46o DUCK SHOOTING. 



ing some danger to the shooting, as the shore could not 

 be distinguished seventy-five yards from the skiff. 

 Brown and myself w^ere the only two that started out, 

 and we first took careful bearings by compass. 



A mile below Pennsville, the ducks could be heard 

 talking, as they drifted on the ice as it floated down 

 stream, and directing our course by the sound, I was 

 soon paddled up within range of a good-sized flock as I 

 lay in the bottom of the boat waiting the signal to fire 

 the big gun, 



I dislike to recall the effect of that shot, or to remem- 

 ber the number of ducks slaughtered. It is enough to 

 say that I killed and crippled many, and was obliged to 

 "over shoot" numerous wounded ones. The huge gun 

 had boxed me soundly, but I now think I deserved to 

 have been kicked into the water. During the day we 

 found sprigtails and mallards in abundance, and I was 

 taken cleverly to them by my skillful paddler. Perhaps 

 then I thought that I was having great sport, and truly 

 I was killing many birds, but I have never since been 

 satisfied with the skiff-load of ducks we took to shore, 

 and after this trip never repeated my ice-shooting ex- 

 perience. 



SAILING. 



Sailing down on wildfowl can, of course, only be 

 practiced on large bodies of water, and in many States 

 is forbidden by law, as it should be in all. 



As most fowl are obliged to rise from the water 



