Sporting Notes in the Far East. 45 



that winds a bird and cannot leave your heel, generally proves too 

 much for any canine strength of mind. 



It was under a combination of these trying circumstances, that 

 " Rock," (my dog) for once, flatly refused to obey orders. I was 

 at the time, rapidly walking down wind, to a place where I had 

 just marked a snipe down. When Rock, who was close behind 

 me, suddenly stopped, turned his nose to the breeze, and com- 

 menced to go straight back on my tracks. I was certain it could 

 not be a snipe, as I must have trod on it, but it was no use : my 

 hoarse whisper of " come back you brute ! &c.," was more than 

 thrown away, as with outstretched neck and quivering tail, stolidly 

 the old dog kept his course ; till " swish," up and away darted a 

 snipe, from within a few inches of one of my former footmarks ; 

 and luckily I killed him. 



It was impossible to abuse old Rock for his disobedience. 



There he sat, with an expression on his face, for all the world 

 as much as to say, " now, what have you got to say, you thought 

 I was telling a lie did you ? " Never mind old friend, I can only 

 vaguely surmise what would have happened, if I had unfortunately 

 missed that " eerie " bird. 



There are no " Jacks " in the East : the Common Snipe is most 

 plentiful, and they have their biannual migrations right up and 

 down the coast ; April, May, September, and October, being the 

 most general months, in which to enjoy the best sport. 



