FLIGIIT-SHOOTI>v'G. 281 



whole of one winter, and at two lakes upon it, near the 

 edge of the forest, I was persuaded to spend the night. 

 The upper lake was about one mile long by two hundred 

 yards wide, gradually narrowing as it approached the 

 lower lake, which was three miles in length and very 

 narrow, being hardly one hundred yards across at its 

 broadest. The two lakes were divided from each other 

 by a strip of land about thirty yards wide ; and this 

 was the best place for shots, as, when disturbed, the 

 "vsald fowl crossed it in flpng from one lake to the 

 other ; and here were generally placed two guns. 



Some nights, when w^e mustered strong, we used to 

 post three guns at the upper lake — one on each side, 

 and one at the top — whilst the lower lake, from its 

 extreme length, needed at least seven guns to work 

 it properly — three on each side and one at the end. 

 Enough white men could generally be found ; but 

 w^hen this was not the case, we made up the deficiency 

 with the ^darkies ;' those who could shoot being found 

 in shot, whilst those who could not had only powder, 

 vox et 'pvcetera nihil, — all that we expected from them 

 being to keep the fowl on the wing. 



A nicfht in the South, with the moon at or near the 

 full, is almost as light as an English November da}^, 

 and you can see w^ell enough to shoot at anything 

 flying above you, or on either side, so long as it is clear 

 of the horizon or woods, and you can catch it as it cuts 

 against the s\j. Even on darker nights it requires no 



