Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1896-01-24


placed at our disposal and, as Henry
had like ourselves, thrown care TO
tie doos-we went down TO the
,shlindsn on Cat creek-but not until
Chamberlain had emptied the greater
nart Of n two-quart dish of mallard
duck gravy with other things in pro-
portion and myself coming in good
second at the table. That afternoon
we passed in Watching signs for the
evening shooting, and that night the
anort began. And what shooting
was before us as we lay in the blind
that NIGHT waiting for the geese to
feed on the bait. If the geese scat
tered over the feeding grounds had
been placed three feet apart, they
would have covered one square acre
of Ground. 1t was cold, but we were
comfortable, and when the warning
sect ready" was given, our blood
tingled. and when the word lire -"
came three guns we're emptied into
.be first flock that came within gun
shot. and eight geese were stopped.
What a calling, screaming, Tapping
and splashing of water that mighty
bodv of wild fowl made, can not be
told bv pen. They rose by circles
biob in air to find the cause OF their
troubles, and many settled back
AGAIN: but we had a load and con-
cinded as Governor Watson would
probably come on Saturday S steamer
we would not frighten the geese away
but rather let him see them IN great
numbers. Here was where we made
our mistake for the cold weather Gov
Tered the feeding ground with ice,and
our goose shooting was spoiled For
two nights after our first shot we lay
and watched the geese feed within
fftv wards of us,and could have cas-
Iily bagged twenty-five or thirty more
but waiting for the Governor
spoiled our score. In goose shoot
ing-never let your chances, like
su1beams, pass you by-for you will
never get you goose when their feed
ling grounds freeze up. Duck shoot
ing is different.
While moderate open weather II
GOOD for geese shooting rough, windy
and cold weather. makes duck shoot
ling on the RappahanLOck at its best
| we had lots of that kind of weather
during our second week and we made
GOOD use of it. Chamberlain and
myself with two barrels Of our No
ll0 guns, using five drachms of pow
der and one and one-half ounce o.
! No. 2 shot in each barrel, stopped
twenty-three mallards and we boateo
nineteen of the number, the first
morning at the duck blinds, This
would have been our best shot ha5
Harrington's gun not failed to fire
but that afternoon Henry redeemed
himself. and our score for the day
when strung up showed fifty NAL
lards and three black neck ducks
not a bad one even down in Old Fir
ginia.
Rising at 4.3O a. M, an early luncl
and practice with that sugar bow
and spoon, then to the blinds afte
ducks. and back to a nice bTeakfas
about 8 o'clock was our morning
program. Then loading shells, clean
ing guns, and batting blinds afforded
exercise and occupation until Dime
at l o'clock was served. Then afte
a perfect feast, and a little previou
exercise with that sugar bowl ant
spoon. we went for the Afternoon
shooting,tO come home tired, ladel
with ducks and ready to do justic
: to Mrs. Harrington's ample and dc
lioious provisions for the inner ma
and of course exercise moderated,
! with the sugar bowl and spoon.
. Supper over-oh, what peace AM
, happiness-to lean back before a re-
/, hot stove and hear Henry spin yarns
to smoke and doze quietly in tn
: chimney corner and dream Of chai
> ing wild turkeys through tangle
church steeples, until the CHEEKY vOic
OF Mrs. Harrington arOuses th
Z sleeper,a and Informs us that our be
;, room is nice and warm. OF cOurs
: Henry was invited up to see som
= smokeless powder, in our room
y and incidentally operate with thu
spoon and sugar bowl and finally biz
: ing us good night we drop into I'll
4 land of dreams.
n "Come boys It's cold, but "
n must 90 after those turkeys to-day
arouses us, and we think that "Her
r has not even been out of the rOor
/ so soundly had we slept; but we hu
8 tied out and drove ten miles ov'
D the country to Todeskey creek, whei
e wild turkey abound but we were NJ
It to have success that day. The we
r. Their was against us as it was call
a and dry-cOnditions under which
I i next =, =, iIa,nossible to get up wit
+ wild turkeys. After hunting thr6ue
n wild ravines and over tangled n
E. locks of fallen timber,we went TO u
n home of Mr.. Walter Harris for sul
d per. We met here a former MilfoI
e girl in Mrs. Harris,who was formerl
e Miss Linda Harrington, but who hs
n fallen into the hospitable ways of tt
le Virginians.
e We saw only one covey of pa
a tridges while in Virginia, and IL
e. general report is that last winter the
d all persisted.
ie As the time for our return can
y near, it was a serious question if v
e would be able to get home becau'
o of ice in the river, but the weath'
lie moderated and our return was I
d pleasant as tired gunners could d
d sire. Our old friend the purser, hs
@ procured a barrel of the finest oy
a tiers mortal man ever ate, especial
4 for our benefit, and as we voyaged [
the Rappahannock, we ate oyste
n and enjoyed ourselves AS we neart