260 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



In Central Illinois, a thousand miles or more from 

 the scene of my last mishap, I have had wonderful 

 mallard-shooting, so will attempt to describe one of 

 my fortunate essays on a November evening. The 

 wind was eminently suited for the purpose of exhibit- 

 ing a large show of birds ; it being dark, stormy, and 

 threatening, with a rapid decrease in the temperature, 

 strongly indicative of frost or snow. In truth, if I 

 had made a selection, I could scarcely have chosen 

 ^ better-adapted weather. After a tiresome and unpro- 

 fitable day, we found ourselves back at the requisite 

 station, wet, weary, and fatigued, and not by any 

 means in the best of spirits ; still, I did not wish to be 

 the proposer of an adjournment of my promised exhi- 

 bition, and my friend felt placed upon his mettle, lest 

 he should appear to suffer more from his long tramp 

 than myself, or indicate less capacity for enduring the 

 fatigues of the hunting-field. How often, if we could 

 read one another's internal feelings, should we find 

 that external appearances are only assumed, and that 

 the companion who ostensibly looks as fresh and 

 capable of travelling for hours, as he was at the time 

 of starting, is suffering from extreme lassitude and 

 disinclination to more exertion, only he is restrained 

 from confessing his weakness by a certain amour 

 propre, and repugnance to acknowledge himself beaten; 

 at least, I speak from my own experience, and I 

 believe that the majority of men are similarly consti- 

 tuted. If men would but give the same attention, the 

 same pertinacious assiduity to business affairs that 

 are bestowed by its devotees on field sports, it cannot 

 be doubted that their fortune in amassing wealth 

 would be equal to their success in filling game-bags. 



