186 



MIDNIGHT ON THE OOZES. 

 A winter's night in a gunning-punt. 



The elements of hardship and uncertainty which are 

 inherent to the pursuit of wildfowl have been alluded to ; 

 but it is hij n'Kjht that both are the most pronounced, and 

 especially the former. Night-punting is certainly the most 

 precarious of all British sports, and demands the greatest 

 sacrifices of comfort. The boldest spirit may quail at the 

 prospect of spending a winter's night aboard an open punt 

 amidst the desolate creeks ; and the keenest must stiffen his 

 neck and harden his heart when it comes to turning out 

 into a freezing atmosphere at midnight, just when the rest 

 of the world are seeking their snug beds. 



Moonlight is the primary essential of success — that is, 

 the sport is limited to a possible eight or ten nights each 

 month ; but in practice there are seldom found more than a 

 couple during each moon, when meteorological conditions are 

 sufficiently favourable. On stormy nights one cannot go afloat, 

 and even when the sea is calm the moon may be so overcast 

 as to preclude any chance of discerning the fowl on the dark 

 water. Then — cruellest disappointment of all — on those 

 rare occasions when all the climatic conditions appear 

 auspicious, and one sets out full of confidence, perhaps in 

 the course of an hour or two the whole face of the heavens 

 change, a breeze springs up, cloud-masses spin across the 

 skies, obscuring the moon and "blackening" the waters 

 — the game is up ; the night's labour is lost, and nothing 

 remains but to go home to bed — soaked, starved, and empty- 

 handed. 



Perhaps the readiest means available to draw a vivid pic- 



