THE MARSH. 127 
grounds ; they fly aimlessly enjoying their morning ex- 
ercise, or investigating the surroundings to find a suit- 
able place to spend the day. We are early on the ground, 
and it will be a fullhalf-hour before we can see to shoot. 
Sit still, and I will force the boat into these rushes, so 
we can both face the east. We must do this, for the 
first light appears in that direction and we can faintly see 
ducks coming from the east when we could not see them 
coming from any other point of the compass. Perhaps 
you think we have come in a good way, and are far from 
the Mississippi River. Only about a mile, taking a 
straight line; but by the tortuous way we came it is much 
farther. You don’t know much of this place, do you? 
Well, in this marsh there has been thrown into the air 
tons and tons of lead ; there isno place in the West where 
more ducks have been shot. This locality is a great place 
for point and decoy shooting, being in the line of flight as 
they go and return to and from the Mississippi and W ap- 
sipinicon rivers. I never have been surprised to find 
plenty ducks here, for itis the place that nature intended 
for them. In this marsh they get wildrice, bulbous roots, 
and flags, A flight of a mile brings them to the Missis- 
sippl, Where they regale themselves on buds, larvee, smart- 
weed, and roost and bask in the sunshine, and lunch off 
the gravel on the sandbars. Surrounding this spot, with- 
ina half-hour’s flight, corn-fields are found in abundance ; 
while southwest from here, about seven miles, mallards 
go after acorns, where the Wapsipinicon rushes along, 
overflowing its banks, affording the finest timber shoot- 
ing in the world. 
Did you hear that whizzing noise just now? it was a 
flock of blue-bills passing. They are very early risers. 
Now they have commenced to fly we must look sharp, 
