Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-04
THE VACABOND CLUB.
It's Members Find Autumn Days
Not All Delightful
VISIT TO THE CITY OF PALO, IOWA.
Its Dimensions Prove a Surprise
Natural History of Country Is Chang.
ing as Expedition Moves South
ward.

Camp Above Mt. Vernon, Iowa,
Sept. %, 1900.-Before the voyage of
the club began our friends all told us
it would be a most delightful time of
year to travel, when the heat of sum-
mer was past and the mild autumnal
days were floating by on sleepy PIN
ions, like those great brown-red but
terflies that seem to half slumber on
the bosom of the dim blue September
sky. That was very fine picture and
we don't regret having enjoyed it, but
these ninth month days often assume
a stermer aspect. For example, we
have lost three days of the past week
on account of bad weather. The first
it was too windy to be safe travelling,
the other two it rained.
1t rained while we were camped at
Palo. We reached the place late in
the afternoon. Palo is not large town
mile back from the river, SO we did
not know when we reached it. When
we thought we were near the city we
asked a man who was fishing If he
could tell us where Palo was. Yes,
he could tell us; we had only to land
and strike boldly out into certain
cornfeld and follow a row straight
thru and we would come to Palo.
We observed his directions very care
fully and sure enough, when we came
, to the other side of the cornfield, there
was Palo.
1t was our purpose to lay in a sup
ply of provisions here. When we COM
pared the dimensions of our appetites
with the markets of the city, the dis
crepancy seemed so vast that we took
pity on the inhabitants and spared the
place, taking away with us only a Loaf
of bread.
This was about four feet by six, and
was placed on the counter in restau-
rant and grocery and hardware and
clothing store combined. think they
also sold some furniture there, and
there may have been department. Of
drugs, medicines, etc.
1t may be worth while to mention
here some of the most striking fea-f
lures in the natural history of the dis
trict thru which we are passing.
The most noteworthy birds are the
great blue heron and the osprey, or
four feet in height and very slender.
His beak and neck and wings and legs
are all very long. He is always gaunt
! and hungry, and wades about in shall
I low water, blinking lazily and looking
2 very pensive and unconscious, thereby
/ deceiving innocent small frogs and
fishes which constitute most of his
prey He is very shy and difficult to
approach, and when he flies away he
; trails his long legs behind him, instead
: of curling them up like most birds.
During flight he utters an occasional
hoarse gastric "quack," which is the
; only sound this poor fellow can emit.
: The fish-hawk is very elegant and
beautiful The under side OF his body
: is snowy white and the upper dark and
! notified. He is fond of soaring high
t in air or sitting on the tops OF tall
/ d ad trees above the water where he
, can watch for fish. When he sees one
/ near the surface he sails out to a
r point directly above it, a hundred feet
t high or more, pauses moment in the
air, then partly gathers in his long
sharp wings, assumes perpendicular
position and suddenly drops with a
long whish like cleaning white ar
. row into the water and yanishes from
sight. But just before striking he
turns so as to descend feet foremost,
e and when the water parts and he re-
n appears, there is usually fish, some
Y size struggling in his talons. Giving
|, himself shake as he flies, to dry his
e plumage, he scars to his high watch
It tower to enjoy his easily got repast.
We find the fish-hawks very numerous
it ana friendly, often coming down to
S within few yards of us.
II We observe the botanical character
J. of the country changing conspicuously
l. as we advance The first birch trees
II appeared little below La Porte City,
i They were stunted and i'll developed,
y but by the time we reached Cedar Rap
l. ids they were thrifty and Of consider
able size. At Palo species of berga-
1t mont and an evening primrose appear
9 ed. unknown farther north in the val
d lev of the Cedar. These changes in
o the vegetation are owing to changes in
climate. tho the latter is hardly per
/ ceptible.
4 There are several plants growing in
l. abundance on the low sand along the
a river that give character to the land
d scape. Besides the ubiquitous cookie
n bur there is slender, bushy spurge
n wormwood, and cycloloma, tho lat
O. ter one of the most striking plants II
u appearance in this district. 1t is pais
green in color almost leafiess, and ei
yides into an infinite number OF smSi
branches, the whole plant assuming !
Of spherical or somewhat flattened fArMi
lie often three feet in diameter.
lg We employed a dray to convey Oil
n boats around the dam at Cedar Rapids
,e We were objects of curiosity to tn,
se natives Of this city. Schoolgirls stared
IS at us and stopped chewing gum TO
~ ten seconds; toothless old man in
to terviewed us and gave us advice; ;
Of pulpy, slobbery boy asked us countless
IN Irrelevant questions and volunteerel
is all sorts of information. Having es
ct capped from these, we camped a mill
is or two below the city.