Lookingback，amanreallyhasamoreobjectivefeelingabouthimselfasachildthanhehasabouthisfatherormother。Hefeelsasifthatchildwerenotthepresenthe，individually，butanancestor；justasmuchanancestoraseitherofhisparents。Thesayingthatthechildisthefathertothemanmaybetakeninasensealmostthereverseofthatusuallygiventoit。Thechildisfathertothemaninthesensethathisindividualityisseparatefromtheindividualityofthegrown-upintowhichheturns。Thisisperhapsonereasonwhyamancanspeakofhischildhoodandearlyyouthwithasenseofdetachment。
Havingbeenasicklyboy，withnonaturalbodilyprowess，andhavinglivedmuchathome，Iwasatfirstquiteunabletoholdmyownwhenthrownintocontactwithotherboysofrougherantecedents。Iwasnervousandtimid。YetfromreadingofthepeopleIadmired——rangingfromthesoldiersofValleyForge，andMorgan’sriflemen，totheheroesofmyfavoritestories——andfromhearingofthefeatsperformedbymySouthernforefathersandkinsfolk，andfromknowingmyfather，I
feltagreatadmirationformenwhowerefearlessandwhocouldholdtheirownintheworld，andIhadagreatdesiretobelikethem。
UntilIwasnearlyfourteenIletthisdesiretakenomoredefiniteshapethanday-dreams。Thenanincidenthappenedthatdidmerealgood。Havinganattackofasthma，IwassentoffbymyselftoMooseheadLake。Onthestage-coachridethitherIencounteredacoupleofotherboyswhowereaboutmyownage，butverymuchmorecompetentandalsomuchmoremischievous。Ihavenodoubttheyweregood-heartedboys，buttheywereboys！TheyfoundthatIwasaforeordainedandpredestinedvictim，andindustriouslyproceededtomakelifemiserableforme。TheworstfeaturewasthatwhenIfinallytriedtofightthemIdiscoveredthateitheronesinglycouldnotonlyhandlemewitheasycontempt，buthandlemesoasnottohurtmemuchandyettopreventmydoinganydamagewhateverinreturn。
Theexperiencetaughtmewhatprobablynoamountofgoodadvicecouldhavetaughtme。ImadeupmymindthatImusttrytolearnsothatI
wouldnotagainbeputinsuchahelplessposition；andhavingbecomequicklyandbitterlyconsciousthatIdidnothavethenaturalprowesstoholdmyown，IdecidedthatIwouldtrytosupplyitsplacebytraining。Accordingly，withmyfather’sheartyapproval，Istartedtolearntobox。Iwasapainfullyslowandawkwardpupil，andcertainlyworkedtwoorthreeyearsbeforeImadeanyperceptibleimprovementwhatever。Myfirstboxing-masterwasJohnLong，anex-prize-fighter。I
canseehisroomsnow，withcoloredpicturesofthefightsbetweenTomHyerandYankeeSullivan，andHeenanandSayers，andothergreateventsintheannalsofthesquaredcircle。Ononeoccasion，toexciteinterestamonghispatrons，heheldaseriesof“championship“matchesforthedifferentweights，theprizesbeing，atleastinmyownclass，pewtermugsofavalue，Ishouldsuppose，approximatingfiftycents。
NeitherhenorIhadanyideathatIcoulddoanything，butIwasenteredinthelightweightcontest，inwhichithappenedthatIwaspittedinsuccessionagainstacoupleofreedystriplingswhowereevenworsethanIwas。Equallytotheirsurpriseandtomyown，andtoJohnLong’s，Iwon，andthepewtermugbecameoneofmymostprizedpossessions。Ikeptit，andalludedtoit，andIfearbraggedaboutit，foranumberofyears，andIonlywishIknewwhereitwasnow。
YearslaterIreadanaccountofalittlemanwhoonceinafifth-ratehandicapracewonaworthlesspewtermedalandjoyediniteverafter。
Well，assoonasIreadthatstoryIfeltthatthatlittlemanandI
werebrothers。
Thiswas，asfarasIremember，theonlyoneofmyexceedinglyrareathletictriumphswhichwouldbeworthrelating。IdidagooddealofboxingandwrestlinginHarvard，butneverattainedtothefirstrankineither，evenatmyownweight。Once，inthebigcontestsintheGym，Igoteitherintothefinalsorsemi-finals，Iforgetwhich；butasidefromthisthechiefpartIplayedwastoactastrialhorseforsomefriendorclassmatewhodidhaveachanceofdistinguishinghimselfinthechampionshipcontests。
