DUCK SHOOTING. 247 



as common for a man reared on either shore to 

 shoot well, as it is for a dog in the same sections 

 to swim and dive like an otter. Many of the 

 poorer inhabitants train their large dogs not 

 only to retrieve ducks shot from the shore, but 

 also to assist in bringing in quantities of drift 

 wood, which come down the stream with " a 

 fresh." Some are said to supply themselves 

 with winter fuel in this way. We remember to 

 have watched with interest, from the Port De- 

 posit side, the efforts of a large cur dog to tow in 

 a fragment of lumber, after which an old negro 

 had sent him out into the stream. The log was 

 heavy, some distance out, and the river on the 

 rise ; for some moments the old fellow was in a 

 state of great excitement between hope and fear ; 

 but at last the faithful animal succeeded in get- 

 ting the wood into the eddy off shore, when 

 Pompey showing the remains of his teeth in a 

 tremendous grin, jumped into a shattered and 

 leaky boat, and sculled off to his aid. 



The next morning we anchored the battery on 

 the eastern shore, between Havre de Grace and 

 Port, off Stump's MilL The wind was easterly ; 

 the weather cold and stormy ; and a great many 

 ducks on the fly down the river. Your ears 

 were constantly saluted with the rvhew ! whew ! 



