the AMERICAN SPORTSMAN'S JOURNAL. 
NEW YORK, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14. 1878- 
THE CONDUCT OF LIFE. 
Selected. 
13 E It good that we do, let ns do It, 
Giving soul and our strength to the deed; 
Let us pierce the hard rock and pass through It, 
And compass the thing that we need. 
Does Fate, as a dark cloud, hang over, 
And cover our heads from the light ? 
Does hate mock the heart of the lover? 
Must wrong be the victor of right ? 
Yet In Fate there Is freedom for eaoli ono 
To make or to mar, as he will ; 
And the bolts of 111 fortune that reach one 
May malm, but they never shall kill. 
Ever onward and upward pursuing 
The aim that Is thine for the day, 
Adding strength to tby strength by thy doing, 
Thou shalt gain It, nor faint by the way. 
And though thou art busied with small things, 
Though menial thy labor may be, 
Do thy utmost In that and In all things. 
Thou still shalt be noble and free. 
Dost thou love 7 let It be with full measure ; 
Nor mingle with coldness or hate 
Of others the Joy of thy pleasure, 
The passion that crowns thy estate. 
Be to every man Just ; and to woman 
Be gentle, and tender, and irue ; 
For thine own do thy best ; but for no man 
Do less than a brother should do. 
So living thy days full to number, 
In peace thou shalt pass to the grave ; 
Thou shalt He down aud rest thee, and slumber, 
Beloved by the good and the brave. 
— Tint by ' h Magazine. 
For Forest and Stream and Rod and Oun. 
$uck j |/ footing in furious jJlineS 
SHOOTING ON OHK9APBAKE BAY. 
The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries afford, beyond 
question, the best opportunity for wild fowl shooting in this 
country. The vast multitudes of wild fowl of almost every 
known variety indigenous to our country that frequent these 
waters annually, computed, would stagger credulity. The 
principal attraction, undoubtedly, is the abundance of wild 
celery ( ValUineria americana), which grows along the shores 
on the shoals and flats in greatest profusion. The juicy and 
succulent roots (not blades) of this aquatic plant furnish a 
food not only highly prized by the birds, but which gives to 
them, when properly cooked and served, a delicacy of flavor 
unequalled. Especially is this the case with the famed can- 
vjw-back and red-head, which fact accounts for the ardor 
with which these varieties are sought by both sportsmen and 
market hunters. The Susquehanna Flats at the head of the 
bay are the choicest feeding-grounds of the birds, and here is 
where the devotee to the sport can gratify his passion to the 
fullest extent. The State of Maryland has very wisely enacted 
Btringent laws to protect the fowl from constant harassing, 
hence shooting is only allowed on three days of each week from 
November 1 to January 1, after which time an extra day per 
week is permitted to the end of the season. About twenty 
vessels carrying sink boxes, and more than double that nura- 
bar of bushwhackers are granted license in regular form. 
Your correspondent was recently the recipient of a grand 
day's sport upon the flats. In the choice company of our 
genial friends and gifted sportsmen, J. E. S. andE. C. P., we 
took the four o’clock p. m. train on the P. W. and B. HR., 
and after a pleasant ride of less than two hours were landed 
safely at Havre de Grace, and a few moments later were 
snugly ensconced in the commodious and elegantly fitted up 
cabin of the gunning sloop, Lilly, where a single glance re- 
vealed most excellent taste and judgment in the arrangement 
of bunks, lockers and furniture, and where our sensitive 
olfactory nerves utterly failed to discern the slightest odor of 
bilge«water. That this reflected credit upon her commander, 
Captain Bill Myers, we frankly admit, and we were con- 
vinced, in addition, long before our departure, that the captain 
was an able seaman, a good ducker, and entitled to much 
praise for the gentlemanly qualities and ^stemious habits of 
himself and crew. 
