Not being anxious for an accumulation of game in the early part of the cruise, John, our boatman and an A 1 cook, decided to tempt our appetite at tea with a goose stew. It was done up in most savoury style, and we all got ravenous long before our hunger could be satisfied. I need not tell you, reader, how one's appetite grows on a cruise of this kind. Not even six meals a day, with dough-nuts between times, seem to stop the craving. Well, when the meal was over, that goose that was, was not there.

The next morning found us ready for business as early as it was pleasant to face the frosty wind, and with our ice-boat {Daisy) on the sled, we started off together for the open water. Once at its edge, our glasses exposed to longing eyes several bunches of birds geese, brants, and ducks located all over the opening. As there was no floating ice, the birds, especially the geese, fought shy of us, so that it was difficult to get a handy shot. However, by allowing my boat to drift, while S. was trying to approach them, a fine bunch sagged near enough to me to open fire, and I did so, laying out two on the first shot, and tumbling one on the second with my No. 8. Well, my boatman tried on his No. 10, both barrels, without bringing any down, but one left the flock and settled to leeward. " Havers ! " cried S., " for getting you that shot." That is, on the principle of one fellow driving and the other fellow shooting. " Suppose you take a turn now." " All right, after we get the one that settled to leeward." As we paddled toward him, he swam from us, and the main flock rose and circled toward S., starting two other flocks as they went. By George! Well, I believe that other flock is going to range close enough to S. There they go; they are close enough now, and will get a salute soon. Now they have spied the boat, and are turning to get away. Old fellows, you'll catch it now! Up go their two guns: four barrels levelled on them. There they go, " Bang! " down came two. " Bang!" nothing. " Bang! " one leaves. " Bang! " another leaves. That first one acts fanny: look at him. He is going up in the heavens. See him circle still going up, and yet going up, until now he is so high and still going, until he looks no larger than a pigeon. That lad must be struck in the head. Look! look! He is circling still, but is coming down. See! He fell a lot then. He's pretty sick. Watch him! He takes a big swerve now. There! there! there ! there he goes, head first, then end over end, flop in the water, stone dead. Well done! While these antics were being watched, the other wounded one bore away to leeward towards my boat, but lit 100 yards short. When watching him, our own wounded one we had gone for was near by. After being disappointed several times by bunches circling short of us, four came along that the wounded one saw and spoke to. His " houk!" settled the business, and they were coming straight for our beam. " Look out, Will! Give these chaps plenty of windage. Now is our time. I'll take the two leaders, and you the last ones. Give it to them!" "Bang!" mine: one short, one hurt. "Bang!" Will's: one down.

"Bang!" missed stern shot the last fellow. "Bang !" goes my second No. 8, far enough ahead that time, for down he came. Three down, and were picked up. See that fellow I struck that second fellow in the flock? He's going out to the ice. There he settled out on the Gulf ice. " Will, do you see that immense body of birds outside, circling over the ice? They are brants, as sure as you live! Have just arrived. We will see you to-morrow, old fellows!" The tide was beginning to come, and the birds had mostly been driven from the water out on to the ice. Mr. Appetite was rushing in for the island, so we headed him and left the game to fatten; but prior to doing so, shot our decoy-goose, as also the wounded one that came down to us from S.

We noticed the open water was enlarged rapidly, and the ice rotting fast, as the sun and wind the past two days were very warm, so that while we had had uncommon success the two days on the ground, yet we were convinced there was still sport ahead. Our eleven birds loaded the sled, and made a beautiful picture for us so early in the outing.

We walked along to the island as spry of foot as if we were going for a dance. Our housekeeper came from the main just as we were leaving in the morning, so that when the door was open the air was so fragrant with savoury fumes from roast brant it was almost impossible to control our appetites to get ready for the table. Now, my readers, come right in, and partake with us. There is plenty. Three large brants. Now, do come, and delight all hands of us. Did you hear what the cook said then " Save your appetites for some of this plum-pudding " ? Now, don't stay back with the idea there is not enough for us and you. Just hear that S. and John on that side of the table groaning. I knew they would, if they kept up the pace they started in at; but S. says he was sighing because he had to let up on goose for that pudding. You may believe that explanation if you like. I won't. I know them too well. We had enough movability left to set back from the table, smoke a cigar, and leave for the Land of Nod for the space of two hours. When we returned, John and Will, who returned sooner, had the geese drawn, peppered, and charcoaled for preservation, and hung up in the game-house.

This method of preserving game and keeping it sweet for two or three weeks, is much the best I know. I have found them as nice after being shot seventeen days as when first shot. When we awoke, we were surprised to find the whole face of the heavens changed. In the early part it was so calm and bright we feared it was the inevitable weather-breeder, and such it was likely to be, and was, for the cloudless sky had given place to a downcast a threatening one, with the wind blowing heavily from the stormy easterly quarter. This rather pleased us, as we knew it needed such to break up the ice, open the harbours, start the drift-ice, uncover the oyster and clam beds, and thus enlarge the scope .of our operations. That night at twelve it was blowing a fierce gale, accompanied with snow, which shortly turned to rain; and then it poured, keeping it up during the day until too late to go to the feeding-grounds. But we received lots of pleasure that day as we watched a channel opening in Fox Harbour on the ebb tide, as also the wearing away of the ice adjoining the open water. The channel referred to above was scarcely opened when a flock of geese were seen winging their way from the outside ice towards it, and alighting there to feed. This brought up the necessity of making a blind on the ice in their course of flight from the outside water to the channel; so that afternoon, about halfway between these two feeding-grounds, a breastwork of ice-cakes and snow was built, the floor on the ice being spruce boughs. So far as this went, so good, but left thus, not a goose would come within range, so we took there fifteen decoy-geese, and twelve decoy-brants, which were placed within range of the blind, always to the windward on the ice. Then, not expecting any birds, we went back to the house, which we had scarcely reached when seven geese came flying in from outside, as if on a scouting mission, passed directly over the blind circled lowered circled lit.