IN THE PACIFIC. 61 



very pretty shooting, as the ducks and teal kept 

 flying overhead. In this way we made a very 

 fair bag, and lost as many more, which fell into 

 the rushes, and could not be retrieved. For 

 this style of shooting a breech-loader is in- 

 dispensable, and my companion who had only 

 a muzzle-loader was soon placed liors de combat 

 On our way back we killed some doves whicli 

 abounded in the neighbourhood, and also several 

 couple of jack-snipe ; so numerous were the 

 latter that we bagged fourteen out of a wisp of 

 them, with four barrels. Our birds proved 

 most acceptable, for on our return to Huacho, 

 we found that heavy rollers had set in, render- 

 ing communication with the ship impossible ; 

 and we were detained on shore for two days 

 until the sea subsided. The hotel where we 

 put up was totally unprovided with food, so we 

 set to work, plucked and cooked our game and 

 made an excellent pie. 



The native boatmen refused to go off for 

 love or money; my gig was capsized in the 

 surf and lost her anchor, which was recovered 



