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Ninety-nine Peeps

In the days when there was a legal market for wildfowl shot in Plymouth harbor, local “market-hunters” used large-bore shotguns to harvest their prey. Some of these were four gauge or larger and had to be mounted on a punt or boat rather than carried. For ducks and geese, regular-sized lead shot was used, but for the small shore birds such as “peeps” or sandpipers (which were popular fare years ago), the shot was much finer, and would encompass a great many birds at one shot.

Samuel Burgess, who lived on Clark’s Island, was a noted gunner and did some market hunting from time to time. He was also renowned as a rigorously honest man. One day he went “peep-shooting” on Plymouth Beach where he saw a flock of these dainty birds, and blazed away. When he counted his catch, he found that he had ninety-nine birds. He took them across the harbor to market, and met his friend George Churchill on the wharf.  Churchill reported the conversation as follows:
“How many you got there,” asked Mr. C.
“Ninety-nine,” replied Mr. B.
“Why don’t you call them a hundred and have done with it?” asked Mr. C.
“What!” said Mr. Burgess, “do you suppose I would tell a lie for just one damned peep?”