The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-21
SMITH 4 CO'SDUCK SHOOTING
IRREsIS TIBLE SPORT ON THE SHORES
or THE GREAT SOUIH BAY.

Mistake In Dividing "a Days PravIsIoms.
In one Of the pailurs OF the Hotel Bruns-
wick snt last Tuesday Mr. Police Jnstlce Shcr-
man Smith and his friend Mr. Willnm South
wick. The two gentlemen were snrezlng and
coughing. and frankly admitted that they were
fuN ring from duck shooting. In a corner OF
the room stood q No. 3 Wcbley. n No 10 Cha.
Borough. n No. 10 Field. and splendid Win.
chester rifle. The guns were bright and shin
ing. and their owners seemed occasionally to
forget thor sufcrings as they regarded them.
"Who wouldn't be sick" said Mr. Justice
Smith with n laugh. "that had experienced the
blessod climatic changes We have Undergone?
On Wednesday We took sun bath-it was a
delicious spring day; Thursday we took n
hydropathic bath-it was miserable day aud
Friday 1t froze so hard that the very ducks
piticd us.
About the shootnc-well. let us see. On Tues
day last. South and I. the weather seeming sc,-
ted. ran down to Morichcs. Long Island. The
village is one of those quaint, quiet places which
seem to have generated not been created. 1t is
situated on East Bay. nh arm OF the Great South
Bay. Its inhabitants are born. marry. and die
In absolutely simple and matter of fact fashion,
and do nothing that is moro startling than this
There is no telegraph. no post Office. no rail-
road ut Morches proper although trains on tho
sag Hnrbor branch stop at house standing
alone in the pine forest where tho conductor
calls out Moriches.' Occasionally when GER
tain speculative spirits in the village happen
across horse that they can buy for song. Mo-
riches boasts OF n stage: but. unfortunately. tho
most recent OF these occasional animals died
during the winter. and when South and ar
rived ut the station no conveyance was there.
" II was getting late. and rs we stood on tho
railroad ties. with our guns and baggage in
....1
gaunt sullen old fellow. who told us that II we
remained there long enough perhaps Jere
Fisher, the Postmaster might come along and
for q consideration tako us to Gil Terrys
hotel. six miles on.
| couldn't say how long wo waited. South
quietly sat down. and lighting his pipe. oc-
casionallv cheered me with the assurance that
those old moss backs wouldn't hurry up IL tho
world was coming 10 IN end suspect he was
right. but believe that he enjoyed watching
my impotence and agGravating IT, for he con-
stantly suggested that the Postmaster had kind
OF got in with n crowd and the mails could wait
But ut length we heard the blowing OF C. horn.
and in due time there numbered up n sort
OF antIduated hali-express- wagon -hali-buggy.
which contained Jere Fisher himself
Want ter 20 ter Gil Terry's. dew yer? Wal
I'm going that ar way. Them yeour traps
Git right in n git up. yer rickerty old critter.'
We wcro squeezed in between -four. coffee.
dressed sheep. n hog or two the mails and |
don'i know what besides. But South straddled
one OF those dressed hogs. and / sat Turk
fashion, on a -four barrel and We got to Terry's
al last. II was O'clock and the house was
closed for the night; but the Postmaster. how
ever. blew his horn. and we got in.
After supper Terry sent word to tho two
gunners. Dave Thompson and Lance Edwards.
T. be at the hotel before daybreak. The I'M
nersl Why. no man who has any respect for a
Webley or Caborough would do without tn en-.
They are the duck pilots OF Long Island: they
know every viii i'm and turn Of a duck. Don't
make any mistake duck IL as coy and delu-
sve as coquetie. 1t will come close 10 you
dive. shake its feathers; and apparently court
holder. and hutter ever SO gently around you
twill bow and scrape. and dart and flourish
than 10 it springs suddenly. Gaps It's bssutiin
wings and with hollow quack quack.' deles
Ne most deNterous sportsman.
The gunncrs live in neat comfortable cot
tages. some Of them Of great age. constructed
AZ. They are huddled together on the leads.
III arm 81 the bay commanding magnificent
S% @t ,9s sonha yst sheeTed r2m ' bS masi
all their lives on Goldfish and the east wind. but
hey are as smart as men can be, II Is said that
when they are babies their mothers dig cradles
IN the sand and give them clans to suck. For
years South and l had Dave Thompson and
tall, gaunt. raw boned fellow. OF immense mus
Gle and wonderful endurance. Apparently he
DAYS sport when seated before a cob fire. and
having several glasses of usquebaugh inside
and pipe IN his mouth. LES becomes as elo-
Qurnt Hs a college orator. Lance Ell wards is
snort. dried up. shrivelled keen eyed He
a clom ms as AWNING 70 say ne LOOKS AZ ,he
murnuring bay Lord! we couldn't do with
out the gunners.
n o'clock and found Dave Thompson and
Lance Edwards. ,stoiid as Indians. leaning
against the bar. Neither spoke. They met our
sa'utations just rs though we had been stran-
g~rs. and coldly and solemnly accepted drink.
We found lad sitting In at-bottomed skin.
who no sooner caught sight OF us than he began
T. show, signs OF steering on. We had only
tMr 70 throw in our guns and Chamber aboard
before the lad hauled no n we'll patched leg OF
mutton sail and then quietly sat down The
wacrs until we eumpea nsRoTe We lsn4e1 ON
q p"holy beach, and could see thousands OF
ducks sporting in the sunshine.
South and parted company. South. smok-
Itlorsquash. aud / started for Forge River
We had splendid shooting. dragged thirty
ara South swore he had shot more than had.
Whatever may have been the fact. But never
second. which is always considered the best
On Thursday morning W.T. were awakened
from dreams OF delightful sport to the horrible
guides were In the barroom. awaiting instruc-
lions. They were already wet 10 the skin. but to
them this was mere play, They eyed us closely
a We stepped into the barroOm; We were eyi-
Gently. 70 them. city bred youngsters. who
would not dare 10 face the storm. ] coolly said
fiat We were ready. South looked at mo as II
he wished would put on the gloves with him
ior hail an hour. but after breakfast hs sud
oenly frightened up. liz his pipe. and donned
rubber coat that reached 10 his feet.
=, The silent tow-headed boy sat in his fiat;
botomrd kin. rs on the day before. and piloted
Us % our hunting grounds. South left me
smiling. found Edwards where he had said
re would meet me. He WAS mum ms a statue.
did not have even the satisfaction OF catching
S@ylira smile on he weszened face when |
he was 20 beat up ducks-I told Edwards
would Ike 10 see him again in few hours. He
SllGky asked what Time stolidly heard my
De you know what II Is to lie down In mar
ioT ow-pgnneled dingy hunting for ducks on
stormy day. | will tell you. At FIRST your
hands feel 80 deadly cold TINT you are hardly
s'ir 70 stand the torture. You have seen innu-
Herabie ducks within a short distance Of you.
bli lty7 been unable 10 shoot. You cannot
sHh4 lhe pain any longer. 50 you rise To your
irN Instantly a llpck lifts inst in front OF you.
me birds dash IS 50 close that you almost feel
NE sharp cutting whit Of their wings But
5'ur hands nre powerless, and your guns are
useless. few minutes elapse. and then the
70. o. aft4a IN 14