( 194 ) 



In the day time too it happened, which (hews 

 IHU more danger of fuch expeditions in the 



night. Mounted on his mud-pattens, he 



was traverfmg one of thefe mudland-plains in 

 queft of ducks ; and being intent only on his 

 game, he fuddenly found the waters, which 

 had been brought forward with uncommon ra- 

 pidity by fome pecuhar circumftance of tide, 

 and current, had made an alarming progrefs 

 around him. Incumbered as his feet were, he 

 could not exert much expedition ; but to what- 

 ever part he ran, he found himfelf compleatly 

 inverted by the tide. In this uncomfortable 

 fituation, a thought ftruck him, as the only 

 hope of fafety. He retired to that part of 

 the plain, which feemed the higheft from it's 

 being yet uncovered by water; and ftriking 

 the barrel of his gun, (which for the purpofe 

 of fliooting wild-fowl was very long) deep into 

 the mud, he refolved to hold fail by it, as a 

 fupport, as well as a fecurity againft the waves ; 

 and to wait the ebbing of the tide. A com- 

 mon tide, he had reafon to believe, would 

 not, in that place, have reached above his 

 middle : but as this was a fpring-tide, and 

 brought forward with a rtrong wefterly wind, 

 he durfl hardly expedl fo favourable a con- 



clufion. 



