DECOYS. 67 



ing spring duck-shooting, when, a heavy rain-shower 

 coming up, we took refuge under an old ware- 

 house in the small town we happened to be 

 passing, and while there were visited by several 

 of the town inhabitants, to whom strangers were 

 an especial attraction. Amongst the rest was a 

 sporting New Yorker, dressed up in fancy shoot- 

 ing costume, and followed by a retinue of " saloon 

 bummers and dead-beats," by whom his every 

 wish was anticipated and his money most eagerly 

 sought for.* I found on conversing with him that 

 he had come to hunt ducks, and certainly he had 

 chosen a good place to find them, though skilful 

 hunters were not to be had then to accompany 

 him ; in fact, when going down the river during 

 the fall before, our cook sold to one of the town 

 fellows the first decoys ever owned there. 



We had some idea of stopping there to shoot 

 awhile, and so I enquired of him what "the prospects 

 were, if ducks were plenty, etc. " Oh ! yes," said 

 he, " there are plenty of canvas-backs, but they 

 are fearfully wild, and won't decoy worth a d — n. v 

 " So, then, you use decoys 1 " said I. " Yes, indeed ; 

 brought them from New York with me; you 

 can't do anything without decoys, you know." I 

 of course agreed with him there, and asked him 



