106 MUSK-EATS. 



there are no more skilled or practised waggoners in 

 the world than these people, my tendering advice 

 could only have been deemed presumptuous. 



"While debating in my mind how to spend the 

 afternoon, Mr. Morris asked me if I was 'a good 

 gunner ;' i. e. clever at killing birds on the wing. 

 Having answered him in the affirmative, we crossed 

 to his ' store-waggon/ from which he produced his 

 ' bird-gun ' (smooth bore), with a large supply of 

 ammunition, and requested me to ( try what hand I 

 could make of the ducks/ as they would be better 

 than buffalo and salt-junk for supper; and the boys 

 wanted a good mess after being in the water all 

 day. 



While following the edge of the stream, intent 

 on carrying out my host's wishes, I got several shots, 

 the majority of which were at long range ; but, as 

 the gun was a hard hitter, and I succeeded in holding 

 it straight, I had no reason to complain of want of 

 success. From the quantity of wild-rice straw that 

 floated in the eddies and among the wash of the 

 stream, I supposed that this locality must fairly 

 swarm with wild duck in autumn, as that grain is a 

 very favourite food with nearly all aquatic fowls. 

 The old residences of musk-rats (Fiber zibethicus 

 of Cuvier) were also abundant ; and while remaining 

 at one stand, where the reeds were sufficiently high 

 to afford me fair shelter, I observed a couple of these 

 diminutive beavers gathering material for a new 

 residence, for each year they build a fresh domicile. 



