SPORT ON MARSH AND FORESHORE 263 



creek, which the tide being at top flood was running 

 bank-high. 



Phew ! the first plunge into the icy-cold sea-water 

 from the frosty deck of a leaky old eel-boat, moored off 

 the island jetty, was a stinger ; but a good rub-down and 

 a brisk 5oo-yards sprint to the homestead sent the blood 

 coursing through the veins until one seemed to have 

 taken a new lease of life nay, to have harked back to 

 boyhood. 



A few couple of mallard and a brace of teal were shot 

 during the morning flight, and then arrangements were 

 made for driving a big fleet (a small seed-fringed lagoon 

 of water) which extended across the further end of the 

 island and had an average width of, perhaps, seventy 

 yards. Fringed on either shore by tall sedges and 

 other aquatic plants, the fleet affords excellent harbourage 

 to wildfowl of different kinds, and it is no unusual thing 

 for several pairs of crested grebes to breed thereon, while 

 great numbers of duck, coot, and moor-hens nest on the 

 island during the season of incubation. 



At intervals along the shores of the fleet, " blinds," 

 had been erected for the purpose of sheltering the guns 

 during the duck drives. Upon arriving at the head of 

 the fleet, the guns drew lots for " stands/' while the 

 beaters (seven or eight of the farm hands) captained by 

 the bailiff, started off to beat the reedy dykes which in- 

 tersected the marshes like a network of miniature canals. 

 Each shooter having taken up a stand amongst the tall 

 sedges, our host signalled the beaters to start operations. 



