128 SPORTS AND ANECDOTES. 



fact of the ignition of the dangerous mixture called 

 gunpowder. 



When living on Lake Constance, I received a 

 message from an English friend that a certain piece 

 of land which had been covered by the water caused 

 by the melting of the snows on the mountains was full 

 of snipe as Paddy would say, "just louzey with 

 them." Accordingly, thither we repaired in our punts ; 

 he and his German jdger in one, and I and my English 

 servant in the other. We pulled down the river for 

 four or five miles, and arriving at the spot prepared 

 for action. Of course, as is customary on such occa- 

 sions, the snipe had been there, but, as is also customary 

 on such occasions, they were gone, and had only, like 

 little Bo- Peep's sheep, left their tails behind them, 

 which spoke most eloquently of the quantities that 

 had been there. There was not a snipe, and nothing 

 was to be done but to make a retrograde movement 

 and return home from whence we came. Accordingly, 

 having stowed away our guns and ammunition, and 

 having a nice little breeze dead aft, we hoisted a little 

 sail which we each carried, and proceeded on our way 

 much disgusted with the fool's errand we had been 

 on. We had got on very comfortably till within 

 about half a mile of Constance Bridge, when the wind 



