THE GUN, AND HOW TO USE IT. 87 



argue the last culpability ; and I wish that, by the law, 

 they were rendered culpable misdemeanors, and punished 

 with fine and imprisonment, instead of being regarded 

 with sympathy and commiseration. 



The first is, never, under any circumstances, whether 

 you know it to be loaded, or believe it to be unloaded, 

 point your gun, or allow it to be pointed, in the act of 

 handling or carrying it, toward any person. 



This is the only sure rule of safety, and it is an easy 

 one; for, like all the rest, after a time it becomes an 

 instinct to carry a gun, so that the carrier, and those 

 around him, shall all be alike safe from the consequence 

 of an accidental discharge. Such discharges, on the con- 

 trary, though care may lessen their frequency, can never 

 be entirely prevented. A thumb will occasionally slip 

 from a striker in the act of cocking the piece ; a brier will 

 catch a trigger or hammer ; a foot will miss its stephold, 

 and a fall explode the cap; lastly, the casual failure of a 

 portion of the lock may let off the gun, without the least 

 maladresse, inexpertness, or negligence on the part of the 

 shooter. Unquestionably, no man ever shot constantly for 

 many years, who has not had his gun discharged in his 

 hands inadvertently, without his intentionally pulling the 

 trigger, on some occasion ; although with a careful, ob- 

 servant, and expert person, such occasions will be rare 

 indeed. If such things happen frequently to a person, 

 however safely he may carry his gun, he must be an in- 

 curably inexpert bungler, one of those unfortunates whose 

 fingers are all thumbs ; and with such persons there is but 

 one course to take not to shoot with them at all. 



