222 FORESTRY IN LITHUANIA. 



a Cossack fully armed, and another equipped in like 

 manner in our rear. The presence of these men of course 

 removed any misgiving which might have been felt as to 

 the authority under which we ventured forth ; and off we 

 went at the usual galloping pace observed by travellers in 

 this country. Our course lay through a large wood, with 

 no very definite roadway ; and, as there had been lately 

 some heavy rain, the ground was little better than a con- 

 tinuous bog. The horses sank up to their bellies three or 

 four times, and how they ever came out again is still a 

 mystery to me. And yet more wonderful does it appear 

 that our rope tackle bore without breaking, the violent 

 jerks and strains which it had to undergo. After about 

 an hour spent in this hazardous journeying, we reached 

 an open space in the middle of the forest, where we 

 alighted and loaded our guns. Whilst we were thus 

 engaged, a large hawk came and settled on a high tree 

 close by. One of our party, a young man, whose eye was 

 as quick and piercing as that of the hawk, speedily 

 brought him down. At this moment I heard a curious 

 noise, like hammering, which seemed gradually to come 

 nearer; and, upon asking what it was, learnt that it 

 proceeded from the large wooden bells fixed on the necks 

 of cattle which feed in the wood, and some of which I saw 

 a few minutes afterwards. The sound of their bells is 

 disagreeably monotonous. 



4 The woodcock begins to fly about half-past six o'clock, 

 and flies for about an hour ; so we had not much time to 

 lose. The huntsman soon posted us at our various 

 stations ; and, during the few minutes we remained thus 

 waiting, I heard distinctly the crane whistling, and the 

 capercailzie crowing. But very soon a whirring, chatter- 

 ing sound announced the approach of the first woodcock. 

 Its slow flight seemed to offer an easy shot ; but the 

 dusky light balked our aim ; and the first three or four 

 shots, on the part of the huntsman and myself, were 

 failures. We were afterwards more successful ; and three 

 birds fell to my share. I saw several others, but at too 

 great a distance to reach. 



