22 SHOOTING AND SALMON FISHING 



day after day, and alone and unaided by male companions, 

 endeavour to make a bag exactly in the same way that any 

 two men friends would do. It must not be gathered from 

 these remarks that the author is averse to the presence of 

 ladies in shooting-boxes or in the field ; on this head his senti- 

 ments, derived from very pleasant experiences, are quite of the 

 order of the more the merrier, and the foregoing hints are only 

 intended for the benefit of those taking "guns" with total 

 strangers, which is a very different matter to being invited 

 on a visit to form one of a large party of bright women and 

 cheery men. 



On the matter of guns and gunmakers the author does not 

 intend to say much, for volumes have already been written 

 about them, while doubtlessly there are still more to come; and 

 therefore on a subject so open and so much disputed about, his 

 impressions are given with great diffidence. He goes to 

 Stephen Grant for his weapons, and did so after visiting the 

 shops of all the leading London gunmakers ; and, in his humble 

 opinion, at 67A, St. James' Street the prince of gunmakers is to 

 be found. Be that as it may, we strongly advise everyone 

 buying a gun not to cut his coat according to his cloth. We 

 are sure the so-called expensive guns are cheapest and best in 

 the end. Why should they not be ? for does not a high price 

 in other articles ensure a superior quality ? Is not a brougham 

 by Peters better than a country-made one, or a watch of Dent's 

 superior to a cheap Swiss or American one ? and in the same 

 way one may run through numerous other articles in constant 

 use, and as the high-priced article is ever the best, why should 

 guns be any exception to the rule ? 



Therefore, we advise purchasers to harden their hearts and 

 "blow the expense," and have one or a pair from the maker 

 they fancy. A gun by a good maker will easily last fifteen 

 years, and fetch a fair price even then. The author is just dis- 

 carding a pair of Grant's he had ten years ago for one hundred 

 and ten pounds ; they have had hard work each season, and 



