The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-01-18
not leave the island until spring, COM
ing baok then ct night to roost.

=
Turkeys always roost over water, if
1t 9e available, hence it is that a hun
ter with eyes and training can follow
these streams in boat aud be able to
do good work just before nightfall
aud sometimes even after mooprise.
But simple as it seems there is re-
quired the finest eyesight, the most
careful manoeuyring and, above all,
quickness when the game has been
found. The way on old gobbler can
i get out of tree and off into impene-
trable gloom would amaze man who
had not seenit done; nothing living
is quicker except a fish or an alligator
| jumping from bank when he is
"good scared
The streams over which they sit
are sometimes too small to admit the
passage Of boat aad here they a-e
reasonably secure unless some indus
trious hunter has ''roosted'' them,
that is followed them, calling at in
tervals with bone or box until the
| iock rises for the trees. When this
is done the hunter comes back way
before day, calls them again and
usually manages TO score.
| Caesar and / had our share Of this
tedious and uncertain mode OF hunt
ing; acting on his advice 1 was taking
to the water. In the growing dusk
every object in the swamp assumed q
shape strange to d>.ylight; overhead
you could see; in 'front.' now and then
we caught glimpses; once in c while
summer duck few out,with olatter;
but We took no notice. Oa turning
diemal bend I felt the paddle touch
my legs, as the canoe slowly settled
against the bank. Straining my head
| ca1ght Caesars gaze fixed on @ oy-
press. No! Vest Maybe, but I
doubt it-then all doubt that was
passing through NV mind fadea;; lie
had ducked his head and betrayed
himself; now the plump outline OF the
turkeys form became vieible; the
boat was stock still, held by the pad
die. / drew bead, the finest I could
get In that light, and fred my rifle at
the place where neck and head Joined;
the turkey dropped like g bag ofsand
and at the crack another few out Of q
tree and went sailing across the stream
for the swamp ridges beyond. /
pumped twice at the last one, but he
went on, Caesar stoutly maintaining,
however, that he was shot through.
Our talking had disturbed Others and
they went thel other way, not one
crossing the stream. AS the night
vsn coming on We got our turkey,
fair sized gobbler. We had many
miles to go, so both took paddle and
the canoe shot swiftly through the
bsyoaB. As We reached our destina.
tion that night, Pompey Masyck, an
old darky, met us and told Caesar Of
Aushing flock Just at sunset in
i.sens sall pines by o branch and I
determined to be back in time next
morning. 81
It turned of bitterly cold and the
wind rose circumstances both highly
favorable to work next morning, but
not conducive to comfort. I slept un-.
dcrs fy and woke cold, ss the stars
were shining next morning. It waa
half-past, three 'olosk. Caesar was
out cf pocket, ,bnt soon turned up,,
having gone OF to get lightRood. He
hhaa haa our breakfast ready directly and
then brought out from behind the
blaze q coffee pot, explaining s'dat gal
Cindy fetch 'em last night, Mauasa.''
Ibid not care to pursue the inyesti-.
cation, having no further inherent il
knowing how Caesar came By che pot
OF offee--feally q godaend, 90 by on
objectionable blunder mine had been
left with the coffee, az the plantation.
Swallowing breakfast without cere.
monys and without minutes loss
OF time, we were OFF on foot sor che
place uheHe Pompey had aeen the
acek. g had my box and Caesar:
could yelp with 9 turkey bone ! 70 fool
the Oldest gobbler ron the range. Long
before day We were at the rendes-
syous,s 5sl3s iss
By|one Of those sudden shifts tina.
coast weather il famela FOR, there be-
/ gan 20 fall : slight drissle os rain,
hardly more than mist. Caesars Q
first attempt brought Is repl from q
pine right ever III. I looked up and |.
agains / the faint gleam Of III s sod der
ssky there was ailhouetted . gobblsr,
Caesar had bronght my rife and he /
softly handed it. to me. q fred and
skhat u5a n d No. Z, i; ~. 1, 4 -,