FIREARMS AND FISHHOOKS. 201 



tolerated in the absence of regular shoes and 

 boots ; they are as pervious to water as brown 

 paper, and but scant protection against prickles 

 and sharp stones. ' Skin-shoes ' do very well for 

 redskins, whose feet are as hard and tough as 

 a saddle-flap ; but take advice, and never forget 

 a good supply of strong ' lace-ups ' and a liinp 

 accommodating ' wide-awake.' 



Firearms may be left entirely to the choice of 

 the traveller : every man has his fancy weapon, 

 and is ready at all times to do battle in support 

 of its merits. To my taste a strong No. 12 

 double gun, smooth bore and to load at the 

 muzzle, is by far the most useful gun for general 

 purposes. Were I to enter into the respective 

 merits of muzzle-loaders versus breech-loaders, 

 the smooth-bore versus the rifle, I should only 

 repeat what has been time after time discussed 

 by the most able and experienced sportsmen. 

 The choice of firearms I leave to my readers' 

 tastes and inclinations. 



Fishhooks of different sizes, gut, silk, and a 

 piece of cobbler's wax, are absolute essentials ; if 

 you are angler sufficient to tie your own flies, 

 fur and feathers are always obtainable. It saves 

 a host of bother, to quietly sit down by the river- 

 bank or camp-fire, and manufacture any insect 



