The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-12
0REAr ELIGHT or WATER row..
Myrinds of Geesc and Ducks Pass over
Maine. southward Bound.

Maine. SouthwRrd Bound.
which visited the Atlantic coast las, week had
blown over and a frost laden wind had swept
down from Alaska for n day ana two nights, the
wild geese that, had summercd In Labrador and
Hudson's bay began TO fly south floating high
in air and outlining themselves against the dull
clouds In great harrow shape ranks that stretched
away In battalions. companies, regiments and bri.
gades as far as the eye could reach. The air was
vibrant with the honking and clamorous hosts
for thirty six hours With frcsh wind astern
and dapplcd landscap pc Of forest and lakes spread
out beneath them the great army moved south
brskly. covering mile In from three TO Ave min
uts Though all the army did not occupy the same
plane Of atmosphere the different commands were
not far apart In altitude the average being about
three fourths Of a mile above the earths surface.
or nearly half a mile higher than wild geese arc
wont TO hy by seeking lofty strata Of air tho
geese only received the full benefit Of the pro-
polling wind, but they pu, themselves beyond
range Of gnnshot, and were enabled TO fly over
sporting camps and populous towns where many
anxious gunncrs lay in wait to destroy them.
In company with this great number Of geese.
though not mingling with them, were nocks OF
earth. following the winding course Of waterways
and making vide dctours In order, to avoid tho
halithuOns OF men. The ducks m nde the Journey
in Indian file, following their leader along tortu.
Gus streams and keeping up n uniform speed OF
nearly sixty miles an hour. mile above the
ducks and fully quarter Of a mile higher then
the geese o few great white swans nnpred idly in
the air AMI then scared without motion OF wings
gave out a melOdious buglc call, which was IN.
swrred by his followers in the rear ranks, the notes
growing Fainter as the distance increased until no
sound came back when the leader again took up
the cry and sent itcchong down the line From
Friday night until Sunday morning the quacking
OF dgCf 1c sonng Of fcSss and the she'll Gt
the sun was shining the shadows ~ numh~rlcss
wings neckci the forests and fields with hi,,ins
shadows tha, passed on 70 make place for others
which followed close behind
II all them birds was shot and picked, said
Oh Fa nGi the nSSS p e., DIsnSh hHn,ers
Africa. I've lived in these woods for more than
seventy years and ! never saw h9lf 80 many
enough until twenty. five years ago Asfor swais
hat never seen dozen wild ONES In my life until
this trrHt driye come along. what sticks me is
WHERE all the brhnt nrc gone tn. Fifty years ago
they used TO lay their eggs here. and the lakes
were full .! them. Now I'm lucky II see flock
After little conNng and few drinks Of whis.
key 10 oil UP hts vocal organs Uncle Zen told
ne assembled hnGlcis sbog, he great ngmScr
ycmbet, 1871. The geese hsd lighted in Elbow
Lake one night In driving snows,orm. Be.
had frozen over holding the geese fast In mntriS
Ui Ice. In the morning Zen split out thin strips
Of dry cedar and using them ns nont1on to
hold him up he went along with big cleavcr
and bcheadrd every gpnSc in the lake. Later
In H." DAY when the shell Ice had melted he brought
the dead geese ashore in hCanpe aud picked them.
getting 500 pounds oi live geese feathers which
We're worth forty cents pound at that time.
Il pui them In sack and luSgei them seventy
miles 20 Old Town" said Ben. 1T was load"
AitcT the wind had gone down. the few strag
CLING geese that brought up the rear of the army
lighted in SChrOiic Lake and remained nearby
for \ day OF two To- rccurctiic on grass roots and
Wild rice. The hunters shot a score or So but
the meat was 81 tough and black that nobody
would cot IT, and the gunncrs We're glad enough
Ia 20 back 10 v"nson. Most OF the great host
passed on To pcnubsCni lIAv, where the geese
stopped over 20 capture few clans and barn
aclcS, Phcn. finding other geese that had fol
lowed the cusSt lin" from Greenland and New
fnuudlnni. they arose in great clouds and went
South 10 he shot al by waiting gunners on Cane
Cod the caprs of Delaware, Chesapeake Bay
and Cape liattcfAs. According 10 all reports
thcc will he geese for everybody this year