Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-08
Swans at NIAGARA Falls.

During the season at Niagara Falls
tragedies of one kind or another are of
almost daily occurrence: The city ceine-
terry has a large lot given over to the
unknown dead. while week seldom
passes that does not witness the depart
ure by railway of some silent passenger
travelling to his distant home graveyard
in the care of sorrowing friends.
So conomr happening as "a man over
the falls" hardly attracts the attention OF
anyone except the park policeman and the
UBIQUITOUS tourist who chances 10 be on
hand at the time, and it is safe to say
that no such crowd has gathered there
| in years focked to the banks OF the
| river recently when more than hundred
unfurtunates. victims of tie lure Of Mag
| ara. We're discovered struggling In tha
turbulent pool beneath the mighty cata-
raot.
The sufferers in this especial trag edy
| made up an unusually large flock Of
whistling swans lOlor Columbansai. to
less tl.an fffy-one inches in length. with
the magnificent expansion of wings Of
eighty-One inches.
From their winter home on the remote
bayous OF the Chesapeake and similar
southern waterways they were travelling
near. the artic circle. Tired out from a
particularly long flight they no dCuDt
welcomed the broad waters of the Mag
| ara as a resting place. where they II light
regain their strength for another stage
of their journey.
! The fact that a heavy and lrctracted
| rainstorm was prevailing on the da" OF
| their arrival explains why the splendid
| company was not observed. and may also
account for their Inconsistencies OF dan
der ahead.
At any rate. it is plain that they had no
| intimation of their impending fate until
they We're caught in the Canadian rapids
| above the great Horseshoe Falls. Then.
| because of their weight. they were I'M
| able to rise from the water quickly
enough to escape the awful plunge.
| Though no human eye was witness to
the majestic birds floating swiftly and
silently over the dece2tively smooth wat
err; then DISTINGUISHING on the brink an
apprecia BILE 'ncment-then rlunging over
tumuluous waters below.
Plat many of the swans survived the
fall was first evidenced. by their fright
ennd cries. which rose above the roar of
| the falls and attracked the attention of
persons on the bank. The ice bridge had
| not vet gone ont of the lower river, and
against this rough and jagged barrier
many Of the poor birds beat out their
| lives.
who watched the pitifil sight, it aust
he recorded that. taking advantage Of the
game law. which permits the slaughter
of wild fowl up to April &c they fell up
on tho struggling and helpless victims of
| the catar;,ct's fury and killed the survi-
vOrs with clubs
specimens of a rapidly disappearing spe-
cies OF American wild fowl lay eX
| tended on the river bank. Only one MEM
| Der of this doomed company was left
| alive. 1T was his good fortune to be taken
| by 4 humane boy. and later to he trans
| ferrcd TO the park lake in Buffalo. Ferc
| he seems to have found cnnGenia COM
| panions among the domesticated swans,
| ana shows no inclination to continue his
| journey t. the arctic.
Crnithologists tell rs that the Whistling
| swan once very common In the
| southern states during the winter months
| their breeding places being In the arctic
regions There they build their nestS'
among the reeds of some deep swamp
The foundations of the nests rest on the
| bottom of the lagoon. and often rise two
feet above the surface of the water.
The whistling swan is distinguished by
it's dazzling plumaSe and scarlet bill and
by its loud and SonOrOuS VOiae. The pc
cuiar wEiStling call is produced by the
cOnveluti0ns. of -windpipe resembling
| somewhat in form the French horn. The
earliest Christians-that is 10 say, the
first white men to succeed the Indian in
| America. used to catch the swan with a
continuance called swan balls consisting
of two modern balls on the ends Of a long
cord, which. being cast from a distance.
after the manner Of n larit, twisted about
the birds gracefully curved neck and
raised. sai-like' wings rendering II help
less. The skins Of the birds thus taken
We're used in the manufacture of SPLEEN
did clcaks.
Some OF the swans taken at Niagara
We're stuffed and mounted but the bodies
of many. oftc' being pucked. We're
thrown away. In every case the end Of
the glorious white company homeward
bound was ptiful 1t was tragic and
grim and Unsuitable old Niagara mas an
other crime to answer for.