230 EXPERIENCES OF SPORT. 



She was soon there, and snugly moored for the 

 night. 



After a good dinner, and donning our shoot- 

 ing gear, as they called it, we got into a boat, 

 and were put on one of the mud banks which 

 the tide had left as it fell. These banks are 

 intersected with deep ditches and pools of 

 water. Into these the wild fowl came by hun- 

 dreds. At eight p.m., as the tide was low 

 enough, some three or four of us got on shore 

 to commence a havoc with the ducks. 



It was a lovely moonlight night, though in- 

 tensely cold. I had stolen off by myself, for 

 the others were rather noisy, and would talk, 

 which I knew was fatal. I had wandered about 

 some three or four hours, getting pretty good 

 sport, when all at once one of the thickest fogs 

 I ever remember came on, and I was soon com- 

 pletely lost. I was several times nearly falling 

 into the deep ditches, where I should have been 

 to a certainty smothered. When the tide turns it 

 runs up the Eance with great speed, and you may 

 imagine my consternation on hearing it coming' 

 up. On looking at my watch, by the aid of a 

 fusee, I found I tad mistaken the time, and 



