Big Game Shooting 



there I sent out with a certain distinguished 

 V.C. officer, for a lion shoot, two men from my 

 company as orderlies, armed with Martini- Enfield 

 carbines and the service sword-bayonet. The 

 officer was badly mauled by a lion, and at once 

 both men rushed in with fixed bayonets, one 

 getting the lion in the chest, whilst the other 

 man stuck him down behind the shoulder-blade. 

 Result, no more lion ! Somalis are, as I said, 

 undeniably plucky with any game, and I can give 

 another instance later of a Somali's pluck in this 

 country with buffalo. 



Whilst I have been in East Africa I have had 

 two Masai gun-bearers. Both are very plucky. 

 The chief man is very calm and quiet, but, at the 

 same time, quite all there ; and the other is as 

 plucky, but makes use of fearful language, so 

 I am told, luckily in his own unknown tongue, on 

 anything exciting happening. Every one to his 

 own taste ; but the Somali does want, and can 

 command, an absolutely fancy wage. There are, 

 of course, gun-bearers of other nationalities, and 

 far be it from me to say anything against any 

 of them, but I don't know them, and this is only 

 my small experience. 



A few remarks as to skins, etc., may be of 

 some use. 



Always keep the mask of any animal you may 

 shoot. A skull when set up on the wall, properly 

 cleaned, looks very well, but put a head skin on 



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