RAIL-SHOOTING. 321 



piisli, and the lieavy swell from tlie broad rivei-, rcll- 

 iiig in a long distance among the reeds, added a new 

 motion to their natural unsteadiness. 



Of course the sport was not encouraging, and the 

 accidents were numerous ; several si)ortsmen fell over- 

 board, one ui)set his boat, and my man came so near 

 it — his pole slipping at the moment he was exerting 

 Ills utmost strength upon it— that his eftbrts to re- 

 cover his balance reminded me of dancing the liorn- 

 pipe in a state of frenzy. He kicked up moi'c cajiers, 

 and indulged in more contortions on the little ])lat- 

 form, scarcely a foot square, which he occupied, than 

 I supposed possible without diskication of a limb; 

 but he managed, however, to regain his equilibrium, 

 and neither fell overboard nor upset the skiff. 



These little incidents, and the shooting, such as it 

 was, kept the party, which w^as numerous, interested 

 until the time came for recrossing the river to our 

 hotel. There was no stopping-place on our present 

 side of the river, which presented one apparently 

 endless view of waving reeds ; and the alternative 

 was simply to cross the open river, or pass the night 

 in our boats. The swell had increased into high 

 waves capped with snowy foam, and threatened de- 

 struction to our low-sided, short, and narrow boats. 

 Many were the consultations between the various 

 punters, and grave were the doubts expressed of a 

 safe crossing; but as there was no help for it, the 

 trial had to be made. 



Selections were chosen of fivorable starting-points, 

 and most of the party put out at about the same 



