TOD SLOAN 



Italians were civil. Still it didn't matter much. I 

 had my own bunch to talk to and was having a good 

 time anyway. 



I was continually impressed with the different 

 personalities shooting at Monte Carlo. I should say 

 the majority who read this book will know of Mackin- 

 tosh, the Australian, and Crittenden Robinson, the 

 Californian ; the former was I suppose the more 

 brilliant shot but Robinson had that extra stamina 

 which would last him out in a tough battle, and he was 

 an older man too. He used to give me many tips. 

 That season Mackintosh shot eight hundred and forty- 

 six pigeons out of nine hundred and ninety, while 

 Robinson had a score of eight hundred and eighty-five 

 out of one thousand and sixty-four. The winner of 

 the Grand Prix du Casino, Pellier Johnston, was not 

 shooting much and scored thirty-five out of thirty-nine. 

 I only had four hundred and thirty birds with three 

 hundred and fourteen kills. 



I shall always think that Harry Roberts is one of the 

 soundest shots I ever saw, and perhaps he can take the 

 honours among the Englishmen. I have always heard 

 from real good judges that perhaps the greatest man 

 who ever shot pigeons was a Captain Brewer, but I never 

 saw him. Crosby, who came from somewhere in Iowa 

 and was known as " Tobacco Bill," was a marvellous 

 man with a gun. He had a peculiar habit of squirting 

 a big mouthful of tobacco which he had in his cheek 

 at the very moment of crying " pull " to the man at 

 the traps. Perhaps when this book is reviewed and 

 some of the critics are as kind as they can be to it, 

 they may be able to supplement my suggestions with 

 additional information about those I write of. 



By the way one of the most remarkable shots 

 especially among young men was a Californian who 



210 



