
II - not only ;hc guarantee of his pusher's
endurance, but frequently is the only war
rau'y the shooter has TO offer for actual
results. To state the case mildly, 4 ten
dcucy :" eNI-CclatIon seems tn character
izc the rail fraternity, and which the smart
rivalry of the marsh has, of recent years,
seriously aggravated. The proud dlstinc-
ti"n ot being high boat " has put ruSher
and >houtc- alike upon their mctile, aud has
resulted III rather loose system of aI.th-
me'lc III counting birds Making all
due allowance. however. for the rivalries of
the shooters, the lcalousicS of the pushers
aad the weakness Of human nature when
making up ones bag" orr report Of the
first days shooting can he accepted rs re-
liable. A. will he seen, about one half the
number of binds only were killed that n
full tide At the beginning of the season
would reward the same number of boats
with. For five days previous To Tuesday
;hc pTcvailia. winds had been from the
eastward, which, having the tendency to
make 4 full bay, and TO maintain the aver
h..rtrIH lf 49, ,uriX J. III f,l.u tx.,,,lI
have proved 4 vcry favorable condition. had
they been followed on Monday night 10y a
suEsherly CT suuthwcstcriy wind. Such
however. WAS not The fact. and the early
dawn of Tuesday only promised ordinary
water, much 20 the chagrin of anxious anna
trutS and knowing NmrudS. Much prcpa-
ration lad been made for many days aud
last Tuesday morning little after the first
gray stIcakS Of dawn had tiu.rd the east
cTu horizon, the ilect Of thIIty-one boats
might have hccu seen upon the low places
~ the marshes that skrt the river below
the town. The craft themselves were of
all conceivable sorts and kinds that. by any
means, could b.. made available for the
sport. Here might be seen \ trim and
narly sk;tt. LEtii 10y Nelson. that, with lit
tie apparent cxritlou. was made to skim
ihe surface nf the water. while other and
ClUm>Icr boats were. with difficulty. pro
PEELED among the reeds that surrounded
them. The low marshes that skirt the
river were the objective points OF attack.
and towards which the absence of water
compelled the CuurerS. How long before
day light several euterpriSing candidates
Cor distinction as ''shots" had been wait
ing. near n hand. will never be known, but
IL" - ctl Hest man Mas sure to find some
":.c there ahead Of him. The report was
current that more than one ambitious gen
LEHMAN E'd taken time 10y the furclock and
3nruccEtiy mwdici birds the day before,
but we viii not he uuchari'ablc enough to
believe them other than idle stories sug-
Ecsted 10y subsequent disappointments and
failures. The low grounds from Morgan's
to Crcrly ;. and thence To Cedar Point. the
triangular marsh 1t the junction of the
creeks, aud the low points below Benefits
fish house and the thoroughfarc, cover the
fayorIIc localities. The proximity of the
high marsh and the low water, however.
made the birds wary and very materially
,cS>eued the sport. AS will be seen by the
following bags, to Mr. Joseph l.. Wells
belongs the gratifying distinction Of being
Admiral @! the TaIi icct. Cummodures
Maxwell and Ellis have heretofore worn
easy hnno!S on the marsh, bur which the
ambitious East E,der seems determined to
wrest from them. !; is needless To remark
t.at the figures here given have not been
verified 10y affidavit. Should any one be
scientifically inclined, however, We have no
d"Uh' The requisite documents can be pro-
uucrt!