SHOOTING AS IT WAS, AND AS IT IS. 21 



fowl, or tlie lino of beatorSj and ten to one but 

 lie explodes the weapon lie is supposed to have 

 charge of in the very waistcoat, or at the Avaist- 

 Luttons, of the shooter for whom he is loading. 



It is strange, but it has actually come within 

 my notice, that at the present day, not only 

 unpractised shooters, but mere idiots, are at times 

 sent out with shooting-parties armed with a gun. 



I have known it asked of a fond mother, '^ What, 

 you do not mean to say lie (her son) is going out 

 shooting with us?" 



'' Oh, yes ; poor dear George, he is very safe, I 

 assure you; he cant hurt himself with a breech- 

 loader, as there is no pouring down powder and 

 ramming it with the gun on cock ; he knows how 

 to slip it into the breech; so you need not be 

 afraid — unless by great accident he pulled the 

 trigger before putting the gun to his shoulder." 



^' Humph!" said the sportsman to himself to 

 whom this comfortable assurance was addressed. 

 ^' He won't hurt himself; that may be, but if he 

 lets his gun look at his companion, and gets at 

 play with the trigger, there is no saying wliat 

 he might do." 



The dangerous shooting -party to which I now 



