During our stay on the beach many amusing incidents occurred; we will
try and give some of them as they return to our memory. It may not be
uninteresting to know how and where we shoot, and so we give something
of a description. We draw lots for the choice; each selects the point,
or island, or strait, which, in his judgment will afford the best
shooting for the day, and there builds a blind. This blind is made by
breaking down the tall reeds, leaving a fence in front, next the
water, to secrete the gunner from the game. Behind this screen a sort
of nest is formed by matting down the reeds and marsh grass. It is
rendered more comfortable by spreading a rubber blanket, upon which
are arranged for use, guns, ammunition, lunch and a bottle--of water.
The decoys are placed out in long range, in such a manner as to make
them appear as natural looking as possible, and then we are ready for
business. Now here they come--a flock of seven geese, plump down among
the stool, but get up again with equal haste. Two of them are knocked
down with the breech-loader, one dead, the other only wounded--a third
stopped by the muzzle-loader. Theodoric was dreamily watching his
decoys as they danced about, when a bunch of sprig-tail swooped dawn,
hovering above the stool. He picked his bird, and dropped two with the
first barrel, and another responded to the discharge of the second.
They came tumbling down into the water--dead. One could not easily
imagine a duck's head capable of expression, but when they come
lively, alight among the dummies, and hear no quack of recognition,
they soon discover the fraud, and the frightened haste with which they
gather themselves up and attempt to make off, is expression all over.
Crege, who is one of the best amateur shots on Long Island, as a medal
now in his possession will attest, had taken his number twelve, and
walked the marshes for snipe. So far as the ducks were concerned, he
had missed the sport, but he brought in a bunch of forty-five English