DUCKS IN THOUSANDS. 



253 



safety calculate on haying some of the finest sport. A 

 year or two since, when m Illinois in November, a 

 sudden change took place in the weather, and although 

 the morning was ushered in mild and warm, by noon 

 it was snowing, with a gale of wind blowing from the 

 north. From experience I knew that such a day was 

 not to be wasted over the fire. I got on my shooting 

 ground with a very large supply of ammunition, and 

 in two or three hours I had to cease, as my stock was 

 exhausted. My standwasin a field of Indian corn 



THE MALLA11D. 



that had been gathered into shocks, from the back of 

 one of which I took shelter from the blast as well as 

 concealment. Never shall I forget the scene. The 

 ducks came in thousands, all flying before the wind, 

 and if a dozen guns had been there instead of one, 

 abundant work would have been found for all. On 

 another occasion, in the same locality, two friends 

 of mine killed in two or three hours in the even- 

 ing, and in an hour and a half the succeeding morn- 



