BERNACLE SHOOTING ON WHYRILL MARSH. 191 



up in the boat. ' Holloa,' says I, as I pulls off my 

 old glazed hat and holds it up, and as they rises 

 I begins to pull the 'trickle.' Well, blessed if I 

 didn't think as I'd killed them all, leastwise I 

 hoped I had, but when the smoke blew clear, there 

 was a many of them down, and I picked up thirty ; 

 and this was not very bad, was it I mean, accord- 

 ing to the circumstances Mr. Richard ? " 



Bernacles would always fetch half-a-crown a-piece 

 in Chester Market, therefore friend Billy made a shot 

 which at all events would pay for powder and shot. 

 They were very good to eat, and from feeding on the 

 short grass, which was no more than half an inch 

 long, there was no weedy or what ignorant people 

 call fishy taste on them. 



Ducks, widgeon, pochards, and such like sometimes 

 taste fishy, because they feed amongst weeds, and 

 along the shores ; but if properly roasted, and you do 

 not eat their skin, a squeeze of lemon, and a little 

 cayenne pepper, sets all this to rights. I could give 

 you a receipt that would disguise a cormorant, or a 

 solan goose, but I won't, simply because you are sure 

 to say, " I know a better one," and if you don't find 

 the lemon and cayenne enough, I recommend you 

 to consult Bradshaw. 



