The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-08-31

The gray or grass plover is the widest Of
all game-birds, being enticed by neither the
sportsman's stool or call. In fact, his cry is
so hard to initiate that scarcely hunter can
be found who can correctly counterfeit ii. a
writer in F0reSet and Stream tells a good
story of sportsman who tried to stalk gray
plover:
Our story takes MS back to many years ago,
when the pasture lands of Orange county, N.
j., were favorite rambling place for young
plover.
1t was upon crisp, frosty morning that
four of us crossed the bay from the beach to
have crack at the plover that frequented the
rolling upland pastures of the mainland
The Hon. Mr.. S. was of the party. short,
jolly man of fifty summers, good sportsman,
but extremely near-sghted.
The prov of our skiff had but Just grated
against the sand, when Mr. S. drew from I'M
der the gunwale of the boat a huge cows
skin, surmounted with pair Of huge horns.
To put this on and securely fasten it by
knotting short piece of fish line around his
neck, was but the work of moment He
then, looked up, and with smile, said:
Boys, I've got them now"
Away 10 the westward rolled the hills, DOT
ted here and there with large herds of cattle,
while from The wettish slasbes between the
knobs the flute like note of plover was borne
down the air.
Now, boys" said the gay deceivor, " You
station yourselves behind the fences and I'll
start up the birds"
On went Mr. S., bent over in imitation of a
COW, his gun in hand, and his spectaclcs with
demoniac luster cleaning on his nose.
We in silent admiration at his happy
thought" placed ourselves behind the fence
and peeped through the rails, waiting to see
whether the ruSe would prove effective.
At last Mr.. S. saw plover light at the base
of one of the hills, and bobbing after him lie
went.
He had lessened the distance almost half,
and was within a hundred yards of bis victim,
when from the nearest herd out strobe bull.
He was grand animal, and the airy back
ground made him look larger to us than any
bovine we had ever seen before.
He was evidently angry at this impairment
intrusion on his domains by a strange animal,
and gave his tail snap that was both omiD-
Gus and suggestive.
He took one step forward, and, like Ham
let's ghost, shifted the morning air.
There was a wicked twinkle in his eye and
and an exulted chuckle in his respiration as
he sent from each n0stril a cloud of smoke
Yam" said the bull, and began trotting
toward the unconscious S.
We screamed look out!'' waved our
hands, and were frantic with apprehension
for our friend. S. did not hear us, but went
bobbing on toward the plover.
II has been said that fifteen seconds some
times appear like two weeks and half: it
was so with Us. At the end of sixteen seconds,
Mr.. s. was standing on his head and the bull
standing over him, looking very much sur
prised.
The gun went off in the encounter, and the
bull, still more astonished, reared up. lost his
balance, and fell over backward. The Hon.
Mr.. S. jumped up IN frantic, confused way,
and started for the fence. The bull rolled
over and followed in pursuit.
1t was race of life and DEATH
The suspense was soon over, however, for
the Hon. s. went for the fence the same way
Francois Ravel used to go through the clock
head first-and safely landed on the other side
after scraping, by the top rail. all the buttOns
off his vest.-ErchDlgs