I6 
 
 
the Wisconsin River, for scores of miles beyond. At Minnesota Junction, where

we change cars and go westward, another party from Milwaukee, fully armed

and equipped, joined us, and still again at Portage City, and so on at different

stations until, when we reached the Wisconsin at Kilbourn, we numbered twenty-

seven strong. Kilbourn City consists at present writing of innumerable coops

of pigeons ....... 
     "Having made all needed preparations the night previous, we were
early 
called to arms by the wholesome voice of Mr. F. H., before referred to, and
ere 
long, were rolling at a break neck' pace through the dark headed for the
roost 
io miles beyond. The idea was to get an opportunity to rake the immense flocks

of pigeons as they left the roost for the fields and feeding places throughout
the 
State. The indescribable cooing roar produced by uncounted millions of pigeons,

as arousing from their slumbers they saluted each other and made up their
foraging 
parties for the day, arose from every side, creating an almost bewildering
effect 
on the senses, as it was echoed and re-echoed back by the mighty rocks and
ledges 
of the Wisconsin bank. As the first streakings of daylight began to break
over 
the eastern horizon, small scouting parties of the monstrous army of birds
to 
follow, every now and then darted like night spirits past our heads. Soon
the 
skirmish line, or perhaps more correctly pigeon bummers, who belong to no
regu- 
lar organization, swept past in small and irregular bodies. Our guide now
told 
us to get into position as quick as possible as the large flocks would follow
in 
rapid succession. We quickly ranged ourselves along the crest of a hill over-

looking a cleared valley through which the birds would fly on their outward

passage. It was yet a long way from being light, and as the various members
of 
our party scrambled through the thickets and brambles, to gain advantageous

locations pointed out by our leader, various expressions fell from their
lips which 
we feel rejoiced it is not our duty to record." , 
    "And now arose a roar, compared with which all previous noises ever
heard, 
are but lullabys, and which caused more than one of the expectant and excited

party to drop their guns, and seek shelter behind and beneath the nearest
trees. 
The sound was condensed terror. Imagine a thousand threshing machines running

under full headway, accompanied by as many steamboats groaning off steam,
with 
an equal quota of R. R. trains passing through covered bridges-imagine these

massed into a single flock, and you possibly have a faint conception of the
terrific 
roar following the monstrous black cloud of pigeons as they passed in rapid
flight 
in the gray light of morning, a few feet before our faces. So sudden and
unex- 
pected was the shock, that nearly the entire flock passed before a shot was
fired. 
The unearthly roar continued, and as flock after flock, in almost endless
line, 
succeeded each other, nearly on a level with the muzzle of our guns, the
contents 
of a score of double barrels was poured into their dense midst. Hundreds,
yes 
thousands, dropped into the open fields below. Not infrequently a hunter
would 
discharge his piece and load and fire the third and fourth time into the
same flock. 
The slaughter was terrible beyond any description. Our guns became so hot
by 
rapid discharges, we were afraid to load them. Then while waiting for them
to