WILDFOWLING AT SEA 85 



pectancy and hope, get under weigh, gliding noiselessly from 

 our moorings, with binoculars and ears in full action. As 

 previously, let us suppose the circumstances to be favourable, 

 with every man at his place, for it is often at this hour one 

 finds himself suddenly and unexpectedly at close quarters 

 with the birds. But see! the preconcerted signal; arm 

 dropped and finger telegraph denoting the presence of fowl, 

 whilst strained eyes detect several indistinct movable dots on 

 the surface of the briny, not a hundred yards distant. All 

 three guns are levelled in readiness; nearer, yet a little 

 nearer, and then they rise ; bang bang ! bang ! bang ! The 

 welcome smell of powder, a flapping on the water, the in- 

 veterate cripple making off to windward, and the helm is put 

 down intercepting his course, which the 12-bore effectively 

 finishes. Then the craft is shot into the eye of the wind in 

 the midst of the struggling victims, the cripple net is eagerly 

 called for in two or three places at once, and by its aid the 

 dead birds are gathered in. But over zeal has caused too 

 much way to be given to our boat, leaving a third cripple astern, 

 necessitating intricate nautical manoeuvres, deftly carried out 

 under the direction of the skipper, accompanied by much haul- 

 ing on ropes. After some difficulty in " re-spotting," all the 

 cripples are secured, whilst, of course, a vain search is made 

 for the imaginary remainder. Congratulations and the 

 inevitable dram follow, when observance of bearings shows 

 that a considerable advance has been made into the open 

 water, whilst daylight has rapidly developed from its 

 glimmering glow into full clearness. Another bunch of fowl 

 is shortly announced, and we sail directly for it, but over- 

 confidence from former success leads our party to misjudge 

 distance and fire prematurely. 



Judging distance when shooting over water is the greatest 

 difficulty which a gunner has to surmount, and to what 

 extent this is the case only those who have experienced it 

 are able to realise ; but here it acts as a wholesome steadier 

 to one's intrepidity, causing the old salt to seriously shake 

 his head, take a fresh quid of twist, and mutter, " Warts 



