116 TRAPPING AND WOOD-CRAFT. 



" Trust in God, and keep your powder dry," is most ex- 

 cellent. I advise those who are wise enough to wish to fol- 

 low it, to use the flat tin powder cans, with metallic caps 

 screwing down water-tight. The Hazzard and Dupont pow- 

 der comes in such cans — pounds and half pounds. I have 

 found that three dr. of Dupont's No. 2 (coarse ducking powder) 

 is equal to four drs. of Hazzard's ordinary grain in strength. 

 I use a twelve gauge duck gun. I think No. 4 shot is a good 

 size for such game as ducks. With Ely's S.S.G., green car- 

 tridge, or large buck-shot and a twelve gauge gun, you can 

 generally get all the deer you want. I consider No. 6 the 

 best size shot for fuU-grovv^n grouse. No. 8 does very well 

 for smaller birds, woodcocks, &c., and red squirrels. I con- 

 sider four (4) dr. of Hazzard's powder, and from one and one 

 quarter (1^) to one and one half (1^ ounces of shot the 

 proper load for a twelve gauge gun. At least it is for mine.* 

 An iron ramrod should not be used ; it wears the muzzle of 

 the piece, and makes it scatter. Brass might do, if a metallic 

 rod is considered a desideratum. Being softer than iron the 

 wear would chiefly fall upon the rod. Hunters cannot be too 

 careful to keep their salt away from their powder ; it absorbs 

 moisture and imparts it to tlie sakpetre of the powder. Here 

 I will qualify my praise of water-proof tin cans for powder. 

 Tiiey are the best things that can ordinarily be had for that 

 purpose. But I would not advise any one to hide or cache 

 powder in such a can. A week, aye, a few days, might suf- 

 fice to turn your powder into a black, unctuous mud. The 

 metal appears to attract moisture, and though the can may be 

 impervious to any sudden shower or drenching, by some 

 means, if long exposed, the moisture will get in. I think that 

 a horn, plugged with pine wood, which has been boiled in a 

 mixture of rosin, wax, and tallow, and the joints varnished, 

 will be quite water-proof. I have known a horn of powder 

 lost in the woods, and exposed for weeks (wet weather hav- 

 ing intervened), to be dry and uninjured. A copper flar k is 

 worse than a tin can, in this respect. I prefer a horn flask, 



* For large animals the charge of powder may be increased from one half, to one 

 dram. 



