The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-06-26

lad offered a number of the boys OF
the village dollar quart for all the
turtle oil that they could procure for
him.
For remedial purposes turtle OIL
is probably I'd better than goose Oil,
lard or tallow; but for the time being
faith in it had sprung up, and that was
enough for this empiric doctor.
AS boys, we did not rouble our
selves with the medical question. 1t
was an attractive offer, and our indl-
vided attention was fixed on the dol
lar.
The only draw back was that the Of
fer came in November, so late in the
fall that the turtles at the lake had all
gone into winter quarters in the mud
of the bog, and could no longer be
captured summing on the logs, or by
night upon the long sand-bank where
they laid their eggs. We had a home
" knowledge of their habits, how
ever, and knew about how deep they
burrowed while alternating; and on
the afternoon of my story three of us
Lad gone to the lake, or rather to the
wide, muddy bog that bordered 1t,
bent on capturing boat-load OF Dig
turtles. An old bayonet affixed to the
end of a short pole, and a spade with
a long handle made up my equipment
1or turtle hunting; tut in addition to
srades, my two fellow hunters, Alfred
and Willis, were provided, one with
strong hay-fork. the other with
srapnel hook lashed to the end of
stout ash sapling.
For safety's sake, too, we had each
an old pair of snow-shoes. For al
though the mud of the bog was now
sliehtly frozen over, the deep sloughs
beneath were still dangerous. The lake
itself had not yet frozen. We We're
therefore able to cross over from our
shore to the bog in boat-an old craft
that had long been common property
among the boys for fishing excursions.
Our modus OperanGi can be conjec-
tured from our outfit. Having put on
our snow-shoes, we began searching
for turtle signs, and prodding deep
into the muu with the bayonet. When
touched with the point of he sharp
weapon, under such circumstances, the
burrowing turtle would stir slightly,
thus differentiating itself from sunk
en- log or root. When the reptile was
located, the task of unearthing it was
begun with spade and grapnel.
But afternoons are short in Novem-
Ter. We mad secured no more than
three turtles, if I remember right
big, muddy, semitorpid creatures that
lay in the bottom of the boat, hardly
stirring-wben the approach of sunset
warned us to set of for home. We
we're rowing back across the upper
reach of the lake, when directly in
front of us we saw flock of four
looms, which We had already noticed,
sailing to and fro, several times that
afternoon.
Its queer they haven't gone yet,
said Alfred. They always leave here
earlier, before it gets so cold
All four of the looms were swim
ming down across our course,-great,
handsome birds,-and one OF them,
turning its head toward us, uttered the
short, singular laugh characteristic OF
looms. We noticed, however, that two
of them were much smaller than the
others, and that one of the two lag
ged about fifty feet behind the rest
as they swan.
Those two are this years young
ones," said Willis. perhaps they
we're late Matched and aren't large
enough to fly far yet
ooh, yes, they are" said Alfred.
"a loon can fly, if only there is room
to rise from the water, by the time
they are half-grown."
We had come up quite near the lag
ging one by this time, and wondered
why it did not dive: Instead, it SEEM
ed to be making frantic attempts to
swim, yet did not progress fast, and
the others were as evidently swim
ming slowly to allow it to keep near
them.
"Why, believe something's the mat
ter with that young loom" said Will
lis. "He cannot swim much. Let's
catch him."
Thereupon Alfred and l plied the
oars snlartly. while Willis steered the
boat, and after pulling for two or three
hundred yards we came close upon the
tagging loon. wondering all the while
that it did not dive.
| 1t continued struggling ahead on the
surface till Willis steercd tAeboat close
alongside, calling out to Alfred tc
| catch it. The young loon then made a
great effort to rise, but Alfred, drop,
ping his oar, seized it by one wing
and pulled it into the boat.
We then saw that something was
wrong with its feet. They were moi
properly webbed, but looked like club
feet. little deformed masses of rec
flesh and bone.
The instant it felt Alfred's grip il
uttered a wild, harsh cry; and that CRY
cf distress affected deeply the two
old looms. They were fully fifty yard
| ahead, but they turned instantly, will
similar wild cries, and seeming t
stand erect in the water, they flap
ped their powerful wings and cam
directly toward the boat.
So far from being alarmed, however
we thought it rather a good joke a
first, and made ready to strike them
! But the looms had a mode of attacI
which we had not Ieckoned on. The
came near the boat, and with thei
wings threw water over us an
straight in our faces, as boys, Will
swimming. sometimes dash water a
one another. striking it with the palm
of their hands. One who has neVe
seen looms throw water with thel
wings can have little idea OF the 1orc
with which they propel it. or the quar-
tty they can throw. We were quit