288 WILD FOWL SHOOTING. 



The shooter is in the bow, sitting on the hay in ihe 

 bottom of the boat — no seats — ^is silently watehing 

 tlu'ough a peep-hole in the ice, the distant geese. The 

 sculler, half sitting, half reclining, easily propels the 

 'boat along, by his sculling oar bound with leather, and 

 working in the sculling hole in the stern of the boat. 

 The boat .moves with the current then, seeing a huge 

 ■cake that looks as if it might crush the boat coming 

 right at it, the sculler with a few rapid strokes shoots 

 the boat quickly forward, and the immense cake floats 

 idly along, not even grazing the boat ; then again, to 

 avoid another, he holds to the ice with oar or hand un- 

 til some piece passes them, for they not only want to 

 avoid being caught between the cakes, but also to keep 

 from making the slightest noise. So well are they 

 hidden that blue-bills sweep over them so hear they can 

 almost feel the wind of their wings, mallards circle 

 around them, pin-tails whistle in the air ; then a lone 

 canvas-back, with long neck stretched out, comes right 

 by them within twenty yards, the' sculler shuts his lips 

 ' firmly together. A strong temptation ; but he resists it, 

 and the canvas-back, unaware of his narrow escape goes 

 .steadily along. A slight breeze is blowing, thfe sculler 

 takes advantage of it ; he knows well that the geese 

 will rise against the wind, offering him side shots. Now 

 mark ! the scull-boat is within 80 yards of the geese, 

 and the utmost skill of the sculler is called into play ; 

 his form slides down, down into the bottom of the boat; 

 now he uses but one hand, yet that hand works steadily 

 and regularly as a clock ; silently the oar cleaves the 

 water, never making a ripple. Nothing can now be 

 seen except that sUent hand working to and fro, giving 

 the lateral and propelling power to the oar. 



