26 SHORT STALKS 



F shoots with a. solid bullet, whereas I used an 



express, the bullet of which carries a copjDer tube in the 

 hollow. The bullet had passed through, but it had left 

 behind this unmistakable " certificate of oricjin." Poor 

 cowboy ! 



AVe were oblisfed to bow down in the house of Rimmon, 

 and, for the satisfaction of our Sards, devote a day or two 

 to the caccia grossa which they esteem so much. A 

 motley band of peasants, accompanied by a variety of 

 dogs, appeared at an early hour one morning 1)}^ agree- 

 ment. Some who came from a distance had camped for the 

 night in the woods. They were very keen and confident, 

 and expected no pay beyond a supply of wine and a share 

 of such oame as niioht be killed. All had o-uns, but in a 

 more or less rickety condition. The barrels of some were 

 badly cracked, which was not to be wondered at, for the 

 muzzles were "stoppered" with plugs of grass when not 

 in use, and doubtless these trivial obstacles were occasion- 

 ally forgotten. I was told of one man who shot with an 

 ancient piece which had a distinct elbow in the barrel. 

 This slight blemish, he said, had been made by his grand- 

 father, so that only the owner should possess the secret of 

 shootino- with it. 



Before each drive there was a great deal of voluble 

 discussion, not to say quarrelling, as to how the drives were 

 to be taken, and who were to act as beaters. About a 

 third were told off for this purpose, while the remainder, 

 with ourselves, occupied the "posts" on the ridge above 

 the drive, or on the slope which was to be driven. I con- 

 fess I envied the beaters, for we were soon chilled to the 

 bone at the posts. They did not appear to attach much 



