AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
at eighty yards distance, for I have always observed, that 
if the left arm trembles while you are drawing up, you 
cannot depend on your shooting. The wind is against 
us at this target, and I have not yet made sufficient allow- 
ance for it. 
<¢ Do you draw with two fingers or three? 
‘¢T pursue a different plan from usual in drawing, using 
shooting gloves upon the second and third fingers only, 
and of course drawing principally with those two, and 
using the first but slightly. I think that the brace being 
sewed fast to the sleeve is more convenient than the usual 
method of fastening it with straps and buckles; the trian- 
gular pocket that we have attached to our belts, is an im- 
provement on the strap and pouch of the English equip- 
ment, sent to us by Waring of London,* if that equip- 
ment is the same that is in common use. It may look 
as if egotism misleads us, but in some of the minor mat- 
ters of convenience, we think we have made improve- 
ments; for instance, besides the matters just mentioned, 
look at the backs of our targets, made of Carolina moss, 
quilted between strong linen. No arrow has ever passed 
through, and there is no symptom of wear from use; it 
appears to me that they will endure as long as our associa- 
tion, and heaven grant that that may be, until we are as 
aged as our venerated ancestor of the bow, Sir William 
Wood, ‘ who his long life to that alone did owe.’ 
«¢ Let me look at your arrows—how well they are made, 
and how neatly painted; you have chosen a beautiful cclour 
—light blue; but your mark is not so easily made as 
mine. An anchor is, however, very appropriate. 
‘¢ What do you think the best weight for arrows? 
‘<A bout three-fourths of an ounce; (you observe that I 
have abandoned the old terms of 2 and 4 and 2 and 
6, because they convey no decided impression to the 
mind.) I think one ounce too heavy, unless you shoot 
with a very strong bow, or in windy weather. 
«<7 was unfortunately absent from the city on the 12th of 
September, the day of our annual prize shooting, and had 
no opportunity of hearing the particulars. Will you tell 
me how you made out? 
<¢ With pleasure, particularly from the circumstance of my 
having no personal interest in the contest, further than 
the esprit de corps; that is so remarkable in the members 
of our club, you may remember, that good luck has been 
my portion for a prize shooting or two; and as there were 
several young archers, new associates, who stood in need 
* Pp. S. We have been much delighted since the above notice was 
sent to you, by the reception of a fine parcel of bows and arrows from 
Scotland, being from the celebrated manufactory at Kilwinen. The 
bows are of Scotch yew, and the arrows the neatest I have ever seen. 
Our new members are now elegantly equiped, and we haye a spare 
stock in reserves 
163 
of encouragement, I determined not to take a part in the 
competition. Our worthy associate A had drawn by lot 
the duties of captain of the target, at the same time that 
he took the first chance in the order of shooting. I there- 
fore volunteered to act as captain and register, and relieve 
the competitors from all duties save that of making the 
best display of skill they could. Ihad a good opportunity 
of observing the men, and although some of them had 
been put through the archer’s drill, as given in our manual, 
but a few days in anticipation of this contest, they took 
their places upon the stand, nocked their arrows, and 
drew to the ear, with the steadiness of veterans. The 
time of shooting was two hours, from three to five; and 
as there were nine persons shooting at one pair of targets, 
the number of rounds were few; they shot as usual in 
pairs, in order to save as much time as possible. There 
were lots of muslin, (as our nicknaming associate,  , 
calls the ladies,) and a high wind, both unfavourable cir- 
cumstances to composure and good shooting. This gen- 
tleman, like myself, has seldom had good luck in a 
contest of this kind, where the excitement usually pro- 
duces a bad effect upon the nervous system; but notwith- 
standing these disadvantageous circumstances, he acquitted 
himself nobly, having fourteen hits, the value of which 
was 60, twoin the gold, one of which was nearest the 
centre, and would have entitled him to the secondary 
prize, if he had not gained the first; therefore took the 
secondary, a piece of luck that shows the utility of the 
secondary prize; for the hit nearest the centre, this being 
the second if not the first time that this gentleman had 
drawn a bow at the target. 
“‘The first prize for the value of hits, is inevitably the 
property of the best archer, provided he can command 
his nerves, and say, with effect to his heart, ‘ peace, be 
still? There is the card, you see that. 
has 14 hits, value 60 
e6 9 73 ce 31 
ce 16 (73 (a4 52 
oe 3 (43 (73 15 
ce 9 ce ce 29 
cc 5 13 ce 19 
‘<No greatshooting, you will say; granted, butas good as 
prize shootings usually are: we can tell in looking over 
our target book, when we have a prize register before 
us, by the fewness of the hits, except there is this note in 
the margin, in the angular, or best printing hand, of the 
‘Knocked off on account of rain, time of 
99) )\ 
SRIF Oa 
Secretary. 
shooting twenty-five minutes. 
October 15th, 1832. 
