The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-27
CHASING DUCKS BY STEAM.
NOW a SOLITARY BIRD W4B 6LAU0H-
TERED IN THR LOWER BAY.

With tho exception Of tho common crow,
thero IN perhaps no creator psychological won
dor than tho ordinary sea duck. II IL well
established principle Of natural history thnt
crow Will ROMAN sitting ON q fonoo stake until
you act almost n0ar enough 10 club him OIL
provided that Il ia an umbrella or somo other
implemontnot nkcly 70 Do loaded that you carry
ON your shoulder. But II You happen b have
gun with you and ~ specially II tho gun happens
" DO loaded, the same crow will s,udiousy re-
main out OF sight or will appear only 0e apcok
above tho distant horizon. On tho Same prn-
ciplo, when tho steamboat Seth Low has gono
down tho hay after codneh the surface
Of tho water has swarmej wth myriade OF
soa ducks which have battered thoir boake
against her hun In their eaRcrncss 10 swim
afhwart her bows. II waa THE exceeding docl-
ity on tho part Of the ducks that caused Capt
Foster 10 announces that tho Seth Low would ut
o'clock yesterday morning start from the Bat
terry sea wall on n cunning trip for wild ducks.
But whom tho steamboat. having on board
SOUND Of epOrtsmon armed with loadod shot
guns came TO the spot where the water ought
To have been hidden beneath % layer Of ducks
behold tho edible birds were gone and in their
placcs were non-ediblo sen gus. II this fac
ulty u DISTINGUISHING guns at distance and
discriminating between lOnded and unloadod
weapons had been conferred upon mankind in
mon crow and tho ordinary soa duck there
would bo Tower mortals shot in their uneus.
pcctng abd9mens under conditions described
by the genial Jurics ot COronrra rs accidental.
In consequence Of tho announcement above
referred tu. squat Of sportsmen gathered at
the Battery at the shoekingly early hour Of
o'clock Yesterday morning The steamboat WAS
not there and they Kept the blood stirring IN
their veins hy trnmping uU and down the wall
and industriously whistling IN ami down tho
scale. Al length nno Of the sporismen said:
inc .vpuuI from tho Euat EfNpr Alr,a.lv
WIRE several sportsmen on board. and tho time
occupied In stcnming TO the alleged dncking
loading and printing Of their weapons and sus-
penitng from their persons the various ne
coutrcmcnts nppcrtlining TO spOrtsmcn. The
thrco-cornercd space in the extreme bow ~ the
steamboat was enrly occupied hy young man
who acquired his notion OF 4 sportsman,s Quilt
~ ouscryat!ons from the pit OF the Bowcry
Theatre. There was nearly a mutiny on
board. the excited sporismcn declaring that
this greedy buccancar's shot gun, and that
there would only be left for them thu. very tame
sport Of firing lead into the dead ducks that foll
right and left In front Of his gyrating weapon.
This disappointment fell with heavy weight
upon man who had boon strapping TASKS
pouches and leathcrn bags to himself until he
was u veritablc arsenal aud who emerged from
the cabin at the NarrOws only TO ind that the
bud been occupied 10y the youthful bucoaneer
from the B2wery But he made u manly effort
70 conceal his disappointment. AMI eli ose for
himself tue second best position. where he
would at least stand fair chance
S securing sng ucE sbo5 mat should
event Of n misnrc owing TO damp cap or some
Unforeseen cause. The next best place was
secured by iair-haired youth. whose next
exploit will probably be 10 set out for the great
American desert. there 10 cleave sealps from
skulls of red mon with his glittering blade.
which expedition will end by his getting out Of
money in Syrncuse. and coming down with the
nrst run Of canal boats ia tho spring in the
CAPACITY Of mule persuader.
