SHOOTING MALLARDS FROM A SCULL BOAT. 53 
a year old. And in her construction I tried to avoid 
the faults and imperfections noticed in others, for years. 
See how lightly and airily she sits on the water, rising 
and falling by the motion of the slight waves. The 
bow at first may not impress you favorably, your mind 
will revert to your yachting, “ when the sharp prow 
of your yacht clove the water like a knife.” Very true ; 
and you may not lke the sled-runner shape of the bow. 
Wait until, gently propelled with the sculling oar, she 
glides over floating sticks and other debris, then you 
will see, instead of shoving it ahead in a surging, bub- 
bling mass, she quietly slides over it without effort or 
noise. Look at her sides; so smooth that not the 
slightest ripple will be made as we pass along, and that 
gentle sloping stern slips through the water, leaving 
the smallest of wakes as she passes. The oars are 
bound with leather where they touch the locks. As if 
that were not enough to insure quietness, the locks 
are covered with heavy leather; the sculling oar, where 
it comes it contact with the boat is also covered. 
We are in the boat. Sit on my shell box, it will 
answer a double purpose; and this isoneofthem. You 
will have but slight rowing. I shall do most of the 
work to-day, and you most of the shooting. You are 
an admirer of the beautiful, enjoy pretty scenery, and 
Nature in her varied and changeable garb. You smile 
incredulously, as if to ask me how I know it. If lam 
wrong, why do you gaze so intently over my head, 
and back of me, at the deep, unbroken bluffs, whose 
solid walls extend so high toward the heavens; or on 
their heights, where immense oaks stretch out their 
gigantic arms to the four points of the compass ; at 
their neighbors, the strong hickory, whese variegated 
