The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1881-06-10
TN A MORASS.

In the latter part of last summer, a
scanty purse led me, in company with
some relatives, to spend my holidays st
a little village on the coast, OUT of the
ordinary beat of tourists, but otherwise
remarkable for nothing but It's general
air of bleakness and sterility. Thep place
was very quiet, and the lodgings were
cheap and tolerabIy comfortable. These
essentials being secured, we had to put
up with the scenery, which was NOT very
attractive. A long low line of beach,
surmounted by high pebble ridge.
leading on the one hand to the foot of
some bold jutting cliffs, and on the
other losing itself in estuary; behind
this, black and dreary- looking bog,
stretching three or four miles inland
and intersected in every direction. by
wide artificial bitches, and deep, natu9aI
assures connecting with inky pools a
small river flowing into the estuary
divides the bog, it's course being marked
by mounds of peat, cut from the hrnaer
ground which forms its banks. Braneh-
ing out at right angles to the riFer are
other lines of peat stacks, following the
course Of the larger drains, which herald
the attempt to cultivate the dfeary
waste.
This was 1he view / beheld, IS, stand
ing one evening on the cp fteIg
ridge, I faced eastward IRE sinking
sun threw my shadow far over the bog,I
distinctly seen as it fell over the gilded
rushes and the crimsoning pools. I had
been strolling out with my gun in the
hope of securing some specimens to my
cabinet, and was thinking Of returning
homewards, when a long-legged heron
slowly sailed high overhead, in the di-
rection of the river. I watched the
bird till it lighted near one Of the peat
stacks, and carefully noting the spot, I
proceeded to careful stalk, hoping to
secure an acquisition. I contriyed to
get within seventy yards Of the heron,
and as there was no cover of any kind
nearer, I lay down behind the last
mound had reached, and with finger
on the trigger, watched patiently, in the
hope that my quarry would feed towards
me. I was not disappointed it gradu-
ally approached some yards nearer my
hiding place, and then either caught
sight or scent of me, for it suddenly
rose, but in so doing it came within
range. Bang went both barrels Utter
ing hoarse croak, the heron few
heavily away, keeping close to the.
ground, and evidently hard hit. I
sprang up and followed, jumping the
bitches, and avoiding the soft ground
as best could. During one particu-
larly long jump, / lost sight of the heron
for moment; / caught sight of it
again just in time to see it fall to the
earth as softly as snow fake, and lie
still with wings outspread to their full
stretch. Between the bird and me,
however, there was crevasse wider
than any I had yet leaped, and dozen
yards on the other side lay the object of
my pursuit. The black Shiny sides of
the ditch overhung the water, which lay
deep and still some six or seven feet
below, and few yards to the right con-
nected with large pool, having equally
high and muddy banks. To the left
was alabyrinth Of similar bitches. Some
distance In front, broader and
straighter crack in the fiat expanse
showed where the river lay. The bank
ons which I stood was a foot or two
higher than the opposite bank. / de-
scribe the situation thus minutely In
order to make the reader understand
what afterwards happened.
Not liking to lose the prize so nearly
in my grasp, I resolved to risk the
jump. Laying down the gun, and TAX
ing my coat off, made the effort, and
cleared the ditch, only. however, BY a
few inches. I secured the heron. and
smoothing its beautiful pIumage, but
little injured by the shot, threw It back
o the bank from which I had just come.
Then, on looking around, found my
self In sort Of csd de sac. The bit Of
firm ground on which T stood was an
island, and the only way Of escape was
the one by which I had arrived. Hav-
ing ssto take off, from lower level, it
was much harder to get back than it
was to come but as there was no alter
native, it had to be tried. I did not
leap quite far enough, and pitched
with hands and knees together against
the edge. There was no vegetation to
catch hold of, and after hanging on the
balance for a few moments, vainly
clutching at the mud, ] fell backwards,
with heavy splash into the water.
Fortunately, I am good swimmer,
and at first, while treading water, the
ludicrousness of the affair alone struck
me but when I began to see that it
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