416 



SHOOTING. 



enquiry is made whether the dogs have been fed ; 

 and the shooters who intend killing their full com- 

 plement of birds retire before eleven, (a late hour, 

 by the bye, in the vicinity of a moor,) lest they 

 should not feel as they could wish in the morning ; 

 and this is the more necessary if they be not 

 members of a Temperance Society. Every bed is 

 speedily occupied, and the retainers lie on sofas, 

 elbow-chairs, or whatever else presents itself; but 

 how often it happens that the god of slumber is in- 

 voked in vain ! 



Morning dawns the morning of the Twelfth 

 and " heavily with mists comes on the day." The 

 occupiers of benches and chairs are first on the 

 alert the landlady is called breakfast is pre- 

 pared the dogs are looked at all is tumult, 

 noise, and confusion reckless must he be that can 

 rest longer in bed " the cootie moorcocks crousely 

 craw," little fearing that many a bold mountaineer 

 amongst them must, ere night, be 



Whistled down with a slug in his wing ! 



The dram-flasks are filled the sandwiches cut 

 some provision is made for the dogs the shot- 

 belts are buckled on a multitude of other matters 

 are arranged and orders given. Next is heard the 

 howling and yelping of dogs the cracking of whips 

 the snapping of locks the charging, and flash- 

 ing and firing of guns* and every other note of 



* It may seem unsportsmanlike to flash off, and charge, before 

 arriving at the shooting ground, but we deem it an act of prudence. 

 Out of a dozen guns, some of which have not been used all summer, 



