DETONATING SYSTEM. 79 



and as it goes quicker (though not stronger, as the gun- 

 makers would wish to make you believe), and for other 

 reasons before given, you may use a fourth less powder 

 than with a flint-gun. Many sportsmen feel quite 

 positive that a detonater shoots much stronger than a 

 flint. This, I have no doubt, is because it does not 

 allow them time to flinch, and therefore \heyfire the 

 body of the charge so much more accurately with a de- 

 tonater, that they kill cleaner and at greater distances. 



The safest way to load a detonater is to put the caps 

 on last, taking care to leave down the cocks ; or the 

 powder, unless of large grain, would, on ramming the 

 wadding, be forced through the hole in the nipple. 

 [But let me observe, en passant, that I think the use 

 of large-grained powder ridiculous, at all events in small 

 copper-cop guns, because you are never sure that it will 

 fill a dirty chamber, much less arrive near the hole of 

 the nipple.] If you put away your gun loaded, always 

 take off the caps, not only for safety, but because the 

 locks must either be left straining at half cock, or if let 

 down and suffered to remain all night, the odds are that 

 the powder would be jammed into a sort of damp paste, 

 and both barrels would miss fire. But if you take fresh 

 caps, and prick both the vent-holes, and the nipple- 

 holes, your gun will generally fire with its usual ra- 

 pidity. 



Detonating powder I have found very liable to miss 

 fire after being long in contact with any salt or damp, 

 such as a strong pressure on the elastic fluid of gun- 

 powder ; being all night in a punt in the sea air ; 

 the spray that comes over a boat in sailing, &c. 



In a word, although detonating powder may be put 

 in water, arid then fired off, yet it frequently misses 



