CHAPTER XXVII. 



INDIANS ARE POOR SHOTS. 



During a residence of many years among 

 four different tribes of Indians, I found, with 

 very few exceptions, they were poor shots, 

 either with the gun or rifle. 



When one considers that from young boy- 

 hood they have been in the habit of 'using a 

 gun almost daily, and their very living depends, 

 in great manner, on accurate shooting, their 

 poor marksmanship is to be wondered at, never- 

 theless such is the case. A good wing shot is 

 a rarity among the Indians. 



The Montagnais of the Labrador and North 

 Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, are no ex- 

 ception, and this in a country where most of 

 the wild fowl are killed flying. It is admitted 

 they kill wild geese and ducks while on their 

 passage north and south, but this is only possi- 

 ble from the immense numbers of birds and a 

 lavish expenditure of ammunition. 



It is a common thing for an Indian getting 

 his spring outfit to go among the islands to take 

 from the trader one hundred pounds of shot, a 

 keg of twenty-five pounds of powder and two 



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