GENERAL REMARKS 13 



noticed that those who have ever used muzzle-loaders are safer 

 companions than those whose shooting career has dated from 

 the day of the breech-loader ; for every one who used a ramrod 

 had to face a certain amount of danger, and though an indefinite 

 number of fingers, thumbs, and hat-rims were annually blown 

 off, the care each shooter was then taught to take of himself 

 made him safer for his friends, and we think there were fewer 

 people "pelleted" in the muzzle-loading days. 



In our humble opinion there is far too much forbearance 

 shown to dangerous men, and many an accident would be 

 averted if those not knowing how to manage their weapons 

 were politely but plainly told of their misdeeds. It is fortunate 

 that shots are not bullets, for if everyone was killed or maimed 

 who was hit each season, the fatalities would be counted by 

 hundreds. We do not shoot with more careless shots than the 

 average run of shooters, but rarely does a season go by but 

 what we see one or two people wounded. That which takes 

 place in one man's experience will repeat itself with others, 

 and it only requires a multiplication sum to make up a long list 

 of "peppered" ones each season. It is a very terrible matter 

 to be shot at quite close quarters, for it usually entails severe 

 and lasting after-effects, if not immediate loss of life, and it 

 would be better for anyone to be hit by a solid bullet than to 

 receive a charge of small shot at but a few yards from the 

 muzzle of the gun. Provided, however, the victim is well away 

 from the culprit, and that he escape the exact centre of the 

 charge, there is nothing very painful or dangerous in being 

 shot ; and if only the eyes are undamaged, the rest of the body 

 can take a "good few" pellets without being much the worse. 

 At thirty-five yards rise we had thirteen pellets of No. 6 put 

 into head, face, neck, and throat — the sensation was that of a 

 heavy box on the ear (and for a perfect knowledge of that feel- 

 ing we are indebted to a brutal schoolmaster) ; but after 

 stanching the bleeding and washing in the nearest burn, we 

 continued to shoot the day out, and on the following one we 



