Nick Babas Last Drink and Other Sketches | Page 7

to dream. So we pass the days in a sort of
luxurious vagabondism. How very pleasant it is to be a vagabond,
when one may return to starched linen and the trammels of civilization
whenever one wishes!
Our club was composed of six persons: Mondray H. Charles, Rory
Theodoric, Jas. O'Kelly, Geo. H. Crege, H. H. Josephus and Geo. G.
Paullo. Two servants accompanied the party--Steve and Jacob, Steve is
a rattling, roaring fellow, who had never before been without the sound
of the breakers of his native Long Island, and was ready to perform any
act for his friends, from pitch-and-toss to manslaughter. Jacob, the
companion of Steve, is the very opposite in all things; is a genteel
fellow, wears a clerical necktie of immaculate whiteness, and has the
appearance of having studied for the ministry, and graduated as a cook.
His table is a marvel of neatness, and his culinary experience has
enabled him to set many a tempting dish before us.
[Illustration: JACOB.]
[Illustration: BLIND.]
During our stay on the beach many amusing incidents occurred; we
will try and give some of them as they return to our memory. It may not

be uninteresting to know how and where we shoot, and so we give
something of a description. We draw lots for the choice; each selects
the point, or island, or strait, which, in his judgment will afford the best
shooting for the day, and there builds a blind. This blind is made by
breaking down the tall reeds, leaving a fence in front, next the water, to
secrete the gunner from the game. Behind this screen a sort of nest is
formed by matting down the reeds and marsh grass. It is rendered more
comfortable by spreading a rubber blanket, upon which are arranged for
use, guns, ammunition, lunch and a bottle--of water. The decoys are
placed out in long range, in such a manner as to make them appear as
natural looking as possible, and then we are ready for business. Now
here they come--a flock of seven geese, plump down among the stool,
but get up again with equal haste. Two of them are knocked down with
the breech-loader, one dead, the other only wounded--a third stopped
by the muzzle-loader. Theodoric was dreamily watching his decoys as
they danced about, when a bunch of sprig-tail swooped dawn, hovering
above the stool. He picked his bird, and dropped two with the first
barrel, and another responded to the discharge of the second. They
came tumbling down into the water--dead. One could not easily
imagine a duck's head capable of expression, but when they come
lively, alight among the dummies, and hear no quack of recognition,
they soon discover the fraud, and the frightened haste with which they
gather themselves up and attempt to make off, is expression all over.
Crege, who is one of the best amateur shots on Long Island, as a medal
now in his possession will attest, had taken his number twelve, and
walked the marshes for snipe. So far as the ducks were concerned, he
had missed the sport, but he brought in a bunch of forty-five English
snipe, which compared favorably with the success of the others. Crege
is a superior marksman, but he shoots much better when the boys
gather about the table at the club on a winter evening, where they talk
their shots over again, and trot their horses at impossible speed. O'Kelly
is one of the constitutionally chosen Senators for the great State of New
York, is a prime shot, an enthusiastic sportsman, and one of the most
genial of our friends. He had located on a distant island, and expended
powder and shot with his usual prowess--returning laden with game.
This was decidedly the best day we had had, and the score was as
follows: Charles, nineteen canvas-back, eleven teal, three geese and

twelve red-head, mallard and black duck; Theodoric brought in
sixty-five birds--canvas-back, red-head, sprig-tail and black-head;
O'Kelly, who had had surprising luck, counted fifty canvas-back, and
twenty-five common ducks. It was a good count, and the game was
hung up in the boat house with the other birds.
[Illustration: SNIPE SHOOTING.]
[Illustration: FIVE AT A SHOT.]
Many of the natives are professional gunners, and haunt the marshes
day and night, shooting for market, and thus making a living. If one
cannot shoot, one may resort to these people and purchase a boat load.
It is, however, a reprehensible practice.
There is no tide in the Sound except that which is caused by the wind,
and as high water and a stiff breeze are essential to good sport, it is not
possible to have good shooting every day. When the wind comes from
the right quarter it makes a full tide, and drives the fowl