275
*
Lake Umbagog.
1897.
Sept. 25
(No 2)
was at the Merganser which we cornered at the head
of the lowest "logan" and which tried to pass out over us;
my next was at a pair of adult Wood Ducks which started 
out from under the bank of the river just as we came
around a bend. I brought down one with each barrel. The
drake was a fine bird in full plumage. My third victim
was a young female Wood Duck which was feeding in a
pond hole covered with lily pads & separated from the river
by a high bank. It was out of range when I first saw
it and walked still further off finally going ashore &
into some grass. Jim then went around and started  
it and I shot it as it was flying past.
[margin]* Duck shooting[/margin]
  Thus far I had not missed a shot but when a 
solitary Black Duck rose suddenly from a strip of marsh
and doubled around a bend I fired two quickly & the
bird went on. Shortly after this a young Wood Duck
came fluttering noisily out from under a root within
five yards of the boat & I killed it with the second
barrel after missing with the first. This was the last
shot that I fired but we started a flock of four more
Black Ducks still higher up. We knew that they were
feeding themselves above us long before we came to
them by the feathers and freshly torn-up water
grasses that came floating down with the current.
They saw us & flew, however, before us once within range.
  I know of no more fascinating sport than shooting Ducks
on the Cambridge. The river is as beautiful as a dream
and it is so narrow and winding and the reaches are so 
short that the chances of getting shots are excellent. One
is kept in a constant state of excited expectation as the 
boat glides silently across the short reaches and rounds