254 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



choose, as theatrical kings often do, to cross his arms 

 on his breast and scowl upon mankind. There is no- 

 thing like a joppe, grey turned up with green : the 

 ermine has disappeared, but the lineage is to be traced 

 for all that. 



And now for the rifle ; but before putting it in the 

 leathern case, just one look to see that all is in order ; 

 and up it goes to the shoulder, and we are delighted 

 at the fineness of the sights, and should be glad to 

 get a good long shot to test their accuracy. For, be 

 it known, we have had some alterations made since 

 using it last ; the sight at the end has been filed away 

 till its pin's-head shape was changed to a thinner 

 form, and the indentation on the bridge in the middle 

 of the barrels has also been made proportionably 

 finer. For in firing at a great distance, if the sight in 

 front is of coarse size, the chamois is quite covered by 

 it; a chamois not being a very large animal. The 

 charge too has been increased for a longer range ; 

 and since all these reforms have taken place, the rifle 

 has not once been in requisition; so we have a 

 double interest this time in going out with the old 

 friend, and in seeing how he comports himself in his 

 altered condition. He will do his duty, without 

 doubt ; and if the arm that holds him be but steady, 

 there can be no fear about the result. 



Most persons, I suppose, quite well understand the 

 affection of the rider for his horse, whether that rider 

 be Arab, fox-hunter, or cavalry soldier. They find it 

 natural that the animal, which has contributed to the 



