SUPERIORITY OF ENGLISH ARMS. 199 



situation than were two or three of those over whom he 

 had been placed to preside, as the sequel will show. 



On Friday, the 30th of September, we started from 110 

 Creek, the ground cool and wet from the night's storm, 

 and heavy for the waggons, when, with Chance, I add 

 ed four more grouse, an English snipe, and a couple 

 of dotterel, or kildeer plovers, to the larder, and for 

 inspection shot the male hen-harrier, by way of satisfying 

 myself as to the presence of a British bird of prey. 



In the first few days of our march I had used one of 

 my favourite old John Manton guns, the splendid shooting 

 of which had been deeply interesting to my men, as to 

 which gun they had made many inquiries of me in regard 

 to the price, and where such a gun could be procured, for 

 a solution to which questions they received a reference 

 to the shop in Dover-street, London. The distance at 

 which I killed the grouse and other birds, at times on and 

 off my pony, was to them marvellous ; and my subsequent 

 experience showed me that American sportsmen, general 

 ly, from the fear of missing, perhaps, while I was with 

 them, or from habit, or the estimated range of their wea 

 pons, only attempted the shorter distance. The weather 

 being so hot, and aware that it was a slightly less heavy 

 gun, on the day to which I now refer, I had opened 

 the case containing my new double shot-gun made for me 

 by Mr Pape, of Newcastle-on-Tyne. On opening the 

 case I never saw anything so neatly arranged and com 

 plete as the compartments within it, nor, on putting 

 it together, a more superbly finished gun, stocked by the 

 pattern of my favourite John Manton, and carrying nearly 

 the same charge. My men were delighted with the inspec 

 tion of it, and very soon had again to see the birds fall at 

 distances they deemed impracticable. 



