242 WILD-FOWL AND SEA-FOWL OF GREAT BRITAIN 



shot." Not because I doubted his word, but simply 

 to gratify my own curiosity, I made my way past 

 Garrison Point to the Camber, where the Admiral's 

 flag-ship, H.M.S. Queen, was stationed. A little 

 way out, and abreast of it, there lay a mighty three- 

 decker, carrying one hundred and twenty guns. 

 Those sailing, first-rate ships of the line were as 

 grand a sight as an Englishman could possibly look 

 upon, and I have lived to see them pass from our 

 navy. A case of necessity it may have been, but 

 men now living who have seen them, and perhaps 

 wondered when they were children at the glorious 

 sight who have, it might almost be said, taken in 

 with their mother's milk the histories and traditions 

 of those famous fighting ships, miss them now that 

 they are gone from the seas. " Brown Bess " has 

 given place to the modern rifle, with all the latest 

 improvements, and the old wooden men-o'-war 

 ships are replaced by ironclad Thunderers and 

 Devastations. 



There were the Black Ducks, numbers of them, 

 round about the shipping-. Ships in harbour, if the 

 coast is at all favourable for fowl, generally have 

 a few gather about them for the sake of the refuse 

 or slush that is shot into the tide. Some fowl 

 were sure to be about, on account of the refuse 

 food from the different messes that was sent over- 

 board. Gulls prove very constant visitors, beating 

 about all day long, and in all sorts of weather. But 

 their reasons are obvious. When the Scoters come 

 in, as I saw them that day, the true reason of their 



