My First Gun. 7 



say at once, that its subsequent performance 

 did not at all belie its appearance. 



When my father was away from home 

 on one of his hunting days, or I knew he 

 was away on business, and that I should be 

 perfectly safe from interruption, with the assist- 

 ance of Ben, great preparations were made 

 for ascertaining how this ancient but most 

 interesting fire-arm would perform ; and as it 

 had so long lain hid it was necessary to be 

 cautious. Accordingly, we began by degrees, 

 first of all putting a little powder in the 

 barrel, filling the pan, and snapping it off (my 

 collection included some flints, which now 

 came into use). We then determined to try a 

 real charge, which having accomplished by 

 ramming down newspaper on the top of the 

 pbwder and shot by way of wadding, we tied 

 the gun to a tree, fixed a target of brown 

 paper at about thirty yards off; we then tied 

 a string to the trigger, retired to a safe distance 

 (my memory does not serve me exactly, but 

 I rather fancy we took the precaution of 

 getting round the corner of a wall), and let 

 drive. Glorious was the report, and most 

 satisfactory the appearance of the target! I 



