CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 155 



"We sat and watched the fowl until the increasing 

 chill of the air and the sinking sun warned us to return 

 to the house. As we arose without any precautions the 

 canvas-backs at once became alert, and as we pushed 

 our way among the reeds away from the shore the 

 whole mass rose with a mighty roar of wings and a 

 splashing of water that made one think more of the 

 noise of Broadway when traffic is heaviest than any- 

 thing else that I can recall. 



"That night it was again cold, and in the morning the 

 Little Narrows was closed by ice, except for a few air 

 holes, and the open water in the sound was still less. 

 The ice was not yet sufficiently strong to bear a man, 

 and yet it was too heavy to be broken through by a boat. 

 Numbers of the shore gunners endeavored to get out to 

 the air holes to shoot there, but none, I think, suc- 

 ceeded. Those of us at the house shot at various nearby 

 points, with moderate success, one man making the 

 great score of sixty-six canvas-backs, besides some 

 other ducks. 



"That night after dinner one of the party stepped out 

 on the porch of the house to look at the weather. The 

 night was clear and cold, brilliant stars twinkled in the 

 sky : through the branches of the trees over the boat- 

 house corner, and reflected in the placid waters of an 

 air hole in the Narrows, shone the crescent of the young 

 moon, embracing between its horns the dull globe which 

 was yet to grow. The scene was odd and beautiful, like 

 a stage effect of some mediaeval scene. As he stood 

 there, delighting in the beauty of the night, yet nipped 



