96 A SPORTSMAN'S EDEN. 



learnt to like it (though it only cost 40 dollars) 

 as well as my high-priced express. The worst of 

 a repeater is, that there is always such a tempta- 

 tion to (as the Yankees say) 'pump in lead as 

 long as you can see the durned critter.' This 

 seems to me an argument against the adoption of 

 repeaters by our troops. They will certainly cost 

 us a great deal in ammunition, and lead to loose 

 shooting. But a Winchester well handled is an 

 accurate little weapon ; and I met a gentleman 

 this year out West, who really could knock the 

 heads off at least four grouse out of six, at from 

 twenty to fifty yards with his repeater, and not 

 ruffle a feather below the neck. That first day 

 in the hills was a Saturday, and it had certainly 

 been a ' dies irse.' On the Sunday following I 

 gave men and horses a rest, as I always like to 

 do, and looked forward keenly to the morrow's 

 hunt on the ridge above. Unfortunately, towards 

 noon rifle-shots began to re-echo about the hills, 

 and down below on the next ' bench ' we could 

 see some horses picketed, and the blue smoke 

 curling from some other fellow's camp-fire. Then 

 there was sorrow in Bighorn Camp, and S., light- 

 ing his twenty-seventh pipe that day, got on his 

 old cayouse, and went down to spy out the land 

 and see what manner of men these might be. 



