20 EQUIPMENT. 



one requirement, however, being often wanting, the 

 advantage is not so conclusive. The providing or 

 reloading of a sufficient number of metallic shells, 

 or the transportation and room required for their 

 paper substitutes, is the most serious drawback in 

 their use; and here it is that the claim of the 

 muzzle-loader is especially noticeable. This con- 

 clusion was not formed hastily, but was brought 

 to my mind very forcibly, though rather unwill- 

 ingly, and most frequently whilst sitting up at 

 night loading shells and listening to the snoring 

 of my fellow-hunters, votaries of the muzzle-loader, 

 who, having eaten their supper, washed their guns, 

 and refilled their pouches and flanks, had rolled 

 up in their blankets to " woo tired nature's sM'eet 

 restorer." 



On pleasant days, when shooting from my boat, 

 1 usually made a practice of reloading as fast as 

 possible between shots, carrying an ammunition- 

 box and loading-tools with me for that purpose ; 

 but this, for obvious reasons, I could not well 

 do on very stormy days or when shooting away 

 from my boat, and, consequently, 1 had to refill 

 my shells at night — often when I should be sleep- 

 ing — or else forego my morning shooting next day. 



Frequently in spring continuous shooting may be 



