230 KRIDER'S SPORTING ANECDOTES. 



shape and her being all above water, she was 

 sure to make much leeway in a rough sea. 

 Going large in fair weather she sailed and steered 

 well, and in fact, was just the sort of craft which 

 is especially adapted for navigating the shoal 

 water of the upper bay. 



Midships rested the battery or "sunk-box," of 

 which we shall soon have occasion to speak, and 

 piled up in great heaps abaft on either side, but 

 so as not to interfere with the motions of the 

 rudder, were the decoys or wooden ducks, each 

 having its cord, with the weight attached, wound 

 round its body, the last turn being taken round 

 the neck, regular duck-shooter fashion. They 

 had evidently seen service from their bleached 

 and weather-beaten looks. Some of them bore 

 the appearance of having been recently pretty 

 well peppered in the way of business, and par- 

 ticles of grass might still be seen adhereing to 

 the anchors and cables of a few of the upper- 

 most. The scow was furnished with raft-poles, 

 and heavy oars or sweeps to be used in forcing 

 her over the flats in a calm, and two large, 

 four-oared, flat-bottomed boats, called yawls, 

 towed astern. 



At two o'clock on a cold, clear morning, we 

 set off from McCullough's hospitable roof, and 



