THE APPROACH OF WINTER 27 



Our first expedition was not an important one. It 

 consisted only of a journey to some extensive pine woods 

 to the north-east, where we, and several other parties, 

 were attracted by numerous wolf tracks. I have already 

 mentioned that this district was noted for its wolves, 

 whence the Indian name of the pond. The various 

 parties of hunters kept widely apart ; in fact we saw 

 none of our neighbours, except in going and returning. 



There was but little snow on the ground, and that 

 little loose, so that snow-shoes were not used. We took 

 one hand-sleigh ; and I, for my own convenience, carried 

 a kettle, pot, and some cocoa, and other luxuries ; and 

 my muzzle-loading Enfield rifie, and a Colt's six-shooter, 

 a heavy, cumbersome weapon, but of great power. Breech- 

 loading firearms were scarcely heard of at this period ; 

 but I have always been in favour of muzzle-loading 

 weapons for shooting dangerous animals. Referring to 

 this fact, one of the critics of my first book remarked 

 that I knew nothing of guns, nor the power of the 

 breech-loader. Such a remark could only provoke a 

 smile, and showed that the critic had had no experience. 

 The breech-loader is the weapon of the dandy pot-shotter. 

 It is excellent (if you are a marksman) for long-distance 

 shooting, but is 50 per cent, inferior to a good smooth- 

 bore musket for close-quarter shooting. The bullet from 

 an express rifle will go through the heart or brain of 

 a bear and not stop him ; indeed, if through the heart, 

 ten to one it gives him no trouble. The wound closes 

 after the bullet, and no bleeding takes place. But the 

 spherical bullet from a muzzle-loader, with propelling 

 charge of eight drams, tears heart or brain to pieces, and 

 drops your quarry at once. All old hunters know the 

 value of the muzzle-loader, and none know it better than 

 Indian tiger-shooters. As a consequence of my experi- 

 ence during the first year or two of my sojourn in 

 America, I had a couple of double-barrelled, muzzle- 

 loading muskets, with plenty of metal in the breeches. 



