CHAPTER VI 



SOME REMARKS ON THE FOREGOING CHAPTERS 



The history of the Monnielack Shootings illustrates the dangers 

 besetting the sportsman who " takes a gun " without making 

 sufficiently close enquiry in all possible directions from which 

 information could be gained. In the Monnielack case, however, 

 the lessor was a gentleman who had no wish to make a profit 

 out of the lessee, while between him and the regular shooting 

 "coper" there are many different grades. As a rule it will 

 be wiser not to take a gun when the terms asked are such 

 as would give a large profit to the lessor, for there are plenty 

 of good men really prepared to put down their share of the 

 expenses, and so long as they are insured against being further 

 out of pocket, they delight in the responsibilities of the manage- 

 ment of a shooting : these, however, are the gendemen who 

 should exercise the greatest caution in selecting their "guns," 

 and not settle rashly with just the first offerer that comes, 

 for shooting is in such demand that any good fellpw need 

 have no difficulty in making up his party, although neither 

 side should trust to arrange the matter solely by correspondence. 

 Let the parties make a point of meeting several times, when a 

 few talks together will throw more light on the suitability of the 

 proposed arrangements than all the letters in the world. 



It is wiser to be the last gun to join, for the latest arrival 

 will thus make certain of knowing something about all the 

 number. The bargain once struck, toleration should be the 

 order of the day, while, as long as all concerned act as gentle- 

 men, it should not become a matter of offence if even one of 



