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inverted bearing of the barrel upon your left 

 arm, affords against danger from any accidental 

 discharge : and it is in our present situation, as 

 working our way through cover, that I must 

 again more pointedly renew my call on you to 

 observe, with a confirmed habit of this locked 

 hold of the gun with both hands, and their 

 instinctive projection together (for you can not 

 readily disentangle them), in case of a trip or a 

 fall, how perfectly harmless over the shoulder 

 backwards, or high in air, the charge would 

 pass off. Nor can I resist once more point- 

 ing your attention to the disciplined security 

 with which you would, in your present atti- 

 tude, present yourself to a companion prepared 

 to enter a cover along with him, compared 

 with the awful threatenings from the slovenly 

 cross-line carriage of a gun borne in the usual 

 way, with its barrel upwards (see p. 176), and 

 the additional awkwardness with which you 

 shall see the untutored bearer, upon ground 

 like this, during every expectation or chance of 

 spring, with his right hand cramped up on duty, 

 in order to be in readiness for the shot, and 

 struggling to maintain in such position (we are 

 obliged even for the attempt) a slippery hold 

 over the cock, doubtless on full bent, and ready 

 with the first stumble to clear away a charming 

 avenue through the bushes which intercept all 



