538 TRUMPETER SWAN.
mined was shot on a lake near the junction of that river with the Mis-
•psippi. It measured nearly ten fee» in alar.extent, and weighed
above thirtv-oifrfit pounds. The quills, which I used in drawing the
feet and claws of many small birds, were so hard, and jet: so elastic,
that the best steel-pen of the present day might have blushed,, if ft
could, to be compared with them.
Whilst encamped in the Tawapatee Bottom, when on a fur-trading
voyage, our keel-boat was hauled close under the eastern shore of the
Mississippi, and our valuable»!-for I then had a partner in trade, were
all disembarked. The party consiste« of twelve or fourteen French
Canadians, all of whom were pretty good hunt«s4 and as gams was
in those days extremely abundant, tlio supply of I)c.-r, Bear. Itacoons,
and Opossums, far exceeded our demands. Wild Turkeys, Grous,
and Pigeons, might have been sect, hanging all around; and the Îcëbound
lakes afforded at! Simple supply of excellent fish, which vox procured
by striking a strong blow with an axo on t.hc*i<ic? immediately
above the confined animal, and afterwards extricating it by; cutting a
hole with the same instrument. The great stream was itself so iirtnly
frozen (hat we were daily in the habit of crosSifflg it from shore to shore.
No sooner .lid the gloom of night become discernible through the grey
twilight, than tin- loudisor.ndir.g notes or hundreds of Trumpeters would
burst on the ear; and as I gazed over the ice-bound riv(.r, flocks after
flocks would be seen coming from afar-arid in various directions* and
alighting about the middle, of tlic'stream opposite to our encampment.
After pluming themselves awhile they would quietly drop their bodies
on the ice, and through the dim light I vet could observe the graceful
curve of their necks, as they gently turned them, backwards, to allow
their heads to repose upon th.. softest and warmest of pillows. Just a
dot of black as.it were could be observed on the snowy mass, and that
dot was about half an inch of the base of the upper mandible, thus <•.*
posed, as T think, to enable the bird to- breathe with case. Not a single
individual could 1 ever observe among tlieru to act as a sentinel, and I
have: Since doubted whether their acute seisé gf hearing was not suffi-
'Cienl to enable them to detect the approach of their enemies. The
day quite (dosed by darkness, no more could. he .seen mit» the next
dawn ; but as often as the bowlings of the: numerous wolves that
prowled through the surrounding woods were heard, the clanging cries
of the Swans would fill the air. If the morning proved fair, the whole
TRUMPETER SWAN. 539
flcoe'ks would rise on their feet, trim their plumage, and as they started
with wings extended, as if, racing in rivalry, the pattering of their feet
would Cffime on the ear like the noise of great muffled drums, accompanied
by the loud and clear sounds of their voice. On running fifty
yards or sa to windward, they would all be on wing. If the weather
was thick, drizzly.' and cold, Or if there were indications of a fall of
snow, thoy would remain On the fee, walking, standing, or lying
down:, until symptoms of better weather became apparent, when they
w o u ld all start off. One morning of this latter kind, our men formed
a plot against thé Swans, and having separated into two parties, one
above, thè other bel.nv them on the ice, they walked slowly, on a signal
Being given from the camp, toward the unsuspecting birds. Until
the boatmen had arrived within a hundred and fifty yards of them, the
Swans remained as they were, having become, as it would appear, acquainted
with us, in consequence ol'our frequently crossing theice; but
then they all rose on their feet, stretched their necks, shook their heads,
and manifested strong symptoms of apprehension. The gunners meanwhile
advanced, and one: of the guns going off by accident, the Swans
were thrown into confusion, and'scampering off in various directions
took to wing, some flying up, some down the stream, others making
directly toward the shores. The muskets now blazed, and about a
dozen were feljed, some crippled, others quite dead. That evening
thoy alighted about à mile above, the camp, and we never went after
them again. I have Seen at the killing of several of these Swans, and
1 can assure yoti that unless you have a good gun well loaded with large
buck-sMfjfyou may shoot at them without much effect,: for they are
strong and tciugh birds.
To form a perfect conception of the beauty and elegance of these
Swans, you must observe them when they are not aware of your proximity,
and as they glide over the waters of some secluded inland pond.
On such occasions, the neck, which at other times is held stiffly upright,
ittavéS in graceful curves, now bent forward, now inclined backwards
over the body. Now with an extended scooping movement the head
becomes immersed for a moment, and with a sudden effort a flood of
water is thrown over thè back and wings, when it is seen rolling off in
sparkling globules, like so many large pearls. The bird then shakes
its wings, beats the water, and as if giddy with delight shoots away,