POWDER. 95 



of superior powder, unglazed, and of that sized grain. 

 This I tried the whole of last winter ; and, though 

 the severe weather, by cutting off all communication, 

 obliged me to keep the gun and punt constantly afloat 

 for several weeks, I had not one miss-fire. Of all the 

 powder used, I never had any so good as this ; and, in 

 order to know what to ask for, I proposed that it 

 should be called my " sea-gun" powder. [But, re- 

 member this is only for large punt-guns, that carry 

 about two ounces of it.] 



Messrs. Curtis and Mr. Harvey now serve only the 

 trade, which is perhaps no more than just : but I 

 confess I regret this ; because, whatever powder came 

 direct from them was of superior excellence ; whereas 

 a retail dealer may receive his powder good, and then 

 completely spoil it by damp, or too long keeping. / 

 will be answerable only for gentlemen at the foun- 

 tain-head ; so let them be answerable for their retail 

 dealers. It may be right, however, to say that the 

 gunmakers are by far the best deputy powder-mer- 

 chants, and take great pains in the management of 

 their powder; because on that the killing of their guns, 

 must depend ; and therefore we must readily forgive 

 any innocent little bit of " bam" as to putting their 

 own names to it, &c. This is all fair ; and it is really 

 a charity to let them earn a trifle, now that they have 

 been half-ruined by getting caught in their own trap 

 the detonating guns ; and then sadly troubled with the 

 " shorts," from gentlemen finding it impossible to " cash 

 up," owing to the failure of their farming tenants. 



