164 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY 



again, a sensible interval of time to ensue after the finger 

 begins to press the trigger, before the load issues from the 

 barrel, does it not seem evident, that were that interval 

 sunk by placing the load at the muzzle, when bearing full 

 on the object, that the discharge and effect must be so nearly 

 simultaneous, as hardly to admit of a perceptible difference 

 in time? Now, going upon the principle that I support, 

 of " keeping up the swing of the gun, in proportion to the 

 flight of the bird," and not altering its bearing upon it 

 when pulling trigger, the load is always, as it were, kept at 

 the muzzle of the gun. No time being lost in the passage 

 of the contents from the breech or in pulling trigger, and 

 allowing a certain lateral, in connexion with the forward 

 force of the shot, and several feet for its spread, it appears 

 almost impossible, with good cover or aim, for a bird ever 

 to escape. The mode of shooting in advance, I am aware, 

 is practised by many sportsmen, but it appears to be, as I 

 before observed, the consequence of habit and confirmed 

 prejudice, and, in a great measure, attributable to the fact 

 of the swing of the gun being stopped at the time of pulling 

 trigger, thereby rendering a certain allowance necessary. 

 At best, it is but a very uncertain mode of shooting, and 

 liable to too much discretionary exercise, which the ardour 

 of the sportsman seldom admits of, and which can never be 

 relied on in emergencies. Let I. T. S. but try the experi- 

 ment of shooting on my plan, on his next excursion to the 

 Chesapeake, and I feel assured he will never again resort to 

 his own. I have conversed with many of our best shots on 

 the subject, wlio all decidedly coincide with me in my 

 views. I was much amused with the reply of an old 

 sportsman, (a man who follows shooting for a living, and, 

 than whom few better shots can be found,) to a question 

 put to him, as to his mode of directing the gun. He had 

 just come out of the marsh, covered with mud and mire, 

 and with the best evidence of his success — a bag full of 

 game. " B.," said I, " were a duck to pass you at fifty or 

 sixty yards distance, it is more than probable you could kill 

 it." "I think so." " Tell me, now, in taking 3-our aim, 

 how much headway would you give; six inches or a foot?" 

 "Headway," replied he smiling; "why, as for that, I 

 think I might kill it as soon by giving it a foot ahead as a 

 foot behind." 



The subject having now been viewed in all its different 

 bearings, I am satisfied to leave it to sportsmen to pronounce 

 on the merits of our respective modes; and, on closing, 

 cannot but express my gratification at the courtesy and for- 

 bearance which has been manifested by your correspondent 

 throughout this discussion, and the candour with which he 

 has admitted or acknowledged the correctness and force of 

 my argument, when convinced in his mind of its truth. 



SPORTSMAN. 



Count de Launay's 

 DESCRIPTION OF A FOX HUNT. 



Sir — By my vord, Mr. Redacteur, I voud me much 

 relate von vare great chasse I have me just vitnes.'-ed avec 

 des chiens de Monsieur Craving, at the chateau ol mi Lor 

 Chichester, von league from this ville. 



I vas me sitting at mine dejeun6 ce matin ven I view 

 von gentlemans ride past upon a vite cheval, vit him a 

 coleure de rouge coat on, and von long vip in him hand. 

 Vat for dis gentleman coat ? I demande of de vaiter ; shall 

 it be de king? "No, sare," said he, "it be Monsieur 

 Jacque Bunco going a honting." — " Vot him hunt?" said 

 I. — " De Fox," said he. "Ah de Renard ! I have me 

 moch heard of this hont de Renard in Angleterre ; I most 

 me certainly go. I vill me get my pistolets tout suite." — 

 "You must liave an orse," said the vaiter. " Certaine- 

 ment ! " said I ; " a vite orse same as Monsieur Bunce : " 

 but the stoopid vellow got me von black, at vich I vas 

 much enrage, as I thought I vood be ridicule, for I did me 

 see another gentlemans on a vite orse same as Monsieur 

 Bunce ; and de stoopid vellow brought von saddle sans 

 chose pour les pistolets, and so being in moch hurry I did 

 me pot them in mine surtout poche." 



A great fracas vas at my behind, and ven I look me 

 round I shall find von fine English lady attired in rouge 

 and blue, gallop along de street in moch haste, and anoder 

 gentlemans on anoder vite cheval same as Monsieur Bunce 

 gallop vit her, and him had rouge on also. 



At de chateau vare many peoples had come, and a large 

 flock of dogs, and two gentlemens in rouge habits and black 

 bonnets, who vere grand chasseurs under INIonsieur Crav- 

 ing, de grand maitre de chiens. — " Ou est votre mousquet ? 

 vere is your musket? " said I to von of these gentlemens, 

 but he touch him bonnet and said noting. Then com Mon- 

 sieur Craving, and they both did de same to him. " How 

 be de vind, George ? " said he to the grossest von ; " shall 

 ve have moch scent to-day ? " — " De vind be in de East," 

 said George, " but I think de scent may do." — " Vill you 

 accept som scent from me ? " said I to George, offering 

 him von flacon. "Be it gin?" said he. "No, not gin, 

 but bouquet du Roi, vare fine scent, trois franc cinque sous 

 per bouteille. " By my vord the stoopid dem vellow he 

 did him drink de perfume, and then he spit it out. 



" Ve shall go," said Monsieur Craving ; and avay ve all 

 vent in moch speed. " Vere de Renard ? vere de Renard ? " 

 I demanded. " Hold your jaw ! " said von gentlemans in 

 de bonnet, " you vill make him steal away." — " Ah, him 

 steal moch poulet, moch turque, n'est-ce-pas ? de same in 

 France, de same in France ; him vare great voleur ; I shall 

 him shoot, I shall him shoot ! " 



