346 WILD FO WL SlIOOTIMG. 



he can get to the water, and with his knife cut close to 

 the water!3 edge tall stalks of rice, twigs or willows, 

 placing them around him to make a shield from the view 

 of passing birds. Being without a boat he is laboring at 

 ^reat disadvantage, and standing in the slimy mud, 

 which is soon chafed' into tlie consistency of mortar, Wk 

 patience and endurance are both thoroughly tested. 

 Let us help the poor fellow out of his predicament, 

 and draw from out the rushes our boat; place him in 

 with us, and then secrete oui-selves. We instantly .see 

 the foundation or an essential partof.it ; in this swamp 

 are muskrat liouses and flags. We scoop the top off 

 one of the largest houses, scatter it over bow and sides, 

 completely covering the exposed sides of the boat. 

 Near us tall rice stalks are waving, as if asking us to 

 come in where they are ; we accept the invitation, and 

 ^0 in by a circuitous route. Why ? So as not to show 

 the opening from the direction where birds are ex- 

 pected to come from. After we have gotteai in pretty 

 well, with our hunting knife we cut an armful of flags, 

 shove the boat into the place started for, bend rushes 

 over toward us, thus shielding the boat, or stick the oar 

 blades into the mud athwart the bow, and intertwine 

 rushes so as to make plenty of covering. Then, per- 

 haps, after having excellent sport here fox hours, we 

 determine to cliange our base and go to some willow 

 flash. This we do, the boat is in the thick willows ; 

 our handy hatchet is used with destructive effect, and 

 we peep through and notice daylight struggling through 

 ^n almost impenetrable blind. We must not have it 

 too high, for notliing must interfere with our aim, — 

 just sufficiently high that we can, in sitting comfortably 

 straight, look over the top, and when we fii-e have an 



