Wildfowl in Seistan 7 1 



on the water from the feet of thousands of coots 

 that rise in front in black clouds. Now and 

 again mallards and other heavy ducks get up 

 with quacks of alarm, and we hear the occasional 

 squark of a snipe that had been resting on the 

 roots of the reeds. No shooting at this stage. 

 Presently we arrive at an open reach among the 

 reeds, and places are drawn for. The beaters 

 disappear, to gain by narrow and devious water- 

 ways a point far up the chung whence the drive 

 will begin. The guns move to their posts. Ours 

 is in a sort of bay on the opposite side. The boat 

 is pushed in among the reeds and the long flags 

 are bent and bound over, serving the double 

 purpose of concealing and keeping her steady. 

 D., on the opposite side and rather higher up, is 

 to fire the first shot. 



After half an hour's expectation there comes 

 a whirr of wings, and a lot of teal splash down 

 in the water close by. We can just see them 

 through the reeds swimming about. Then bang ! 

 goes D.'s gun, and before we can hear the 

 resounding smack on the water that tells us he 

 has scored, the teal are in the air again and 

 have gone. All is stillness. But in a matter 

 of ten or fifteen seconds there comes a rush. The 

 air is dark with ducks ; they come fast and 

 low, so low that it is impossible to get on to 



