RAIL SHOOTING. 151 



prairie, putting up birds on all sides and keeping 

 his man busy, while Dennis, who is at home on 

 every foot of the flat, glides along steadily and 

 evenly, flushing a bird at every boat's length, as 

 he edges gradually in towards the bank with the 

 rise of the tide. At one time four birds are on a 

 fly for each boat, nearly at the same moment ; 

 two are shot from the batteau, which, according 

 to agreement, carries but one gun, and three 

 from the skiff, which is privileged to use two. 

 These birds fall among the thickest of the reeds, 

 but being fairly hit they are all found. Bill 

 shows his teeth and rolls his eyes among the 

 reeds like a wild beast ; he sees like a hawk 

 and moves like the wind. He boats his dead 

 birds, is off again, and has two more down in a 

 moment. One of these, however, is crippled and 

 although the wild pusher strikes directly at it, 

 the bird evades the blow by disappearing under 

 water, while Bill, with a wild, African shout, 

 thrashing the reeds with his pole, continues his 

 career. Dennis follows more slowly, but as the 

 wind continues to rise with the tide, it is to be 

 seen that he keeps his man on a steadier level, 

 partly owing to the flat bottom of the batteau, 

 and partly to his long experience in pushing. 

 He flushes bird after bird as he advances, his 



