24 SEAFOWL SHOOTING SKETCHES. 



The rain was still coming- down when I again entered the 

 boat. We met a boat containing- a couple of men, who had been 

 "eel bobbing-." They had had a little sport, but on account 

 of the rain were returning-, having- a g-ood westerly breeze to help 

 them ag-ainst the stream. We decided to stop, and, crossing- to 

 the north side, endeavoured to find some shelter behind the bank. 

 We were fortunate in discovering- a new cattle shed, where we 

 sat down and partook of some refreshment, also indulging- in a 

 smoke and drink. Occasionally we went to the top of the bank 

 to look for birds, and whilst there my friend called out to me to 

 mark four birds crossing- the river and flying towards us. They 

 gave us a good chance, and, firing at the first bird, I dropped 

 it and the second also. I did not fire my other barrel. They fell 

 in a potato field, where, after great difficulty, we managed to 

 find one of them. It was a snipe, and being winged, only be- 

 trayed itself by fluttering on the ground. We could not find 

 the other bird. 



The wind rising and the rain abating a little, I went to the 

 boat, and was hoisting the sail when a skein of about forty ducks 

 passed overhead. Dropping the sheet, and letting them have a 

 barrel of No. $'s down came one, making a splash a yard high. 

 I pulled towards where I thought it was floating, but having un- 

 avoidably lost time in taking down the sail, and the water being 

 rather lumpy, I lost it. In vain I stood up and looked around. 

 The instant I turned to windward (doWn stream) the rain covered 

 my glasses, so at last I had to give it up. 



Renshaw now came from his shelter, and as it still rained, 

 we determined not to wait for the tide, but to sail home at once, 

 the wind being strongly in our favour. We got along slowly in 

 consequence of the fresh water coming down stream, and being 

 tired of sitting still, I got out and tried two or three creeks for 

 birds. I was fortunate enough to get a fine curlew, which rose 

 from one of the sluices, and tried hard to get away, but came 

 down with a broken wing. This, with another bird, finished our 

 sport, and we arrived home very wet and very hungry. Our 

 bag was nothing wonderful, as I only got five birds and R. three. 

 We fired a good many shots, though, at long range. 



On the Thursday, we engaged a person to take us out in his 

 decked boat, trawling and shooting. We set off in good time, 

 but, unfortunately, grounded within a couple of a hundred yards 

 of deep water. This was very unfortunate, as it completely 

 spoiled our sport. We resolved to dine as soon as we found we 

 were stuck fast, and accordingly made coffee and toasted some 

 cheese. The latter dish was anything but a success, as we let 

 it fall on the fire, and when recovered its appearance was by 

 no means appetising. It got demolished, though. 



