The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-03-14
FOUNDED A HAWK COLONY.
a Ros Bird Becomes tho Loader OF a For.
AAldnbl6 H0as OF IIia KIND.

a Roe Bird Becomes tho Leader OF q For.
nidabie Hoss OF His Kind.
Old Asa Horton. a fisherman and
hunter. living near the mouth Of Allo-
ways creek, Salem county, N. j., lost
pet fish hawk a little more than o
year ago That he had had in'eaptivity.
Tor three years. The bird was big
Yellow, and 1T never seemed to take
kindly to Asa. who, on account Of it's
vicious nature, kept it tied up in the
woodshed. A strong rope fastened
around the birds leg held it securely
to ring in the wall.
The old building was infested with
rats, and strong friendship grew up
between tho rodents and the captive
bird. Whenever Holton brought up Il
fish from the creek to feed the hawk
the rats would come out and join in the
feast. This condition of things in Asa's
woodshed pleased the old fellow, and
he did NIL no could to help 1t along.
When he won't out to the shed one
morning the hawk was missing. Tho
rope evidently had been gnawed in two
by tho rats, and tho hawl, had walked
out OF tho door and disappenrcd
Holton was inconsolable over the loss
OF his pet, and he lived in the hope
that It would return some day, but
weeks went by and nothing was seen
Of the hawk.
Asa got out Of bed earlicr than usual
one morning. and noticing largo num-
Dor OF hawks ciroling about over tho
pinos back Of tho house, he took his
gun and went over to gct n shot Mt
them. He had hardly got outside the
yard, whom, to his nstonishmcnt, tho
missing pet hawk flew screaming at
him from tho top Of ncighhoring tree.
Holton knew it was his former ca ptivc.
Tor fragment Of rope tluttcrcd from
it's leg.
The old bird swoopcd so close to
liolton's head that he only escaped be-
Ing struck by quickly lodging. The
hawk rose in the mir, and joining tho
others. led them Off in the direction OF
tho mouth of tho creek. For several
weeks Holton employed every artiflco
to retnke the hawk, but the willy bird
evaded him.
Holton noticed that every night tho
hawks came from the creek, and after
circling around in the air over tho
pines for awhile, settled among them
and in the morning they left together,
and in their coming and going they
were headed by the old pct hawk. Asa
made 1t n point to go to the pines
twice a week and leave n lot Of fish
which were devou red by the birds
The colony of hawks increased and
now thousands of them roost in tho
pines every night. 4 little while be-
fore dark they come in from the water
and hover over the pines, screaming
and whistling. The old pct hawh ap-
pears to be the leader Of them, for they
stay in the air until that bird starts
for tho pinos, then they nll drop down
| and go to roost Ten minutes after
the last hawk has disappeared in tho
foliage Of the trees it is us quiet as if
no birds were there.
A hunter invaded the ro0st one nirht
recently for the purpose of having some
! sport with the birds. lle fired IL shot
into the branches of Il tree and in less
than n minute he was knocked flat by
| on avalanche Of hawks that rushed
upon him screaming like mad Tho
hunter fought the birds desperately
and finally managed to make his cs-
cape, but his clothes and flesh showed
asgh5 u tho rough handling he had re.
ceived.-N. Y. Herald.