STILL-HUNTING THE ANTELOPE. 323 



weapons he may have stood, against human odds, or may 

 have lowered the ferocious Grizzly, not with one or two 

 shots, perhaps, but by pouring in such a deadly streak of 

 lead that nothing could stand before it. 



Swung to the wagon-bows of the erratic prairie-schooner, 

 exposed to rain, dust, and snow, the old Winchester has 

 dangled, magazine full to the hopper — taken down when 

 needed, now to clip off the head of duck, brant, or grouse, 

 now to riddle Coyote or Fox, now to fan the tail of cun- 

 ning Jack or fleeing "Swift;" now replaced in its slings 

 without further ado. Seldom cleaned, and never thor- 

 oughly so, yet, perhaps, to-morrow the lives of the whole 

 party may depend on one or two of these deadly weapons, 

 whose sharp and oft-repeated reports shall ring through 

 the air, in contrast and defiant answer to the wild war- 

 whoop of circling, seldom- visible savages. These are some 

 of the reasons why I like the Winchester. 



If I have dwelt at greater length on the subject of rifles 

 than seems proper, I trust I may be pardoned. My reason 

 for so doing is, that we frequently see, in our sportsmen's 

 journals, the question asked, " Why is the Winchester such 

 a general favorite V I have simply endeavored to show 

 why it is such; and "them's my sentiments." Verily, I 

 could not look on any Winchester and say otherwise; nor 

 could I handle my old chum and companion, the forty-four- 

 caliber Smith & Wesson, that lias been so close to me since 

 early in the '70s, and that has never failed me once. 



A target-rifle may be better for its purpose if narrow in 

 the bore than if of large caliber. To merely perforate a 

 piece of linen or paper, a thirty -two-caliber may be better, 

 up to two hundred yards, than a forty-five or fifty caliber; 

 I believe it is. There is less recoil, noise, and Fourth of July 

 about it; but when it comes to up-ending a Deer, Elk, or 

 Bear, I greatly prefer a forty-five or fifty caliber, as then 

 one pill is generally a full dose. 



My experience in killing large game is identical, in many 

 particulars, with that of perhaps the ablest writer on such 

 topics that we have in this country — I mean Mr. T. S. 



