Morning journal and courier., 1886-01-01
CHASED RY A BLUE HERON. \ Curious Adventure 1n a Florida
 SWamp-The Hunter Hunted.

CHASED BY BLUE HERON. A Curious Adventure 1n a Florida SWamp-The Hunter Hunted. From the Cook.l
 l Of all the native birds in Florida none is more interesting than the heron tribes. The king of all these tribes is the great blue her on- It grows to an extraordinary size. Cap tain punmitt. who planted the most noted orange grove in the State, killed one on bayou near Mosquito Lagoon fifteen years ago which measured nine feet seven inches from the point of it's bill to the tips of it's toes. The coastwise bayous and lagoons are usually dotted with small mangrove islands In south Florida the mangrove grows to height of sixty and eighty feet, but north of Cape Csnaveral it is a gnarled bush from ten
 to fifteen feet high. The bushes cover the l little islands as hair covers mans scalp The islands are veritable thickets and woe
 bstids the man who is lost in them for they are infested with sand flies, red bugs, mosqui- toes and scorpions. Creeks intense in crock edness and of uneven tide wind among these islands like the paths of a labyrinth. These solitary creeks are the favorite fishing grounds of the great blue heron Some of the hap piest days of my life have been spent in hunting the bird in these haunts. Seated in the bow of Canadian canoe, with my gun on my knees and guide in the stern, I WAS noiselessly poled over the winding creeks be- heath the arching mangroves. At sharp turns there was frequently a scream of af- fright. Huge wings were unfolded The great bird waited itself into the air and was brought to earth by shot we'll aimed. It is dangerous sport, however, for a stranger. Even the best of guides are sometimes lost TI,ar 1o1, ri,,4h 4,,, lures. Unpracticed hunters are apt to lose their eyes; for the beak of the great blue heron is as sharp needle, and his long neck masks immense sweep and great power. The bird strikes with marvellous precision and with the rapidity of lightning. When wounded it is especially dangerous. I was struck on the cheek within half an inch of the eye. The blow was made by a crip- pied snowy heron island in Lake Worth. It was just after twilight. The darkness saved my eye. I was in a thicket looking for birds that had shot while on the wing. I saw snowy spot in the undis- tinguishable foliage and took it for dead bird. As stopped to pick it up my cheek was pierced as though receiving 8 thrust from stilstto.
 In the spring of 1875 was encamped in the heart of Turnbull swamp, about eight miles from the head of Indian river. The weather was very dry and there was much
 
 hunting paroquets, wild turkeys, wood ducks, deer, bears, wildcats and pumas. The swamp is streaked with savannas hundred yards wide and miles in extent Deer becoming scarce in my vicinity, 1 set savanna on fire one morning while on 8 turkey hunt. After the burning of the aaea erass -the new erop Ss ;iI,f ssrSe s5s et.fs 1 sfe .ieaf night. At sunset I was miles away from camp. At dusk saw several gobblers fly into grove of tall expresses, and marked them with the intention of returning in the morning at daylight and shooting them from the trees. Tbe reddened sky gave me bear ings on .zsy way back to camp. After wading for ten minutes through mud and water, listening to the doleful music of death owl, I emerged upon the burning savanna The sky was overcast. It was as dark ss Erebus. A brisk south wind was driving the fire northward The flames were leaping over the tall, dry grass and tinging the clouds and the tops of the expresses an orange hue.
 Suddenly saw in the lurid light far above nae four great blue herons. They were in line, Tapping their wings with the precision of machinery. Instinetively drew my gun it, for the "sight'' was invisible. The sec ond barrel did good work. The third heron in the line stopped, fell ten feet and came sweeping toward the ground in great circles. saw that the bird would drop some dis tanee away and ran forward to mark the spot. But the burnt part of the savanna, despite the lurid light from the rolling wave of fire in the south, was black the bel lying darkness of the clouds. heard the bird strike the earth with thud, but did not see where it fell The black ashes of the burnt grass were ankle deep. I searched for the prize, but did not find it.
 I was perplexed. Suddenly feathery form arese from the ashes ten feet away. It seemed to tower above me. 1t was the her on. It had elevated the white plume on it's head as an angry cockatoo draws forward it's topknot. The plume alone could be distinct ly seen in the darkness. With blood curd- ling scream the tall bird darted for me. I knew my danger. On the spur of the mo- meut I turned and ran toward the blazing savanna The bird gave chase, screaming frightfully at every jump. 1 divined the sit uation. It's wing broken and it was thoroughly infuriated. If it struck me in the rear with it's sharp and powerful beak I fancied that it's head would go clean through me. In my haste to secure my prey I had neglected to withdraw the empty shells from the fowling piece. It would not do to stand the chance of fight by using the gun as a club, for it was so dark that I could not gauge the birds distance. Besides the bird would be facing the light and I would be facing the darkness I continued my retreat: I ran as though the devil was after me. In my flight I threw open tf,e barrels of my gun and drew out the empty shells In mad haste 1 reloaded and relocked the barrels, still running at the top of my speed. Then I stopped wheeled about and banged away with both barrels. The bird shrieked worse than ever and was untouched
 Again Isped tow ard the burning grass. I had regained my composure, however. Fear gave way to narfh- l laughed outright at absurdity of the situation, blessing my stars that no friends were near to chaff me. Again I reloaded the gun, turned and fired. I was on the verge of the blazing canes and had fair view of my pursuer. At the second shot the heron fell, and the impetus from it's speed was so great that it against ne, legs. wings, neck and beak in a limp lump. I had shot it through the neck. Its head was attached by the skin of the neck alone.
 I carried the prize to camp. Its plumage was the perfection of feathery beauty. Old l Conner, my guide, was awaiting my return with supper of roasted venison and yams. The bird was so tall that Conner fastened its l beak to the back of my coat collar, drew the neck over my head and the feet touched the | ground. He afterward severed the head from the neck and hurled it across the fire at the trunk of a palmetto-I have seen per formers at 8 circus handle 8 knife in a simi- | lar way-the sharp beak entered the tree and stood quivsring there like heavy-handled bodkin; and for all that I know it remains there to this day.
 RrumnaelI.