318 RAIL- SHOOTING. 



the lucky cliance of coming upon a goodly collection 

 of Lircls^ and make the most of the scanty time 

 permitted to him. 



None of those vexatious mistakes that occasionally 

 happen to the best sportsmen can befall him ; the shot 

 cannot get into the wrong barrel, nor the cap be for- 

 gotten ; the powder is not exposed to ashes from a 

 careless man's cigar; and there being no hurry, there 

 is more probability of steady nerves and a true 

 aim. 



The charge should be light — three-quarters of an 

 ounce of shot and two drachms of powder being abun- 

 dant to kill the soft and gentle rail— and pellets at 

 least as fine as ~No. 9 are preferable to coarser sizes. 

 Old cartridges, that have been split and mended by 

 gumming a piece of paper over the crack, may be 

 used in the breech-loader, provided the sportsman 

 desires to indulge in praiseworthy economy, or is 

 deficient in a supply. 



The sport is extremely exciting : the boat is forced 

 along with considerable rustling and breaking of 

 stems and stalks ; the bright sun streams down 

 upon the yellow reeds and lights up the vai-iegated 

 foliiige of the distant shore ; the waves of the bay or 

 river, rising apparently to a level with the eye, 

 sparkle in the gentle breeze that bends the sedge 

 grass in successive waves ; neighborhig boats come 

 and go, approach and recede ; the rapid reports are 

 heard in all directions, like fireworks on the Fourth 

 of July ; the sportsman stands ei-ect, and eager with 

 d.'liiious excitement, near the bow; the punter 