Iwasfondofhorseback-riding，butItooktoitslowlyandwithdifficulty，exactlyaswithboxing。ItwasalongtimebeforeIbecameevenarespectablerider，andInevergotmuchhigher。ImeanbythisthatIneverbecameafirst-flightmaninthehuntingfield，andneverevenapproachedthebronco-bustingclassintheWest。Anyman，ifhechooses，cangraduallyschoolhimselftotherequisitenerve，andgraduallylearntherequisiteseatandhands，thatwillenablehimtodorespectablyacrosscountry，ortoperformtheaverageworkonaranch。OfmyranchexperiencesIshallspeaklater。AtintervalsafterleavingcollegeIhuntedonLongIslandwiththeMeadowbrookhounds。
AlmosttheonlyexperienceIeverhadinthisconnectionthatwasofanyinterestwasononeoccasionwhenIbrokemyarm。Mypursedidnotpermitmetoownexpensivehorses。OnthisoccasionIwasridingananimal，abuggyhorseoriginally，whichitsownersoldbecausenowandthenitinsistedonthoughtfullylyingdownwheninharness。Itneverdidthisunderthesaddle；andwhenheturneditouttograssitwouldsolemnlyhopoverthefenceandgetsomewherewhereitdidnotbelong。
Thelasttraitwaswhatconverteditintoahunter。Itwasanaturaljumper，althoughwithoutanyspeed。OnthehuntinquestionIgotalongverywelluntilthepacewindedmyex-buggyhorse，anditturnedasomersaultoverafence。WhenIgotonitafterthefallIfoundI
couldnotusemyleftarm。Isupposeditwasmerelyastrain。ThebuggyhorsewasasedateanimalwhichIrodewithasnaffle。Sowepoundedalongatthetailofthehunt，andIdidnotappreciatethatmyarmwasbrokenforthreeorfourfences。Thenwecametoabigdrop，andthejarmadethebonesslippastoneanothersoastothrowthehandoutofposition。Itdidnothurtmeatall，andasthehorsewasaseasytositasarocking-chair，Igotinatthedeath。
IthinkAugustBelmontwasmasterofthehuntwhentheaboveincidentoccurred。IknowhewasmasteronanotheroccasiononwhichImetwithamildadventure。OnoneofthehuntswhenIwasoutamanwasthrown，draggedbyonestirrup，andkilled。InconsequenceIboughtapairofsafetystirrups，whichIusedthenexttimeIwentout。WithinfiveminutesaftertherunbeganIfoundthatthestirrupsweresovery“safe“thattheywouldnotstayinatall。Firstonewentoffatonejump，andthentheotheratanotherjump——withafallformeoneachoccasion。Ihatedtogiveupthefunsoearly，andaccordinglyfinishedtherunwithoutanystirrups。Myhorseneverwentasfastasonthatrun。Doubtlessafirst-classhorsemancanrideaswellwithoutstirrupsaswiththem。ButIwasnotafirst-classhorseman。Whenanythingunexpectedhappened，Iwasapttoclaspthesolemnbuggyhorsefirmlywithmyspurredheels，andtheresultwasthathelaidhimselfouttodohisbestinthewayofgalloping。Hespeedilyfoundthat，thankstothesnafflebit，Icouldnotpullhimin，sowhenwecametoadowngradehewouldusuallyputonsteam。Theniftherewasafenceatthebottomandhecheckedatall，Iwasapttoshootforward，andinsucheventwewentoverthefenceinawaythatremindedmeofLeech’spicture，in/Punch/，ofMr。TomNoddyandhismarejumpingafenceinthefollowingorder：Mr。TomNoddy，I；hismare，II。However，Igotinatthedeaththistimealso。
Iwasfondofwalkingandclimbing。AsaladIusedtogotothenorthwoods，inMaine，bothinfallandwinter。ThereImadelifefriendsoftwomen，WillDowandBillSewall：Icanoedwiththem，andtrampedthroughthewoodswiththem，visitingthewinterloggingcampsonsnow-shoes。AfterwardtheywerewithmeintheWest。WillDowisdead。
BillSewallwascollectorofcustomsunderme，ontheAroostookborder。ExceptwhenhuntingIneverdidanymountaineeringsaveforacoupleofconventionaltripsuptheMatterhornandtheJungfrauononeoccasionwhenIwasinSwitzerland。
Ineverdidmuchwiththeshotgun，butIpracticedagooddealwiththerifle。Ihadarifle-rangeatSagamoreHill，whereIoftentookfriendstoshoot。OnceortwicewhenIwasvisitedbypartiesofreleasedBoerprisoners，afterthecloseoftheSouthAfricanWar，theyandIheldshootingmatchestogether。ThebestmanwithbothpistolandriflewhoevershottherewasStewartEdwardWhite。Amongthemanyothergoodmenwasastanchfriend，BaronSpeckvonSternberg，afterwardsGermanAmbassadoratWashingtonduringmyPresidency。Hewasacapitalshot，rider，andwalker，adevotedandmostefficientservantofGermany，whohadfoughtwithdistinctionintheFranco-GermanWarwhenbarelymorethanaboy；hewastheheroofthestoryof“thepigdog“inArchibaldForbes’svolumeofreminiscences。Itwashewhofirsttalkedoverwithmetheraisingofaregimentofhorseriflemenfromamongtheranchmenandcowboysoftheplains。WhenAmbassador，thepoor，gallant，tender-heartedfellowwasdyingofaslowandpainfuldisease，sothathecouldnotplaywiththerestofus，buttheagonyofhismortalillnessneverintheslightestdegreeinterferedwithhiswork。AmongtheothermenwhoshotandrodeandwalkedwithmewasCecilSpring-Rice，whohasjustbeenappointedBritishAmbassadortotheUnitedStates。Hewasmygroomsman，mybestman，whenIwasmarried——atSt。George’s，HanoverSquare，whichmademefeelasifIwerelivinginoneofThackeray’snovels。
