118 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS. 



each half-cocked his gun, announced the determination 

 of all to do their best to give a good account of the 

 first unfortunate covey we should come across. Like a 

 general of old or modern times, I mustered my forces 

 in line, and, as if skirmishing, advanced on the still 

 invisible foe. Lawrence County, Illinois, where we 

 were, is eminently suited for partridge shooting, and 

 from its open nature, clear shots are generally offered. 

 Therefore, there is not so much credit due to the 

 sportsman who kills nearly every shot, as there would 

 be in the Eastern States, where the piece of ground 

 the least accessible is the most probable on which to 

 find game. 



Well, the dogs were uncoupled, and the guns 

 loaded, and forward we rapidly advanced over the 

 elastic turf, happy in our anticipated pleasure, brim- 

 ful of energy and expectation. Our two canines, which 

 had not been hunted lately, quartered their ground in 

 splendid style, laying down to their gallop like 

 thoroughbreds, and anxiously sniffing the pure atmo- 

 sphere, in hope of inhaling the taint emitted by that 

 most beautiful bird, and one perfectly adapted for the 

 sportsman's amusement, the American partridge. I 

 am aware that many will question this assertion, 

 and perhaps bring volumes of argument to prove 

 that I am wrong ; but, at the risk of the charge of 



