DUCKING OFF MACHIPONGO. 





it had been fair, and that much 

 better shooting was anticipated. So 

 we jogged along and talked about 

 what had happened since my last 

 visit, in the spring. After a two-mile 

 ride we reached Captain Miles' house, 

 which is on, or near, a little creek 

 that runs into Hog Island Bay. 



Shall I describe the captain's 

 house? Well, I could not do that if 

 I would, but from the moment you 

 arrive until you leave, you never 

 need expect to see or eat anything 

 you have ever seen or eaten before, 

 for they live and cook so differently 

 from all other people. Yet you 

 don't mind that, for the salt air 

 braces you up, and you have nothing 

 to do but sleep from dark until near 

 daylight, when you get up to break- 

 fast, and you would eat boot-legs, if 

 they were fried in the same amount 

 of grease as the other food is. 



After breakfast, I was taken out in a 

 flat-bottomed sailboat, called a bat- 

 teau, some three miles, to where the 

 sloop was anchored, on which my 

 friend, the doctor, was living. Cap- 

 tain Miles and the cook (a good-na- 

 tured darkey, named Jim), were with 

 him. I had worn my store clothes, 

 for the doctor, as an extra induce- 

 ment, had said, " Bring nothing; I 

 will have everything." And he had. 

 So you may imagine my appearance 

 as I sat there, that cold morning, 

 with the skirt of my long overcoat 

 turned up about me for fear of getting 

 it soiled in the dirty, old boat. It 

 was the first time I had ever been in 

 it, "dressed up," and I trust it will 

 be the last. 



After a while we saw a puff of 

 smoke half a mile off, and heard 

 a report. Will said, " That's some 

 one in our blind." Then I saw a 

 second shot and a splash. That 

 meant a dead bird, and my blood, 

 which, up to that moment, had 

 been stagnant, began coursing 

 through my veins. In a moment, I 

 saw a boat push out from the blind, 

 and the familiar figures of the doctor 

 and Jim appeared, paddling for dear 

 life. They were after a cripple which 

 was swimming for its dear life. 



"A CRACK ABOUT FIFTI'.I'.N INCHES W1D1 IN 

 WHICH YOU CKAW L TO SLE1 



Soon I came upon them, and i 

 changing places with Jim, shed 

 my overcoat, for doctor had the 

 other with him. We sent Jim with 

 the batteau to the sloop, and there, 

 amid some 40 of the most pel 

 decoys I ever saw, we spent two 

 hours, when dinner-time came, and 

 we were taken to the sloop. 



Shall I describe her': Well, -1 

 an eight-ton boat with a cabin about 

 four by five feet. Beneath the d< 

 all around, is a crack, about 1; 

 inches wide, into which you crawl to 

 sleep — "perchance, to dream." I 

 know I did. I had .1 n ;htn 

 caused "by an overdose ol bacon. I 

 should have known better than 

 so heartily the first day, but didn't. 

 I dreamed I had been buncd alive. 

 When I awoke-. I found I must - rawl 

 out of my " berth " to turn 0\ 

 and so I slept every night. B 

 soon gets used to anythii I he 



doctor, who had tried all th< 

 gave me the one said t< tain 



feathers, generously ta 

 himself with but three, and tl. 

 had all worked down to th 



Thus Car I have told you onl] 