Havre de Grace is situated at the mouth of the Susque- 
hanna River. ' It is the headquarters of the Chesapeake 
gunners, and is distant about five jniles from the best shoot- 
ing grounds. As the law prohibits any guuuing craft cross- 
ing light-house line before three o’clock a. m. on open days, 
we did not rise until dawn of day, when we awakened to find 
ourselves upon the shooting ground, but, greatly to our 
chagrin, enveloped in a heavy fog. A thin, drizzling rain 
soon added to our discomfiture, and everything looked dark 
and discouraging. In the midst of our despondency, how- 
ever, the report of a gun came feebly to our ears. This sound 
was welcomed gladly by our captain, who informed us that 
the wind was rising. Shortly after, in proof of his assertion, 
a puff shook the mainsail, then a rippling of waters was heard, 
and as the wind increased steadily the vesse 1 soon gathered 
headway. The fog was lifted up and dispelled, and the 
rays of the morniDg sun were disclosed to our delighted 
vision. On our starboard bow, distant a few hundred yards, 
lay an immense bed of canvas and red-heads feeding. The 
discovery of ourselves to the birds was simultaneous, and the 
deafening roar occasioned by their rise fairly shook the vessel 
upon which we stood. 
A few moments now sufficed to place our craft upon the 
feeding-ground, then all ou board were engaged in a noise- 
less bustle. Silently the anchor was imshipped, and noiselessly 
it reached the bottom. How, I don’t lcuow. Then the lash- 
ings of the box were cast off, and it was lifted gently over tlje 
side, and an instant later was gliding quietly away, propelled 
by a pushing pole in the hands of Captain Bill, and the boat 
that took its place was being rapidly filled with decoys, 
taken from the vessel’s hold by eager and willing hands. 
These were evenly arranged in triangular form around the 
box. The scene was enlivened by the occasional heavy 
muffled thunder of flushed beds of fowl by other vessels 
getting into position, and the air was soon literally alive with 
the thoroughly startled host, flitting hither and thither in 
pairs, flocks or singly, evidently looking for places of safety 
to gorge themselves upon their favorite food. None, however, 
heedless enough to venture within the range of our choke-bores. 
Far away over the intervening waters lay the northern 
shore, with its irregular white outline stretching miles away 
eastward, to terminate in the well-known Turkey Point. 
Upon the shore, and in bold relief against the northern sky, 
looms up Bull’s Mountain, whose broad base is constantly 
washed by the ever-changing tides. Upon its wooded summit 
leafless trees rear their tough and wiry branches heavenward, 
as if in very defiance of the cold blasts of the coming winter. 
Many miles of varied landscape grace the southern shore, the 
scenery of which is wild and fascinating. The eye here rests 
a moment upon the Battery light-house, which stands like a 
grim white sentinel in the haze of early morn ; and then upon 
Spesutia Island, with its dense brown autumnal foliage 
and famed “ Narrows," distinctly seen away to the south 
and east, while vessels, differing in size and color, dot the 
broad surface of the water here and there, giving familiar and 
life-like expression to the charming scene. 
While we were gazing upon this magnificent panorama, the 
“set-out" was being completed, and we were warned to pre- 
pare to take the box first. Our dress consisted of three heavy 
flannel shirts, topped by a woolen gurnsey of proper neu- 
tral color. Suspenders were dispensed with in order to give 
free play to our arms and body ; two pairs of woolen stock- 
ings and rubber boots protected our feet, aud a pair of dog- 
skin mittens, having a transverse and longitudinal slit cut in 
the palmer surface of the one belonging to the right hand, so 
that the fingers could be thrust instantaneously through the 
opening to grasp the wrist and triggers of guu. Thus equip- 
ped we took our “laydown" position iu the box, without 
any misgivings concerning its frail or questionable appearance, 
and enjoyed, as we always do, the novelty of the thing amaz- 
ingly. All around us, on the mirror-like surface of the water, 
sat the decoys, nodding and bobbing as they rode the swells 
and tugged at their anchors with life-like vigor. The Lilly 
“ tripped ” her anchor, and in a mysterious ana noiseless man- 
ner made sail and tacked away to mooring' quarters half a mile 
to windward. Distances on the water are very deceptive. 
Especially is this the case at early dawn. It is no wonder 
then that we spoiled our first “fly," by raising a little too 
soon, the ducks that appeared to us when lying down within 
easy range, were discovered— alas I too late — to be eighty or 
ninety yards away, and ran the gauntlet of our fire with the 
loss of only one of their number. We determined to wait 
until the next “ fly” were in the net of extending their legs 
preparatory to alighting, or directly over the stools. The wis- 
dom of this resolution was soon apparent, for a moment Inter 
we stopped right and left a pair of canvn3-backs, and hurriedly 
slipping in a shell cut down a single black-head that had the 
temerity to cross directly overhead. A pair of red-heads next 
rewarded our skill, and then a clean miss on the right vexed 
us not a little. Shots on this side are the most difficult, aDd 
tax to the utmost the skill of the most expert. The shooter 
is here obliged to “ throw out,” that is, suddenly and without 
preparation, fix his knees upon his abdomen, so that his feet 
will clear the side of the box, while Ht the same timo his body 
is raised and he spins around upon his seat facing the birds. 
