376 TUB WILD-FOWLER. 



another colour may be employed, by covering it with a white coating. 

 Wild-fowl may also be toled with a white flag- by moonlight. 



In America every experienced wild-fowl shooter is supposed to be 

 familiar with the art of toling wild-fowl. 



THE AMERICAN SCOW. 



The scow, or American shooting-yacht, is a vessel of peculiar form 

 and construction. Although answering in some respects the purposes 

 of an English shooting-yacht, it is not used for chasing wild-fowl 

 with a stanchion-gun ; indeed, it appears to be totally unfit for such a 

 purpose. The most approved dimensions of a scow are forty feet in 

 length by nine feet beam. In form, the scow is flat-bottomed, with 

 wall-sides ; in fact, very similar in external appearances to some of 

 the Thames river-barges, and rigged in the same manner, with sprit- 

 sail and fore-sail. The scow is also fitted with lee-boards, which, in 

 deep water, enable it to be sailed very close to the wind ; but in 

 shallow water it makes much lee-way. Setting poles and large 

 sweeps also form part of the equipment of a scow, in order that the 

 occupants aboard may not be left on the mud, or become becalmed in 

 light winds. 



The scow carries no ballast beyond her necessary equipment, which 

 is somewhat extensive, the whole of the space abaft the mast being 

 occupied with the battery or sunk-box, to be used for the purposes 

 of shooting wild-fowl apart from the scow, as will be explained 

 presently. Piled in heaps abaft the battery, and on each side of the 

 decks, are numbers of decoys or wooden ducks, each fitted with a 

 cord and weight at the end, which serves as anchor and cable to the 

 wooden imitation. The cords are carefully wound about the decoys, 

 and fastened with a slip knot, so as not to become entangled with 

 others, but to be ready for instant service. In addition to this 

 cumbrous armament, the scow tows at her stem two large flat- 

 bottomed boats, termed te yawls:" these are useful for towing, 

 anchoring, and arranging the battery, when launched from the 

 scow. 



Bulkheads divide the forepart of the vessel from the aft ; the in- 

 terior of the space before the mast being furnished as a cabin, with 

 stove, sleeping-berths, ammunition lockers, and other fittings neces- 

 sary to the comfort of the hardy sportsmen, who are frequently 



