BOAT SHOOTING, UNDER SAIL. 373 



information which is absolutely necessary for his 

 pursuit of them. 



BOAT SHOOTING, 

 UNDER SAIL, OUTSIDE OF HARBOUR. 



(As no one, I presume, would go afloat without 

 either having sailors, or being pretty good amateur 

 sailors themselves, it would be needless, as well as 

 difficult, to write otherwise than in nautical terms.) 



We now take our leave of the harbour, and will 

 have one cruise out of harbour before we proceed for 

 the shooting system to France. 



To venture after fowl at sea you must have a large 

 boat, with good bearings, that will carry plenty of 

 canvas. Rowing after them scarcely ever answers ; 

 but when it blows fresh, a fast sailing boat may often 

 run in upon geese, and sometimes other birds, before 

 they can take wing ; and after a coast has been for 

 some time harassed by the gunning-punts, I have 

 seen more birds killed under sail from a common 

 boat, than by any other manner of day shooting. 

 But, to do the business well, a stanchion-gun must 

 be fixed in the boat, and this, by all means, contrived 

 so as to go back with the recoil, or you run the risk 

 of staving your boat, and, therefore, of being really 

 in danger. Recollect, when you get on the outride 

 of the harbour, an accident is no joke ; arid you have, 

 as Dr. Johnson observes, but one plank between you 

 and eternity. 



