224 A Sportsman at Large 



As for the main army of " canards," as soon as we approached 

 them, the rear battalions would rise and fly to the head of the 

 column. These relay tactics went on continually always 

 leaving a hiatus between ourselves and the rearmost birds. 

 Now it struck me that certain manoeuvres might be employed, 

 which, if meticulously carried out, would result in a perfect 

 holocaust of feather. On my return to Cairo, I figured it all 

 out ; but as I was unable to prolong my stay on this occasion, 

 I laid my scheme before several sporting friends of mine at 

 the Khedival Club. Some time later I heard that an expedition 

 had been carried out on the lines which I had laid down, and 

 that it had met with really wonderful results. 



This is what happened. 



About two miles above where the large army of duck 

 was stationed, a line of " hides " was erected, some three 

 hundred yards apart. These were manned by the shooters. 

 In all, there were about twenty of these " O. Pips." Then 

 another section of the attackers gradually approached the 

 rear of the enemy column in a boat. The duck behaved exactly 

 as before when my friends and I had vainly attempted to 

 outwit them. A section about a hundred yards in length 

 and containing about two hundred birds rose from the water 

 and flew to the head of the column, where they alighted. As 

 the boat continued to approach, another section moved, 

 taking wing in the same way. In this manner the whole 

 string, consisting of thousands of duck of many varieties, 

 were brought parallel to the line of " hides." At a given 

 signal a deadly fusillade was opened upon the serried ranks. 

 The birds, quite disorganized, then flew wildly hither and 

 thither, affording extraordinary sport. At the end of the day 

 over five hundred duck were, I believe, accounted for. 



Another raid, on the same lines, was carried out a few 

 weeks later ; but this time only about a hundred were vic- 

 timized ; whilst a third attempt ended in failure, since the 

 duck, becoming wise to the tactics, no longer moved up 

 river ; but, as soon as the boat was seen approaching, rose 

 in a body, and flew off down stream, quite out of shot. 



We did not tarry long at Wasta ; for, after inspecting all 

 that was to be seen of interest in the locality, and being by now 



