Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-11
charlotte Observer.

OUSeFCCFs
For several weeks past large punches of
robins have been seen in the market, and
inquiry revealed the fact that they all
came from the robin r0Ost near Mr.. Mack
Stattord's house at Harrisburg, where, for
over three weeks past large parties have
been making war on the birds with stick
and torch. We had heard a great deal of
talk about this roost and the sport the
people were having in killing the birds,
and as the O'Clock train slowed
up at Harrisburg the other night
an Observer reporter stepped off and
struck out for the roost. Getting
down into a long stretch of bottom
land, something over mile from the de-
pot, the dull flaming lights ahead pilOted
us to the rOost. AS we neared the scene
OF action we found that the rOost was in
an immense canebrake. A party Of per-
haps forty darkies, besides a lot Of white
people, were just emerging with their
sticks and torches and birds, the sport be-
ing about over for the night. The reporter
finding this TO be the case, decided to stay
until the next night, but unwilling to re-
main without killing at least one bird, en-
tered the brake with a torch and short
stout stick, accompanied by little dar-
key, whose heart danced with delight over
the reception of a cigar and 10 cents as Il
pilOtage fee. After moving among the
St*AANb
red breast, and giving our stick full
sweep, let it fly for all it was worth, and
1t was worth doctors bill for 81 80, for it
missed the bird and made a clearing on
top of the little darkeys head big enough
for turnip patch. The reporter stood
dumbiounded at the extent of the Young
ster's lung power as he wabbled about
among the canes yelling, 80 Lawdy!"
and before we could get our hands on him
and chuck his mouth full Of mud half
dozen men came tearing up through the
canes to find out what had happened. A
fragment of the youngsters cap and
several tufts of hair were found hanging
to the canes around, but on seeing that
the boys skull was not hurt, the party re-
treated and hunted up a doctor, while the
reporter retired to Mr.. Statford's Tor the
night.
The next afternoon, about O'Clock, Mr..
Stafford called us to come out into the
yard and see what was going on and it
was a sight to astonish. From all direc-
lions great fiOcks of robins were flying
across the heavens, all Wingng their way
to the roOst, which was almost in plain
view of the house. For fully an hour one
flock after another went by, until the
whole canebrake was fairly alive with the
ieathered tribe, and before it was good
dark large party set out to make war
upon them. There were siXty-eight men
and boys in the crowd, each carving
stick and a torch or a lantern. The roost
having been reached and action COM
menced, the reporter witnessed scene
that he will never forget. The canebrake
is about mile long, and extends con-
siderable distance on either side of the
creek. 1t seemed that each individ-
ual cane was bent down with it's
load of birds. The reporter, getting lust
inside the edge of the brake, struck at a
cluster of birds, and the flutter Of wings
that ensued was deafening. From all
sides hundreds OF blinded and bewildered
birds flew about, striking against each
other and against the canes, making a
noise that resembled mighty wind. All
through the brake torches cleaned, men
shouted, and the deadly stick was going
right and left. The birds never left the
brake, but flew about in dire confusion.
unable to escape the weapons in the hands
of the men, who piled them for about an
hour with terrible effect. In the excite
ment OF the battle hardly anybody stopped
long enough to pick up all the slain
birds, but went over their routes when
the sport was ended to gather their
game. Our party went into the
brake at O'Clock, and at all were
counting over their birds that lay in piles
at each ones feet. A young man named
Query was the most successful. having
killed loo. Inc lowest number killed by
any one person was AZ. The total number
of robins killed by the party in one hour
footed up >, 10. This was on Friday night
of last week. The nightly battles on
these birds have been constantly going on
for fully three weeks, and yet the number
of robins that swarm the roost does not
seem to abate. The birds flock there from
all the adjoining counties, and it is, on
the whole, the most remarkable robin
a.
country, atfording such sport as is not in
dnlgad in more than once in q lifntirnn