370 SHOOTING WILD-SWANS 



crowned with pyramids that had formed themselves 

 of the drifted snow, and frozen like crystals ; and, on 

 the thaw, the harbour appeared like one huge float- 

 ing island, as the ice which covered it was carried 

 off by the fall of a high spring-tide. And to see 

 this huge body, with the wild-swans sitting upon it, 

 while it receded, and looking as if formed by nature 

 for the only inhabitants of such a dreary region, gave 

 the spectator more the idea of a voyage to the arctic 

 circle, than the shore of a habitable country. When 

 the large bodies of ice were carried off, and nothing 

 remained but those of a smaller size, the whole 

 harbour was, of course, in arms with shooters, and 

 had almost the appearance of a place that was be- 

 sieged. The following morning, though it blew very 

 hard, and poured with rain, every one was in arms 

 for seven of the swans that again appeared, anxiously 

 hoping that they might swim, or fly, near enough for 

 a random shot ; though the punters, from drawing 

 too much water, required at least another half hour's 

 flood before they could make the difficult attempt of 

 getting at them in open day. By having a punt 

 which drew less water than theirs, it was, therefore, 

 my lot to have the first chance, if no one fired off a 

 gun, in order to spoil the shot, which is a very com- 

 mon practice on this, and many other coasts. I, there- 

 fore, took the precaution of getting well round to 

 windward, and when I had arrived as much to wind- 

 ward as one dare go to wildfowl, having previously 

 covered myself arid my man with clean white linen, 



