142 frtnas of tbe 1Rcto, 1Rifle t anfc Gun 



view, in which we appeared, we, dressed thus in milk- 

 white with a very white punt, drifted among the floating 

 pieces of white ice till we got within about 180 yards 

 of these monstrous fowls, when I let drive at their 

 necks, and knocked down and brought home 2 wild 

 swans or hoopers. I had to finish one of them with 

 an old musket, or he might probably have escaped ; 

 and I wounded a third severely, as three were fairly 

 laid in the water to the discharge of my swivel gun. 

 As this attack was in full view of the village, I had 

 several people anxiously looking on, and among them 

 my children and all the house with their hearts in 

 their mouths, and in a gale of wind and rain eagerly 

 watching our proceedings. 



Towards the afternoon I was not a little surprised 

 to see 1 6 more swans. They were, however, very far 

 off, and near to a dangerous sea, and therefore, of 

 course determined to run no risk, I dare only to 

 venture to within 220 yards of them ; I consequently 

 fired at this distance, and fairly laid 5 of them down 

 on the water, till the others had flown above a gunshot ; 

 and notwithstanding this they all recovered, and, I 

 suppose, joined the company. The 2 that I killed 

 were of equal weight (18 Ibs. each), one milk-white, 

 the other of a dusky colour ; the latter the largest ; 

 got also this day 10 geese and 5 wigeon. The birds 

 here being so incessantly popped at, I am obliged to 

 use large mould shot (called ' S.S.G.') by day. Of this 

 my gun carries i lb., with an equal measure of treble 

 strong, coarse-grained powder, made on purpose, as a 

 common gun or common shot afloat here would rarely 



