The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-03-08
A GREAT DAY FOR GAME.
The Remarkable Bag of True Savannah
Sportsman.
All in the Fog, Beside Wild Beasts, Fowl
and Creeping Things In Plenty Enough to
Fill an Ark
Quick business P"
you bet"


throwing himself down in one OF the
market stalls. ne began the story OF
his last days hunt on the river
1T was "a very heavy fog and when
the boys and got out two hours be-
fore day We had durn site OF trouble
to see our way along through the
swamps. We were on our way 10 the
boat at the river for ducks. II was a
splendid morning aud we wanted TO
get there about tho time the ducks
were getting out We blundered
through the bushes. slipping in the
mud till We got nearly 10 the river
bank. What did we see ? A big
wildcat running ON log not twenty
five yards away, with squirrel la his
mouth. We stopped. The wildcat
kept coming. When he got little
closer ne threw his head up and be-
Gan TO scent He smelled us. and
when he saw us he squatted on his
launches as cat does when IL Is
charming bird.
IL walked up slowly with my gun,
sighted. and when pulled tho trigger
the 'critter' st ,rtcd TO run IL was a
minute before the smoke cleared away.
We went up TO the place where the an
imal had been, but we couldn't find
anything. Missed himP Must have;
and we started on. tho boys in front,
and | stopped to reload my gun. Be
fore | got loaded heard "A whoop, and
the boys came running back. They
said that big bear had possession OF
the boat | had killed more bears than
you can shake stick at, and IL was fun
tor me. We crept along cautiously
back TO tho boat. had my gun cock
cd. ready TO blow hole IN bruin. The
boat was swinging about In tho water
and the chain was ratting. Il
sent cold chills coursing through the
boys, but IL only served 60 excite in
tcrcst In me. We got down 70 the boat
and what did we find but the wild cat
lying dead In the bottom with the
squirrel In his mouth In was fun for
the boys. but IL was great disap-
polntment % mo. We threw the cat
ON the bank aud washing the blood
ont OF The boat started for tho duck
ground
'llow about the ducks?n
1T was the biggest day for ducks al
ever knew. The Hopping OF the ducks
wings made the boys fairly dance. 4 he
first flock we drove up made tori bic
noise We rowed along. and ducks
kept flying up all around us. Finally
we rowcd by small flock aud they
would not fly That did mo good That
was tho result OF not firing into them
Around swamp head / hoard the
quack of an English drake. 1t was the
game | was after. We rowcd cautious
~ around the head, stopping behind n
cump OF bushes in the water The
stream was full OF ducks. and thought
the boys would have "a duck fit We
padded along up toward them. Keep
ing the clump OF trees between Us un-
I'll we got in good distance. and then
we opened on them."
How mauyPN
Nineteen big English ducks. Kill
cd them at one shot III could have seen
TO put in another shot believe could
have killed half as many more with the
second barrel. Never heard such n
noise in my life rs they got up out OF
the water aud shook themselves and
left for Florida. The tapping OF thoir
wings the qu lcking nud splashing OF
water made loud row. We starto d
back. aud as we were rounding tn Q
head of the swamp | saw ripping In
tho water just ahead OF us. | thought
IL WAS drove OF summer ducks, but
when IL got nearer saw it was three
offers. stopped the boat. but the an
imal saw us and turned around tho
clump OF trees.
'Whirling the boat around. we turned
too. and all TINT could see In tho bushes
was n black spot. | cut lose at H.
When the smoke cleared up we found
all three offers dead. We lugged them
I'm tho boat and rowod back Just as
we cot In sight OF the bank We cncoun-
tered deer which the dogs had Just
run into tho river He came swim
ming with the tip end OF his nose out
of the water. 1 turned the boat and
padded swiftly until VIC got alongside
of the animal, when we made lnsso
of the boat chain and throw IL over tho
horns OF the buck. One OF the boys
held tho chain CUP the side OF the boa
and reached down and cut the buck :
throat We carried him into camp.
1T was the biggest haul have ever
known. Our camp was very poorly
built shanty with boards stretched
across pine poles for beds We were
provided with blankets which served
nsa mattress. Our coats served as
pillows. The game was slowed away
in the shanty, and toward midnight
was aroused by something under the
blanket. II was breathing, and ut each
breath IL raised me up That IL. il
raised my hair up. for Ii was under my
head. | confess that for the first time
In my camp experiences | was scared.
Law still without turning over or NOV.