HOW HE CHEATS THE FISHERMAN. 49 



evening in the habit of resorting to this piece of water, for 

 the purpose of shooting the young clucks, which towards dark 

 left the shelter of the high reeds, and repaired to the Flukor 

 to feed. But in the first instance, I always repaired to a 

 neighbouring eminence, which overlooked the water, to 

 ascertain the whereabouts of the birds. 



One evening, just before sun-set, when, according to 

 custom, I had stationed myself behind a thick juniper 

 bush, at my observatory, I saw a fox squatted near to the 

 edge of one of the Flukor, having before him nearly the 

 half of a net, which had been drawn thus far out of the 

 water, and from which he was plucking several small fish. 

 At first I supposed the peasant who owned the net had him- 

 self so placed it to dry, and therefore paid little attention to 

 the matter. But having from necessity become a passive 

 spectator to his movements (the spot being much exposed 

 preventing me from approaching within gun-shot) I had soon 

 cause to alter my views on this point. For when all the 

 fish in that portion of the net that was on shore were 

 devoured, I saw Michel, to my no small wonderment, act 

 the part of fisherman himself. Seizing the cork-line between 

 his teeth, and rearing himself upon his hind-legs, he retreated 

 backwards, and thus actually succeeded in drawing the residue 

 of the net partially to the strand. When, however, the 

 cunning fellow observed any fish entangled in the meshes, 

 he w^ould drop the line, and at once pounce upon his prey. 



Astounded at what I had seen, I now made the best of 

 my way to the village, which was close at hand, for the 

 purpose of procuring a person to scare the fox from the 

 spot, and to drive him towards the point where I purposed 

 placing myself in ambush. Luckily I met with the chief 



VOL. II. E 



