68 IDLE DAYS IN PATAGONIA 



they were in a great state of excitement, keeping 

 up a loud incessant clamor, as if something very 

 important to the upland geese was being dis- 

 cussed, and in the general agitation they neglected 

 their safety. More geese in small flocks were con- 

 tinually arriving from various directions, increas- 

 ing the noise and excitement ; and by dint of much 

 going on hands and knees and crawling over rough 

 ground, I managed to get within seventy yards of 

 them and fired into the middle of the flock. The 

 birds rose up with a great rush of wings and noise 

 of screams, leaving five of their number flounder- 

 ing about in the shallow water. Major was quickly 

 after them, but two of the five were not badly 

 wounded, and soon swam away beyond his reach ; 

 to the others he was guided by the tremendous 

 flapping they made in the water in their death 

 struggles; and one by one he conveyed them, not 

 to his expectant master, but to a small island 

 about a hundred and twenty yards from the shore. 

 No sooner had he got them all together than, to 

 my unspeakable astonishment and dismay, he be- 

 gan worrying them, growling all the time with a 

 playful affectation of anger, and pulling out 

 mouthfuls of feathers which he scattered in clouds 

 over his head. To my shouts he responded by 

 wagging his tail, and barking a merry crisp little 

 bark, then flying at the dead birds again. He 

 seemed to be telling me, plainly as if he had used 

 words, that he heard me well enough, but was 

 not disposed to obey, that he found it very amus- 



