SHOOTING WILD SWANS. 253 
on to some floating berg, rest from exertions, with their 
graceful necks and heads buried in their abundant snowy 
down. 
The place in which I was secreted was an isthmus dense- 
covered with dwarf water-alder, and connecting a peninsu- 
la, almost an island, with a narrow, long promontory from 
the main-land. Under ordinary circumstances, it would 
have been as wet as a well saturated sponge; but frost had 
placed its iron hand upon the moisture, and rendered the 
use of my water-proof sheet almost superfluous—a circum- 
stance that advantageously contrasted with what it might 
have been. About midday, certainly not later, it bécame 
apparent that some important change was about to take 
place among the swans, for their voices became louder and 
more frequent, and the before scattered groups concen- 
trated themselves into closely - packed coteries. This I 
noted, and thought it foretold change in the weather. My 
surmises soon proved correct, for the north wind, which 
had subsided into a calm, was soon after replaced by a 
southerly breeze, whose influence I had scarcely felt when 
the swans in succession stretched their wings, and, with 
heavy, measured stroke, raised themselves in the air, first 
circling round in gradually increasing circles; ultimately, 
with outstretched neck, shaping their course right over my 
ambuscade. The moments of suspense, though few, were 
sufficient to make the heart beat faster; but my hopes were 
not disappointed or long delayed. At length I could see dis-- 
tinctly the eye of the leader, then of the followers; next mo- 
ment I was on my knees, and with each barrel killed a bird. 
With intervals of ten or twelve minutes, a second and 
third flock came within range, and were treated similarly ; 
but here I ceased, for I had enough, and to spare. Had I 
desired, I could, without doubt, have killed three times the 
number. 
