56 MANUAL FOE YOUNG SPOBTSMEN. 



The latter objection, also, militates strongly against 

 the damascene-twist barrels, which may be, and are so 

 exactly imitated by means of etching with acid, and high- 

 finishing afterward, that it will puzzle the best amateur 

 to pronounce positively which is the real and which is the 

 imitated article. 



It is further alleged, that in twisting and re-twisting 

 the metallic threads to the degree necessary to produce 

 the beautiful wavy appearance, which procures for this 

 species of work the name of damascus — as if it were analo- 

 gous to the celebrated method of scymitar-making, now 

 lost, which it is known not io be — the tenacity of the 

 separate fibres is destroyed. This question I leave to the 

 expert, not being sufficiently informed to venture an 

 opinion. The fact, however, that there is an apparently 

 reasonable doubt existing among those best capable of 

 speaking to the book, as to the toughness and tenacity of 

 the component parts of these two species of metal, and as 

 danger is inextricably connected with error, I judge it 

 best to hold to the safe side ; the rather, that no one 

 will deny imposition to be both easier, and of more 

 common occurrence in these, than in any other form of 

 barrels. 



It tells, also, disadvantageously for the damascened 

 twist, that one rarely, if ever, sees one by any of the 

 great London or, even Birmingham houses. I am cer- 

 tain that I have never seen a damascus-twist gun by 

 Purday, Manton, Moore, Lancaster, or — I think — AVestley 

 Richards; though I will not say that none such exist. 

 Their rarity, however, goes to indicate that they are not 



