He is armed with a long flint or percussion lock musket, whose
gas-pipe barrel is bound to the wood that runs its entire length by
means of brass bands, and whose effective range must be about ten
yards. This archaic implement is known as a "trade gun" and has the
single merit of never getting out of order. Furthermore ammunition is
precious. In consequence, the wilderness hunter is not going to be
merely pretty sure; he intends to be absolutely certain. If he cannot
approach near enough to blow a hole in his prey, he does not fire.
I have seen Peter drop into marsh-grass so thin that apparently we
could discern the surface of the ground through it, and disappear so
completely that our most earnest attention could not distinguish even a
rustling of the herbage. After an interval his gun would go off from
some distant point, exactly where some ducks had been feeding serenely
oblivious to fate. Neither of us white men would have considered for a
moment the possibility of getting any of them. Once I felt rather proud
of myself for killing six ruffed grouse out of some trees with the
pistol, until Peter drifted in carrying three he had bagged with a
stick.
Another interesting phase of this almost perfect correspondence to
environment is the readiness with which an Indian will meet an
emergency. We are accustomed to rely first of all on the skilled labour
of some one we can hire; second, if we undertake the job ourselves, on
the tools made for us by skilled labour; and third, on the shops to
supply us with the materials we may need.
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