Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-11-06
THE EVENING STAR.
RifF&E SHOOTING IN KENTUCKY

Bssfpg resided some years IN kentucky, ssS
k5NeaE more than onoe been witasss OF r;fse
o6-< rvstion how far rifse shooting n unasfSsood
htbafStafe. Several iR@iv id rais who con ,ei ",
thrrnsely~s expert in the management CT . gam
are CT seen 20 zisst fcr The purpose Of dis
playing their skill; wagering small TIN, they
Pat up target, in the cenrr Of which n con-
mon sixrd nail j. hammered for about two thirds
% It's lsnFth- The m1sksraru make = choice OF
nay Re forty pace.. Fab maa cleans tae
murior Of his tuhe, which Is called wipsns Il,
places taii In thS palm a has hand, pouring
a much powder from has tera 1poa il q. will
cover IL This Quantity x supposed - hs sufb-
eient fer any distance withia a hundred yards.
A shot which ccmss very close 70 the nail Is
considered that Of indifferent nkrksinan;
the binding or th- nail is some " hat better, hn:
nothing less shaa hfftins q right The haati -
satisfactory. Dzae out 81 three shots generally
half a dozen, two nas3s free aeAtly needed
before each can have q shot.
These who drive rhs nail have a further
trial ancax thrzssciyes, and me two best shots
ef ihrse generally settle the 9fEir, when All The
sport-M~s ad reuFu 20 some ho1se, aud spend
IN houro two IN fsiendly intercourse, appoint
ing, kFfo-e they part, day for another trial
This Is tecSnicaAy termed ..fri<iRg the nall
Parking on squirrels Is delightful sport. and
In my opinion, rsqufyes a er"atsr degree or &C
euracS than any other. FIRST witnessed this
marnr- of procuring squirrels whilst near ths
town of fTsnkfort, the performer being a cele-
tret-d rife shot. ~ewslked out together, and
river until we reached q piece Of fiat land
thickiy covered with black wainuts, oaks and
hickey. AsThe general mast WAS q good one
that ye5r squirrels were seen gathering on every
tree around Us. My companion. a stout. hale
and athletic man, dressed in O. homespun hunt
ing shirt. barr-legged and moccaSoned, carrying
q long and heavy rife, which. As he was load
ing if, he said had proved ehrctual in all former
nnds rLakines, and which he hoped would
not fali on this occasion. as he felt proud 20
show me his skill. The gun was wiped, the
hall hal
thread linen, and the charge sent home with
hickory rod
We moved not a step from the place, for the
squirrels were so numerous IL was not naces-
sary &c 90 after them. NV companion pointed
20 one OF those animals that had observed us
and was erouehed on n branch about fifty PAGES
distant, and made me mark well where the ball
should hit He raised his piece gradually until
ihe bead tthat is the name given by the Ken
fuekians 10 the sight of the barred was brought
10 a line with the spot he intended 10 hit The
whip-hke report resounded through the woods.
and along the hill, in repeated echoes. Judge
OF my surprise when perceived that the ball
had hit the piece OF bark Immediately beneath
The squirrel, and had shiyered il into spIinters,
the Gene ussion produced by which had killed
the animal. and sent il whirling through the
air, as II y hal brrn blown up by the explosion
Of powder magazine. Since that adventure I
have see many other individuals perferm the.
same feat. The .ssnuffiBg of a candle with a
ball, first had an opportunity Of seeing near
tie banks of Green river, not far from q large
pigeon roost. to which had previously made
q visit
1heard many reports of guns during The early
par; OF \ dark aiyht. and knowing ii 70 he those
of rifles, L went towards the spot 20 ascertain
the cause. On reaching the place / was wei.
coined by dozen tall stout men, who told ms.
they wereexsrcising for the purpose Of enabling
them 10 shoot hv night 1t the reflected light from
the eyes Of deer, or Wolf by torchlight 4 fire
was blazing near, the smoke of which rose
curling among The thick foliage Of tn. trees. At
n distance that rendered il scarcely distinguish.
able. stood burning candle, as If intended a.
An Offering 10 the goddess Of night, but which
In fact, was only fifty yards from the spot on
which We stood One nan was within a few
yards of itr TO watch the effects OF the shots as
well as TO lightFthe candle should il chance 10
60 out, rreplaceit should the shot cut il across
Each marksman shot IN his turn. Some never
hit even The snur OF the candle, and were con.
graduated with a loud laugh, while others ac-
tnally snuned the candle without putting il out
and were recuInpensed for their dexteri,y by
numerous hnrrahs. One of them, who was
particularly expert, was very fortunate. and
snuhed the candle three times out of seven
whilst all the others put out the candle or
eutitimmediateiy under the light