230 WILD SPORTS EN THE SOUTH. 



float on one of those happy families, dozing away the 

 sunny hours, and they would arise, when we were close 

 upon them, in the greatest disorder. The ringing of a 

 half dozen shots, the fall of the game, the shout and 

 laugh, would end the scene, and break upon the stillness 

 of the solitude with a burst of fun and activity all the 

 wilder for being so rarely heard in the marshes. 



We had almost reached the confine of the open water, 

 when Jackson fired at a black duck flying overhead, and 

 it fell in the water, wing-broken, and immediately dove. 

 He commenced, with the assistance of the Doctor's boat, 

 to look for the game, probing with his paddle the bunches 

 of floating sedge near by, while I, lying a little further 

 off, was watching their search. While thus engaged, I 

 happened to notice under the water a duck swimming 

 toward the surface ; it was the wounded duck trying to 

 escape. I saw a bill protruded from the water, the duck 

 in the mean time keeping his head and body completely 

 hidden. I leaned over my boat and caught the nose of 

 the cunning fellow, bringing him above water amid the 

 shouts of the negroes who witnessed the trick. 



Being joined by Mike, who had turned aside to get 

 some roots with which to color deer-skins, we all passed 

 through the narrow outlet of the marsh, and turned to- 

 ward the low islands, where it was said we could find 

 snipe. 



" Round that grape-vine point !" called out Jackson, 

 as the headlands we had passed in the morning again 

 opened to our view. 



