400 FRENCH HUT-SHOOTING. 



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 perhaps 

 still is, Monsieur Desabes. To his services I was re- 

 commended by the proprietor of whom he rented his 

 share of the water. He informed me, that the huttiers 

 never allowed shooting from a boat, or at birds on wing, 

 through fear of disturbing the pond ; and said, that his 

 plan was to take his night's rest, and leave the birds 

 till a little before daylight ; when they would be all 

 doubled together ; and when a shot would do far less 

 mischief to the decoy than if fired before the birds had 

 fed and slept. Here he is perfectly right. But that 

 if a " grande compagnie" should drop, the noise would 

 awaken him, and he could then take his choice whether 

 to fire or not. After inspecting all his apparatus by 

 day, he would make me go with him by night, and 

 being unwell at the time, and unprepared, I was scarcely 

 in the humour to do this, particularly as I knew that 

 it was past the time of year for this kind of sport. I 

 agreed, however, to go, and was conducted to one of 

 his best intrenchments, where his twelve decoy birds, 

 all in battle array, were placed under the light of a 

 beautiful moon, within the quarter of an English gun- 

 shot of his hut, which was uncomfortably warm. Here 

 I remained, more likely to be suffocated than chilled, 

 for I know not how many hours ; but not a wild-duck 



