BATTERY SHOOTING. 437 



with gun, ammunition, and such other articles as he 

 needs, the sloop in which he and his battery were trans- 

 ported to the ground leaves him, and either takes up a 

 position well to the leeward, and so far away that by 

 no possibility can it interfere with the flight of the 

 birds, or else — and this is the more common practice — 

 sails about over the waters, directing its course to any 

 body of resting birds that it may see, disturbs them, and 

 causes them to take wing, in the hope that in their flight 

 they may pass near the decoys about the battery, and 

 go to them. It is the part of the tender, also, if the 

 shooting is lively, to cruise, at frequent intervals, half 

 a mile or a mile to leeward of the gunner, to pick up 

 the birds that may be killed The tender must also keep 

 a sharp lookout at the battery, so as to obey any signals 

 that may be made by the battery-man, and, if called, to 

 get to him as speedily as possible. Usually some set of 

 signals are arranged, which may save time and effort. 



Commonly, if two men go out to use a single battery, 

 they toss up for choice as to who shall first occupy it, 

 the first hour after dawn being usually the best for 

 shooting. 



Let us imagine the battery-man safely in his box, and 

 deserted by his tender. The dim light is beginning to 

 show in the east, and the first sounds of coming day are 

 to be heard. The distant honking of geese breaks the 

 stillness, followed, perhaps, by the wild, laughing cry 

 of the loon, or the mellow call of a bunch of old-squaws. 

 The faintly musical whistle of the wings of passing 

 birds is heard, and, as the light grows, dark streaks, 



