388 FROM EDINBURGH TO THE ANTARCTIC 
his first shot. In the house Lady Goldsworthy heard the 
discharge and came out, and Bruce waved the shattered 
remains. ... It was our hostess's own favourite wild 
goose. 
.... We went away in a very dejected condition. 
Bruce towed the beast for some time ; then we hid it in 
a peat bog, and when we stole back for it in the evening, 
laden with real wild-fowl, it was gone ! 
Our next proceeding was to go along the coast to try 
for wild-fowl. We had not to go very far before we 
spotted a flight of about twenty duck feeding in shallow 
water near the shore; these we decided to circumvent, 
trusting that their insular stupidity would serve us in 
better stead than the ground, which was nearly level and 
unsuited for stalking. As we came in sight the ducks 
cleared out into the open water, and when we sat down 
they came to the shore again. This, to me, was a 
charming exhibition of faith in a duck that I had not 
looked to see, and we advanced with confidence till within 
about four hundred yards, when the ducks decided it best 
to keep in deep water till we showed our colours. Then we 
executed a manoeuvre that has been resorted to in cases 
of extreme emergency with our wild-fowl at home ; but 
with them it requires almost superhuman patience. 
The doctor sat down and I began to approach them in 
a serpentine manner, shoving my gun along in front of 
me, following after it at full length on my face through 
the heather, but always in sight of the ducks. If you do 
this slowly enough, leaving something, a cap or bag at 
your starting-point to divide the ducks' interest, the effect 
