SEAFOWL SHOOTING SKETCHES. 65 



AMONG THE DIVERS AT PLYMOUTH (1904). 



Being on a ten days' visit to my brother, located at Plymouth, 

 I had taken my gun and 50 cartridges on the chance of a bit of 

 sport. Somehow the shooting- was put off until the last Saturday 

 in February, the following- Monday being the last day of the 

 season. 



Having arranged with a boatman to take us out for a couple 

 of hours, we set off in the afternoon in a small boat from the 

 Promenade Pier. I only took 25 of my cartridges, thinking they 

 would be ample. We had one of the pier boys with us, to give 

 him a treat, and he appeared to enjoy it as much as anyone. 



In less than five minutes after leaving the pier I had four gulls 

 down for about as many shots, which may be considered very 

 good for a start. 



Having a great longing to obtain a Great Northern diver, of 

 which there were several flying about, I was lucky enough to 

 secure one after firing three shots at it. I had hit it every time, 

 but it dived most provokingly. After a few more shots we got 

 within range of another, which was perched upon a large buoy. 

 Taking the sitting shot the bird was evidently hard hit, but 

 notwithstanding I fired six more shots, it eventually got away on 

 Drake's Island. 



We certainly had plenty of excitement in rowing after it every 

 time it dived, but when it came up there was generally only the 

 head and neck to aim at thirty or forty yards away, so no wonder, 

 with the pitching of the boat and the small mark, it escaped. 



I shot a couple more gulls, one of which my brother finished 

 with the gun, and then turning to the lad, said " Could you do 

 that, Sydney?" when the answer, in the quaint Devonian 

 vernacular, was " You hit 'e in the eye, sir! " From the evasive 

 nature of the reply, we concluded that the boy was not much 

 impressed by the " sitting " shot. 



Then I shot two guillemots, which now came up close to the 

 boat, my total bag being six gulls and three divers. 



Every cartridge being fired, and as it was rather chilly, we 

 decided to return, being not far from the breakwater. 



It was most tantalising to see the small divers coming up all 

 round the boat, but one could do nothing only regret the other 

 25 cartridges left snugly at home. 



We had a nice view of the s. yacht Hohenzollern, which is a 

 large vessel painted white. 



