The San Francisco call., 1895-12-20
A QUEER CUNNING STORY
James B. Coleman Meets With
Misfortune Near Camp
Byron.
ALEX CUMMINGS DESCRIPTION,
If is Good Rule Never to Cock Your
Gun Until You Are Ready to
Kill Something.

Probably the strangest accident that ever
happened came to light recently near
Byron in the hunting grounds located in
the swamps all along the river.
It is best set forth in the language of
Alexander Cumming, who is an inveterate
nimrod. II wanted TO go up to Byron the
other day" said Mr.. Cumming, land COM
cluded to invite a friend. J. B. Coleman,
one of the leading booksellers at the
IngIeside track, had intimated to me that
he was fond OF duck-hunting SO l ask ed
him TO come along.
1--WE arrived there in good shape and at
the dawn of the following day went forth
to slay every canvasback within a radius
of fifty miles. The gun club always has a
supply of tule-boats on hand for use in
the swamps They are peculiarly con-
.structed and will float readily in a few
inches OF water. When used in deep pools,
however, they must be handled with con-
siderable care or the occupant will find
himself engaged in looking for a dry place
with considerable haste.
People who are familiar with the craft
can either pole or paddle it. but those who
are not-can do neither.
"Of course, Coleman wanted to get right
in and do all the work himself, so | let
him. He dressed Ill hunting regalia, and
after seating himself carefully in the CEN
ter of the boat slowly padded away for a
blind some hundred or two yards above
the spot J. had selected for the daybreak
flight. Just as the first gray streaks of
the morning were coming into view the
birds commenced to appear. | had fired
couple of shots from my blind when sud-
denly Coleman turned both barrels loose
into flock of teal and | saw two birds
drop into the swamp. One of them was
killed outright and the other, being simply
wounded. attempted TO fiutter away. Cole
man, it seems, did not care to lose his first
birds, and getting out of the blind took
q sea in the tule-boat and started after the
rapidly escaping teal. L watched him with
interest as | feared that in his haste he
would forget the Importance of care in
moving from place to place.
Somehow or other things didn't go
fast enough for him, so he stood up and
began to pole In very reckless manner.
After taking about two shoveS in the soft
mud the boat began to get cranky and l
saw him make wild grab at the air and
then fall overheard, gun, shells and all.
The water was about five feet deep and
the gun went to the bottom along with
the rest OF the sinkable material. The
reckless hunter foundered around for a
few moments and | went to his rescue.
When | reached his side he was standing
in water up to his armpits, feeling arouud
with his feet for his shooting iron.
He looked as though he had never won
a. bet in his life and that the whole world
was combined against him TO throw him
down. 1t took me some time to get him
to wade to shore, but he finally consented
when l promised to have one of the
keepers drag the swamp for his gun.
There happened to be a man within
mailing distance, so l called him over to
where we were and showed him the exact
spot where the breechloader disappeared.
He went back to the boathouse and re-
turned with some draghooks with which
he said it would be possible TO retrieve the
lost property.
:'''My friend Coleman stood on the shore
watching the proceedings and assisting
the dragger to work in the right place.
After working few moments the man
With the hooks turned around, with glad
smile on his face, and said: Il struck it
that time Now I have lost track of it
again. All. there it Isl Good! The
hooks have taken hold. Here she comesr
And he began to pull in his paraphernaIia
hand over hand. Coleman was iubilant
at the prospect of recovering his weapon,
and, was dancing up and down with glee,
Notwithstanding his uncomfortable con-
sound, almost instantly followed by a
violent unheaval of the water, and it be-
came evident to all of us that sub
marine explosion had taken place.
::":COleman's jaw dropped and he sus-
pended dancing for few seconds to watch
tie appearance of the shotgun. The man
with. the draghooks appeared to know
what to expect, and a panied expression
game across his face. Coleman looked
very tired. and when the gun appeared at
the surface the terrible truth became ap-
parent TO him.
1.-the graphing hooks had caught in the
triggers, probably set when the boat
.tarned over, and exploded both barrels.
The entire breech was blown away and the
barrels were ripped open es if dynamite
Shell had been turned loose in them. The
:stock was twisted and split, and the whole
affair looked as though it had gone through
five wars"