INTRODUCTION. 



Prom my boyhood upwards, I have been taxed by 

 the facetious with shooting madness, and truly a 

 most delightful mania I have ever found it. My 

 first essay in practical gunnery was made at the 

 early age of six, by the discharge of an enormous 

 blunderbuss, known to the inmates of my paternal 

 mansion by the familiar soubriquet of " Betsey^ 

 A flock of sparrows perched upon the corner of a 

 neighbour's pigstye, were the only sufferers ; but, 

 information was maliciously laid against me, and I 

 underwent severe corporal chastisement. About 

 a year afterwards I took ample revenge upon my 

 ill-natured neighbour, by jjinking his ducks and 

 geese with a cross-bow of my own construction ; 

 but mycatapult was unfortunately discovered, seized, 

 and confiscated. I next clubbed my Christmas 

 capital with that of two sporting confederates, and 

 raised a sufficient joint stock to purchase a con- 

 demned musket, with which, during the holiday 



