IO2 Sport and Life. 



jars and knocks, but, so protected, the rifle can be used in 

 critical moments as a sort of alpenstock, in which character I have 

 known it to save life and limb. A 6ft. bamboo pole, consisting 

 of three jointed lengths, answers the purpose, of course, much 

 better, and is of the greatest assistance in goat country. On my 

 first visit I lugged about with me a young pine tree, yft. long, 

 and as many inches in circumference, and weighing half a ton 

 at least, that appeared to be its weight when the alpenstock and 

 the very fagged goat hunter were stalking campward in the dusk 

 after a long day. 



Goats are uncommonly slow in their flight, the nature of the 

 ground in most cases forbidding rapid running. If the animals are 

 not absolutely on the very top of the ridge, you can generally get 

 in eight or ten shots before they get out of sight, which is decidedly 

 a redeeming feature ; for I have found that, when stalking this 

 game, the majority of the shooting has to be done at long ranges. 

 If you know your rifle, and have the chance of marking the first 

 two or three shots, so as to ascertain the distance, taking your 

 shots, of course, from a steady rest, you will finally get your 

 hand in, and, with a little care, surprise yourself by the close shoot- 

 ing a good rifle and fine sights can do. The new small bores are, 

 of course, far and away better for such shooting than the old- 

 fashioned Expresses, not only on account of their greater accuracy 

 but also owing to their higher velocity, and consequently flatter 

 trajectory. Only those who have actually tried either the '256 

 Mannlicher or the Mauser can appreciate their wonderful accuracy. 

 With the former at looyds. a certain phenomenal shot has put 

 five consecutive bullets within a circle not larger than a threepenny 

 bit. While, to show the advantage of a flat trajectory, the following 

 details will illustrate the immense advantages of the -256 Mannlicher 

 over a "500 Express. 



Drop at Drop at Drop at Drop at 

 looyds. 20oyds. 3Ooyds. 4Ooyds. 



256 Mannlicher ... ... 3^in. i5 r %in. 38in. 



500 Express, 4 44gi'. bullet,) , 3 . ,. 



,-. UyTTlll. <U.,U1. Of III, 



I38gr. powder ... ... ) 



