WILD GEESE. 263 



wild-fowl. On hearing it I seized the farmer's muzzle- 

 loader, and started for the pond in hot haste, hoj)ing to 

 get a shot at the birds. I reached it in due time, and 

 found the boy's tale to be true, for several species of 

 ducks, from the stately mallard to the pretty blue- winged 

 teal, and a large gaggle of snow geese were feeding in the 

 water, which was quite shallow, or chattering contentedly 

 to one another. These presented a charming spec- 

 tacle, and their activity and noise contrasted strongly 

 with the silence of the forest, which was then arrayed in 

 its most brilliant autumn colors. 



Notwithstanding the beauty of the woods, I was "on 

 murderous thoughts intent," but how to put them into 

 execution was the next question, for the birds were too 

 far away to enable me to shoot at them with any assured 

 degree of success. While dodging along the shore in 

 my efforts to get near enough to obtain a shot, I espied 

 a small dugout concealed in the bushes, and this I pushed 

 into the water, as its bow and sides were covered with 

 reeds. Taking the scull in my hand, I was soon bearing 

 down on the mass of feathers, and was in its midst in 

 less than five minutes. The ducks seemed to think the 

 craft was a floating bunch of sedge at first, for they only 

 stared at it, but when they detected its true character, 

 they rose ''exulting on triumphant wings," and attempt- 

 ed to flee, but before they could get out of range I cut a 

 swath through their ranks, and brought down two 

 killed and two cripples. By the time I had secured these, 

 every bird in the pond seemed to have fled, yet I jmd- 

 dled on in hopes of being able to get another shot. I had 

 not proceeded far before I rounded a small cape, and 

 just behind that I came suddenly upon two geese, which 

 were sailing about in the most indifferent manner. On 

 seeing me they attempted to rise, but as I was to the 

 windward they had to come towards me. When they 

 were near enough I blazed away at one, and sent it into 



