After manoeuvring for some time in this manner, greatly to the
edification of a party of birds resembling him but without any ruff,
who, assembled round the stump, were enjoying his performances, he
spread out his tail like a fan, stiffened his wings, and began to
strike with them in short, rapid beats, faster and faster, until a
rumbling sound like very distant thunder was produced, and the whirring
wings enveloped him as in a cloud.
This was the drumming noise which had alarmed us, increased, as I
imagine, by the wing strokes falling at times on the decayed and
hollow stump on which the curious pantomime was acted.
I was watching it with the utmost interest, when a shot from behind me
was fired, and in a moment the play was at an end; my over-hasty son
had changed the pretty comedy into a sad and needless tragedy. The
enthusiastic drummer fell dead from his perch, and the crowd of
admiring companions fled in dismay.
The cruel interruption of a scene so rare and remarkable annoyed me
extremely, and I blamed Fritz for firing without my leave. I felt sure
the bird was the ruffed grouse, and a very fine specimen.
We placed it on the ass, which was patiently awaiting our return, and
went on our way.
The sledge was quite safe where we had left it; it was early in the
day, and I resolved to explore, as I had intended, the line of cliff
and rocky hills, which, at more or less distance from the seashore,
extended the whole length of coast known or visible to us.
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