82 HOW A GUN OUGHT TO BE CARRIED. 



danger, it is half-cocked ;" or, " It cannot go off, 

 because there is a spring under the trigger- 

 guard." The consequence is, that the owner, in 

 his fancied security, becomes careless, always 

 pokes his gun in his neighbour's face, taking good 

 care to assure him in the most affectionate man- 

 ner that there is no danger ; and then some day, 

 when he has cocked his gun and forgotten to 

 half-cock it, or the spring of the patent safety- 

 guard is pressed by resting on his shoulder, a 

 twig catches the trigger, and the gun, going off, 

 kills or severely wounds some one, because the 

 owner would not take the trouble to carry his 

 gun properly. I like to see a man carry his gun 

 at full-cock when in the neighbourood of game. 

 He then knows what he is about. He is aware 

 that he has a dangerous instrument in his hands, 

 which by any carelessness on his part may prove 

 fatal to his friend, and therefore takes good 

 care not to point the muzzle towards him. If 

 it does go off by accident, it hurts no one, and 

 the sportsman has no hesitation or difficulty, no 

 feeling and fumbling for his lock when a bird 

 gets up. I have seen many excellent sportsmen 

 carry their guns at half-cock, and shoot quite as 