This glimpse ut the personnel Of tho party
must suffice. for the steamboat Is now drawing
tn h.aa thn
| buccaneer Of the Bowery occupies the bow; the
| arsenal ia next behind him then comes the
fair-haircd youth. and after him the rest Of the
sound. Tho steamboat Ii liable To be in the
| midst Of ducks ut any moment, aud the gliiter-
inE uyouals OF tno Eunners RrotruIy IN tnrLr
| encountered fowl. Suddenly from the pilot
house--which. by the way, afforded the best op
| entire trip-comes the warming that a duck il
IN sight over tho port bow. The steamer is
| yccred 70 the port side. aud the click Of gun
| locks is heard.
| There h. Is"
90 Plug him
" Let him have it!''
These shouts. coming from such Of the party
| rs are without guns, SO discOnccrt tho gunncrs
| that they look willy around. aud in tho mean
| time the duck has Disappeared beneath tho
| water Tho steamboat IL slowed down" and
| the wntcr is eagerly scanned for the birds re-
There he Is again the bang Of two shot
| guns is heard. and tho duck Is nowhere 10 lie
! seen. Silence rciEns for moment. and then
| III" buccaneer explains tho situation by do
flhlluk luNl ne lNfM lut ORA INTO lnNl~iNlN
atoms. This theory Is not accepted by the
! sportsman who has made M arsenal Of himself:
| he assrrts that hc uhe arsenall filed the duck
so fun 81 lead that he sunk, The steamboat
| cruises around the place, and both Of the above
| theories are 9uashed by NE appearance Of tho
northwnrd. Then the steamboat gives chase
| and soon oyertakes the wounded bird resting
| on the waves. A dozen muZlles yawn upou tho
disabled bird and the firing becomes general.
| The air is thick with scattering shot. The man
Mt the wheel drops to the Moor and strugglSs
ia o. 81. 4 fsff ..
| show his head at the lookout. Other persons in
the pilot house tumb BILE from their seats and en-
| deaNQr To crawl under the benches. Men in eN-
posed positions dodge behind tho pilot house,
| and tho carnage goes on. Finally thcr" IS lull
| in the firing and when the smoke clears away
| tho duck Is seen drifting on his beam ends.
| The steamboat moves up to the wndWard OF
| him and drifts down upon him, and he is landed
This unfortunate bird doubtless foil prey to
| his oNtrcmc caution. lie departed from the
| swarming place too soon. and thus fell in with
| tue danger which he purposed 10 avoid. His
| case II exceptional, and in no degree detracts
from the force Of the principles stated at the he
ginning Of this account This duck was shot
! not far from the place where the hospital ship
| inued her course down the shore rs far rs Sea-
! bright. AT intervals small hOcks Of ducks were
seen hurrying across the water, but they did
| long enough for the steamboat 10 get headed
| toward them. The most ancient mariner on
hoard repeatedly declared that he never saw
| ducks SO wild. He was gently reminded that
| the excursion was advertised n n cunning
| Trip Tor VITA ducks.
| While going down largo bird winged its
| course across the bows of the steamboat ana
| the gunners turned toward the pilot house and
| eagerly inquired. What's that?' the goose in
| tho mean time flying out OF range. This eau
| ton on the part OF the sportsmen cannot be too
| highly commended, II were better that whole
| locks of wild geese should escape than that
| somebody's net goose should lie slain. When
| on Seahright the steamer put about and headed
| Tor the Narrows. cruising around on the return
! trip in cndeavors Ia get within range of some
| 81 the birds that were seen in the distance The
| sky cleared, making the trip very pleasant
one, the scarcity Of reckless birds notwth-
| standing.
! During the return the question Of the owner
| ship IT the sole duck-that ia 10 say the sole
| ownership of the duck-was raised II WAS at
! length decided ly r0fic. The dice were pro-
! cured. Three dice were TO be used, and the
| highest single throw was to take the duck. One
| Of the company after several low throws had
| been made, threw fourteen, and so certain did
| il seem that the duck was his that his name was
| procured for publication. This distinction
! was snatchcd from him by T.. q. Smith who
| threw seventeen and took tho duck. Ii Is
understood that he will sell II at junk shop for
Old lead
| Tho seth Low landed her party at the now
| pier al "a IN the afternoon, and, though tho
| cargo Of game was not heavy all on board
| were nloGsc with the quality ~ the sport the
| DAY afforded, and with their treatment at the