The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-01-14

a Days Spcrt sthe. wild Fowls
on the Gulf Cdass Duck Shooting
at lis Beat Down South.

at I1s Bast Down SouSh.
New York Sun. "
The househoat Ei.eeter lay In Bayou
Marie, nicored by a. stout rope to the
es overspread her deck. Smoke curied
from the funnel Of the galley where
Alphonsa was at work IYsrE,
Two miles below her the MEXICAN
Gulf beat upon the Louisiana coasf.
The blue waves dreamed white in the
winter gun ana a wind that Travelled
ten ntieb anehorr but had no sting In It
came from the southwark. ss :
Half a mile to the right and back a
mile from the sea was q marsh which
contained pools ofsfresh water and In
the pools were weeds on which grew a
black bean attractive to- ducks The
hoarse diamor or wild fowls came from
Out OF the sea horizon lines OF them
stretched. making inward to the daily
feast. They came V-shaped to lessen
the air resistance and each flock wan
led BY its Oldest male member.
High overhead sailed with solemn
iionhiIis a group OF Canada geese and
the foreman gander was SO years old
IL :. day. Lower down, but still far out
of gunshOt, mallards went by, headed
by drake OF five seasons.
Pintails and bluebills swept In, guided
by leaders uf experience, and the rnJe
winged teal too numerous to assume the
proper formation, hurting by with fhe
speed almost of shot, but still with the
older birds still in front. the packed mass
behind lowering and rising ana dartinr
TO right or left as the darted. -.
1t was great sight from. the deck
of the Skeeter in early morning, for the
sun hung two yards above the eastern
sea line and breakfast was not ready
Even at the distance, the beating OF the
myriad wings put q tremor in the ear
and the. rays OF light flashing upon
painters palette.
AS the f1ocks hundred yards high.
or a mile high, rushed above the marsh
they half-shut their wings and dropped
downward with quickening swiftness.
circling once. still going down, then
settled slowly. 1t was the old, and al
ways new, miracle OF aerial flight made
without effort and almost without voli-
tion and envy was in the breasts of the
men who watched.
The Farmer had sloshed a bucket Of
cold water over head and shoulders and
stood rubbing himself with a coarse
towel. e
i've counted fourteen varieties of
ducks since came on deck" he said.
They're coming In fast this morning.
Wen have to talk to them after q
WHILE"
Alphonse poked his white wooly head
above the companionway, saying:
"M'sieurs. d'jeuner!'
They went below to q southern
breakfast of coffee strong enough to
stain the sides Of the cups, broiled ba-
con- broiled birds, hot biscuit, waffles
and sngarhouse molasses. The Doctor.
who has the purse OF q garret poet
with the tastes Of Lucullus. dined on
jacksnipe brains on toast. The brains
OF 60 snipe went to make his repast
and he pronounced 1t good. Then pipes
were lit and they hurried into rubber
boots an canvas shooting coats.
Their guns are as various as the men
The GARNER, who Is Louisiana plant
er and the host Of the party, had gun
which belonged to his grandfather. It
was made in France in 1840.. It was
originally. Of course, a muzzleloader,
loader with hammerless locks.
The barrels are Of 14-gauge and "a
inches long. They are of q beautifully
threaded metal, so soft that 1t can be
cut easily with a pocket knife. Indeed.
they were once SO inches long, but near
the muzzle We're worn to the thickness
OF letter paper and were cut Off.
Inc stock, of finest English walnut,
is straight without the pistol grip and
scrolled and carved. On its left side.
near the butt, is an inscription in dog
Latin. Ii the letters filled in with silver:
optime collinere est Del" which is
traslated freely as Reading and writ
ing may be had Of the schoolmaster
but crack shot is the work Of God"
1T IS very ld-fashioned, this gun, is
eyiinder-bored from breech to muzzie.
IS TOO long for modern likes and balarl-
ces badly in unaccustomed hands. hut
II shoots with marvellous strength.
making an evenly distributed close
pattern, and the Farmer is deadly with
II. because of the softness Of the metal
ana MS use of smokeless powder, the
breech swells badly after a hard day
and then he puts In wooden plugs OF
proper gauge and hammers It down
with a little hammer that has Gather
over its end. e'1'-
The Farmer thinks great deal OF
the gun because his grandfather
imported slaves spoke only african di-
alects and his father used it on deer
anu Woodcocks up to- 1861 when he
went out with q Louisiana regiment
against the men Of the north and was
Killed IN his first battle. The grad
son ana son Is won't to extol its merits
above the merits OF the new weapons
and back himself with 1t for moneys.
marbles or chalk. 800.
wonderful field shot is the Farmer,
with an instinctiye Judgment of wind,
inch just how far and strongly the old
1ouble. barrel Will shoot. TO watch him
a liberal education &C 70 spend a
week in a blind with him, or in tramp-
ing the brakes or marshes, is to be-
come one Of the elect,
He is Of the old school OF shooters,
100, believing in the use of big shot for
o1g birds and he does not think that
NO. IS are siseable for giraffes. He
uses No. 2s for mallards, canvasbacks
ana redheads. No. 4s for other ducks
or medium size and feathercoats and
no no; 6s are the, smallest he will allo a, for
shot &. 80 '-1
A gangp1ank foot wide ran from the
nnouseboat to the bluff bank OF Bayou
Marie and the party trotted 5over;it one
9;n,e py one. the pockets 0f the coats sag