The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-03-03
COLUMBUS, Texas, Feb. Stb, '94.

ploVer and quail, | shoot a No. 16 ham,
merless, made expressly for myself in
London, England, by w. G. Scout s. Son,
which weighs six pounde 1t is beau
tiful gun and do not believe better
shooting gun was ever made. For geese,
ducks aud deer l shoot No. 10, made
also by W. G. Scott & Son, most beau
viful gun and very hard shooting one.
1t Is also "a hammeriess, and | would
advise all gunners that are thinking of
buying new guns, to buy hammerless
ones. They are SO much safer. There
is 90 possible danger with them. WIZ,
most all accidents By shoe ting ones self
have been iron, the hammers striking
against something, thereby exploding
the cartridge. l know too that a great
many gunners will differ with me, but il
they ever write to any OF the best manu-
faci urers OF guns they will tell them that
guns with hammers are thing of the
past. l am aware also that great many
gunners are prejudiced against No. 16,
thinking them too small and unable TO
kill as far as NJ. 12, but they are mis-
taken again. All that is required is TO
be- more particular, hold closer on yodr
game, and | will guarantee you will kill
as far as with any No u, besides
the load you are required to carry is
much less, and as you are not required
tn snpnt SD r,unh aOmnnifin, n 10 loss
expensive, AS TO ammunition, before
leaving Maryland | loaded five hundred
cartridges With three dhrams of commor
powder, g los for dollsr). two pin>
edge w4ds on powder, l uz. NJ. 8.
chilled shot, with one thin yad on shot.
sOon regretted my folly. | thought |
would ecouomize once 10 my life, ard
SHOT common powder. TGe first day |
Shoes Bare, Alter killing fifty six quail,
my arm vas nearly paralyzed from my
gun pushing me so harG that it was i'm
week, and in fact it is still very so;e,
and now | have to rest it after hard
days shooting. l then uuioaded one
hundred OF them, and reloaded with y
dhrams OF powder and OF shot, with two
piak edge wads on powder; but still it
did no good. The gun still recoiled
almost as badly as ever, So | discarded
them all, aud bought shells already
loaded with three dhrams of good powder
and OF. of No shot. | shall never
shoot any other load out OF my No. l6
again. My gun shot better; killed
| birds iurther off aud had less wounded
game, aud my advice to all gunners, who
shoot in the field, is never to use COM
men powder, use The best. Il costs more
at first but in the end it is much less
| expensive.
1t has always been my ambition to kill
one hundred quail IL one day, and
said if ever 1 visited Texas again, |
would undertake the very difficult task.
| To one VINO has never killed many quail
in day, it may seem an easy thing, but
those who have accomplished it know
how hard it is. 1t requires pluck,
stamina and courage, for one must travel
| over a great extent of country, load,
reload, find and bag his game. The
strain upon ones nerves is wonderful,
even bis dogs require nerve and bottom
am one must feed and water them often,
for unlike our country, it is hot and dry
here. Ic4r.ied water and feed for my
dogs as well as for myself, knowing
| would often need both. Yesterday, was
just the kind of day l wanted, a mild
norther blowing, a glorious day, one that
puts new life into hunter, a day pecu-
liar only to Texas, climate, where roses
bloom in mid winter in the open air and
SHOWS are never seen. A paradise for
hunters, no bushes, no br;ars, to inter
fere with ones shooting, but an oper
prairie aud beautiful shooting. | lef,
orders for the servants to call me early
and have my horse and buggy ready fol
me, sc having everything prepared the
night before, | made an early start
After driving about 10 miles | reached the
East Barnard, most beautiful stream
hitched my horse aud looking at my
watch found it was seven o'clock, il
your country six O'Clock, there being en'
hours difference between Eastern anC
Southern time. Going down the East
Barnard, few hundred yards, | sent m!
dogs. three pointers away. They wer,
as anxious as myself, and with bound
like deers they flew across the prairie
In little while Praise, white dog
one of the finest | have ever shot over
and the best dog barring an old do
Fisk that l shot over three winters ag
while here, that have ever seen, drey
to point. The other two dogs backe
The picture of those dogs standing on
lone prairie, not ouse within a mile G
them, every muscle standing out, thei
g eyes bursting almost from their socket
seeming almost to ask me to flush tn
birds aud release them of their anxiety
no one but a man who loves field shoot
ing could appreciate such picture.
stood almost spell bound. | could Nc
:. speak, looked at them wishing | coul
only have their pictures taken that
might look at 1t in after years and reca
again this days experience. | fiushe
the birds They raised with whir
and aiming where taey were the thickes
killed two with my left aud one wit
the right barrel. From that time unit
nearly dark those dogs hunted, stood
:, back stood and retrieved the birds. The
!. flew through the field prairie huntin
!, and quartering their ground as l bs
:, never seen equalled before. As nigt
;. drew near fatigued and worn out ire
- excitement and pleasure l sat down
my horse to rest. Counting my buds
had one hundred and seven quail, OF
dove and jack rabbit. Satisfied, II
ambition realized, am again ready
:, leave Texas, the most lovely place to r
~, on earth, where brave men and beau
n women are reared and who al