THE GOOSING 219 
filled with wonder that I should choose to lie under a 
boat. As a matter of fact it was far better than their 
wretched ‘ yierserk,’ which let in all the rain. 
At about four o’clock we set off for the goosing, and 
had much fun by the way, for what with my prismatic 
compass and route-surveying, my flower-picking and 
questions about birds, I was a mystery and the subject of 
constant wonder and amusement. 
The new-comers were rather shy about my camera, 
dodging behind each other in dread of snap-shots. But 
all our old friends jeered at them, for they had long since 
got over their mistrust. To them it was no spell from 
Nam, nor an application of the evil eye, but some silly 
thing which amused me and did not hurt them. I had 
told them they were sun-pictures ; so whenever they saw 
the camera in my hand they would look from me to the 
sun and from him to me, expecting I don’t know what. 
I was always so sorry I could not show them a picture ; 
but we had no developer and no dark room, so I gave 
them sketches instead. 
In this way we reached the coast. I should like to 
try and give youa clear idea of the goosing or goose- 
taking, because I do not know that it has ever been told 
before. 
The scene: A low-lying stretch of land, half peat, half 
grass and marsh [running north ten miles to the Pesanka 
hills, and south five miles to Barokoska Nos], and an 
island on the tidal flats some four acres in extent. 
