RAIL-SHOOTING. 3^1 



push, and the heavy swell from the broad vivei-, veil- 

 ing in a long distance among the reeds, added n new 

 motion to their natural unsteadiness. 



Of course the sport was not encouraging, and tlie 

 accidents were numerous ; several sportsmen fell over- 

 board, one upset his boat, and my man came so nenr 

 it — his pole slipping at the moment he was exerting 

 liis utmost strength upon it — that his eflbrts to re- 

 cover his balance reminded me of dancing tlie liorn- 

 pipe in a state of frenzy. He kicked up more capers, 

 and indulged in more contortions on the little plat- 

 form, scarcely a foot square, which he occupied, than 

 I supposed possible without dislocation of a limb; 

 but he managed, however, to regain his equilibrium, 

 and neither fell overboard nor upset the skiff. 



These little incidents, and the shooting, such as it 

 was, kept the party, which was numerous, interested 

 until the time came for recrossing the rirer to our 

 hotel. There was no stopping-place on our present 

 side of the river, which presented one apparently 

 endless view of waving reeds; and the alternative 

 was simply to cross the open river, or pass the night 

 in our boats. The swell had increased into high 

 waves capped with snowy foam, and threatened de- 

 struction to our low-sided, short, and narrow boats. 

 Many were the consultations between the various 

 punters, and grave were the doubts expressed of a 

 safe crossing; but as there was no help for it, the 

 trial had to be made. 



Selections were chosen of favorable starting-points, 

 and most of the party put out at about the same 



