CHAP. 111.] Shooting Matches. 93 



of 30_,000/.j but the real amount netted by the winner 

 after the payment of all expenses was 1800Z. 



As shots, Mr. Osbaldeston and Captain Ross — the 

 latter the better man at cross-country — shared with the 

 Hon. G. Anson_, the honour of being- the three " cracks 

 of England." The three were constantly in competition, 

 and it was hard to say which of the trio was the better 

 man. In the match for 1000 sovereigns between 

 Captain Ross and the " Squire," which came off at 

 Battersea in the May of 1828, the latter suffered an easy 

 defeat. Each ^as to shoot at 250 birds at a thirty 

 yards' rise. Four days were taken up in completing the 

 match, Ross killing 175 birds, and the "Squire" 164. 

 On the first day the former missed only seven shots, 

 on the second twenty-two, on the third eighteen, 

 and on the last, when he was ill, twenty-eight. His 

 opponent's misses, on each of the four days 

 respectively, were tAventy-three, twenty-five, twenty- 

 three, and fifteen. In the November of the same year, a 

 very interesting match took place between Captain Ross 

 and the Hon. G. Anson, which should kill the most 

 partridges, walking side by side, on a manor in Norfolk 

 of Mr. Henry De Ros's. The amount of the wager was 

 500 guineas a side, shooting to commence at a quarter 

 past eight a.m., and to close at a quarter past four p.m. 

 Each party was to have three guns and as many loaders. 

 The day proved to be foggy and therefore unfavourable, 

 and the birds so wild, that at the end of the first hour 

 only four birds had been bagged, of which Colonel Anson 

 had secured three. Each shooter, hoping to fatigue the 

 other, commenced walking at the rate of five miles an 

 hour which they kept up for the two first hours. After that 



