HINTS TO SPORTSMEN. 



we should certainly have contended for the propriety of it. How- 

 ever, I think the advantage of adopting my new rules will be so self- 

 evident, that the most bigoted Tory sportsman will hardly refuse to 

 conform. In the first place, then, contrary to the received maxim 



RULE 1. Always load your gun when on the cock, by which you 

 lose no time in bringing your piece to your shoulder, a great advan- 

 tage ; and if you possess common caution, you run no risk of blowing 

 your head off while ramming down your charge. 



RULE 2. When a, covey gets up, always jire bang into the middle of 

 it. It is all nonsense about singling out a particular bird ; take my 

 word, it is easier to rniss one bird than to miss a dozen. 



RULE 3. When you are very desirous of game, instead of shot, fire 

 your ramrod. By this plan you may spit three brace at one shot. I 

 have known it done. 



RULE 4. When you scramble through a hedge, by all means let your 

 gun be at the full cock. Caution should be the characteristic of a good 

 sportsman ; if you shoot your friend, you will be cautious for life. 



RULE 5. If a single bird gets up on your friend's side, shoot at it by 

 all means. The old system is only to fire at those on your own side, 

 which I hold to be a losing game ; for if your friend brings down his 

 bird, he bags it ; whereas, if you fire also, you have the benefit of the 

 doubt, which is settled by tossing up. Never mind the old gag of it 

 being unfair the ardour of a sportsman is a good excuse. 



RULE 6. When you meet with a hare on her form, kill it if you can. 

 It is all stuff about being unsportsmanlike don't attend to such 

 rubbish. My advice is, Jill your oag. 



RULE 7- Never brag of' being a good shot. Hold this as a maxim ; 

 if, for example, you have leave to shoot over a gentleman's grounds, 

 and are successful, which you are pretty sure to be, if you follow my 

 rules, and are anything of a shot, send your man home with the game, 

 then call at the house and leave a brace of birds, being the whole 

 contents of your bag you will be condoled with, and have unlimited 

 leave to shoot. 



RULE 8. When you enter a Afield, holloa and bawl as loud as you 

 can. It will save you much trouble, for you will see at once whether 

 there are any birds there. 



RULE 9. Always train your dog to chop his bird from each covey. 

 With a good brace of dogs, so trained, and a double-barrelled gun, I 

 would bag more game than any man in England. 



RULE 10. Choose your dogs of the highest possible courage. By 

 this precaution you can gratify yourself by thrashing your dog when- 

 ever you miss, without fear of spoiling him. 



RULE 11. The instant a pheasant rises blaze away at him. My 

 reason for this innovation, is, that if you miss, you wil have time to 

 pitch your hat at him. 



RULE 12. Never omit to prime your piece ; this is a most important 

 point, and involves consequences not at first apparent. I once re- 

 member, in ancient days, to have accompanied two gentlemen from 

 the land of Cockaine, on a shooting excursion ; one was the head 

 clerk at Cox and Greenwood's, the army agents, and the other be- 

 longed to Dolan's house, the army tailor. They were both pupils of 



