378 
DUCK-SHOOTING. 
main as to the fate of their friends. They then returned to 
reveal the sad tidings to their relatives on shore, and at early 
dawn repaired once more to the hank, now dry as when they 
first landed. One body alone was found, and he, like the 
Duck- shooter, had resorted to the same last and forlorn hope. 
He had firmly fixed a boat-hook on the highest ridge of sand, 
and having lashed himself to it with his handkerchief, had 
determined there to await the rising of the last tide he was 
ever destined to behold. The bodies of his companions were 
never seen again, and had probably found a resting-place in 
the deep channels of the surrounding sea. 
Not far from the scene of this sad story, on the Cheshire 
side of the mouth of the river Dee runs a ridge of three small 
rocky islands, called Great Helhree, Little Helbree, and at 
the southern extremity, at a somewhat greater distance, 
forming the termination of the ridge, the Little Eye. At low 
water, the passage between these rocks and the main land is 
entirely dry. At this time, therefore, those who were inclined 
to take the chance of one single shot, for a second loading was 
out of the question, bent their way to the Little Eye, and 
took possession of a sort of excavated hovel, where, under 
cover of a few rough stones piled together, they were pre- 
pared to remain till high water ; when, if they were fortu- 
nate, (hut this was by no means to he calculated upon with 
anything like certainty,) a floating flock of Ducks and other 
sea-fowl would drift within reach, and a well-directed fire 
might do prodigious execution. 
We have heard of we know not how many dozens of birds 
killed or disabled by this solitary broadside; whether the 
birds have retired from this part of the river, or the patience 
of the Duck-shooters has been exhausted, we cannot say ; hut 
of late years the sport seems to have’ been discontinued. 
In the south of England, this mode is, however, still 
practised. On the coast of Hampshire, the marksman con- 
ceals himself till night, and then, listening with attention, 
directs his course towards the spot on which a flight of sea- 
fowl has descended to feed: when he judges himself suffi- 
