AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 



259 



been partaking, are also legitimate and salutary enjoyments, 

 when, as in the present case, we are prepared for them by 

 exercise, and partake of them with temperance. The gra- 

 tification aiforded by assembling, as we now do, to celebrate 

 our annual festival, is brightened by the considerations that 

 the delicacies of the table which have formed the principal 

 portion of our repast, were obtained by our immediate exer- 

 tions — were the fruits of the recent display of our skill, 

 and we are taught by the additional satisfaction thus afforded 

 us, how important it is to the full and perfect enjoyment of 

 any of the good things of this life, to possess a consciousness 

 that they have been acquired by our own labours. With- 

 out this feeling, every pleasure is imperfect; is insipid; 

 with it, scarcely any thing is too insignificant to increase 

 the sum of our happiness, and awaken those emotions which 

 give a zest to all the enjoyments of life. 



GROUSE SHOOTING. 



Messes. Editors: 



I have read, with exceeding great pleasure, several in- 

 teresting accounts of successful sporting in your Cabinet of 

 Natural History and American Rural Sports. I am ex- 

 tremely fond of field sports, and consider it an obligation 

 on every fair sportsman to contribute to a meritorious work 

 like yours, such facts or incidents, as may be the result of 

 his own experience or observation, during his hunting ex- 

 cursions. 



Under this impression, I shall offer for your insertion, a 

 brief and unvarnished account of a few days Grouse shoot- 

 ing which I had this autumn, in company with my valued 

 friend and keen sportsman, Mr. E. P. of this city. We 

 left New York on the 14th of October; our destination was 

 a certain district in the honest and hospitable State of Penn- 

 sylvania; the particular locality, not being material to the 

 plot of my story, is not necessary to mention. After a plea- 

 sant, but very rapid journey, we arrived on the ground on 

 the 16th. I took no notes of things by the way, because 

 my mind and its thoughts were so fully occupied with anti- 

 cipations of success. On our arrival, we made inquiries 

 respecting the objects of our long journeying, the beautiful, 

 the inimitable Grouse! and we were informed that some 

 had been occasionally seen in the vicinity, but that (as we 

 well knew before) it required almost a native to find or kill 

 them. However, like most sportsmen, we possessed con- 

 ceit enough to believe ourselves competent for the enter- 

 prise we were about to undertake, and after inquiring whe- 

 ther a suitable person as a guide could be obtained, we were 

 directed to a man who was perfectly acquainted with the 



country; and him, therefore, we accordingly engaged for 

 the purpose, and employed his services during the time we 

 remained. And, indeed, without giving a minute descrip- 

 tion of the man, to sum up all in one all-inclusive appella- 

 tion, our guide proved himself to be a perfect "Leather 

 Stocking;" keen eye, steady hand, natural integrity, and 

 standing six feet two, without his leggins. 



Having thus arranged matters for the coming dawn, and 

 partaken of a sportsman's supper with an appetite which 

 needed no coaxing, which, with puffing away time with 

 the fragrant smoke of the soothing segar, and listening to 

 marvellous tales of hunting and fishing, we passed away the 

 hours pleasantly enough, until the last candle in the house 

 was nearly burnt out, and the buxom old landlady sat bob- 

 bing for next morning, as an Indian would at gnats. 



The next morning broke forth in that enchanting splen- 

 dour, which so particularly characterises one of our autumnal 

 days. The mellow light, softening every object that it 

 touched, rested upon the interminable forests and gilded the 

 mountain sides, tinged as they were with every variety of 

 magnificent colours. 



Our honest guide was at the door; we were equipped, 

 and all impatience to touch the feathers of the king of our 

 American feathered game. We sallied forth into the oak- 

 crowned hills, with our two setter dogs, Mack and Dash, and 

 by an early hour in the afternoon we bagged five brace of 

 heavy Grouse. The weather proving warmer than we anti- 

 cipated, we decided, after the most sober consultation, not 

 to go out the next day, fearing that if we killed more they 

 would spoil. We, therefore, contented ourselves by going 

 a trouting, our guide having awakened our curiosity by 

 offering to exhibit his method of taking that shy fish. I 

 consider it advisable not to describe this novel plan, because 

 it is contrary to the rules of true sport, and the fish are. 

 taken by it so rapidly, and in such quantities, that, if gene- 

 rally adopted, it would tend to exterminate the species.. 

 After he had taken about a dozen Trout in a very few mi- 

 nutes, we prevailed upon him to desist from his unsports- 

 manlike poaching. As there were some wood ducks in 

 the vicinity, I tried, at our guide's suggestion, for that 

 beautiful bird with his long gun. And here I would re- 

 mark, that those Pennsylvania Highlanders never turn out 

 of doors without these long guns, which, by much expe- 

 rience, they well know how to use. We started but two 

 Ducks; one, a fine Wood Duck, I killed while passing by 

 a still and lonely pond, among the silent woods, which is 

 ever a favourite haunt of that timid bird. Our guide killed 

 the other, which he called a White-belly, of a very fair 

 kind. In this manner, we spent our second day. 



The ensuing morning we started again for the scrub-oaks, 

 and had excellent sport. We bagged eight brace more of 



