The Washington times., 1938-08-11

upon the calm waters of the
inlet. Another of the perfect
days that grace the fall season
in South Carolina had begun
Said Captain Tom to himself
"Duck shootin'.'
All among the Carolinas the
coast is broken into unnumbered
little islands crowned with pal
metto and pires. On these hun
dreds of different specimens OF
birds nest ara raise their young
Ducks would be in season now
and ducks were plentiful.
Captain Tom, captain by
courtesy only had once been
master of a fIeighter Canny and
thrifty, he had saved his share
and at As gave up work.
The day was so fair Captain
Tom decided to use the rowboat
A good pull would just brace him.
The engine iii the motor boat was
in bad shape anyhow.
DUCK HUNTING
Ducks for dinner, Liza" he
shouted by way of warning to the
negress who did" for him. Liza
appeared in the doorway.
"You goin' ell alone?"
"Ah-uh." She disappeared and
10 minutes later brought to the
roWboat a hamper of mating.
You done ate the las bit Of
cake. You got your oilskins?"
who wants cake? Sure, they're
in the locker. Bake a cake for
dinner, Liza. BY"
He ran UP the inlet with the
tide and crossed seaward. He
knew a place At three that after
noon he squatted on the shore of
q good-sized island, lush with
underground. His pipe between
his teeth, he busted himself
measuring out coffee.
He had built a brush fire; be-
side him pan of sliced bacon lay
ready to cook, A hundred yards
away the rowboat was beached.
In her were four fat mallard
ducks. Captain Tom pulled on
his pipe in deep content. The
fire burned low. He rose and
struck out Into the rough grass
at the edge of the sandy beach
to collect more fuel.
Under water at high tide, drift
wood should be plentiful. But
there was little, and he went
farther in where the dead wood
from tree branches fell. There was
a sharp ping" in the calf of his
right leg. Captain Tom peered into
the brush and caught the tail end
of a snake slithering away.
FIGHTING THE POISON
Rather" he said aloud. He
turned, carried the odds and ends
he had collected to the beach and
threw them down. Then he sat,
unlaced the tall boot and barred
the skin. The fangs had entered
just above the boot, the marks
were plain. Already there was a
swelling.
Captain Tom pulled from his
pocket the little case carried by
hunters in the snake infested re
gions, drew out a razor blade and
cut deep, crisscross over the fang
marks. Blood spurted. He watched
1t for a half minute then his
hands were busy winding gauze
about the leg under the knee. He
pulled the stuff tight, twisted the
ends about a stick and tied it with
more gauze, an improvised tourni
quet. When the blood had almost
stopped flowing from the cuts he
opened the little bottle of purplisl
cryStals-permanganate of potas
sium-trusted but improved cure
for snake venom.
Crushing the crystals in his
hand he rubbed them into the
cuts. Then he bound the cut part
of the leg in a loose bandage anC
pulled on his boot, lacing it part
way and turning down the upper
part.
He shook his head. He fell
dizzy. He walked to the boat, took
a pint bottle of whiskey from the
locker and drank a mouthful. He
stared atthe water. The tide would
be against him. If he waited two
hours he could get back with The
tide to Beaufort. But at the enc
of two hours he might not be able
to start.
He ought to try for the hospita
at Paris Island, attached to the
U. S. Marine station there, the
only hospital within 70 miles. Tha,
was a long row, across currents
threading many islands, and ever
the turn of the tide would not helI
much. He might signal a boat
If he saw one. He had not eater
since breakfast. If he was to las
he must have food.
FOG CLOUDS HEAD
He swallowed another mouthfu
of whiSkey and returned to the
fire. He threw brush on and hele
his skillet over it. When the bacor
was done he boiled strong coffee
His leg hurt and his head wa!
foggy.
He sat down and ate bacon
bread and jam, finishing up witt
three cups of thick black COFFEE
a Turk would not have despised
Then he put out the fire, packet
his stuff, carried it to the boat