152 A Sportsman at Large 



friend, General Willoughby, took me home in his dog-cart, 

 and had to hold me in with one arm, whilst he drove his smart 

 cob with the other. On arriving at my home in South Audley 

 Street, my C.O. put me to bed and sent for the doctor, who 

 gave me an effectual emetic, which worked wonders. 



In a couple of days I was myself again, but no more 

 Ballastite for your Uncle Cockie, thank you ! 



I reached the zenith of my triumphs, such as they were, in 

 the International Concourse at the Gun Club and Hurlingham 

 in the summer of 1883. 



This annual gala was divided between the two clubs; 

 shooting taking place at each enclosure on alternate days 

 throughout the week ; the whole programme culminating on 

 the Saturday with the contest for " The Grand International 

 Cup," value two hundred and fifty pounds, added to a sweep- 

 stake of five pounds each. 



This was a handicap. At that time my official distance 

 was twenty-five yards. I would not take advantage of this 

 leniency, but elected to toe the twenty-seven mark. 



" What gross conceit ! " you will say. 



Not at all ! The fact is that, for some occult reason, my 

 average at any distance nearer than twenty-six yards was 

 deplorable, whilst at twenty-nine or over I was uncertain and 

 inaccurate ; but at twenty-seven and twenty-eight yards 

 I was at my best such as that best was. 



I suppose that the latter distances suited my eye and 

 " timing," whilst longer or shorter ones found me guessing, 

 and either " snapping " or " poking," as the case might be. 

 This was not as it should be with one who held some sort of 

 reputation as a game shot but so it was ! 



Incidentally, I may mention that one season at Hurlingham 

 I had been shooting so moderately that Aubrey " Jack " 

 Coventry handicapped me at twenty-three yards, at which 

 there was a general outcry among the other shooters ; but 

 though I provided myself with a pair of cylinder barrels and 

 used No. 7 shot, I conspicuously failed to make even a 

 respectable showing. So I voluntarily receded to twenty- 

 seven yards and signalized my retreat by winning or dividing 

 every event on the day's card, and not missing a single bird 



