A FAVOURITE SPOT. 279 



with lilies and sedge, which was again bounded on 

 the dryer ground hy dwarf hazel and alder bushes 

 in sparsely-scattered clumps, the whole framed in with 

 thin, widely-scattered, diminutive trees. Thus the 

 reader will perceive that there was enough cover to get 

 within range of your game, not sufficient to interfere 

 with your aim, and the walking was excellent on both 

 sides, free from quagmire or cedar swamp. 



I can recall with pleasure the rich golden mellow 

 of the American autumn glinting over this retired 

 scene, and almost every variety of duck passing with 

 strong and rapid pinion, unconscious of danger, along 

 the centre of the stream, and within such easy gun-shot 

 that we invariably picked up each other's birds; for 

 we took reverse sides of the river, such a proceeding 

 saving our faithful, patient, ever-willing retrievers. 

 Nor would our forenoon bag be better than the after- 

 noon one, although towards night we returned over 

 the same route we had pursued in the morning ; for 

 if we killed a couple of dozen going with the stream, 

 the number bagged would be about the same returning 

 in the reverse direction. And day after day no ap- 

 parent diminution in our sport occurred, for the vast 

 sloughs in the surrounding prairie immediately sup- 

 plied the deficit occasioned by our labours. There 

 were other pleasures attached to this delightful locality 

 that never could fail to delight the naturalist or spoils- 

 man; for the fleet, timid, watchful-eared deer, the 

 fussy, pompous wild turkey, and graceful, swift-winged 

 ruffed grouse were also partial to this retreat, and few 

 were the days that we did not see several of each, 

 rushing off on rapid feet or wing to hide themselves 

 from the dangerous intruders on their demesne. This 



