346 btfCK-SHOOTlNd. 



a tiny two-pronged pitchfork, on the end, to catch 

 .•isjainst the reeds in poling. A place is raade to rest 

 the gun on upon one of the thwarts; an ammunition- 

 box, containing sepai'ate compartments for shot of 

 several sizes, wads, and caps, is stowed away in the 

 bottom, and a heavy loading-stick, in addition to 

 the ramrod, is carried. Two guns are an absolute 

 necessity, unless the sportsman has a breech-loader; 

 for many birds are crij^pled and require a second 

 shot before they escape into the thick weeds, where 

 they are hopelessly lost ; and when the flight is 

 rapid, he requires, at least, foui- barrels, and would 

 be thankful if he could manage more. 



The bay, which stretches in vast extent, is filled 

 with high reeds and wild rice, and larely exceeds 

 a few feet in depth except where open passages 

 mark the deeper channels. It is a matter of no lit- 

 tle intricacy for a stranger to find his way, and 

 after nightfall the oldest habitu^ will often become 

 bewildered, as the various bunches of weeds, 

 tufts of rice, or stretches of pond lilies look alike, 

 and when a southerly \\ind is blowing the water 

 falls and leaves all but the deep channels nearly or 

 quite bare. If a man under such circumstances once 

 loses his course he may as well make np his mind to 

 pass the night in his boat ; though he work himself 

 almost to death trying to pole over bare spots, he 

 will but travel in a circle and grow momentarily 

 more bewildered. 



I landed at the wharf in the middle of October, 

 of a year ever famous for the immense nvunbers of 



