DUCK SHOOTING AND ITS RESULTS 



For the first three marches all went well enough, and 

 though bands of suspicious-looking natives were frequently 

 encountered, none of them attempted to molest us ; and, 

 but for their scowling faces and an occasional muttered 

 imprecation touching our colour and nationality, we had 

 had no cause for apprehension. 



Our marches, too, were quite enjoyable on the whole. 

 Starting daily some hours before daybreak, we usually 

 reached our halting-place before the sun was high, to find 

 our tents pitched within some sheltered grove where, after 

 a tub and breakfast, we enjoyed some hours of rest. The 

 heat during the day was too great to allow us to venture 

 out, but as the sun declined the doctor and myself, generally, 

 took our guns and wandered round the camp on the chance 

 of finding something for the pot ; and it was on one of 

 these foraging expeditions that I met with my adventure. 



It was on our fourth day's march that, as we neared 

 our halting-place, I noticed on a lake near the village some 

 small objects which looked to me like duck. I pointed 

 them out to the doctor, and he being of the same opinion 

 we decided to go after them that evening. Accordingly, 

 about four o'clock, each engaging a couple of coolies from 

 the village, we walked back to the lake, and, taking opposite 

 sides of it, cautiously approached our quarry. Being closer 

 to the water's edge, I was the first to reach it, and, 

 selecting the nearest bird, I fired and wounded it. 



One of my coolies, seeing the bird was hit, rushed into 

 the water, and, as it seemed quite shallow, I let him go on 

 till I discovered from the other birds not rising, that it was 

 a coot I had shot. I called to him to come back, but, 

 paying no attention, he continued to wade on. Thinking 

 he probably wanted the bird himself, I turned away, 

 meaning to join the doctor, and had gone some little 

 distance when the other coolie began shouting excitedly. 

 I could not understand what he was saying, but, turning 

 round, saw that the man in the water was now evidently 

 beyond his depth. Again I called to him to come back, 

 accompanying my words with signs, and saw him turn as 

 if about to do so, when suddenly his head went under 

 water, and, re-appearing for an instant, down it went 

 again. 



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