THE PEAT ISLE. 243 



Saturday, 21th. Embarked at ten o'clock, and steered 

 straight for the Castle of Galbraith, as the fowl were not 

 pinched enough to frequent Luss shores. Ascended the 

 castle, and had the satisfaction of twigging a shoal of dun- 

 birds busily feeding on the north shore of Inch Moan. 

 Immediately set sail, and landed on the south side, under 

 cover of the roofless house. Perused the flock through 

 my glass, and was a little let down to see three ducks on 

 the shore close under the dun-birds. The chance of a 

 heavy shot at the latter materially lessened by the ducks. 

 Waited to see if they would decamp, but they were hungry, 

 and would not quit the weeds drifting in from their 

 diving friends. Leaving gamekeeper in the house, I took 

 a crouching stretch along the south shore, and, as the 

 ground was dry and hard, did not grudge a long hand- 

 and-knee crawl across the island. Neared the north shore 

 without disturbing their operations, and, when within fifty 

 yards of them, got my eye upon the mar-plot ducks, about 

 thirty yards from me. Could easily have strung them all. 

 The dun-birds were feeding in circles of from twenty to 

 thirty yards in circumference. They were now at the 

 farthest point, and I, of course, waited till they came to the 

 nearest, which brought the mass to within forty yards. 

 Fired into the middle of them. Six lay dead at my first 

 discharge, and two from wing at my second. Three swam 

 away, two only wing-broken, but the third badly struck in 

 the body also. The keeper prudently did not slip the 

 retriever, but instantly ran for the boat : he, too, had 

 marked the mortally wounded bird ; so, after securing the 



