288 MY SOMALI BOOK 



The case for the small bore is well set forth in 

 Central African Game and its Spoor, by Captain C. H. 

 Stigand and D. T>. Lyell. It is based mainly on the 

 accuracy, comparative lack of recoil, lightness, and 

 handiness of the small bore in magazine form — qualities 

 of undoubtedly great value. But I take the liberty of 

 making two quotations which will illustrate these 

 authors' point of view. 



They write : " We have dropped a charging 

 elephant on his knees at ten yards with one shot from 

 a Mannlicher, and with the same weapon failed to stop 

 a charging lion at two yards. ... In the first case, 

 had we had a heavy bore, we think that we may not 

 have been able to have got in such a deadly shot, 

 whereas, in the second case, with a heavy bore, or even 

 a shot-gun, the shock of impact would in all probability 

 have turned the animal." The authors rightly depre- 

 cate the drawing of general inferences from isolated 

 cases such as these. But the two examples are not 

 on all fours, one turning on the qualities of the rifle, 

 the other on those of the bullet. Others might find 

 a medium bore double-barrel, if not too heavy, as 

 handy for the elephant as a single small-bore. And 

 I think the admission from advocates of the small-bore 

 that a heavier weapon would probably have been 

 effective where the Mannlicher failed, e.g. in stopping 

 power, is worth while emphasising on my part. 



Again, " The first shot is the all-important one, 

 and if this only wounds, the animal must be stopped 

 by sheer weight of lead and blow of impact. For the 

 first shot we wish to use all the accuracy at our disposal, 

 and something that we can always have in our hand 



