278 THE WILDERNESS HUNTER. 



large calibre. The amount of it is that each 

 one of these guns possesses some excellence 

 which the others lack, but which is in most 

 cases atoned for by some corresponding defect. 

 Simplicity of mechanism is very important, but 

 so is rapidity of fire ; and it is hard to get 

 both of them developed to the highest degree 

 in the same piece. In the same way, flatness 

 of trajectory, penetration, range, shock, and 

 accuracy are all qualities which must be at- 

 tained ; but to get one in perfection usually 

 means the sacrifice of some of the rest. For 

 instance, other things being equal, the smallest 

 calibre has the greatest penetration, but gives 

 the least shock ; while a very flat trajectory, if 

 acquired by heavy charges of powder, means 

 the sacrifice of accuracy. Similarly, solid and 

 hollow pointed bullets have, respectively, their 

 merits and demerits. There is no use of dog- 

 matizing about weapons. Some which prove 

 excellent for particular countries and kinds of 

 hunting are useless in others. 



There seems to be no doubt, judging from 

 the testimony of sportsmen in South Africa 

 and in India, that very heavy calibre double- 

 barrelled rifles are best for use in the dense 

 jungles and against the thick-hided game of 

 those regions ; but they are of very little value 

 with us. In 1882 one of the buffalo hunters 

 on the Little Missouri obtained from some 

 Englishman a double-barrelled ten-bore rifle 

 of the kind used against rhinoceros, buffalo, 

 and elephant in the Old World ; but it proved 

 very inferior to the 40- and 45 -calibre Sharps' 



