The inevitable Double-Barrel 109 



scape, dimmed, though, by yellow haze, or by the shallow- 

 lake in the vale. 



With the exception of knocking over a young rabbit 

 now and then for household use, the farmer, even if he is 

 independent of a landlord, as in this case, does not shoot 

 till late in the year. Old-fashioned folk, though not in 

 the least constrained to do so, still leave the first pick of 

 the shooting to some neighbouring landowner between 

 whose family and their own friendly relations have existed 

 for generations. It is true that the practice becomes rarer 

 yearly as the old style of men die out and the spirit of 

 commerce is imported into rural life : the rising race pre- 

 ferring to make money of their shooting, by letting it, in- 

 stead of cultivating social ties. 



At Wick, however, they keep up the ancient custom, 

 and the neighbouring squire takes the pick of the wing- 

 game. They lose nothing for their larder through this 

 arrangement — receiving presents of partridges and phea- 

 sants far exceeding in number what could possibly be 

 killed upon the farm itself; while later in the year the 

 boundaries are relaxed on the other side, and the farmer 

 kills his rabbit pretty much where he likes, in moderation. 



He is seldom seen without a gun on his shoulder from 

 November till towards the end of January. No matter 

 whether he strolls to the arable field, or down the meadows, 

 or across the footpath to a neighbour's house, the inevitable 

 double-barrel accompanies him. To those who live much 

 out of doors a gun is a natural and almost a necessary 

 companion, whether there be much or little to shoot ; and 

 in this desultory way, without much method or set sport, 

 he and his friends, often meeting and joining forces, find 

 sufficient ground game and wild-fowl to give them plenty 

 of amusement. When the hedges are bare of leaves the 



