220 IHE WILD-FOWLER. 



at the helm, I took the precaution to pass a lashing" round my waist ; 

 a very necessary one it proved indeed, as a few minutes later a big wave 

 soused me from head to foot, and, but for the lashing", would inevita- 

 bly have carried me over the taffrail. We were four long- hours 

 working- our course to windward, which, in fine weather, had often 

 been performed in less than half that time ; consequently it was get- 

 ting- dusk before we weathered our point at the entrance to the har- 

 bour. Every rope had remained true to its berth during the whole 

 struggle with wind and waves, although the severest strain had been 

 put upon them j and so far fortunately, for had any of our principal ropes 

 been unequal to the strain, and given way, I could not have answered 

 for the consequences in such a gale and heavy sea. Several large 

 vessels were observed running for shelter in the harboui' ; and whilst 

 rounding the point, a fine schooner, with loss of foretopmast, passed 

 us, as she was also making for a place of refoge. Her crew gave us 

 a hearty cheer, which was warmly responded to with our small united 

 efforts. One reef was now shaken out of our mainsail, and we ran 

 to leeward through the harbour at a rapid rate ; it was quite 

 dark before we came to anchor, after as dangerous a pitch-and-tumble 

 cruise in a winter's gale at sea as I ever experienced : as to my 

 friend, who had been lashed to the bulwarks in the waist of the 

 yacht, he seemed more dead than alive ; and, notwithstanding the 

 pleasure the sport afforded him in the morning, about which he had 

 been quite in ecstacy, he now thought far less of its attractions after 

 a taste of its disagreeables. Thus terminated a very trying adven- 

 ture, after as good a day's sport with the stanchion-gun as I have 

 ever had the pleasure to enjoy. 



" Well may we pause to-day ! may Fortune smile 

 As kindly on each fowler's gen'rous toils 

 As she has done on ours !" 



The narrative above recorded is but a true picture of what the 

 wild-fowler must sometimes expect if he follows up, energetically, the 

 pursuit of wild-fowl shooting at sea. 



