THE EXCITABLE SPORTSMAN. 109 



tered around, he gets into a nervous trepidation, and when 

 the covey springs he fires away with an uncertain aim, and 

 shoots altogether differently from a man who is perfectly 

 collected and cool. To remedy this excitement when shoot- 

 ing at a covey, or walking up to a dog when he is point- 

 ing, the excitable sportsman must learn to regulate himself. 

 He must practice coolness, and must learn calmness. He 

 should make it his duty to master his feelings and become 

 less anxious, and not care so much about killing his game. 

 If he makes these things his study he will accomplish much 

 towards making himself a cool, accurate marksman. I 

 have seen sportsmen who, when the dog would point a 

 covey, became so excited and nervous that the whole frame 

 would shake as if with an ague, and I have seen others who, 

 when a Partridge would rise suddenly from under their feet, 

 would be so frightened by the noise that they would fire 

 before the gun would be to the shoulder. I have seen others 

 again, when a hare would bounce up unexpectedly from out 

 of the grass, stand and gaze at the hare as it was bounding 

 off until its form melted in the distance, or disappeared in 

 the cover, and forget they had a killing piece of machinery 

 in their hands. I have seen others who, when a bird would 

 be advancing toward them, would fire before the bird would 

 get within killing distance of the gun. I have also seen 

 others who, when they were taking aim, became so excited 

 that their limbs would shake so violently it would be im- 

 possible for them to hold the gun steady. Some I have 

 seen completely paralyzed for a moment when the game 

 would spring, and they would stand and look at the game 

 going off without firing at it. Again, I have witnessed 

 others sneaking cautiously up to the game, so as to get a 

 close shot, whose hearts would beat so rapidly that, after 

 they had fired, on asking them a question, it would be im- 

 possible for them, for want of breath, to answer it; and 

 others I have seen chase game, which they had wounded 

 with one barrel, until they were nearly exhausted, and 

 then let the game escape, and forget the other barrel of the 

 gun was charged. I have seen sportsmen so nervous and 



