WANDERINGS AND MEMORIES 



CHAPTER I 



WHEN I WAS YOUNG 



ONE autumn day in 1871 a little boy of six stood 

 in a garden in Scotland, lost in contemplation of 

 an old muzzle-loading gun leaning against a hedge. 

 Duncan the gardener had left it there loaded, of 

 course, and at full cock and gone to his dinner. 

 The small man was torn with doubts and fears. 

 Being convinced of the inefficiency of a crude 

 catapult he had purchased at old Thomas Lee's 

 shop in George Street, Perth; now he saw before 

 him visions of real slaughter amongst the sparrows 

 sitting amongst the pea-sticks, for he was a hunter 

 by instinct. Had he not seen Duncan fire off that 

 terrible weapon without suffering personal damage ? 

 He wanted to handle real dead game shot by him- 

 self, and the temptation proved irresistible, although 

 he knew sore limbs and a possible thrashing for 

 touching loaded firearms might ensue. 



After balancing the gun on a spade-handle and 

 pulling both triggers at once, he knew of nothing 

 but stars for a moment, and then found himself 

 lying on his back with a damaged arm and singing 

 head. He made certain, too, his jaw was broken. 

 Worst of all, there was no game to retrieve. Where- 



B 



