42 The Confessions of a 'Poacher. 



the water. Like all diving ducks they were 

 obliged to fly low for some distance, and also 

 to head the wind before rising. Just as the 

 mass of birds reached the side of the pool, one 

 of the immense nets, previously regulated by 

 weights and springs, rose upright as it was 

 freed from its fastenings by the fowler from a 

 distance with a long rope. If this were done 

 at the right moment the ducks were met full 

 in the face by a wall of net, and thrown help- 

 less into a deep ditch dug at its foot for their 

 reception." 



In addition to our nets and snares we had 

 a primitive fowling-piece, though we only 

 used it when other methods failed. It was an 

 ancient flint-lock, with tremendously long 

 barrels. Sometimes it went off; oftener it did 

 not. I well remember with what desperation 

 I, upon one occasion, clung to this murderous 

 weapon whilst it meditated, so to speak. It is 

 true that it brought down quite a wisp of 

 dunlins, but then there was almost a cloud of 

 them to fire at. These and golden plover 

 were mainly the game for the flint-lock, and 



