SHOOTING SYSTEMS.] 



SHOOTING, 



[SHOOTINa SYSTEMS. 



readily admitted that tbe two-eyed man will 

 have a most decided advantage in helping 

 himself to that which the gun-maker has 

 denied him. But, with guns constructed and 

 put together on modern improved principles — 

 with proper setting, sufficient elevation, and 

 peculiar fitness for the use of one eye — it 

 strikes us that the two-eyed man has not all 

 that superiority over his opponent of which he 

 boasts ; for, if the one-eyed man occasionally 

 shoots under a rising bird, the two-eyed man 

 must sometimes shoot clean over a bird which 

 is rapidly descending, if he shoots in a wild, 

 hilly, and mountainous country. In a flat 

 level country, we are sensible that this latter 

 Qase would rarely occur; consequently, there 

 the two-eyed man would have the advantage. 

 Havirc: shot many years over an uneven and 

 mountainous country, where there were as 

 many shots one way as the other, and being in 

 the habit of using sometimes one-eye and 

 sometimes both, we must admit having occa- 

 sionally shot over birds quickly descending 

 when using both eyes, and sometimes having 

 shot under rising birds when only availing our- 

 selves of one eye. Here we allude to snap- 

 shots presenting themselves unexpectedly, in 

 the taking of which the most experienced may 

 occasionally be surprised, and reverse the prin- 

 ciples on which they generally act. If, there- 

 fore, we may be allowed to judge equally from 

 ex}) "lence and from observation, we should 

 conclude that neither system is perfect, each 

 being liable to occasional failure ; and, if both 

 parties will dismiss amour propre, and be can- 

 did, we think they will arrive at the same con- 

 clusion. The use of both eyes, unquestionably, 

 gives extra elevation — in fact, almost indefi- 

 nitely so, according to the judgment of the 

 sportsman. But is this necessary, and is it 

 always an advantage ? "We think not ; for, if 

 a gun be properly put together, we cannot see 

 that this extra elevation is required, except 

 for a small proportion of rising shots at long 

 distances ; and we believe that the difficulty 

 presented even by these, will be readily over- 

 come by the one-eyed man of experience, who 

 possesses nerve and presence of mind. If the 

 two-eyed system be as superior to the one-eyed 

 one as its advocates insist that it is, whv re- 

 quire any assistance from the gun-maker in the 

 setting of the barrels — why have any elevated 

 520 



rib ? — as it is evident all this is superfluous 

 and unnecessary for the carrying out of the 

 two-eyed principle. •■ For, if we judge rightly 

 of it from the statements of its most strenuous 

 advocates, they despise the steady old plan of 

 looking along, or in the direction of the ele- 

 vated rib, in line with the sight, holding their 

 heads above the barrels, and taking their own 

 elevation and line of sight — exercising their 

 own judgment on the spur of the occasion ; so 

 that in this speculative system, much practice 

 and experience are requisite, in order to ac> 

 quire the habit of accuracy and precision. 

 From this, we think, it may be fairly inferred, 

 without illiberality towards the two-eyed men, 

 that their system is not infallible ; that they 

 sometimes err, and, consequently, that their 

 practice has not that decided superiority over 

 the one-eyed system which it is presumed to 

 have ; as the latter, as far as it goes, is not 

 liable to mistalce, and is easily carried out — ■ 

 the precise extent of elevation being already 

 determined and arranged by the gun-maker 

 on unerring principles. The hand will, to a 

 very great extent, iollow and obey the eye. 

 We are therefore convinced, that in snap-shots, 

 even at such large birds as blackcocks, when 

 they slip off the high top of a mountain, in- 

 stantly gliding down below, the two-eyed man 

 would, if he were inexperienced in that sort of 

 shooting, shoot over many more birds than he 

 would ever Jiit. This result, we think, must 

 strike every one, even if experience were not 

 referred to for its confirmation : but let any 

 one, who doubts it, test the point by experi- 

 ment — bring up his gun quickly to the shoulder, 

 with both eyes directed to a particular object, 

 and he will find, on immediately closing one 

 eye, that the point of the gun is above the object 

 aimed at ; and if that object be a blackcock 

 slipping from a high mountain-top, and rapidly 

 descending, he will not only miss his mark, but 

 the charge will be at least three feet over the 

 bird. The one-eyed man would, in tliis par- 

 ticular shot, have the advantage ; because, if a 

 similar experiment be tried with one eye — to 

 that which we have just suggested as a partial 

 test to the two-eyed system — and the gun be 

 brou'^ht up quickly to the shoulder, it will be 

 found that the point of the gun will be under 

 the object aimed at, and never over it, which, 

 in snap-shots at rapidly descending birds, will 



