RETRIEVER AND WOUNDED SWAN. 69 



weed, under which he had hitherto been con- 

 cealed, and the next moment he was vigorously 

 plying his paddles in all the excitement of a 

 regular cripple chase. My turn had at length 

 arrived : restraining the ardour of my dog, who 

 only waited for a word to take an active share in 

 the pursuit, I turned my attention to a detach- 

 ment of swans, about five in number, which had 

 apparently escaped unhurt, and after wheeling 

 once or twice over the bodies of their dead 

 companions, uttering all the time their trumpet- 

 like notes, were now gradually ascending and 

 nearing my place of concealment. On they came, 

 but suddenly their leader seemed to have disco- 

 vered my position and veered round in an oppo- 

 site direction, followed by all except one, who, 

 as he was passing overhead, fell a victim to my 

 long gun. A brent goose almost at the same 

 instant passed on the other side, and afforded an 

 easy mark for the first barrel of my heavy double, 

 while the second was discharged at a venture, but 

 ineffectually, at a party of pochards the last 

 detachment of the fugitives, as they hurried back 

 once more to the tempestuous but less treacherous 

 waters of the channel. 



On proceeding to the spot where my hooper 

 had fallen, I found that it had been only winged, 

 and that it had made its way down the further 



