468 tfUCK SHOOTING. 



not walked more than two hundred yards when we 

 commenced to hear the peculiar noise which a large 

 flock of wildfowl make while feeding in a pond — that 

 is, a continued splash from their unceasing diving. Our 

 excitement was such that we both hurried along, and 

 soon a beautiful pond stretched out before us, just com- 

 pletely covered with wildfowl of every description. 

 Instead of crawling up cautiously, as we should have 

 done, we advanced in too much of a hurry, and let go 

 our four barrels at the nearest of the immense flock. 

 And then for a moment what a noise, a rush, splash, 

 and whirr of wings. I never saw its like in my life, 

 and hardly ever expect to see it again. 



We had disturbed a wildfowls' sanctum. It was a 

 sight to make a sportsman — well, I was going to say 

 crazy, as we were so excited we hardly knew which way 

 to start. The ducks, after their first fright, commenced 

 to come back, and some even wheeled after flying not 

 more than fifty or a hundred yards, and we shot and 

 shot till most of our cartridges had gone, as we had left 

 all but a few with our traps and decoys, with the boats. 

 We then stood up and took a survey of our situation. 

 We found the pond to be nearly circular, and 150 yards 

 in diameter, and the slough which we had been follow- 

 ing ran into the pond, so if we had followed it to the 

 left instead of to the right we would have soon come to 

 the pond. 



Our flag and boats were in a direct line about 350 

 or 400 yards from us, so taking off our coats, and leav- 

 ing our guns at the pond, we started for the boats to 



