RIFLE-SHOOTING 281 



and I shall not forget the look of disgust on the faces of the 

 hospitable " Victorias," who claimed the prescriptive right 

 of handing their splendid regimental loving cup, foaming 

 with champagne, to the winner, when that little Highland 

 jeweller refused the proffered goblet, and asked for — a bottle 

 of ginger beer ! What a contrast to his countryman, 

 M'Vittie, of Dumfries, who used to fortify himself with a 

 stiff dram of " mountain dew " before shooting at each of 

 the long ranges. 



Of the exploits of M'Vittie and all the other notable 

 marksmen of the old Wimbledon days I have written fully 

 in another work {Kings of the Rod, Rifle, and Gun). 



I will wind up with a couple of instances of " tall shoot- 

 ing," which the reader is at liberty to believe or not as he 

 chooses. 



John Mytton, the notorious mad Squire of Halston, was 

 one of the finest game and rifle shots of his day. It is 

 told of him that he could split a bullet on the edge of a 

 razor at thirty yards, and at double that distance send a 

 ball time after time through the peg-hole of a trimmer used 

 for pike-fishing, the said hole being an inch and a half in 

 diameter. 



After that the following Yankee yarn may not seem 

 wholly incredible. The hero is Dr Frank Powell of 

 Lacrosse, Wisconsin, U.S., a popular and successful 

 surgeon and M.D., but more famous for his marvellous 

 skill with the rifle. Among the Indians, who have the 

 greatest respect for him, he is known as " The White 

 Beaver." According to "the very reliable authority" 

 quoted in an American journal, some gentlemen called 

 upon Dr Powell one day to witness his powers as a marks- 

 man.'^ They found him with Mr Richardson, and the 

 Doctor, as a pleasing preliminary, observing that his friend 

 Richardson's lips embraced a cigar about an inch long, 

 picked up his rifle, and knocked away the cigar stub. 



" Richardson, in order to show his friend's steadiness 

 of aim, then placed a cork on the top of his own head, and 

 asked the other to shoot it off, which the Doctor did at 

 once with a revolver shot. Then, stooping backwards, 

 Richardson balanced a pea-nut on his nose, which must 



