CURRITUCK MARSHES. 119 



explore the vein. Such a one belonged to the Pal- 

 mer Island club, in the person of William S. Foster, 

 a resident of Long Island, who had followed Shinne- 

 cock Bay for many years, knew the ways and habits 

 of the birds as well as if he were one of them, and 

 was as fond of shooting as the most inveterate 

 sportsman. Honest to a farthing, faithful, anxious 

 to give the person he was with the best sport he 

 could, he was ready to take any amount of trouble, 

 endure any labor for a good day among the ducks, 

 the members of the club looked on him, rather as a 

 friend than a paid employee. Many is the hour I 

 have spent with him on the Currituck marshes, 

 many a day of splendid shooting have I had, many 

 the big bag have I made with his aid. One of his 

 peculiarities was that he never was in a hurry. No 

 matter how thick the birds were, how easy it seemed 

 to choose a point, he would stand quietly in the bow 

 of the boat with the sea-glass in his hand scanning 

 the movements of the flocks and deliberately select- 

 ing the best place. I would often grow impatient 

 and fear he was losing valuable time, but the result 

 rarely failed to justify his judgment and vindicate 

 his deliberation. 



The first and most important object, as he explain- 

 ed it under such circumstances, was to so arrange 

 the stools that the ducks would " come right," that 

 is would approach without fear and would offer the 

 sportsman a fair shot. This is a matter of the great- 

 est moment and is not understood by men who con- 

 sider themselves expert wild-fowlers. First, there 



