SEAFOWL SHOOTING SKETCHES. 9 



could laugh at my appearance, I had the consolation of having 

 the heaviest bag-. Feeling- faint with hunger, I called at a house, 

 the only one on the island, and endeavoured to purchase some 

 refreshment. I was, however, compelled to do without anything, 

 as the people refused to let me have even a crust. I had recourse 

 to my whisky flask, but that did not improve matters, so we 

 got in the boat, and were soon back at Hoylake, where we got 

 something to eat, and then felt all right. We came away the same 

 evening, having, on the whole, enjoyed ourselves very much. 



Early the following September, my friend Heywood and self 

 set off for Cleethorpes for a few days' out. The long journey 

 would have been very tedious but for the company of some rela- 

 tions of mine of the gentler sex, whose conversation and atten- 

 tion to our creature comforts in the way of sandwiches, &c., 

 pleasantly beguiled the time. Soon after noon we arrived, and 

 having deposited our luggage, we went for a tramp along the 

 shore, going towards the mouth of the Humber. 



It was a very hot day, and before we had cleared the parties 

 of ladies and children, who were paddling about in the water 

 with bare feet, we felt rather tired. However, after a couple of 

 long miles, we arrived at a very likely-looking marsh, and soon 

 we were in the midst of it. A sandpiper rose, and I dropped it 

 in a small pool. I tried to retrieve the bird, and it dived and 

 swam about under water in a most amusing manner. When my 

 companion came up the performance was repeated until, having 

 seen enough, it was killed and pocketed. 



Then we ran about a great deal, and fired several shots to 

 no purpose. Going over the marsh again, I succeeded in bag- 

 ging four more sandpipers in four successive shots, all out of 

 a large creek. Heywood had a distant shot at a wood-pigeon, 

 which went away hard hit. The pipers were too quick for him, 

 so that his sport was even poorer than mine. 



Being very thirsty, we cast about for some water, and at last, 

 seeing a building across the marsh, we set out for it. It was a 

 very long way off, but on arriving we discovered a pump near 

 a sheep-washing pool, and soon were enjoying the deliciously 

 cool water. As we were coming away I turned back for another 

 drink, when Heywood suggested I had better bring the pump 

 along with me. 



We turned out at a very early hour the next morning, and 

 walked down to the marsh again, where I got a sandpiper and 

 a purre. 



Concealed behind a stranded boat, I had several shots at 

 curlews, but it was no use. I sat down and smoked my pipe, 

 meanwhile hearing Heywood fire several times. At length he 

 turned up, and having shot at small flocks, he had managed to 

 get a few birds. After breakfast we took a boat, directing the 



E2 



