Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-08-06

An america gentleman travelling in ia
IAN has sent the New York ErcniHg Post
the following account of duck hunt in
which be participated some time ago, some
features OF which will doubtless strike tie
American Sportsman as novel
The other day went on wild duck
hunt with my Interpreter and one guard.
We tarted early, and proceeding through
the rice fields for some distance, crossed n
los line Of hills lying to the north and pass
"a upa fertile valley about four miles. Here
was a village where the people had made
preparations for a grand duck hunt in an
ticiIation Of our coming. Near by was a
small lake, snug among the hills and near
the base Of a mountain, called the Dragons
Clan
1t wpS most picturesque place, with
pine grove skirting the margin of the water,
and clumIs # bushes and reeds scattered
along in yaTiuus Places The entire surface
ut the lake Vas covered with ducks, while
clouds of tLen hoyered over the trees and
wheeled To ard Cro in wild confusion. The
whole neighb rhood was literally alive with
them.
This lake had long been the resort of
ducks, bat the people had never allowed a
gun to be fired in the neighborhood, and
had contente1 themselves with now and
then catching few with nets. The conse-
gnence was that the ducks had never known
what it was to be shot at, and were com
paratively tame When it was known that
| was coming there 10 hunt, the customary
order was revoked, and every body was given
permission to come with his gun and Join
in the sport The men had constructed
low mounds of pine branches. resembling
E>quimaux huts, along the edge Of the lake,
and at the points most irequented by the
fowls. As soon aS each one olns got fairly
settled. either in mound or under a tree or
bush, we began to blaze away at the inno-
cent ducks which lay in thick masses before
Us. As the first shot echoed among the
bills, a myriad Of quacking creatures rose in
one great cloud from the surface of the wa
ter, and for time the air was completely
filed with them.
| neyer before ,aw such spectacle the
sky seemed darkc ned with fcathered fugi-
tives, and the noise made by their wings
was like that Of mighty rushing wind
Especially wild was the noise as one flock
after another wheeled directly over my head
then they suddenly turned short cure,
their white breasts flashed for a moment in
the sun, and the rapid motion Of their wings
made a breeze like great fan upon the
face. They had not learned yet what the
sound of gun meant, and as no person was
to be seen they ere long settled again quietly
on the water.
Another volley soon started them up
hFarT n-,a. Il. a
leaving many of their Head and wounded
companions on the surface of the lake. Now
their flight became swift and broken, and as
they passed close above oar heads we fired
indiscriminately into their midst. causing
their hocks to scatter in frightened confu-
sion. The poor things knew not what to
do; the lake had always been their quiet
home, and they knew not whether to flee.
So. as none of their cruel eiemies were in
sight, down they came again upon the death
laden surface Of the watt r. They were
completely tired, out and as shot after shot
skinned along beside them, they only
"du1ccked'' their heads and remained where
they were. The firing continued the whole
morning, and the waters around their ior-
merlv neaceful retreat were reddened with
the fruits of the bloody slaughter.
At one time during the day, while some
what withdrawn from the party, | heard
peculiar "whir-r'' of something IN the air,
and turning quickly saw bullet strike the
bank beside me. A shower OF mud was
spattercd over me, and at little distance
japanese man was in full flight. There was
nothing near me for proper targe', anu
there is little doubt that this was mani,
festation of the bitter hostility to all