CHAPTER VIII. 



RIFLES, &c. 



THIS subject has been much written about, for anyone who constantly 

 peruses the Field or the latest books on sport in foreign countries must 

 have noticed the many articles and chapters that have appeared in print 

 on the subject. 



However, as it is, perhaps, the most important part of a hunter's outfit and 

 so much really useless information has been published on the subject, there may 

 still be room for a short chapter on it. 



In the days of Harris, Gordon-Cumming, Oswell, and Baldwin, the usual 

 weapon for ponderous or dangerous game was a heavy bore muzzle-loader, some- 

 times smooth, sometimes rifled. Oswell's favourite weapon was a lo-bore smooth 

 double-barrelled Purdey with a rifle backsight. With it he killed many elephant, 

 rhino, and lion. Gordon-Cumming also used a lo-bore rifle by Dickson, 

 Edinburgh, and, like Oswell, he did good execution with it, but it is only necessary 

 to read his book, " Five Years' Adventures in South Africa," to see that it was by 

 no means infallible, for he mentions putting fifty-seven bullets into an elephant, taking 

 from 11.30 a.m. until sundown to kill it. Baldwin and Harris also used muzzle- 

 loaders. In later days Sir Samuel Baker and F. C. Selous, who began their 

 sporting careers with the old muzzle-loaders, lived to see and use more modern 

 weapons, such as the black powder Expresses, and in Selous' case the still more 

 modern cordite and other high velocity rifles. Baker's favourite weapon was a 

 double '577 Express, and he was a great believer in the solid bullet as opposed to 

 the exaggerated form of hollowed-out projectile. He considered that a soft lead 

 bullet, driven by a large charge of black powder, quite powerful enough for soft- 

 skinned dangerous animals, such as lion, tiger, bear, and leopard, and so it was, 

 but almost unnecessarily powerful. Using a solid hardened bullet he killed 

 elephant, buffalo, rhino, &c. Even this he did not consider powerful enough 

 for the largest beasts, for he strongly recommends the use of 4, 8, and 10 bores 

 for such animals. 



Selous, starting off with the old 4-bore smooth guns the Dutch called " Roers," 

 killed elephant, rhino, and buffalo, but he has mentioned in his book, "A Hunter's 



