310 SHOOTING IN CHINA. 



hares, geese, and duck indiscriminately, and with an 

 old musket, or gun of any description, loaded with some 

 handfuls of shot and slugs, fired several rounds into the 

 birds. I remember an instance of an epicure, when 

 in the act of eating a snipe, telling his companion the 

 bird had been shot. 



" I don't doubt it, I assure you." 



" But why, what 's the matter ?" exclaimed the 

 other man, on observing his friend making the most 

 dreadful face, as if in great pain. 



" my tooth, my tooth ! I believe I have broken 

 it. Look here !" he added, pulling a piece of iron 

 from his mouth which looked as if it had been cut off 

 the end of a bar. " Those abominable Chinamen ! 

 why, the bird was shot after it was dead, the rascals, 

 and I gave that piece of iron a crunch enough to break 

 my jaw, much more my tooth." 



I remember a gallant admiral, long since gone to the 

 happy hunting-grounds, going out shooting not far from 

 Shanghai ; his secretary and some one else accompanied 

 him. Presently one of the small hog-deer was started, 

 and several shots were fired in its direction, some of 

 which took effect, and wounded the animal. Of course 

 the admiral's shot must have hit it ! Away rushed the 

 secretary to capture the struggling creature; but just 

 as he stretches out to grasp it, the deer shakes itself 



