146 1ktn0s of tbe 1Rcto, IRtfle, an& Gun 



to make me drawing pens; and his carcase begged by 

 my boatman Williams, who engaged two friends to 

 partake of him for a delicate Sunday dinner." 



And now let me glance at some of the Colonel's 

 performances among the "birds." On September 4th, 

 1826, he writes : 



"4^/2. My first day. The weather mended con- 

 siderably ; but the country was so extremely barren 

 as scarcely to afford a vestige of covert for the birds. 

 The stubbles were all trod down by sheep and ' leasers,' 

 and, owing to the previous dry weather there were no 

 turnips large enough to shelter the game. The birds 

 were plentiful, but much wilder than ever I knew them 

 in September ; insomuch that scarcely one covey in 

 ten would allow even the dogs to come within gunshot. 

 I, however, by means of mustering a good army of 

 markers and harassing the birds by repeated charges 

 of cavalry, so completely tired them down at last, that 

 I performed this day the most that ever was done by 

 me, or anyone in the annals of Longparish sporting. 

 I bagged 56 partridges and (for our country, in one 

 day, a miracle) 7 hares in nine hours ; never lost a 

 bird the whole day. Owing to the extreme wildness 

 of the birds, I was, of course, obliged to fire many 

 random shots ; but notwithstanding I was so weak 

 from having been unwell, I did not lose a bird by bad 

 shooting the whole day, as the only two fair shots I 

 missed were at single birds, both of which I secured 

 with my second barrel. Taking everything into con- 

 sideration, this is the greatest day I ever had in my 

 life.' He adds : I believe I beat all England. This 



