MY SOMALI BOOK 69 



for general sliooting in Somaliland. As to the Paradox, 

 it remained to be seen hoAV far it would bear me out 

 in my fixed opinion that a good ball-and-shot gun is 

 the best type of weapon for dealing with dangerous 

 thin-skiinied game : this by reason of its superior 

 handiness combined with the consistent stopping power 

 of a very heavy bullet with moderate velocity. The 

 •400 was intended to supplement both and to deal 

 with rhino if required. 



At the last moment an unexpected difficulty arose 

 regarding the issue of my permit to shoot in British 

 Somaliland, which I need not go into now as it came 

 right in the end, but one result of which was that H., 

 believing my plans changed, could of course make no 

 arrangements for me, and he left Somaliland on leave 

 before hearing that I was definitely going out. In 

 the second place, the uncertainty caused an exas- 

 perating delay of three weeks in my start from 

 England. 



However, at length I found myself on the 20 th 

 July back in Berbera, with my caravan to be got 

 together instead of all being ready for me as I had 

 hoped. My first anxiety was to get hold of a good 

 head shikari. x\bdilleli Ashur was away up country, 

 my old friend Elmi Hirsi was not available, nor were 

 one or two others whom I knew by reputation. Of 

 course several candidates turned up, and P., the 

 District Officer at Berbera, gave me a lot of assistance. 

 Eventually I engaged provisionally two Midgans, who 

 had good certificates from men I knew ; but I was not 

 satisfied. The other Somalis look down on the Midgans, 

 so that a Midgan head shikari would necessitate my 



