250 THE POCHARD OR DUN-BIRD. 
previously molested the ducks that season, I rowed into the 
middle of a flock of this species, several thousands in number, 
and beyond swimming right and left so as to keep the beat at 
a distance of some thirty yards, they seemed to take no notice 
of us ; and, when I halted the boat, and we all remained perfectly 
still in it, they closed in again, so that scores were swimming 
within twenty yards of us and many dived under us and pop- 
ped up here, there and everywhere within a few yards, disap- 
pearing under water, however, again instantly as soon as they 
perceived how close they were. 
On the other hand, in meres, where they are a good deal shot 
at, it is at times extremely difficult to work up to them, even 
lying on your face in a regular leaden cream-coloured gun 
punt, in which, if you know how to paddle it, you can get within 
range of almost any and every fowl in India. 
Curiously enough at such times you may often get excellent 
shots with shoulder guns, by setting a small square sail and 
sailing past them within shot. Of course, you cannot then use 
the big gun, as the mast has to be stepped in the stauncheon 
hole; but you may sail in this way a couple of miles up an 
open jhil, full of flocks of the wildest fowl, and if you never 
stop or alter your course, get shots at from forty to fifty yards 
every two or three minutes. The killed and wounded you must 
retrieve as you come back, as lowering the sail and stopping 
to pick up the spoil would put up every duck within a quarter 
of a mile, whereas only those quite close to you rise (to settle 
again within a hundred yards as a rule) from shoulder-gun 
shots fired from a steadily noiselessly gliding sailing punt. 
It is a little awkward at first, as you have to steer (with a 
rudder made to ship for this particular work) by strings 
attached to your feet* (you must keep clear of clumps of float- 
ing weed) and fire in a recumbent position between the gun- 
wale or rather wash-board and the lower edge of the sail. But 
you soon get into the way of it, and you may thus get a heavy 
bag out of some of the large jhils, where, as often happens, 
for reasons best known to themselves, all the fowl are so wild 
that it is hardly possible to get at them in any other way. 
Any small sailing boat will do. Mr. W. Forsyth, writing 
from Dehree-on-Soane, says :—“ ‘There are large flocks in the 
river here of Pintail, Red-crested and Red-headed Pochards, and 
very exciting sport they yield, wild as they all are. It is use- 
less trying to approach them in the canoe, in the ordinary 
way. I think the flash of the paddle frightens them. But on 
a windy day, you can hoist the sail, bear down rapidly on them, 
when within range let go the mainsail halyard, throw the half 
* This must be by stirrups or some other arrangement, which you are quite sure of 
being able to slip instantly ; because with the best management and the sharpest 
look-out all round, sudden gusts do at times come down on these large broads and 
upset you before you know where you are, This has twice happened to me, 
