HINTS ON PUNTING TO FOWL 261 



seen the cripples scattering in all directions. Quick up and 

 dispatch the cripples ! This, by the way, is no matter-of- 

 form game, and not so easy as one may be led to believe 

 from our simple description of it. Crippled ducks in water 

 are ten times worse to retrieve than a winged partridge or 

 a pheasant in the thickest of cover ; and, if the water is the 

 least bit rough, more than half generally escape. 



With strong strokes of the pole, the punt shoots up to 

 the dying, the wounded, and the dead, as the gunner busies 

 himself with the "cripple-stopper," shooting what crippled 

 fowl he can. One cripple has taken four shots to bag him, 

 as he scurries off with only his head visible out of water. 

 The shot, being taken at killing range, has proved very 

 deadly, leaving few cripples, though, despite all skill and 

 every exertion to gather all the wounded, two or three escape, 

 helped along with the tide. Attention must now be paid to 

 the dead birds, which lie like so many small tufts of sea-weed 

 floating slowly along on the tide. Ashore jumps one of the 

 punters, and wades about in the shallow water until every 

 dead bird is gathered. He has taken the wise precaution 

 of equipping himself with an oar so as to feel his way, lest 

 he should step in a deep drain or creek. 



All the fowl gathered, the work of half an hour's chasing, 

 the fowlers are bound for harbour, glad to get free of their 

 situation, which, though, ordinarily speaking, it has been one 

 of smooth water, is yet rough enough to half fill their shallow 

 craft ; for, as the rising tide boils and eddies over the shallow 

 flats, the tiniest of what are known as "breakers," ripples or 

 Uppers over the coaming of a duck-punt. They have done 

 their work for one tide, for surely sixty or seventy plump 

 mallards are enough for one day's sport ; besides, the cockpit 

 seems nearly gun-beam deep with fowl — a capital shot ! 



Perhaps some of our readers may have heard of this par- 

 ticular shot To those who have not seen it chronicled before. 



