A LUCKY SHOT, 



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'fowl' will be found," as a thoroughly Western man 

 would express himself, if asked what wcie the 

 prospects of sport. What I did here two years ago, 

 when accompanied by an out-and-out sportsman and 

 splendid shot, I will extract from my diary, and in as 

 brief terms as possible. / *"ter a loss of some valuable 

 tfme, and much vexation of spirit, Mark induced a 

 poverty-stricken squatter to take him across the Little 

 Sioux in his scow, for which two minutes' job he did 

 not deem himself sufficiently paid by receipt of a 

 dollar. My friend remarked that, if he had known 

 that he was so hungry after '* greenbacks " he would 

 have taken the darned boat without permission, and 

 "let him whistle or fight for the debt." Thus we 

 did not commence shooting until half-past ten. The 

 width of the river here is just sufficient to be well 

 covered by two guns. For the first half mile we did 

 nothing, old Charon and his numerous progeny 

 doubtless making the neighbourhood too noisy for 

 duck to harboiii near it. However, at a sharp bend, 

 things took a more favourable turn. My chum 

 signalled me to look out — never speak on such occa- 

 sions — which I did, but not before Boatswain had 

 observed the coming birds. They were heading 

 down stream, and therefore approaching us, at an 

 elevation of about thirty feet above the surtace of the 

 water. It fortunately happened that both of us were 

 tolerably hidden by the marginal bushes, so we let 

 the birds pass our position before firing, our first 

 barrels speaking simultaneously. Three duck fell to 

 this fusillade, but I quickly put in my second shot at 

 the nearest, which was trying to gain as elevated a 

 position as attainable. Although I dusted its 

 jacket most thoroughly, it continued towering until 

 almost out of sight. Then down it came, wings, 

 neck, and legs, anyway, dead, of course, and, as any 

 but the most utter novice will imagine, hit in the 

 head. Out of that family we took five, all being of 



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