Myownexperienceasregardsmarksmanshipwasmuchthesameasmyexperienceasregardshorsemanship。Therearemenwhoseeyeandhandaresoquickandsosurethattheyachieveaperfectionofmarksmanshiptowhichnopracticewillenableordinarymentoattain。
Thereareothermenwhocannotlearntoshootwithanyaccuracyatall。Inbetweencomethemassofmenofordinaryabilitieswho，iftheychooseresolutelytopractice，canbysheerindustryandjudgmentmakethemselvesfairrifleshots。Themenwhoshowthisrequisiteindustryandjudgmentcanwithoutspecialdifficultyraisethemselvestothesecondclassofrespectablerifleshots；anditistothisclassthatIbelong。Buttohavereachedthispointofmarksmanshipwiththerifleatatargetbynomeansimpliesabilitytohitgameinthefield，especiallydangerousgame。Allkindsofotherqualities，moralandphysical，enterintobeingagoodhunter，andespeciallyagoodhunterafterdangerousgame，justasallkindsofotherqualitiesinadditiontoskillwiththerifleenterintobeingagoodsoldier。
Withdangerousgame，afterafairdegreeofefficiencywiththeriflehasbeenattained，theprimerequisitesarecooljudgmentandthatkindofnervewhichconsistsinavoidingbeingrattled。Anybeginnerisapttohave“buckfever。”andthereforenobeginnershouldgoatdangerousgame。
Buckfevermeansastateofintensenervousexcitementwhichmaybeentirelydivorcedfromtimidity。Itmayaffectamanthefirsttimehehastospeaktoalargeaudiencejustasitaffectshimthefirsttimeheseesabuckorgoesintobattle。Whatsuchamanneedsisnotcouragebutnervecontrol，cool-headedness。Thishecangetonlybyactualpractice。Hemust，bycustomandrepeatedexerciseofself-
mastery，gethisnervesthoroughlyundercontrol。Thisislargelyamatterofhabit，inthesenseofrepeatedeffortandrepeatedexerciseofwillpower。Ifthemanhastherightstuffinhim，hiswillgrowsstrongerandstrongerwitheachexerciseofit——andifhehasnottherightstuffinhimhehadbetterkeepclearofdangerousgamehunting，orindeedofanyotherformofsportorworkinwhichthereisbodilyperil。
Afterhehasachievedtheabilitytoexercisewarinessandjudgmentandthecontroloverhisnerves/whichwillmakehimshootaswellatthegameasatatarget/，hecanbeginhisessaysatdangerousgamehunting，andhewillthenfindthatitdoesnotdemandsuchabnormalprowessastheoutsiderisapttoimagine。Amanwhocanhitasoda-
waterbottleatthedistanceofafewyardscanbrainalionorabearoranelephantatthatdistance，andifhecannotbrainitwhenitchargeshecanatleastbringittoastandstill。Allhehastodoistoshootasaccuratelyashewouldatasoda-waterbottle；andtodothisrequiresnerve，atleastasmuchasitdoesphysicaladdress。
Havingreachedthispoint，thehuntermustnotimaginethatheiswarrantedintakingdesperatechances。Therearedegreesinproficiency；andwhatisawarrantableandlegitimateriskforamantotakewhenhehasreachedacertaingradeofefficiencymaybeafoolishriskforhimtotakebeforehehasreachedthatgrade。Amanwhohasreachedthedegreeofproficiencyindicatedaboveisquitewarrantedinwalkinginatalionatbay，inanopenplain，to，say，withinahundredyards。Ifthelionhasnotcharged，themanoughtatthatdistancetoknockhimoverandpreventhischarging；andifthelionisalreadycharging，themanoughtatthatdistancetobeabletostophim。Buttheamountofprowesswhichwarrantsamaninrelyingonhisabilitytoperformthisfeatdoesnotbyanymeansjustifyhiminthinkingthat，forinstance，hecancrawlafterawoundedlionintothickcover。Ihaveknownmenofindifferentprowesstoperformthislatterfeatsuccessfully，butatleastasoftentheyhavebeenunsuccessful，andinthesecasestheresulthasbeenunpleasant。Themanwhohabituallyfollowswoundedlionsintothickcovermustbeahunterofthehighestskill，orhecancountwithcertaintyonanultimatemauling。
