CHAPTER VI. 



THE BIGHORN AND THE ANTELOPE. 



MAN has exterminated many species of wild game in \ns day, but 

 at no period of history has he succeeded in destroying animals 

 with the appalling rapidity observable to-day. It is to a far 

 greater degree than one might suppose the direct result of the 

 invention of the breech-loading rifle. In many a secluded 

 mountain valley in the Alps of Europe, which from time 

 immemorial was the home of chamois, the last of that race has 

 now been shot by modern small-bores* ; and much the same result 

 has been effected in other parts of the world, Africa, perhaps, 

 affording just now the most depressing example. 



Science has not only vastly improved the precision of small 

 arms and, by perfecting the repeating mechanism, increased the 

 rapidity of fire, but it has overcome to a perilous degree, by the 

 new high-pressure powders, one of the principal safeguards of 

 hunted animals, namely, errors in the judging of distances. And 

 a skilful adaptation of the telescope has added a further and very 

 deadly improvement to the sportsman's weapon of attack. The 

 Express rifle, with which the big game hunter sought his quarry 

 fifteen or twenty years ago, is to-day for mountain game as obsolete 

 in comparison with a Mannlicher or Mauser, as in its day it was an 

 improvement upon the muzzle-loader, throwing a sixteen to the 

 pound ball. 



In another direction, too, has science stolen a march upon big 



* On tha whole chamois have increased in the Alps in consequence of the 

 greatly increased preservation, but in places where they are not preserved the 

 above has of late occurred. 



