The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-23

when the vast host of birds went upward
u became black. We fred at random,
There was DO thought OF aim. Gradually
tne nock dlslntegrated as it moved on across
the hats, and we rode out into the opening
TO see what damage had been done Twenty
seven dead birds were picked up and six
wounded ones we're secured after a chase of
Few minutes. Some escaped in the saw
grass. The thirty-three provided. us with
glblets enough, and we paid no more atten-
ton to the coots. Saul, our colored attend
ant, spent the rest of the afternoon in exS
tracing gizzards.
AT 430 O'Clock the shooting ground was
reached, and we proceeded at once to take
our stations close by clumps of tall grass
that grew on little hommocks at the waters
surface. The ducks were expected to fly
from the eastward, so we faced in that di-
| rection, keeping under the grass as we'll as
possible Two native duck-hunters, in light
canoes, covered with palm leaves, Joined US
Your boats are too large, gentlemen -
one of them said. THE ducks will never
come within range. I would advise You to
get out and stoop down in the grass lad let
your men take them half mile off. We
ought TO have fine sport to-day"
The advice seemed good and was taken.
We were out for ducks. With a boathook
beat down bunch of grass till it made
firm footing about two inches above the
water, and on this pedestal posed like
patience on a monument smiling at the
grief my patent feathers caused me. This
resting place was big enough for two feet
and no more and l had to squat like kan
CARGO upon it to be out of sight Of the ducks
The first half hour was agony long drawn
out and rubbed in, but at the end of that
time all weariuess suddenly departed, all
pain vanished.
DUCKS AT SIXTY MILES AN HOUR.
Night was near at hand and the eye could
not quite reach the great palmetto forest
beyond the southern end Of the lake, but the
ear warned us of the approach Of q swift
flying flock Of blue-bills from that direction.
The whistling sound Of their beating wings
stole rapidly on us, and in an instant they
were over our heads and gone-too high for
q shot. The second flock, about dozen
birds, flew lover and lost three OF their num-
Der. The third. following hard upon the
others, might have been knocked down with
club, 80 close did they skim upon the tops
of the grass blades. Four fat teal fell vic
tins to the hunters, but two sank, held on
to the sawgrass with their bills and were
lost.
AS the darkness increased the ducks few
thicker, faster and lower. The flocks were
small, averaging not more, than fifteen
birds, but they sped over us in SO rapid sue
cession that breechloaders were unequal to
the task of keeping up with them. The
arm grew tired with reloading and the bar
rels became hot with constant firing. The
ducks flew with almost incredible speed, as
If shot from mortar. and frequently when
we looked up after hearing the whistling
wing beats they had passed on and were
disappearing into the night.
At8 O'Clock the slaughter ceased, the
battery was silenced, and in the deep dark
ness the homeward journey was begun.
For three hours l had not thought of the
distressingly cramped position occupied on
the grass pedestal, and not till we called
off the hunt did l discover that the mound
had sunk and my feet, legs and coattals
were twenty inches under water. But
who would mind a little thing like that?
We had bagged eighty-six ducks and the
journey 60 Sanford was begun with light
hearts.