APPENDIX 



skinned game, like elephants or buffaloes ; though I have seen that 

 a hollow-pointed ball has gone clean through one of the latter 

 animals. 



For ordinary shot-gun work pure and simple, all a man needs 

 is his own favourite weapon, which he will be well used to and can 

 handle most comfortably. A " Paradox " will meet all require- 

 ments, however. 



Coming now to care of weapons at home, I find guns and rifles 

 keep clean best and longest if kept in upright gun-cabinets. They 

 soon get rusty if laid down on their sides, or put away in a gun- 

 case. 



With both rifle and shot-gun the tip is, when packing up for a 

 return from a trip, or after a lot of use, to put the barrels out in the 

 sun, after cleaning but before oiling, until they get quite hot. If 

 oiled when still warm they will keep clean for days and weeks, as 

 all moisture will have been driven out. Don't expose the wood- 

 work of gun or rifle to the sun too much when thus warming the 

 barrels or it will warp or crack keep it covered with a cloth, or a 

 coat, or anything, if it happens to be undetachable. 



Rifles need a lot of care, and should be cleaned with wire brush 

 and any " nitroclene " liquid, carefully wiped out, and as carefully 

 oiled. 



By passing the oil mop through daily for about a week your rifle 

 will not gather any rust, and will, after that, keep clean untouched 

 for weeks. This also applies to your shot-gun. 



I don't recommend leaving the cleaning of guns or rifles to 

 native servants, and, personally, always clean my weapons myself, 

 both at home and in the jungle. A friend of mine once handed an 

 old favourite brown damascus- barrelled shot-gun to a bungalow 

 cooly to clean, and this bright genius, thinking to please " master," 

 got some sand, or other rubbing material, and diligently rubbed 

 away the " brown " until he had the barrels polished brigh t 

 Imagine " master's " delight, but what could he say the fault was 

 his own ! 



Leave nothing to chance, but see personally to all your weapons 

 and ammunition if you are going on a trip. Have a rifle you know 

 and can use, and don't go to your next-door neighbour to borrow 

 one, on the plea that " anything will do " you are likely to " get 

 left " under those circumstances. 



351 



