122 THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 



defective, and as imperfectly got up as 

 in 1815. 



It is certainly matter of marvel that 

 more accidents do not occur, or, rather, 

 that we do not hear of more mishaps. That 

 they do happen occasionally, I have rea- 

 son to know ; for in the villages bordering 

 on the swamp at Abbeville, and the Bay 

 of St. Valery, I have seen some miserable 

 estr^pies, who had been maimed by the 

 bursting of their fowling-pieces. 



T am speaking of the French gun- 

 makers generally. Mr. Lepage is, as I 

 have stated, the workman of highest 

 repute in Paris, and I am bound to say, 

 that he is almost exempt from the sweep- 

 ing censure ; that is to say, he can, if he 

 chooses, turn out a very presentable piece 

 of workmanship. These instances are 

 rare. In fact, I never saw bat three guns 

 that would bear comparison with any 

 second°rate English doubles, and these 



