414 UPLAND SHOOTING. 



"When a young man, my capital consisted of health 

 and perseverance. I found myself on the shores of the 

 Chesapeake Bay, where my mother bought a large farm. 

 The only labor obtainable, at that time, were slaves, that 

 I hired from their masters. I boarded these negroes, and 

 their meat-bill was a serious item, for I had many 

 under my control. What do you suppose I fed them on? 

 Canvas -back ducks! Yes, canvas -back ducks; and at this 

 late date, you can form no idea of how plenty they were. 

 Why, I have seen the sky darkened with them, the bay 

 like the driven snow, as their white backs glistened in 

 the sun, and when they arose, it seemed like one con- 

 tinuous roar of thunder. I hired a man to shoot them 

 for me, simply to keep our men supplied with meat. It 

 was no trick to kill them, for they abounded in countless 

 thousands. All through the winter, we lived on canvas- 

 back ducks, served three times a day, until salt pork 

 became a delicacy, and canvas-back ducks, which now 

 command $6 or $7 a pair, were set aside by slaves in dis- 

 gust. Toward spring, my men threatened to quit me. I 

 could not stand this, for no other help could be had; but 

 they threatened to leave me, and I called in their leader, 

 and wanted to know if I ever abused them. ' No, Massa 

 Law,' said he; 'but facts am, we's gwine to quit 'less 

 you stop feedin' us on canvas-back, for de Lawd knows 

 dat a nigger's stomach can't allus be punished wid can- 

 vas-backs, an' 'less you feed us on po'k, least twice a day, 

 we's gwine to go back to de plantation.' Of course I 

 gave in; but I often think of it now, when canvas-backs 

 are worth $7 a pair, of how those niggers refused them, 

 and made me supply them with pork. Another thing, 

 do you know I believe that winter was when decoys were 

 first discovered? Tell you how it was; we were repairing 

 a vessel, and ducks were flying thick. The day was a 

 cloudy, blustery one, and the birds flew near the shore. 



