328 WINTER FOWLING 



being capsized in a squall, which he would scout as 

 an outrageous impeachment on his seamanship, there 

 are the probabilities of his grounding upon a bank in 

 one of the fogs, which are accompaniments of the 

 weather most favourable for sea-fowling. He pursues 

 his sport on the borders of the crowded waterways, 

 where fleets of coasting craft are continually plying ; 

 and may be awakened out of the sleep he has dropped 

 into on his watch, to find his boat cut down to the 

 water-line, while he is being submerged by a strange 

 cutwater. Moreover, he may have to run in a sudden 

 gale for moorings in some river mouth or harbour of 

 refuge, by no means always easy of attainment. As 

 a set-off against these probable or problematical 

 dangers, is the " pleasure " of alternately sitting 

 up in the biting air on the deck, glass in hand, 

 behind a swivel-gun or a battery of heavy breech- 

 loaders ; and diving down into the tiny cabin to be 

 toasted before facing a fresh spell of the cold. 



