390 lewis' AMERICAN SPORTSMAN". 



the burning package with the tongs, and, rushing with it to 

 the window, which had been opened a few moments before 

 for the purpose of taking an observation of the weather, threw it 

 out, where, in a moment or two, it exploded with a tremendous 

 noise — but fortunately doing no mischief. 



It is almost useless for us to warn the Sportsman to be care- 

 ful, when drying powder, to expose as little as possible at a 

 time to the fire, or he may blow the roof off the house, and 

 perhaps blow himself out of the window. With proper caution, 

 there is no more danger in drying powder than there would be 

 in drying so much sand ; but in the hands of a careless or 

 reckless person, the process would be rather hazardous. 



TROPERLY LOADING THE GUN. 



The art of rightly proportioning the charge for our piece is 

 not so easy a matter as many suppose, but, on the contrary, it 

 requires some considerable judgment and experience to ascer- 

 tain the exact quantity of powder and shot that a piece will 

 best shoot. If we wish to ascertain this fact conclusively, a 

 series of experiments should begone through with immediately 

 after the purchase of our gun; in fact, every Sportsman should 

 settle this important fact in his own mind at once, as we can 

 assure him that much of his success in shooting depends upon 

 the proper loading of his piece. If the gun be overloaded, as 

 is much too often the case both with powder and shot, the 

 whole charge will be carried out of the barrel with an un- 

 natural, unequal, unstead}^, and wild impetuosity (if we may be 

 allowed so to speak), far at variance with that regular, easy, and 

 determined motion we see imparted to it by a proper propor- 

 tion of each. The gun, no matter how tightly grasped, if 

 overloaded, will spring from the hand, and a recoil more or 

 less severe will be felt at the shoulder ; this should never occur 

 in small fire-arms. In large Duck-guns, a slight recoil is excusa- 

 ble; but even in these pieces, proper loading will almost inva- 

 riably remedy the evil if the gun is properly constructed ; and 

 if after proper management it still proves incorrigible, the 

 weapon had better be sold for luant of itse^ or placed in the 

 hands of some one who cares but little for a bruised arm and a 

 sore shoulder. 



