etty well loaded. Before long, we again
managed to get separated from the rest, but we had grown so satisfied
with our prowess that we were indifferent to consequences. We felt that
we were not likely to starve even if we lost our way. I was just going
to fire at a teal, when Jerry pulled my arm, and pointing to an opening
in the distance among the clumps of grass, I saw the head of a huge bull
not fifty yards from us, and, as it seemed, fast asleep. Now was the
time to show what we could do, so we withdrew our small shot and loaded
with ball. Like North American Indians on a war-trail, we crawled
stealthily towards him. We halted, and resting our guns on a bank,
fired together.

"I am certain I hit him," cried Jerry.

"So am I," I added--though I was surprised that the beast did not move.

"We've killed him!" cried Jerry, as on we rushed, expecting to find a
rich prize. He was lying down when we hit him, we saw that. We kept
him in sight for some way, then we found our further progress somewhat
impeded by the bogginess of the ground. At last we were brought to a
stand-still about ten paces from our victim. Jerry gave a blank look at
me, and I looked at him, and burst out laughing. The poor beast was not
alive, certainly, but we were innocent of his death. He had evidently
got into the bog in wet weather, and in vain struggling to free himself,
had died of starvation. His head was stretched out, as if hopelessly
longing for the rich food he saw growing not thirty yards from him,
which yet he could not reach. All around the morass were the hoof-marks
of his comrades, as if they had been watching him in his dying
struggles, scampering round and round, perhaps with terror, or perhaps
thinking how they might help him.

"At all events," exclaimed Jerry, "we may say we hit a huge bull and
left him as dead as mutton; and there's no great harm if the rest go
back to look for him. We can easily point them out the place by the
side of the lake."

A little further on we reached a smaller lake which was swarming with
birds--geese, ducks, divers, and other wild-fowl. Among them were
several swans, beautifully white, with black necks, which kept swimming
gracefully about like the great lords of the feathered population among
whom they moved. Jerry and I were very hungry, so we sat ourselves down
to take a nibble at our biscuit and cheese, not wishing to disturb them
till our friends should come up to help us to