A Sportsman at Large 241 



of Pomona the largest and most important of the Orkney 

 group. We had a rather cold drive, though it was then the 

 commencement of August ; so that on our arrival at our 

 destination the genial light and warmth of the Hall, and its 

 table laden with smoking provender, brought much comfort 

 and joy to our weary souls. I was up betimes in the morning, 

 and with Ted and Marcus (Henry George was elsewhere) 

 made a visiting round. After seeing to the welfare and 

 " messing " of our dogs Belle, the little old pointer, the 

 truest and staunchest of her breed ever pupped, and my 

 retriever Sweep (afterwards known on the show bench as 

 " Champion Black Cloth "), then only a youngster and half 

 broken, but showing extraordinary promise we strolled 

 down to a likely-looking mire, which stretched from within 

 three hundred yards of the back door of the Hall right away 

 to the hills, half a mile distant. In the centre of this was 

 a rush-grown tarn, where, much to our satisfaction, we viewed 

 two skeins of mallard circling round before alighting on its 

 surface. I began investigating the mire itself, but had not 

 proceeded a dozen yards before a leash of full snipe flushed 

 and went off with the protestations common to their species. 

 So I retreated discreetly. We returned to breakfast in high 

 hope and spirits. 



As it turned out, this mire proved an almost inexhaustible 

 provider of the genus scollopidcz. Although the majority of 

 these were young birds, they were exceedingly smart on the 

 wing, and in first-rate condition. Lesser marshes and springs 

 lay throughout the valley, so that the birds, when disturbed 

 from one, would but move on to another ; consequently, for 

 nearly a month, we enjoyed snipe-shooting galore. At the 

 end of our stay I had accounted for no less than 223 couple to 

 my own gun ! 



This kind of sport, intermingled with the slaughter of 

 sundry other birds thus affording a mixed bag has ever 

 appealed to me beyond any form of shooting in which I have 

 indulged. 



So you may imagine that I had the time of my life ! 



There were plenty of duck coming and going, but they were 

 not easily come by, being very wild and wary. However, 



