THE CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 417 



fastened on the bow of the boat; then, on moonlight 

 nights, or with artificial lights thrown on the drifting or 

 sleeping birds, the ducks, naturally inquisitive, would 

 gently swim aside from the boat that was being slowly 

 sculled among them, and, when an immense body of 

 them were together, the death-dealing gun would 

 belch forth, killing anywhere from twenty to fifty, "while 

 the cripples dove, or sneaked away, to be gobbled up the 

 next day by fish-hawks. Why, these guns were young 

 cannons, and I have heard them roar over the bay all 

 night long. At break of day, one could see these 

 immense hawks hovering, circling, and darting after the 

 cripples. Of course the ducks would dive, but the mid- 

 dle of the bay afforded them no hiding-place, and, at 

 last, the persevering hawk would tire them out. A 

 quick dart, and then we would see a whitish object hang- 

 ing below the hawk, as it flew to some tree to devour 

 the bird. The hawks were immense, and looked as large 

 as eagles. This shooting of the ducks at night was simply 

 scandalous, for it was bound to exterminate them. 

 Between being hunted in the day-time and persecuted 

 at night, there was no time or place in which they could 

 feel secure or obtain rest. So outrageous did this appear, 

 that (I think it was in the winter of 1845) the Legislature 

 of Maryland passed a law prohibiting the use of swivel- 

 guns and shooting the birds after dark. 



"I wish you could have seen the birds in some of 

 their great flights. Why, that was forty-five years ago! 

 Great Scott, man! Here I have been telling you of scenes 

 in my early life that I haven't thought of for years and 

 years, and look at the time of day! Why, I promised to 

 have been home an hour ago. You must excuse me, 

 for I must go." 



He buttoned up his great -coat, and laying his hand 

 fondly on my shoulder, as he bade me good-night, there 



27 



