384 FRENCH HUT-SHOOTING. 



four; make a foundation of either stone, wood, or 

 brick. Then drive in six piles on each side ; and on 

 them put six hoops, precisely like those to a tilted 

 waggon. The foundation being then formed, nothing 

 remains but to build up the sides with turf, or what 

 else you please, and thatch the roof and the whole of 

 the inside. In front there must be either two or four 

 port holes to fire through (each one bearing clear of 

 your call birds), and at the back a little door to crawl 

 in at, which you enter by a labyrinth. This hut, 

 being built among the high reeds, and afterwards 

 strewed over with them, is completely invisible ; al- 

 though as commodious inside as a large covered cart. 

 Here the huffier of Peronne goes regularly every 

 night, wet or dry, and takes a great coat (if he has 

 one), with a piece of brown bread, and a sour apple, 

 for his supper. In front of his hut are fastened, to 

 piles at each end, three separate ropes, about twenty 

 yards long. On the centre one, he ties four drakes, 

 and to the one on each flank four ducks ; making, in 

 all, twelve decoy birds ; and these, being (to use a 

 military term) dressed in line, whatever bird he sees 

 out of the ranks, he knows must be a wild one : and 

 as the lake, in moderate weather, is like a mirror, the 

 night is seldom so dark but that he can see to shoot 

 at the very short distance which his miserable gun, 

 and miserable powder, will kill. 



The great man of the huttiers here was, and per- 

 haps still is, Monsieur Desabes. To his services I 

 was recommended by the proprietor of whom he 



