AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
71 
replace my loss only by sending several miles to a store, 
and then my choice was limited to the sizes Nos. 4 and 
11 . I however chose the latter size, and purchased the 
whole stock, which was but little over three pounds. Thus 
scantily supplied in a region which abounded in game, I 
restricted my charges to rather less than one ounce, with a 
proportionate quantity of powder, and even thus reduced, I 
found that I not only killed my birds at as long distances, 
but with greater certainty than with No. 7 — the size I had 
been using previously. This determined me in my fu- 
ture charges and size of the shot. I doubt, however, of 
my success, if the day had been very windy, as the shot 
was so exceedingly small, that the sudden blasts of wind 
which occur duringthat month, (December,) would entirely 
have diverted the shot from a right line: but not so with 
No. 8, as I have invariably used that size during the most 
windy weather, with effect. Success in killing the kind 
of game I am now speaking of, or indeed any kind of 
game whatever, is not attributable so much to the size, as 
the multiplicity of the shot thrown at it; the chances of 
killing multiply very fast after you pass No. 7 shot — for 
instance, an ounce of No. 7 contains but 289 pellets, 
while an ounce of No. 8 contains 660 pellets, by which it 
will appear that in augmenting the size only one number, 
your chances of striking the object aimed at are increased 
upwards of one hundred per cent.; or in other words, 
it will require two and an eighth ounces of No. 7 shot 
to give an equal number of chances with No. 8; by this, it 
must certainly appear that great advantages are on the 
side of finer shot than is ordinarily used. Again, an 
object twenty-five or thirty yards distant, will be struck 
sooner by fine than by coarse shot, although the latter 
may be driven with greater force; beyond this distance, 
however, coarse shot has the advantage. If, then, at 
the distance of thirty yards, small shot is driven with 
more velocity than coarser shot, and yet possess sufficient 
power to destroy the game shot at, my position is good, and 
fine shot in preference to coarse should be adopted. The 
argument which many use in favour of large shot, “ that 
one frequently encounters larger game, such as Pheasants, 
&c.” need be of no avail. The most effective and best 
shots I ever made were at Pheasants, with No. 8 shot; 
however, let the learner try the experiment, and if he 
does not find my advice correct, he can abandon it. I. 
CHAMOIS HUNTERS. 
The Tyrolese are perhaps the most persevering hunters 
in the world, and seem to despise all danger in their favour- 
ite pursuit. They are such admirable marksmen that their 
services as sharp-shooters, in the late war, were rewarded 
with the temporary liberty of hunting with impunity. The 
value of this liberty can only be estimated by those who 
know the passion of the Tyrolese for the chase, a passion 
more violent than that of the gamester. Neither threats nor 
punishment can deter them from the pursuit of it. Gain is 
not the object, as the Chamois, flesh and skin, does not 
sell for above ten or twelve florins; and yet a man who had 
been many times caught in the fact, declared, that if he 
knew the next tree would be his gallows, he would never- 
theless hunt. M. de Saussure records an interesting anec- 
dote of a Chamois hunter whom he knew; he was a tall, 
well-made man, and had just married a beautiful woman: — 
“ My grandfather (said he) lost his life in the chase, and 
so did my father, and I am so well assured that one day 
or other I shall also lose mine, that this bag, which I always 
carry with me in the hunt, I call my winding-sheet, for I 
shall certainly never have any other; nevertheless, sir, if 
you were to offer me a fortune immediately, on condition 
that I must relinquish the chase, I would not accept it.” 
De Saussure says, that he took several excursions among 
the Alps with this man; his strength and agility were as- 
tonishing, but his courage, or rather his temerity, still 
greater than either. About two years afterwards his foot 
slipped on the edge of a precipice, and he met the fate 
which he had so calmly contemplated. 
[Sportsman’s Cyclopedia. 
BEAR HUNTING. 
The Bridgeton (N. J.) Whig contains an account of a 
grand “ Bear Hunt,” had in Cape May county on the 
17th of April. Mr. Joshua Stiles discovered a Bear track 
leading from the bay to the sea side. He gave notice, and 
a company formed, and tracked Bruin into a swamp, 
where they found that he had breakfasted on a sheep. 
The next morning search was resumed, with one good dog. 
He immediately took the track, and dragged it through 
the swamp, and over the main road leading from Cape May 
Court House to Dennis Creek, and intoa swamp to the north- 
ward of said road, where he started Bruin. The Bear 
not being in the swamp where the men expected to find 
him, they were, in consequence, thrown into confusion 
and disorder, running in all directions to keep in with the 
dog. A man who was carting cord wood, saw the Bear 
cross the road, and the dog behind, snapping him. The 
Bear, steering his course northwardly, ran out of hearing 
of the men, but the dog pursued him so closely, snapping 