The celerity with which this movement is accomplished by a 
practiced hand is astonishing, while the attempt upon the part 
of a novice is ludicrous in the extreme. 
A gun making a good penetration and a close target with 
large shot is essentinl to success, for the birds, with an appal- 
ling perversity, will persist, in the majority of instances, in 
“ throwing off ’ when about fifty yards away from the sports- 
men. Our choice guu, a Nichols and Lefever— right barrel, 
modified, left full choke— we fouud a ne plus ultra for this 
sport. We could use either barrel, according to distance, and 
then the easy and quick manipulation of the actiou with ono 
hand, while drawing and inserting shells with the other, made 
it very effective in shooting cripples before they got out of 
range. 
A single drake canvas-back next made a dart at our decoys. 
We concluded to let him settle, which he did within ten feet 
of the box, giving us a splendid opportunity to witness his 
beauty of form, graceful movements and exquisite penciled 
plumage. A slight movement, however, alarmed him, and 
he rose with marvelous speed to fall dead an instant after, as 
the sharp report of our “ Lefever ” rang out upon the rever- 
berating atmosphere. A bunch of black-heads gave us a long 
shot on the right, aud we made a good kill with our left bar- 
rel. Scarcely had we shoved in fresh shells, when we eqpied 
a large flock of canvas-backs heading directly for our “set 
out.” With eyes riveted upon the incoming birds, we breath- 
lessly waited until they were over the tail decoys ; then raising 
quickly, we took careful aim at a “climbing" bird, ana 
pressed the trigger. Hurriedly we covered another and 
touched the second trigger, aud as the report ended, looked to 
see the result. 
“Thunder and Mars I” we ejaculated, “not a feather." 
Astonished 1 of course we were. • 
“ But," says some inexperienced brother, “ why dida’t you 
shoot in'o the body of the flock ?’’ Because the birds inva- 
riably separate when the shooter rises and seldom give a 
bunch shot. A grand gold shot, indeed, is the man who can 
make three out of four doubles. Many sportsmen are misled 
by the idea that sink-box shooting is uot difficult. A little 
experience with these swift-flying birds in this cramped posi- 
tion will soon disabuse one’s mind of sueh an erroneous im- 
pression. Bunch shots are the exception— single shots the 
rule. 
After a number of splendid “darts," we were relieved by 
our companion, E C. P., and accompanied Captain Bill in the 
boat to pick up our slain, which had drifted slowly away with 
the tide. The shooter usually keeps count of the number of 
ducks down, and reports to Hie boatman, who rarely fails to 
gather tdl of the dead, cripples often escaping. Our friend, 
E. C. 1’., made a grand score in the succeeding hour with his 
new “ Lefever," never missing a bird. IIis pick up made a 
showing of twenty-one canvus, seven red-head-, four black- 
heads and one bald-pate. .1- E. S. next manned the fort with 
his “Scott." With the aid of the telescope we viewed bis 
every movement, as he dealt out destruction with lavish 
hand 
This proved to he a good hour and added largely to our hag. 
E. 8. resigned to us, and we in turn to E. C. P., and thus 
the sport went on until time for the evening “ take up." The 
expertness of the meu here evidenced remarkable skill, for the 
three hundred decoys aud box were “decked" in just forty- 
seven minutes. The wind proved favorable, and Hie Lilly 
showed a clean pair of heels, while we wiped out our guns 
and returned them to their cases. By the time we had arrived 
at Havre de Grace, the steward had placed u most excellent 
repast upon the table, of which we partook liberally, enjoying 
all the while the keen satire of J. E. S., and the retaliating 
home thrusts of E. 0. P., as the incidents or the day were 
recounted. Our bag numbered one hundred and fifty-six 
ducks for the day. Consequently we were honored by the 
distinguished title of “Duckers." Had our hag bee u light 
we should have been dubbed “City Sports” by our jolly 
captain. This was, indeed, a red-letter day, brother sports- 
men and rest assured that we were all extremely sorry when 
we stepped aboard the evening express train tliat the end was 
t hanS: Do °- 
