438 HOW KILLED IN POMERANIA. 



very close to the ground, one may with tolerable facility 

 steal within range and shoot them. When the lakes are 

 frozen over, the swans resort in great numbers to open- 

 ings in the ice, caused by springs and currents. Imme- 

 diately near to these holes, the sportsman constructs a sort of 

 hut with boughs, loads his gun with large shot, or small 

 slugs, and lies in ambush at sunset. The swans, on their 

 arrival, make circles around the hut, become by degrees 

 less fearful of it, and at length settle in the open water. The 

 sportsman allows them to swim about and amuse themselves 

 for a while, and then fires into the flock ; but after discharg- 

 ing his gun he must remain quiet in his place of concealment. 

 The whole flock utter piercing cries; those that are not 

 disabled take wing, but are often so bewildered, especially 

 during the night time, as to cast themselves down on the 

 smooth ice, from which they can with difficulty rise. The 

 cries of the wounded after a time lure them back again ; and 

 they scramble forward along the ice, that they may come to 

 the opening, where they are saluted with a fresh salvo. The 

 bewilderment of the birds is hereby greatly increased, which 

 gives the sportsman time to fire a shot or two more before 

 the rest have succeeded in making good their retreat. That 

 moonlight is very desirable on these occasions is self-evident ; 

 but it is nevertheless seldom that the night is so obscure 

 that one cannot, against the dark ice, see and take certain 

 aim at the white birds. At length the sportsman creeps 

 forth from his hiding-place, puts off in a punt, that during 

 the preceding day he has forced through the ice, or draVn 

 along its surface to the opening, collects the booty, which is 

 often considerable, lays it upon a sledge, and proceeds with 

 it, as well pleased as he is frozen, to his home." 



