fish, thinking to recover the wood which was just by, where the
eagles dare never follow, for fear of bruising themselves. But,
notwithstanding the fish was dropped so low, and though it did not fall
above thirty yards from us, yet we with our hollowing, running and
casting up our hats, could hardly save the fish from the eagle, and if
it had been let go two yards higher he would have got it: but we at last
took possession of it alive, carried it home, and had it dressed
forthwith. It served five of us very plentifully for a breakfast, and
some to the servants. This fish was a rock near two feet long, very fat,
and a great rarity for the time of year, as well as for the manner of
its being taken.

These fishing hawks, in more plentiful seasons, will catch a fish and
loiter about with it in the air, on purpose to have chase with an eagle;
and when he does not appear soon enough the hawk will make a saucy
noise, and insolently defy him. This has been frequently seen by persons
who have observed their fishings.

CHAPTER VI.

OF WILD FOWL AND HUNTED GAME.

Sec. 25. As in summer, the rivers and creeks are filled with fish, so in
winter they are in many places covered with fowl. There are such a
multitude of swans, geese, brants, sheldrakes, ducks of several sorts,
mallard, teal, blewings, and many other kinds of water fowl, that the
plenty of them is incredible. I am but a small sportsman, yet with a
fowling piece have killed above twenty of them at a shot. In like manner
are the mill ponds and great runs in the woods stored with these wild
fowl at certain seasons of the year.

Sec. 26. The shores, marshy grounds, swamps and savannahs are also stored
with the like plenty of other game of all sorts, as cranes, curlews,
herons, snipes, woodcocks, saurers, ox-eyes, plovers, larks, and many
other good birds for the table that they have not yet found a name for.
Not to mention beavers, otters, musk rats, minxes, and an infinite
number of other wild creatures.

Sec. 27. Although the inner lands want these benefits, (which, however, no
pond or plash is without,) yet even they have the advantage of wild
turkeys, of an incredible bigness, pheasants, partridges, pigeons, and
an infinity of small birds, as well as deer, hares, foxes, raccoons,
squirrels, opossums. And upon the frontier plantations, they meet with
bears, panthers, wild cats, elks, buffaloes and wild hogs, which yield
pleasure as well as profit to the spor