The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-11-18
M..ti.s IN Chesapeake nay.

There Ia probably no more beautiful shset Of
water in the world than the Chesapeake bay
and with the numerous rivers which Bow into
II, it affords amusement for thousahds, and
food for many thousands more, Atits head
are the famous SusqnehAnna natA the fAyorte
feeding ground Of wild dncks, especially tAe
canvas back. These hats cover . spsp1 three
miles wide and several miles In length, pro-
ducing an abundance Of wild celery. thsfAt6s.
ito food Of the ducks, which probably slvss
them the flavor which is so much admired "
epicures, this flavor being in measure lost
when freezing weather drives the ducks farther
down the bay where the wild celery does NOT
grow. The water ON those fats Il from Ave to
eight feet in depth, and at low tide the bottom
is exposed to view in some spots The canvas
back is very deep diver, and il is said that
the red head, which is the next in point Of
excellence, feeds with them and robs them OF
their food as soon - they bring it to the sur
face
A large proportion OF the population Of
Havre do Grace, which is only few miles
above the flats, make business Of fishing in
summer and ducking in winter. The legis-
lature of Maryland has fixed the time for the
shooting to begin on the LIST Of November, each
boat being required to take out license and
gun only three days in the week. This is done
to prevent the ducks from being driven from
their feeding ground. IT is only Oh the flats
n,,.t.l L,,t- o.. a,i,,.,,l %, I.,,. fr,,o.,
-"' w
boats are very simple in construction being
nothing more than boxes long enough for
man 20 ,;o down in ord b,viro .,,yos ,,;ro.
90
OIL lraiiie a''acheu ny hinges 10 the poat
which, by means Of pieces of iron are sunk to
q level with the W. 'er Decovs arc then mt
ont and drawn by them. docks of ducks come
"a ear fbs oI,pner tnai he has M d,nicnItv in
kiIT1p them witt, gnn of small calibre A
many a. five Thousand have bean sl,uoi,tarad
on tie frat dav of the season and corriej no
Havre do Grace Ia he Skinned hv rail In dif-
farent cites Dnck shonttng in th;s wav j.
not regarded AZ mere snort brt az a meons NJ
Gaining a liyelibood II being ANYTHING else hnt
o nlaasnre IN lie for several bo,;rs il, q coffin.
shsned float with a cold nortbwester blowing
and driving snow storm binding and wet
t;no tho hardy SIMMER
R;ver moi, ON which comfort,ble h,;n5u
have bean buiIt ore the favo,ite resnrts ~ ths
snortsman Noarlv all tbe has, nnnts ara
ranted nv clubs who bu;Id a calm an the
shore and repair to il "A thew NAV have the
onnortnn;tv An evan;,g snnnf IN nna ~
tbase cabins or cottages il an ncc,sinn of rsra
enioymenf Around a warm stove or oman
fra three or fonr conoeni,l snrits rather
The nrosnact Of n fovorahIa yfnd ana anni
abnot,no m tbe morn;ng is d;scnSsoJ E.ch
ono has storv IN to7i ar some wopdarSri
arbievements IN rsIots roncern;ne ounn;nr in
va oiden fine when oame wss nara abmnd, ~
and nrnfesa;onai ornn;no sc.rcar Tow,rds
hedtime some one SUGGESTS =, hot npnch' and
none sav nav bnt eySsssve drip, ,Sn.r H. nnt
INDUCED in for tn he . GOOD marksman ors
must have a level head md steadv hand az "
Tbo ,lawning dav tinds breakfast ovor and tho
snnrtsman IN the Hind w,itng tbs Srst Sisht
Of ducks Va1y ofian i; is a daS 81 woiti5r
for adverse winds do not incline the game to
Nv or tbev do NOT notice the docovs Hbm. an
~ l. n,rs"nT a1 yl bran,,,H d az" ~
erciae ia am dxceliant annct1er 9or al oaylv
dinner "ffN'''0'
# ia a sippular fact not vet scconnted for
that when tie ducks are first driven from tina
flats the largest nronortion mass Inv the month
Of Bnsh river and enter the Gnnoowder wher.
large numbar, ire killed az thew Nv over the
railroad bridge Int here it take, a good
marksman good sclaimern and n strong gnn
to bring them down, and if the sportsman will
comnare the EMMY sholls from his breach.
loader with the number Of ducks bapged he
will generally And hat he has not m0Se than
one duck 10 every eight shots fred Already
This seaso, nm immense number Of blns wing
mr. teal have ro,na To the Aats and shooting az
them has commenced in the rivers and creeks
Some DAYS 400 Mr. Walton who lives n sort Of
hermit's life In A cabin on Bush river. killed
twenty five nairs Of The Blue wing. in a few
I,,ta h,w Ia olr I'm ~